Mixed Messages

Anyone ever been confused by all the mixed messages out there on eating healthy?  One person says to count calories, another carbs, another fat, another says the exact right combo of those things is what you need.  One says to just eat small meals throughout the day to jumpstart your metabolism, another says portion control.  One says you have to exercise to lose weight, another says that’s not that important.  Someone says to drink some caffeine to kickstart your workout, while several discount this method.  One says to close up the kitchen after 7:00pm and another says that doesn’t matter. 

Ack!  I think if you put all those together you come out somewhere right.  Of course, our grandparents ate eggs cooked in bacon grease every day for 70+ years and lived to tell the tale.  And are the smallest people I know (and not just from osteoporosis).  Though they didn’t have the high fructose corn syrup-laden processed food we do either, so maybe that’s the key.  I’m not quite ready to go the whole organic food only route, though.  It’s so much work & so much expense.  And I love Double Stuf Oreos a bit too much still, which are pretty much just made of chemicals.  Delicious, delicious chemicals.

Part of the problem is that different things work for different people, but there’s a plan for that too.  You have to identify your body type and customize from there.  Is this all part of the brilliant human experience God created us uniquely for?  Cause it feels frustrating.  I suppose that’s part of the process.

One of my favorite, slightly healthy, super cheap & easy meals is jambalaya.  I get the Zatarain’s box mix (usually family size so we have leftovers), add a ring of light or turkey smoked sausage, sliced up, and follow the directions on the box.  Sometimes I add the oil, sometimes not.  (It’s obviously lighter in fat if you don’t, but according to some diet plans Canola oil is good, some say olive oil and it definitely tastes better & has a better texture if you do add it. And again, some diet plans say a little bit of the right fats is essential to good digestion & vitamin/mineral absorption.)  Sometimes I just cut the amount of oil too.   

I cook it all in my microwave Rice Cooker Plus from Pampered Chef and it takes about 20+ minutes to cook up nice.  Add a veggie & you’re good to go.  You can also use chicken, shrimp or a combo of all the above.  I know some people make this from scratch, but this is seriously easy & cheap, so I go that route instead.  Everyone needs a few easy, cheap, somewhat healthy go-to dinner ideas for the nights you get home from work & have about a minute to cook & eat before the next scheduled event.  This is one of mine!