Despite all of my efforts, today was harder than yesterday. I've had both victories and challenges. Being away from home is hard. So far, I have learned that I can certainly make the Cinch plan work while traveling, but I still have a long way to go with my will power surrounding the constant need to eat. I don't understand why I contantly feel like snacking? (It's certainly not boredom since we've been quite busy during our trip.)
BREAKFAST (9:00 am)
Kashi Go Lean Cereal, Yogurt, and Lara Bar:
Apple Pie Lara Bar (fruit and plant-based fat puzzle pieces of the Cinch plan)
3/4 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal
6 oz vanilla yogurt
Dash cinnamon
LUNCH (12:30 pm)
Turkey Burger with Steamed Broccoli:
1 cup steamed broccoli
1 slice Nutty Oat bread, cut in half
4 oz turkey burger (this was 1 oz. over what I should have had for the protein)
No plant based fat
Pickles and mustard on the burger and Pampered Chef Tomato Pesto Garlic seasoning for the broccoli
Before lunch, for some strange reason I ate 5 crackers, a bite of a biscuit, and 2 bites of my son's chicken finger while I was waiting for my turkey burger to cook. I was pretty hungry and was multi-tasking way too much, which in turn made my meal take longer to cook. Yet another reason why it is important to plan your meals ahead of time and not be distracted.
I had my dark chocolate 100 calorie bar around 3:30 pm.
No snack today because we were having a family dinner tonight where I wasn't sure I could stay within the plan.
DINNER (6:30 pm)
1 1/2 cups of salad with tomato, dried cranberries, and 1 cup cooked green beans
1 small wheat roll
3 small slices of honey baked ham
Sliced almonds on my salad
After dinner, I had 2 bites of my son's chocolate chip bar and another piece of dark chocolate at my grandma's house. This was a small victory considering that I was thinking about having a whole piece of peanut butter cream pie. And I skipped it -- Yay for me!
After we got home, I got hungry while watching the Grammy's. I was tempted yet again by the nacho cheese Combos in the pantry, but I ended up having another Lara bar instead (the Cashew one). I wasn't too impressed with this flavor. So far, I like the Cookie Dough and Apple Pie flavored Lara bars.
I'm really hoping that tomorrow is easier than today.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Day 21 - On The Road
Today was pretty good considering that I was completely out of my element and traveling on the road. I packed quite a lot of Cinch friendly snacks to fill in the puzzle pieces for any meal that I might be missing. I packed dried veggies, whole grain crackers, Kashi Go Lean cereal, a few Lara bars, a few 100 calorie packs of raw natural almonds, and a few packs of the Justin's all-natural nut butters. And of course, my daily dark chocolate boxes of 100 calorie bars from Trader Joe's! I even gave a box to my Dad. Next to me, he is the biggest dark chocolate fan I know. Here is how the day went:
BREAKFAST (9:00 am)
McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal and Skim Milk
Dried cranberries and raisins and red & green apples
Oatmeal
1 jug of low-fat skim milk
100 calorie pack of raw almonds
Spices - probably a few in the oatmeal
At first bite, the oatmeal was VERY sweet. And then I noticed that McDonald's has kindly placed 2 nutrition labels on the side of their oatmeal container: 1 with brown sugar and 1 without the brown sugar. They must be anticipating people to order their oatmeal without the added brown sugar.
And the difference is? About 14 grams. Yikes. 32 total grams of sugar in this baby. I ate a little over half of it. Although, I certainly could have kept going because it was tasty. I paired it with skim milk and a package of almonds I stashed in my food & snacks bag.
LUNCH (2:00 pm) at Cracker Barrel
Salad, Cottage Cheese, and Toast:
2 cups tossed salad (lettuce, tomatoes, red onion only)
1 slice of wheat sourdough toast
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 TBSP Justin's honey almond butter
Red wine vinegar for the salad
This was perfect for the Cinch plan! I was so proud of myself. Although the bread was probably not whole grain. And I did manage to sneak a bite of a biscuit at the table. Oh well...
A few hours later, we stopped at a Wal-mart to pick-up some misc. things we needed. While there, I bought some low-fat cottage cheese and vanilla yogurt to keep on hand at my parents' house. Shortly after Wal-mart, I had my 100 calories of dark chocolate.
