Monday 7-13-09
Breakfast: 3/4 packet of oatmeal and two slices of toast with butter
Lunch: side salad
Snack: piece of pound cake
Dinner: open face portabella mushroom sandwich with red peppers, tomato, and cheese, sweet potato fries, and few bites of brownie dessert
Snack: Weight Watchers fudge bar and handful of chips
Tuesday 7-14-09
Breakfast: 2 eggs (1 with yolk) and two slices of toast with butter
Snack: Special K bar
Lunch: 5 pineapple chunks, two tbs of cottage cheese, and one slice of turkey on a wheat cracker
Dinner: chicken salad with lowfat Italian dressing
Snack: 4 pineapple chunks and 3 dark chocolate Kisses
Wednesday 7-15-09
Breakfast: 2 egg whites with asiago cheese sprinkled on top and one slice of toast with butter
Snack: 1/2 an English muffin with peanut butter
Lunch: 2 tbs of fat free cottage cheese, 1/2 can of tuna on 1/2 an English muffin, and two wheat crackers
Snack: raspberry smoothie from Carvel
Dinner: 2 crackers and stir fry with low sodium soy sauce
Dessert: 1 cup of yogurt, 3 pieces of pineapple and 1 dark chocolate Kiss
Thursday 7-16-09
Breakfast: 1/2 packet of oatmeal with 1 tsp of maple syrup and one slice of toast with butter
Lunch: chicken salad with 1/4 piece of bread
Dinner: 1/2 small turkey wrap on multigrain tortilla, Special K bar, and 5 small pineapple chunks
Snack: 4 crackers with peanut butter and 1 cup of yogurt
Friday 7-17-09
Breakfast: 1 egg white with asiago cheese, 1 slice of toast with butter, and 1/2 English muffin with peanut butter
Snack: 5 saltines with 1/2 can of tuna, 1/2 Special K bar, and 3 tbs of cottage cheese
Lunch: 1 slice of turkey, 2 wheat crackers with peanut butter and 1/2 cup of broccoli
Snack: Special K bar
Dinner: 1/2 side salad, 1/4 piece of tuna with grilled veggies, and 1 piece of bread
Snack: cheese and crackers ( about 2)
Saturday 7-18-09
Lunch: 5 dark chocolate Kisses, 3/4 turkey sandwich on wheat bread and a small bowl of Wheaties cereal with skim milik
Snack: 1/2 Special K bar
Dinner: chicken salad, 1 breadstick, 1 Hershey Kiss, and 5 pineapple chunks
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Busy Time of Year
Although summer is still technically in full swing, it seems to be flying by for me. This time of year is always my most busy and it seems to be the best time for me to focus on my diet. Around this time of year I'm on the move a lot, which keeps me off my couch and out of my cabinets. It's also the time where everyone around me is scrambling to squeeze in a last minute summer vacation and needs to be in bikini ready shape. Although this isn't the case for me, I still use a great workout DVD by Shape magazine called "Ultimate Bikini Body Workout." This workout video features a 30 minute total body workout, a 10 minute leg toning workout, a 10 minute ab toning workout, and a 10 minute cardio blast workout for girls on the go.
This video is one of the most intense videos I've ever done. The 30 minute workout works every part of your body and does so in a short amount of time. I usually like to do that workout 2 times a week and then on days when I'm not wanting such an intense workout I do the three ten minute sessions. I have noticed results since I've started incorporating videos into my workout routine for when I can't make it to the gym.
I found this DVD at Barnes and Noble and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to mix up their workout.
This video is one of the most intense videos I've ever done. The 30 minute workout works every part of your body and does so in a short amount of time. I usually like to do that workout 2 times a week and then on days when I'm not wanting such an intense workout I do the three ten minute sessions. I have noticed results since I've started incorporating videos into my workout routine for when I can't make it to the gym.
I found this DVD at Barnes and Noble and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to mix up their workout.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Dark Chocolate
Although my consistency with posting has been questionable, my consistency with consuming dark chocolate has not.
I've always been someone that worships sweets. In fact, when I was younger I would eat as little as possible so I would have room for dessert. I was so addicted to sweets that in junior high and high school, my breakfast usually consisted of Smore Poptarts or a bowl of Reese's Puffs cereal. These facts alone can be attributed to the bulk of my weight gain in my early teen years. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to accept the fact that I could no longer eat such sugary meals. That was before I discovered dark chocolate.
According to an article on http://www.naturalnews.com/, dark chocolate contains flavonoids that may lower the risk of heart disease. This article also points out that even though dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate, it is still high in calories and must be consumed in moderation. I recommend Hershey Dark Chocolate Kisses that are about 20 calories per piece. I like to have no more than three about 4 times a week. They're so rich in flavor that I usually can't eat anymore than that anyway.
So opt for dark chocolate whenever you have a sweet craving and know you're not only assisting that sweet tooth, but your heart too!
I've always been someone that worships sweets. In fact, when I was younger I would eat as little as possible so I would have room for dessert. I was so addicted to sweets that in junior high and high school, my breakfast usually consisted of Smore Poptarts or a bowl of Reese's Puffs cereal. These facts alone can be attributed to the bulk of my weight gain in my early teen years. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to accept the fact that I could no longer eat such sugary meals. That was before I discovered dark chocolate.
According to an article on http://www.naturalnews.com/, dark chocolate contains flavonoids that may lower the risk of heart disease. This article also points out that even though dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate, it is still high in calories and must be consumed in moderation. I recommend Hershey Dark Chocolate Kisses that are about 20 calories per piece. I like to have no more than three about 4 times a week. They're so rich in flavor that I usually can't eat anymore than that anyway.
So opt for dark chocolate whenever you have a sweet craving and know you're not only assisting that sweet tooth, but your heart too!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Food Journal
As previously promised, I am going to post my "food journal" for the week on every Sunday. Since this is an early post, I will only have Monday-Thursday posted, but i'll get back on track next week.
Monday July 6, 2009
Breakfast- 1 English muffin with peanut butter and 1 bowl of Wheaties with skim milk
Lunch- Special K protein bar
Snack- 4 wheat crackers and 1 slice of pepperjack cheese
Dinner- 4 pieces of pineapple and a few raw veggies with low-fat ranch dip, 1 homemade chicken fajita with green peppers, red peppers, spinach, and 1 tbs of salsa on a multigrain tortilla
Dessert- frozen cup of Yoplait chocolate mousse
Tuesday July 7, 2009
Breakfast- 1 packet of Weight Control oatmeal with 1 tsp of peanut butter and maple syrup and 1 slice of wheat toast with non-dairy butter
Snack- 60 calorie cup of chocolate pudding and cheese and crackers with a slice of salami
Dinner- 1/2 cob of corn, small side salad, 1 grilled chicken wing, 1/2 small baked potato with small amount of butter, and two slices of garlic toast with hot peppers
Snack- 2 Hershey kisses and 1 Weight Watchers fudge bar
Wednesday July 8, 2009
Breakfast- 2 small homemade biscuits with homemade gravy, 2 small biscuits with tsp of jelly and 1/2 slice of bacon
Lunch- 3 carrots, 1 piece of broccoli, 1 piece of cauliflower, 3 cucumbers, 3 pieces of pineapple, and 1 Special K snack bar
Dinner- 7 small pieces of shrimp, 1/2 side salad, 3/4 of a dinner roll, 1/2 piece of salmon with rice and steamed veggies
Thursday July 9, 2009
Breakfast- 1 veggie egg white omelet, 2 slices of wheat toast with butter, and 1/2 bowl of Special K with skim milk
Lunch- 1 Smart One fiesta quesadilla, 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese and 3 wheat crackers
Dinner- few bites of leftover salmon, cooked veggies, and 4 cucumber slices
Dessert- Skinny Cow fudge bar (100 calories!!)
