Update: You can find all weight loss/Slimband-related posts under the Weight Loss category or by clicking here.
It’s my first day both at work and on my pre-op detox diet, and man, is it HARD!
This morning we got several chocolate deliveries as well as a large box of mini gourmet cupcakes from some fancy shop.
Pure torture.
At least I’m not alone in this, after death by chocolate (a whole afternoon sampling the entire menu at MoRoCo in Yorkville thanks to work!) on Friday, me and several of the other girls are on detox and other diets. But the temptation is still there… and so easy to fall prey to!
Only one of us was able to abstain from the adorable mini cupcakes (hint, it wasn’t me).
I really need to do better with this diet though, because it directly impacts my surgery. I am hoping that the first day is the hardest and subsequent days will become easier.
The detox diet I am doing is to help reduce the fat around my liver. The smaller my liver is, the less the surgeon has to root around in my innards to install the Slimband. My diet is full of veggies and spinach, and a little low-fat dairy and protein. I’m able to sub in protein/meal replacement shakes at any point, so I picked up some Slimfast to help me out.
I wish there was a better time to do this… The Holidays were definitely NOT my first choice! But I’ll work with what I’ve got; at least it should be pretty quiet and easy up until Christmas Eve (my family is doing a big gathering up north). I’ll have to deal with that when it comes.
Does anyone know how I can spice up spinach salads, low fat cheese, yogurt and chicken breast? What about canned tuna?
It’s day 3 overall and I’m already running out of ideas!!!
4 responses to “Lend me your strength! The detox saga”
I eat a lot of salad for lunch. My old boss used to call me a rabbit because I was always nibbling on salad. I've gone anywhere from super simple spinach and canned spicy thai chili tuna (no dressing, the tuna is enough), to fancier salads with spinach, lettuce, avocado, onion, pepper, raisins or grapes, sunflower seeds, and a bit of low fat salad dressing.
Another yummy thing to eat is steamed veggies. I love steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and also frozen veggies (the peas, carrots, corn, bean cheapo stuff). It's really tasty with a bit of pepper and salt.
I love spinach in salads. I put anything from just dressing, to dried cranberries, walnuts, and turkey in them. You can really add just about anything.
Check out this group: http://community.livejournal.com/cooking/
I often go to them with requests for ideas and they have a ton. If you don't have a LJ account you can browse the tags for ideas.
I've just discovered the magic of mixing a bag of iceberg salad (with the carrots inside) with a bag of coleslaw. SO GOOD. I use sour cream, olive oil, and vinegar to make my own dressing, and I have yet to get sick of it. I also eat a lot of random stirfry. Things like bell peppers, spinach (or other greens), snap peas, and bean sprouts mixed up with some chicken breast or shrimp is sooo tasty. Another option would be to cut up root veggies like potatoes, carrots, and beets, then throw them in the crockpot with a little broth to make some tasty soup.
The key to making this stuff more of a variety (which doesn't bother me too much), is to switch up your flavourings. Check out Mrs. Dash's different mixes. If you can change up the spices, it should keep you from being too bored.
I'm rooting for you and your willpower! When the cupcakes call to you, remember that it won't be forever, and that it's going to make one day much much easier.
The warmth of steamed veggies will definitely help you feel more full and satisfied than cold veggies in the winter. There are endless combination bags of different veggies in the frozen section and all you have to do is microwave them for under a minute. Squeezing lemon juice over anything adds dimension. Mustard and cayenne are your friends! Adding pickled things like giardiniara (Italian pickled veggie mix), olives, pickled beets, pickled ginger, cornichons to your green veggies will give you the feeling that you are really eating a meal, instead of a nibble of salad before a meal. There are also some healthier rice noodle soup packages in the international section that you can use as a base and add a half bag of frozen veggies. When things like cupcakes call to me, I try to remind myself how many more opportunities there will be for me to eat cupcakes in my lifetime… too many to count! I find that mental check-in takes a little bit of the intensity out of needing THESE cupcakes NOW 😉