Clean Eating Club ~ Dec. 3-7

arewethereyet

I just dropped in to see what y'all eat. I am proud to say I eat much the same, so I will come by to pick up new ideas.

like Aunt millies ww hamburger buns! will look for them tomorrow!

night:flowerforyou:

I buy Aunt Millie's WW/whole grain english muffins, breads, hot dog buns, hamburger buns....they can be hard to find in some places so I buy a bunch and keep them in my freezer. They have a bakery outlet store in Indianapolis (SUPER CHEAP!), so when I am there I stock up!

My son lives in Indianapoplis! I didnt get a chance to check it out, but we get stuff from all over down here in So Fla. Thanks to all the transients!!

cherapple

Dinner:
1/2 baked sweet potato
1/2 tsp better butter
1 Tbs. grated 50% light cheddar
1/2 cup broccoli
1 piece vegetarian bacon
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup skim milk

I met all my nutrition goals for carbs, fat, and calcium, but I'm still under for protein.
Total daily protein: 149 grams goal, 87 eaten, 62 remaining.

I'm under 200 calories for the day, and I don't plan on eating anything more (but I was over yesterday). Where to get more protein? I used to use a protein powder, but I felt like I was eating a processed food, plus it was expensive, so I stopped. I'm wondering whether I should buy it again. (One thing I could have done was add some egg whites to my hot chocolate snack in the afternoon, but I forgot.) And do I really need more protein? I think I'm doing very well compared to the amount of protein I ate when I was a vegetarian (most of the time I didn't even try to eat protein), and since I started eating clean. I'm really getting used to having a protein source every time I eat!

shar140

Do you shoot for a certain ration of protein, carbs, and fat?

I had mine set at 40/40/20, but I couldn't eat that much protein. I now have it set at 35/45/20, and I'm still struggling to eat that much protein. Carbs and fat are pretty easy. :bigsmile:

I shoot for a 40/30/30 carbs/protein/fat, and it is hard to always get that much protein - but I know my body maintains/loses (not gains!) better when I eat less carbs (esp. processed!) than a typical 55-65% carb diet. I actually got into clean eating because I wanted the carbs that I do eat to be a low GI (glycemic index), which are whole grains.

You could try mixing in a 1/2 c. of cottage cheese in your oatmeal - I've done it and I actually liked it - for one, it helped cool off the hot oatmeal. :laugh: and two, it made it kind of creamy. I sweeten mine with fruit and a small amount of honey, top it off with some pecans and cinnamon (supposed to help the metabolism!). Yum! I might have to have that in the morning

cherapple

I shoot for a 40/30/30 carbs/protein/fat, and it is hard to always get that much protein - but I know my body maintains/loses (not gains!) better when I eat less carbs (esp. processed!) than a typical 55-65% carb diet. I actually got into clean eating because I wanted the carbs that I do eat to be a low GI (glycemic index), which are whole grains.

You could try mixing in a 1/2 c. of cottage cheese in your oatmeal - I've done it and I actually liked it - for one, it helped cool off the hot oatmeal. :laugh: and two, it made it kind of creamy. I sweeten mine with fruit and a small amount of honey, top it off with some pecans and cinnamon (supposed to help the metabolism!). Yum! I might have to have that in the morning

I've been afraid to up the fat -- still coming from the low-fat mentality! Maybe I'll try that. I'd rather not eat such high carbs, even the good ones. I've tried cottage cheese in my yogurt and I like that, but I haven't tried it in my oatmeal yet. I like the cinnamon trick! Thanks for the tips. :flowerforyou: :happy:

jessmomof3

You could try mixing in a 1/2 c. of cottage cheese in your oatmeal - I've done it and I actually liked it - for one, it helped cool off the hot oatmeal. :laugh: and two, it made it kind of creamy. I sweeten mine with fruit and a small amount of honey, top it off with some pecans and cinnamon (supposed to help the metabolism!). Yum! I might have to have that in the morning

that's exactly what I do (see my oatmeal posted above for my breakfast). I cook the oats w/ the fiber one cereal (add water), sometimes cranberries, then add in the PB & fixin's. YUMMY!! Cottage cheese makes it so much creamier.

I aim for at least 25% of fat for the day, it works for me. I used to be a fat-free eater too but that never worked for me. I was just starving all of the time!!!!!!!

Jess

jessmomof3

What do you do for family parties, or when your family takes you out for dinner someplace that you don't really want to go?

