I've been eating no red meat and low-fat foods for over five months now. In January I said it would probably take me a year to get used to this new way of eating. I think that it may take me a year to adjust in some ways but not in others. I am surprised at how quickly I got used to not eating red meat (beef, pork, and dark meat poultry) - maybe three weeks! I never missed eating red meat, but we had to remember to use ground turkey instead of ground beef. (We can't tell a difference between ground beef or turkey when the meat is in a sauce or covered with seasoning-for example spaghetti sauce, chili, taco soup, or taco meat.)
Ground turkey is actually quite good! It doesn't brown like beef, but if you make patties and coat them with bread crumbs (Panko bread crumbs taste good) the bread crumbs brown and the meat is moist. Per is a great cook and has made a lot of yummy things! Creativity is needed in cooking to avoid a rut.
I was worried about our Super Bowl snacks but we adjusted our menu to include low-fat yummy things and didn't miss the other things at all! (We didn't have a bacon explosion [sniff-sniff] but didn't mind not having the extra calories!) I didn't realize how poorly I ate until I started eating better. I've made different food choices starting in 2013 and physically have felt better - instead of tired or crappy - after eating.
My clothes are looser. I still wear the same size, but I truly think the changes in my diet have prevented me from gaining more weight. (I'm glad that I haven't had to buy a bigger size - I've worn the same size for over five years!) I truly think I was on a path to gain and my new diet stopped the direction.
The thing that is hardest to eat is low-fat. If I don't stay aware, the fat creeps back into my diet. I get lax about the foods I eat and what is the first thing that gets worse? Fat. I find myself eating fattening things - usually junk - and have to consciously tell myself to stop. Let's face it, fatty foods taste good! Let me face it, fatty foods stick to my body like glue! It's discouraging to know that I practically gain weight by looking at food! (Unfortunately for me) I don't have a high metabolism or a body that allows me to eat whatever I want without gaining an ounce. Luckily for me, I've had to watch what I eat my whole life so making a food change is not new to me. (It IS new to Per, however, because being a bean pole as a kid allowed him eat whatever he wanted without ever gaining a pound.) If I choose to eat a lot of fatty foods like butter, mayo, or sauce, I'll surely gain weight. I've eaten things then later wondered why I thought it was okay. Anyway, food seems to be my plight in life....but, I digress.
We eat a lot of ground turkey, chicken breast, and seafood. I haven't noticed a dramatic difference but I think the changes are subtle.
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