SNACK (5:30 pm)
Chocolate Cookie Dough Lara Bar
8 oz skim milk
At my grandma's house, I was getting hungry for dinner. I also sneaked a slice of deli turkey and a piece of dark chocolate after my snack. Being accountable to "the cheater in me" stinks...
DINNER (8:00 pm)
Grilled Chicken Salad and Whole Grain Crackers with Almond Butter:
1 1/2 cups lettuce plus 1/4 cup Just Tomatoes Etc. dried veggies
1 serving Dr. Kracker whole grain crackers
3 oz cooked fajita chicken (I might have had more than 3 oz... yum)
1 TBSP Justin's honey almond butter
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar and Tastefully Simple Tomato and Pesto dried seasoning mixed spices
This was pretty good. I need to find a way to eat cooked veggies. I don't want to keep eating salads during this trip.
All in all, I didn't do too bad today.
BREAKFAST (9:00 am)
McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal and Skim Milk
Dried cranberries and raisins and red & green apples
Oatmeal
1 jug of low-fat skim milk
100 calorie pack of raw almonds
Spices - probably a few in the oatmeal
At first bite, the oatmeal was VERY sweet. And then I noticed that McDonald's has kindly placed 2 nutrition labels on the side of their oatmeal container: 1 with brown sugar and 1 without the brown sugar. They must be anticipating people to order their oatmeal without the added brown sugar.
And the difference is? About 14 grams. Yikes. 32 total grams of sugar in this baby. I ate a little over half of it. Although, I certainly could have kept going because it was tasty. I paired it with skim milk and a package of almonds I stashed in my food & snacks bag.
LUNCH (2:00 pm) at Cracker Barrel
Salad, Cottage Cheese, and Toast:
2 cups tossed salad (lettuce, tomatoes, red onion only)
1 slice of wheat sourdough toast
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 TBSP Justin's honey almond butter
Red wine vinegar for the salad
This was perfect for the Cinch plan! I was so proud of myself. Although the bread was probably not whole grain. And I did manage to sneak a bite of a biscuit at the table. Oh well...
A few hours later, we stopped at a Wal-mart to pick-up some misc. things we needed. While there, I bought some low-fat cottage cheese and vanilla yogurt to keep on hand at my parents' house. Shortly after Wal-mart, I had my 100 calories of dark chocolate.
SNACK (5:30 pm)
Chocolate Cookie Dough Lara Bar
8 oz skim milk
At my grandma's house, I was getting hungry for dinner. I also sneaked a slice of deli turkey and a piece of dark chocolate after my snack. Being accountable to "the cheater in me" stinks...
DINNER (8:00 pm)
Grilled Chicken Salad and Whole Grain Crackers with Almond Butter:
1 1/2 cups lettuce plus 1/4 cup Just Tomatoes Etc. dried veggies
1 serving Dr. Kracker whole grain crackers
3 oz cooked fajita chicken (I might have had more than 3 oz... yum)
1 TBSP Justin's honey almond butter
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar and Tastefully Simple Tomato and Pesto dried seasoning mixed spices
This was pretty good. I need to find a way to eat cooked veggies. I don't want to keep eating salads during this trip.
All in all, I didn't do too bad today.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Day 20 - Quick Post
Just a quick post for today. I still have to finish packing for our trip tomorrow. I'm going to do my best to stick to my diet while we are in Indiana.
BREAKFAST (8:30 am)
Almond Toast with Berries and Milk:
(I made this one up since I'm trying to use up my berries before they go bad.)
1 cup fresh strawberries and blueberries, combined
1 slice whole grain bread, toasted
8 oz. skim milk
1 TBSP almond butter
Dash cloves for the berries
I also had a cappucino from the work cafeteria for breakfast, but it tasted REALLY sweet. I think it may have had some kind of creamer or sweetener that I wasn't aware of. My taste buds are definitely changing since I have eliminated salt, sugar, and other artificial sweeteners from my diet (with the exception of my vanilla yogurt). I refuse to eat plain yogurt again.
LUNCH (1:00 pm)
Tomato, Olive, and Munster Cheese Pita:
(I made this one up too, so I could use up my tomatoes and olives.)
