MONDAY MORNING POST: MATT'S FIRST FEW FOOD LOGS. IS HE EATING ENOUGH? WHY DID I ASK HIM TO THROW AWAY HIS VEGGIE BURGERS? WHAT CHANGES DID HE MAKE TO START BURNING MORE FAT AND BUILDING MORE MUSCLE?

Hi Deb,
Here's today's food log:

6:30a: oatmeal, berries, Morningstar Sausage

 (Side note from Deborah as I write this blog post. I told Matt I do not agree with the Morningstar veggie products because they are full of way too many processed ingredients. Here they are: 

"Water, wheat gluten, soy protein concentrate, corn oil, soy flour, egg whites, sodium caseinate, modified tapioca starch, contains two percent or less of soy protein isolate, soybean oil, lactose, spices, methylcellulose, autolyzed yeast extract, natural and artificial flavors, sodium tripolyphosphate, salt, modified corn starch, hydrolyzed wheat gluten, caramel color, disodium inosinate, crushed red pepper, whey, hydrolyzed corn gluten, red bell peppers, hydrolyzed soy protein, potassium chloride, dextrose, onion powder, disodium guanylate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, tricalcium phosphate, hydrolyzed wheat protein, sodium hexametaphosphate, succinic acid, niacinamide, monosodium phosphate, lactic acid, brewer's yeast, torula yeast, calcium phosphate, soy lecithin, iron (ferrous sulfate), magnesium carbonate, vitamin B1 (thiamin mononitrate), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12. "   I REST MY CASE!!!

And, soy protein isolate is horrible for your digestive system. Mike told me he wanted to finish the Morningstar in his freezer and then would switch to my suggestion. Here are the ingredients for Amy's "Deb Approved" Sonoma burger:

"organic quinoa, organic mushrooms, organic onions, gluten free oats, filtered water, organic walnuts, organic celery, organic carrots, organic garbanzo flour, organic potatoes, sea salt, expeller pressed high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, organic garlic.)"

9:30a: plain Greek yogurt, apple
12p: 1/2 pouch quinoa, 1/2 can of chick peas, 1 serving tofu
3p: Lara bar, Vega protein shake
7:30p (dinner out): scallops with beets, acorn squash, peppers...and another veg I can't remember. Not potato.
Question on dinners. As a quick option are veggie burgers ok for dinner if brown rice or quinoa are in the ingredients? Or should I avoid those at night as well?
Matt

Hey Matt,

Your food seemed kind of light today. Just be careful because even though you might feel okay, if your body does not get enough fuel/good calories/nutrients it can backfire in the next day or two. I would keep adding nuts to the yogurt and for lunch have the whole can of beans (even with the tofu) and have at least 3/4 quinoa pouch.

If you can avoid the starch at night, that is the best way to feel good and energized in the morning and to avoid extra body fat. If you are out to eat and that is the only healthy option, that is a time where it is a good choice.

I just spent some time looking online for a veggie burger without starch. UGH!!!! I could not find one...I am still going to look. 

Deborah

Deb,
Don't worry about the veggie burger without starch, I was just curious.
My food was a little light yesterday. I was ok during the day, but dinner left me a bit hungry. Here's my food for today:

6:30a: oatmeal w/ peanut butter & berries, Morningstar

9:30a: plain Greek yogurt with walnuts and apricots

12p: tofu, broccoli rice, 1/2 can of garbanzos and an Apple

3p: Lara bar, walnuts

6:30p: can of tuna with Tahiti, kale salad, broccoli rice

8p: apple & peanut butter (first time I've had a craving for something sweet, and was still a bit hungry)
Matt

Matt,
Here is what I would like you to do at this point. Your body is now ready and craving more good calories and if you do not feed it more you will start to hold on to your fat and burn your muscle. If you do not want that to happen here is what you need to do:

Double your portion of protein at each meal. Because you are getting hungry later in the day and now having sugar cravings... That means you are not eating correctly anymore because your body is changing. So, please take my suggestion and double the protein at each meal. I am curious to know about the morning star... Do you have a lot left? I hope I do not sound bossy... I just want to make sure you reach your goals and feel great!!!!!
Deb

Deb,
Here's my food for today:

7:30a: 4 egg whites, tofu, Morningstar, 2 slices Ezekiel wheat toast

11a: plain Greek yogurt, peanut butter, walnuts, dried apricots

1p: 2 black bean burgers, kale salad

4p: protein shake, walnuts, dried apricots 

7:30p: chopped salad with garbanzo beans, chicken breast, spinach
Matt

Matt,
Holy Cow!!!!!! THIS is exactly what I was talking about!!!! What a perfect day of eating!!! 

Okay, now that I got that out of the way...how did you feel? Were you too full?

I hope you felt great. I feel great reading this...:)
Deb

Deb,
Thanks! How did I feel... breakfast I was stuffed. Almost uncomfortably full. I worked out after but wasn't running so it was ok. The rest of the day was fine. Dinner I probably could have gone for more chicken, but in general felt good.
Matt

Matt,
Okay, so here is what I recommend:

Please try to stick with the amount of food you ate yesterday. Your body will get used to the breakfast and will get hungrier as the days go on because it will start expecting that amount of food each morning. And I am so glad that you noticed you could have had more chicken at dinner...please add it in tonight. I know I keep saying it but I will say it again, I am very proud of you!!!
Deb

Deb
Thanks, here's my food for today:

8a: oatmeal w/berries and walnuts, morningstar (last one).

11a: Vega protein shake, walnuts, dried apricots

1:30p: whole quinoa pouch, can of tuna,  1/2 can of garbanzo beans

4:30p: plain Greek yogurt with dried apricots

7:30p: 2 pieces of cod and chopped salad
Matt

Matt,
Perfect, perfect and perfect!!!!! One thing to pay attention to: If you feel hungry after the yogurt and fruit, just add some nuts to the mixture. Sometimes the natural sugar in the yogurt and the natural sugar in the fruit can lead to a hunger and some sugar cravings...so just pay attention to this and then you will know what to do if it happens. AWESOME job!!!!
Deb

WOW...THAT ANXIETY LOOKS GOOD ON YOU!!!

To my dear friend in the locker room, you know who you are:

Thank you for being so honest. Your honesty brought up a topic that many people might have already touched on or made themselves aware of but yesterday I saw another "twist." Here is how it started:

There is a woman whom I  have known for a while, first as a co-worker at the gym/my work  and now as a devoted and loyal member of the gym. She has a full-time job and a little boy. On the days that I show up to work at 1030am, she is always there in the locker room getting ready for work after she has finished her  workout/fitness class. We are both running around at that point but we smile or wave to each other, or sometimes not. Yesterday I came in at 1030 and she was dressed and ready to leave. I  smiled at her but had to do a double take. She was wearing a cute sleeveless top and her body looked soooooo strong and fit. Her arms were toned with amazing muscle and the definition in her muscle  looked great. I turned to her again and told her how strong and fit she looked and that I always notice that she is there all the time and working very hard in the gym and it shows. She turned to me and said, Thank you so much but let me tell you, I do this way more for my mental and emotional health than to look a certain way. 

And I just looked at her and said, "Isn't that the truth??? I just went through the weekend with a massive amount of anxiety. There was not a specific reason for the anxiety, I have had it my whole life and some days it is worse than others. I remember being in the car and on the way to the gym thinking that I couldn't get there fast enough. I knew that the only way for me to snap out of this and not let it ruin my weekend was to go to the gym and workout or go outside and jump rope. For me, putting on my music and moving my body is my form of escape/release/meditation, whatever you want to call it. This also forces me to BREATHE deeply which I think has more benefits to our minds than we can ever know. And just being in my own head space with my music, my movement and my breathing is what releases at least 50% of my anxiety. The workouts  help me release some of the negative chaos in my head and body." 

