What do you eat?

Whenever people find out that I am losing weight, one of the first questions they ask me is, “What do you eat?” Please note, I am not a nutritionist in any capacity, and you should always consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program. But, I want to share some helpful tips that may help you to feeling better, loving yourself, and – hey! – maybe even losing some pounds.

Track Your Calories

First and foremost, I track all of my calories in the free app “My Fitness Pal”. When you are losing weight, it is simply eating less calories than what your body burns. That is it. No matter how these diet programs out there spin it, that is the key to success. Keeping a food journal keeps you accountable and helps you learn portion control.  The app will calculate your daily calorie allotment based on your height, weight, age and occupation.

Drink Water – ahem – Chug Water

Yes. You read that right. Picture the token image of a drunken frat boy dangling by his feet over a keg with the hose in his mouth, and his fellow brothers holding his feet as they scream, “CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!” That is what you will feel like – except, in your case, it is water - not cheap beer (sorry).

The antiquated belief that the average human should drink 64 ounces of water is not accurate. The amount of water your body requires is determined by a lot of different factors, but all you need to know is, you need to be drinking A LOT. How much? Well, take your body weight, cut it in half, and that is how much water you should be drinking in ounces.

For example, if you are 250 pounds, you would cut your weight in half equaling 125 pounds. This means you should be drinking 125 ounces of water PER DAY. Maybe more, if you are exercising. Water hydrates your body, helps your metabolism, suppresses your appetite and there are a million more reasons – so just do it. Keeping a jug at work to help you measure is super helpful. Bottoms up!

Simple Food Rules

I follow a few simple food rules that help me stay on track.

1   I avoid any food that comes through a window or in a wrapper whenever possible.

Drive Thrus are NOT your friend. Fast Food and overly processed foods are not giving you what you need to sustain a healthy body. More important, they fill you up and leave you hungry for more just a short time after.

However, with our busy schedules, Drive Thrus are not always avoidable. I LIVE on Subway sandwiches and Panera Bread you-pick-2 combos during the week. An easy way to scale back the calories is to order your food with no cheese or mayo. Eat non-fried options. Try ordering a salad if available. Load up on veggies if available. Order a kids meal to keep your portions in check. Keep apples, oranges or bananas in your purse or car for when hunger strikes, it’ll help you not troll the vending machine for those yummy candy bars.

Jamie Oliver said, “Real food doesn’t have ingredients. Real food is the ingredients.” So, I try to eat ‘clean’. I realize not everyone’s budget is the same. So, do what you can. You can still lose weight and eat Lean Cuisines. So, do what works best FOR YOU.

2  Eat Breakfast

I know, I know. It sucks, but it keeps you from turning into a HANGRY gremlin. It kick starts your metabolism, and it is just good for you. So, even if it is a cup of yogurt and a banana. Eat it. And for the love of all things holy, STOP eating fast food meals for breakfast (see rule 1).

      

3 Embrace the Produce Section

Before I began this journey, I rarely spent any time in the produce section of my local grocer. I would occasionally find myself in the produce section for an onion or green pepper, but then I would quickly go to the pasta, chips, and ice cream section.    

I realize that everyone has strict budget constraints, and depending on where you live, you may not have access to good produce year-round. So, if you need to eat canned vegetable or fruit, then it is OK. Buy fresh when you can. Buy frozen veggies before canned, if possible. And if you do eat canned vegetables and fruits, just make sure to get the low sodium options and make sure the fruit is canned in water not syrup. Either way, you will lose weight and you are eating more vegetables and fruits which is the most important thing!

Try eating at least one raw fruit or vegetable a day when possible. Incorporate vegetables and herbs into your favorite recipes. Explore a new fruit. Eat some strawberries! While organic fruit is great, it is expensive. So, if you can afford it – great. If not, don’t sweat it. The important thing is to just increase your nutritious food intake – whether it is canned, bagged or freshly plucked.

4    No Carbs at Dinner

For me, this helped me start dropping weight. Carbs turn to sugar and sugar turns to fat. Try to avoid carbs for dinner, and I bet you will see a difference on the scale.

5    Exercise

Why I put this last, is because people have different schedules. It would be great if everyone could go to the gym an hour a day (which I do) but not everyone has that luxury. So, watch your calories. Park in the farthest parking space. Take the steps instead of the elevator. Go for a walk with your kids or your fur kids. Find a walking partner. Do sit ups while watching your favorite show. Exercise anyway you can, but if you can’t, just watch your calories.  

OK, I know what you’re thinking. JUST GET TO IT ALREADY, KAITLIN!  Fair enough. Here is an average day of what I eat:

Breakfast:

Oatmeal

·         One cup of traditional oats (plain)

·         1 Tablespoon of raw cane sugar (you can use any sweetener of your choice)

·         1 Tablespoon of sliced almonds (or granola, fruit, raisins or other nuts)

·         1 Tablespoon of chia seeds (optional)

·         1 Tablespoon of crushed flaxseed (optional)

·         Around 465 calories including all the ingredients listed above

I make the dry mix of the oatmeal the night before, and I put it in a microwaveable Tupperware container, and I put it in my purse. When I get to work, I add a ½ cup of water, and microwave for 45 seconds. I stir it up, add about 1/3 cup of water, mix it up and microwave for another 30 seconds. And I am done. Nom. Nom. Nom.   

Lunch

I never pack my lunch. I am really bad about that. I do eat at Subway, like A LOT. I typically order:

• 6 Inch on Honey Oat Bread Sweet Onion Chicken Sandwich. No Cheese. All The Veggies. Sweet Onion Sauce.
• 1 bag of original baked Lays potato chips
• Unsweet tea
• Around 500 calories total

Dinner

I try to eat no carbs as a rule of thumb (see rule 4).

•  Rotisserie Chicken from the grocery store or a baked chicken breast
• Two tablespoons of BBQ sauce
• Sautéed mix of veggies from the produce section with olive oil and garlic (most of the time I do zucchini and asparagus) or a broccoli steamer bag if I am in a hurry.
• About 250 calories depending on the amount of vegetables

Snacks

I keep bags of fruit in my desk drawer at all times. So, I will usually snack on an apple, oranges or bananas throughout the day

Total

I am usually right around 1320 calories for the day with my snacks. Please note, your calorie intake will be different based on exercise, height, weight, age and if you are breastfeeding. You can calculate your calories for free via My Fitness Pal app or other free fitness apps and websites.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask questions!