Exercise - 90 minutes on the treadmill (2 x 45 mins at 2mph)

Water - 12 cups

Food - 1924 calories (23% fat, 49% carbs, 24% protein)

Breakfast - protein shake, 3 clementines, egg substitute, butter (221)

Lunch - lentil soup, apple, fruit salad (463)

Dinner - roasted tomato pasta, salad, balsamic dressing (621)

Snacks - protein shake (x2), apple, fruit salad, cheese spread and rice crisps (619)

I think I’ve yabbered enough today. I’ll save some for tomorrow.

I was posting a comment in another blog earlier and something is very clear. I like what I eat. Oh, there may be days when I want more of something. There might be things I want more (rarely), but I generally like what I’m eating each day. Now, I’ve always liked to cook, so that helps. I’m quite good at it - wow, that sounds conceited, but it’s a fact. Years ago I used to help cater large parties my mother had, and even now I like cooking for other people. Not enough to do it for a living, but enough that I do enjoy it. I also make homemade jam, do some canning (just fruit and sometimes salsa, hot sauce, pickles, etc.), and when the mood strikes me I make bread. I don’t do a good job of pastry, so you’re more likely to get a fruit crumble with an oatmeal/pecan crunch on it for dessert when you eat at my home.

On a daily basis I have 5 servings of fruit (including a fruit salad I make), homemade soup for lunch, and a dinner that includes:

• meat sauce over pasta, baked with cheese
• sirloin steak with broccoli and corn (corn on the cob in summer)
• roasted tomato pasta with sausage
• baked chicken with a tomato/wine sauce and cheese
• pork souvlaki (this is a cheat, I buy them ready-made)
• beef stew with onions and mushrooms
• chicken and sausage gumbo
• chicken curry (with naan or rice and mixed veg)
• lasagna
• homemade hamburgers
• chili with cheese and tortilla chips
• spicy meatloaf with potatoes and onions
• pork tenderloin (different recipes)
• szechwan beef stir-fry
• shrimp (different recipes, but usually with olive oil and hot peppers)

It doesn’t sound like diet food, does it? To some extent the only thing that has changed is the portion sizes. With each evening meal I eat (usually) two cups of vegetables with a small amount of real butter, and with only a few exceptions no potatoes. Even the times I eat rice and pasta it’s a much smaller portion than I used to eat. Oh, and there’s a large salad with homemade oil-free salad dressings. Probably the only thing I don’t love about my meals is the protein shakes I take twice (sometimes three) times a day. They’re a necessary evil as I don’t ever work enough protein into my diet, especially when I’m exercising. They’re okay, just not great. Oh, and my late night snacks (now planned) also usually include some type of rice crisp with a spreadable cheese or baked crackers or crispy minis (or the tortillaz which are great).

If you hate what you’re eating I don’t think you’ll stick to it. Maybe if you’re someone with a small amount of weight to lose you could do it, but I don’t know. I’ve been quite happy with this since December 7th, with only two days off (New Years and my birthday). Since then I’ve lost an average of 2.5 pounds a week, and I only added the exercise in regularly on January 7th. No matter who you are, you have to find food you like, and a plan you like. If you need pizza, find a pizza you can have (we buy thin crust vegetarian ones). If you need ice cream, try finding low cal ice cream bars. Or, do like I did last week - pay 99 cents for that less than an ounce bag of 100 calorie jelly beans. Hey, I avoided them yesterday when in line. Round talks about the same kind of thing in her blog, just in a way that makes more sense for her. Although I have to tell you I’m never likely to leave that bite on the plate.

heatherdw - for some people there may be a stopping point. For me, I don’t think there ever will be. I have a problem with food, I always have. I just have to admit that the best I’ll be able to do is control it.

mizu - you’re probably right, it’s just important to me to understand that there is no ‘get out of jail free’ card. I can’t get to 125 (if in fact that’s where I’ll end up), and suddenly go back to drive through breakfasts, late night (mindless) eating, etc. I have, I hope, found a way of eating I enjoy and think I can maintain.

(and a complete aside - I’m finally at my TOM, so the up/down stuff with my weight may stop)

Like most people I don’t refer to myself as dieting.  I know my mother thinks I am, but I know now that this is a lifestyle I’ll need to keep for the rest of my life.  I know from the last time (with the illness) that I can’t really stop watching what I eat.  Oh, maybe eventually I won’t need to log it daily, but I’ll always have to watch it.  For me, it’s about planning, and overcoming the old temptations/habits.  If I plan what I’m going to eat today (including snacks) I can move it around in the event that I’m honestly hungry at some point during the day.  I think I’ve actually arranged my food well enough that this doesn’t actually happen, but I know that if I’m really hungry I can take something from later and move it up.

As to overcoming the old habits, this morning was a pretty good example.  We use egg substitute in cooking and baking instead of eggs.  It’s just a habit we got into from my initial diet.  It’s longer dated, you can easily use half an egg when splitting a recipe, although there is a downside.  Once you open the carton you have to use it within five days.  So this morning I decided that I should use up the small amount that was left (about an egg’s worth).  This would normally be a good excuse to find a little sausage in the freezer, cut up some onion and make an omelet with a couple of handfuls of cheese.  Add a little toast with jam and it’s a horrible breakfast.  So this morning I just used about 1/2 tsp in the non-stick pan and just did a paper thin omelet, flipped over with no filling, just pepper and salt.  This was an added 62 calories to my breakfast, but it was a nice treat.  Even better in the fact that it didn’t turn in to a 500 calorie over-indulgence.

I put the first batch of onion soup in to freeze and started the other one as well.  As I ran out of time somewhere along the way I was only going to do 1 session on the treadmill.  When I finished I decided to add another 15 minutes to it, so I won’t have as much to do in the afternoon.  I need some time to check on the plants in the crawlspace, so that’s a good thing.

And, yuck, it also snowed a little more overnight.   It is actually clear and a little sunny this morning, but it’s still deep winter (even though it doesn’t really look like it).