Breakfast:  7:30

1 cup cereal (Special K) with 1/2 cup skim milk.  2 oz orange juice.  Coffee with skim milk

Snack:  11:00

FiberOne Muffin and 1 cup light chocolate soy milk

Lunch:  12:30

Slice of whole wheat bread with a wedge of Laughing Cow Light cheese,  Salad:  1 cup greens with 2 oz pouch tuna in water, 1 TBSP light caesar dressing, 2 TBSP candied walnuts, 1/2 an apple, chunked.  Activia Light yogurt

Snack:  2:30, pre-run

1/2 peach, 1/2 cup granola with 1/4 cup skim milk, Monavie Energy drink

Run:  12.5 miles:  4:15-6:00  1 shot block, 1/2 cup pretzels

Dinner:  6:30

Parmesan crusted tilapia, broccoli with light cheese sauce, grapes, 3 waffle french fries, 1 square pretzel jello salad

Snack:  8:30

1 cup Edy’s light rocky road ice cream……..YUM!

OK, I might go have a little cocktail now, so I will just admit that now:

8 oz Club soda with 1 shot mango juice and 1 shot vodka

Should have had more during my run, but I think we ate enough bugs to provide some extra amino acids.  It was almost impossible to eat or drink with the amount of gnats we were trying to swat.  Last long run before the marathon…  ahhhhh the homestretch!

Have a great weekend!

OK so I have been absent for a while!  I decided to play the role of my clients today, to feel their pain with recording everything I eat!  I always learn something from it, and today it was, “my garbage disposal has a purpose”!  To dispose of my kids uneaten food is something I should leave to the disposal!  Not that I’m not feeding my kids good nutritious meals, it’s just I don’t need their leftovers in addition to my meal!  It’s also very mindless- cleaning up the dishes and not really thinking about it. 

OK so for breakfast I had 3/4 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 4 chunks pineapple, and coffee.  After a run I had a nonfat latte made at home, and 1/2 a toaster waffle (left from my son’s breakfast!) with 1 tsp peanut butter.  For lunch I had a tortilla with 3/4 c leftover ground turkey/green pepper/green salsa mixture with 1 tbsp shredded cheese, melted, 3/4 c 1% cottage cheese, 12 grapes, 1/2 an apple, and one chicken nugget (disposal….!!!)  For an afternoon snack I had 1/4 c almonds and 10 pita chips.  For dinner we had chicken made parmesan style, lightly coated with breadcrumbs and pan seared, then cooked till done in oven with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese.  I had about 4 oz of that and 1/2 c corn, plus a medium size dinner roll.  After my last client I had 1/2 c lowfat icecream with a small squirt of light whipped topping.  I know I haven’t had enough water today, so I’ll be chugging some before bed!  My penalty for doing that will be waking up to pee!  Oh well, I earned that.

Isn’t every day a good day to track what you are eating???  I always find something to change for the next day.  OK for breakfast I had 3/4 cup of Honey Bunches of Oats with 1/2 cup skim milk and coffee.  I went for a run (duh) and lifted some weights too.  Post workout I had a 4 oz sample nonfat latte (love free McCafe Mondays!!!!) and a Kashi GoLean bar.  For lunch I had 1/2 cup of Wacky Mac with 2 oz low fat shredded cheese and a tsp of margarine.  I also had a 6 oz fat free yogurt with 1 TBSP mixed nuts and 1/2 TBSP ground flax.  I had 1/2 cup berries and a spoonful of rice (oops cleaning up the kid’s dishes!!!)  For a snack I had 1 PB sandwich girl scout cookie, and 1/2 of a PB sandwich (shared with bubby.)  Before my evening client I had 12 pita chips.  For dinner we had spinach and asiago chicken sausage on a bun, 1/2 cup corn, and a small piece of homemade focaccia bread.  Carbomania…  I should be set with my glycogen stores for tomorrow’s run!  Hope you had a great day!

This AM I had 1/2 cup of Golden Grahams with 1/2 cup of skim milk, 5 grapes, and coffee.  After my run I had a Special K bar and a 4 oz sample nonfat latte (love those free McCafe Mondays!)  For lunch I had two rotisserie chicken sandwiches on Sarah Lee Wheat buns:  4 oz chicken, 2 oz cheese, 2 buns.  I also had 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 4 oz fat free yogurt, and 10 kettle cooked potato chips (1 gram saturated fat/svg).  I have been keeping up with my water today too, which is always a struggle.  I had 10-12 mixed nuts about 1/2 hour ago for a snack.  I love the “NUTrition” nuts by Plantars.  For dinner I am planning “Cheesy Fish” as the kids call it….tilapia with low fat grated parmesan, low fat mayo, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper.  We’ll have a salad too, and probably fruit or a dinner roll from the freezer.  Easy!!!!

