Like many Americans, Derek and I made a New Year's resolution to eat better. With this resolution came the search for a diet that would accommodate. It's been almost a year since I was diagnosed with hypertension. It's a familial thing--I just couldn't escape the genes this time! And it's been a few months since Derek was diagnosed with severe, obstructive sleep apnea. With both conditions, even a little weight loss could go a long way in either controlling it or alleviating symptoms.
Most of you know that I'm not overweight by all "standards." Derek, though likewise not obese by all "standards," could lose a few pounds. Both of us were encouraged to lose some weight. I only need 5-10 lbs to significantly drop my blood pressure, which is creeping up once again. Derek could lose a bit more to get down to a more ideal weight. (Unfortunately, he's sleep apnea can only be controlled with a CPAP machine.)
All of this dialog leads to our current diet. We've done South Beach and found it very difficult to follow long-term since it's so restrictive. We were both successful in losing a few pounds, but it was very short-lived. A co-worker suggested I read the Sonoma Diet book. It's basically a Mediterranean-style diet, similar but not identical to South Beach in principles. It encourages healthy eating through portion control and allows healthy, whole grains from the beginning, along with promoting lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats. We have really enjoyed the diet, though adjusting to "proper" portion sizes has been the hardest part.
The purpose of The Kitchen is to share recipes from the diet, along with a few extras we find really yummy & not total diet-crashers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment