My virgin voyage!

Well it took me long enough. I've resisted the whole blogging phenomenon because it seemed too modern-communicationy for my taste, but I think maybe resistance is futile. I love journaling, and also need a good place to store and have easy access to my emerging library of recipes, so why not have this do both.

A little about me:

I've been on a journey of self-improvement and weight-loss for a couple of years now. The self-improvement part started first; the weight-loss seemed a natural next step. For nearly two years, I have been tracking all intake (food broken into calories, macronutrients, fibre and sodium content) and expenditure and goals on a lovely Excel spreadsheet I created for this purpose. I've learned A LOT, and am still amazed at how effective this is for taking the guilt and mystery out of dieting . I don't really like the word "dieting" as it implies a temporary restriction....I see this as more of a lifestyle change (though that phrase seems to have become a popular euphamism for dieting). I plan to eat this way for the rest of my life, making healthy choices most of the time but not sacrificing taste and allowing the occasional unhealthy or calorific treat too. I don't want to live in a world without cookies!
My definition of health shapes the choices I make when it comes to diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Your definition may or may not be the same....it's a fairly subjective term. For me, it means making choices about foods that balance taste with calorie/ fat and sugar content, using more wholesome and unprocessed ingredients where possible, being cognizant of sodium levels and reducing as much as possible without sacrificing taste. It means riding my bike to work instead of driving or taking the bus (I gave up my car last year). It means not being afraid to sweat, trying to work extra exercise into my life instead of avoiding it like the plague, not smoking, getting plenty of sleep and drinking plenty of water. It means being honest with myself and with my loved ones, reducing stress where I can, living a life I can be proud of.
A lot has happened during this journey, not least of which I have lost over 100 lbs. I have a lot more to go before I reach my goal of being a healthy weight, but I am not in an all-fired rush to get there....I am losing at a slow steady rate and still learning new things about myself and about healthy living every day.
My passion is cooking. I love to create in the kitchen and wow people with my delectable creations. Before I decided to lose weight, I was a big fan of French cooking, and used a lot of butter, cream sauces, and other fatty ingredients, that admittedly I still love. I could never understand how French people were not all huge. I can see now that it has a lot to do with portion control....their rich foods combined with North American "more is better" sensibilities spells disaster for the waistline! I still indulge in a rich treat now and then, but the majority of the time I am working to create dishes that are healthy, calorie-conscious AND delicious. Some of my recipes are modifications of old favourites or others' recipes to make them lower in calories, some are completely new creations. Feedback is welcome!