We had a good laugh at this because we both agreed that we find the "calm" we need through our workouts and how awesome is it that the benefit of the chaos in our head looks great on our bodies!!! I actually said that out loud and it stopped me in my tracks. If we take a positive spin on anxiety/depression/anger/sadness, etc. and instead of looking at all the negative effects it has on our life, we can "twist" that statement to say, what are the benefits to having some of these issues? Well, my friend, as much as I have know that, for me, I have always needed to release my anxiety through exercise in order to get through the day, I now have added a tag line to that:
My anxiety has shaped my body and has made me strong. The glass is now half full.  

MONDAY MORNING POST: CHRISTY'S FOOD LOGS ABOUT FEELING DEPRIVED, EATING AT RESTAURANTS AND HITTING A PLATEAU.

Deborah,

​So today I was feeling really deprived...wanted to go out for dinner and drinks and felt like nothing was really part of the plan. Bummed me out, so we went to whole foods and bought fancy food for a homemade surf and turf!! It wasn't totally "Deb approved" but it was much better than anything I would have eaten out

9:30 AM
Ezekiel muffin
Almond butter
Banana

11:30 AM
Protein shake

12:30-2 Silks class

3:00
Salmon hummus
Mary's gone crackers

8:00
Guacamole
Terra chips

8:30
Lobster tail
Pork chop
Panko crusted green beans

9:30
Frozen cherries

Christy

Christy,

This was a good treat day!!!
Why did you feel deprived? do you think it was withdrawals from your trip food? Do you think it was emotional? Is it your cycle? I would love to know what you think it was from...and I am very proud of you for making the choices you did, awesome!!!

Deborah

Deborah,
Unfortunately, I don't think it's any of that stuff. For me, it's really easy to be on target when I'm making food for myself at home. But sometimes I get cabin fever - I want to go out, and Unfortunately, I don't think it's any of that stuff. For me, it's really easy to be on target when I'm making food for myself at home. But sometimes I get cabin fever - I want to go out, and I feel like there are not a lot of options for dining out. 

Our usual affordable tasty stops: Taco Joint, Urban Belly, Smoke Daddy, etc all have starch in the majority of their options. A lot of times, if we're bored and want to go out, food is a fun activity. It was Saturday night, I felt like I wanted to go out, but I also felt like any place we went I wouldn't have a lot of choices that I could eat. What we did worked out well, but I still feel kind of frustrated that this avenue of going out feels really closed off to me. What sucks even more right now is that I'm doing my best to not go to these places and eat these things - and I'm still not seeing a lot of movement, from a weight and a shape perspective. I know everyone hits plateaus and I'm trying to stay positive, but it's tough sometimes, and then I want to eat. I think today's food log will demonstrate some of my restaurant struggles:

11:45 wake up

12:30 farro

poached egg

chicken sausage

zucchini

onions

bell pepper

5:45

salmon/avocado sushi roll

shrimp/cucumber/avocado/tuna sushi roll

7:45

two (very small) scoops of jeni's ice cream: dark chocolate and sweet potato marshmallow

We sent the rest of the ice cream home with our guests, so I won't be tempted to eat any later. 

Sushi is a great example of how going out can be really tough. In theory, it should be great - fresh fish! In practice, I ended up feeling kind of guilty about the small amount of rice, and wishing I could have more rice. As you can probably tell, I'm a little down lately. Hopefully this week will pick up!
Christy

Hi Christy,

I did not know that you felt you hit a plateau. I thought you had been going in the direction that you wanted...and were feeling great about the changes you were seeing and feeling in your body.

I know this past week away had put you in a very tough position...mentally and physically...so I am not sure if that is where you have been feeling the frustration...or if it was happening before that.

