Typically when most people think of diets, they think of plain chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and maybe some bland starch like rice or potatoes. Sheesh, when I was prepping for my first contest, I remember being viciously hungry one day and thinking I’d rather just not eat than choke down one more effing chicken breast. Oh how far I’ve come in learning that this doesn’t have to be the case.
One of the biggest factors for me personally in staying on track with eating is choosing meals that are full of flavor. This applies whether I’m trying to lose weight or not. I’m simply talking healthy food choices when I say staying on track. If you’re like me if it doesn’t taste good, you won’t want to eat it. You will probably end up feeling grumpy for having to eat it.
You might even be more inclined to justify eating something else to make up for it. This last part is particularly interesting to me. Eating isn’t always about physical hunger. Humans are social creatures and eating is as much about the experience as it is about feeding our bellies. If we aren’t enjoying the meal, our brains will still be craving that feeling and we won’t be satisfied until we get it. Learning this is a huge part of breaking that diet mentality.
I used to buy steaks that were as dry as the desert and probably were close to what it would be like to eat my shoes. Yeah, imagine the joy of eating something like that. ROFL. I got them because they were low fat and good for me. I wanted steak so I ate steak, but after eating the toughest cow known to man I still wanted steak. So much for that working out for me.
I finally wised up and started getting filet mignon instead. It’s slightly higher in fat, but not enough to make a major difference. It’s slightly more expensive but if you get it at Walmart or on sale, it won’t break the bank. It’s also still cheaper than eating out. The flavor and texture difference? Oh yeah, baby. Night and day. No more sawing like a crazed lumberjack and getting a jaw workout chewing.
Filet pretty much melts tenderly under my knife. I top it with a little salt and pepper before grilling and then either eat it plain or I get creative and pour on something like Balsamic Tomato Jam. This jam was so good on top of the steak but it would also be great over pasta or even on sliced Italian bread like a bruschetta topping.
Balsamic Tomato Jam 
1 scallion, white and green parts diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 large diced tomato, approximately 3/4 cup
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Spray a skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Add the scallion, garlic and tomato and saute for approximately 2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar along with 2 Tbsp of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat just slightly and simmer for about 5 minutes until the water and vinegar have mostly evaporated and the tomatoes are very soft. Remove from heat.
It was so easy to throw this together with ingredients that most of us have on hand already. Nothing special required… other than maybe a trip to Walmart to buy a filet to slide underneath. That’s up to you. 😉
As you’re learning to eat for health, make sure you focus on the whole experience of the meal and not just on the process of getting food in your stomach. You’ll thank me for that tip as you learn Health Doesn’t Weight.
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