1/2 cup tomatoes and 2 large romaine lettuce leaves
1/2 whole grain pita
1 slice munster cheese
10 Kalamatta olives
Fresh basil and dried oregano
This was tasty especially as I got to the bottom of the pita where all of my cheese was buried. Yum!
I had 100 calories of dark chocolate around 2:00 pm.
SNACK (5:00 pm)
Peppery Kiwi Almond Crunch:
1 medium kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 slice whole grain bread (omitted)
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (I subbed cottage cheese)
2 TBSP slivered almonds (I subbed pecans)
Dash black pepper
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Green Tea Chicken with Avocado Corn Salad:
1 1/2 cups field greens, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, and 1/4 cup fresh salsa
1/2 cup corn, frozen
3 oz cooked chicken
1/4 of a medium avocado
Green tea leaves mixed with pepper, garlic powder, and lemon zest
I thought this meal was quite delicious. The green tea leaves on my chicken were a surprisingly pleasant taste.
BREAKFAST (8:30 am)
Almond Toast with Berries and Milk:
(I made this one up since I'm trying to use up my berries before they go bad.)
1 cup fresh strawberries and blueberries, combined
1 slice whole grain bread, toasted
8 oz. skim milk
1 TBSP almond butter
Dash cloves for the berries
I also had a cappucino from the work cafeteria for breakfast, but it tasted REALLY sweet. I think it may have had some kind of creamer or sweetener that I wasn't aware of. My taste buds are definitely changing since I have eliminated salt, sugar, and other artificial sweeteners from my diet (with the exception of my vanilla yogurt). I refuse to eat plain yogurt again.
LUNCH (1:00 pm)
Tomato, Olive, and Munster Cheese Pita:
(I made this one up too, so I could use up my tomatoes and olives.)
1/2 cup tomatoes and 2 large romaine lettuce leaves
1/2 whole grain pita
1 slice munster cheese
10 Kalamatta olives
Fresh basil and dried oregano
This was tasty especially as I got to the bottom of the pita where all of my cheese was buried. Yum!
I had 100 calories of dark chocolate around 2:00 pm.
SNACK (5:00 pm)
Peppery Kiwi Almond Crunch:
1 medium kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 slice whole grain bread (omitted)
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (I subbed cottage cheese)
2 TBSP slivered almonds (I subbed pecans)
Dash black pepper
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Green Tea Chicken with Avocado Corn Salad:
1 1/2 cups field greens, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, and 1/4 cup fresh salsa
1/2 cup corn, frozen
3 oz cooked chicken
1/4 of a medium avocado
Green tea leaves mixed with pepper, garlic powder, and lemon zest
I thought this meal was quite delicious. The green tea leaves on my chicken were a surprisingly pleasant taste.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Day 19 - Down Another 1.5 Lbs.
I have now lost 7.5 pounds in almost 3 weeks! In fact, I am 2 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight. My son is almost 2 years old, and I’m just now losing all of my baby weight. I suppose it is better than not bouncing back at all.
This is better than any other diet I’ve tried. I’m absolutely going to do another 30 days of this plan. I have a goal to reach by my son's birthday at the end of April.
BREAKFAST (8:00 am)
Dark Chocolate Oatmeal and Blueberries Mixed with Yogurt:
1 cup fresh blueberries
¼ cup whole oats
6 oz vanilla yogurt
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Dash nutmeg
Dark chocolate for breakfast. *drool* It was pretty awesome.
LUNCH (1:00 pm)
Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Guacamole:
I altered the recipe to 1 full cup of cooked spinach, ¼ cup chopped red onion, and ¼ cup all-natural salsa
2 whole-corn tortillas
½ cup black beans
¼ of a medium avocado
Lime juice and chopped cilantro
I love these bean tacos. They were especially yummy with the fresh salsa. I finally found corn tortillas that don’t break in half when I eat them. They are the 365 brand from Whole Foods. And my avocados were finally ripe… Wouldn’t you know? I’m getting ready to go out of town for 4 days!
I had my daily dark chocolate and chai green tea around 3:00 pm.
DINNER (6:30 pm)
Citrus Salmon Salad:
1 cup field greens and ½ cup each chopped red onion and chopped green beans
½ cup frozen corn, thawed
3 oz cooked salmon
¼ of a medium avocado
1 TBSP red wine vinegar (I used balsamic instead), dashes of dried oregano and basil, as well as juice & zest from a Minneola
This salmon salad was great!