Friday July 10, 2009
Breakfast- 1 bowl of Wheaties with skim milk and 1 English muffin with peanut butter
Monday July 6, 2009
Breakfast- 1 English muffin with peanut butter and 1 bowl of Wheaties with skim milk
Lunch- Special K protein bar
Snack- 4 wheat crackers and 1 slice of pepperjack cheese
Dinner- 4 pieces of pineapple and a few raw veggies with low-fat ranch dip, 1 homemade chicken fajita with green peppers, red peppers, spinach, and 1 tbs of salsa on a multigrain tortilla
Dessert- frozen cup of Yoplait chocolate mousse
Tuesday July 7, 2009
Breakfast- 1 packet of Weight Control oatmeal with 1 tsp of peanut butter and maple syrup and 1 slice of wheat toast with non-dairy butter
Snack- 60 calorie cup of chocolate pudding and cheese and crackers with a slice of salami
Dinner- 1/2 cob of corn, small side salad, 1 grilled chicken wing, 1/2 small baked potato with small amount of butter, and two slices of garlic toast with hot peppers
Snack- 2 Hershey kisses and 1 Weight Watchers fudge bar
Wednesday July 8, 2009
Breakfast- 2 small homemade biscuits with homemade gravy, 2 small biscuits with tsp of jelly and 1/2 slice of bacon
Lunch- 3 carrots, 1 piece of broccoli, 1 piece of cauliflower, 3 cucumbers, 3 pieces of pineapple, and 1 Special K snack bar
Dinner- 7 small pieces of shrimp, 1/2 side salad, 3/4 of a dinner roll, 1/2 piece of salmon with rice and steamed veggies
Thursday July 9, 2009
Breakfast- 1 veggie egg white omelet, 2 slices of wheat toast with butter, and 1/2 bowl of Special K with skim milk
Lunch- 1 Smart One fiesta quesadilla, 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese and 3 wheat crackers
Dinner- few bites of leftover salmon, cooked veggies, and 4 cucumber slices
Dessert- Skinny Cow fudge bar (100 calories!!)
Friday July 10, 2009
Breakfast- 1 bowl of Wheaties with skim milk and 1 English muffin with peanut butter
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Inverted Pyramid
In my last post, I discussed eating five times a day and I realized that although this is important, eating your meals according to the inverted pyramid is just as important. In case you haven't heard of this, it's simple. You eat your largest meal in the morning, medium sized meal midday and your smallest meal in the evening. This way your body is able to burn off the bulk of what you eat and then when your physical activity slows in the evening, it won't have as much to burn. For example, I had a veggie egg white omelet for breakfast with two slices of wheat toast and a small bowl of Special K. This sounds like a lot of food, but take into consideration that I will inevitably be working out for at least an hour later and will burn almost all of that off. For lunch I'm planning on doing a salad or soup and I will probably do the same for dinner, but in a smaller portion. Another quick fix I've found is stopping your intake of carbs before 7:00pm. It takes some getting used to, but it gets easier after you start to see results.
Another realization I came too when I started watching my caloric intake was that the saying "You are what you eat," is very true. Think about it. If you eat a lot of bread and pasta, your body will become soft. If you eat a lot of lean proteins and veggies, your body will be firm. It's so difficult for me to pass up bread at dinner sometimes and usually I allow myself one small piece or half a piece, but for the most part, I try to stay away. Considering this theory before reaching for that second piece of bread could save you from spending the next three days on the treadmill.
Another realization I came too when I started watching my caloric intake was that the saying "You are what you eat," is very true. Think about it. If you eat a lot of bread and pasta, your body will become soft. If you eat a lot of lean proteins and veggies, your body will be firm. It's so difficult for me to pass up bread at dinner sometimes and usually I allow myself one small piece or half a piece, but for the most part, I try to stay away. Considering this theory before reaching for that second piece of bread could save you from spending the next three days on the treadmill.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Plan Ahead
After posting about The 5 Factor Diet, I realized I didn't provide the most important detail to making this plan successful. Planning ahead.
On Sunday evenings I always enjoy lounging around my apartment watching Lifetime movies, but while I'm doing so, I always outline what I'm going to be eating the week ahead. This keeps me on track and motivates me to wake up Monday morning with a plan. This goes along with the food journal I keep. In my journal, I record everything I eat. I do this so I have to see what I'm consuming and I'll think before I stuff that extra piece of bread in my mouth. Now it doesn't always work. Today, for intstance, I had way too much for breakfast, but now I know that I just can't eat as much for the rest of the day. I also know that I will have to get off the couch and put in a workout video very soon.
