Die with a 't'

After three weeks or so of watching what I eat, here is what seems to work best for me in terms of a daily meal plan. This is what I try to do during the week. I'll discuss my weekend diet in a minute.

Breakfast

• One serving of oatmeal. Sometimes I jazz it up with some bulgur, corn meal, kashi, fruit, or honey.

Lunch (+ daytime snacks)

• One can of chunky-type, non-condensed canned soup. Not the best thing in the world to eat, but it beats starving to death. I avoid soups with cream bases, pasta, noodles, or rice.
• Two or three pieces of fresh fruit. Usually apples and bananas, but sometimes also canned pineapple or peaches in 100% juice rather than corn syrup.
• One bag of 95% fat free popcorn. Popcorn, without all the crap on it, is a great snack. Bulky, but relatively low calorie.
• One hard boiled egg, sometimes.

Dinner (+night time snacks)

• A lean grilled or broiled meat and a vegetable for the main meal or
• Whole wheat pasta with marinara or
  
• A hearty bowl of bean soup or white chili AND
• A big veggie salad with a light dressing
  
• More snacking on fruit like grapes or oranges

Weekends are different. I tend to relax a lot and splurge a little. Some of the following things are non-core [in the weight watchers sense], but I think treating oneself regularly is fine if moderately done.

Weekend breakfast

• Two eggs fried in non-stick spray [lots of Tabasco]
• Oatmeal or whole wheat toast with butter and honey
• Sometimes, meatless sausage links or patties

Weekend lunch

• Same stuff as weekday lunches except I might indulge in a sandwich

Weekend dinner

• Same stuff as weekday dinner except I might have some wine or beer with dinner

I know it is not very exciting, but it appears to me that I succeed best when I eat the same healthy things every day. Every day I know my breakfast will be oatmeal, for example. I never wake up and wonder what I am going to eat. Everyday I know I am having soup and a salad or fruit for lunch.

Of course there are exceptions, which is why I am not five pounds lighter right now. Eating out and holidays are huge problems for me right now. It's nigh impossible to find core foods in many restaurants. And there is not much I can do about the holidays except try to do my best.


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