Food only

Food Journal:

Breakfast: Parfait - 1 6 ounce non fat yogurt and "Just Bunches" cereal (110 cals)

Lunch: 1 serving brown rice risotto and a cheese stick (220 cals)

Snack #1: "Frozen" yogurt (80 cals)

Dinner: Chicken and Rice (400 cals)

Snack #2: Air Popped Popcorn and 1/2 protein bar (300 cals)

Total Calories: 1110

Weekends...

I have reached the first weekend of my new resolve to be healthy. Weekends are always really rough for me. I get out of my routine. I sleep in too late and throw off my whole eating "schedule." I made sure to get up early enough today that I wouldn't been thrown off too much.

I'm about to go grab a snack and head off to the salon to get my hair done. :) Nothing like a little change in the hair to freshen up my feelings about myself. Hope you are all having a lovely weekend as well, dear readers.

Food Journal:

Breakfast: Smoothie: 2 slices frozen peaches, 6 frozen strawberries, 3 ounces lowfat yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, crystal light orange juice (220 cals)

Snack #1: Baby Carrots (12) and string cheese (115 cals)

Lunch: Brown Rice Risotto and string cheese (220)

Dinner: Subway 6-inch Egg White and (cheddar) Cheese Flatbread Sandwich with tomatoes, olives and spinach (400 cals)

Snack: Air Popped Popcorn (150 cals)

Total Calories: 1105

My Bad...

I don't know that anyone actually goes back the next day to see my food journaling for the previous day but, if you do, I want you to know up front that I do not condone my calorie count yesterday. I didn't know until this morning when I put in my last couple items that my count was less than 1200. Ideally, my calories will come in between 1200-1400 for a day. Less than 1200 is never the goal (and I don't think it really helps the body lose weight to feed it quite so little). So, I will make some adjustments to my intake today to make sure I don't come in quite so low!

Today is going to be my first real test in self control. My office is having a BBQ lunch. Here is how it is described on my calendar. "Lunch will be provided, including hamburgers and cheeseburgers on the grill, soda and other items." Hmmm. Other items. I going to bet that doesn't include Grilled Tomato, Garlic and Feta Cheese Pizza? Because that's what I was going to make for myself today before this little luncheon was scheduled.

Never fear, though, I packed some Brown Rice Risotto to put next to a naked hamburger patty. And it's going to be just delicious. :)

Food Journal:

Breakfast: 1 6 oz Light Key Lime Pie Yogurt and 1/2 apple (110 cals)

Lunch: 1 small hamburger patty, 1 slice tomato, 1 serving brown rice risotto (210 cals)

Snack #1: 1/4 cup uncooked edamame and 1 cheese stick (130 cals)

Dinner: 1 Serving South Beach Diet Shepherd's Pie (360 cals)

Snack #2: Air popped popcorn (175 cals)

Total Calories: 985

Busy Stovetop

On my menu this week, my lunches ended up being a little more cooking heavy then I'm accustomed to, but for the last little while, lunch has been the weak link in my day. I either eat too little and end up starving for candy from the office candy jar by mid-afternoon, or I don't have anything planned so I run to the nearest fast food place and put my body into sodium shock. So, I turned to my trusty South Beach Diet Cookbooks and hunted from some delicious, easy lunch ideas.

I ended up with the following list for lunches: Almond Crusted Chicken (leftovers); Grilled Tomato, Garlic, and Feta Cheese Pizza, Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Salsa, Barley Risotto, and Edamame Salad.

Well, last night I was preparing dinner (South Beach Diet Shepherd's Pie) and simultaneously cooking the Risotto and Veggie Chili. Every burner and the oven were on. Phew. It was quite the multi-tasking. But, I'm happy to let you know that we will be having a delicious lunch break today!

3 days down...

