Breakfast:
Coffee
1/2 banana
Bowl of plain "Curves" cereal - about 1 1/2 cups. A level salad bowl size with 1% milk - about 1/2 cup. It is sort of like Rice Chrispies but tastier.
This cereal has 4 g sugar per serving - the max I go. But usually I choose one of the 0g or 1g sugar cereals. It has a sweet taste, no sweetener needed, and there is not enough sugar to give me a high/low reaction before lunch. I will be eating a slightly early lunch anyway because I have an appointment with my husband at 12:30.
Lunch:
Asian salad Kit: all the greens with 1/2 the dressing, 1/2 cup egg noodles and 1/4 cup sliced almonds added.
Snack: Tried nonfat yogurt with 1 TBSP of salted melon seeds (pepitas) found in bags with plain dried nuts and seeds in the grocery store (not the snack nuts which are roasted with oil (sometimes sugar added) and heavily salted - even the "dry-roasted" kinds have stuff added.
I think I like sunflower seeds and cottage cheese better - sometimes with a small can of low sugar peaches or pears.
Dinner: Cooked rotissieri chicken from the store with cooked veggies and a small amount of Texmati organic brown rice. This is a much more tender brown rice than brown rice used to be.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
To weigh or not to weigh, that is the question!
This is a question you have to ask yourself. Only you know your personality well enough.
When I was at my top weight "somewhere around 200 pounds" I was not weighing myself at all. I did not want to abuse my ego that badly. Fatties avoid reality. Also if they are depressed it only makes them eat more.
But don't let that deter you from getting started. You can start dieting not knowing what the exact poundage is (or "kiloweight"). Maybe pull on one of those tight pairs of jeans that you can barely button at the waist. Try them on every 2 weeks or so and see if the waist band is feeling more comfortable. Maybe even try on the clothes in your closet (I did) and put the ones that fit or barely fit in one place and the ones that are a little too tight in another place and the ones that are really too small in another.
I don't recommend running out and buying your dream outfit as an incentive. But you are you. For me, that would be too much pressure. Just getting into some old clothes that have not seen daylight in a year or more was cool enough to be my inspiration.
I am not against going out and getting something new as a reward WHEN the weight comes off. Hey, htat's what you do with the money you saved by not eating Jenny Craig meals. You go out and buy something that will make you look less baggy and slimmer. But don't do it before you are ready and know that there is an incentive to looking through smaller sizes on the rack.
At some point you probably will want to weight yourself. Or if you go to the doctor you are going to be weighed. Remember a doctor's scale is a weight scale. They are more accurate than your typical home spring scale. I have never had a home scale that wasn't at least 4 pounds lighter than a doctor's scale. Sigh............
But any scale will tell you if you are losing. Don't worry about the numbers as much as seeing a change in the numbers. You can weigh every day, once a week or once a month. Doesn't matter.
If you are very heavy you will see more drop in weight in a short time than you will if you are slimmer. That is because you lose a percentage of your body weight. When you are heavier your body has a lot more work to do. The same diet takes off more pounds when you are heavy than when you are skinny. When you are skinny you don't lose as many calories unless you increase your energy output. At some point ANY diet will reach a plateau. That is when your calorie intake equals your calorie output. You will either have to eat a little less at that point or exercise a little more to lose more weight.
Good idea to weight yourself at the same time of day. If you do it at night you are going to be factoring in your dinner and all the fluids you have drunk during the day. Just keep in mind that pounds are lost through your urine. Some times of day you are going to be more hydrated than others and the scale can move up and down a pound or two depending on how much water is in your system.
Be sure to calibrate your scale to zero carefully. There is a little wheel somewhere under the dial. Press on it a little and see if it comes back to zero again. Do it a couple times to get as accurate a reading as possible. Then weigh yourself without holding onto anything and be sure to center your feet. If you have a weight scale you don't have to do this. Digital scales need to have batteries replaced occasionally.
Me? After I started weighing myself, I started doing it every morning before my shower but after breakfast. I use a cheap spring scale. You have to have faith in your diet sometimes because you will see the scale bounce up and down and back from day to day. You probably will not see weight loss in a steady decline. I would say that I see some substantial loss about once every 2 weeks - enough to know it is not just a fluctuation in the water or food in my gut. If this is too frustrating - don't weigh as often. Just do not be perturbed if you do not see positive results as often as you would like.
If you see negative results - say in about 2 weeks, you are going to have to sit down with yourself and have a little discussion. Start analyzing where you are over eating and cut down more.
I set little goals for myself. Since the 5 and 10 pound marks on the scale are larger, passing one of them is a big deal. But I insist that the goal stays past for a few days before I celebrate - say with a frappochino at Starbucks (lite, no whip). 10 pounds may be worthy of a new set of walking shorts.
At that point any downward movement on the scale is a delightful milestone and will make you feel fabulous. It makes it easier to stick to what you are doing right and maybe even back off a little more if necessary to keep the decline going or speed it up just a little.
2 pounds a week is about right for an average size woman. I am 5'6" with average frame. I was wearing a size 18 and now I am down to a size S (6-8) in pants and a size 10 dress or 12 jacket. Gone from a X large T shirt to a Medium or Small. I have no desire to reach a smaller size just for the sake of being able to say I wear a 4 or under. I am close to the bottom of my normal BWI range and my waistline is below 34" - both standards of normal weight for my age and body type. I also bore 3 large babies and have a flat tummy again. I like me a little saftig, not boney. When my wedding ring started slipping off at 128 pounds I knew that I had reached my goal.
When I was at my top weight "somewhere around 200 pounds" I was not weighing myself at all. I did not want to abuse my ego that badly. Fatties avoid reality. Also if they are depressed it only makes them eat more.
But don't let that deter you from getting started. You can start dieting not knowing what the exact poundage is (or "kiloweight"). Maybe pull on one of those tight pairs of jeans that you can barely button at the waist. Try them on every 2 weeks or so and see if the waist band is feeling more comfortable. Maybe even try on the clothes in your closet (I did) and put the ones that fit or barely fit in one place and the ones that are a little too tight in another place and the ones that are really too small in another.
I don't recommend running out and buying your dream outfit as an incentive. But you are you. For me, that would be too much pressure. Just getting into some old clothes that have not seen daylight in a year or more was cool enough to be my inspiration.
