Healthy Habits in January Wk1

/ Getting Healthy 2024 / By

Week 1: January 1 to 7

We have been talking about eating better and being more active for years, it has always been easier said than done. We have made strides on eating better by making nearly all homemade meals, however we still consume a lot of sugar and too much processed foods. I am about 30 pounds overweight and am feeling it in my joints. More recently I started to have severe pain in my left foot, mostly when I wake up in the morning but there are days where uncomfortableness exists throughout the day. Based on research my foot pain could be many things, I am going to conclude that it is inflammation from my unhealthy diet.

Brian has been listening to podcasts where the carnivore diet is being discussed. The panel talks about how good they feel only eating meat. Energy, mental focus, etc. are noticeable better when a meat only diet is consumed according to the people Brian has listened to. I am willing to try anything. However, I followed the Keto diet a few years ago and while it worked for both weight loss and increased cognitive function it was too expensive to continue. I lost 25 pounds over the five months; I had mental clarity and energy like when I was a teenager. Unfortunately, when I started eating carbohydrates again, I quickly gained weight plus an additional 5-10 pounds. I am a foodie; I love food, enjoy cooking and baking, and have a bottomless pit.

We compromised on an eating strategy for January to build healthy habits. At the month end we will reflect and decide on what to try next. The hope is that we will adapt to the restrictions and be able to further restrict the less healthy foods. We are also committed to being active at least 30 minutes 3 days per week.

We decided to cut out added soda, sugar, bread, pasta, rice, and processed foods for the month of January. Basically, we can eat meat products, vegetables, and fruit. Some of the meat we eat is processed, for example, meat sticks, sausage, and ham. So, when I say processed foods, I am more referring to chips and unhealthy snacks.

Below is what I ate for the first week to start our healthy habits along with the extra physical activity.  To keep things simple, I am not listing all the quantities or a complete breakdown of ingredients.

January 1

  • Black tea with a packet of stevia
  • 3 Scrambled eggs (w/ a little parmesan & cheddar cheese)
  • 1/2 C peanuts
  • 3 Cups water w/ a squirt of Mio
  • 4 Cups Mexican Chicken soup (GN & Blk Beans, Green Salsa, Corn, Diced Tomatoes, Taco Seasoning, Chicken, 1 T Chicken better than bouillon, water) with cheddar cheese sprinkled on top and a dollop of sour cream)

January 2

  • Black tea with a packet of stevia
  • Round steak & peppers w/ sour cream
  • 3 Cups water w/ a squirt of Mio
  • 2 Jalapeno Chaddar beef sticks
  • Ham steak w/ roasted carrots and potatoes drizzled with olive oil
  • 2 Cups whole milk
  • 3 Cups water with a slice of lemon
  • Walked the dog 20 minutes. 10 squats.

January 3

  • 2 Mugs black tea with a packet of stevia
  • 2 Cups left over Mexican Chicken soup
  • A bag of carrots and celery with dill dip
  • 3 Cups water w/ a squirt of Mio
  • Pulled pork with coleslaw
  • 1/2 of a tangerine Kombucha
  • 1 Cara Cara orange

January 4

  • Black tea with honey
  • 3 scrambled eggs w/ a side of tomatoes
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with lemon
  • 1 Cup coleslaw
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with lemon
  • Supreme Salad (Lettuce, onion, bacon, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, cheese, thousand island dressing)
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with 2 orange slices
  • 1/4 Cups peanuts
  • Walked the dog 20 minutes

January 5

  • Black tea with honey
  • 2 Hard boiled eggs
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with lemon
  • Green Olives, Carrots, Celery w/ dill dip
  • 1/4 Cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with 2 orange slices
  • Meatballs w/ roasted carrots and potatoes

January 6

  • Elderberry green tea with honey
  • 1 Honey crisp apple
  • 1 Cara Cara orange
  • 3 Scrambled eggs w/ roasted potatoes
  • Black tea with a packet of stevia
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with lemon
  • Chicken stir fry (Chicken, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, celery, soy sauce and general TSO sauce
  • Homemade yogurt w/ homemade granola and blueberries
  • 1/2 of an ICEE water

January 7

  • Black tea with a packet of stevia
  • Homemade beef jerky
  • 3 Scrambled eggs w/ roasted cauliflower
  • 2 1/2 Cups water with lemon
  • Pork chops with mashed potatoes and corn
  • 1/2 of an ICEE water

DOWN 3.6 pounds