Some Changes

A month or so ago, Roy and I decided we wanted to change our eating habits, at least for the rest of the summer, to see if we could accomplish two things.

Number one, I needed help in freeing up more of my time during the day, and secondly, we both wanted to drop some extra pounds that we had acquired over last winter. (You know, the whole bear-going-into-hibernation thingie.)

Other than when we were both working outside the home or when Roy and our daughter were at school at lunch time, I've always cooked three meals a day. When Roy retired from teaching two years ago, it was the two of us sitting down together to breakfast, lunch and dinner every day with rare exceptions. (You've heard the old joke about the wife of the newly retired man saying, "I married him for better or worse but NOT for lunch!")

As those of you who are regular readers of this blog may have noticed (ahem), I've been struggling with rearranging the priorities of what I do each day. I'm so happy my dear husband is now retired from teaching and finally able to pursue some of the things he's had on his wanna-do list for approximately forty years. At the same time, I've come to realize that I will never get to "retire" from my main job of homemaker and household manager. I've been trying to work harder, faster, more efficiently in order to carve out more time in my day for accomplishing some of the things I've been putting off for many, many years. As Dr. Phil would say, "And how's that been working?" Um, . . . not well.

One of the things we decided would/could/should give me more time each day was to somehow decrease the time I spend on meal preparation. Aha, I said, if I stopped cooking, that would provide me more free time and also we'd both lose weight! Great idea . . . but, let's face it, not practical.

But what did seem practical was to cut our meals down from three each day to two. So we've been having our coffee or morning latte or whatever when we arise and then waiting until 10:30 or 11:00 to have a "brunch." And bless my husband's little ever-lovin' heart, he suggested we both be on our own as far as what we prepare and eat for the brunch meal. (Hallelujah! I love it when he cooks for himself!)

I have to inject here that there are those mornings when coffee just doesn't do it and sometimes one or both of us need just that little something extra to get the systems (brain and body) out of first gear. I usually have a small bowl of berries to tide me over and Roy will sometimes have a few slices of cheese. (Can you tell I'm a carbo-type and he's a protein-type?)


This summer our brunch meal quickly evolved into him making a fruit smoothie . . .


. . . and me tossing together a "wrap" made with a whole wheat tortilla and whatever assorted veggies are currently available from the garden along with a little grated cheese.

Then in the evening around 5:30, I make a nice dinner (but nothing as elaborate as I might make in the winter) for both of us. Not having an automatic dishwasher, Roy has volunteered to do dishes every night after dinner. (Hallelujah! I love it when he does dishes!)

So besides giving me some extra time in the last month or so to pick and process fruits and veggies from the garden (hmmm, what's still wrong with this picture?), we've both lost some weight . . . and I know the time angle will continue to get better for me just as soon as the garden harvest is over.

We couldn't be trying out these new diet changes if it weren't just the two of us or if Roy were still working full time. But since we're in a new phase of our lives, it's a good time to try implementing whatever changes might bring about what we're both seeking.

What will winter time bring? Will we want to stay with the two meals a day? I don't know yet. But if we both remain open about what's working and what's not, it will only get better from here.