SNACK (9:30 pm)
Vanilla Almond Frozen Banana:
(I halved the whole grain and plant-based fat portions, so I could eat the full recipe.)
1 small banana
1/8 cup whole oats
6 oz vanilla yogurt
1 TBSP chopped peanuts
Dash cinnamon (subbed instead of the vanilla, since my yogurt was already sweetened)
Oh yum, I really liked having my snack later tonight. I had to rearrange my usual 8-12-4-8 eating schedule today since I took a Latin Mix class at the gym tonight. It didn’t start until 7:15 pm, so I needed to eat dinner earlier this evening.
But anyways, back to the banana. I stuck it in the freezer for ½ hour around 9:00 and took it out to enjoy around 9:30 pm. Look how delicious it is:
Tomorrow, I'm planning to make my meals based on whatever ingredients I have in my fridge that need to be used up before going out of town. Should be interesting!
This is better than any other diet I’ve tried. I’m absolutely going to do another 30 days of this plan. I have a goal to reach by my son's birthday at the end of April.
BREAKFAST (8:00 am)
Dark Chocolate Oatmeal and Blueberries Mixed with Yogurt:
1 cup fresh blueberries
¼ cup whole oats
6 oz vanilla yogurt
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Dash nutmeg
Dark chocolate for breakfast. *drool* It was pretty awesome.
LUNCH (1:00 pm)
Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Guacamole:
I altered the recipe to 1 full cup of cooked spinach, ¼ cup chopped red onion, and ¼ cup all-natural salsa
2 whole-corn tortillas
½ cup black beans
¼ of a medium avocado
Lime juice and chopped cilantro
I love these bean tacos. They were especially yummy with the fresh salsa. I finally found corn tortillas that don’t break in half when I eat them. They are the 365 brand from Whole Foods. And my avocados were finally ripe… Wouldn’t you know? I’m getting ready to go out of town for 4 days!
I had my daily dark chocolate and chai green tea around 3:00 pm.
DINNER (6:30 pm)
Citrus Salmon Salad:
1 cup field greens and ½ cup each chopped red onion and chopped green beans
½ cup frozen corn, thawed
3 oz cooked salmon
¼ of a medium avocado
1 TBSP red wine vinegar (I used balsamic instead), dashes of dried oregano and basil, as well as juice & zest from a Minneola
This salmon salad was great!
SNACK (9:30 pm)
Vanilla Almond Frozen Banana:
(I halved the whole grain and plant-based fat portions, so I could eat the full recipe.)
1 small banana
1/8 cup whole oats
6 oz vanilla yogurt
1 TBSP chopped peanuts
Dash cinnamon (subbed instead of the vanilla, since my yogurt was already sweetened)
Oh yum, I really liked having my snack later tonight. I had to rearrange my usual 8-12-4-8 eating schedule today since I took a Latin Mix class at the gym tonight. It didn’t start until 7:15 pm, so I needed to eat dinner earlier this evening.
But anyways, back to the banana. I stuck it in the freezer for ½ hour around 9:00 and took it out to enjoy around 9:30 pm. Look how delicious it is:
Tomorrow, I'm planning to make my meals based on whatever ingredients I have in my fridge that need to be used up before going out of town. Should be interesting!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Day 18 - All Aboard Again!
Today has been much better. I have gotten back on track after venting about yesterday.
I will be traveling 8 hours in the car to Indiana this coming Saturday through next Tuesday to be with my family after the passing of my uncle last Saturday. I will be "tested" with my diet for 4 straight days. Which means, it's important that I do some planning ahead. I am packing 8 Lara bars (for the fruit and plant-based fat servings in my breakfasts and snacks), 8 serving size snack bags of the Just Tomatoes Etc. dried veggies (for lunches and dinners), 8 servings of the Dr. Kracker whole grain crackers, and 4 single size servings of the Justin's Butters. I will just need to incorporate some protein at each meal (such as chicken, yogurt, cottage cheese, or milk). My dad said that a family friend is supposed to be making our family dinner one night, so I will have to make the meal work into the puzzle pieces. Although, if it is the one meal that I happen to splurge a bit, I will not beat myself up because she is a FANTASTIC cook!!
