A Dinner in the Life...

Last night when I came home from the gym I started to make my dinner and I said to myself "Liser, I bet you that your friends at Making Life's Lemons would love to know what you have for dinner on your average night." 

Brilliant idea inner-Liser! I'm sure they would. ;) 

So folks, this is an example of what I like to make on an average night. It is perfect for the days when you don't have leftovers, but you're starving from a work or in my case a workout and are in desperate need of replenishment.

Tonight's theme: breakfast. 

Breakfast for dinner is my go-to din. I'm sure many of you do this (that's why we get along so well.) If you don't do breakfast for dinner, try it. It's liberating and delicious.

First I like to put together all of my cold foods. Things that can relax on the counter for a bit while I'm slaving at the stove.

This is about a cup of plain Fage yogurt with some berries. 

Greek yogurt is something that is pretty popular now, but if you haven't jumped on the band wagon yet, you should do it. This is why.

If you don't like the bitter taste add some honey. 

It's the bee's knees. Tee hee.

I really like a crunch to my yogurt so I add about 1/4 cup of cereal.

LISA!! You don't use granola?? 

I love granola, but I choose not to use it. A 1/4 cup of granola is about 140 calories compared to the 60 calories for the cereal.

Now it's time to let that little pair mingle for a bit while I make a childhood sammy masterpiece!

Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich with honey.

My favorite bread to use for this sandwich is squishy white bread like you did when you were a kid. Village Hearth, Italian.

Now, why squishy white bread and not something a little more fancy? Artisan perhaps? 

I am using this bread because this is about making a nutritious dinner with what you have at home at the time. Really, who just has Artisan bread in their house at all times?? 

The best part!!

For the peanut butter I usually use about 2 tablespoons on each slice. That's probably about 250 calories.

This is something that I used to really freak out about: calories. I still am careful and keep track of what I eat during the day, but I do not count calories. If the number worries you, just think, that 250 calories is your protein for the dinner. It would be around the same for 4-5 ounces of chicken breast. 

Same calorie count.

Same amount of protein.

Also, remember that going a few calories over will not ruin your day.

Now the special guest arrives.

I like to cut my bananas a little thick so it helps cut the sticky mouth I am about to have.

After that I add about a Tablespoon of honey.

I spray the pan with a little cooking spray and brown that awesome sammitch on both sides.

Look at it!

So melty and sticky and wonderful.

Mr. Peanut would be so proud.

Now I know I don't count calories, but the whole meal is between 400-600 calories depending on what brands you use. 

That's if you don't count the fruit. Don't count it, trust me.

Side-note: I touched on this a little earlier, I used to be incredibly unhealthy. I was around 220 pounds at my heaviest. I hated the way that I looked. I never did anything about it because I would just eat more when I worried about it. I all of a sudden and literally with out realizing lost about 40 pounds during a summer when I was working about 80 hours a week. 

After that I became very unhealthy with my eating. I wasn't over eating; I just would not eat often. Partly was because I didn't know how to properly keep the weight off, part was because I was dating a guy a the time and I thought that he wanted me to keep the weight off...possibly true, but not that way. Not eating enough when working 80 hours a week was...well...stupid.

I didn't gain anymore weight, but I didn't lose anymore weight either. I plateaued. And I was miserable.

After that I went back to binge eating whenever I was stressed. Last school year I was student teaching all year long and I was the most stressed I have ever been. I gained back ALL of my weight. 

After college graduation I realized I needed to change something so I went on weight watchers for a couple of months. Honestly, it works. I eventually learned the points/calories to most of the foods that I ate on a regular basis. 

After a few months I quit weight watchers and now I don't count anything. I work with ideas. I have a basic idea of what I will consume during the day and what my body will use during the day. I have an idea of about how much of what I'm eating is actually going to benefit my body. Obviously I still love eating naughty and sinful yummies as you can see here, here, and here.

Honestly though guys it's not obsessing over how many calories you eat or burn. It's about a balanced eating lifestyle and being active, which I think we all know. Carrying it out is the hard part.

So where am I now? 

Well I work out 5-6 days a week. Not because I feel like I have to, but because it's like a high to me...no joke. And I try to eat as healthy as I can. I've lost 50 pounds since my heaviest, I'm at the lightest weight I ever remember being, and I'm still losing. And best of all I am comfortable about my shape and the way I look. Am I skinny? No! But who cares? Is that really realistic? No. I never have been skinny nor will I ever be.

Take it from me. Stop looking at what you hate about yourself and look at what you do like and eat things that will give you fuel, but don't deprive yourself.

I'll step off the box now, friends. 

Make a sandwich, jeez!