I accepted a long time ago that I am someone who will always need to work out in order to stay in shape and look the way I want to look. This was a hard pill to swallow because of the 3 women in my immediate family (myself, my mom, and my sister), I am the only one that has to watch what I eat and always keep up with a workout regimen. My mom and my sister are those naturally skinny people that eat soul food, hoagies and cheesesteaks whenever they want and then can still fit into “that dress” without do any amount of dieting and/or exercising (curse them…lol!!).

It used to bother me when I was younger. However, as I got older, I really got into trying new workouts and new classes. Exercise does more for me than train my body….it trains my mind. Having an outlet, especially something that makes me feel better in my own skin, is crucial for me in order to have a sense of balance in my life. Even though I sometimes have to squeeze in a workout and I feel like there is no way I can fit it into my day, I always feel better once I do and I feel more prepared to tackle the rest of my day. But that’s just what keeps me going. And seeing the change in my body is just another perk. Remember even little victories are still considered victories.

I could live my life off of rice and pasta, alternating between Italian and Asian food every day of the week! From lasagna and gnocchis to fried rice and sushi, these are the things that make me want to try different restaurants just to see who makes them the best. However, not only is that bad for my bottom line (unless its restaurant week!) and definitely not good for my waist line. 

Watching what you eat does not always have to be about staying away from foods you like. Sometimes it is more about making modifications so you can still enjoy your favorite foods. For example, replacing white pasta with whole wheat pasta and white rice with brown rice are two small changes that can go a long way towards helping you achieve your weight goals. Both whole wheat pasta and brown rice are high in fiber, which take longer to digest, digest more completely and help you keep that full feeling longer.

I started making most of my pasta dishes with whole wheat pasta about 2 years ago and don’t miss white pasta at all. I have even perfected some recipes with it that turned out pretty good. One is “Spinach Lasagna Rolls”. Check out the recipe.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/spinach-lasagna-rolls.html

I really love this recipe because it also offers built in portion control and you can pack them individually for a few lunches for the week. If you end up trying it, let me know what you think!