Well, most of my family knows that I'm a healthy nut. :laugh: I usually take a veggie tray or fruit salad. And I stick to the basics, try to watch the sauces, don't eat the potatoes or other starches, and just go for a plain chicken breast, or lean protein, and load up on fresh veggies. Most restaurants will let you order what you want if you just ask. We were on vacation all last week and I never had a problem- had a yummy salmon w/ extra steamed veggies instead of a baked potato, another time had a grilled chicken salad w/ vinaigrette, etc. Just ask for everything on the side!! (I always feel like Sally from When Harry Met Sally!! )

Jess

jessmomof3

Snack:
Fage 0% yogurt + 1 T. NM PB + 1/4 c. Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola cereal

Dinner:
3oz lean pork blade steak
Baked sweet potato topped w/ 1/4 c. cottage cheese + cinnamon
Romaine salad w/ 2/3 c. peas & balsamic vinegar

Snack:
1/2 c. NF plain yogurt (drained) + 1 T. NM PB
Sugar-free hot cocoa (unsweetened cocoa powder & light soymilk)

cherapple

Most restaurants will let you order what you want if you just ask. We were on vacation all last week and I never had a problem- had a yummy salmon w/ extra steamed veggies instead of a baked potato, another time had a grilled chicken salad w/ vinaigrette, etc. Just ask for everything on the side!!

Jess

What a freeing concept that I don't have to order directly form the menu! My family took me to Moosewood restaurant over Thanksgiving, and I felt like a pain in the butt. :devil: I wanted to know how much sugar was in a couple of things, and the waitress had to keep going to the kitchen to check. You would think a vegetarian restaurant would be used to people being picky! :laugh:

Plain lean protein and veggies it is! :happy:

cherapple

Emergency travel shopping list

I'm making of list of convenient items that I can buy in a pinch when I'm on the road or staying at someone else's house (like this weekend).

Oatmeal
Cottage cheese
Whole wheat wraps
Peanut butter
Nuts
Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Egg whites
Tuna
Yogurt
Grape Nuts
Herbal tea
Cocoa powder
Lean, unsweetened lunch meat (if there is such a thing)
Skim milk (which I assume most people I know will have in their fridge)

What's on your list?

cherapple

Snack:
1 c skim milk
1 Tbs cocoa powder
Stevia

Breakfast:
1/2 c dry oatmeal, cooked
1/4 c cottage cheese (not bad in my oatmeal! :laugh: )
1/4 c egg whites
1/8 c cashews
cinnamon
Stevia

Off to the gym for a lower body workout and a little cardio....

jessmomof3

Emergency travel shopping list

I'm making of list of convenient items that I can buy in a pinch when I'm on the road or staying at someone else's house (like this weekend).

Oatmeal
Cottage cheese
Whole wheat wraps
Peanut butter
Nuts
Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Egg whites
Tuna
Yogurt
Grape Nuts
Herbal tea
Cocoa powder
Lean, unsweetened lunch meat (if there is such a thing)
Skim milk (which I assume most people I know will have in their fridge)

What's on your list?

Your list is very similar to mine. I pack my oatmeal in serving size baggies, and then can just pour it into a bowl for breakfast. If you're in a hotel, you can even make hot water in the coffee pot. I like the tuna packets that Starkist has, you don't have to refrigerate and just open the package and eat! And since you have your whole wheat wraps, you can make an easy sandwich.

I also pack a couple of protein bars (I like the Clif regular or Builder bars or the Kids Clif bars, Larabars, or Luna bars) to keep in my purse just in case. I like the Kashi cereals so I'll pack a baggie of Kashi GoLean cereal to snack on (higher in protein & fiber than most cereals).

Good list, you can do it!

Jess

jessmomof3

Snack:
1 c skim milk
1 Tbs cocoa powder
Stevia

Breakfast:
1/2 c dry oatmeal, cooked
1/4 c cottage cheese (not bad in my oatmeal! :laugh: )
1/4 c egg whites
1/8 c cashews
cinnamon
Stevia

Off to the gym for a lower body workout and a little cardio....

It is good!!! I know, it's weird to think of at first, but it really does make it creamy!

Jess

jessmomof3

3 mile run for me in 4* weather! BRRRRRR!

Warmed up w/ my usual oatmeal (same as y'day so I don't have to retype it!).

I'm leading a Fitness session at MOMS group at church this morning!! I'm really excited but nervous about it. I'll also be talking about clean eating and giving some nutrition tips. The ladies were really excited about it too!!!!

Have a good Friday!

Jess

shar140

You're welcome for the tips, Cheryl! :flowerforyou:

I still try to keep my saturated fat to 20 g (I added it to MFP nutrition tracker), then the rest are healthy fats. (no trans fats for me!)

I also like to mix cottage cheese into spaghetti sauce...I have a good recipe at home that I'll try to remember to post. It was from a slow cooker cookbook - it's supposed to be a low-carb lasagna (no noodles), but I use it on WW pasta - yum! The recipe was also clean!

Jess - I couldn't even take my dog for a walk last night in 20° weather, much less 4°! Good luck with your Fitness session this morning!

cherapple

I pack my oatmeal in serving size baggies, and then can just pour it into a bowl for breakfast. If you're in a hotel, you can even make hot water in the coffee pot. I like the tuna packets that Starkist has, you don't have to refrigerate and just open the package and eat! And since you have your whole wheat wraps, you can make an easy sandwich.

I also pack a couple of protein bars (I like the Clif regular or Builder bars or the Kids Clif bars, Larabars, or Luna bars) to keep in my purse just in case. I like the Kashi cereals so I'll pack a baggie of Kashi GoLean cereal to snack on (higher in protein & fiber than most cereals).

