What do you eat?

Several people have asked me, "So, what exactly do you eat?"

So here's my simple week of food. It isn't exciting, and it isn't too varied, but it suits me. Usually I cook all my meals on Sunday and then portion them out for the week. This really helps me.

Breakfast
I have the chocolate whey protein shake powder. I tend to make that in the morning now and drink it on the drive to work. I add 1/4 teaspoon liquid flavored splenda to sweeten it just a bit. I also add 1 heaping teaspoon of L-Glutamine which is amino acid.

Lunch
Lean ground turkey breast (not just ground turkey) mixed in with old el paso (less sodium than the other brands) taco flavoring packet, sauteed sweet Italian peppers and onions. Sometimes I add one tablespoon of reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese.

or

Grilled chicken breast or chicken cutlet (thinner sliced breast), sauteed peppers and onions. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of nonfat greek style plain yogurt mixed with a bit of minced garlic. This reminds me of the fabulous Turkish food I used to eat when I was married. It is good to re-establish good memories with healthy food.

Dinner
Usually, whichever one I haven't had for lunch, I'll have for dinner.

If I have the ground turkey for dinner, then I will also make egg white tortillas, which is one of the best surprises I've come across since starting this low fat, low carb eating style. You use about 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites and let it harden on the pan until you can flip it over and brown the other side. It takes a little practice, but it really holds up as a sturdy alternative to tortilla wraps. I fill the ground turkey, add a bit of plain yogurt, sprinkle some reduced fat cheese, roll it up and place it in the toaster oven for a few minutes.

I try to alternate every two weeks or so on what the main protein is for the week.

Some variations:
lean turkey cutlets
ground buffalo
lean turkey sausage
omelets, scrambled eggs, or egg "souffles" (whole eggs plus egg whites)
steak (once a month treat)

I will also throw in a salad of mixed greens once in awhile but usually only while I'm at the work cafeteria and I bring my own walden farm dressings. I also allow myself one meal per week that I don't plan, just to try to "train" myself into thinking about making healthier choices while at a restaurant or among other people. This is perhaps the toughest part and I admit I did have a veggie sandwich on ciabatta bread, but I refused the chips that came with it. So I am learning.

Snacks or Desperate Moments
I have tried the low carb tortilla wraps. They're a bit chewy and instead of using them for burritos, I much prefer to save them for a crisis moment when I need to have a "pizza" in which case I'll put some tomato paste (not sauce) and some cheese and maybe some turkey bacon on top and bake it for a few minutes. Limit to rare once a month.

Pre-cooked shrimp, wrapped with turkey bacon and grilled. Twice a month or so.

Two tablespoons of fat free coolwhip, mixed with one Dannon carbsmart/sugar control blueberry & cream or strawberry & cream yogurt. Toss in a tablespoon of shaved almonds. Frozen, this stuff tastes very close to soft serve ice cream and has saved me many a time from caving in and going to the homemade stand down the road. Once a week during summer.

Fat free Popsicle brand Fudgicle. Pretty harmless.

And finally, for that PMS moment when I want to really do some damage to myself, I turn for one of these chocolate cups and I split the portion over 48-72 hours. In other words, take one cup and divide it 4 ways. It really hits the spot, especially the dark chocolate goodness. Again, once a month, not once a week.

Beverages
As I said, I'm drinking the tea for kidney function. Other than that, water is my best friend. There is a calculation of how much water a person should drink, and I am at about one gallon a day. It depends upon your activity level, your weight, and whether or not you're purposely trying to lose weight. I really feel a difference. Is there such a thing as drinking too much water? Yes. However, as I can barely drink one gallon, I find it impossible to imagine someone could drink 15 liters (a little less than 4 gallons) without realizing they're harming themselves.

That's it really. Moderation is the key.

No more entire pints of ice cream. No more entire bags of pretzels. No more two large french fries with cheese. No more bagels, french toast, or pancakes. Not right now. Now is the time to lose what eating all of that has caused me to gain. I know in the future once I've lost the remaining 111 lbs I will choose to live a life that has very little refined carbs. White rice, potatoes, bread, pasta. The very things I used to live on day in and day out, I will have to save as "once-a-week" treats along with a very consistent exercise program. I hope to be riding horses, skiing, bike riding, swimming, and any other activity that might interest me at that time.