Photo copyright: Maggie May
I didn't make a definite New Years Resolution except to go on with my daily diary/journal writing and to make an effort not to let a week pass by without adding a new post to my blog. Well those things weren't much of a challenge to me as I knew I would probably fulfil these expectations so it was all a bit half hearted really.
Before Christmas I was invited by our doctors practice to go for a medical to see how healthy I was. I nearly didn't go because I felt I'd been through a lot and didn't know whether I wanted to know if anything else was wrong with me. However, when the New Year had settled and I felt that I had more time, I made the appointment for one. I knew that I was overweight but not grossly so and although I have my limitations these days when it comes to exercise, I do go out walking for at least half an hour each day and I do eat my 5 fruits and vegetables daily so didn't really expect anything too bad. When I actually saw the result on paper....... BMI halfway between overweight and obese, cholesterol levels up a notch, blood pressure marginal....... made me feel I'm not so healthy after all.
"It can all be controlled by diet," the Practice nurse said. "You don't need medication."
I decided to try and eat even more healthily and the following weekend I bought a Crock-pot. Although I am practically a vegetarian, I envisaged making the most marvellous lentil and vegetable stew adding pulses for extra nutrition and fibre. Slow cooking has produced very tasty and appetising meals so far and I am very pleased with the results. Harry also says that it is all delicious fare. So my belated New Years Resolution is to cut down on hidden fats and to try to eat more healthily.
How are you all getting on with your New Years Resolution? That is, if you made any.
27 comments:
A slow cooker is probably a good way to start eating healthily.
I too have been using my slow cooker.. delicious meals have followed.
On my way with the New Year's resolutions...and so far so good
Hugs
SUeAnn
I love my slow cooker I have to say. I am also on a bit of a health kick as my jeans are all slightly snug. I make a lot of soup (split pea, lentil) at the moment, which is delicious and filling. Good luck. Don't forget to use the Internet for recipes. I hardly even crack a recipe book open these days as there are so many on the web.
Gotta agree with the stuff one can fix in a slow cooker -some really terrific meals done easily! (Which is my hallmark in cooking -"done easily!" As to resolutions, I don't make any because I've usually broken them by mid-day on New Year's Day but I will say this, I'm still working on my half-hearted resolution from last year -to at least cut down on smoking and in that quest, I've come down from over 2 packs a day to merely one! Not winning that race exactly to most people's minds, but to me, that's quite an accomplishment. Now trying to get it down even further and maybe even reach zero! Someday? Soon, perhaps?
i am a fan of the croc pot...and def could use some eating a little more healthy myself....thinking of the croc pot made me think of pot roast though...and i am hungry now...smiles.
I started before Christmas to eat better and using my crock pot. I love it. I freeze the extra for meals when I'm just not wanting to cook. I guess continuing could be my resolution. Lost 10 pounds and much to my surprise my knees stopped hurting.
The New Year found me bursting at the seams in my normal clothes, so instead of going up a size - which I absolutely refuse to do - I decided once again to limit our fat intake and go for the whole grain variety of carbs versus the whites. Once again, my hubby has lost 10 pounds to my 3! It just isn't fair! I love my Crock Pot! After soaking some dried beans overnight, I have them bubbling ever so smoothly in it right now. That may be our stand alone dinner tonight as it is seasoned with a ham bone frozen since our Christmas dinner.
Sincerely hope that your new way of eating solves your health issues. Good luck.
Hubby and I have been watching out for trans fats for years now...we won't eat it if it has any trans fats in it...and we try to keep saturated fats to a minimum. You are doing great walking a half hour a day! My hubby's doctor told us (his doctor is 63, and a nephrologist) that he has watched people over the years (he has the same patients for 30 or more years because he is that good) that have done all the right things and eaten all the right foods and they died young...and he has watched people do all the wrong things, eat all the wrong foods and they lived to be old...he is convinced it all comes down to genetics, unless you do something way out like bungee jumping...lol...he told my hubby to thank his old relatives.
I didn't really make a New year's resolution but generally decided to continue on the path I had taken some time ago. Eating sensibly is one of the things I do, as you know. I think it's a great idea to get a crock pot because you can make deliciously gealthy meals with them that taste great too. If I were cooking for more people than just myself, I would get one too. xox
Good luck with your resolution, I've already broken mine. ;)
Love my crockpot! Love the looks of yours, too!
I have kept my New Year's resolutions (so far.) I thought about breaking them, but thought that if it was important enough for me to make a resolution, it was important enough for me to keep, so I'm working hard at it (with the Lord's help.)
I'm reading the Bible through this year.
