Helloooooooo lovelies!
I worked on a project last night that got away from me – sorry for the non-post.
I LOVED reading about everyone’s “Better Replacements“! You guys are so awesome!
Highlights:
- I loved how Emily gave up her microwave! I have been weaning myself off of mine, but I don’t think I can give it up 100%.
- Most interesting sub went to Brynne for her substitution of amino acids for soy sauce. I’ve been wanting to try amino acids for awhile! (anyone know what it tastes like?)
So glad to hear about others like me who are learning about food and incorporating that education for a healthier lifestyle!
The interesting thing about eating healthier is that the healthier you eat, the healthier you want to eat. The “bad” stuff starts tasting funny or at least becomes less appetizing. Your cravings for french fries and candies start to diminish.
The first time I noticed this was when I was in high school. I was training in figure skating and decided to take things to the next level by working on my nutrition. I knew then far less back than I knew today, but I had the good sense to, at minimum, give up candy and fast food. I wanted to eat food that would help me jump higher and spin faster and have more endurance. I felt like a real athlete! The results were wonderful. I found that not only was my skating better (and jumping higher and spinning faster), but over time, I wanted fast food and candy less and less. I didn’t want soda…I wanted water. I didn’t want candy. I wanted fruit. Instead of wanting fast food at least once a week, I didn’t really want it at all. It was amazing!
Unfortunately, I relapsed in college, but I’ve come around again. 
I’m eating “good” foods, which make me want to eat more “good” foods.
My palate is changing again.
Do you ever see a food you used to love to eat and cringe at the thought of eating it now? Today, I passed a vending machine at the office and spotted a honey bun. I used to love those things when I was a kiddo. Now, I think I’d rather go hungry than eat one. Honey buns have no nutritional value and probably contain lots of chemicals to keep it from spoiling while it sits in that vending machine for (seemingly) eons. If I’m going to eat something sweet and glazed, I’m going to be buying a handmade doughnut from a local bakery that is made fresh that day. Just because a doughnut is from a local bakery doesn’t mean it has nutritional value, but if you’re going to indulge, I figure you may as well have something that is fresh, handmade, and probably has a fraction of the ingredients.
What is your “I Can’t Believe I Used to Eat That!” food?
***
Guess who finally got to eat something from their garden!? Moi! Ok, so I only harvested a single eeny-meeny cherry tomato and had to back-fill my salad with grape tomatoes from Trader Joes, but still…I ate something! And you know what, those TJ’s tomatoes had NOTHING on the tomato from my garden. Gosh, it was so plump, juicy, sweet and fresh-tasting! Eating that one tomato makes me want to plant like 10 more tomato plants. If only I had the space!
I enjoyed another Chic Pre-Workout Bar today. I gave one to a co-worker yesterday and she said it was really good! Maybe I was hard on myself yesterday? 
I will still be experimenting with my recipe to see how other combinations work out. I’m thinking the addition of chia seeds would be a stellar modification from batch #1.
Speaking of chia seeds, I added some to my OpenSky shop (click to view)! I love how these are organic and heirloom quality!
***
Man, today was stressful!!! Luckily, I had a solution…
BEFORE Zumba…
AFTER Zumba!
How can anyone be down after zumba! The fun dancing and cheerful songs are such mood lifters. I ALWAYS feel better after a great zumba workout. Yay! Tonight I helped co-lead a couple songs including one of my all-time faves – El Alacran (aka the Dance Off song – we split the room and do a little dance off!) and led solo Valio la Pena (my fave salsa). So fun!
Tonight, hubby and I had a pizza dinner. I had two slices of cheese, some more KW Collards (random combo, but they are going bad today or tomorrow, and we wanted to finish them), and half a can of real coke.
Ok, ok…so we just talked about Better Replacements, and here I am downing soda, but I said I changed some things…not all! I’m working on it people! (btw, I have found a more natural form of coke – this guy I had at Earthfare…deeelish! Wish I had one of those tonight!). Anywho, I rarely drink soda at least. I’m definitely a no-diet kind of girl. I’d just rather have less of the real stuff.
Hubby and I split an organic gala apple for dessert.
We used it to help train Bailey. His latest trick-in-the-making: beg. He’s a natural (click), so I think he’ll catch on veeery quickly!
Remember to leave me a comment with your “I Can’t Believe I Used to Eat That!” food! 
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
This might not sound so bad, but diet soda is what I can’t believe I used to eat (or drink)! I used to have Diet Coke almost every day. Once I started trying to eat consciously healthier, I switched to home-brewed iced tea, with a little agave or no sweetener at all, when I needed a pick-me-up in the afternoon. The tea has lots of antioxidants and no chemicals, plus it’s much cheaper.
in high school my friends and i constantly went to tgifridays and all ordered chicken fingers with a soup terrine full, literally giant soup terrine, full of honey mustard. god….
