Over the past weeks or so I feel I’ve had an ‘epiphany’ when it comes to my diet. Before, I may have felt I was deprived if I were to stick to just “clean foods” all the time. What would life be without huge bacon wrapped steaks and fatty sauces, paired with big, bold Cabernets?  Yes, I was guilty of enjoying huge slices of pizza, big tubs of ice cream, gallons of wine and many sugar ladened cocktails on a regular basis. What I am quite surprised at now, is the fact that I didn’t gain more weight than I did, although 25-30 lbs was more than enough to have ‘scared me’ back to the path of healthy eating again!  What I did this time, is remain patient and take one day, and one week, at a time. Referring back to my previous posts, I of course derail sometimes and get unnerved, wanting to see those results before my body is ready to produce them.  But generally speaking, I now see results of my new, healthy and clean lifestyle. Changes have appeared that I want to remain with me for the rest of my life. I guess you can call it a life altering experience!  My desire for snacking at night is now practically gone – the biggest obstacle I faced mentally when I first got started on this journey. I used to whine to anyone who would listen, and hoped to hear the magic words that yes, I could enjoy my M&Ms and pop corn every night with a bottle of wine, and still look like a fitness model! ha! Well meant advice to ‘brush my teeth’ early or drink some tea didn’t help much either. What needs to happen is that “switch” in your head to go off, and that only happens when YOU are ready, and have made the choice that a healthy, fit body is more important to you than Swedish Fish.   Personally, I made my decision when I went for a shopping spree on my own one day to the local mall looking for some new clothes for summer. My old wardrobe from last year is a joke – you could fit two of me in the garments now I think.. So when I tried on clothes and I was happy with everything I tried on, felt comfortable and attractive in every single piece of clothing – that was the selling point for me!  I may not look like the most dainty, feminine gal anymore in flowery sun dresses because of my rather built up upper body, but I’d much rather have that look than have thin, flabby arms that look like they belong to a 14 year old girl. But I look fit, healthy and as many have pointed out lately, like I “pump some iron”. 🙂 That’s the best compliment I can get – I don’t want to appear thin or gaunt, I leave that to the runway models!

Tonight I had a delicious, low calorie and low-fat, nutrient rich dinner which is an example of how I eat on a nightly basis now, in advance of my contest. Grilled scallops on a bed of fresh spinach sprinkled with fresh lemon juice and a medley of braised celery, sauteed mushrooms, grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas and fennel.  I added a bit of champagne vinegar, stevia for sweetness and some crushed red pepper flakes for heat. YUMMY! There are SO many seasonings you can use like spices, vinegars, low sodium soy sauce, mustards, etc. to make your food exciting and tasting like any 5 star restaurant out there. No cream or butter necessary – I swear! Here’s a couple of shots from tonight’s delicacy:

Scallops are super quick to prepare – they only need a quick saute for 3 minutes in a pan and you can get them year round. It should be noted it is easy to overcook scallops – so be sure to time them otherwise they will become tough and lose their flavor and natural sweetness. High heat in the pan is best for a quick sautee and will produce a nice sear.

4 ounces of scallops contain about 152 calories, so a low calorie food. Scallops are a great source of protein and contain very good amounts and quality of omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and phosphorous. Omega 3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation and vitamin B12 is good for cardiovascular health.

Try scallops the next time you are in the store and want a healthy, light and easy dinner!