I’m formerly obese and have a pretty structured eating plan. It works for me. Yesterday was a very very typical day. Goal was about 1800 calories with lots of vegetables and fruit.
B - Trader Joe’s fat free Greek yogurt with honey, 4 oz sliced strawberries
L - big salad - romaine, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, shredded purple cabbage, grilled chicken, a little bbq sauce, a little fat free ranch dressing, 70 calories of crispy fried jalepenos
S - tall non fat latte
S - orange
S - string cheese
D - home made chicken parmesan (made with whole wheat panko crumbs, low fat marinara, low fat mozz cheese), 2 oz (uncooked) whole wheat pasta, steamed sugar snap peas
Breakfast: granola bar & banana and coffee w/cream
Lunch: turkey sandwich & fries and water
Dinner: 4 mini samosas with brinjal (eggplant) chutney and water
Today:
Breakfast: 1/2 granola, cup coffee w/cream
Lunch: Indian food (it was a buffet) w/ one Coke (I allow myself one a week and am sure to enjoy them thoroughly)
That’s probably it for today, though I might have some fruit for dinner and I’ll drink loads of water
My calorie intake varies a fair bit depending on how much activity I’m doing. If I’ve got lots of exercise planned I try to spread the calories out during the day, otherwise I crash after lunch.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Yoghurt and a plum
Morning snack: Banana
Lunch: 2 slices of bread with spinach, cucumber, tomato and smoked salmon on top
Afternoon snack: Muesli bar, a plum, 1 scrambled egg on toast
Dinner: Pan fried salmon with quinoa and salad
(about 2000 calories)
Thursday
Breakfast: Strawberry, banana, blueberry and spinach smoothie
Morning Snack: Muesli bar
Lunch: 2 slices of bread with spinach, cucumber, tomato and ham on top
Afternoon snack: Banana and yoghurt
Dinner: Chicken breast, spinach, cherry tomatoes and couscous
(about 1600 calories)
Friday
Breakfast: Mango yoghurt and a muesli bar
Morning Snack: Banana
Lunch: 2 slices of bread with spinach, cucumber, tomato and smoked salmon on top
Afternoon snack: a plum, and 1 scrambled egg on toast
Dinner: Salad with couscous and rib eye steak
(about 1700 calories)
Is your recipe for chicken parm from Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen? That’s the one that I use, and I actually like it better than the traditional fried chicken parm. The panko makes it really crispy.
I put the pan on medium high and melt some butter in it (about 1/2 TBSP for 2 fillets). Salt and pepper the salmon on both sides, then place in the pan skin side down first, about 3-5 minutes a side depending on how large the fillet is.
I just make the quinoa in a rice cooker, but I’ve also done it on the stove (I think I googled how to cook it and everyone suggested the same method).
I had a salad and a steak (cooked the Alton Brown way). The steak was actually a disaster because I bought smaller rib-eyes than I normally do, but didn’t adjust the cooking time enough and they came out well done and incredibly dry.
I changed my eating habits in December, and my plan includes maintaining a food log, so I can tell you exactly what I’ve been eating lately.
My caloric intake adjusts so that I maintain a rate of loss of 1.5lbs per week; right now it’s at 1392 calories per day. Today I had:
2 Eggo Homestyle waffles with 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 cup light syrup
3 English muffin pizzas with tomato sauce, low-fat mozzarella, and turkey pepperoni
1 serving orzo with 1/2 teaspoon homemade pesto and 1 chicken thigh in golden mushroom sauce
2 chocolate chip cookies
Breakfast every day is a shake with low fat or skim milk and low carb protein powder. I used to skip breakfast because the idea of eating early in the morning doesn’t appeal. This way I get the benefits of having breakfast and just have a drink.
Lunch is usually a salad of some description, most often coleslaw mix without dressing, with some leftovers chucked on top. This week I think tomorrow it will be chicken sausages in mango chili sauce, Tuesday a hard boiled egg and small tin of Spanish style tuna, Wednesday Moroccan lamb.
Dinner is the stuff that makes up the leftovers that become part of lunch. Usually when I get home I microwave a serve of mixed vegetables and eat them, usually with a little hot sauce or an Asian sauce. I then worry about cooking any meat or fish and chicken. If I want anything with it I just have whatever it is on a bit of cous cous, rice or mash; maybe another serve of veges or one of the salads I use for lunch.
I have a piece of fruit between meals sometimes if I feel like it and often have a serve of low cal jelly during the evening.