There's No Reason for Bad Food!

It is a little funny how we have such a distorted view of food these days. What is OK to eat and what should be off limits is constantly changing in regards to our health.
Since the beginning of 2006 I have been on a journey of self discovery with my two great passions, health/fitness, and cooking. I've done it all: the the bodybuilding workouts and way of eating, low carb/low fat, cooking with substitutions to the point of where the original recipe is almost completely gone, high protein, low protein, trying fad diet tips, "Men's Health" tips, etc. In the course of this time I have lost 80 lbs., created shortcuts for cooking and simplified food all together. I also managed to loose a bit of that punch that makes food exciting and amazing by looking for ways to make healthy, no fun, and quick meals for my busy lifestyle.
A few words to the wise about making good that is easy and healthy, but still has that "WOW" factor:

1. A lot of the time recipes can look very intimidating. But you must be fearless. Substitutions are great here and there. Try using Coconut Oil instead of Olive Oil, try honey or agave nectar instead of white sugar. Do research on food and what you can swap around. Just don't go trying to reinvent the wheel for non-fat, low carb, high protein banana nut muffins (Been there and tried that. Go for it if you like stale tasting sudo bread). Don't always strip all the life and fun out of a baked good or main dish for the sake of watching your waste line. You will only end up with too much of something you don't like when you could have had a little of something you would really enjoy.

2. In regard to be fearless, what is the worst that can happen with cooking? You have to remake something. I have been working on Madeleines for almost 3 years now and just came to the perfect recipe last night (Thank you Flo Breaker and Julia Child). If you are craving or want something, try making it. I made fantastic and easy marinated tomatoes last night on a whim, as well as that taste marinara sauce. Read all you can on recipes and cooking techniques. They are fascinating and can lead you to revelations. An idea a few of my friends and i have put together is getting together each Wednesday to cook something new and try new recipes.

3. Don't obsess over the little things with food. As Mireille Guiliano said, "No one gets fat from eating chocolate or wine, they get fat from "Over eating" chocolate and wine." The key to weight loss or maintenance I am learning is moderation. Eat slowly and savor your food. Don't hork it down and look for more. If you do this you will be satisfied. With this in mind, you can now eat a few of those things everyone else fears. Honestly, I have been eating better, more exciting food and wine lately with that in mind, working out a little less or more intelligently I should say, and have maintained my physic!

These are just a few basic ideas of mine I wanted to share. I could essentially write a book on my experiences with health/fitness and food. If anyone wants, I am more than happy to post more info on anything, talk about this more or share more tips. Thanks for checking my blog out, folks. I hope it is shapping up to be fun.

Thank you for reading and wishing you best eating,

Chris Paradis