Where's Jim King eating this week?
I'm often asked how my WES diet is going. People are surprised when I tell them that I'm not on a diet. I'm just trying to eat healthier - at least some of the time.
The WES program is not a diet. According to a nutritionist friend, a "diet" is an eating and exercise plan with a specific weight (or size) goal in mind. Eating healthy is a decision without an end date; eating healthier is the goal.
But, if I'm completely honest about it, when I'm eating healthy, it's because I'm thinking about my weight. So, you can imagine my surprise when my latest WES choice was so fabulous looking, I had to question whether she had brought me the right order.
Last week, I went to T.W. Martin's Public House to check out the WES fare. The WES sign greeted me at the door as I entered.
When I opened the menu, an insert listed daily specials on one side and WES options on the other.
As usual, there was a nice variety to pick from. Some folks still believe that eating healthy means limp watercress and a carrot stick. Truth is, there are many healthy options that won't leave you feeling deprived and depressed.
T Dub's choices include a harvest salad of spinach, grilled chicken breast, crisp bacon (yes, bacon), apples, bleu cheese crumbles and pecans. It's served with raspberry-honey vinaigrette dressing and warm, homemade bread.
Does that sound like "going without" to you?
There are also two sandwich choices: a portabella mushroom melt with a side salad and a grilled chicken breast sandwich that comes with a fresh garden salad with roasted garlic balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
I'm not much of a mushroom guy, and I'd had a salad for lunch so I ordered the chicken sandwich. My server agreed to let me try both dressings to see which one I liked best.
When my dinner arrived, I couldn't believe my eyes. It looked huge.
The perfectly grilled chicken breast shared the tasty ciabatta bun with tomato, onion, cheese, lettuce - a juicy cornucopia of taste delights.
It's sometimes hard to remember that all WES meals are less than 700 calories.
The salad, by the way, was equally delicious, and I would have a difficult time choosing between the raspberry-honey or roasted garlic vinaigrettes dressings. I can only recommend that you ask for both and decide for yourself.
It turned out to be one of those rare occasions when, in spite of how very good everything was, I was unable to finish my meal.
There was a time I would have forced myself to, but now I know that the healthy thing to do is to stop eating as soon as I start to feel "full." I feel better about myself, and I don't have that "stuffed" feeling later.
As I was preparing to leave, I heard another patron ask about the WES options, and the server was quick with an explanation.
But, it's nice to see that people are becoming aware of the choices available to them.
Did you make a New Year's resolution to eat healthier in 2012? Good for you. A little more salad, veggies and fruit and you're on your way.
Editor's note: This is another in a series of columns that Jim King is writing about his experiences at participating WES restaurants.
For more information about the program, contact Bev Hall, NuAct Coordinator, at 715-258-6276 or at bev.hall@co.waupaca.wi.us.
The WES program is not a diet. According to a nutritionist friend, a "diet" is an eating and exercise plan with a specific weight (or size) goal in mind. Eating healthy is a decision without an end date; eating healthier is the goal.
But, if I'm completely honest about it, when I'm eating healthy, it's because I'm thinking about my weight. So, you can imagine my surprise when my latest WES choice was so fabulous looking, I had to question whether she had brought me the right order.
Last week, I went to T.W. Martin's Public House to check out the WES fare. The WES sign greeted me at the door as I entered.
When I opened the menu, an insert listed daily specials on one side and WES options on the other.
As usual, there was a nice variety to pick from. Some folks still believe that eating healthy means limp watercress and a carrot stick. Truth is, there are many healthy options that won't leave you feeling deprived and depressed.
T Dub's choices include a harvest salad of spinach, grilled chicken breast, crisp bacon (yes, bacon), apples, bleu cheese crumbles and pecans. It's served with raspberry-honey vinaigrette dressing and warm, homemade bread.
Does that sound like "going without" to you?
There are also two sandwich choices: a portabella mushroom melt with a side salad and a grilled chicken breast sandwich that comes with a fresh garden salad with roasted garlic balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
I'm not much of a mushroom guy, and I'd had a salad for lunch so I ordered the chicken sandwich. My server agreed to let me try both dressings to see which one I liked best.
When my dinner arrived, I couldn't believe my eyes. It looked huge.
The perfectly grilled chicken breast shared the tasty ciabatta bun with tomato, onion, cheese, lettuce - a juicy cornucopia of taste delights.
It's sometimes hard to remember that all WES meals are less than 700 calories.
The salad, by the way, was equally delicious, and I would have a difficult time choosing between the raspberry-honey or roasted garlic vinaigrettes dressings. I can only recommend that you ask for both and decide for yourself.
It turned out to be one of those rare occasions when, in spite of how very good everything was, I was unable to finish my meal.
There was a time I would have forced myself to, but now I know that the healthy thing to do is to stop eating as soon as I start to feel "full." I feel better about myself, and I don't have that "stuffed" feeling later.
As I was preparing to leave, I heard another patron ask about the WES options, and the server was quick with an explanation.
But, it's nice to see that people are becoming aware of the choices available to them.
Did you make a New Year's resolution to eat healthier in 2012? Good for you. A little more salad, veggies and fruit and you're on your way.
Editor's note: This is another in a series of columns that Jim King is writing about his experiences at participating WES restaurants.
For more information about the program, contact Bev Hall, NuAct Coordinator, at 715-258-6276 or at bev.hall@co.waupaca.wi.us.
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