Eliminating the Excess in Your Diet

When I started this journey of minimalism, I not only wanted to remove the excess physical stuff from my life, but also some of the extra “stuff” that is in my diet. Stuff like preservatives, fat, and sugar. I wanted to lose weight, feel better, and set better nutritional habits for my kids.

I decided not to discuss this part of my journey at first for a couple of reasons. I didn’t want to turn this blog into a weight-loss blog, and I wanted to be sure I was making changes that produced results. I didn’t want to say “Here’s this great thing I’m doing and it’s going to be great!” and then binge eat for a week from the stress of producing results.

I have been on yo-yo diets since I was 13. I have tried low-fat, low-carb, cabbage soup (blechh!), cleansing drinks, green tea, bee pollen pills. You name it. I’ve tried it. It was always about getting skinny, so I could look a certain way.

At 40, I want to make these changes so I can feel a certain way. I want to feel energetic so that I can keep up with my children. I want to feel less pressure on my joints and back so I am not in pain all the time. I want to be and feel healthy so I can have good quality of life. So far, I have lost 18 pounds, and like minimalism, sometimes progress is slow, but I know this is the right way.

I’m making small changes in my food choices each day. Along the journey, I have found a few staple items and recipes that have helped me stay on track with my healthier eating goals:

1.) Cauliflower Fried Rice is my new found favorite recipe! If you haven’t tried this yet, it is devine! After a friend of mine shared her version on Facebook, I decided to try it myself. This is the recipe I started with, and I have tried different vegetables and proteins in it. Here is one version I tried, using stir fry vegetables:

Since there is no actual rice, you can eat plenty to fill you up without the guilt of the carbs in rice. I probably eat this at least four or five times a week. Leo Babauta shares eating the same thing every day as one of his seven rules for keeping life simple because:

“Eating out at delicious restaurants and cooking gourmet meals not only is bad for your waistline and your wallet, but takes up so much time and energy.”

Now there is even frozen cauliflower already “riced” available! This cuts prep time and makes it even easier to eat healthier.

2.) The day my 30-day shopping diet ended, I happened to find a Nutri Ninja on clearance for half price. I’ve been wanting one, and this was too good of a deal to pass up. Since I got it, I have used it almost every day. I love making smoothies for breakfast or a sweet treat when the cravings strike. It works so well, chopping up everything perfectly with little fuss and easy cleanup!

3.) Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla Yogurt is by far my favorite yogurt. It is good plain or with cereal and/or fruit. I also use it in smoothies. It has zero added sugar or artificial sweeteners and is high in protein.

4.) Peanut Butter Powder! I adore peanut butter, but it is loaded with sugar and fat, plus it gives me heartburn. Peanut Butter Powder, I use PB Fit, is peanut butter with most of the oil removed, which leaves it in a powder state. Since the oil is removed, so is my heartburn. It is great simply stirred into yogurt, or I really like to mix it in a smoothie with frozen bananas for a peanut butter banana dream!

5.) I started buying fresh fruit in bulk. This keeps fresh snacks within my (and my family’s) reach instead of sugary snacks. If we can’t eat it all before it expires, I freeze it and use it for smoothies.

These are just some of the small changes I have made in my journey to a healthier me. What helps you remove the excess from your diet? Are there recipes or items that help you along the way. Leave me a comment or find me on Twitter.