Food: New year dinner

My husband is a nut.

pink helmet...Step back...he's all mine!

 A health nut. He belongs to a gym that he loves and, as he has been working out there for almost 2 years, it is his home away from home.

Manly man...

They are always doing some sort of challenge to keep them on their toes.
Be it rowing from here to China on a rowing machine, or eating Paleo, they are all about it.

He loves it and is happy, so I am happy.

Their newest insanity challenge, is a food challenge for one month. He is eating pretty much what we normally eat, but subtracting all grains, legumes, or sugar and only one caloric beverage a day. Veyr entertaining watching my beer loving husband "ration".  He invited me to join in, which would have been fairly  easy for me as that is pretty much how we eat anyway. I usually only have one glass of wine at night , tea (no sugar) in the morning and water the rest of the day.

However, as I eat little if any animal protein besides eggs, I have to have my beans. 

So, I am not doing the challenge. But I am cooking for it.

http://www.getbuiltchattanoogacrossfit.com/yannuary-2012/

If you are trying to reset your bodayafter a holiday of shoveling cookies, fudge and holiday beverages, this is a pretty good way to get it done. The hardest part is making it okay with your mind, and being creative with your food choices.

I am not a fan of "diets" as I have done most of the ones around and have always gained weight when I stop them, due to psychologically feeling deprived. I just try to eat sensibly ( high fiber/low carbs), avoid high fat/fried foods and processed foods, and drink lots of water. I don't eat potatoes, corn, or cheese (which I love) very often, as I have found they are allergens for me.
I do enjoy sugar and eat it way too much.

Doing this, my weight has stayed almost exactly the same for over three years. I fluctuate in my fitness level (read: sometimes I am a flabby tub of goo), especially after a big event when I am burned out (read:about twice a year).  But overall, I stay about the same. I feel like  if I stay active and exercise regularly, I can eat whatever I want, as long as I don't over do it and eat the whole sleeve of cookies. Which I have done, hence, I don't buy them. 40 has been hard on working cookies off!

The crazy people at Get Built know what they are doing, setting a pattern for good habits and not fad diets.  What are your tips for staying fit? Do you "diet" or just eat smart? Do you have tricks that you use to  manage your food urges?

Yannuary meals for Casa Swann

Ribollita for me, Chicken soup (with noodle for carb eaters)

Eating at my daughter's school after swim meet...best food in town, courtesy of Meg's dad

paleo salmon cakes, roasted sweet potatoes, oven roasted broccoli/cauliflower

Savory Squash soup and meatloaf

Gumbo

 I have made the salmon cakes and they are pretty good. Super healthy and very easy.
I "fry" them on my griddle.