Question to Michelle & knowledgeable Cathletes

[wiggie]

First of all I want to say even though I don't know you, I am very proud of you for the strength you've shown both physically & mentally. I have a ultrasound coming up for postmenopausal bleeding & I would like to start eating clean just in case there's really something wrong. Could you give me an example of a days menu using all real foods, no meal substitutes? I've always had an interest in clean eating but was never sure what that entails. Thanks in advance.....Carol

 

[JulesMT]

Hi Carol,
I'm sure you will get a lot of great responses here-there are some very knowledgeable Cathletes who are experts in eating clean. I'm not a nutritionist, and I don't eat 100% clean, but I try to stick to mostly whole foods when I can. I usually eat a healthy menu during the week and then splurge on the weekend. I also keep it pretty simple. Typical weekday eating for me:

Breakfast: One cup coffee with cream. Steel cut oatmeal with milk (I'm currently using almond milk), pecans, ground flax seeds and dried cherries. I use Alton Brown's methods (from Food Network) for cooking this. Sometimes I will have scrambled eggs with a little cheese, turkey and veggies and if I am really in a hurry I will have shredded wheat, granola or Quaker Oatmeal Squares with a banana. Oatmeal Squares cereal is a great out of the box for snacking too-yum. I've tried Kashi-Go-Lean, which is quite popular, and it gave me horrible stomach problems, so I avoid it.

Snack: Fruit and cashews or almond nut butter with a mozzarella cheese stick or all natural, full-fat yogurt (Mountain High or Brown Cow).

Lunch: "Big Salad" with romaine, spring mix, chicken, avocado, beans, sun seeds, veggies and olive oil based dressing or turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with a side of carrots, sugar snap peas and hummus

Snack: post workout protein shake with Emergen-C packet, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1/2 cup V-8 Fusion juice and water or whey protein, almond butter, flax seeds and milk or yogurt mixed with protein powder

Dinner: lean meat, fish, or grilled shrimp with veggies, rice or sweet potato; whole wheat pasta with small amount spaghetti sauce and turkey meatballs; chicken tacos on whole grain tortillas.

Dessert: fresh fruit with a little whipped cream

Occasional Late Night Snack: popcorn!

Favorite Healthy Drinks: V-8 Fusion Juice (1 serving each of fruits and veggies in an 8 oz glass with no added sugar), Stash Moroccan Mint Green Tea-either iced or hot, Odwalla Superfood juice drink, Amazing Grass Superfood powder added to juice or a protein shake.

Supplements: multi-vitamin, calcium, fish oil softgel, Emergen-C

I try to eat often, to keep my energy up-I have little kids that are running amok .

I really hope your ultrasound results come back normal. When is your appointment?

 

[Bobbi-B]

Hi Carol,

Good luck with your ultrasound.

I thought I'd post what I ate today, I tend to eat pretty clean. The only processed food I ate today was a Lara Bar, which only has a few ingredients (cherries, nuts, dates.) Breakfast: 1/2 c. oatmeal microwaved with 1 c. water, with dried fruit and nuts mixed in. Snack: decaf soy latte. Lunch: burrito bowl - brown rice, black beans, guacamole, tomatoes, corn, salsa, romaine lettuce. Snack: smoothie made with frozen banana, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, coconut milk, soy protein powder. Dinner: Lentil tagine with kale and butternut squash. Snack: Cherry Lara bar.

This wasn't as labor-intensive as it might sound. The burrito bowl was actually bought at an all-natural restaurant, and the tagine was leftovers from last night's dinner. Also, I drank lots of water, though I don't keep track of how much.

Btw I'm wheat-free and vegan, in case you're noticing the absence of meat, dairy, eggs, and wheat.

Hope this helps!

 

[wiggie]

Thanks for the replies!! Clean eating doesn't sound as bad or as hard as I thought!! My ultrasound is today at 4:30 5/19/10. I'll let you know how it went when I get the results. Can I eat any cereal as long as it's high fiber? Also what is hummus? I'm going grocery shopping this weekend for some of your suggestions so I can get started Monday! Thanks this helps alot!

 

[JulesMT]

Thanks for the replies!! Clean eating doesn't sound as bad or as hard as I thought!! My ultrasound is today at 4:30 5/19/10. I'll let you know how it went when I get the results. Can I eat any cereal as long as it's high fiber? Also what is hummus? I'm going grocery shopping this weekend for some of your suggestions so I can get started Monday! Thanks this helps alot!

