Experimenting with my calories....

Joni,

Based on what I've been learning over the past three weeks, your diet consists of mostly processed foods:

Shredded wheat-n-bran (processed cereal)
skim milk (processed)
sugar free yogurt (processed)
low fat dressing (probably has sugar)
cottage cheese (processed)
pita (processed and starchy carb)
cheese (processed)

Believe it or not, you have a lot of sugar in your diet. Sugar, whether from fruit or otherwise will turn in to fat if it's not burned off right away.

You don't show any lean meat or fish at all.

Not being critical cause Lord knows this is how I was eating and calling it clean. The definition of a clean food according to Ms Fit is a food you can hunt or pick or catch.
 
You know, as I was typing that I was looking at it thinking that these are all convenience foods, and although clean compared to some, not as "sterile" as I thought.

I think I'll follow the "hunt/pick/catch" definition when I go to the grocery store and really "sterlize" my diet. It's not easy - but I guess if you plan and prepare ahead, it will work.

I'm not much of a meat eater, but I know chicken is the greatest thing since ice cream :7 so I'll add that to my diet, plus more eggs/whites, beans and brown rice, veggies...

Doesn't seem like a lot of sugar when you elminate refined sugar, but I agree - there is a lot of sugar here in the form of lactose and fructose. I'll save the fruit for smoothies only, or will at least eat it earlier in the day if I "have" to have it. (It's summertime! Nectarines! Strawberriese! Melon! Mangos! yum!)

Ok, I'm going to clean it up even more starting today! Stay tuned....

Grocery list:

Eggs
Chicken
Fish
Shrimp
Sweet potatoes
Veggies
Berries
Raw oats
Quinoa! (Great vegetarian source of a complete protein)


THANKS Candi!!! I'm reinspired and optimistic again.

Plus, I'm a great cook so it will be fun to come up with ways to make super-clean food super-yummy. E.g. last week I made a "raw cream of spinach" soup - with avocado and silken tofu as the cream. It had asian flavors and was actually very good. There's all kinds of fun stuff you can do with ginger, garlic, mint, cilantro, shallots etc.
 
You sound excited!!! I was afraid you'd be offended so that makes me happy :)

You may want to add some nuts here and there. I can attest they really are an appetite suppressant (sp). I have been eating a few almonds or pistachios as part of my lunch and both my snacks. When I say a few, like 8 to 16 almonds, pistachios or cashews --- THEN CLOSE THE BAG!!! LOL, if you're like me, you'll keep going. Those babies are so small x( , but POWERFUL :+ .

As far as veggies go, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower seem to be ever popular with Ms Fit and the Oxygen magazine. It appears asparagus is a natural diuretic. I didn't know that!!!

I don't know if you have an aversion to brown rice but I cook up a batch at the beginning of the week. As a meal, I cut up my chicken breast and add it to the rice. Then I throw in the cashews and I'm telling you, it's pretty darn good.

I've never tried Quinoa! I'm will eventually have to give this a try!
 
I'm sorry to hear that the scale isn't cooperating very well. However, cleaning up your diet (I really dislike that word...x( ) has lots of benefits, so you're still making some kind of progress. Feel good about that!! :D

I'm never going to give up my weight loss goals. It's a life time commitment for me, and experiementation, fine tuning and patience is all part of the process. We'll make it!!

My obession is also weakest early in the morning. My mornings are spent prepping and eating breakfast and socializing online. :p I try to workout before noon, but someday- like today- it just doesn't happen.

Connie :D
 
Wow, Candi!! This is great info! I didn't realize how much processed stuff I'm eating, thank you for pointing this out to me/us. I'm going to keep that definition of a clean food seared into my brain. :p

Connie :D
 
I think you've got it, Candi! And thanks for the ideas. Wow, I'm glad I started this thread. ;) I love quinoa, too, and I'm a great cook!

Maybe we can start posting our food each evening to help give each other ideas and support....?? What do you think?

Connie :D
 
I agree, nuts are a great addition. I add about 1/4 oz of walnuts to a coupleo of mini-meals each day and I really enjoy it.

Yes! I'm doing something right. hehe I love broccoli and cauliflower, and eat at least a serving a day. I also eat a salad everyday with a few different, preferably organic, veggies. And I always have some kind of homemade soup in the fridge. I stay away from starch veggies like potatoes, corn and peas most of the time although I will use one of them as a starch once in a great while for variety.

Quinoa is really tasty, and very versatile. You could easily substitute it for the brown rice- or mix them together.

This is fun! Thank you so much for helping us out!

Connie :D
 
Please keep in mind that I am no expert and this type of nutritional information is new to me also. I'm just trying to share some insights I have gained in recent weeks which I think is contributing to improvements in my body that I am finally realizing.

Like you guys, I thought I was eating really clean. I was told I was on the right track but needed some food choice tweeking. Hopefully this will work for you as well.

:)
 
Yes, all of these ideas are excellent. So a few minutes ago I marched over to the grocery store with renewed determination and bought myself a grilled chicken caesar salad for lunch - the healthiest option I could find with protein + fibrous carbs. Lo and behold the chicken was fatty and the darn thing had croutons on it. I tossed the dressing and the croutons, pulled the fat off the chicken "breast" (loose interpretation evidently), added fresh brocolli, and ate it with balsamic vinegar. Not too bad, but there's a lot to be said for planning ahead (I swear I didn't meant that to rhyme) :+

Planning ahead for lunches next week: "Hearty" gazpacho with quinoa and black beans for protein. Something like:

Fresh tomatoes (or canned if I can't find good ones)
Black beans
Quinoa
Bell pepper
onion
cucumber
parsley
garlic
vinegar
olive oil

And maybe a packet of splenda if it's too tart.

