Why I Cook Two Meals

The only time in my life that I dieted was in high school between the months of November and March. That was wrestling season. After high school, I continued to eat healthy and I still do.

Mostly.

But I’ve never dieted again. I’ve never needed to watch my weight. As DW likes to say, “He eats the food and I gain the weight.” I’ve always understood dieting to mean weightloss. You go on a diet because you want to lose some weight, be healthy, avoid a heart attack or diabetes or something else that might run in your family. As I got older, I’ve come to understand that the word diet is a misnomer. It should be called a dietary lifestyle change, or waist recycling, or better nakeding.

Becuase we ALL want to look good naked.

How many diets over the years have been tried? How many of them have you tried? How many of them have failed? Previously, the 21 Day Fix (minus the workouts) entered our house. It worked for a bit. DW managed to lose 15 pounds. However, after 3 months it became the same foods over and over.

Boring.
Boring.
Boring.

Then DW’s cousin told her about this diet her own doctor, a metabolic specialist, had her undertake. The ketogenic (keto for short) diet. Once we understand that it’s not fat that makes us fat, the diet makes more sense. Sugar makes us fat and our bodies treat sugar and carbohydrates the same way. The keto diet is low carb/sugar, moderate levels of protein, and high in fats.

She went on this thing called “cold turkey” and quit the carbs and sugars over night. She switched to 85-90% chocolate as her treat. We found and make treats that use this stuff called erythritol – a sweetener that doesn’t spike blood sugar levels.

So now I cook two meals at supper time. Though, technically, I really only cook one meal. I just do it two different ways. If I make meatloaf, I’ll make two. One normal one and one that doesn’t have ketchup and brown sugar and bread crumbs. It has other tasty stuff. Don’t worry, if I’m cooking it, it will be good enough to eat. When I make spaghetti I also make spaghetti squash for DW. We go through a ton of cauliflower. Most recipes can be “ketofied”. And ketofy it I do. Pizza (fatheat pizza crust). Brownies. Pie. Bread (a.k.a. cloud bread). I save the bacon fat and cook with that, too.

We were also walking after school while the boys were ice skating.

She’s had bloodwork done twice now. After five months her good cholesterol is going up. Her bad cholesterol is going down. She is now down nearly 32 pounds.

She looks great naked, too.

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My Thankful Post

Once upon a time there was a family who celebrated Thanksgiving on a farm. So many family members attended that two tables were needed to sit everyone. There was so much food, two tables were need to hold it all. One of the seats was a church pew. There was much talking and laughter. There were bumping elbows and food stolen off plates. There was always one dish getting passed the wrong direction.  Through the years we ranged in age from newborn to grandparents.

After a hearty meal, the table cleared off and the dishes cleaned and put away, there would be football and parade watching on TV. They would doze in and out of tryptophan comas.

Well rested, the boys would gather in the front yard for some pigskin tossing and tackling. “Down 42! Blue! HUT HUT HUT!” Just like they were a Pittsburgh Steeler or a Dallas Cowboy. On warmer occasions, the girls would participate and it would become a family game of two hand touch .

Today, while the table remains, not as many gather around it this Thanksgiving. My grandfather, having passed away many years ago, no longer steals food from my mother. My brother and his family are now in South Korea. I and my family are now in Canada. My cousins are scattered up and down the east coast from Florida to Maryland. Some are travelling the world. There is no more football in the front yard.

The times have changed and nothing seems as it was in the “good old days”. Our gratitude, however, remains healthy and constant. Forever are we thankful for those days together. Thankful we could share a table with so much family, with so much love. Differences were set aside for a few hours of food and fun. Quarrels were ignored in the spirit of the holiday.

The newborns are now great grandchildren. Grandparents now outnumber children. Blessings outnumber worries. And we’ll celebrate American Thanksgiving here.

Happy Thanksgiving…