Over the last few weeks, I have been obsessed about cooking and find myself in constant search for new recipes. I look for easy meals that I can prepare in 20 - 30 minutes or less. I also try to use some of the same ingredients over and over, and have also fallen in love with eating according to the seasons.


I feel like I am closer to the end of my phase 1, because I consistently walk my dog and eating well has become my new lifestyle. I have also changed my relationship with food. I have heard the term several times before, but this time it makes sense. Before I had gastric bypass, I used to have a bad relationship with food. I loved to eat, but food was the enemy, because it made me gain weight. I hated diets, and still do. They are terrible, they deprive us of our natural inclination to eat, and enjoy food. Food is meant to be pleasurable, it is one of life’s pleasures, to restrict the enjoyment food gives us is unnatural. Making the transition to healthy food wasn’t hard for me, because I am fortunate enough to work from home so I can prepare my meals, and for the most part, I love to eat a variety of foods. I made some simple changes in the quality of food I eat, and changed the way I view food. I see food now as medicine and essential to the vitality of our minds, bodies, and souls.

One very small change that I made was the plates I was using. Chef MD said once that we also eat with our eyes, so I make sure presentation if there when I eat. I bought a few fancy plates, mugs, and water glasses for myself. I think that every meal should be a celebration, so why not fully enjoy that experience?

Today, I didn’t want to invest a lot of time in cooking, and it was hot outside today, so I had a can of light tuna in my cabinet. I removed the water from the tuna, added horseradish and stone-ground mustard, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage pieces, spices, and baby spinach. I also two small toasted pita breads that I stuff the salad into later, along with a medium plum with a teaspoon of Trader Joe’s peanut butter.