Definitely diet coke – I would HAVE to have one everyday. Now the artificial taste just gets to me in a bad way. I still HAVE to have coffee in the morning, but I think one or two cups is okay.
I would also buy strange “snacks.” Little Debbie cakes are not meant to be snacks.
Where to start?
Fast food, all of it: McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Jack in the Crack, Sonic
Hot dogs, soda
Mine would have to be jam donuts….with chocolate icing. In high school I had one almost every day!!!
This isn’t bad at all, but I CAN NOT believe I used to eat processed + sugar peanut butter. It tastes SO gross. If it isn’t no sugar added, I just cannot eat it anymore!
Wow, this is funny because I just started experiencing this myself, the whole craving fruit instead of junk phenomenon! The other night my extended family was over and we had ice cream sundaes for all the kids. I made one and fat-free whipped cream on it, and two bites in and I felt like I didn’t want anything to with that sundae. I would have gladly trashed the whole thing right there. I ended up eating about half of if but it tasted so chemically weird to me. Amazing!
I actually grew up w/out a microwave so I’ve learned to do everything micro free. My husband laughs when I heat things up on the stove or in the oven, but you know what – it tastes better that way! I can also make some mean popcorn in a pot!
My I Can’t Believe I Used to Eat That? Too many to count, but the Dannon Light ‘n Fit yogurts loaded with aspartame are quickly coming to mind. I can literally taste the chemicals on my tongue. YUCK!
Ever since I watched Food Inc, I can’t believe that I ever ate any type of fast food burger. Blech, makes my skin crawl
Fake parmesean cheese, cold spahettios w/ the franks in them, ramen, luke warm milk
When I think back to the beginning of high school – typical lunch was ham and cheese on a croissant with MAYONNAISE and Ruffles potato chips. For dessert, a king-size ice cream Snickers. After school, a pack of skittles and a Diet Dr. Pepper. I honestly haven’t eaten any of those items in 10 years! I’m older…and healthier
I wish I would stop loving potato chips and french fries! But I have grown out of flavored coffees (syrup or in the bean flavors) diet soda and fake sugars. I’ve never been a big fast food person but instead like take out, however, I don’t love delivery pizza…it’s just MEH. Totally not worth the calories!
Get ready to heave… LIVERMUSH! As a kid I LOVED this stuff. I’d have it crispy fried with breakfast, on toast, whatever. I’d get sick now, potentially if I was even near it.
I started drinking diet coke in college and was in a bad 2 can or more a day habit for about a year. I cut down to 1 or 2 a week a year ago, and I drink coffee now instead. I can’t believe how much I used to crave it and now it is appalling. Crazy how our tastes change!
Other memorable moments? I was obsessed with eating fat free everything high school. Didn’t matter the ingredients…fat free bologna, fat free ice cream and the best was reduced fat Little Debbie snacks. Gross!
Chauna – I’m from the Philadelphia area and they eat scrapple a lot there. The name says everything for this “meat” product. I used to eat it as a kid but now, the thought makes me gag. Hadn’t thought about it in years until I read your comment.
I would say all my treat foods! My treat foods are now things like serrano ham, manchego cheese etc, rather than the foil wrapped items which must really be dead already given their lengthy expiry dates! Nowadays eating monster munch crisps (pickled onion flavor, of all things) would seem more of a punishment than a treat or celebration.
As an aside, your arms look awesome in that photo (I’ve just started trying to improve my own, so that’s probably why they just really stood out tonight!).
I loved, loved, loved spaghettios. I recently had them again, just for fun, and I realized how processed they tasted & I was starving later – totally void of anything good for you!
I have cut out diet pop, something I thought I couldn’t bring myself to do. But now I sub it with homemade iced tea. My husband has even cut out pop.
mmm, that pizza looks amazing!
Thanks for mentioning my sub! To me, the aminos taste like a very light soy sauce – without the worry of such high sodium! I also spray it on veggies to roast them or steam them.
I can’t believe I used to eat those iced honey buns too! Ugh, so so gross!
For me its not so much what I used to eat but how often I used to eat it. I have definitely come a long way to get the frequency of my treats under control!
Hot dogs – not to say I won’t have a grilled one now and again – but I could sit and eat a whole package of the stupid things – cold! What are hot dogs anyway? I don’t think anyone really knows….
Being an Indonesian, I grew up with rice and noodles. We’re also very instant noodle-friendly here in the tropics, and even eat them for breakfast. I’ve always loved ‘Indomie’ even if I know it’s not healthy to eat everyday, and there was a time in my life where I eat a packet or two everyday… sometimes with rice. Please don’t wince LOL.
I’ve given up my addiction for two years now and the last time I tried to eat instant noodle, it tasted funny on my tongue and I almost gagged. Since then, whenever craving comes, I’ve replaced my noodle dishes with the healthier yam noodles/miracle noodles. When it’s not available, I just drive to the closest ramen restaurant and order a bowl. At least I know they use less preservatives