I have often heard people say, “If you eat healthy foods, you’ll feel better than if you eat unhealthy foods.” Usually when that line comes tumbling out of their mouth, I put on my skeptical face and think, “I don’t buy it. I’m usually pretty happy after eating a big ol’ helping of French fries.” That was until I ODed on junk food.
When Stephen and I were in Texas for two weeks in November, we spent almost all of our time at the hospital visiting his brother since that was the purpose of our visit. Great for spending time together, not great for healthy eating. Every day we had fast food breakfast. (Whataburger, Sonic, McDonald’s, oh my!) Many meals were hospital food, which was sometimes healthy but not always. By the end of it, we were both talking about how we were looking forward to cooking our meals.
Since then, we’ve been making the extra effort to eat healthy. And I hate to admit it, but I really do feel better when I eat healthy. (It’s okay, you can put on your skeptical face and roll your eyes.)Here are a few of our recent eats that have been particularly good tasting and made me feel good, too:
Pmanblapple Smoothie
Pre-blend. It looked purple once it was all smoothiefied.
Yeah, I came up with that name. All of our smoothies have ice cubes, almond milk, fat-free plain yogurt, a half of a banana and a squirt of honey. This guy has all that plus pineapple, mango, blueberries, and apple.
Kabobs
The top picture is before we put them in the oven. Below is after.
Stephen and I had so much fun mixing up the veggies and putting them on the skewers. (His kabobs also had pork on them & I ate mine with brown rice.) Just looking at these things makes me feel healthy!
Crock pot lasagna
In the crock and on my plate (soon to be in my belly).
I saw Jenna from Eat, Live, Run tweet this recipe the other day, and I had to make it. Maybe it’s not as healthy as the smoothie or kabobs, but it is packed full of spinach and tomato sauce. That’s healthy, right? Bonus points for being easy and tasty!
All these foods were easy, tasted good, were mostly healthy, and they actually made me feel good. Who knew!
Do you feel better when you eat better or do you think that’s a load of bologna? Anything yummy and healthy you’ve had lately that I can make, too?*
I always feel better when I eat healthy. I make it a point to eat 2 healthy meals a day and then one not so healthy so I don’t go crazy. For breakfast I always have eggs and some kind of fruit or I’ll throw together a mix of greek yogurt, fruit, and some oats. Lunch is always the same and is probably so boring for some but I like it – mixed greens, cucumbers, bell peppers, tuna, and honey mustard salad dressing with baby carrots on the side and some kind of fruit. Then I have a not so healthy dinner most of the time that usually involves some kind of cheese. It works for me. I find that eating healthy for breakfast and lunch keeps my energy levels up for working with the kids. Then I won’t feel so bad if I throw together a home made pizza for dinner or something like that.
Great method! Seems like a good way to achieve balance. I’m very routine when it comes to my breakfast and lunch also. I could eat the same thing every day no problem. (I would always pack a PB&J sandwich when I was teaching. For 5 years I ate that for lunch 5 days a week almost without fail.)*
My mile times drop by at least a full minute when I eat healthy. I really wish they did that when I eat only Mexican and pizza. I’ve tried Crock Pot lasagna (and other pastas) with zero success. The noodles do strange things. The best thing I’ve had lately was a porkchop off of my husband’s new grill. I don’t even really like pork that much, but it was amazing grilled.
I have noticed running faster when I eat better, but maybe I’m just not paying close enough attention to such a thing. Crazy that it makes that much of a difference! Ah, yes, if only Mexican food did have magical powers like that.
I had my doubts about the lasagna. After I got it all ready to go, I told Stephen, “In 5 hours will have lasagna. Or we won’t.” I honestly thought it was 50/50 that it’d be edible. Turned out fantastic!*
I have made a conscience effort to eat more vegetables, fruits and drinking all the water I am suppose to. It is amazing how much better I feel. A ton more energy and sleeping so much better through the night.
Fruits, veggies, and water. Can’t go wrong with more of those three things in your life! Interesting that you say you are sleeping better. That would be major motivation for me to eat better. (I don’t think I’ve slept well since we’ve moved.)*
I know for sure that I feel better when I eat healthy. But man, there’s just something about french fries and chocolate milkshakes that make me weak. For me, the biggest thing that I’ve found makes a difference is if I drink enough water each day. I can really, really tell when I haven’t had enough water. I want to convince my husband to do a 2-day cleanse and then try a couple of weeks of really concentrated healthy eating. I just don’t know when his schedule will allow for it.
Do y’all have good fast food options in Turkey? We have Taco Bell (thank the Lord!) and a yummy Italian place, and a good Asian place, but that’s it. The lack of fast food (as compared to Texas) has saved us money and health. There just aren’t that many options. How I wish I could get a chocolate milkshake! I wouldn’t even know where to go. Sure sounds good.*
On base we have a Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Baskin Robbins. Off base they have just about everything (except Whataburger the ruler of all fast food restaurants) though we actually prefer eating non-American chains if we’re out on the economy.
