Let’s try this again, shall we?
Since July 23, 2008, I have lost 23 pounds following the McDougall Program (more or less). These last three months or so I have slacked a bit, and it’s been reflected in the lethargic movement of the numbers on my scale. I haven’t been eating junk left and right–I’m still eating better than I was a year ago, but when you need to lose 60 pounds, sometimes that’s not good enough. A few more cheat days were sliding in here and there. On Valentine’s and my birthday (March 1), I totally blew it. This last week I’ve discovered two blogs that have inspired me to experiment in the kitchen again–Happy Herbivore and Vegan Dad. Today is my first “official” day back on track. I plan on posting pictures and recipes (or links to recipes if the recipes aren’t mine) of what I eat each day. Hopefully having to be accountable to my blog will help eliminate my “cheat” days (I’ve been having 1 or 2 a week for the last month or so–cheat days are bad news). Here are a few of my goals on my path to eating better:
1. Eliminate white flour from my diet, and try to minimize flour products in general.
2. Instead of “cheating,” find ways to make low-fat vegan versions of “bad” foods (Happy Herbivore’s blog is a big help in this area).
3. Eliminate all sodas, diet or otherwise. We have free soda fountains at work, and the Diet Pepsi can be hard to resist at times. I may occasionally have a Zevia soda now and then. We’ll see.
4. Cut back on unnecessary fat that has crept into my diet.
5. Keep sugar intake to a minimum. The majority of sugar should come from fruit.
Luckily, even though my diet’s been spotty these last few months, I’ve stuck to exercising at least 5 days a week. I usually walk or ride my bicycle for 40+ minutes per day. And I lift light weights 2-4 times per week.
I didn’t get a chance to take pictures of today’s meals, but in the interest of full-disclosure, here’s what I consumed today:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar
Snack: Banana
Lunch: Mock Tuna Salad over lettuce
Snack: Apple
Snack: Banana
Dinner: Ezekiel tortilla pizza w/ small amount of soy cheese, tomato sauce, pineapple, faux bacon bits
Later: black coffee (big mistake–that’s why I’m awake now!)
Exercise: 30 minutes on bicycle; 40 minutes walking
Dinner should have had more green veggies. I was trying to use up a few things in my fridge. Tomorrow’s dinner will be better.
Hopefully tomorrow I will have pictures! I did a lot of prep work tonight to hopefully make eating healthy easier this week. I’ve already got tomorrow’s lunch all ready in the fridge. All I have to do is stick it in my lunch box before I leave for work!
