Commentary for 8/20/10

Please note, that I've stated approximate calorie counts next to the food, and a meal tally at the end of each meal. I hope this extra piece of information helps. It's amazing how even the healthiest meals can add up, that's why I like to use my calories for protein and vegetables (some fruits) first, and then pad a little bit with some empty carbs for my taste buds! My body needs the nutrients from the vegetables, fruits and protein...if it doesn't get them, it will continue to ask for more food, even though I already have enough calories. Then, the extra calories get stored as fat. Also, I avoid anything with high-fructose corn syrup like the plague, as this will mess with your hunger signals so you never feel satisfied or full.

8:30am: Zipp Fizz (10 calories) with 1 liter of water (I slept in! Catching up on sleep is the best thing I do for myself every week. Your muscles rebuild during rest periods; both downtime from exercise as well as actual REM sleep. Also, your appetite will vastly increase if you are low on sleep, because your body is in need of energy, and food is an energy source. Unfortunately, your body will use the energy and then store the excess calories as fat. (You can google sleep diets to read more on that).

9:30: 1 hour of elliptical at home. My baby sis is coming over, so I need to get done with exercise and get showered and ready for the day. Today, exercise is a means to an end...instead of an end unto itself like it usually is for me. Elliptical machines tend to read calories at least 20 and sometimes 40 percent high. My home machine reads really high. It tells me I burned 1,000 calories...no way!!! I estimate somewhere around 600 is accurate. Treadmills are probably the closest to accurate...maybe 10-15% high. Hey, people like machines that tell them they burn a ton of calories...just like we like clothing brands that err on the side of small instead of big sizes. So, manufacturers set the machines to read high. If you want to read more about that, you can google the brand of machine and ask for how accurate the calorie count on that particular machine is.

Noon: 5 egg whites (20 calories each and), 2 cups of chopped fresh veggies (40-50 calories?), 1/2 ounce extra sharp vintage white cheddar (40 calories), salt to taste (I throw all of these into a bowl, cover the bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stir and microwave for another minute)

2 servings of Chex cereal (250 cal), 2 tbsp peanut butter(200 cal), 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (30 cal), 1 1/2 cups 1 % milk (I usually buy from Trader Joe's because all of their milk/dairy is hormone-free. I don't put out the cash for organic, but I do not buy meat or dairy with hormones. You can google meat/dairy with hormones for more info)...these I eat all together. I put the peanut butter to the side of a bowl in a little glob and take bits of it with each bite of cereal. I haven't eaten all day, so the egg white / veggie mix won't cut it, and my cupboards are bare, so I search for the healthiest and still yummy way to fill my gut. The Chex is really just empty calories, but the flaxseed has healthy omega-threes and fiber, the milk has calcium and protein, the peanut butter has healthy fat, some protein and some fiber.

The tally for this meal is around 600 calories.

4:15pm: That last meal really stayed with me. As usual, bigger meals don't make me feel great, and lunch was big for me. However, I didn't eat breakfast and I was pretty hungry. I'm hungry again now, but I know we're going out for dinner. I eat just enough to fill my gut and get more protein and vegetables in me. 2 servings of steamed broccoli (50 calories), 1/4 avocado (70 cal), 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese (50 calories), 1 TBSP low-sugar strawberry jam from Trader Joe's (30 calories). 200 calories...much better size of meal for me.

6:30pm: 2 cups watermelon (I'm guessing about 150 calories...you can look it up on calorieking.com if you want a more precise count), 1 serving low-fat Cheetos-style chips (from Trader Joe's) 130 calories, 1/2 cup cottage cheese (50 cal), 1 TBSP low-fat jam (30 calories).

(360 calories for this meal)

8:30pm: Dinner at a VVietnamese restaurant: 1/3 bowl of chicken noodle soup, 1/5 plate of chicken peanut curry over the top of a side of steamed broccoli (no rice).

I could look this up for a more accurate count, but I would guess 200 calories for the soup (the noodles are where the calories are there..plus some sugar in the broth), 300 calories for the chicken curry...even though I ate very little, the coconut milk in the sauce is extremely calorie dense! 50 calories for two servings of plain steamed broccoli. 550 calories for this meal. Can you imagine if I had added rice to that tally? Ouch!!