Here were my meals today:
BREAKFAST (8:00 am)
Banana Ricotta Hazelnut Toast:
1 slice whole grain toasted bread, topped with:
¼ cup low fat ricotta cheese
1 small banana
2 TBSP chopped hazelnuts
Sprinkled with cloves
Yes, I'm addicted to this breakfast. This might be the 4th time I have had it now.
LUNCH (12:00 pm)
Zesty Bean and Summer Slaw Pita:
1 cup shredded purple cabbage, ½ cup shredded carrot, and 2 TBSP chopped onion
½ whole grain pita
½ cup cannellini beans
¼ of an avocado (I subbed 2 TBSP sunflower seeds)
1 TBSP orange juice, 2 TBSP rice vinegar, ½ tsp celery seed, dash pepper
My silly avocados are now showing signs of ripening, but they still weren't quite ready for my pita today. I ended up subbing the sunflower seeds, which were pretty good.
SNACK (4:30 pm)
Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait:
1/2 cup canned pineapple
1/4 cup whole oats (omitted)
6 oz vanilla yogurt
2 TBSP slivered almonds
Dash pepper
This was pretty good. Although, I went overboard on the pineapple. I didn't realize the serving size was 1 cup fresh pineapple or 1/2 cup canned pineapple. I ended up eating a full cup of canned pineapple.
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
1/2 cup each artichoke hearts, fresh baby spinach, red bell pepper, and red onion
1/2 cup whole grain spiral pasta
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 Kalamatta olives
1 TBSP red wine vinegar (I used balsamic instead) and dashes each dried basil and oregano
I was pleasantly surprised by this meal! The artichokes kind of tasted like the earth (hahaha - I'll just say it "dirt"), but the rest of the meal was still tasty. I have only had artichokes in spinach artichoke dip before, which of course is covered in creamy cheese. Hmmmm... now how can I make spinach artichoke dip Cinch! friendly?
No exercise today since my son had Little Gym tonight. I exercised for the past 3 days, so 1 day off will be OK.
I'm considering doing the plan again once my 30 days are through - even starting over with the 5-Day Fast Forward phase again and continuing through another 30 days. I'm not sure what the author's thoughts are about repeating the plan from start to finish a second time.
Tomorrow, I am planning to have the Dark Chocolate Oatmeal with Blueberries & Yogurt for breakfast, the Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Guacamole for lunch, the Vanilla Almond Frozen Banana for a snack, and the Citrus Salmon Salad for dinner.
I will be traveling 8 hours in the car to Indiana this coming Saturday through next Tuesday to be with my family after the passing of my uncle last Saturday. I will be "tested" with my diet for 4 straight days. Which means, it's important that I do some planning ahead. I am packing 8 Lara bars (for the fruit and plant-based fat servings in my breakfasts and snacks), 8 serving size snack bags of the Just Tomatoes Etc. dried veggies (for lunches and dinners), 8 servings of the Dr. Kracker whole grain crackers, and 4 single size servings of the Justin's Butters. I will just need to incorporate some protein at each meal (such as chicken, yogurt, cottage cheese, or milk). My dad said that a family friend is supposed to be making our family dinner one night, so I will have to make the meal work into the puzzle pieces. Although, if it is the one meal that I happen to splurge a bit, I will not beat myself up because she is a FANTASTIC cook!!
Here were my meals today:
BREAKFAST (8:00 am)
Banana Ricotta Hazelnut Toast:
1 slice whole grain toasted bread, topped with:
¼ cup low fat ricotta cheese
1 small banana
2 TBSP chopped hazelnuts
Sprinkled with cloves
Yes, I'm addicted to this breakfast. This might be the 4th time I have had it now.
LUNCH (12:00 pm)
Zesty Bean and Summer Slaw Pita:
1 cup shredded purple cabbage, ½ cup shredded carrot, and 2 TBSP chopped onion
½ whole grain pita
½ cup cannellini beans
¼ of an avocado (I subbed 2 TBSP sunflower seeds)
1 TBSP orange juice, 2 TBSP rice vinegar, ½ tsp celery seed, dash pepper
My silly avocados are now showing signs of ripening, but they still weren't quite ready for my pita today. I ended up subbing the sunflower seeds, which were pretty good.