Also, I'm not drinking any carbonated beverages or eating unhealthy snacks (especially at bedtime.)
I have a great recipe for the crockpot that I want to share with you.
So easy...and so good:
Cubed steak
2 cans of mushroom soup (no additional liquid...just the condensed canned soup)
1 package of French Onion dry soup mix
1/2 cup of water
That's it. Those are the only ingredients. Put them all in the crockpot and let them cook all day.
We eat ours over rice or mashed potatoes.
Ummm.
Love you,
Jackie
I have a slow cooker, but I can't face putting stuff in it at 7.15am before I go to work,so it tends to get used very infrequently. I do like soups though, as someone else mentioned. Very healthy, filling and very warming at this time of year. I use BBC Good Food (magazine and website) to find new recipes; I like the nutritional information they put on every recipe, very useful.
Great idea, Maggie. I also need to lose weight and must get ours out. I really need to lose 2 stones at least. No more crisps and a lot less cheese for me. Love ~ Eddie x
Good for you for being proactive on getting those numbers where they need to be. I think you are on the right track.
I am doing ok with my resolutions. I am exercising more. I am cooking healthy foods more. I am mostly watching the kinds of food I put in my mouth. Today was not a good day in that department, but mostly, I am doing quite well with it all.
I love my slow cooker. I try to use it a lot in the winter.
Sometimes a little timely reminder is a good thing, even though we may not want to hear it! I have a slow cooker but don't use it nearly enough - thanks for reminding ME!
That's a great way to cook more healthily, and so easy. I made a resolution not to make any resolutions....although I have got a page a day diary, for the first time in years, and I'm trying to keep it up to date.
I had a slow cooker for years - infact it was a wedding present. With having the Rayburn we dont need it and I gave it away via Freecycle. Next time tou are on my blog checkout Hillside Cottage on my blogroll. Kath has some wonderful vegetarian recipes she has shared. The BMI index is rather scary - despite losing over 2 stone it still tells me I am in dangerzone. I didn't really make any resolutions as I always break them but we are back on track with the DIY. If we see that through that will be enough for me.
I gave up making resolutions years ago Maggie, because they don't work.
My slow cooker was the best thing I ever bought. I use it so often. So easy to just throw everything in and know that the slow cooking will produce something delicious.
Good for you for wanting to make healthy changes. I use my crock pot often and I think you find that your crock pot will help you eat better.
Good for you! Eating healthy is always worth the effort.
Good on you for doing this all through diet and not going the medication route. My friend started taking medication and did not lose weight and now takes so many other different drugs, its a downward spiral...
Hi Maggie I've not logged into blogger for 2 years and I've just found your comment from October 2012. Bless you for not forgetting me. I've not been having much fun. Youngest son still recovering from psychosis. He is now working 2 days a week. We've had several deaths in the family, including husband's nephew 29 years of age. Problems with my mother since last year. She was admitted into hospital again on Monday. She is bipolar and very 'high' currently. Glad you are still blogging. I often think about you, my favourite bloggers and my blogging days. I had so much fun. Much love to you.
I've stuck with the 'hopefulness daily diary' - brief, but purposeful.
As for the 'healthful' I'm making sure that the evening meal has as little processed 'food' as possible - so far so good.
I like to keep my resolutions 'doable.'
No resolutions here, but I do have a slow cooker. MY WIFE gave it to me last Christmas (that is, 2011) and it's a great thing to make a stew and enjoy it for a couple of days!
Hi Maggie, I didn't really make any, though I am taking a photo a day for a year so that's a sort of thing to keep to and so far so good.It had an extra aim of trying to remember to live in the moment...still working on that one!
I love my slow cooker! The thing I like the most is being able to cook dinner at breakfast time when I'm not tired and then reap the benefits at night!
Really hope you keep enjoying yours, and good luck with healthy living, which is not as easy as it sounds is it?!
Happy New Year Maggie, belated though that wish is!
I don't bother with NY resolutions, other than to enjoy life! But I wouldn't have minded losing a couple of pounds, well, that has happened, I got the flu! Half a stone gone cps I couldn't eat for 6 days! And in a magazine today what do I read? the 5-2 diet! starvation mode(500 cals) 2 days a week!
I think your crock pot would be much better! Lentils are soo good for you, you'll knock up some fab meals with this new trick up your sleeve!
I've made a list of Rae's Rules (complete with a photo of Patrick Stewart saying make it so!) instead of resolutions this year!
My mum bought me a slow cooker as a house-warming gift and it is one of my very best things - I make soups & casseroles in it and my son and his friends adore my lamb stew when they visit... when I say adore, I mean they insist I make it for them and threaten not visit unless I do!
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