10:30pm: 1 banana (100 cal), 1 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt(120 cal...I did add a packet of no-cal sweetner...Stevia is natural and the best choice) from Trader Joe's, 1 TBSP low-fat strawberry jam from Trader Joe's (I added that to the yogurt as well. 30 calories) , 1/2 bag of Wild Harvest Organic microwave popcorn from Albertson's (225 calories), 1 liter of diet Sprite.

475 calories.

2,185 for the day

Keep in mind, that this is a maintenance day for me. I'm down to about 1,500-1,700 calories if I want to drop weight. I also exercise very intensely, so my calorie count will be about 800-1,000 higher than if I did not burn those calories during a workout. I refuse to starve my muscles or myself. As I've said before, though, I don't let myself stay hungry, but I don't eat until I'm full, just until I'm not hungry anymore.

8/20/10

Sorry this was not up last night! I'm trying out a different format for this post. Please find following the skeletal version of my food and exercise. If you would like more information, please check the commentary version/

8:30am: Zip Fizz with 1 liter of water

9:30: 1 hour of elliptical at home

Noon: 5 egg whites, 2 cups of chopped fresh veggies, 1/2 ounce extra sharp vintage white cheddar

2 servings of Chex cereal, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 1/2 cups 1 % milk

4:15pm: 2 servings of steamed broccoli, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1 TBSP low-sugar strawberry jam from Trader Joe's.

6:30pm: 2 cups watermelon, 1 serving low-fat Cheetos-style chips (from Trader Joe's), 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 TBSP low-fat jam.

8:30pm: Dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant: 1/3 bowl of chicken noodle soup, 1/5 plate of chicken peanut curry over the top of a side of steamed broccoli (no rice).

10:30pm: 1 banana, 1 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt from Trader Joe's, 1 TBSP low-fat strawberry jam from Trader Joe's, 1/2 bag of Wild Harvest Organic microwave popcorn from Albertsons, 1 liter of diet Sprite.

8/19/10

5:15am: Zip Fizz

I'm not hungry for breakfast, so I skip it. I'm a big believer in listening to my body. Some days it needs fuel right away, and sometimes it doesn't.

9am: I mix another Zip Fizz and sip it until 9:45 when I begin my workout. I can tell I have a lot of energy and I'm going to do some tough intervals today, so the extra Fizz will come in handy right now. I get on the Treadmill and do 50 minutes of backward, sideways and forward intervals. I finish with some intense intervals on the elliptical machine and then 20 minutes of abs. You can contact me if you would like more detailed information on my workout.

Noon: 1 bottle of water on the way home from the gym. I sweat a ton and I need to replenish.

12:30: Diet Coke at Subway. My kids are eating lunch, but I don't like their food...I'm really picky. I'm hungry, but I'll eat when I get home. The Coke is not healthy...actually, it's really bad for me, but it will tide me over for a bit.

1:45: I finally eat. 6 oz leftover chicken breast from last night, a big bowl of microwaved green beans (I cook them for 6 minutes...they are the organic beans from Costco). I add 1 tsp of butter and some sea salt to the beans. I drink a Zero Vitamin Water with the meal.

3:30pm: I'm hungry, so I have a bowl of Chex with 1 cup of milk, 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter and 1 tbsp ground flaxseed. (The Chex is all simple carbs...I get some protein with the milk, some monounsaturated fat from the p.b. and some great omega 3 fatty acid and fiber from the flaxseed). This meal is a yummy treat!

4:30: I'm thirsty and I chug a Zero Vitamin Water

6pm: I eat a green salad with the rest of the chicken (about 4 ounces) from dinner last night. I dress the salad with 2 tbsp of the low-fat lime dressing I cooked the chicken with last night. I also eat a bowl of dry Chex cereal with 1 1/2 cups of milk (I drink in a cup), 1 tbsp flaxseed mixed with 2 tbsp peanut butter and 1/2 serving of raisins. (I dip the cereal in the p.b/flaxseed mixture and pop a raisin in with the mix. It's an awesome treat...crunchy, salty and sweet!

I also have two more of the organic sandwich cookies. If it's worth it, it's worth it!

8:30: 1 cup of rooibois tea with milk and stevia.

10:30: 20 cherries and diet 7-up.