SNACK (4:30 pm)
Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait:
1/2 cup canned pineapple
1/4 cup whole oats (omitted)
6 oz vanilla yogurt
2 TBSP slivered almonds
Dash pepper
This was pretty good. Although, I went overboard on the pineapple. I didn't realize the serving size was 1 cup fresh pineapple or 1/2 cup canned pineapple. I ended up eating a full cup of canned pineapple.
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
1/2 cup each artichoke hearts, fresh baby spinach, red bell pepper, and red onion
1/2 cup whole grain spiral pasta
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 Kalamatta olives
1 TBSP red wine vinegar (I used balsamic instead) and dashes each dried basil and oregano
I was pleasantly surprised by this meal! The artichokes kind of tasted like the earth (hahaha - I'll just say it "dirt"), but the rest of the meal was still tasty. I have only had artichokes in spinach artichoke dip before, which of course is covered in creamy cheese. Hmmmm... now how can I make spinach artichoke dip Cinch! friendly?
No exercise today since my son had Little Gym tonight. I exercised for the past 3 days, so 1 day off will be OK.
I'm considering doing the plan again once my 30 days are through - even starting over with the 5-Day Fast Forward phase again and continuing through another 30 days. I'm not sure what the author's thoughts are about repeating the plan from start to finish a second time.
Tomorrow, I am planning to have the Dark Chocolate Oatmeal with Blueberries & Yogurt for breakfast, the Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Guacamole for lunch, the Vanilla Almond Frozen Banana for a snack, and the Citrus Salmon Salad for dinner.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Day 17 - Extra Chocolate Pt. 2
I had my fair share of chocolate again today. Although, I’m not going to blame mother nature. I read somewhere in the past that women need extra calories during this time, but I don’t know how much I buy it. Maybe? But I just had a bad day eating overall...
BREAKFAST (8:30 am)
Pesto Breakfast Pita:
1 cup red seedless grapes
½ whole grain pita
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1 TBSP sun-dried tomato pesto
Dash pepper
This pita was just OK. It might have been better with a scrambled egg. Not sure I will make this one again. There wasn’t much to this pita; it was rather flat considering the rest of the pitas I’ve been eating lately have been overflowing.
I had about 50 calories of dark chocolate around 11 am.
LUNCH (1:00 pm)
Tomato, Basil, and Walnut Salad with Cannellini Beans:
1 medium chopped plum tomato (recipe calls for 2, but I only used 1)
½ cup cooked wild rice
½ cup cannellini beans
2 TBSP chopped walnuts
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar and dash dried basil leaves
I love this meal! I’ve had it once before, and it’s another recipe that I could eat over and over again. No picture this time since I’ve snapped its photo once before.
I had another 150 calories of dark chocolate after lunch. What has happened to my will power? So, in honor of all the dark chocolate I have eaten, here is what remains in my house...
The chocolate chips are only 60% cocoa, but I couldn't find 70% or greater at the grocery store (70%+ is recommended in the book).
I was supposed to have the Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait for a snack, but I wasn't very hungry around my usual snack time. So, I left my snack in the fridge at work for tomorrow. And then, wouldn't you know? -- As soon as I got home from work, I was hungry. I ended up having some almond butter on whole grain Dr. Kracker brand crackers. I should have eaten my balanced snack instead.
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Black and Blue Salad:
1 cup field greens and 1 medium chopped plum tomato
1 serving Trader Joe’s whole grain crackers
¼ cup crumbled bleu cheese (but I used feta cheese instead)
10 Kalamatta olives, sliced
1 TBSP red wine vinegar and dashes each dried basil and oregano
This salad was OK. I might have overdone the vinegar because my salad was too tangy. And I managed to sneak a bite of my son's mac & cheese as well. :(
I wasn't too impressed with my meals for the day. Maybe my taste buds are off. This is the first time this has happened since I started the Cinch! eating plan. I'm also feeling a bit disappointed in my "lack of structure" over the past few days. These are the exact eating habits that I've been trying to break. I am so much more confident and proud of myself when I stick to the plan. It's time to change my attitude tomorrow.
I felt so guilty about today that I hopped on my elliptical in the basement for 35 minutes tonight (even after I cancelled gym plans because of my cramps – So sorry Holly!! Please forgive me.)
