Nom nom nom

     My third goal in last Friday's post was to keep track of all my food for an entire week and publish it here.  This definitely kept me mindful of what I was eating, knowing that the whole WORLD would be seeing this...or maybe just three people, but still, it helped.  Seriously, this was a pretty healthy week, and I feel amazing!  I also met my other goal of drinking at least 48 ounces of water each day. 

    To keep track of calories, I downloaded a handy-dandy app called "My Fitness Pal."  I love it - it's SO easy to find foods (or enter your own if you know the nutrition info), and it also keeps track of calories you burn exercising.  When you set up your profile, it takes into account your age, gender, height, daily activity level (not including exercise), current weight, weight goal, and amount of weight (if any) you want to lose per week, then it gives you a daily calorie target (exercise adds calories to that number).  My daily target is 1,290 calories; however, once exercise is factored in, you'll see I eat more than that.  It's a great motivator to get my butt to the gym - 1,290 calories leaves me feeling hungry, but if I can burn off a few hundred more, I can eat more and am satisfied.  The best part: at the end of the day, when you complete your entry, a little message pops up that says, "If every day is like today, you'll weigh [x amount] in 5 weeks!"

     The content of the food journal isn't exactly exciting, but feel free to read it and offer feedback.  Some things you may notice:
     *An absence of all wheat/barley/rye products (except for a tiny bit of soy sauce on the first day) - I think I have a gluten sensitivity, so I'm cutting it out for a couple weeks to see if I feel better (pizza, my best/worst frenemy, has been making me really sick every time I eat it, as have pretzels and some cereals).  To get whole grains, I have been trying to make quinoa, rice, and oatmeal, but I still don't think I get enough.
     *I eat the bulk of my calories at night.  I know that's not the best idea, but I'm so afraid of running out of calories at night and overeating anyway that I save them mostly for then.
     *I get a fair amount of veggies, but I could probably add more.
     *I eat peanut butter by itself.  I actually have my own jar separate from the family jar, and I eat it right out of there (1 tablespoon at a time, though I love it so much I could probably eat the whole thing in one big, sticky, peanut buttery indulgence!).

Friday, 3/2: 1,520 calories  
Pre-workout (80 calories): 1 banana 
Workout: Body Pump class and 35 minutes elliptical machine
Breakfast (300 calories): McDonald's Fruit & Maple oatmeal w/o brown sugar, 
                                                large decaf w/ 2 T. creamer
Lunch (390 calories): 2 c. spinach with red, yellow, & orange peppers, 1/2 T. olive oil, 1/2 T. 
                                           red wine vinegar, 1 hardboiled egg, Fage Greek yogurt (plain), 
                                           3/4 oz. Baked Doritos
Snack (120 calories): 1 orange, 1 c. green beans
Dinner (420 calories): Steamed Chicken with Mixed Vegetables (at Panda Forest), 
                                      2 T. Szcheuan sauce, 1/2 c. steamed rice
Snack (210 calories): 2 c. grapes


Saturday, 3/3 (1,685 calories) 
Pre-workout (80 calories): 1 banana
Workout: RPM class, 20 minutes elliptical machine @ low to medium intensity
Breakfast (190 calories): 6 egg whites, large decaf w/ 2 T. creamer
Lunch (180 calories): 1 T. peanut butter, 2 c. spinach, 1/2 T. olive oil, 1/2 T. red wine vinegar
Snack (260 calories): 1 packet sugar-free instant oatmeal, 1 Planters Nut-rition Heart 
                                       Healthy Bar
Snack (210 calories): 2 c. grapes
Dinner (460 calories): 2 c. homemade turkey & veggie chili,1/2 c. light ice cream
Snack (310 calories): 1 c. grapes, 94% fat free microwave popcorn


