Just What Do I Eat, Anyway?

This has become the $1 million question!

Just what can and does Sheri eat now?

So I thought for the benefit of those who don't live with me on a daily basis, I 'd give you an idea...

This is a pretty typical day:

Breakfast:  Protein shake
180 calories and 25-30 grams of protein
Current favorite is designer whey chocolate powder (100 calories) with 8 oz skim milk and 1/4 cup of coffee to give it some warmth and mocha taste.  And it MUST be drunk from a travel mug with a lid.  The protein shakes tends to froth up and have this icky foam on the top which I don't like.  The travel mug allows the liquid to come through so you don't get a huge gulp of froth.  And it's really best to use a mini-blender.  I tried the shake cup things and the powder stays grainy and is gross.

Lunch:  Soup and Greek Yogurt
300 calories and 15-20 grams of protein
I will usually have some sort of soup or chili for lunch.  Chili is the current favorite (homemade with kidney beans, ground beef, beef stock and crushed tomatoes).  The more beef/meat, the higher the protein content.  After I let that settle for a bit, I can have a container of Greek yogurt for another 18-20 grams of protein and 140 calories.  My yogurt of choice this month is Chobani apple cinnamon or honey with cut up bananas added to it.

Have I mentioned that it's all about the protein?  At least 60-80 grams of protein a day is my goal.  Try doing that with less than 1200 calories... it's not easy without at least one shake and some greek yogurt.  What did people do before greek yogurt, I wonder?

Afternoon Snack:  Chex Mix, Fruit
Less than 100 calories and no protein
This is a hard one for me to remember if I'm not at home.  I get engrossed at work and forget to eat, drink or take my vitamins.

Oh yeah, I haven't mentioned the vitamins.  Ideally, 3 doses of 500 mg calcium each day (with eat meal).  Calcium can't be taken with Iron, or it won't absorb correctly.  After going off the chewable calcium, I have opted to do the caplets that you can swallow and I seem to be getting more in that way.  Then at night I take a double dose of a multi-vitamin with Iron.  I should be taking a separate Iron supplement but that causes.... ummm... side effects... that I don't like.  (and tastes bad all night!)  So right now I'm waiting to see what my blood work looks like to see if I need to continue the Iron pill every day.  Currently, I'm getting Iron with my mulit-vitamin.

Dinner:  Fish or other protein and a bite of a side dish
300 calories and 10-15 grams of protein
Dinner continues to be a challenge, especially since I refuse to stop eating out.  I just can't NOT have girls night with the friends or if we do something after work like grocery shopping, make Beth skip dinner because I have a hard time eating out.

And truthfully, there has been really no place we've gone where I couldn't find something to eat on a menu.  Grilled chicken.  Chili.  French onion soup.  Even salad with fish or chicken added.  Good thing I don't have an issue with wasted food because I'll never finish something.  I can eat 1/4 or an omlette.   But can usually finish a bowl or cup of soup without a problem.

Evening Snack:  Popcorn, Frozen Yogurt
100-150 calories and no protein
By now, I've gotten my protein in for the day (hopefully) and I'm trying to add water to keep my liquids as near 8 cups a day as I can (this is where protein shakes and soup help, too!).  So I can indulge in something like popcorn (small bowl with salt and a little butter oil flavoring, but  not the pre-seasoned microwave kind) or my current favorite lite ice cream or frozen yogurt.  I can only have 1/2 a cup, so I let myself indulge.

Luckily I do not have any issues with sugar.  Sweet tooth rejoice!  Even tonight I allowed myself 2 mini Wegman's cupcakes - only 75 calories each and I could never eat more than 2!

So that's a typical day.  Less than 1200 calories (myfitnesspal.com which I use to track food every day always yells at me that I'm not eating enough calories... I just laugh) and I never feel weak or very hungry.  It's a bizarre feeling.

I will say for the millionth time... you do NOT do this if you never want to think about food again.  Because it really is your every waking thought.  But in a good way.  In a positive way.  In a "I'm no longer berating myself every day" way.

Some things that I will probably never be able to eat in any type of normal quantity again:  rice, pasta, bread.

All those things expand when you eat them, so I have to be very careful.  Because the difference between full and FULL is a bite.  I did that with bread once... and not again!  It's not a pleasant feeling.

I know that as time goes on, these quantities will change.  My stomach will stretch some and I will probably learn to eat more.  But I hope that I'm developing better eating habits now that I will be able to deal with it down the road.  This isn't a diet.  It isn't a quick fix.  It's a new way of living... thanks for your interest in my journey.