8/18/10

5:15: Drinking the Fizz with 1/2 liter of water

8am: Bowl of steamed broccoli with 1/2 oz of extra sharp vintage white cheddar from Tillamook and 5 egg whites (I'm out of avocado...I don' like the cheese as much, but a little bit of fat is necessary for optimal absorption of vitamins and minerals as well as making your meal stay with you. You don't need too much, though...a few grams. In 1/2 ounce of cheese there are about 4.5 grams of fat and 45 calories. I recommend sharp cheeses as they add maximal flavor in very small amounts.

9:30am: Zero calorie Vitamin Water. I have a hard time drinking plain water, but I can drink flavored waters and mineral waters. The Vitamin Water is my new favorite find, as it is lightly sweetened with stevia...a natural sweetener...and has vitamins. You can get them at most stores right now, for about $1.00.

9:45: 45 minutes of PiYo (a Pilates and Yoga fusion...awesome!!!) and 1 hour and 15 minutes of moderate biking. I sprint about 5 minutes toward the end, but I'm dragging a bit today.

11:45: Zero Calorie Vitamin Water

Noon: One stalk of romaine chopped and dressed with the juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp turbinado sugar and sea salt. I top it with 1/4 avocado and 5 egg whites. (I put the egg whites in a bowl and nuke them for two minutes, stirring each 30 seconds. No dirty pan!)

I also eat 1 piece of Pugliese bread with another 1/4 avocado, sprinkled with sea salt.

I'm still craving salt after all the sweating, so I top off my meal with 2 handfuls of organic, trans-fat free microwave popcorn.

3pm: 20 cherries

5pm: Scott comes home and we are both hungry, so we eat an early dinner. I have 6 ounces of chicken breast. I've salted the chicken with sea salt and browned both sides and then dressed it with low-fat lime vinegrette from Newman's Own (I also pour all of the extra oil off of the top before I use this dressing...but it sure is delicious!). I cover the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes per side. I slice the chicken, plate it, and pour on the remaining juices from the pan.

In addition to the chicken, I have a large portion of broccoli (dressed with 1 tsp butter and a bit of sea salt) and two pieces of pugliese bread topped with 1/4 avocado.

When I finish dinner I'm still a bit hungry. For dessert, I eat a bowl of Chex topped with 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed (I buy it ground up at Trader Joe's and store it in the freezer), 1 cup of 1% milk and 1 TBSP all-natural peanut butter.

I also eat 1 organic sandwich cookie. They don't have less sugar than the regular kind, but they are trans-fat free, use no corn sweetener, and they truly taste good. That really hits the spot.

8:30: I'll finish my evening with a bunch of liquids. I am drinking diet ginger ale. Not exactly a health food, but we all have out vices!

TMI for 8/17/10

5:30am: I can't sleep, so I mix up my Zip Fizz and hop on the elliptical machine for 50 minutes and then stretch for 5.

7:30am: Big bowl of steamed broccoli, 1/2 avocado, 5 egg whites. I'm leaving for work and won't be snacking again for about 5 hours...the extra 1/4 avocado should help tide me over. I don't measure the broccoli, but it's probably 3-4 servings worth. May as well get it in right now!

Noon: I'm hungry after working and eat a nectarine until I can get home and eat some protein.

12:30: I'm hungrier than I thought...more than I like to be. I eat 6oz of rotisserie chicken (I carefully blot off the abundant oil with paper towels...I'm in it for the protein). 1 serving of baked potato chips from Trader Joe's, a handful of blueberries and three strawberries. 1/2 cup milk, 2 pieces of bread and 1 tbsp butter.

Lunch is actually too big of a meal...I don't usually wait that long to eat. Ideally, eating every 3 hours keeps my blood sugar from tanking. Between the meal and the two 6 hour nights of sleep, I'm beat. I take a nap.

3:30: The last nectarine is calling my name, so I oblige. I tend to crave what I have at my house. If I keep healthy stuff I stay on the right track. My husband and kids would love to have cookies and candy and chips around all of the time, but I simply don't buy it regularly. I start to crave things I don't even like, if they are around long enough. Self-restraint is easier when I'm at the store!