I KNOW and understand the frustrations in general about food/body/deprivation/overindulgence, etc. and believe me...I know how hard it is for those of us that want to feel great in our bodies...but also have attachments to food...as an emotional outlet...and as a treat...and as a way to enjoy life. It is all about finding a balance...and that can be very tricky.

Let me know if you want to go over any of the menus at the places you eat and look for some yummy options that also can satisfy you...but not leave you feeling bad about your choices. I would love to help you with that...if that is something that you would like me to do with you.

I send you love and hugs!!!

Deborah

"DEB APPROVED" VEGETARIAN RECIPES

                                    

"Deb Approved" recipes

http://www.simple-veganista.com

GRILLED TOFU & ASPARAGUS + GINGER CAULIFLOWER RICE

Ingredients

• glug of dark sesame oil
• 1 block (14 oz) firm or extra-firm tofu, drained & cut into 1 1/2 squares
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
• 4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 package cauliflower rice or 1 large cauliflower, grated
• 1 inch piece ginger, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• mineral salt, to taste
• lemons sliced, to serve

Place the grill/griddle over the front and back burner. Heat the grill over medium – medium high heat. Using a silicon brush, coat the entire surface well with sesame oil.

In a small bowl, mix together the tamari/soy sauce and sesame seeds, set aside.

Add tofu squares to half of the grill and the asparagus to the other (I put the tofu towards the front and the asparagus to the back). Cook 5 – 7 minutes. Spoon the marinade over top the tofu, just enough to give it color. Add a little over the asparagus as well. Carefully flip the tofu and cook another 5 – 7 minutes, until golden brown on both sides. Rotate the asparagus as needed to cook evenly. Once complete turn off the heat. Add a few slices of lemon to grill to give it a grilled look, it warms the lemon and makes the juices taste delicious!

Heat a large pan or skillet over medium, add cauliflower, minced ginger, garlic powder and a pinch of mineral salt. Mix and stir until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Serve with a little squeezed lemon and a few extra toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Notes:

Grate your own cauliflower: Using the large holes of a cheese/box grater, grate cauliflower. Pat ‘cauliflower rice’ with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.

I never press my tofu, I only blot it dry. The heat from the grill will remove most of the moisture making pressing unnecessary.

               

  "Deb Approved" recipes

http://www.simple-veganista.com

Spicy Lentil & Quinoa Wraps with Spicy Tahini Sauce

Lentil & Quinoa Mix

• 3/4 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups water, + more as needed
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, optional
• 2 heaping teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pink salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 scallion, sliced

Spicy Tahini Sauce

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup water, + more as needed
• juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 tablespoon
• pinch of pink salt
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

to serve

• shredded cabbage or micro greens
• lavash bread or corn tortillas (flour tortillas work too)
• chili paste or sriracha (may fav chili paste)
• sliced avocado, for tacos (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, bring water, lentils, quinoa and oil to a boil, reduce heat to low, add in cumin, garlic & onion powder, salt and optional red pepper flakes, stir to combine, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add in chopped parsley and scallions, let rest for 10 minutes. If you feel it’s too dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Mixture should be creamy, not dry. Add extra spices to taste.

While lentil & quinoa mix is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the wrap, lay your lavash bread on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or so of chili paste about 1 1/2 inches from the edge on the first 1/3 portion from top to bottom, leaving an inch on both ends. Layer with about 1/4 cup lentil & quinoa mix and cabbage, fold over and roll. Slice in half and serve with a drizzle of tahini sauce on each bite.

For tacos, warm your tortillas, layer with lentil & quinoa mix, micro greens or cabbage, add chili paste and tahini dressing to taste and sliced avocado.

Notes:

Feel free to use all cabbage, or any greens that you like. I have used micro greens here because I had them on hand and for variation.

Lentil & quinoa mix makes about 3 cups. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for longer.

Tahini sauce makes about 3/4 cup. Store in refrigerator for up to a week. Great on salads, steamed or roasted vegetables too! If you prefer it to be thicker, use less water.

