Revelations

  • After avoiding my Doc's advice (READ: THREAT) that I keep a food journal, I jumped in with both hands last week. Surprised isn't quite the correct term, but more like EYE-OPENING. I religiously wrote down EVERYTHING I allowed past my lips and then reviewed it yesterday.

    OUCH ! Here all this time I thought I was being good ( I was even writing down the sugarless gum I chewed for cripessake !), but was disappointed in some of my choices. My concern is prolly NOT alien to most of you, but would like some input regarding the "fight" or "battle won" over the choices you've had to re-think or eliminate.

    Case in point -- I noticed that even though I always choose whole grain & lots of veggies/fruits, there may be a prolificy (sp ?) of carbohydrates in my diet. Example of one day in the diet world of mollikins : Breakfast is 1 cup FiberOne with 6 oz. 1% milk; 4 oz Tropicana Light; 1/2 banana & cuppa joe with 1 packet of Splenda. Lunch is 1/2 sammich (usually smoked turkey breast, Baby Alpine Swiss & brown mustard on whole wheat bread touting 5g of fiber), 4 oz. Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, either an apple or an portioned amount of berries or grapes and water. Dinner is a protein (meat, fish or legume); at least 3 veggies and either brown rice or 1/2 cup of lil red tater cubes & LOTS OF WATER (or decaff iced tea -- sans sweetener). I have one no sugar-added Fudgesicle or 1/2 cup of berries for my evening snack.

    First off what I noticed is THERE'S A LOT OF FOOD BEING CONSUMED (well at least it seems to ME). Secondly, seems to be LADEN with carbs of EVERY way, shape & form ! I thought I was being good by choosing whole grain & fiberous stuffs , but am I wrong in my choices ? I don't count calories (don't want to get into that right now), but have been practicing portion control using divided dinnerware & 4, 6 & 8 oz. portioners to keep me in check.

    Am I being paranoid ? ARE there too many carbs present ? HELLLLLLLLPPPPPP !! I'm afraid to eat TOO much, but don't want to sacrifice nutrition for portion !!

    Thanks for letting me ramble -- I'm just really freaked out about in all being "in black & white," if you will.
  • Even if this is not too many calories, it's probably too many starches and sugars. Here's what I'd do:

    Breakfast is 1 cup FiberOne with 4 oz. skim milk;
    1 orange
    cuppa hot green tea
    with 1 packet of Splenda.
    A lean protein like a boiled egg might be good with this, too.

    Lunch is 1/2 sammich (usually smoked turkey breast, Baby Alpine Swiss & yellow mustard in whole wheat pita or wrap touting 9 grams of fiber) **Toufayan makes great fiber filled pitas and wraps. I'd check the other carb count in the 5 gram one you are using, too.
    4 oz. Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, (No sugar added? Fat-free?)
    either an apple or an portioned amount of berries or grapes and water. Watch the serving size on the fruit here or better yet, substitute in 1-2 cups of vegetables

    Dinner is a protein (meat, fish or legume); at least 3 veggies and either brown rice or 1/2 cup of lil red tater cubes & LOTS OF WATER (or decaff iced tea -- sans sweetener). I have one no sugar-added Fudgesicle or 1/2 cup of berries for my evening snack.
    What kind of vegetables? Low calorie? Fiber filled? I'd change the red tater to sweet potatoes or only eat red taters 1-2 a week.
  • WOWSER, Thanks for the input ! I truly appreciate it !

    With the exception of the suggestion of skim milk (YUCK, BLECHHHHHHH !) and giving up my cuppa joe (believe it or not, going from regular joe with REAL sugar & REAL cream to half caff & Splenda was a HUGE change for me), I like your suggestions.

    Now, your other suggestions/comments .......
    1. Brown mustard is NOT bad for you & has NO sugar whatsoever in it -- it's just less processed than yellow mustard, that's all. .
    2. Yes the yogurt is sugar free (Splenda is the sweetener) AND fat free.
    3. The apple/berries/grapes are NOT out of the range of a portion -- a SMALL apple or 1/2 cup of grapes or berries is what is allowed on my diabetic diet outline.
    4. As for the veggies at dinner they usually consist of greens (either romaine or leaf lettuce or kale, chard & collards when in season), along with seasonal veggies like tomatoes, edemamme, broccoli, summer squash or green beans; also I've just recently gotten into the sweet tater mode (I only have the little red ones bout 2x per week )

    What brand of pita has 9g of fiber ?! The most I've seen is 4g. If it's available where I am, I'll be trading in my bread a few days/week for the pitas.
  • Toufayan. Their low carb pitas and wraps are full of fiber. I believe even the regular labeled ones are above 5 grams but don't quote me there. They are also full of protein!

    P.S. It took me some time to get used to skim milk, lol. Now, anything besides skim milk reminds me of whipping cream!
  • I've never been a milk drinker ... only use it on cereal. But my tastes have changed over the years. I grew up on non-fat and always thought anything else was disgusting. Then I switched to whole milk when I had a roommate who only bought that. Now non-fat seems like nothing but a waste of perfectly good water. Reduced fat milk is my current sweet spot.

    As for you question about carbs, even though you don't want to count calories an online food diary might be helpful with this, even if you just use it for a day. I use NutriMirror.com, and at the bottom of every day's food log it breaks down the day into a percentage of calories from carbs, fats, and proteins, so I know exactly where it's all coming from. It's pretty useful.
  • WOWSER !!! Man, great site !! I was SHOCKED by the amt of info provided !!

    Thanks for the "thumbs up."