I am not against going out and getting something new as a reward WHEN the weight comes off. Hey, htat's what you do with the money you saved by not eating Jenny Craig meals. You go out and buy something that will make you look less baggy and slimmer. But don't do it before you are ready and know that there is an incentive to looking through smaller sizes on the rack.
At some point you probably will want to weight yourself. Or if you go to the doctor you are going to be weighed. Remember a doctor's scale is a weight scale. They are more accurate than your typical home spring scale. I have never had a home scale that wasn't at least 4 pounds lighter than a doctor's scale. Sigh............
But any scale will tell you if you are losing. Don't worry about the numbers as much as seeing a change in the numbers. You can weigh every day, once a week or once a month. Doesn't matter.
If you are very heavy you will see more drop in weight in a short time than you will if you are slimmer. That is because you lose a percentage of your body weight. When you are heavier your body has a lot more work to do. The same diet takes off more pounds when you are heavy than when you are skinny. When you are skinny you don't lose as many calories unless you increase your energy output. At some point ANY diet will reach a plateau. That is when your calorie intake equals your calorie output. You will either have to eat a little less at that point or exercise a little more to lose more weight.
Good idea to weight yourself at the same time of day. If you do it at night you are going to be factoring in your dinner and all the fluids you have drunk during the day. Just keep in mind that pounds are lost through your urine. Some times of day you are going to be more hydrated than others and the scale can move up and down a pound or two depending on how much water is in your system.
Be sure to calibrate your scale to zero carefully. There is a little wheel somewhere under the dial. Press on it a little and see if it comes back to zero again. Do it a couple times to get as accurate a reading as possible. Then weigh yourself without holding onto anything and be sure to center your feet. If you have a weight scale you don't have to do this. Digital scales need to have batteries replaced occasionally.
Me? After I started weighing myself, I started doing it every morning before my shower but after breakfast. I use a cheap spring scale. You have to have faith in your diet sometimes because you will see the scale bounce up and down and back from day to day. You probably will not see weight loss in a steady decline. I would say that I see some substantial loss about once every 2 weeks - enough to know it is not just a fluctuation in the water or food in my gut. If this is too frustrating - don't weigh as often. Just do not be perturbed if you do not see positive results as often as you would like.
If you see negative results - say in about 2 weeks, you are going to have to sit down with yourself and have a little discussion. Start analyzing where you are over eating and cut down more.
I set little goals for myself. Since the 5 and 10 pound marks on the scale are larger, passing one of them is a big deal. But I insist that the goal stays past for a few days before I celebrate - say with a frappochino at Starbucks (lite, no whip). 10 pounds may be worthy of a new set of walking shorts.
At that point any downward movement on the scale is a delightful milestone and will make you feel fabulous. It makes it easier to stick to what you are doing right and maybe even back off a little more if necessary to keep the decline going or speed it up just a little.
2 pounds a week is about right for an average size woman. I am 5'6" with average frame. I was wearing a size 18 and now I am down to a size S (6-8) in pants and a size 10 dress or 12 jacket. Gone from a X large T shirt to a Medium or Small. I have no desire to reach a smaller size just for the sake of being able to say I wear a 4 or under. I am close to the bottom of my normal BWI range and my waistline is below 34" - both standards of normal weight for my age and body type. I also bore 3 large babies and have a flat tummy again. I like me a little saftig, not boney. When my wedding ring started slipping off at 128 pounds I knew that I had reached my goal.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday Menu (a day of indungence!)
I am going to eat lightly for breakfast and lunch because I have a meeting tonight and there is going to be a catered snack table. My calorie count will be up for sure - but I have not splurged since Christmas and can handle one too big meal of treats. I will decide tonight what things I would really like to taste that I have not had in a long time before I fill my plate.
Breakfast:
[ note on beverages: I am going to stop adding the details of my beverages. Coffee is always with 1 % milk and sweetener. Decaf after 3. I have one with or after meals and one or 2 more between meals. Hot in the morning but often iced in the afternoon.
Sometimes tea with sweetener, no lemon but OK. I am just allergic to lemon. No bubbly drinks. Water if I am thirsty but I do not drink a lot of fluid. It does not fill your stomach up and the medical studies say that 8, 8 oz glasses a day is an old wives tale that is difficult to get out of the American diet psyche (google it). But it sure will keep you in the potty. Thirst is enough to tell you when to drink under normal conditions. If you exercise strenuously and sweat a lot you will need more. Drink before and after exercise. ]
coffee (as usual)
1/2 apple (out of bananas)
1/2 sandwich of 1 slice of whole wheat bread and 2 slices of sandwich turkey.
Lunch:
Small salad with taco dressing (1/2 saved from the Dole kit)
1/4 cup of mixed sunflower and melon seeds.
1 cup of carrot/cashew/ginger soup. 120 cals.
No snack.
Dinner: before I leave for the meeting (which starts well past my normal supper hour} I had a small bowl of left-over pot roast from Sunday. Just enough to be sure I am not famished at the snack table.
I have 6 crackers with brie (like sandwiches)
About 10 black and green olives (not very good ones unfortunately)
A few grapes
1 cracker with a veggie dip
The carrots were slimy so I passed on them
3 big radishes
Krupuch (spelling?) These are a crisp fried chip made from ground shrimp shells. I know, I know - sounds weird. They are more delicious than a potato chip but probably no more nutritious - not fishy tasting at all. They are very light puffs like some corn snacks. I had a dear Dutch friend raised in Indonesia who always served these as a before dinner treat and the taste always reminds me of some fun times.
Dessert: a cranberry coffee cake and another brie/cracker sandwich.
Tomorrow I will go back to the diet - no problem. It was a day off and I deserved it.
Breakfast:
[ note on beverages: I am going to stop adding the details of my beverages. Coffee is always with 1 % milk and sweetener. Decaf after 3. I have one with or after meals and one or 2 more between meals. Hot in the morning but often iced in the afternoon.