7:30pm: We've been at a barbecue for a while, and I'm finally loading a plate. I'm pretty hungry! I eat about 8oz of chicken. It's a little bland, so I dip it in ketchup and mustard. I take small portions of homemade corn and bean salsa and a small portion of yummy vegetable frittata. I keep side dishes to about 2 TBSP each. I do load my plate with my lime-dressed salad. I go back for a second helping of the salad and another TBSP each of both side dishes. I eat a few handfuls of blueberries and a few pieces of watermelon as well.

8:45: Back at home and still a touch on the hungry side. I've given my dinner time to rest. I don't like to eat too much at once, as it takes 20 minutes for hunger signals to turn off. At this point, I can tell I need something more. I eat a taro roll a friend made (yummy! They are soft and sweet and fresh...if you've been to a Luau in Hawaii, you've had them, but they are not as good as the ones Bonita makes). I also eat a cup of Wheaties mixed with a cup of blueberries and 1 percent milk. Still hungry, so I have a second bowl. Now I feel great. I'm not full, but I'm not hungry anymore either. Perfect!

Commentary on 8/16/10

As for the exercise, I do something different every, single day. I'm trying to keep the blogs short and to-the-point, so if you wish for more details, I'm happy to share.

As for the many, many snacks during the day, I spent the day painting and couldn't be bothered to make a meal. I never eat by the clock, but always by my appetite. When I start to get hungry, I give my body 200-300 calories. My main goal is to get as many fruit and vegetables down the hatch and enough protein to rebuild my muscles after my workouts. I try to eat about 15 grams of protein in at each sitting, as that is all your body can absorb in one sitting.

The food combinations I make are essentially the same each meal: heavy on the veggies and protein, low in carbs, moderate amounts of healthy fats (you can see I'm partial to avocados right now). I like simple and fast most of the time. Mostly, I hate to be hungry. I like the energy and stamina that my diet gives me. Plus, the ingredients I use are fresh and light, and they taste wonderful!

Food and Exercise for 8/16/2010

5:15am: 1 liter of H2O mixed with a Zip Fizz (natural caffeine and a bunch of B vitamins). I like to wake up and hydrate.

7am: Home after my client and starving. I avoid heavy carbs in the morning (like cereal and toast) as they make me tired and even more hungry. Instead, I eat 5 egg whites, 1/4 avadado and a big bowl of steamed broccoli. This will keep me energized for my 9:45am workout

8am: Tired...only 6 hours of sleep...short by 1-2 hours. I mix myself another Zip Fizz (not ideal, but I'll sip it over the next 2-3 hours and get another liter of H20).

9:45am: Get to the gym and stretch for 10 minutes. I hold each stretch for at least 1 minute. Then, I get on the stair climber (the big one) and work out for 1 hour and 16 minutes. I work in some wicked intervals (you can e-mail me for details). Then, I do my 200 military-style push-ups (again, ask me if you wish for details).

Noon: Home from the gym and very thirsty. I eat 2 cups of watermelon and drink 1/2 a liter of carbonated H20. I eat a 6 ounce container of Chobani greek yogurt (this stuff is full of protein and is awesome, with only 5 ingredients). I mix in 1/4 cup of plain fat free greek style yogurt to make it more tart. Mostly, I'm just thirsty, but a little protein and carbs will keep the massive hunger at bay when I get hungry later.

2:20: Hungry. I am in the middle of a project and don't want to lose momentum, so I eat a serving of baked potato chips from Trader Joe's (yes, I count them). I also finish off the Diet Coke in my fridge. I don't keep it in the house, because I know it makes me feel off, but if it's there, I drink it. My self control works only in the grocery store!

2:30: Jack is hungry so I make him egg whites and throw some in for me as well. I eat 8 egg whites, and 1/4 avocado.

4pm: Hungry and thirsty, I eat a cup of watermelon, 1 Chobani yogurt and a serving of baked potato chips.

5:30pm: 1/2 cup of blueberries as a pick-me-up before my client.

8:30pm: 6oz chicken breast, a plate full of salad greens dressed with lime juice, sea salt and a sprinkling of turbinado sugar (from Trader Joe's), 2 pieces of crusty bread with butter, 1 nectarine, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1 corn on the cob.

9:30pm: 1 bowl of Wheaties with 1 TBSP of natural peanut butter and 1 cup of hormone free 1 percent milk.