Here is a sample meal plan that I like to follow. Keep in mind, I'm a smaller person, so I don't require as much food as a taller person. (I'm between 5'3'' and 5'4'' and weigh between 115 and 118lbs)
Monday:
Breakfast- 2 egg whites with asiago cheese and 1 slice of wheat toast with Smart Butter
Snack- Special K Bliss bar
Lunch- Burger King grilled chicken salad or homemade chicken salad
Snack- 5 carrots with lowfat ranch dip and 5 small pieces of pineapple
Dinner- salad with a side of cooked veggies
Tuesday:
Breakfast- 1 slice of wheat toast with peanut or almond butter and 1 bowl of Wheaties cereal
Snack- 1 cup of lowfat yogurt with or without granola
Lunch- spinach and mushroom tortilla pizza
Snack- 5 pieces of pineapple
Dinner- salad or vegetable sandwich (veggie sub from Subway or veggie wrap)
Wednesday:
Breakfast- English muffin with peanut or almond butter
Snack- handful of almonds
Lunch- 1 small can of tuna on wheat toast, dry, with salt and pepper and cooked veggies
Snack- 1 cup of low fat yogurt
Dinner- salad or Lean Cuisine frozen dinner
*I always allow myself coffee for breakfast, as long as I use skim milk or fat free creamer. I also try to steer clear of heavy salad dressings and request them on the side every time. These little modifications can help cut calories without sacrificing taste.
On Sunday evenings I always enjoy lounging around my apartment watching Lifetime movies, but while I'm doing so, I always outline what I'm going to be eating the week ahead. This keeps me on track and motivates me to wake up Monday morning with a plan. This goes along with the food journal I keep. In my journal, I record everything I eat. I do this so I have to see what I'm consuming and I'll think before I stuff that extra piece of bread in my mouth. Now it doesn't always work. Today, for intstance, I had way too much for breakfast, but now I know that I just can't eat as much for the rest of the day. I also know that I will have to get off the couch and put in a workout video very soon.
Here is a sample meal plan that I like to follow. Keep in mind, I'm a smaller person, so I don't require as much food as a taller person. (I'm between 5'3'' and 5'4'' and weigh between 115 and 118lbs)
Monday:
Breakfast- 2 egg whites with asiago cheese and 1 slice of wheat toast with Smart Butter
Snack- Special K Bliss bar
Lunch- Burger King grilled chicken salad or homemade chicken salad
Snack- 5 carrots with lowfat ranch dip and 5 small pieces of pineapple
Dinner- salad with a side of cooked veggies
Tuesday:
Breakfast- 1 slice of wheat toast with peanut or almond butter and 1 bowl of Wheaties cereal
Snack- 1 cup of lowfat yogurt with or without granola
Lunch- spinach and mushroom tortilla pizza
Snack- 5 pieces of pineapple
Dinner- salad or vegetable sandwich (veggie sub from Subway or veggie wrap)
Wednesday:
Breakfast- English muffin with peanut or almond butter
Snack- handful of almonds
Lunch- 1 small can of tuna on wheat toast, dry, with salt and pepper and cooked veggies
Snack- 1 cup of low fat yogurt
Dinner- salad or Lean Cuisine frozen dinner
*I always allow myself coffee for breakfast, as long as I use skim milk or fat free creamer. I also try to steer clear of heavy salad dressings and request them on the side every time. These little modifications can help cut calories without sacrificing taste.
Author Harley Pasternak
Several months ago I realized that even though I was exercising 5-6 days a week, I wasn't getting the results that I wanted. I had lost several inches off my waistline and definitely saw results in my thighs, but there was still that extra bit of weight lingering around my midsection. Being a dedicated Us Weekly magazine reader, I noticed in one of the issues that the hottest trend for celebs wanting to slim down the healthy way was the 5 Factor Diet, created by Harley Pasternak. I NEVER considered an actual diet plan, because I felt that they were too difficult to live by. However, when I visited Barnes and Noble a few days later, I decided to flip through his book.
