(For those not following along, or visiting for the first time, please note that this is an attempt at a maintenance week.  The theory is to let the body reset hormonal levels before putting it back into a deficit.  The calorie levels are specifically not weight loss ones.)

Okay, so I’m started on my first day of trying to eat maintenance (or even above). I figured that rather than try and sum it all up at the end of the day that I would open Notepad and ramble a little as I go. Then I’ll post it in the evening. Or if it gets too long I might post it later in the day. Don’t worry, I don’t intend to do this every day!

So last night I did a stock up on a few added extras (but nothing really dangerous). One of the things I was looking for was a breakfast meat to perhaps add to my eggs. I miss bacon, but at 190cals for two slices it’s something I just decided to stay away from. So I went last night specifically thinking about bacon. The regular bacon was what I should have bought but I thought it was probably too big a package to get through in a week. I don’t plan to have eggs every morning. So the store I was in didn’t have turkey bacon, but it did have chicken bacon - and there was a coupon.

Should have bought the real bacon and tossed it/froze it at the end of the week. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad, but the instructions tell you to put a tsp of oil into the pan to cook it in. So 90 cals plus 40 cals… and I’m only 40 cals shy of real bacon? Okay, so I know it’s less saturated fat, but still. The next day I’ll try it just plain in the non-stick pan. This morning I gave the pan a 2 sec spray of canola oil spray (20 cals) and it turned out okay. I suspect it would be wonderful in a BLT sandwich or something like that. It wasn’t too bad with the eggs. However, there wasn’t enough fat left to fry the eggs so I added my usual tsp of butter. Hmmm… 90 + 20 + 34 = 144. If I’d used two slices of bacon I could have just fried the eggs in the bacon fat… yum. Oh well, lesson learned.

I managed to get rid of the retained water I’ve been keeping pretty much all week, so I’m feeling good this morning. Slept in an hour (hey it’s Sunday) but now I think I’ll head for the garden and work off a little of my breakfast. I’m going to play with my zucchini cake recipe as well but my mother had a ‘no sleep’ night so she’s back in bed. I can leave the baking until the afternoon if I have to.

So, I’m back, although running late. I think that has more to do with sleeping in and not moving so fast in the morning. I managed to work in my morning snacks at three different times. One of them was the planned chocolate cake that I made, and it was so good. I ended up cutting it into smaller pieces which was a good thing. The zucchini I’d estimated was way off (which I figured it was). And I’d forgotten about the spray for the dish. No matter though as a small piece was still only 106 calories. And if I’d cut it into 12 pieces it still wouldn’t be a bad choice. I’ve had feedback from two other people (third one later) and nobody could tell that I’d lightened up on the sugar and pretty much removed the fat. Yay me!

Of course now it’s almost 3:30 and I finished my lunch about 3pm. I really notice a difference in habits. I know I’m supposed to let my hunger guide me, but I’m not hungry in the least so I’m sticking to the plan. I could still probably eat more of the cake (but I won’t). I might even work on getting rid of the last section after my mother comes back. She’s down the street with a double portion I cut for one of the neighbours. I’m thinking of cutting off her piece and giving the rest away. I really just wanted to see if this could be made as a party dessert (which it most definitely could).

Anyway… back outside to check on the plants. I’m also thinking about a swim when my mother gets back. Then it’s a drink and snacks on the patio before dinner. Although I seem to be running out of time today.

(much later)

It feels like it has been a long day, although I don’t think it is. Pretty much every meal was later than usual. It’s not really a complaint, but I realised how much I’m used to the routine with the exercising. It kind of keeps me on a tighter schedule. ie. I have to do X because if I don’t I won’t have time to do Y. Not that any of that would usually apply on a Sunday, since it’s usually a rest day anyway.

Ah well, tomorrow I’ll try and get up and moving a little earlier. I still have my menu to plan for tomorrow although I think it’s likely going to be a chili night. A nice fuss free meal. The rest of the day involved a very nice swim, drinks on the patio and dinner on it as well tonight. It was just perfect weather for it - not too hot, not too cold. I’ll just take a few more minutes and try and rough out tomorrow’s menu before I head to bed. I did that for today, making adjustments when needed. Although I really didn’t change much, really just the normal adjustments. Yep, definitely not good about just going with the flow. 

Oh, and all the cake is gone. I had a piece, my mother had a piece, and I foisted the rest of it off on three different neighbours. Next time I make it I’ll cut pieces and freeze it, but today it just seemed like a better idea to get rid of it. When I do freeze it I’ll make a point to put it out in the freezer in the garage, in the back!

So day 1 was a success. I did manage to get the calories over 3000, but just barely. I’d really like to do it without filling in with protein shakes but I really find that I’m used to doing it. Maybe tomorrow I’ll do one with fruit so it feels more decadent. At night though I kind of like it as an end to the day. I did notice that in the morning I ended up splitting the snack into three mini-snacks, although this is something I tend to do a lot.

Food for the day:

Total: 3008 (33% fat, 30% carbs, 33% protein)

Breakfast: chicken bacon, two fried eggs, cracked wheat oatmeal bread, grapefruit (552)
AM Snack: almonds, protein shake, chocolate zucchini bread (405)
Lunch: quesadilla made with whole wheat tortillas/cheese, salsa, green peas, apple (489)
PM Snack: protein shake, red pepper hummus, cheese ball, flat bread crisps, carrots, celery, pisco sour (489)
Dinner: sirloin steak, asparagus, mushrooms, butter, salad w/dressing (753)
Late Snack: cherries, protein shake (323)