Or a quinoa salad with:

Quinoa
Black beans
Tomato
Bell pepper
Red onion
Garlic
Jalapeno
Cilantro
Lime juice
Olive oil

I wish I liked chicken x( !!! There's a million different things you can do with it.
 
I understand completely, Candi! The kind of insight you're sharing- and the kindness in which you're sharing it- is just what I've been looking for. I really appreciate it, but also aren't holding you responsible for anything. ;)

Connie
 
How about both??? :eek: }( :7 Every week I make 2 dishes similar to this- one with grains and protein of some sort (today I'm making a Tabouli with Shrimp and Oranges) and a veggie soup, sometimes with beans. It makes for great variety and convienence during the week for me.

Just a thought...;)

Connie
 
Joni,

Do you like Turkey? I buy a huge Turkey breast, cook it on the weekends and it will last through the week. Ground turkey is pretty flexible. You can add different seasonings to vary flavor. Evidentely, beef isn't that much of a no, no as long as you purchase very lean sirloin. I have been eating a ton of Orange Roughy. Consider cans of tuna. I add balsamic vinegar and celery to my white albacore and love it!
 
I'm not real big on turkey either - I wish I was! But I have this sadistic looking injector syringe for roasted meats - I think a few shots of lemon juice and olive oil would make anything taste good!

Ground turkey is good in soups. I'm also going to start buying more fish - I love seafood, it's just hard for me to buy because I'm also a marine conservationist and I know what the fishing industry is doing to the oceans.

Speaking of - limit your albacore to once a week. It's a species associated with high mercury levels. Chunk light tuna is a little better, but just doesn't taste as good.

Wild salmon is an excellent protein too - I might start experimenting with salmon recipes as well.

Truthfully, I can eat about anything if that's what it will take to get get me off this fat loss plateau. Sauteed crickets? Bring 'em on. Ok, maybe that's taking it a bit far :7
 
Me too!!

Guess it's a good sign that it's all about clean eating! But then, I'd get really hungry on the "unclean eating" posts as well. All that cookie talk forced me into a zombie like state and I consumed an entire package of oatmeal cookies in one weekend. Oddly though, when I came back to my senses ;-) I'd LOST 2 pounds. Fiber? (yeah right).

Nevertheless, thank goodness Shelley started the no sweets thing. I'm inspired by that too!
 
Joni -

Thanks for the tip on Albacore...of course that would be my favorite
x( :). I forgot all about Salmon, thanks for reminding me :)

Crickets, huh? Okay, now you sound desperate :+ :eek: :)

See, we can all learn from each other!

Joni, do you scuba dive?




HI THERE MARLA :)
 
Hey there, Miss Candi.:) Can you tell I'm a little slow at work?

Joni, somehow, I'm starting to lose my appetite.:eek: Thanks!

Marla
 
Your tips have been VERY helpful. Mostly because I thought I had eliminated sugar, but nope. I was still getting plenty, just in a different form. Funny how all of the reading I've been doing - which mentions these sugars - just didn't sink in.

Thank goodness for Sarahinva's oatmeal/egg white pancakes with sugar free syrup! That helps with binge-prevention. Have you tried them? Connie, you might like this too: 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup of raw oats, splenda "to taste" (for me it's about 1/3 cup). Mix it all together and cook like pancakes with a little spray oil. It's surprisingly good alone and really good with sugar free syrup. The latter isn't squeaky clean eating (chemicals), but it's a good every-now-and-then cheat.

I lllooovveee scuba diving. I'm trying to move to south Florida from Atlanta so I can dive more often. Soon as I find a job...

Do you dive?

Oh - duh! Just clicked on your profile. Isn't it the best?? And what a great total body workout ;) I dove for 2 weeks in Feb. off the coast of S. Florida and LOST five pounds - even though we ate nothing but garbage for the most part.
 
Joni and Connie,

I have those pancakes on Sunday. I sprinkle in some cinnamon, too ;) I just try to be really skimpy on the sugar free syrup.

DH is a master diver and he explained to me that the body is expending calories to keep you warm in your wet suit or skin. When we go on a diving vacation, especially Mexico because we are sometimes swimming against strong currents, I always lose weight whilst eating like a pig!
 
Oh yeah - I used cinnamon last time and it was very good.

Your DH's theory is probably right - the water averaged 50 degrees at depth in February, so we pretty much froze. I have a 3mm wetsuit, but no skin. Somehow I think it would show every ripple and roll - not that the wetsuit is any more flattering.

Vanity usually goes out the window when it comes to diving anyway!

Actually, learning to dive is what I rewarded myself with after losing 80 lbs. Then I got advanced open water certification after losing 20 more. Then I set my sights on a new BC and regulator once I lost the last 20. Got the new BC and reg, but still waiting on the last 20 :p

Guess I better do LOTS more diving in cold water.

Not to hijack this thread - but how often do you and you DH dive and where are your favorite dive spots? BTW, if you like underwater critters you can check out my website: www.marinebio.org - we have photo galleries (linked from the what's new page) of our recent trips to Bonaire and South Florida.
 
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