Sunday, 3/4 (1,603 calories)
Breakfast (190 calories): 6 egg whites, large decaf with 2 creams
Workout: Attack/Pump combo class
Lunch (340 calories): 1 packet lower sugar instant oatmeal, 1.5 cups mixed veggies 
                                         (broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrots),  2 T. peanut butter
Snack (350 calories): Chobani peach Greek yogurt, 2 c. grapes
Dinner (633 calories): 2 slices homemade, gluten-free pizza with spinach, onions, mushrooms,
                                      and turkey pepperoni, 1.5 c. steamed asparagus,1 c. light frozen
                                      yogurt
Snack (90 calories): 1 orange

Monday, 3/5 (1,536 calories)
Breakfast (190 calories): 6 egg whites, large decaf with 2 creams
Lunch (408 calories): 1 orange, 2 c. spinach, 1 hardboiled egg, 1/2 T. olive oil, 2 t. red wine
                                      vinegar, 1 Planters Nut-rition Digestive Health Bar
Pre-workout snack (150 calories): 1 Planters Nut-rition Digestive Health Bar
Workout: running, 3.5 miles on the treadmill @6 mph
Dinner (598 calories): 1 c. broccoli & cauliflower, 4 oz. grilled chicken breast, 
                                      3/4 c. Seeds of Change brand Quinoa & Whole Grain Brown Rice, 
                                      1 c. light frozen yogurt
Snack (210 calories): 1 banana, 1/4 c. raisins 

Tuesday, 3/6  (1,547 calories)
Breakfast (295 calories): 7 egg whites, 1 banana, large decaf with 2 creams
Lunch (341 calories): 2 c. spinach, 1 hardboiled egg, 1/2 T. olive oil, 2 t. red wine vinegar,
                                     1 light string cheese, 1 orange
Snack (45 calories): 1 mini Snickers
Pre-workout snack (147 caloreis): 2 oz. baked sweet potato, 1 T. peanut butter
Workout: running, 2.5 miles on the treadmill @6 mph; Body Pump class
Dinner (519 calories): 4 oz. grilled chicken breast, 1 c. mixed veggies (green beans, corn, 
                                       peas, & carrots), 2/3 c. Roland brand Toasted Sesame & Ginger Quinoa,
                                       1 c. blueberries
Snack (200 calories): microwave popcorn


Wednesday, 3/7 (1,710 calories)
Pre-workout (80 calories): 1 banana
Workout: RPM class, 20 minutes on the elliptical @ medium intensity
Breakfast (240 calories): 1 packet sugar-free instant oatmeal, 1 Starbucks grande
                                            sugar-free/fat-free mocha
Lunch (398 calories): 2 c. spinach, 1 hardboiled egg, 1/2 T. olive oil, 2 t. red wine vinegar,
                                     1 Chobani peach Greek yogurt, 1 orange

Snack (150 calories): 1 Planters Nut-rition Digestive Health Bar

Dinner (586 calories): 1 c. quinoa & whole grain brown rice, 1 c. broccoli & cauliflower, 

                                       6 oz. sweet potato, 1 piece gluten-free chocolate cake (no frosting)
Snack (95 calories): 1 T. Krema peanut butter, 1 c. Rice Krispies (the new gluten-free, whole
                                     grain brown rice kind), 1/2 c. skim millk

Thursday, 3/8 (1,319)
Breakfast (270 calories): 1 banana, 6 egg whites, large decaf w/2 creamers
Lunch (282 calories): 1 orange, 2 c. spinach, 2 oz. grilled chicken, 1/2 T. olive oil,
                                      2 t. red wine vinegar
Snack (150 calories): 1 Planters Nut-rition Digestive Health Bar
Dinner (384 calories): 1/2 c. quinoa & whole grain brown rice, 1/2 c. strawberries,
                                       1 c. homemade turkey & veggie chili, 2 c. mixed veggies (broccoli,
                                       cauliflower, carrots, and peas)
Snack (233 calories): 1 c. blueberries, microwave popcorn