If you don’t have quinoa available you can still pull this together using all lentils. 1 cup lentils to 2 1/4 cups water. If using brown/green lentils, cook at least 40-45 minutes.

            

"Deb Approved" recipes

http://www.simple-veganista.com

SMOKY LENTIL & QUINOA SOUP

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils (french, beluga or green/brown)
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 large carrots, diced 1/4″
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil or 1/4 cup water for water saute
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted) or 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 6-7 cups vegetable broth or water
• 2 – 3 bay leafs
• 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika (if using hot use 1 teaspoon or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• mineral salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Rinse your lentils well and pick through removing any oddly shaped or colored lentils. Rinse quinoa using a fine mesh strainer to remove any powdery residue.

In a large pot/dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, until onions are tender. Add smoked paprika, cumin, thyme and nutmeg, cook until fragrant, about 1 – 2 minutes. Add in tomatoes, broth, lentils, quinoa, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and tasting for flavor as you go. Once done, remove from heat, add balsamic vinegar and stir. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Spoon soup into serving dishes and top with optional chopped parsley. Pairs great with avocado toast!

You may like to serve this with some fresh homemade naan bread, like this one from Vegan Richa or this gluten free one from Golubka Kitchen

Soup serves 4 – 6

Notes:

Feel free to add 1 cup of quinoa instead of 1/2 cup. Just be sure to add the full 7 cups of liquids when cooking, adding more at the end if needed. You can also try using 1 1/2 cup lentils and 1/2 cup quinoa if you like.

For me, using a good vegetable broth in this soup was key to flavor. I used 4 cups of broth and 2 1/2 cups water.

Use 2 teaspoons of thyme if you don’t have any dried basil on hand.

If you’re a tomato lover, try using 1 can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes or 3-4 fresh tomatoes.

If you feel the soup is on the sweet side, add the juice of one lemon to cut the sweetness.

Enjoy!

          

"Deb Approved" recipes

http://www.simple-veganista.com

 Curried Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked or 2 cans (15 oz.) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 – 3 carrots (about 1 cup), diced
• 4 – 5 scallions/green onions (about 1 cup), sliced
• 1/2 cup raisins, dried currants or chopped dates
• 1/2 cup raw or toasted cashews
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup thinned hummus or tahini, vegan mayo would work too (see notes)
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• mineral salt & cracked pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine hummus with lemon juice, curry & garlic powder and a generous pinch of salt. Blend until combined. Set aside. (If adding vinegar or maple syrup as per the notes below, add to the hummus at this time.)

In a medium mixing bowl, add chickpeas and roughly mash about 1/2 of the beans with the back of a sturdy fork or potato masher. Add in the carrots, scallions, raisins, cashews and hummus, mix well to combine. Taste for flavor adding mineral salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Serve as is, with sliced red bell peppers as scoopers, on a bed of leafy greens, with crackers or made into a Chickpea Curry Sandwich with bread of choice.

Serves 4-6.

Notes:

I love the sweetness that the dried fruit gives and could use up to 3/4 cup so each bite has a little sweetness to it. Feel free to add extra raisins, currants or dates.

If your hummus is on the thick side, thin it out with water until desired thinness. Using a small bowl add a couple rounded tablespoons of hummus with 1 tablespoon of water. Adding more of each as you go until you have a thinner hummus. Do the same if using tahini. Feel free to use more for a super creamy salad. If your measuring by tablespoons: 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup and about 11 tablespoons = 2/3 cups (technically 10T + 2t).

You can try tweaking this recipe by adding a tablespoon or so of apple cider or white wine vinegar to the wet mixture. It will give it a slight tang. You may also like to try adding a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener of choice to add a little sweetness all around. Adjust curry, adding more or less, to suit your taste.

Try replacing the carrots with diced red bell peppers for color variation.

MONDAY MORNING POST: KATY'S VEGETARIAN FOOD LOG...A PERFECT DAY 2 OF EATING CORRECTLY AND FEELING SATISFIED.

