A Cup of Catherine

What I Ate – An Attempt to Scale Back the Carbs

by

Happy Hump Day, guys! I hope your week is going well. It’s been a while since I’ve talked about food, so how about we chat about it today?

I know I’ve been skeptical of “dietary fads” and vowed I would never board the “gluten-free train” or “Whole30 express” out of peer pressure, but recently I’ve concluded that my current eating habits aren’t ideal.

I still have no intention of drastically changing the way I eat, but I do want to “clean up” (<–as much as I hate that phrase) the excessive amounts of refined sugar and processed, “convenience” foods I’ve been consuming lately.

Blueberries are the star of this vibrant purple smoothie, but you won't believe the secret ingredient!

breakfast // my usual mug of coffee + a blueberry-vanilla smoothie sprinkled with Blissful Eats granola (FYI, my smoothie filled a 20-oz tumbler—this was just a photo I snapped for the recipe)

Maybe it’s just a lack of sleep and keeping up with an increasingly mobile toddler, but I’ve noticed my energy is low. I’m pretty much ready for bed after lunch when 8 PM rolls around.

Or maybe it is related to how I’m fueling my body, which is why I’m choosing to limit the refined carbohydrates and opt for more foods in their purest form.

lunch

lunch // leftover white bean turkey chili (made with cannellini beans, ground turkey, corn, and Swiss chard) and a cheese stick (that had a “best by” date from a month ago—oops!)

While I’m only human (meaning cookies and a few of my son’s Goldfish crackers just happen sometimes), I have made an effort to cut out a lot of the extra sugar and processed foods such as sugary cereal, heaping handfuls of granola, packaged cereal bars, crackers, etc.

I thought about doing a “modified Whole30” (essentially my breakfasts and lunches would be compliant, but dinners would be unrestricted since my husband cooks them!), but I realized that my body needs whole grains, dairy, and legumes to function at its best (meaning you can pry my hummus and Greek yogurt from my cold, dead hands!). 😉

banana

pre-workout snack // my go-to energy booster, a banana + an un-photographed Nutrigrain bar (I know—refined sugar/carbs!—but lunch was smaller than I realized when packing it and I was already HANGRY at 3 PM)

Instead, I’m trying to eat a lot of eggs, sweet potatoes, nut/seed butter, salads, smoothies, lean protein, and roasted vegetables. I’m worrying more about adding in these good, nutritious things than subtracting certain foods (dairy, whole grains, and legumes) that are “forbidden” under some random protocol that works for somebody else.

While I don’t suddenly have an endless supply of energy, it does feel good mentally to know I’m fueling my body with nutritious foods and less “junk.” I think if I continue to be mindful of my regular choices (allowing for treats when desired), my energy will improve.

IMG_1084

dinner // crockpot “salsa chicken” on whole wheat tortillas (the biggest tortillas ever—I should never be in charge of groceries!) with cabbage + tortilla chips and guac (this is the ugliest photo ever, sorry folks!)

Plus, this has been a great reminder that healthful foods don’t have to be bland or boring. I honestly enjoy a baked sweet potato slathered in almond butter and cinnamon, and now that the weather is warming up, I crave veggie-packed salads instead of heavier dishes.

Just keep in mind that I will always listen to my sweet tooth when it calls (for some reason, it didn’t last Tuesday night). We have a houseful of Easter candy still (and WINE), so I’m not letting all of that sugar go to waste. Moderation, y’all.

[I’m linking up last Tuesday’s meals for What I Ate Wednesday]

  • Do you notice changes with your energy/mood when you’ve been eating differently than normal?
  • What is one non-nutritious food you could never live without? Ice cream or chips—I love a good crunchy and salty potato/tortilla chip, especially if a creamy, fatty dip is involved!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Yes!!!
      When I started cutting way way back on the refined carbs I remember my sister said to me: you have so much willpower. I told her I had none I just needed to eat so I had the energy to live my life!

    2. When I notice I am eating a lot of processed carbs, I usually focus on eating whole grains and veggies much like you. It’s not really about “cutting carbs”, just choosing the ones that provide sustainable energy!
      I just bought whole grain tortillas, so I believe my dinner will look much like yours! Yum.

    4. I could never give up whole grains either (and I would never want to! They’re full of fiber and many great B vitamins). I definitely feel better when eating foods closer to the earth – fruits, veggies, lean meats, grains and legumes. I actually found I had a lot more energy when I included more fat, which kind of took the place of processed foods since I ate less overall.

    5. I could never ever give up ice cream or chocolate chip cookies forever. It would be such a sad life. For the next few weeks I’m getting rid of all sugar that isn’t from a fruit or vegetable to see if that’s the cause of my eczema. I thought about doing the 21 day sugar detox but like you say, it seems t restrictive and not necessary for me.

      • Oooh, I’m with you on chocolate chip cookies! Hope you find answers regarding your eczema. Wonder if it’s hormone-related or did it flare before you had your son?

    6. I cut out a lot of processed carbs a few months ago and I feel so much better! I mean I still have them once in a while but not nearly as often as I used to.

      • You have a lot on your plate – and I mean metaphorically, not literally 😉
        There’s a time and a place for sure, and I hate wasting a full pantry!

    9. I could NEVER give up chocolate. Ever.
      I like your moderate approach to cleaning up your diet. Very sustainable!

    10. I relied so much on carbs when I was pregnant, and it was really hard to ease up on them post-baby. Something about carbs and being pregnant was all that sounded and made me feel good. I am actually trying carb cycling right now, which I have been hearing about everywhere. I’m not doing anything drastic and keeping it pretty slight but hope to see some fat loss by not relying on basic processed carbs for everything!

      • I don’t even fully understand what carb cycling is, but I was the same way during pregnancy and nursing and even after all that, haha. And now my son loves ALL THE CARBS too! Ugh.

    11. I think you low energy is your body telling you that it might be time to buckle down for a bit. There’s no shame in that. Honoring your body doesn’t only mean eating the damn ice cream, it also means eating the damn spinach if that’s what it needs 🙂
      One food I could never live without would be peanut butter. Bananas are a close second 😉

      • PB and bananas are up there on my list, too.
        I think you’re right – I just need to listen to my body. One can never have too many veggies! (Well, I guess it’s possible, but highly unlikely) 😉

    12. Oy! My husband tried to get me to try keto, and I was not a happy camper! I was cranky and moody and had brain fuzz constantly!

      I think kabocha squash is the one food I couldn’t live without. Or bubble teas. nom

    13. I notice a big difference when I am not eating well. I feel best eating slightly fewer carbs and lots of whole foods. I can’t go no carb though– then I’m cranky and hungry!!!