Sometimes tea with sweetener, no lemon but OK. I am just allergic to lemon. No bubbly drinks. Water if I am thirsty but I do not drink a lot of fluid. It does not fill your stomach up and the medical studies say that 8, 8 oz glasses a day is an old wives tale that is difficult to get out of the American diet psyche (google it). But it sure will keep you in the potty. Thirst is enough to tell you when to drink under normal conditions. If you exercise strenuously and sweat a lot you will need more. Drink before and after exercise. ]
coffee (as usual)
1/2 apple (out of bananas)
1/2 sandwich of 1 slice of whole wheat bread and 2 slices of sandwich turkey.
Lunch:
Small salad with taco dressing (1/2 saved from the Dole kit)
1/4 cup of mixed sunflower and melon seeds.
1 cup of carrot/cashew/ginger soup. 120 cals.
No snack.
Dinner: before I leave for the meeting (which starts well past my normal supper hour} I had a small bowl of left-over pot roast from Sunday. Just enough to be sure I am not famished at the snack table.
I have 6 crackers with brie (like sandwiches)
About 10 black and green olives (not very good ones unfortunately)
A few grapes
1 cracker with a veggie dip
The carrots were slimy so I passed on them
3 big radishes
Krupuch (spelling?) These are a crisp fried chip made from ground shrimp shells. I know, I know - sounds weird. They are more delicious than a potato chip but probably no more nutritious - not fishy tasting at all. They are very light puffs like some corn snacks. I had a dear Dutch friend raised in Indonesia who always served these as a before dinner treat and the taste always reminds me of some fun times.
Dessert: a cranberry coffee cake and another brie/cracker sandwich.
Tomorrow I will go back to the diet - no problem. It was a day off and I deserved it.
Sunday
Not feeling swell and have not kept up the daily menu. But there are no more than minor changes in the previous menus.
The pot roast dinner was outstanding. I freeze some for another meal and save some for tomorrow or the next day.
Breakfast:
The usual coffee with 1% milk and sweetener,
A multigrain tortilla 8", 120 cals
3 slices of sandwich chicken slices, 50 cals. each
1/2 banana
Lunch:
Big salad with Asian dressing, about 1/2 cup of mixed sunflower and mellon seeds.
Snack: 1/2 an apple.
40 minute walk.
Dinner:
home made pot roast with tomato and wine sauce and herbs.
1 bottom round roast, sliced in 1 inch slices or cubed.
1/2 box (a cup) of Campbells Select Gold label tomato parmesan soup
1 cup spaghetti sauce (from a jar or left over home made is fine)
1 cup of salsa
1 small can of consomme.
1 cup of chianti
1/2 bottle roasted red peppers
(no onion this time and I did not miss it!)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt; allspice; thyme and oregano
Brown the meat in a deep pot. Add the other ingredients to taste. Remove chunks of meat and remove the layer of fat from the bottom round when it is cooked. I like to chunk it up after it is cooked. You can remove any floating fat if you chill it before serving. It only gets tastier when reheated the next day. .
I had @ 1 cup of meat and sauce served with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.
Very satisfying.
Decaf with milk and sweetener for dessert.
The pot roast dinner was outstanding. I freeze some for another meal and save some for tomorrow or the next day.
Breakfast:
The usual coffee with 1% milk and sweetener,
A multigrain tortilla 8", 120 cals
3 slices of sandwich chicken slices, 50 cals. each
1/2 banana
Lunch:
Big salad with Asian dressing, about 1/2 cup of mixed sunflower and mellon seeds.
Snack: 1/2 an apple.
40 minute walk.
Dinner:
home made pot roast with tomato and wine sauce and herbs.
1 bottom round roast, sliced in 1 inch slices or cubed.
1/2 box (a cup) of Campbells Select Gold label tomato parmesan soup
1 cup spaghetti sauce (from a jar or left over home made is fine)
1 cup of salsa
1 small can of consomme.
1 cup of chianti
1/2 bottle roasted red peppers
(no onion this time and I did not miss it!)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt; allspice; thyme and oregano
Brown the meat in a deep pot. Add the other ingredients to taste. Remove chunks of meat and remove the layer of fat from the bottom round when it is cooked. I like to chunk it up after it is cooked. You can remove any floating fat if you chill it before serving. It only gets tastier when reheated the next day. .
I had @ 1 cup of meat and sauce served with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.
Very satisfying.
Decaf with milk and sweetener for dessert.
Weight Loss Fraud
If you are tempted to try a quick fix check out this information on weight loss fraud.
http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/creditscams5.html
People get desperate to lose weight and waste money they could better use elsewhere.
If you have read how I lost weight you can see that I have NO gimmicks. You don't pay anything. I don't get anything except the satisfaction of helping someone.
Yes, dieting may seem repetitious or even boring at first. Even liking what you are eating too much can be a problem - you want more. But that does not mean we have to deny ourselves really good food.
I won't kid you that you can eat anything and lose weight. You can, but you would have to restrict the quantity. Like maybe you would have 1 Mickey D quarter pounder and fries and you are done for the day? I don't think so. You would be too hungry to sustain a diet like that.
We get used to a lot of sauces that you have to learn to live without or alter to make them fit into your new "for-life" style. But you adjust - IF YOU WANT to. I was determined. Until you lose the weight you want I would suggest avoiding temptations. No cake - just once a week. You will be eating too much the next day - I guarantee it. And more the day after. Did I say forever no cake? NO - but not for a while.
It takes time to adjust and get the desire for rich food out of your life style and thinking. Remember over eating IS an addiction. Most people who "just take a little drop" slide right off the wagon.
http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/creditscams5.html
People get desperate to lose weight and waste money they could better use elsewhere.
If you have read how I lost weight you can see that I have NO gimmicks. You don't pay anything. I don't get anything except the satisfaction of helping someone.
Yes, dieting may seem repetitious or even boring at first. Even liking what you are eating too much can be a problem - you want more. But that does not mean we have to deny ourselves really good food.
I won't kid you that you can eat anything and lose weight. You can, but you would have to restrict the quantity. Like maybe you would have 1 Mickey D quarter pounder and fries and you are done for the day? I don't think so. You would be too hungry to sustain a diet like that.
We get used to a lot of sauces that you have to learn to live without or alter to make them fit into your new "for-life" style. But you adjust - IF YOU WANT to. I was determined. Until you lose the weight you want I would suggest avoiding temptations. No cake - just once a week. You will be eating too much the next day - I guarantee it. And more the day after. Did I say forever no cake? NO - but not for a while.
