Back To Basics

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I've been doing some "content writing" for health and fitness websites.  Well today my editor sent an article I had written back to me saying that I cannot write in the first person.  Oops! But I LIKE talking about myself and my point of view :). I realized I must be pretty overdue for a blog, where I am free to say "I think" as many times as I want.

Healthy? Not necessarily.

So what have I been thinking? I think I need to focus.  Lately I have been all over the place with my eating without a real plan.  Some days I do great all day, then come home and snack till dinner. Other days, I eat poorly at lunch and then the rest of the day seems like a free for all. Other days, I eat great and wake up feeling good the next morning, but one day of healthy eating does not a flat stomach make!
I knew I was in trouble the other night when I had dinner out with friends and although a french dip sandwich was calling my name, I decided to be "smart" and order the soup and salad.  But then I ordered a tomato bisque and Cesar salad.  I forgot to request the dressing on the side, and when the salad arrived, it was coated in dressing, topped with cheese, and covered in croutons.  The bisque was so rich it was almost oily.  I probably would have been better off with my original sandwich craving! It felt like amateur hour and I realized how out of practice I was at being a conscious eater. A few months ago I would have reacted differently in the same situation and done one or all of the following:
-Ask if the restaurant had nutritional facts for their food (it was a chain, they should)
-Ask for the dressing on the side. (or don't get a Cesar in the first place)
-Hold the cheese/croutons
-Ask if the soup is cream or broth based.

Don't worry I promise to eat more than this!

Maybe the extra questions would have made me annoying to the waiter or even possibly my dining companions.  But it would have been worth  it to not have to feel guilty after eating soup and salad for dinner!
Anyway- my goal for September is to get back to basics.  Conscious eating and portion control.  Know what's in my food and if it's worth eating. For portion control, it's making sure I'm eating a reasonable portion if it's healthy food, and a small portion if it's an indulgence. 
What are your keys to healthy eating? Is focusing on a few things a good idea?
XO
Chel