Food Journal:

Breakfast: Parfait: Yogurt, 1/3 apple, Just Bunches cereal (120 cals)

Snack #1: Baby carrots (12) and cheese stick (115 cals)

Lunch: Brown Rice Risotto with Spinach and Parmesan (180 cals)

Snack #2: 1/8 cup Dry Roasted Wasabi Edamame and 1 6-ounce yogurt (150 cals)

Dinner: 1 Serving South Beach Diet Spinach Dumplings (290 cals)

Snack #3: Air popped popcorn (150 cals)

Total calories: 1045

Learning with Tyra

I'm going to admit it. "America's Next Top Model" is my favorite of all my guilty pleasures. So, last week Geoff and I were watching and I had a bit of an epiphany. No, seriously.

So the girls are hanging out in their ridiculously awesome beach house when they get a surprise visit from supermodel Karolina Kurkova. Karolina went on to mix up a fruit and veggie smoothie for the girls and talk to them about how important it is to eat healthy. Not just to stay thin, but to look beautiful, to keep their skin clear and glowing, to keep them feeling strong and healthy.

So, I may never look like Karolina Kurkova, but I can feed my body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to really function at its best. I can feel strong and healthy and beautiful - and if I'm truly feeding myself a healthy lifestyle, the weight loss can't help but come along for the ride. Right? Right.

Food Journal:

Breakfast: Fruit Smoothie (see Monday for ingredients - 210 cals).

Snack #1: 12 Carrots (40 cals)

Lunch: Lean Cuisine Pot Sticker Meal (370 cals)

Snack #2: Cheese stick and Yogurt (160 cals)

Dinner: South Beach Diet Shepherd's Pie (420 cals)

Total Calories: 1200

Day Two

Well, I had to start somewhere, right? And thus I'm off and onward to day #2 of...what? I don't want to call it a diet, really. Just life, I guess. Just choosing the healthy versus the fried. Choosing the low-cal/low-fat versus the candy. Choosing myself over stress and anxiety.

Yesterday was a success. You can look to yesterday's blog to see my food journaling for the day.

I also wrote up my menu for the week and did my grocery shopping so I don't have to make any last minute runs to...McDonald's...for a meal. Some highlights for this week's menu: Spinach Dumplings, Feta and Arugula Pizzas, Beef Crockpot Stew. Mmm. My stew is in the crockpot as I type.

My goal for today is to stick to the "rules" and carry on. I'll do my weigh-ins on Monday mornings. So you'll just want to wait 'til then to see how things are going on the scale. I know...you can barely stand it. ;)

Food Journal:

Breakfast: Parfait - 6 oz low-fat yogurt, 1/2 nectarine, sprinkle "Just Bunches" cereal (160 cals)

Snack #1: Baby Carrots (12) and String Cheese (115 cals)

Lunch: South Beach "Pizza": 1 whole wheat tortilla, 1 oz feta cheese, 1 plum tomato, 1/2 clove garlic; and 1/8 cup mixed nuts and candy corn (315 cals)

Snack #2: 1/8 cup Dry Roasted Wasabi Edamame and yogurt (150 cals)

Dinner: Stew with Meat, Potatoes, and Carrots (350 cals)

Snack #3: Air popped popcorn (150 cals)

Total Calories: 1240

Not so mini anymore

Okay, Okay. So I know I've been MIA for awhile now. And I know that any readers I do have out there (hi, mom) probably don't have a lot of faith in me at this point.

But, I'm not gonna let that stop me. :)

I've got 30-40 pounds to lose in 6 months. And you better believe I'm gonna do it.

Rules of the week:

1) 3 meals and 3 snacks each day.

2) NO chocolate.

3) Daily exercises (be it just dog walking)

4) Food journal.

Wish me luck!

Breakfast: Strawberry/Peach smoothie: 3 peach slices, 5 strawberries, 3 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt, 10 ounces orange Crystal Light, 1/2 scoop soy protein powder, 2 tbsp Splenda (210 cals).

Snack 1: Baby Carrots (12) and string cheese. (125 cals).

Lunch: Almond Crusted Chicken Breast, 1/2 Apple, 1/4 cup mixed nuts w/candy corn (317 cals)

Snack 2: 1/4 cup Dry Roasted Wasabi Edamame and 1 Low-fat Peach Yogurt (210 cals)

Dinner: 1 Serving South Beach Diet Spinach Dumplings (290 cals)

Snack 3: 5 cups airpopped popcorn (150 cals)

Total Calories: 1302