It takes time to adjust and get the desire for rich food out of your life style and thinking. Remember over eating IS an addiction. Most people who "just take a little drop" slide right off the wagon.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thursday menu
1 cup of coffee with 1%milk and sweetener
1/2 banana
small piece of Colombian white cheese (see previous menu for more detail). about 1/2"x 1/2" x 1"
1/2 cup 1 minute oatmeal (dry measure); 10 raisins; cinnamon microwaved for 1 minute - with a little 1% milk and spray butter substitute.
Lunch: Dole Asian salad kit using half the dressing.
Coffee with milk.
Mid afternoon snack - hot chocolate made with 1 cup 1% milk warmed in the microwave; then added 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa and sweetener.
1/2 apple before 40 minute walk.
Dinner: salmon with dill from the deli; quinoa and garbanzo salad with sweet onions and red peppers, fresh chopped basil, 1/2 TBSP olive oil, vinegar (can use lemon but I am allergic to it), salt and pepper.
Decaf for dessert.
Note: quinoa is a tiny grain (white or red) from the Andes which is the only grain with complete and properly proportioned amino acids (basic building blocks of proteins) necessary for humans. It cooks in 10- 15 minutes and is more nutritious than brown rice. It is very easy on the digestion. It is also glutin free which is good for people who cannot tolerate glutin found in other grains especially wheat products and flour. The taste is good, nothing strange. Something like brown rice or farina. The grains remain clean and separate so they do not get gooey when mixed into salad. It can be eaten as a morning cereal like grits. I do not care for the texture mixed with milk.
1/2 banana
small piece of Colombian white cheese (see previous menu for more detail). about 1/2"x 1/2" x 1"
1/2 cup 1 minute oatmeal (dry measure); 10 raisins; cinnamon microwaved for 1 minute - with a little 1% milk and spray butter substitute.
Lunch: Dole Asian salad kit using half the dressing.
Coffee with milk.
Mid afternoon snack - hot chocolate made with 1 cup 1% milk warmed in the microwave; then added 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa and sweetener.
1/2 apple before 40 minute walk.
Dinner: salmon with dill from the deli; quinoa and garbanzo salad with sweet onions and red peppers, fresh chopped basil, 1/2 TBSP olive oil, vinegar (can use lemon but I am allergic to it), salt and pepper.
Decaf for dessert.
Note: quinoa is a tiny grain (white or red) from the Andes which is the only grain with complete and properly proportioned amino acids (basic building blocks of proteins) necessary for humans. It cooks in 10- 15 minutes and is more nutritious than brown rice. It is very easy on the digestion. It is also glutin free which is good for people who cannot tolerate glutin found in other grains especially wheat products and flour. The taste is good, nothing strange. Something like brown rice or farina. The grains remain clean and separate so they do not get gooey when mixed into salad. It can be eaten as a morning cereal like grits. I do not care for the texture mixed with milk.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Wednesday
Breakfast:
Cup of coffee with milk and sweetener
1/2 a banana
2 scrambled eggs. Sometimes I add milk and sometimes I don't.
Eggs have gotten a bad rap because they are supposed to raise cholesterol level. But now eating eggs in moderation is not considered much of a concern and they are great for stabilizing the appetite, high in protein and lots of other good things. Indeed, the new organic, free range eggs are supposed to have less cholesterol in them. I may eat 1 or 2 eggs 2 or 3 times a week. What will reduce your health risk more is the big picture - something that helps get that excess weight off or eating a few eggs?
Mid-morning snack: 4 oz can of V8 low salt.
Lunch:
Dole taco salad kit. All the greens but only half the dressing (save the rest for another salad without the kit). I thin the dressing with a little milk to make it cover the greens better - tastes just as good. It comes with corn chips and a little shredded cheese.
Coffee with milk and sweetener.
Snack: Cup of brown rice with butter substitute
Not feeling good (not related to diet) so no walk.
Small piece of homemade pizza. Made with veggies and turkey sausage and just a little cheeses.
Late snack: small bowl of low sugar cereal because meds should be taken with food.
Cup of coffee with milk and sweetener
1/2 a banana
2 scrambled eggs. Sometimes I add milk and sometimes I don't.
Eggs have gotten a bad rap because they are supposed to raise cholesterol level. But now eating eggs in moderation is not considered much of a concern and they are great for stabilizing the appetite, high in protein and lots of other good things. Indeed, the new organic, free range eggs are supposed to have less cholesterol in them. I may eat 1 or 2 eggs 2 or 3 times a week. What will reduce your health risk more is the big picture - something that helps get that excess weight off or eating a few eggs?
Mid-morning snack: 4 oz can of V8 low salt.
Lunch:
Dole taco salad kit. All the greens but only half the dressing (save the rest for another salad without the kit). I thin the dressing with a little milk to make it cover the greens better - tastes just as good. It comes with corn chips and a little shredded cheese.
Coffee with milk and sweetener.
Snack: Cup of brown rice with butter substitute
Not feeling good (not related to diet) so no walk.
Small piece of homemade pizza. Made with veggies and turkey sausage and just a little cheeses.
Late snack: small bowl of low sugar cereal because meds should be taken with food.
Tuesday
Breakfast:
2 cups coffee with 1%milk and sweetener
1/2 banana
Whole grain 8" tortilla with 3 slices sandwich turkey (30 cals each) for a total of @ 200 cals.
Lunch:
Big bowl of mixed greens with 1 TBSP Asian dressing.
Can of sardines, drained (packed in olive oil) 200 cals
5 multigrain Club crackers. (a "serving" is 4 crackers so 5 is about 100 cals)
Snack: 3/4 cup of brown rice (cooked) with butter substitute;
1/2 apple. Cup of coffee with milk and Splenda.
Note: this was a satisfying snack and I was not especially hungry at dinner.
[Texmati organic brown rice is super good and tender. The aroma of brown or basmati rice cooking is as great as baking bread. It takes 10-15 minutes longer to cook than white rice. NEVER wash rice. In a sauce pan you need 2 cups of water to a cup of rice. In my rice cooker I need to add more water - 3 cups to a cup of rice. I add a drop of olive oil to keep the grains separate and not boil up and a LITTLE salt.]
It rained with thunder, so no walk today. I don't get bent out of shape if I miss a walk a couple times a week. I sometimes walk up and down 6 flights of stairs (one time) at the hospital while I wait for my husband during his physical therapy (twice a week).
