Step Away From The Hellmann’s

We Southerners love our mayonnaise.  Whether it’s Kraft, Dukes or Hellmann’s, you’ll find at least one jar in the fridge and probably a spare in the pantry.  I grew up in Alabama where I loved to pick a juicy ripe red tomato from the garden and make my favorite tomato and mayonnaise sandwich on white bread; you know, the kind you have to stand over the sink to eat because the juice runs down your arms and drips off you elbows.  And how about those homemade biscuits with sausage gravy?  If you can’t relate, you probably didn’t grow up Southern.  Our favorite foods may not be so healthy, but they sure are tasty and I have been accused of cooking up some really good comfort food.

Well, you can just imagine the mixed feelings I had when the Nutrition expert, Kelly Gilbert, came to see me as part of the Wellness Program.  They told me she would go through my refrigerator and pantry to see what kind of eating habits I had and make recommendations for changes, if needed.  So, I decided to be brutally honest and I didn’t take out the 3 spare jars of mayo, the chips, crackers, ice cream and all the ingredients for making chocolate chip cookies.  Kelly had her work cut out but she was up to the challenge.  I really appreciate the fact that she was not judgmental, but made some very good suggestions.  Of course, her first suggestion was to clean out the bad stuff like potato chips and ice cream.  Those I can live without.  She focused on replacing favorite foods with healthier choices like changing out regular peanut butter with almond butter; which is really good, you should try it.  That was an easy one.  Some other recommendations were to replace my Cool Whip with Reddi Whip real whipped cream, rice pilaf with wild rice, use coconut oil for sautéing, eat natural bacon instead of smoked, cured bacon, eat only whole grain breads, and eat Organic foods as much as possible.  I know that eating organically can get expensive but try to do it as much as possible.  I think folks can sometimes get a little fanatic about eating organic, but if it works for them, good.  I personally believe that if the outside skin of the food item is as hard as a coconut, it’s unlikely to do much harm.  Learn about how foods get labeled “organic” and why.  Use your common sense when you make food buying decisions.

The following week I met with Kelly at the local Harris Teeter for grocery shopping.  After all, I needed to restock my pantry which looked a little  empty by now.  It almost broke my heart to give up my Peanut Oil, but since I won’t be frying much anymore, I won’t miss it.  That girl can read some labels!  I learned not to put anything into my basket without reading the contents and if it contained hydrogenated anything, put it back on the self.  My take away from this exercise is – if I can’t pronounce all of the ingredients, it’s probable not good for me.  Also, stay out of the center aisles, that’s where all the  bad for you stuff lives.  Stick to the outside periphery of the store where the fresh produce and other good for you foods like Greek Yogurt are.

The only bad experience I had was trying to make homemade mayonnaise and let me tell you it was a disaster!  Both times it turned out kinda like a weird, runny salad dressing.  I’m a little concerned about the raw eggs used to make it anyway; they don’t warn you about salmonella for nothing.  So, Step Away From My Hellmann’s!  I will cut way, way back; but if I decide to have a natural bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on whole grain bread, there WILL be Hellmann’s (at least a little).  You don’t have to completely deny yourself all your favorite foods; putting them on the “forbidden list” is a sure way to guarantee failure.  This is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle change.  Finding exchanges and making cutbacks are working for me; I feel more energetic and surprisingly I’m shrinking without starving!  That’s a WIN in my book.

Catch my next blog.  I’m going to have my head examined!  No, really; I’m going to have a Neuro Assessment to determine my brain function health.  I’d like to get a better understanding of the most powerful body part.  Can’t Wait!