Monday, February 11, 2013

Rethinking comfort foods


Do you love comfort food in winter as much as I do?  That pesky doctor of mine told me last week that I should cut back drastically on eating things like potatoes, mac and cheese, and bread.  They are loaded with bad carbohydrates.  There are good carbs and bad carbs.  Things like the above pictured fried potatoes, white bread and sugar have bad carbs.  Foods with good carbs are vegetables 
and whole grains.
 

The cherry cobbler that is quick and easy to make and oh, so good topped with ice cream is a no-no.   So is my beloved P.epsi and sweet iced tea.
You see, my blood sugar has been running a little too high and that means I need to get it under control with a better diet.  My father had adult-onset diabetes and had to take insulin shots twice a day.  I certainly don't want that to happen to me.  But, I can tell you that someone who has always eaten pretty much what she wants to is going to have a very  hard time giving up these favorite foods.  All the favorite comfort foods I love seem to fall into the bad carb category.  And, I'm the gal that loves to read recipe books like they are novels, for goodness sakes!  This is not going to be easy.  I'm just not that fond of celery and carrot sticks.  Or unsweetened tea.  I can drink coffee without sugar.  That may become my beverage of choice.   

Have you had to make some healthier choices in the eating department?  And, if so, what did you find that you liked that was a good substitute for those favorite foods that are loaded with bad carbs? 

I hope all of our blogging friends that live in the areas hit with snow storms are safe and warm this Monday.   

Until next time...

25 comments:

  1. Oh, the potatoes look SOOO good! I am sorry! I had the same problem a year or so ago. I was pre-diabetic because my sugar was right on the line. The only thing I gave up was potatoes. And that did the trick! It brought me way down!I must have been eating a whole lot of potatoes before!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, my doctor is all over me, but I just tell her to mind her own business and just give me my blood pressure prescription...with a smile on my face, of course. I won't let her do any tests on me and I think it aggravates her that I won't become a junky like they have everyone else with their cholesterol lowering drugs and diabetes drugs...she tried to tell me my sugar was high at 110. My dad also had adult onset diabetes...he never had to use insulin though...and he controlled it with his diet, most of the time....except Christmas, birthdays and Thanksgiving when he'd eat an entire chocolate pie, then pay for it the rest of the day.

    I do eat whole wheat bread now, if I eat bread at all. I will not give up potatoes, or mac and cheese, or sodas (diet). I don't care what they tell me. :)

    Good luck. I hope you aren't as stubborn as me. I just think "everything in moderation" and you'll be fine.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In my 50's when the blood quit going to my brain properly due to blocked carotid arteries, I had to dramatically change my diet. I had been a huge meat and potatoes gal. Fortunately the dietary changes reversed my condition. If you love recipe books, get those that only have healthy recipes in them. There are lots of them and they have marvelous recipes. Growing your own veggies also helps.
    Your health is in your hands only. I do hope you heed the warning.

    ReplyDelete
  4. When I had my last bone density test done, it showed the pre-cursor of osteoporosis. Then I had a CT scan done last week (unrelated) and it showed some degeneration of the bones in my lower back.
    So I'm giving up Diet Cokes. I've needed to for a long time.
    Good luck with your diet change. You can do it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cheryl, I LOVE my "bad" carbs, too. Two years ago, I gave them up and dropped 20 lbs. Felt great! Knees and hands felt better. Slept better. All good... but, I have gotten into my bad habits again. And, changing my thinking about it isn't easy. I can tell you that you will feel so much better. When I was feeling so good, I had no trouble staying commited... now, I like my quick fix of comfort... I think carbohydrates are like a drug. =/ I'll be cheering you on! blessings ~ tanna

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes I am a carb craver! Yes I need to eat healthier. But I do try. I try to keep the bad things at a minimum and when I have them I just have a couple of bites and give the rest to CH! I have always been able to resist the sweet things. It's those carbs! Good luck Cheryl, we want you to get your blood sugar down!

    ReplyDelete
  7. We here, have been trying to eat in a healthy way, for years. And yet, 4 years ago yesterday, I had to have 3 stents implanted in heart arteries, to take care of 3 nearly clogged arteries.

    And we thought we were following a healthy diet! -sigh-

    So since then, I have been even more careful. No this. No that. No any of things, which others take for granted.

    All I can say is, that "pic" of those 3 nearly clogged arteries, stays with me. And I simply can not eat many delightful things, which could make that happen again.

    It comes down to choice of quality of life. I choose to have less "delicious-ness" in my quality of life now, to try to avoid a crippling stroke. Which would really make my quality of life, AWFUL.

    Good luck!

    "Auntie"

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh I know it is so hard to say no to sweets. They are my weakness too. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I hate that kind of news because I love (bad) food so much.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, yes, we have had to make some changes. In fact, we can't stand white pasta and white rice any more. It just doesn't taste good to us. So whole grains are the way to go. Do you like sweet potatoes? They're better for you than regular, but I still wouldn't put the regular ones on the bad carb list. Some docs go overboard. Just have a little sour cream with the small, very small, baked potato to slow down the sugar spike and have one a week or something. Potatoes and eggs get a bad name. We love whole grain breads, too, over white breads. Don't be tempted to switch to diet sodas instead of regular ones. Just try to switch to water. Flavored waters can help in the beginning. Wishing you all the best with the changes. I'm sure that you will begin to feel better right away.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, Cheryl, I am afraid to go to the doctor...for I am afraid my sugar might be running high. I need to just cut out my cokes...and to get in some form of exercise. The exercise alone would help.