The ladies who are eating 100% clean will probably suggest that you stick to oatmeal (steel cut is better than rolled or quick oats), quinoa, and unprocessed grains, but sometimes I am in a hurry and just need something quick, so that is when I choose a high fiber cereal. The maple and cinnamon Quaker Oatmeal Squares are my favorite. If you do try steel cut oats, be careful cooking them! Every time I have tried to nuke them in the microwave, they boiled over and made a huge mess, so now I stick to stove-top or crock pot methods.

To quote Wikipedia, "hummus is a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic." You can find it in the refrigerated deli section or by the dips in the grocery store.

If you do try to completely overhaul your diet at once, you may be uncomfortable from increased fiber, so I would suggest easing into it. Your body will get used to digesting more fiber after a few weeks. Grill your meat and steam your veggies instead of frying or boiling, and stick to condiments, marinades, dressings and sauces that are fairly clean too. When I do saute, I use a little bit of real butter or extra virgin olive oil and stay away from hydrogenated oil and margarine. I also avoid "low-fat" products with artificial sweeteners and additives. Read labels and buy products with real ingredients. Look for whole grain bead with no preservatives or high fructose corn syrup, or make your own! If you try flax seeds, which are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, you can buy them pre-ground; otherwise you will need to grind them yourself, and keep them in the freezer or refrigerator or they can get rancid.

Finally, if you belong to a warehouse club, like Sams or Costco, they often have great prices on healthy food, so if you really like something, you can buy in bulk there and save money.

I'm glad your ultrasound is today so you will get some answers soon! Let me know if you have any more questions-hopefully some of the more knowledgeable ladies will jump in here and give you advice too.

 

[Stephanie0523]

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this ^^ but, Ezekial bread is WONDERFUL!! I eat an Ezekial English muffin each day for lunch (with some natural pb/almond butter, flax seed meal and a little honey). And another trick of mine is, each night, I fill a 32 oz sports bottle with water and put four green tea bags in it (with the strings hanging over the top) and I let it steep in the fridge overnight. The next day, I have instant iced tea. I use two flavored teas... my fave is Stash pomegranate/raspberry... and two unflavored (cheaper). It tastes so good I don't have to sweeten it or anything. It helps me get my water in AND some extra antioxidants too.

 

[wiggie]

I've never heard of ezekial bread, where would I find it? I'm going to try that tea, I use way too much sweetner in my drinks. Thanks again for the suggestions, & I will let you know the results of my ultrasound.....Carol

 

[wiggie]

I found out I have a cyst on my left ovary & have to have a second ulrasound on the 30th. I decided I won't worry until I Know more...Carol

 

[JulesMT]

I found out I have a cyst on my left ovary & have to have a second ulrasound on the 30th. I decided I won't worry until I Know more...Carol

Hi Carol. I'm glad to hear you got an answer for your bleeding- I hope that the cyst can be easily removed! I also hope that it doesn't hurt too much. I've never had an ovarian cyst, but I hear they can be quite painful...

 

[hfischler]

Hi,
Just wanted to say, I also had a cyst on my left ovary in March...next month it was gone.! Most cysts are nothing to worry about I'm told. Good luck.

 

[RapidBreath]

I found out I have a cyst on my left ovary & have to have a second ulrasound on the 30th. I decided I won't worry until I Know more...Carol

The good news is that is a relatively easy procedure. I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly-cystic-ovarian-syndrome) when I was 21. The way I deal with it is a low carb, clean diet (mostly, I do occasionally make an error in the ice dept.) and plenty of cardio (helps the insulin receptors.) I lean more towards a paleo style diet rather than Tosca's definition of clean. If you have cysts you may also be gluten sensitive.

If I'm behaving myself, this is my menu, I do cycle my calories so some days I skip the dinner but don't worry about that right now.

Pre Workout: 1 hard boiled egg (I boil a dozen on Sunday and put in a tupperware in the fridge)

Post workout: 1 scrambled egg in real butter or olive oil, 1 cup of fruit(berries is best)

Lunch: Salad with olive oil and lemon juice (fresh lemon wedge squeezed)
or stir fry vegetables with coconut oil (organic Spectrum brand)
with 3 oz. protein (your choice)

Dinner: Sauteed vegetable
or vegetable soup
or stir fry with olive oil (not coconut, that stuff turns up your internal thermostat and makes it hard to sleep at night.)
plus 3 oz. protein.

Optional snacks: raw almonds or extra piece of fruit

I don't limit the vegetables. I measure my fats to be sure I eat enough.