The 5 Factor Diet consists of 5 small meals a day, containing 5 ingredients per recipe, and a 5 minute prep time for each recipe. The book itself outlines a sensible diet for you and then provides several tasty recipes for you to check out. Now after I tried this diet for a while I eventually modified it to cater to my tastes and have it down to a science now. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to find a diet plan that requires little to no effort. Another great thing about this diet is the fact that you get to eat 5 times a day. Now they are small meals, but once you get the hang of it, you never feel hungry. It's truly perfect for younger people who don't have time to cook and usually just grab something before they run out the door.
You can buy this book at any bookstore, such as Barnes and Noble and Books A Million. The name of it is The 5 Factor Diet by Harley Pasternak. It costs $24.95 for the hard copy and I'm actually not sure if they make a softback version, but it's definitely worth it.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Blogging Inspiration
Let me first start off by saying that the "blogosphere" is a very new place to me. Although I've been using the internet for a long time, it has never been of much interest to me. I've always viewed bloggers as pretentious people who feel their own opinions mean more than the opinions of others. I always turned my nose up to blogging when I would go to journalism conferences and the speakers would push the idea that it is a legitimate form of journalism. To me it just seemed like an outlet for weirdos to spew their ridiculous ideas about legalizing marijuana and how the South will rise again. I knew that nobody would be able to change my mind.
Then one day I met with a friend for lunch and she mentioned to me that she had been perusing different blogs that she had found online. Viewing her as a very intelligent girl, I couldn't help but wonder if she may be on to something. Yes, the idea of blogging had been rammed down my throat since I entered undgrad, and yes I generally always mocked anyone who requested I take the idea seriously, but then I thought about all of the hours I'd spent over the past year telling girls and women I knew how I had lost weight and started living a healthier lifestyle. I'd always wanted to let people know how great it feels to throw out junk food and add more veggies to their diet, but I always relied on word of mouth. I never thought about an easier approach to my "preachings." Blogging.
Now that I've decided to bite the bullet and start a blog of my own, I feel I must clarify what the intentions of this blog will be.
First, this blog is about the lifestyle choices I have made over the past year that have helped me achieve a slimmer and healthier figure. I am not writing to brag about my weight loss, but rather to help girls and women alike realize that anyone can be the size they have always dreamed of. Second, this blog will contain recipes, affirmations, workout routines and tips that I've discovered. I've caught myself numerous times telling someone what a normal diet for me is, only to find myself seeming slightly psychotic. Lastly, this blog, as much as I hate to do it, will act as my technological food journal, so I will be forced to share by good and bad diet decisions with anyone willing to read it. This will hopefully show anyone who is interested how easy it is to track what you put into your body. It will also show that I have good days and I have bad days when it comes to healthy choices.
I hope this blog will be of assistance to anyone hoping to live a more active and healthy lifestyle.
Then one day I met with a friend for lunch and she mentioned to me that she had been perusing different blogs that she had found online. Viewing her as a very intelligent girl, I couldn't help but wonder if she may be on to something. Yes, the idea of blogging had been rammed down my throat since I entered undgrad, and yes I generally always mocked anyone who requested I take the idea seriously, but then I thought about all of the hours I'd spent over the past year telling girls and women I knew how I had lost weight and started living a healthier lifestyle. I'd always wanted to let people know how great it feels to throw out junk food and add more veggies to their diet, but I always relied on word of mouth. I never thought about an easier approach to my "preachings." Blogging.
Now that I've decided to bite the bullet and start a blog of my own, I feel I must clarify what the intentions of this blog will be.
First, this blog is about the lifestyle choices I have made over the past year that have helped me achieve a slimmer and healthier figure. I am not writing to brag about my weight loss, but rather to help girls and women alike realize that anyone can be the size they have always dreamed of. Second, this blog will contain recipes, affirmations, workout routines and tips that I've discovered. I've caught myself numerous times telling someone what a normal diet for me is, only to find myself seeming slightly psychotic. Lastly, this blog, as much as I hate to do it, will act as my technological food journal, so I will be forced to share by good and bad diet decisions with anyone willing to read it. This will hopefully show anyone who is interested how easy it is to track what you put into your body. It will also show that I have good days and I have bad days when it comes to healthy choices.
I hope this blog will be of assistance to anyone hoping to live a more active and healthy lifestyle.
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