    Like you, I love comfort foods...and it doesn't have to be winter. And some of those foods....you would not believe how much I will eat. Of course now it shows...where 10-15 yrs ago, I could eat pretty much what I wanted and not have any problem.

    ReplyDelete
  12. oh, sweetie, i think it is the curse of the midwest to love potatoes and breads and sweets like we do. the south has their fried foods. the NE their pizzas and sausages, etc. the coast with their rich seafoods. we midwestern gals love our potatoes and cheeses and breads and baked sweets. *sigh*

    yes, you need to control that blood sugar. my sis in wis has been warned of the same thing - after years of eating chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. or ice cream any day all day. she's bordering on pre-diabetic. scares me.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yes, I was diagnosed with adult onset diabetes about 7 or 8 years ago. I have controlled it with diet and exercise. I rarely eat processed food or potatoes, and I eat smaller portions. It helps to use a smaller plate. ;)
    I don't do any baking. I love my sweets so I do eat a little chocolate and boughten cookies. A dietician told me not to deny myself, just cut down on size. It's probably a lot easier for me since I don't have to cook for other people. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love all the things you love and so does hubby. Thanksgiving of 2010 we went on the sandwich diet. we lost 10 pounds the first month and then over 2 years we lost a pound a month he lost 35 i lost 32. we have been holding and have never gained a pound since. our lab work is spot on. i got every 90 days, he goes every 6 months.
    This is what we do..
    1/2 sandwich on whole wheat or rye sandwich 4 times a day and salad at dinner.
    we eat 5 times a day... we got tired of the salad every night, so went to every other night we eat veggies/meat but a small portion. we even on the off nights eat turkey chili, turkey spagetti. but small amounts.
    Every other week end we eat out and eat what ever we want and include dessert. we keep no sugar or snacks in the house.
    it has worked for us because we both do it and both love sandwiches.
    for breakfast one egg on one slice toast is a half sandwich.
    when we started the first week we ate PBJ 4 times.. but got tired of it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I put a cut up potato in a steamer bag with a little bit of seasoned olive oil and it tastes just as good as fried. You can add onion and peppers too.
    Just add a little dollup of sour cream if you want to dress it up.
    Love love love those steamer bags for cooking veggies!

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's going to be interesting to read what people have to say here. I love my tea unsweetened, with lemon in it. But I also love all those bad for you carbs. I really need to work on it to, and am thinking that Lent may be the incentive I need to start.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I made drastic changes to my diet several years ago and limit my carbs. Eating lean protein is good and makes you feel full and satisfied. Eating whole grain bread and less of it and lots of the dark green veggies helps. I don't eat any sugar...I have a bad reaction to it if I do. Truvia or Stevia are good sweeteners that don't taste artificial. Wishing you the best in your healthy changes!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Well girlfriend, I am in the same boat as you....I went for my annual checkup today and he is all over me about my weight.....Over the last several years, I have been trying to eat a more well balanced diet but I have to tell you if I get stressed, which I have had a lot in the last year, I just have to have some comfort food and of course all the chocolate I can hold...I have cut out the diet drinks but find it so hard to cut out the sweets....

    Maybe we can support each other in a more healthy diet and life style.....

    ReplyDelete
  19. We've changed out diet here too. The hubs is diabetic and he avoids carbs like the plague. I count calories and have lost 70 pounds, but I need to watch my carbs more. Try cauliflower pizza crust and mashed potatoes. Honest- both are really good.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'd kill for some of that cherry cobbler. You are making my mouth water! X

    ReplyDelete
  21. I know!! Why is everything tasty bad for us?? I have started juicing to make sure I'm getting all of my vitamins. It's amazing how much better I feel. 😃

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh boy do I love comfort food and potatoes, mac and cheese and bread are at the top but I try to limit those. My father and father-in-law both have diabetes so for my husband and I we really need to watch it. To cut back on sugar, I replace sugar with honey and maple syrup that we make.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Well, there is always the fake sweetners. But what's worse sugar or sweetners? Luckily I'm not a great fan of potatos, but I'm a great fan of most things fattening. I guess there are lots of neat cook books that have healthy recipes. Have a discovery day! Good luck kiddo!

    ReplyDelete
  24. all i can say is, send me some of those potatoes!!

    i don't eat healthy i guess. i don't omit most of the things you listed but in my book, that is healthier than eating junk food all day.

    i enjoy food, i adore comfort food. i figure if i die in an accident tomorrow, what was it all for. plus my meds make me fat anyway!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I know just how you feel. I can't figure out why the things that taste good are bad for us. My husband had a heart attack at age 45 which was over 20 years ago. We did change our diet quite a bit; but we could still do better. I too love the comfort foods; in fact tonight we had tomato soup and crackers and toasted chicken cheese sandwiches. I did you good whole wheat bread. I am comforted.
    Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete