I've never done well on diets. When you work with food every day it's very difficult to stay on track.
I do, however, have a favorite recipe for an awesome bean salad. It's very healthy and very filling. (This makes a lot, so it's great for parties.)
1/2 c pearl barley
1/2 c long-grain white rice
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 small can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 c chopped green onions
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro (I love cilantro, so I usually use more.)
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder (chipotle works really great here, and usually has much less salt than regular chili powder)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1. Prepare barely and rice according to package directions and set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine prepared rice and barely with the beans, corn, green onion, bell peppers, and cilantro.
3. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Whisk in oil. Pour over salad and toss well to coat.
This salad is even better after it has sat in the fridge for a few ours or overnight.
You'll do it DKA. The trick for me was changing habits and routines in terms of eating healthy foods, portion control, calorie counting, and having an exercise plan I stuck to. Once you get it down, you really just have to stick to it with a few exceptions now and then. But I gained 2.5 lbs in the past 2 months because I stopped walking 4 days/week for 30 minutes consistently. So, I'm getting back to it.