Yesterday’s Food Journal:

Breakfast:  1 cup Life Cereal with 1/2 cup milk and coffee      Post Run snack:  20 animal crackers and 16 oz nonfat latte (made at home)  Lunch:  1 cup (Leftover/homemade) chicken pot pie, 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese, 6 oz low fat yogurt with 2 TBSP grape nuts, 3 strawberries     Snack:  1/2 Fiber One Toaster pastry (they are yum!) and 15 pita chips    Dinner:  Deli turkey on a tortilla with lowfat mayo spread (I made this with corn, green chiles, cheese, mayo, and veg dip packet), and 2 oz shredded cheese, 10 more pita chips with 2 TBSP hummus.

I haven’t written my food diary entries for a while so here is what I’ve been chewing today…  For breakfast I have had to switch up my favorite cereal.  My training for the 1/2 marathon in May requires, shall we say, a less fibrous breakfast!!!  Grape Nuts was irritating my stomach (I think) so I switched to Golden Grahams.  Easier to digest for my AM runs and still includes whole grain.  I’ll have to keep on the lower fiber breakfast as long as I am training in the AM.  I had coffee and a couple of strawberries too.  For lunch I had a 6 oz fat free yogurt with some flax seed thrown in there.  I also had scrambled Egg Beaters with 2 oz low fat cheddar on a bun.  This afternoon I had 10 almonds and 6 or 8 pita chips, plus a handful of Craisins.  For dinner we are having a great quick frozen meal that we found at Costco (I think).  Chicken burritos made with multigrain tortillas and low fat monterey jack cheese.  We’ll have fresh fruit and a salad too.  Healthy, easy, and QUICK!  We’d like to get the weekend started as soon as possible!    Hope you enjoy yours!

For those of you food journaling, take it from me…it is easier to write it down as you go!  Research also shows you eat less, and “better,” which is good!  Ok, yesterday started out with Grape Nuts (again), 1/2 cup with 1/2 cup skim milk.  After a workout, a medium nonfat latte and about 20 animal crackers for some refueling.  For lunch I had leftover pulled pork on a piece of multigrain bread with a slice of 2% cheese, 1/2 cup steamed broccoli (leftovers again!) plus a 6 oz light yogurt with 2 TBSP granola.  In the afternoon I had some wheat pita chips with 2 TBSP hummus.  For dinner I had a 93% lean hamburger patty with a slice of 2% cheese, and 1/2 cup of roasted baked potato with olive oil and rosemary.  A good day of eating, compared to my weekend!  But that is the goal-  eat better than you did before.  Don’t get hung up on a “bad” day…and if life gives you a flat tire, don’t slash your good tires too!

I certainly am not the picture of “perfect” eating, and health nuts might think I don’t eat enough soy, omega 3′s and the like.  What I think of my diet is that it is real.  It is attainable, and you can eat what I eat without any major changes to your life!  For example, today is going like this:  Breakfast was after a 4 mile run (not saying you have to do that part, but it helps!)  I had 1/2 cup of Grape Nuts- my signature cereal…with 4 ounces of milk and 4 ounces of OJ.  I had 2 cups of coffee to get me through a morning with my kids and errands to run!  We had some pita chips (about 10) while making lunch:  mini pizzas made with low fat Pillsbury biscuits, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, fresh mushrooms, and pepperonis for the kids.  I had one pizza and leftover white bean chicken chili which I made on Tuesday.   Then a Diet Pepsi…  you are seeing one of my weaknesses, caffeine.  I’ll probably eat something before dinner time, cottage cheese or a yogurt from the fridge.  Dinner is going to be chicken strips made with cornflake topping- a kid favorite, some kind of steamed veggie probably corn, fresh fruit, and milk to drink.  I’ll have to make it on my way out to an appointment, so hopefully I’ll get to sit down with the fam to enjoy it at the table.  That is another weakness, eating on the run!  Eat better than you used to…..that’s the goal.  Small changes make all the difference in developing healthy habits that last.

Try eating from a bowl or plate, every time you put anything in your mouth.  This helps you utilize all of your senses to truly enjoy what you are eating.  Bringing more satisfaction to meals/snacks will decrease mindless eating and all-day grazing!

It was a crazy day, but it didn’t start out that way.  I prepared for an hour long cardio class with a 1/2 cup serving of grape nuts with 1/2 cup of skim milk.  Again, my 4 ounces of OJ and cup of coffee.  (Boring, I know.)  Off to the gym with the kiddos and their granola bars!  After working out we headed to a friend’s house for a play date, so I stopped for a Starbuck’s nonfat gingerbread latte.  We had turkey and swiss sandwiches (I had 2!) for lunch, plus blueberries and strawberries (1/2 cup total).  I didn’t eat again until late afternoon when out came the famous pita chips and hummus.  This is a signature snack that I would recommend to anyone who gets the munchies!  Dinner was stuffed peppers, cooked with lean ground beef, rice, spaghetti sauce and cheese.  For dessert, the kids and I shared a brownie which is an indulgence I can’t resist, especially when I have a chocolate craving!  I’ll probably have some cereal for a bedtime snack since I’m planning a AM run again tomorrow.   Hopefully my journal gives you some inspiration for your next meal.