A note to Fish readers: On Jan. 2, I began a nutrition plan complete with a certified nutritionist coach. After learning that I’m a journalist and blogger, she invited me to blog about my experiences. The following, written Feb. 9, is the third of two month’s of weekly blogs that first appeared on the international Metabolic Balance® website.  Unheralded.fish will run the first eight blogs in the next two weeks to “catch up.”

Well, I’ve completed my first month on MB®, and I’m feeling very pleased with myself. It’s not just about the weight loss numbers, either.

One of my achievements has been “getting in the groove” of meal planning.

To avoid running back and forth from the kitchen to the living room, where I keep my MB® binder, I created small cards on sturdy card stock paper to keep in the kitchen. They show my menu choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It’s an easy way to choose what I’ll have for my next meal and has helped me to see what ingredients I might need to purchase. We live in a relatively small condo (1,000 square feet) and while we do have a larder, we don’t have massive amounts of storage space.

Of the 90 meals I’ve made this month, I have only had one which was a no pass! I’m not sure if I cooked it incorrectly or what, but I was not impressed with my shiitake mushroom meal. It was rubbery and despite my attempt at spicing it up, pretty tasteless. If anyone has a good recipe to share or tips on how to cook shiitake, I’d love to see them.

Venison is one of the protein meats in my plan, and I’m delighted to find it in a nearby supermarket. My late father would be amused to know that I am “buying” vs. “hunting” for deer!  I’ve enjoyed making venison stir-fry with different vegetables as well as venison burgers.

Another new experience I’m having, thanks to my MB® coach’s encouragement, is the delight of turmeric and cumin. Wow, all these years I’ve been cooking without them. Who knew? They certainly add a zip to just about anything. I’m using them in salads, on legumes, in stir-fries. It has me wonder what other spices I’ve been missing. Suggestions welcomed!

As I mentioned in one of my first blogs, I’m a retired photojournalist so I have a 50-year history of taking photos. It’s natural that I take photos of almost all my meals. Here is one that hopefully will inspire you to try some new ideas yourself.

Results: After only a month, I’m down one clothing size and have lost 3.5 inches total in my waist, hips and upper thigh.

Tip: Setting realistic goals supports you achieving them.