The Chatty Gourmet

Lately, I have had difficulty sleeping. It is not only hard for me to fall asleep but I wake up continuously during the night. I was already walking but wasn't really exerting myself. Some co-workers and friends suggested I pick up the pace during my walks. I thought I should give it a try because maybe it would help me sleep better. I used to run in high school so I thought I could start out slow and work my way back up to a steady run. Within the first two weeks I lost 5 pounds and was run/ walking for about forty minutes three times a week. I also buckled down on my eating. I started reducing my calorie count in a day. I eat mostly SHG meals and in between have some fruit or 100 calorie snacks. I started eating about 1500 calories a day on average. I am currently on my fourth week and things are continuing to improve. I am running almost the whole time and my timing has improved. I have lost a total of eight pounds and am feeling more energized and sleeping better. I will continue to update ya’ll on my progress and please share any stories you might have…

Somedays I wake up in the morning and lay in bed wondering what I will enjoy that morning for breakfast. I am a huge breakfast lover. Once in a while I crave donuts or pastries, but I have found that when I indulge in these items I not only start the day feeling bloated and heavy, but I continue to want to eat that way throughout the day. One of the things I was so excited to learn about when I started at SHG was the wonderful breakfasts we have, which even include pastries and pancakes. Another great breakfast treat I enjoy on a regular basis is oatmeal with a little brown sugar. It tastes great, starts out the day right, and keeps me feeling full longer.

Summer is slowly coming to an end, and that means vacation time is as well. Whether you are enjoying a weekend getaway or a month-long vacation, many have a difficult time with keeping their food routine through the summer months. I know that when I hear the word "vacation," it makes me think I can over-indulge in all those yummy foods I don’t normally eat. Last week I visited my mom in North Carolina, and before I even arrived she asked me if I had any requests for home-cooked meals. Upon arriving at the airport, I had started what I call my “food vacation” with a Cinna-bon. When I arrived I indulged in homemade spaghetti, lots of breads, brownies, shrimp and grits, and a waffle cone with ice cream. The majority of the time I would have been hard on myself for eating that way in such a short period of time, however, I made sure to do lots of activities. My sister and I went swimming, played Wii, and walked the river walk. In my opinion, I think as long as you stay active and have fun in doing so, you should be able to eat what you like on vacation. However it is also important to make a commitment to yourself to get back into a healthy routine when you return home. If you would rather not over-indulge, you could go to the local grocery store and make some of your own heart-healthy meals. That way, you can save the calories for going out to dinner one or two nights enjoying some of the local cuisine. It is also a way to save money. So enjoy your vacation, because it’s the experiences that you remember most.

One of the most important things I hear about being in the health food industry is that portion size is so important. If you look at our program you can see that we have three different portion sizes (calorie levels). Most young adults overeat and portion sizes at restaurants don't help. That's one of the main reasons our program works. If you aren't on our program or only eat dinner or a couple of our meals a week, it is a good idea to look at the size of the intake of the other meals you eat. One thing I can suggest is this: when you put food on your plate or are served a meal only eat half of it. If you have to, ask for a box right away and place the other half in the box so you are not tempted -- you can have the rest as another meal. Or if you're at home and made your own plate, do the same thing -- put half of it back to keep you from overeating. I am sure you will find that you are not only satisfied, but full as well. This way, you get the taste of the food you like without the guilt...

On Wednesday my task was to package again, but not only chocolate, Susan's Healthy Gourmet meals as well, since it was delivery day. The kitchen was crazy! There were trays going everywhere and drivers asking for the meals that they were responsible for delivering. Packaging was like an assembly line. The people in the refrigerated room put the meals together then they went to Victor. He scanned them and finally they went to me and I put them in bags and into the tray. Once again everyone was working together. After we were finished, I went to help Steve package chocolate for a second time. Everyone in the kitchen and Xan Confections were very nice and helpful. Everyone in the office are nice as well which makes it more enjoyable to be interning at Susan's Healthy Gourmet.