Hi Deborah,

  Hope your busy day yesterday went smoothly.  Following is my log for Wednesday, 

9:15am: Cinnamon raisin bread, peanut butter and half banana.  I also threw in a whole hard boiled egg...I passed a few of my old breakfast places today (as I do everyday) and I was craving an egg with cheese on a croissant.  The egg did help ease the craving a little.  So much so, that I threw an egg in with my breakfast today also.

               As I mentioned in my e-mail yesterday, I was feeling tired in the morning.  However, the good news is that my mood remained positive and I felt less bloated.

Noon:   I was getting hungry at 11:30 and looking forward to lunch.  I ordered a small salad from Specialty's (no dressing or bread), which has (very) small portions of the following: grape tomatoes, peas, green onions, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, slice of avocado, half hard boiled egg, strawberries and blueberries.  To that small salad I added half can of garbanzo beans, half can of cannelli beans  and almost a whole can of artichoke hearts topped off with a little Annie's Goddess dressing.  I had water and a clementine with my meal.  I was very satisfied and didn't feel overly full or bloated after this meal, was happy.

2pm:    At this point, I have a pretty annoying headache, which I've had off and on since the weekend.  Today it's to the point where I'm taking an Excedrin Migraine pill.  I'm not sure if the headache is due to the changing weather, or because I'm about to start my menstrual cycle.

3:10pm:   One serving of Sabra very spicy hummus and one serving of Mary's Gone Crackers - herb flavor.  What a great snack, spicy too.  More water to wash it down.

7:15pm:   Kristy's Black Bean Soup: can of black beans; half an avocado; half Roma tomato; squirt of fresh lime and a few dollops of yogurt.   By this time, my headache is gone, I'm still feeling positive and have a good amount of energy.

Hope you have a great day,

Katy

Katy,
Hip, Hip Hooray!!! I am loving these food logs!!! You are so good at discovering what is working for you,  what you are craving, how to solve that issue with the healthy foods,  how to see the patterns of the meals to come (when hungry) and the way to make a meal satisfying by adding more nutrients/foods. You Rock!!!
 I am sorry you had a headache. I had a headache too, the precipitation is crazy. And yes, I love that you are also aware that ovulation brings on the symptoms that we have come to love and enjoy...NOT!!! :)
I love that you are feeling positive. I think the bloating is part ovulation and it could also be your body getting used to the new eating.
Please let me know if you are feeling hungry or bored or sluggish. It sounds like you are not feeling these things but if you do, I just want to make sure we solve the issue.
You must be very proud of yourself. This is just wonderful the way that you have been able to change your eating so easily. You make me proud!!!!
I will send you some healthy vegetarian recipes in the next few days.
Hugs...
Deborah

Click link below to hear Deborah Stern: Personal Trainer and Nutrition Counselor Explains How Women Over Forty Can Get Fit and Stay Fit

https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/deborah-stern-personal-trainer-and-nutrition-counselor-explains-how-women-over-forty-can-get-fit-and-stay-fit/

MONDAY MORNING POST: READ HOW KATY'S FOOD LOG ACCOUNTABILITY HELPED HER BLOOD SUGAR ISSUES AND HER OVER-ALL HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. KATY'S FOOD LOG HAS SOME GREAT IDEAS FOR HEALTHY, YUMMY MEALS AND SNACKS. ENJOY!!!

Deborah,

Happppppyyyyyy Friday!  Yesterday was a good day and I noticed something amazing...I haven't had a blood sugar issue in over a week.  Prior to my meeting w/you, I would have low blood sugar episodes where I would get the sweats, become shaky and unable to focus/concentrate.  This would most commonly happen sometime between noon and 1:30 at work, but would also happened frequently on the weekends.  Being hungry is one thing, but when it's followed by the blood sugar side affects, the world just starts to spin, almost literally.  I realized that I feel so much more in control of myself/my eating habits...and I like it.  I have to confess something...I'm afraid of what will happen when I "go out on my own" and I'm not accountable for e-mailing you my food diary each day.  While I do like where I'm at, I feel good and I realize the terrible affect my old habits were having, I'm afraid that I'll slide back into my old ways (why am I getting emotional?  I feel like I could cry...is it the menstrual cycle?).  OK, now that I have expressed all that, let's move on to the food diary for Thursday, April 7th:

9:15am:     The usual: Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread, almond butter and a banana with water.

