DAY THREE:
I am wholeheartedly concerned that this entire blog is going to turn into a daily reminder of how I totally suck and can't stick to my diet.
Because that is my life so far. The last two days have been really hard. Temptation is literally everywhere, and from the minute I put limits on what I would allow myself, I started craving EVERYTHINGGGG I could no longer have.
Yesterday, I got my walk in and grabbed all three dogs and shoved them into the car for a leisurely ride amongst the beautiful fall foliage. That led to a stop at the Amish market near my house where, literally, everything was pumpkin spiced. From candles and chapstick to coffee creamer and whoopie pies, I couldn't escape it. Not to mention that I was still in yoga pants from my walk so I totally looked like a pumpkin-spice-obsessed-kind-of-girl anyway. You know what girls I'm talking about. Chances are, you might be one of them. Like me.
Anyway, I managed to escape with only a pumpkin spice latte with sugar-free creamer (still tons of calories, mind you, but more forgivable than a whole slice of pumpkin pie) and a package of beef sticks for the dogs to fight over. Battle slightly won.
Then, I went home and caught up on some recorded television while the dishwasher and washing machine ran because I like to think that their ability to run independently from me still makes me an expert multi-tasker - "What did I do today? I did the dishes, the laundry and fantasized about Sons of Anarchy, all at the same time." Speaking of which, I hope you're all watching SOA because It. Is. Nuts. I want to walk around in Kurt Sutter's brain for like an hour because I'm fairly certain it works completely opposite of mine. So much destruction. So much anxiety. For someone who thought Charlie Hunnam's Jax was way hotter than he could ever be scary... I was wrong.
The rest of my TV watching experience had to be more lighthearted, just for the sake of helping me cope with what the Sons put me through emotionally. The Big Bang Theory and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon always make me smile. Seriously, I want to be real-life best friends with Sheldon Cooper and desperately yearn for the day when I can invite friends to my house purely for the purposes of having a lip sync contest or an unpredictable game of 'What's In The Box?'
I will say, though, the challenge for me yesterday was sitting down to watch my shows without snacking on something terrible for me. Before, it was always a bottomless bag of chips or a bowl of ice cream. This time, I held off as long as I could, knowing that it wasn't hunger that preoccupied my brain, but the habit I'd developed of snacking during DVR time. When I did finally break, I opted for baby carrots and dip. Might not seem like much, but it was a pretty substantial victory for me.
I did great until late last night, when I got a surprise phone call from an old friend from high school who was in town and hoping to catch up at the local bar for beer and wings. Wings? I'm not really a fan since most bars don't cook them up the only way I like them: boneless. So, that was fine. But the beer? I can straight up tell you I don't have a drinking problem by any means, but having a beer at this establishment was like another habit. I never walked into this place, and DIDN'T have one. It didn't help that the bartender and wait staff are all friends of mine who know my preferences and never hesitate to slam my brand down on the bar in front of me before I even have to ask.
So, there you have it. I gave in to a beer. Or three. Three beers. Not low-carb. Mostly all-carb, really. I'm not impressed by my lack of willpower, but I'm hoping from here on out I can be a little stronger about saying 'no' to all the bad foods and drinks I'm used to. For me, like most people, dieting and weight loss is all about breaking bad habits, and I'm doing it slowly but surely.
OK, so enough about my day. I made you another salad. I'm trying to make salads that are different from your typical lettuce and veggies and maybe a little protein on top. And, I'm trying to stuff every bite with as much flavor as humanly possible so I don't feel deprived.
These carrots were a farmer's market find and I wanted to find a way to use them that would show off their pretty colors. There's so much flavor in this that I can't... I don't even... It'll just blow your mind. I'm not well versed in the ways of Moroccan food but I knew I loved the flavor of cumin so I tried it, and now I'm dying to try more.
Be prepared to see a lot more Moroccan-inspired recipes from here on out because I am slightly obsessed!
Moroccan Rainbow Carrot Salad
3 cups chopped, peeled rainbow carrots
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/8 tsp cinnamon
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook carrots in boiling water for 5-7 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain.
In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients together. You may desire to hold the parsley for a garnish at the end.
Add the carrots to the bowl and gently toss the carrots to evenly coat them with the dressing.
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