Dinner:
1 small slice (about the size of a deck of cards) of curried chicken cutlet from previous dinner.
Just 1/4 cup brown rice because I had the rest as a snack.
2 slices of sauteed eggplant. (1 sliced (1/2 inch) eggplant sauteed with spray olive oil and 1 TBSP of the real thing, salt and pepper. You need a large fry pan to cook a whole eggplant.).
[Eggplant absorbs too much oil if you dip it in crumbs but it is really great without. just brown it and then put on a tight cover and keep heating on medium heat until soft all the way through. If you just boil or steam your veggies, try sauteeing them with spray oil with or without a few drops of flavored oil. It brings out lots of good flavor. One of my other favorites cooked this way is zucchini.)
Cup of decaf with milk for dessert.
Note: No longing for a snack after dinner tonight. Maybe the rice? - a whole grain carb at the right time?? I'll have to try this gain.
2 cups coffee with 1%milk and sweetener
1/2 banana
Whole grain 8" tortilla with 3 slices sandwich turkey (30 cals each) for a total of @ 200 cals.
Lunch:
Big bowl of mixed greens with 1 TBSP Asian dressing.
Can of sardines, drained (packed in olive oil) 200 cals
5 multigrain Club crackers. (a "serving" is 4 crackers so 5 is about 100 cals)
Snack: 3/4 cup of brown rice (cooked) with butter substitute;
1/2 apple. Cup of coffee with milk and Splenda.
Note: this was a satisfying snack and I was not especially hungry at dinner.
[Texmati organic brown rice is super good and tender. The aroma of brown or basmati rice cooking is as great as baking bread. It takes 10-15 minutes longer to cook than white rice. NEVER wash rice. In a sauce pan you need 2 cups of water to a cup of rice. In my rice cooker I need to add more water - 3 cups to a cup of rice. I add a drop of olive oil to keep the grains separate and not boil up and a LITTLE salt.]
It rained with thunder, so no walk today. I don't get bent out of shape if I miss a walk a couple times a week. I sometimes walk up and down 6 flights of stairs (one time) at the hospital while I wait for my husband during his physical therapy (twice a week).
Dinner:
1 small slice (about the size of a deck of cards) of curried chicken cutlet from previous dinner.
Just 1/4 cup brown rice because I had the rest as a snack.
2 slices of sauteed eggplant. (1 sliced (1/2 inch) eggplant sauteed with spray olive oil and 1 TBSP of the real thing, salt and pepper. You need a large fry pan to cook a whole eggplant.).
[Eggplant absorbs too much oil if you dip it in crumbs but it is really great without. just brown it and then put on a tight cover and keep heating on medium heat until soft all the way through. If you just boil or steam your veggies, try sauteeing them with spray oil with or without a few drops of flavored oil. It brings out lots of good flavor. One of my other favorites cooked this way is zucchini.)
Cup of decaf with milk for dessert.
Note: No longing for a snack after dinner tonight. Maybe the rice? - a whole grain carb at the right time?? I'll have to try this gain.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday
Breakfast:
2 cups of coffee with 1% milk and sweetener.
1/2 banana
Oatmeal (made with 1/2 cup minute oatmeal), @ 10 raisins, cinnamon, 0 Cal butter substitute, sweetener. I put it all in a bowl with a half cup of water and put in the microwave for @ 1 minute or until hot and liquid absorbed. (sometimes I add a half cup of 1 % milk and sometimes I eat the oatmeal without milk - just the butter substitute makes it good - like grits with butter)
[You can use instant oatmeal, but why spend extra just because they package it for you? How much time does it take to put 1 minute oats and other ingredients to taste in a bowl and microwave it - just keep the stuff you like together in your breakfast spot. And read the label - Instant cereals are more processed and that often means more unnecessary ingredients including sugar]
A small cube of whole milk (not cream) white cheese. I use a Colombian white cheese available in my market near the feta cheese. It is very much like feta but neither stinky or salty. Queso blanco is somewhat different Mexican variety. Try different ones. Farmer cheese is unsalted and basically a compressed cottage cheese, more tangy than the above.
Lunch: A big Dole Asian salad, all the greens but with half the salad dressing (save the other half for the next day). I put in the whole baggie of crisp noodles. I use the 'Kit' because I just like this salad dressing but you could make your own or any other dressing you prefer, and put together your own favorite ingredients as long as you use just a little of each thing. At least the kits are premeasured for you.
Small bowl of Golden summer squash soup (100 cals per serving/1/2 box). I really love Campbells Select Gold label soups that come in a box! I don't plug any particular brands unless I like them but these are good for you, no additives, around 200-225 cals per box. Won't kill any diet and very satisfying. The whole box was a meal yesterday/ half a different one today with the salad. No croutons today because of the noodles in the salad (you might call this a carb exchange!) .
Snack: Half an apple and 10 whole almonds.
40 minute walk before dinner. Rice cooks in the rice maker while I am gone. I put the boneless, skinless breast meat chicken cutlets in the micro for 2 minutes on low (5) setting. It won't be completely defrosted when I get back so no worry about spoilage but I will be able to pry them apart.
Dinner (prep time about 15 minutes):
Curried chicken - per serving: (1 breast cutlet) with brown rice (1 cup cooked).
Put the semi-thawed chicken cutlets (about 5 to a pack); in a pan and saute using spray oil and 1 TBSP olive oil (remember this oil is for flavoring. It is only a little bit because it will be distributed over 4 or 5 servings); When lightly browned, remove chicken and saute a sliced onion and a sliced red pepper, zucchini (you can add any vegetables and/or an apple or a small can of pineapple) a few minutes or until softened. Put the chicken back in the pan with a can of chicken broth. Season with garum masala (a curry spice mixture available in most grocery stores now). I use a lot. You can use old fashioned "curry" powder but I much prefer the more authentic garum masala. Salt lightly. Cook until chicken is cooked through and cook down the liquid to about half.
To serve, put a piece of chicken and some veggies on the rice and spoon over some sauce. [I made enough to freeze or eat tomorrow - I always cook a few meals at once - a good way to avoid cooking on a busy week night]
I serve a couple TBSP of my homemade mango chutney on the side. It is made with lots of fruits, raisins and vegetables, brown sugar and vinegar.
