Clean Living

Today my parents met with a dietician/nutritionist (I'm not really sure of the difference, I'll confess) about my mom's diet.  Both of my parents are diabetic, and today they talked with the dr. about how to clean up their eating to help improve their blood sugar levels.  It's basically a low-carb diet, and after talking with my dad and reading through some of the literature they got from the doc, I realized it looks an awful lot like Weight Watcher's "Filling Foods Program" (which used to be known as the "Core Program").

I'm excited for my parents.  However, this is a major shift for them.  They're not exactly the healthiest of eaters.  I'm not pointing fingers, and I'm not saying they eat pizza all the time, but they haven't really watched what kinds of foods they eat very carefully...hence, the diabetes.

I did the Filling Foods Program several years ago when I lived in Colorado Springs.  Before I got pregnant with Lily I had lost almost 50 pounds on the program.  I know first hand that it works.  I also know that it's also all about clean living and clean eating.

The Filling Foods Program is basically this (to the best of my knowledge):
You don't count calories/fat/fiber like you do on the Flex Points System.
You don't have to count anything that is a "Filling Food." (We'll get to what those are in a sec.)
If you want to eat something that is not a "Filling Food" you get 35 weekly points to spend any way you want, and you can count the points for the non-filling food items and be okay.

Here's what Filling Foods are:
Vegetables
Fruits
Fat Free Dairy
Lean Meats
Seafood (not covered in melted butter, of course)
Grains (like whole wheat cereals, brown rice, rolled oats...not bread however)
Legumes

So, as I noticed a friend write the other day, pretty much anything that comes from the ground or once had a momma.  (Thanks for that, Kinzie!)

Oh, and the kicker about Filling Foods is that you don't have to keep track of your daily points.  You don't have to weigh and measure.  You just eat until you are SATISFIED.  Wow, what a concept.  Stopping my eating when I feel satisfied.  Who wouldda thunk?

I haven't done the Filling Foods plan for years.  I loved it when I did do it, but it honestly isn't always easy. Eating out is a big challenge.  Deserts are hard, too.  But, not only is it super-duper healthy, good for me, makes me feel better, and surely makes my insides feel better....it also results in really great poo's from all the fiber.  Just thought you'd want to know that important bit of information.

I've been thinking for awhile about going back onto the new and improved Core Program (aka Filling Foods Program), but I've been too chicken.  Also, I really needed to learn how to recognize a portion size.  My eyes are way too large for my tummy, so portion size has been a good lesson to learn, though I must confess it's still a lesson that I'm working on mastering.

Now that my parents are going to try to embrace the low-carb diet for their health, I think this is a perfect time to try out the Filling Foods plan again.  I really want to encourage them and help if I can in anyway.  Maybe by working together we can help decrease their dependency on diabetes medications, and maybe even keep me from ever having to be on those medications in the first place.

So I need a few days to get some menus planned and my shopping list up and ready to go, but this next week is going to be all about the Filling Foods.

Here's to clean eating!!