Food Matters (Just love this title)

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Food Matters is a great, important book that I read last summer. My friend Travis lent this to me and I reread it this summer and it's a nice reference to put in your cookbook rack in the kitchen. This book delves into topics such as global warming and other problems (obesity, crappy lifestyles, junk food, those terrible processes carbs, and overeating meat/animal products).

This reference also gives you a meal plan (which has a myriad of meals to choose from) as well as recipes that were quite simple. The nice thing about his advice is that there are rules, no counting, figuring, logging, adding, anything that can take over people's lives, especially mine since I can have that neurotic, type A personality.

Now, at almost-27 (already?? oh my Bob), I'm not really looking to "drop my cholesterol" or any of those other problems that begin in your 30s/40s. I hope. I do want to lose that extra weight that has been lingering since college and that half marathon will be a lot easier once I fall under that 200 mark. So, I have adapted this guide for that past couple of weeks. My inner spazzzzz has also kept logging calories, but for the average person without a neuroses, I suggest you just follow the guide. His plan involves eating vegetarian/vegan all day and then at dinner having some meat. Also, stay organic whenever possible and always make sure to stay away from those nasty simple carbs. You know, the "stuff" teenagers nosh on all day: poptarts, soda (or as we say in the north--pop) cheetos, blowpops, white bread, pretzels, chips, etc. You smellin' what I'm steppin' in?

Now, not only are your choices helping your body, but they're helping our planet as well. 

This decision has also helped out my wallet. Since my contribution to the house is buying groceries, my billfold is a little thicker. For example, I used to buy steaks; Mr. X digs his rib eyes. So I would buy two rib eyes at $7.99/lb  (and that's usually the sale price). Between the two of us our steaks would cost about $12, if not more. I will never become a vegetarian, but  I will cut back and always eat steak! Now I buy one large steak and eat a small portion of his and fill up my plate with veggies (now totaling $9)-- so, you can always have your steak and it it too :)

A typical day involves oatmeal and berries (sometimes chocolate chips if I'm feeling naughty), a salad at lunch with every veggie I can fit on the plate as well as some greek yogurt. I usually have a hunger pain a few hours later and eat some nuts and a piece of fruit and then I'm ready for dinner and the options are endless there. I'm losing about a pound or two a week and it's been stress free-- the best!

Also, if you "Don't read; therefore, you don't rule,"  you can always watch the documentary. Either way, it's interesting and maybe you'll make some changes or find new recipes you'd like to check out.