You can make a fresh fruit chutney of almost any fruits (including cranberries, pineapple, apricots, peaches and onions, peppers and just gently cook them down in a little water and lemon or vinegar. Sweeten with sweetener if you like. Tamarind juice and ginger would make it more authentic.
Decaf for dessert.
My weight is down 2 pounds for the week!!!
2 cups of coffee with 1% milk and sweetener.
1/2 banana
Oatmeal (made with 1/2 cup minute oatmeal), @ 10 raisins, cinnamon, 0 Cal butter substitute, sweetener. I put it all in a bowl with a half cup of water and put in the microwave for @ 1 minute or until hot and liquid absorbed. (sometimes I add a half cup of 1 % milk and sometimes I eat the oatmeal without milk - just the butter substitute makes it good - like grits with butter)
[You can use instant oatmeal, but why spend extra just because they package it for you? How much time does it take to put 1 minute oats and other ingredients to taste in a bowl and microwave it - just keep the stuff you like together in your breakfast spot. And read the label - Instant cereals are more processed and that often means more unnecessary ingredients including sugar]
A small cube of whole milk (not cream) white cheese. I use a Colombian white cheese available in my market near the feta cheese. It is very much like feta but neither stinky or salty. Queso blanco is somewhat different Mexican variety. Try different ones. Farmer cheese is unsalted and basically a compressed cottage cheese, more tangy than the above.
Lunch: A big Dole Asian salad, all the greens but with half the salad dressing (save the other half for the next day). I put in the whole baggie of crisp noodles. I use the 'Kit' because I just like this salad dressing but you could make your own or any other dressing you prefer, and put together your own favorite ingredients as long as you use just a little of each thing. At least the kits are premeasured for you.
Small bowl of Golden summer squash soup (100 cals per serving/1/2 box). I really love Campbells Select Gold label soups that come in a box! I don't plug any particular brands unless I like them but these are good for you, no additives, around 200-225 cals per box. Won't kill any diet and very satisfying. The whole box was a meal yesterday/ half a different one today with the salad. No croutons today because of the noodles in the salad (you might call this a carb exchange!) .
Snack: Half an apple and 10 whole almonds.
40 minute walk before dinner. Rice cooks in the rice maker while I am gone. I put the boneless, skinless breast meat chicken cutlets in the micro for 2 minutes on low (5) setting. It won't be completely defrosted when I get back so no worry about spoilage but I will be able to pry them apart.
Dinner (prep time about 15 minutes):
Curried chicken - per serving: (1 breast cutlet) with brown rice (1 cup cooked).
Put the semi-thawed chicken cutlets (about 5 to a pack); in a pan and saute using spray oil and 1 TBSP olive oil (remember this oil is for flavoring. It is only a little bit because it will be distributed over 4 or 5 servings); When lightly browned, remove chicken and saute a sliced onion and a sliced red pepper, zucchini (you can add any vegetables and/or an apple or a small can of pineapple) a few minutes or until softened. Put the chicken back in the pan with a can of chicken broth. Season with garum masala (a curry spice mixture available in most grocery stores now). I use a lot. You can use old fashioned "curry" powder but I much prefer the more authentic garum masala. Salt lightly. Cook until chicken is cooked through and cook down the liquid to about half.
To serve, put a piece of chicken and some veggies on the rice and spoon over some sauce. [I made enough to freeze or eat tomorrow - I always cook a few meals at once - a good way to avoid cooking on a busy week night]
I serve a couple TBSP of my homemade mango chutney on the side. It is made with lots of fruits, raisins and vegetables, brown sugar and vinegar.
You can make a fresh fruit chutney of almost any fruits (including cranberries, pineapple, apricots, peaches and onions, peppers and just gently cook them down in a little water and lemon or vinegar. Sweeten with sweetener if you like. Tamarind juice and ginger would make it more authentic.
Decaf for dessert.
My weight is down 2 pounds for the week!!!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Today's intake (Ap 6)
Breakfast:
2 cups coffee with 1% milk and sweetener
1/2 banana
1 piece of 100% whole wheat bread (Pepperidge) with spray, 0 cal liquid butter substitute ('I can't believe its not butter spray' - careful some liquid margarine has plenty of fat and cals)
1 large egg, hard-boiled (shared a little with my parrot ;-) )
Note: could be any kind of egg if fried in spray oil, poached, etc.
Lunch:
Bowl of Campbell's Select soup (in a box) Portobello Mushroom. One serving is 100 cals. I had the whole box - 200 cals.
1/2 cup croutons (OK I could have left these out but ......) As long as you can stop!
Cup of tea with milk and sweetener
Snack: half an apple before my walk.
Dinner:
1/4 lb fish (I had snapper) moistened with water and dipped in bread crumbs; fried in olive oil spray + 1 TBSP of basil flavored olive oil .
Note: the oil was spread over 4 portions!
Sauteed eggplant. 3 slices (see how I prepare it on Tuesday next menu where I had some left over slices.)
Salad with 1 TBSP reduced fat ranch dressing thinned with a little milk.
Cup of decaf with milk and splenda for dessert.
2 cups coffee with 1% milk and sweetener
1/2 banana
1 piece of 100% whole wheat bread (Pepperidge) with spray, 0 cal liquid butter substitute ('I can't believe its not butter spray' - careful some liquid margarine has plenty of fat and cals)
1 large egg, hard-boiled (shared a little with my parrot ;-) )
Note: could be any kind of egg if fried in spray oil, poached, etc.
Lunch:
Bowl of Campbell's Select soup (in a box) Portobello Mushroom. One serving is 100 cals. I had the whole box - 200 cals.
1/2 cup croutons (OK I could have left these out but ......) As long as you can stop!
Cup of tea with milk and sweetener
Snack: half an apple before my walk.
Dinner:
1/4 lb fish (I had snapper) moistened with water and dipped in bread crumbs; fried in olive oil spray + 1 TBSP of basil flavored olive oil .
Note: the oil was spread over 4 portions!
Sauteed eggplant. 3 slices (see how I prepare it on Tuesday next menu where I had some left over slices.)
Salad with 1 TBSP reduced fat ranch dressing thinned with a little milk.
Cup of decaf with milk and splenda for dessert.
