Breakfast:
2 hot dogs. (Using whole wheat buns, kosher weenies and only mustard as a topping.)
1 serving eggplant lasagna
1 yogurt cup (Yoplait Light)
1 can Ginger Ale
Lunch:
a bowl of Kix cereal
1 Atkins Energy Bar
1 yogurt cup
1 can Diet Cherry Soda
Snack:
One serving Murray's Sugar Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies w/half glass of milk
Handful raw peanuts
Dinner:
Chicken Noodle Soup (Appetizer)
Meatloaf (using 96% lean ground beef, and a dozen crumbled Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers
1 Banana for dessert
1 can Diet Root Beer
Snack:
Salad with light dressing
Its easy to see, I have alien eating habits. For instance, I hate breakfast foods for breakfast. I really don't care for them much in general, but I like them better for lunch or as a snack. I love eating lunch for breakfast. Does anyone think this will impede my weight loss, or is it okay as long as I keep the calories down? Which I'm setting at about 2500 a day for now. I calculated that I need 3000-something to maintain, so I wanted to drop my caloric intake a little.
Also, I'm a yogurt fiend... is that ok to eat and consider it a fruit? I always get the yogurts with fruit stirred into them.
Hi, Lilith. I was confused by your post. How is it possible that you can lose on 2500 calories a day? When I started my program, I was approx. 173. Using a formula that I got from DIETING FOR DUMMIES, I calculated that I needed about 1600 calories a day to lose one pound a week; that's with moderate activity. I actually started eating 1500 calories a day and exercised 4-6 days a week and lost an average of about 1 pound a week. Are you actually losing on 2500 calories a day? If so, your metabolism must be super powered and I'm envious!
Anyway, I try to follow the food pyramid and that's what I considered when I looked at your menu. The good thing is that you're getting enough protein and dairy. However, I'd recommend adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. I wouldn't count the minimal amount of fruit that's in yogurt as a serving; it's just to small to qualify. Additionally, I would nix the sodas (diet and otherwise) and try drinking more water. Finally, --and this is just my personal opinion, which I'm sure many people would disagree with--I'd cut down on the foods containing sugar substitutes. It's my opinion that sugar substitutes keep your palate used to sweets; besides that, I feel that when you eat things with sugar substitutes, you're just emptying chemicals into your body, which might have little to do with weight loss but has a lot to do with your general health.
Oops! Sorry, Lilith. I was looking at your goal weight and thought it was your current weight. That might answer my question about how you're losing on 2500 calories a day.
Yes, 2500 calories makes me lose weight, because I'm so overweight. No advantages there!
I can see where I can add more fruits and vegetables... in place of all the energy bars and cereals and "fringe" foods. (I'm a chronic snacker).
Its hard for me to drop the diet sodas though. I HATE water. I will however, drink sparkling water a few times a day. Does that count?
Last time I went shopping, I got several 6 packs of the sparking water and only my absolute favorite soda's. Plus, my staple drink of either Sprite or Canada Dry because I have IBS and am prone to getting upset stomachs and they really help. I try to drink them sparingly.
Thank you for taking the time to review my food diary!
Lilith, as long as you're drinking plenty of water, the diet sodas shouldn't slow down your weight loss. I've been drinking Diet Pesi and it hasn't hurt my weight loss any, but I make sure to get plenty of water in. It's hard to get started on the water, but once you do, you'll find it easier to get it in each day.
Hi, Lilith. I think that sparkling water would "count" as water. I'm not sure, but does sparkling water contain any sodium? Even if it does, it's better than no water. I completely understand your aversion to drinking water, though, because I felt the same way initially. I especially disliked that while my body was getting used to all that liquid, I had to go to the bathroom every 1/2 hour!! However, now I notice that my body seems to crave it, and I get thirsty if I don't have the amount I usually get.
As I mentioned, I don't think drinking diet sodas will affect your weight loss, but I personally, just don't think they're all that good for people. My sister used to be a diet soda junkie. She cut down gradually and now has one just every once in a while. However, I realize that when we're dieting sometimes that diet soda is the only thing to look forward to!
lilith... you're making a great effort here. but let me chime in with a few other thoughts about the water and salt. you're having lots of salt. makes a body retain water. and some folks retain water with the diet soda as well. if you CAN'T give up [or drastically reduce] the soda, then maybe you could decrease your salt intake a bit.
as for the sparkling water/still water/ soda debate.. yep.. sparkling is better than diet soday, but still has some water-retaining properties [even the sodium-free seltzer - its the carbon dioxide in the bubbles for some reason].
sooo what i'm suggesting is that you find some kind of powdered drink mix that you like to add to your water. i like the wyler's sugar free lemonade or raspberry. or crystal light or whatever you can find.
it's just a thought. add just enough to give the water some flavor, and then gradually decrease it until you're actually drinking the water plain.
Were your hot dogs fat free? Watch your sodium in deli meats, like lunch meats and hot dogs. Also canned soups are loaded with sodium..There are some new varieties out there with low sodium. Most processed foods are loaded with sodium. Read your nutrition labels before you buy.(or eat) Keep smiling and good luck on your diet.
Look at it this way....although you have a long journey ahead, you will have plenty of time to gradually change your eating habits so your slimmer body will also be a much healthier one! Instead of trying to jump to 5-6 servings of produce a day, you can start with 2-3 and set a goal to build up as the months go by. Start out drinking three glasses of plain water and then add a few more ounces every week.
My food diary. Any thoughts?
