What I eat:
When I am in weight loss mode:
am: black coffee (I flavor mine with essential oils but only use essential oils that are labeled for ingestion!!)
Arbonne protein shake with Daily fiber boost, digestion plus and either a tablespoon of peanut powder or cacao powder and cinnamon.
lunch: 2nd protein shake with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
green apple
handful almonds
water or tea
dinner: lean protein such as salmon, tilapia, flounder, chicken breast, grassfed steak, eggs
3 cups leafy greens, often wilted with fresh pepper and Himalayan salt, drizzle of olive oil OR 1.5 cups other vegetables such as sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, mixed vegetables, etc..
(I honestly am not great at cooking rice. If someone else makes it I’ll have a 1/2 cup)
water or sparkling water
4 oz wine once a week
dessert: if I need something sweet I will have a small square of dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao or 5-10 Skinny Almonds and a cup of herbal tea without cream or sweetener.
Normal mode:
am: same as above
lunch: lean protein with greens, maybe 5oz yogurt with protein bar crumbled in it.
water or tea
dinner: as above but will have 4-5 oz wine twice a week
dessert: same as above (I am a creature of habit)
I vary my vegetables a bit. I love bok choi, spinach, arugula, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, mixed greens, mushrooms, all of them really but I tend to eat a lot of one thing then move onto something else. I prefer simplicity and I don’t follow recipes that have a lot of steps or ingredient usually. Frozen veggies are generally my favorite because they don’t spoil before I can use them! I only eat corn about once or twice a year in the form of fresh corn on the cob. Corn is NOT A VEGETABLE! Its a GRAIN!! It’s also highly allergenic. I occasionally eat rice. I never eat wheat, barley or rye and rarely oats because I have celiac disease. I don’t drink soda or sweetened drinks. I also rarely drink juice and if I do it’s tomato juice with fresh cracked pepper.
Also, when on maintenance I am finding it easier to eat just 2 meals and maybe a snack. I try to go 4-5 hours between the two meals and then drink tea and water in between. I will eat something that has about 100 calories if I physically feel hungry in between and then try to wait until I am physically hungry before having my second meal of the day. On days that I have Tang Soo Do, I have a hearty post recovery snack such as a protein shake with maybe a banana. I also make sure to get extra water on days I work out.
Hot tea is excellent when you have cravings. Tea comes in every flavor imaginable and I have a tea drawer that is proof! Get yourself an electric tea kettle. I LOVE mine!
I rarely eat out (maybe once a month at best) and when I do I have to be picky because of having celiac disease. Core Life is a great place to eat out but you still have to watch what you are putting on your plate! Just because it’s salad doesn’t mean its low calorie. Creamy dressings, cheese and oils add up quickly. I like their tuna poke power plate with Brussels sprouts and salad with kimchee, no dressing.
There is a place in town that makes gluten free poutine. It is amazing and I indulge in it about twice a year. Totally worth it. Make sure to include an occasional splurge and plan for it and savor it. Don’t fast all day in anticipation of feasting or you will be famished and tempted to overdo it. It won’t be nearly as enjoyable when you do. Eat just enough of what you love to satisfy you. Small plate or tapas restaurants are great for this because portion control is built in. Or just order an appetizer as your dinner. When you don’t eat the really rich, decadent foods all the time, you can both appreciate them much more and you will find that you are satisfied much more quickly. Drink extra water when dining out because you will inevitably ingest more sodium than usual.
So, if you are following the 30 days to healthy living for weight loss, I recommend this basic plan (refer to day 2 for the what to eat details) :
breakfast: protein shake with fiber, digestion plus, cinnamon (if you like cinnamon-its’ good for blood sugar control). You can add 1/4 c. spinach if you use a blender. Or try adding 1/4 c. pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Or half a green apple. If you find yourself hungry too soon, add 1 tsp coconut oil. Fat is satiating.
lunch: second protein shake
tea, water
dinner: lean protein and 3 cups greens or 1.5 cups other vegetables with 1-2 tsp olive oil, seasonings, 1/2 c brown rice or other whole grain.
64 oz water daily
snack only if physically hungry or eat next meal if convenient to do so. Keep snacks to 100 calories each.
Journal everything you eat!! (remember day 1!)
Tomorrow we will discuss some heart healthy foods that you may want to add to your diet every day for the long term. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of premature death and disease!! Take care of your heart!!!
Here’s to our health!!
Liz