Link on MSNBC, Diet and stress
Here is an article that tends to corroborate my experience on this diet. Stress is associated with eating too much. My main objection would be to limit fruits severely because of the sugars but eat more raw and/or cooked veggies instead. Never drink fruit juices because they have no benefit over veggies and have way too much sugar and no fiber to offset the antioxidants and vitamins.
By Dr. Rovenia Brock
TODAY (NBC, Ap 4)
Whether you're a stay at home mom, a busy executive, a student, or just one more person trying to put food on the table for your family in a declining economy, getting through your day can be stressful. The fact is, too many Americans are time-starved and coping with that fact can be tricky if you don't have the right fuel in your body to do so calmly.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese and I would add to that, many of them eat mindlessly in order to cope with the pressures of the day. But stress in your life can manifest itself in your body in detrimental ways that compromise its very ability to function normally. Living with stress in your body has been linked to health problems such as heart disease, hypertension, peptic ulcer, asthma, and you guessed it—obesity.
But did you know that you can de-stress your life by practicing effective coping skills and by eating a low-fat, nutrient-dense diet? Here are my top food tips to help you cope:
The three nutrients that soothe your nerves 1. Eat more foods that contain Folic acid (also known as Folate), a B-vitamin which enhances your mood.
2. Increase foods that contain Vitamin B-12, which boosts your energy when blowing your top causes you to run out of steam.
3. Choose foods with greater amounts of antioxidants such as Vitamins C, E, and the mineral, selenium, which help to repair damage to cells caused by stress.
Foods to enjoyFood sources & nutrients they contribute as stress reducers:
Include more turkey in your diet for its selenium content, which raises serotonin levels— a calming hormone. Try it in sandwiches, on salads, soups, or as snacks
Eat clams (in soups, spaghetti sauces, as appetizers) which are rich sources of Vitamin B12
Include more lentils (in soups, with whole grains such as quinoa—sounds like keen-wa) Lentils contain the B-vitamin, Folate
Try Chickpeas, also good source of Folate, on salads or in hummus, with baby carrots, bell peppers, cucumber slices, or on whole wheat crackers
Include black-eyed peas, which also contain Folate—add tomato, or shredded carrot, with basil for a tasty twist on a stress-buster dish. Serve them over a cup of brown rice and you've got a nutritious entree
Eat more papaya, which contributes more Vitamins A and C, and the B-vitamin Folate to your diet
Eat more red bell peppers which also contributes good amounts of Vitamins A and C and Folate. Try them roasted as a side dish, on salads, in sandwiches, soups, and in casseroles
Eat sunflower seeds, which add more Vitamin E and folate to your diet. Try them on salads, as snacks, even as ice cream toppings. Be sure to use dry-roasted seeds without salt, because the added sodium defeats the stress-fighting purpose
Stress-reducing herbs
Arugula, a peppery, nutty-tasting herb, is a good source of folate and great in salads, soups, or on pizzas and sandwiches
Try basil, a fragrant herb that's delicious in any tomato or seafood dish, or on chicken, turkey, in salads, and sandwich wraps. It calms your nerves by helping your body resist stress and by increasing physical endurance
Foods to avoidCaffeinated beverages: By all means, skip the morning latte. Caffeine, found in beverages such as coffee, tea and sodas and in chocolate, can cause anxiety and raise stress hormone levels.
Trans-fatty acids: Steer clear of trans-fatty acids found in baked goods such as cakes, pies, cookies, and other boxed foods, which compromise the immune system and increase your risk of heart disease. Read food labels and avoid foods that contain hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Sugar: Skip sugar, which causes spikes in blood sugar levels, increasing insulin production and eventually causes your blood sugar levels to plummet. This process robs your adrenal glands of their ability to do their job—which is to regulate your stress hormones and to protect the body against stress and to help the thyroid gland to regulate your weight.
Alcohol: Put the cork back in the burgundy. Excessive alcohol consumption (it puts more sugar in your diet—known as a super sugar) and is harmful to adrenal glands.
By Dr. Rovenia Brock
TODAY (NBC, Ap 4)
Whether you're a stay at home mom, a busy executive, a student, or just one more person trying to put food on the table for your family in a declining economy, getting through your day can be stressful. The fact is, too many Americans are time-starved and coping with that fact can be tricky if you don't have the right fuel in your body to do so calmly.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese and I would add to that, many of them eat mindlessly in order to cope with the pressures of the day. But stress in your life can manifest itself in your body in detrimental ways that compromise its very ability to function normally. Living with stress in your body has been linked to health problems such as heart disease, hypertension, peptic ulcer, asthma, and you guessed it—obesity.
But did you know that you can de-stress your life by practicing effective coping skills and by eating a low-fat, nutrient-dense diet? Here are my top food tips to help you cope:
The three nutrients that soothe your nerves 1. Eat more foods that contain Folic acid (also known as Folate), a B-vitamin which enhances your mood.
2. Increase foods that contain Vitamin B-12, which boosts your energy when blowing your top causes you to run out of steam.
3. Choose foods with greater amounts of antioxidants such as Vitamins C, E, and the mineral, selenium, which help to repair damage to cells caused by stress.
Foods to enjoyFood sources & nutrients they contribute as stress reducers:
Include more turkey in your diet for its selenium content, which raises serotonin levels— a calming hormone. Try it in sandwiches, on salads, soups, or as snacks
Eat clams (in soups, spaghetti sauces, as appetizers) which are rich sources of Vitamin B12
Include more lentils (in soups, with whole grains such as quinoa—sounds like keen-wa) Lentils contain the B-vitamin, Folate
Try Chickpeas, also good source of Folate, on salads or in hummus, with baby carrots, bell peppers, cucumber slices, or on whole wheat crackers
Include black-eyed peas, which also contain Folate—add tomato, or shredded carrot, with basil for a tasty twist on a stress-buster dish. Serve them over a cup of brown rice and you've got a nutritious entree
Eat more papaya, which contributes more Vitamins A and C, and the B-vitamin Folate to your diet
Eat more red bell peppers which also contributes good amounts of Vitamins A and C and Folate. Try them roasted as a side dish, on salads, in sandwiches, soups, and in casseroles
Eat sunflower seeds, which add more Vitamin E and folate to your diet. Try them on salads, as snacks, even as ice cream toppings. Be sure to use dry-roasted seeds without salt, because the added sodium defeats the stress-fighting purpose
Stress-reducing herbs
Arugula, a peppery, nutty-tasting herb, is a good source of folate and great in salads, soups, or on pizzas and sandwiches
Try basil, a fragrant herb that's delicious in any tomato or seafood dish, or on chicken, turkey, in salads, and sandwich wraps. It calms your nerves by helping your body resist stress and by increasing physical endurance
Foods to avoidCaffeinated beverages: By all means, skip the morning latte. Caffeine, found in beverages such as coffee, tea and sodas and in chocolate, can cause anxiety and raise stress hormone levels.