Baskin Robbins sounds so good! Just too bad it’s not Dairy Queen. We have Pizza Hut and Burger King, too. (Plus Charley’s and Popeye’s – who chose those?) But we don’t really like those places. Now if we had a Whataburger, we’d have big problems. I have no will power when it comes to their fancy ketchup!*
I miss Whataburger ketchup so, so much. I don’t know why it’s so much better than plain ketchup, but it is.
I would totally take a Charley’s down here or any sub shop. There were rumors when we PCS’d here that they were going to nix the Baskin Robbins for a Subway, but that has come to naught. So I have to make my own sandwiches. Such a disappointment.
Word up sista friend. My healthy meals usually involve mushrooms so I guess I’m no help in the recipe department since you’re not a huge fan. But similar to your crockpot lasagna, we like to make “lasagna cupcakes.” I’m sure you’ve seen them. You just build lasagna in a cupcake pan using square wonton noodles (think you could find those?!) The noodles are lighter so it feels healthier than regular lasagna plus it’s pre-portioned!
Right you are about the mushrooms – pass. But there seem to be so many great recipes with them! If only they didn’t taste so mushroom-y.
I’ve never heard of lasagna cupcakes! Those sound so cool! And it’d be nice since Stephen likes meat, I could put meat in his. I have actually seen wonton noodles at the commissary! A recipe I could actually make! Huzzah!*
Exactly! We make ours shroomy and wee man’s are just plain but you could add anything
Plus they only take like 10-15 mins. bam. dinner’s made. Wife of the Year repeat secured.
Want proof that food can change your mood? Think Thanksgiving, the meal that leaves you as sleepy as a dose of Valium. Then there’s the grande mocha latte; does anything else pick you up quite like a drink that combines two caffeine-saturated foods in one foamy cup? And when you’re feeling low—your hard drive just detonated, your credit cards are maxed out, your college freshman just arrived home, mid-semester, with a moving van—you don’t reach for broccoli, do you? No, you grab chocolate, because that’s what makes you feel better.
I am all about eating healthy. I absolutely notice a difference with my skin and general well being if I start eating food I shouldn’t. This is why I love eating paleo. I can eat as much as I want because I know everything I am eating is good for me.
I have really only heard good things about the paleo diet. I don’t think it’s for me since I don’t eat meat, but I’m starting to wonder if my husband might like it. Hmm. I must investigate this more!*
Yep, it’s true. I feel better when I eat healthy things, too. I love salads and must eat at least one big salad a day. That lasagna looks wonderful.
After reading your comment, I ended up having a big ol’ salad for lunch. (Well, that plus leftover lasagna.) Twas delicious and so what I needed!*
I do feel better when I eat better. Unless I’m eating Ben & Jerry’s, then I feel A LOT better! LOL I aim for eating 80% healthy and mostly manage to stick with. But right now I’m stuck in the cycle of “I ran today, so I can eat such and such”. Not good because it’s all pretty much unhealthy stuff! Haha!
I do love me some Ben & Jerry’s! We call that the human element – some foods just make you happy!*
Word. I feel SO much better when I’m filling my body with healthy food, and not junk food. My runs are so much harder if I’ve had crap for lunch (usually run after work), it’s like my body is crying. I HATE, hate HATE mushrooms but have been putting them in my salad every day because they fill me up. Check out http://www.skinnytaste.com/ for a ton of healthy, delicious meals.
Thanks for the link! I’ve lately been scouring the internet for recipes that are healthy, easy, that I can find ingredients for, and that Stephen will like. Much appreciated! *
I’ve been wanting to try crock pot lasagna! Looks like it came out great! I definitely feel sick after eating fast food… I don’t know how some people eat it EVERY day!!
Every day is totally what did us in. I just felt ‘ugh’ after that means french fries and hash browns. It also didn’t help that I wasn’t exercising during that time. My body was in revolt mode! So glad to be back on the healthy train.*
You just made me SO hungry! I’ve been wanting kabobs! The hubster and I NEED to make some STAT. No skeptical look from us! =)
Do it! Ours were so good and if it’s easy enough for me to make, you know it’s easy!*
I do think that it matters what you eat, but to be honest – I can’t say I’ve noticed any difference. On the other hand, I usually don’t keep it up long enough I guess. But I’m so going to try the lasagna!
The lasagna was so easy! Definitely give it a whirl.*
The biggest change I have made to my diet in January while training for a half marathon is to cut out alcohol. I am not a big drinker but cutting it out completely makes me feel better, sleep better and run faster.
MMMMM Kebobs! I love making those! I laughed when I read Whataburger, cuz I had never heard/seen one until we got here ELP. They are everywhere! Anyways, that is great that you guys are being more healthy.
Whataburger fries and milkshakes – so good! Mark my words, that will be some of the first food we eat when we are Stateside again. So unhealthy, so delicious.*
Those food pictures look absolutely delicioso. I tried making Crockpot lasagna once a few months ago and loved it. I definitely feel better when I eat better. After too many consecutive meals spent dining out, I start craving homemade food!