Living a healthier life

I gave up New Year's resolutions a few years ago because I was tired of failing myself each year and a resolution was just a reminder of what I didn't manage to accomplish. It was a glaring sign that I gave up again and didn't stick with whatever it was I promised I would do differently. So I swore this year would be different. And so far, it has been.

Instead of making a resolution, I decided to focus on a couple of personal traits that I thought would help me to be a better version of myself. Discipline and consistency. That was going to be my motto for the year.

But discipline and consistency in regards to what? Well, my health. It takes a lot of dedication, on a daily basis, to become overweight. It's lots of small choices that add up to one large number. So the only way to combat it was to treat it like a recovery program: one step at a time, one day at a time. Discipline and consistency. I wanted to find a way to win.

I was afraid I would fail again so I started researching foods that I love and simple swaps I could make to create a more nutrient dense, lower calorie version. Because the key to weight loss is CALORIE DEFICIT. There is no herbal tea, pill, or timing of meals that is the magic solution. The ONLY way to do it is to eat less calories that you burn each day, creating a deficit.

I made a calendar on my computer and wrote down what I was to eat for each meal the next week. That way I could shop and plan and be prepared. It has been my saving grace and what ultimately led to the creation of this website. I made healthy snacks that could fill in the gaps and started keep track of my food intake. I vowed to get 8 hours of sleep per night and drink 3 liters of water per day (which I already do, so this was an easy win). Later, I would incorporate exercise and add meditation to my arsenal of ammo.

It is ten weeks later and I'm down 25 pounds. Each pound lost is motivation to continue because what I'm doing is working. That is why I have included serving sizes and calorie counts on the recipes I post. So that you can find a way to incorporate lower calorie options that are nutrient dense and ultimately empower you to make better choices.

Yes, I want a cookie. So I made a version I feel better about eating: White Chocolate Garbanzo cookies. I wanted to make a classic N'Awlins dish for Mardi Gras, so I made Jambalaya with some healthy swaps like lean meats and brown rice. I craved a rich and creamy salad dressing (I was getting tired of vinaigrettes), so I whipped up a new version of Caesar Dressing using yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Is it exactly the same, no. Will it satisfy my 'want', yes.

So each day I use my discipline and consistency to stay the course. But no one wants it to be boring, so I challenge myself to make new things. Last week, I wanted to see how many dishes out of one pumpkin...the answer was 10! Some of them are posted on the website and I highly recommend you make the Pumpkin Mac-n-Cheese today! I hope these recipes add some delicious options to your weekly meals and inspire healthy swaps that still leave you satisfied.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or feedback by emailing me at stephanie@sweetstephcooks.com or filling out the feedback form here.