Trans-fatty acids: Steer clear of trans-fatty acids found in baked goods such as cakes, pies, cookies, and other boxed foods, which compromise the immune system and increase your risk of heart disease. Read food labels and avoid foods that contain hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Sugar: Skip sugar, which causes spikes in blood sugar levels, increasing insulin production and eventually causes your blood sugar levels to plummet. This process robs your adrenal glands of their ability to do their job—which is to regulate your stress hormones and to protect the body against stress and to help the thyroid gland to regulate your weight.
Alcohol: Put the cork back in the burgundy. Excessive alcohol consumption (it puts more sugar in your diet—known as a super sugar) and is harmful to adrenal glands.
Do it with me.
OK, I gained a few pounds. So I am back on my own diet again. When I see the scale tick up or the pants get a little tight, I get right back on it. Maybe the holidays, maybe some meds I have been taking. First I just cut back a little but no results. So time to get back big time. So last week I started to eat the way I did before and already a couple pounds are off and that fearsome number I simply will not pass is slipping further away.
So I am going to post what I eat each day. Why not do it with me?
Yesterday:
Breakfast: 2 cups of coffee with 1% milk and Splenda
1/2 banana
2 scrambled eggs
Lunch:
Big serving bowl of mixed lettuce with 1/3 cup slivered almonds and 6 crumbled whole grain Club crackers. Half a packet, about 1 TBSP of taco salad dressing (comes with Dole's Taco Salad mix) thinned out with a little 1% milk so it will cover the lettuce better. You can substitute any salad dressing you like as long as it's no more than 1 TBSP. If it isn't a creamy dressing thin it with water and vinegar to taste. Add a little salt and pepper if you want.
Cup of tea with milk and sweetener.
Snack: 6 walnut pieces, 6 whole almonds. Cup of coffee with milk/sweetener, teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa..
Exercise: Did some light work in the garden. Ran a couple errands.
Company came just as I was planning to take my 40 minute walk. So missed that yesterday. It delayed dinner an hour but the snack carried me through. My husband was more impatient to eat than I was.
Dinner: fajita with 6 strips of round steak (cooked in spray olive oil with 2 TBSP or basil flavored olive oil, flavored with garlic powder and pepper, lightly salted), 1 TBSP labna (whole milk yogurt from the Middle East - very similar to sour cream but not as much fat); 1/3 Haas (small California type) avocado with a little olive oil and vinegar, salt, pepper. A couple TBSP of salsa. Wrapped in an 8 inch high protein wheat tortilla.
Note: the total oil that I consumed was about 1/3 of what I used to prepare the meat because I divided it into 3 portions to share.
Cup of decaf with milk and sweetener for dessert.
I take a regular multivitamin every day. A glass of tomato juice in mid morning would have been OK but I forgot ;-)
Some other dinners I like:
A slice of frozen turkey cutlet with stir fry sauce, small amount of sesame oil for flavor (used spray oil for the rest) and a package of stir fry vegetables. Soy sauce. Sundry cooked vegetables on the side like corn or broccoli. I cook enough to have 2 days in a row and share.
Turkey burger - a big patty mixed with a couple spoonfuls of salsa before pan frying (could be done on the grill) on one piece of 100% whole wheat bread. Any cooked vegetables on the side or a salad with no more than 1 TBSP dressing, diluted as above.
So I am going to post what I eat each day. Why not do it with me?
Yesterday:
Breakfast: 2 cups of coffee with 1% milk and Splenda
1/2 banana
2 scrambled eggs
Lunch:
Big serving bowl of mixed lettuce with 1/3 cup slivered almonds and 6 crumbled whole grain Club crackers. Half a packet, about 1 TBSP of taco salad dressing (comes with Dole's Taco Salad mix) thinned out with a little 1% milk so it will cover the lettuce better. You can substitute any salad dressing you like as long as it's no more than 1 TBSP. If it isn't a creamy dressing thin it with water and vinegar to taste. Add a little salt and pepper if you want.
Cup of tea with milk and sweetener.
Snack: 6 walnut pieces, 6 whole almonds. Cup of coffee with milk/sweetener, teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa..
Exercise: Did some light work in the garden. Ran a couple errands.
Company came just as I was planning to take my 40 minute walk. So missed that yesterday. It delayed dinner an hour but the snack carried me through. My husband was more impatient to eat than I was.
Dinner: fajita with 6 strips of round steak (cooked in spray olive oil with 2 TBSP or basil flavored olive oil, flavored with garlic powder and pepper, lightly salted), 1 TBSP labna (whole milk yogurt from the Middle East - very similar to sour cream but not as much fat); 1/3 Haas (small California type) avocado with a little olive oil and vinegar, salt, pepper. A couple TBSP of salsa. Wrapped in an 8 inch high protein wheat tortilla.
Note: the total oil that I consumed was about 1/3 of what I used to prepare the meat because I divided it into 3 portions to share.
Cup of decaf with milk and sweetener for dessert.
I take a regular multivitamin every day. A glass of tomato juice in mid morning would have been OK but I forgot ;-)
Some other dinners I like:
A slice of frozen turkey cutlet with stir fry sauce, small amount of sesame oil for flavor (used spray oil for the rest) and a package of stir fry vegetables. Soy sauce. Sundry cooked vegetables on the side like corn or broccoli. I cook enough to have 2 days in a row and share.
Turkey burger - a big patty mixed with a couple spoonfuls of salsa before pan frying (could be done on the grill) on one piece of 100% whole wheat bread. Any cooked vegetables on the side or a salad with no more than 1 TBSP dressing, diluted as above.
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