10:30am:   Decaff coffee with more water (I've never drank so much water in my life)

12:30am:  Amazing lunch: left over quinoa/kale mixture from earlier in the week, 1 serving

Path of Life roasted garlic cauliflower, frozen/steamed, ate whole darn bag  added a few red kidney beans and garbanzo beans with - yes you guessed it - more water.  This meal was amazing with the mixture I made, the seasoned veggies made all the difference and I'm for sure buying this again!  I was on the verge of too full, but I had a lot of energy and felt good.  

3:40pm:    I ate the rest of my Food Print for Life yogurt parfait

Find the recipe on my blog. Just click the "recipe" button.

 mixture from Tuesday, even though I felt I could skip the snack, figured I probably needed the energy for my workout tonight.  More water with a half-caff. coffee

8:30pm:    I really really am not in the mood for dinner, but Deborah says not to skip meals.  So, I had a few plain almonds and some green grapes. Glad I ate - the grapes were refreshing after the workout and while watching the season finale of American Idol - I knew Trent Harmon would win!!!!!!!!!!!

Today for breakfast I mixed it up...(OK, so I have no more bananas or cinnamon raisin bread - sad face).  I had a serving of cottage cheese and 2 clementines ("cuties") and I feel pretty full.  Do you think I can put this breakfast in the rotation?  

I've been sleeping like a log and, as usual, having trouble getting up to the alarm.  Is there any diet in the world that can make me HOP out of bed in the morning?  LOL  Jim and I are spending the weekend at my place, which should help me stay on track through the weekend, and I'm looking forward to week 3 of sending my food logs to you.  I hope you have a wonderful evening and weekend, talk w/you soon.

Katy

Hi Katy,
I am sooooo sorry I am getting back to you so late in the day. I had a full day of clients.
Sooooooo, here is what I offer to my clients when they feel they might not be ready yet to go without sending  food logs to me for guidance and accountability and feedback (there are many clients who feel the same way you do, please know that it is wonderful that you can be so honest with yourself and know that you will be ready to go on your own but that is only when you are ready.) You can sign up to send me another month of food logs.  I encourage you to do this only if you feel the need to, also knowing that after one month you may feel secure with eating healthy and clean, knowing when to have treats and how it works into your life. You are NOT alone in this feeling. As I said many of my clients continue the food logs until they are ready on their own.
I am soooooooo happy to hear about your blood sugar levels being so even and calm!!!! That is music to my ears!!!! What a great feeling. You must be so happy and proud. Yippy yahoooooo...
As for the breakfast of cottage cheese and clementines, as long as you have a full cup of the cottage cheese with the fruit, you should be good. What I want you to do is pay attention to how you feel with that breakfast compared to the other breakfast. If you notice you are more hungry or tired during the day or hungrier at night, it all comes down to the breakfast. If the cottage cheese is not as satisfying or satiating, please go back to the other breakfast.
I LOVE that you had me in your head and had the small dinner. You rock!!
Also, if I could create a breakfast to make ME jump out of bed in the morning, I would be a rich woman!!! I HATE waking up to an alarm and always have, so, I think, for me, I just know that is how is goes and cherish the days I get to sleep in. So, to answer your question, I do not have the magic breakfast to make us hop out of bed like little bunnies!!!
Have a fabulous weekend with Jim. Keep up the amazing work with the eating, DRINKING WATER, and exercise. AMEN!!!
Deborah