Tomorrow, I am planning to have my favorite breakfast (Banana Ricotta Hazelnut Toast), the Zesty Bean and Summer Slaw Pita for lunch, the Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait that I didn't have today for my snack, and the Mediterranean Pasta Salad for dinner (unless my avocados miraculously ripen overnight). I don't know what is taking them so long. They are organic. I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
BREAKFAST (8:30 am)
Pesto Breakfast Pita:
1 cup red seedless grapes
½ whole grain pita
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1 TBSP sun-dried tomato pesto
Dash pepper
This pita was just OK. It might have been better with a scrambled egg. Not sure I will make this one again. There wasn’t much to this pita; it was rather flat considering the rest of the pitas I’ve been eating lately have been overflowing.
I had about 50 calories of dark chocolate around 11 am.
LUNCH (1:00 pm)
Tomato, Basil, and Walnut Salad with Cannellini Beans:
1 medium chopped plum tomato (recipe calls for 2, but I only used 1)
½ cup cooked wild rice
½ cup cannellini beans
2 TBSP chopped walnuts
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar and dash dried basil leaves
I love this meal! I’ve had it once before, and it’s another recipe that I could eat over and over again. No picture this time since I’ve snapped its photo once before.
I had another 150 calories of dark chocolate after lunch. What has happened to my will power? So, in honor of all the dark chocolate I have eaten, here is what remains in my house...
The chocolate chips are only 60% cocoa, but I couldn't find 70% or greater at the grocery store (70%+ is recommended in the book).
I was supposed to have the Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait for a snack, but I wasn't very hungry around my usual snack time. So, I left my snack in the fridge at work for tomorrow. And then, wouldn't you know? -- As soon as I got home from work, I was hungry. I ended up having some almond butter on whole grain Dr. Kracker brand crackers. I should have eaten my balanced snack instead.
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Black and Blue Salad:
1 cup field greens and 1 medium chopped plum tomato
1 serving Trader Joe’s whole grain crackers
¼ cup crumbled bleu cheese (but I used feta cheese instead)
10 Kalamatta olives, sliced
1 TBSP red wine vinegar and dashes each dried basil and oregano
This salad was OK. I might have overdone the vinegar because my salad was too tangy. And I managed to sneak a bite of my son's mac & cheese as well. :(
I wasn't too impressed with my meals for the day. Maybe my taste buds are off. This is the first time this has happened since I started the Cinch! eating plan. I'm also feeling a bit disappointed in my "lack of structure" over the past few days. These are the exact eating habits that I've been trying to break. I am so much more confident and proud of myself when I stick to the plan. It's time to change my attitude tomorrow.
I felt so guilty about today that I hopped on my elliptical in the basement for 35 minutes tonight (even after I cancelled gym plans because of my cramps – So sorry Holly!! Please forgive me.)
Tomorrow, I am planning to have my favorite breakfast (Banana Ricotta Hazelnut Toast), the Zesty Bean and Summer Slaw Pita for lunch, the Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait that I didn't have today for my snack, and the Mediterranean Pasta Salad for dinner (unless my avocados miraculously ripen overnight). I don't know what is taking them so long. They are organic. I wonder if that has anything to do with it?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Day 16 - Extra Chocolate
I was extra hungry today. I had 2 servings of the dark chocolate, and after my Step Aerobics class, I was starving! I worked out extra hard tonight. So, I had a few whole grain crackers and a Laughing Cow cheese wedge while I cooked my dinner. I've got to stop this random eating. I was doing soooo well! It must be mother nature right around the corner... ugh.
BREAKFAST (8:30 am)
Spicy Grape Parfait:
1 cup red seedless grapes
½ cup Kashi cereal
6 oz vanilla yogurt (Still cannot stand plain yogurt)
2 TBSP sunflower seeds
Dash cinnamon and cloves, dash pepper
This was pretty good. I liked the crunchiness of everything mixed together.
I had my dark chocolate treat around 11:00 this morning.
LUNCH (12:30 pm)
Spinach Walnut Feta Pita:
1 cup fresh baby spinach and 1 plum tomato, chopped
½ whole grain pita
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 TBSP chopped walnuts
Dash pepper and 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar (omitted)
I still cannot figure out how to transport my bottle of balsamic vinegar to work. Plus, since I was going to the gym right after work, I didn’t want to be taking it with me everywhere today. I definitely need to leave a bottle at work.
