This might be hard to read, but it's my food diary for today that I am planning. My limit is 200 calories, but I like to keep it under 1800. I just feel like this is a lot of food. What do you ladies think? I am just SO hungry today!







Date: 3-3-06 Max. daily fat grams:


Meal Food Eaten Amount Fat Grams Calories Comments
Breakfast Waffles 2 6 200
Peanut Butter 1 tbsp 17 190
Skim Milk 0 80




Snack



Lunch Manicotti (Healthy Choice) 1 5 290
Margherita Pizza (LC) 1 9 320






Snack Rice Cakes 3 3 180



Dinner Lasagna Florentine (WW) 1 9 290
Salad 3 cups 20
Salad Dressing (ff) 2 tbsp 0 20




Snack PB cookies 2 5 100
Skim Milk 8oz 0 80


Water ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Total: 54 1770

Percent fat of total calories consumed: 27%

For lunch instead of having a pizza AND manicotti, why not try adding lots of veggies

You need more veggies!

I agree! And that should knock about 250 calories off of your total!

Hehe That's not very many calories, Cassie!

I think 1800 is okay, but it also depends on how active she is. If she exercises regularly, she could up them a bit. But for her weight, you're probably right, she could probably be eating more calories for the time being even if she isn't extremely active.

And Cassie, yep, get to that store and get some healthier foods and make those calories count!

In looking at your menu you need LOTS and LOTS more veggies and lean protein... I stay away from those Lean Cuisine things because they are loaded with sodium AND are NOT filling at all...

Cassie like you I struggle with the veggies, so I will offer advice on lean protein as that is where I do a little better:
I stock ground turkey (7% fat), lean boneless skinless chicken breast, lean skinless chicken thighs, lean stir-fry steak, lean sandwich meats(turkey, chicken, ham), cans of chunk tuna light, and any protein sources of no-fat foods I can (i.e., no fat refried beans). All of the above meats are pretty much my staples come dinner time. I don't touch peanut-butter anything anymore (unless it's a treat) and if you can handle more dairy I'd suggest low-fat yogurts, string cheese, and low or no fat cottage cheese for snacks. Also, many of these ladies on these forums use egg-beaters for breakfast and such(or anything I suppose) as they are better for you than regular eggs and a good source of protein.

In response to your question, yes if you count calories and stay below your goal you WILL lose the weight. Eating good protein will keep you full more often(and help keep your muscles intact so you are losing fat not muscle). Drinking water and keeping sodium counts low will help you drop the lbs more quickly and regularly as otherwise your body will retain water and hang on to them. Veggies figure in with keeping you full, keeping you hydrated, but also give you plenty of other benefits in skin and energy that you will really feel when you add them. Of course eating healthier all at once isn't *required* but I'd say for a more steady weightloss and for losses that you maintain for life it is good to start making changes where you can and breaking old habits. That being said, it wasn't easy for me. I am finally getting protein under control and veggies are hit and miss for me. I know if I ate more I'd see these lbs drop off faster though and it is worth it to make the effort. Good luck with it!

Read lots Cassie and the next time you go grocery shopping will be like letting you loose in Wonderland! Keep in touch and let us know what we can do for you and how you're doing.

Ew... I hate Lean Cuisine.

Eat protein in the morning - it keeps your blood sugar even so you aren't jonesing for a quick sugar-fix later.

--Janis

Cassie - as far as non-meat protein there are the items I suggested, as well as protein shakes (I have a 90 calorie nectar every week day) and I also have protein pudding snacks. I might have one tonight, I am Catholic too though I don't always intentionally follow the meat-fasting rules I just felt like pancakes tonight!

I'm in south Louisiana where there is a large Catholic contingency (I'm not, however). Eat some seafood!!!! Nutritionists reccomend two servings a week of lean sources of seafood. Canned tuna isn't the only seafood going! Go to Sams (or whatever you guys have) and get the bags of flash frozen tilpia filets or flounder filets or Mahi Mahi filets or catfish filets. You can pan fry them in a little olive oil. Or bake them. Be sure you put some interesting spice on them!

And, shrimp is great for a quick and easy stir fry. Again, you can buy it already cooked and shelled. Run it under water. Heat and eat! I use them alot for salads, too.

Look carefully at the ingredients to try and select something that hasn't been "modified" with some extra salt solutions.

If you haven't figured it out, I love seafood. And, fortunately, being in south Louisiana I have the opportunity to get lots of fabulous fresh seafood. I would rather eat seafood than beef any day of the week!

Go exploring!!! And, good luck! There is a whole world of great food to be discovered!

Hi Cassie! I'm Catholic too and following the Lenten guidlines doesn't have to be hard. We gave the kids fishsticks today and we had scallops!
I made a veggie stirfry for me and new potatoes for hubby.
Then I sauted mushrooms and the scallops together with about 2 tablespoons of butter (that turned into liquid from the shrooms and got poured off)
It was VERY good!
We can't afford seafood that much, so I am sure next Friday will be a bit more normal,
I always feel so guilty for having seafood on Fridays because I love it so much! I mean, where's the sacrifice in that??? LOL