personal plan continued

Today I'm addressing food.
What exactly do I eat to lose weight?
First some background:

I started with Atkins about 10 years ago. I did the induction diet which only allowed about 20 carbohydrates a day to put you in ketosis for 2 weeks, then you gradually increase your carbs. I went hard core and would make sure I got LESS than the 20 carbs every day. I didn't eat many vegetables and got this basically through eating only meat, cheese, and eggs. I got bored with the diet and went off it but didn't change my personal eating habits. Whenever I started gaining too much weight I would go low carb again for a few days. I have since learned that was a real dumb way to try to lose weight.

Fast forward about 7 years:
I'm unexpectedly pregnant at 39. Now I'm eating for 2 again and actually enjoy not having to worry about my weight gain. Get to my third trimester and they have this awful test for gestational diabetes...you have to drink this sickly they say it's sweet but it just gags me orange drink. The nurse is actually concerned that I will puke as I attempt to swallow this stuff. I don't get sick and I sit around and wait for them to draw the blood....I failed the test but just barely....I have to go back and do it AGAIN for a 3 hour test.
OMG the horror. I went back, drank the stuff and failed again. I have gestational diabetes and they set me up to go to a nutrition class. At the time I was heart broken and felt like I was failing this little life within me. My poor husband didn't understand what the big deal was but all I could do was cry, I was crushed.
The nutritionist told us to eat "carb smart" we were to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks every day. The 3 meals were to have 30 carbs each and the snacks were to have 15 carbs each. I was so glad for my atkins background where I had a good idea of what foods had what carbs in them (except for veggies and fruits, I had ignored them before). I was working about 60 hrs a week at cook out as a manager. HOW does one eat healthy at Cook-out????? I didn't but I tried. They ended up putting me on insulin for the end of my pregnancy and I was going to the dr twice a week, once for a stress type test where they hooked me up to monitors and once for my regular appointment.

Now to today: My husband kept trying to gently tell me "honey you are getting fat"
OK he may not have chose those terms...I did.
He did say I needed to get into shape. He was trying to get me to exercise because I avoided it like the plague.
The day after christmas is the day I began this blog so won't go big on that, You can easily just read my first post and follow from there.

Between having used Atkins in the past and the nutritionists recommendations during pregnancy I gained the tools I needed for todays diet. I bought "The Insulin Resistance Diet Plan" book and started reading and taking notes in my head. I started researching online and then it really clicked. I NEED VEGGIES.
I started eating fresh or frozen veggies and unprocessed meats.
I started eating oatmeal for breakfast.
I started eating a salad with hard boiled egg and tuna on it several times a week.
Now that is the core of my "Diet"
Oatmeal for breakfast with maybe an apple or banana if I'm still hungry.
A salad with light italian dressing and plenty of protein for lunch or dinner.
A huge bowl of veggies (favorites are broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, or a mix) with diced chicken on top and smothered with melted sharp cheese.

I hate to cook so I don't eat a huge variety. For those of you who love to cook. Just shop around the edges of the grocery store (this is where all the unprocessed foods are), and go to town. No limits on fruits and veggies. Only lean beef, though personally I don't care much for beef, chicken breast, fish (canned tuna is good), and dairy. With dairy I like to go with skim milk but I don't go low fat on anything else. I just prefer whole flavor better.
And of course watch snacking. I love sugary snacks. Many people love the salty snacks. Just cut these down until you are eating them in "moderation". The key is not to deprive yourself but to teach yourself what moderation really is. I try to now eat only 3 sweets a week, rather than 3 a day like in the past.

I forgot to address potatos, corn, and peas: These I do not consider veggies but rather starches. They also need to be eaten in moderation. I don't eat much potato any more. The others I put in my soups but don't eat them regularly either. I say treat these ones exactly like you do snacks. Only eat them maybe 3 times a week rather than every day, and make them small portions, not a main part of your meals. This may be hard to do for the "meat and potatoes" type people.