SNACK (4:30 pm)
Minneola Almond Twist:
Wedges from 1 Minneola
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 TBSP slivered almonds
Dash dried rosemary
I love this snack. I’ve had it once before. Luckily, I have 2 Minneolas leftover from my last grocery trip. I looked for them again at Trader Joe’s this past Friday, but they weren’t there. Since I was planning to have this snack 3 times, I contemplated a few citrus alternatives. I had a bag of Blood Oranges in my hand, but then, I let the cashier talk me into 3 Celebration Grapefruits instead. She insisted they would be gone soon because they are seasonal and extremely delicious. I told her how much I hate grapefruit. She said she hates grapefruit too, but these were very sweet and to trust her. I ended up making the switch, but I don’t have the courage to try them just yet. Perhaps, in a few days… For now, they will just sit pretty on my fruit stand:
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Chilled Herb Chicken Pasta Salad:
½ cup each fresh baby spinach, diced tomatoes, chopped celery (omitted), and chopped red bell pepper
½ cup cooked whole grain spiral pasta
3 oz. cooked chicken
1 TBSP EVOO
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar, and dash each dried basil and oregano
This was outstanding. I felt like I was eating at Olive Garden. But, I did not have this recipe chilled. Have I mentioned how cold it is in Ohio lately? For some reason, I still tend to pick out recipes in the Cinch book that are cold. Well, I modified this one for dinner; keeping the pasta warm and cooking my veggies in the skillet.
Tomorrow, I am planning to have the Pesto Breakfast Pita for breakfast, Tomato Basil Walnut Salad with Cannellini Beans for lunch, Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait for a snack, and the Black and Blue Salad for dinner.
(Come on avocados – you need to ripen already! I’m waiting on you!)
BREAKFAST (8:30 am)
Spicy Grape Parfait:
1 cup red seedless grapes
½ cup Kashi cereal
6 oz vanilla yogurt (Still cannot stand plain yogurt)
2 TBSP sunflower seeds
Dash cinnamon and cloves, dash pepper
This was pretty good. I liked the crunchiness of everything mixed together.
I had my dark chocolate treat around 11:00 this morning.
LUNCH (12:30 pm)
Spinach Walnut Feta Pita:
1 cup fresh baby spinach and 1 plum tomato, chopped
½ whole grain pita
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 TBSP chopped walnuts
Dash pepper and 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar (omitted)
I still cannot figure out how to transport my bottle of balsamic vinegar to work. Plus, since I was going to the gym right after work, I didn’t want to be taking it with me everywhere today. I definitely need to leave a bottle at work.
SNACK (4:30 pm)
Minneola Almond Twist:
Wedges from 1 Minneola
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 TBSP slivered almonds
Dash dried rosemary
I love this snack. I’ve had it once before. Luckily, I have 2 Minneolas leftover from my last grocery trip. I looked for them again at Trader Joe’s this past Friday, but they weren’t there. Since I was planning to have this snack 3 times, I contemplated a few citrus alternatives. I had a bag of Blood Oranges in my hand, but then, I let the cashier talk me into 3 Celebration Grapefruits instead. She insisted they would be gone soon because they are seasonal and extremely delicious. I told her how much I hate grapefruit. She said she hates grapefruit too, but these were very sweet and to trust her. I ended up making the switch, but I don’t have the courage to try them just yet. Perhaps, in a few days… For now, they will just sit pretty on my fruit stand:
DINNER (7:30 pm)
Chilled Herb Chicken Pasta Salad:
½ cup each fresh baby spinach, diced tomatoes, chopped celery (omitted), and chopped red bell pepper
½ cup cooked whole grain spiral pasta
3 oz. cooked chicken
1 TBSP EVOO
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar, and dash each dried basil and oregano
This was outstanding. I felt like I was eating at Olive Garden. But, I did not have this recipe chilled. Have I mentioned how cold it is in Ohio lately? For some reason, I still tend to pick out recipes in the Cinch book that are cold. Well, I modified this one for dinner; keeping the pasta warm and cooking my veggies in the skillet.
Tomorrow, I am planning to have the Pesto Breakfast Pita for breakfast, Tomato Basil Walnut Salad with Cannellini Beans for lunch, Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait for a snack, and the Black and Blue Salad for dinner.
(Come on avocados – you need to ripen already! I’m waiting on you!)
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