Falling Back Into Bad Eating Habits

Autumn is here! Parents of both college age young men and women, and children are attempting to avoid falling back into bad eating habits from the dog days of summer. Which means the college is already in session, the school children have returned to classrooms, and the scramble to eat healthy is on. I know I’m tempted by the area “food of shame” (Urban Dictionary / street words to describe fast food)

The transition from summer to fall in the #UpperLeft traditionally marked with lower temperatures, and our famous rain – as in it always rains in Seattle. Even Blake Shelton wrote a song that incorporates “when it’s sunny in Seattle”. I digress!

Falling Back Into Bad Eating Habits

I know I’m guilty of these. H***, I’m still continuing from summer. I’m actually pretty terrible about meal preparation. I live with my roommate which is also my tenant / sister / and all around good girl. Over the summer, I re-built the pantry to incorporate “zones” that my sister found the suggestion online. However, we’ve yet to abide by it. We have conflicting sometimes overlapping work schedules so there are days that we don’t see each other.

The convenience of fast food with the time saved by not cooking and cleaning (I really hate cleaning dishes!) is too compelling. In fact, so much so I can’t resist working on tasks, and what not, that I’m usually falling back into bad eating habits. Mostly, eating out at restaurants, and ordering entrees that I know will be too much to consume in one sitting thus setting up a “lunch” for me at work as heated up left overs.

Terrible, I know, but also my reality.

What’s worse is I’m dating the Director of Evergreen Goods and Food Rescue which is a non-profit organization that helps distributes donated food into the community. She tries to encourage me to change what I consume, and prevent me from falling into bad eating habits – such as running through fast food restaurants that are pot-marked along my path from Lake Stevens to Monroe.

So, how do I prevent myself from falling into bad eating habits, going into the fall of 2017 and beyond, you ask?

I thought about it, and here’s a plan of action – at least an attempt to self-prevention for falling back into bad eating habits.

Meal preparation – I work a full 40-hours a week, translating into 5-days a week, or at least 5 meal periods if not more. I recently purchased Pyrex Snapware Glass Containers in order to replace plastic containers. That way I can heat up already prepared meals in the glass which makes it easier for clean up, and perhaps healthier because the glass doesn’t leach chemicals into my body.

Grocery shop / food gathering – Again, since it’s just my sister and I it’s extremely difficult to shop for healthy food for us, because we know it spoils quickly regardless of how it’s handled and needs to be consumed relatively soon within it’s purchased. I realize that these read like excuses to falling into bad eating habits but it’s just my reality. So what I could do is buy components of a meal to stage in the pantry that are healthy for us. I’m not sure what that’ll be, but I know it’ll be better than what we’re doing currently.

Recipe search – I know this seems silly, but hear me out. I’m a planner, I have to-do lists. Even fact, I have a list OF THE LISTS I have … If I have a recipe in front of me, that’s a cooking plan. I’ll need ingredients, and tools needed for success. I’m not a great cook, but I’m not horrible by any means. I simply don’t have enough experience cooking for more than myself to creatively analysis what I have on-hand to compile a meal that’s quick, easy, and healthy. It’s usually two of the three. Unlike the Meatloaf song, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” – I’m striving for more in my nutrition and diet. I wish there was an app to input what you have in the pantry that’ll cross-check typical recipes to churn out meals. Like the bartender apps I have, which I review the liquor cabinet, input the alcohol on hand, and viola – a list of drinks I can make with what I have – if any.

Honestly, if I started with these 3 steps, I could be well on my way to avoid falling into bad eating habits. What do you think, Seattle? Spaceship Earth, do you have any other suggestions for us? We’re entertainers on the go-go-go so any help would be very appreciated!

Until next time, be good like you should, and if you can’t be good, then be good at what you do!

Mic drop *bOoM*

‘los; out