Good list, you can do it!

Jess

Good thoughts on the oatmeal in baggies and tuna in packets. I wouldn't have thought of that. I assume the protein bars don't have any sugar? They might be good in a pinch. I worry about treating them like candy bars, though. I think Clif bars are the only ones I've ever tried. A lot of the Kashi cereals (if not all of the ones I've check) have added sugar, don't they? I look at them again.

cherapple

3 mile run for me in 4* weather! BRRRRRR!

Warmed up w/ my usual oatmeal (same as y'day so I don't have to retype it!).

I'm leading a Fitness session at MOMS group at church this morning!! I'm really excited but nervous about it. I'll also be talking about clean eating and giving some nutrition tips. The ladies were really excited about it too!!!!

Have a good Friday!

Jess

That sounds great! You go on recruiting people to health! :flowerforyou: We have a friend in our (homeschool) group who's a personal trainer and she gives us lots of tips and information about stretching and strengthening. She's not a clean eater, though.

cherapple

I also like to mix cottage cheese into spaghetti sauce...I have a good recipe at home that I'll try to remember to post. It was from a slow cooker cookbook - it's supposed to be a low-carb lasagna (no noodles), but I use it on WW pasta - yum! The recipe was also clean!

Jess - I couldn't even take my dog for a walk last night in 20° weather, much less 4°! Good luck with your Fitness session this morning!

I look forward to the spaghetti sauce recipe. Do you blend the cottage cheese to give a ricotta consistency? That's one way I can get my husband to eat it. It would be great in ziti, make with whole wheat pasta.

Running really warms you up, much more than walking, not that I've ever run in 4* or 20* weather! I'm a baby when winter comes. :blushing: I'm too afraid of slipping on ice, and I don't like feeling so cold before I get going. If I ever run again (*when* I run again :happy: ), I keep saying I'm going to try to run through the winter, at least once a week. Easy to say right now when I can't run. :bigsmile:

cherapple

1/4 c cottage cheese (not bad in my oatmeal! :laugh: )

It is good!!! I know, it's weird to think of at first, but it really does make it creamy!

If you think about it, cottage cheese in oatmeal is similar to a protein pancake, which seems weird at first, too, but it's good!

One of my daughters even loves them! Unfortunately, not the older one, who could always use more protein. My healthy eating habits seem to be rubbing off on the younger one a little bit, but the older one -- who gets migraines, sometimes suffers from anxiety and depression, and insists that none of it has anything to do with the picky way she eats -- is a sugar fiend.

Why is it so hard for so many people to accept that sugar may have anything to do with their health problems, and even if they do admit it, they don't want to give it up? Did you know that cigarette manufactures put sugar in cigarettes to make them even more addictive? :mad:

Oy! I feel so good to be free of it myself! :laugh: :happy:

CALIECAT

I like this clean eating club. I am off to a bad start for today before I found this . I try to eat clean but get off the wagon some. This will truly help me. Starting right now. Caliecat

shar140

I like this clean eating club. I am off to a bad start for today before I found this . I try to eat clean but get off the wagon some. This will truly help me. Starting right now. Caliecat

Welcome Calie!

It can be difficult to eat clean all the time, but every little step counts towards better health! :flowerforyou: I admit that I don't eat clean 100% of the time, but the majority of what I eat is clean, and it makes me feel soo much better - less tired all the time, less sluggish, more energy!

Please let us know if you have any questions, we are here to help you!

shar140

I look forward to the spaghetti sauce recipe. Do you blend the cottage cheese to give a ricotta consistency? That's one way I can get my husband to eat it. It would be great in ziti, make with whole wheat pasta.

You are in luck, I went home at lunch (I do most days - then I'm eating my own food, and I can let my dog out so I can go to the gym after work!), and I remembered to bring my cookbook back with me!

I will post the original recipe first, then I'll list my changes.

This is from "Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly - Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker"

Noodless Lasagna, courtesy of Nanci Keatley of Salem, OR

Makes 4 servings, Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- or 5-quart

1.5 lb fat-free ground turkey
1.5 cups meat-free, low-sodium spaghetti sauce
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1.5 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese (part skim), divided
1.5 tsp. Italian seasoning
10 slices turkey pepperoni

1. Brown ground turkey in a nonstick skillet.
2. Add spaghetti sauce and mushrooms and mix with meat.
3. Pour half of turkey mixture into slow cooked sprayed with nonfat cooking spray.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, and the Italian seasoning. Beat well with a fork.
5. Lay half of the pepperoni slices on top of turkey mixture.
6. Spread half of cheese mixture over pepperoni.
7. Repeat layers, finishing by sprinkling the remaining mozzarella on top.
8. Cover. Cook on low 4-4.5 hours.

My changes:
I use 93/7 ground turkey rather than FF turkey breast, a can of tomato sauce in place of the spaghetti sauce (so I know there are no additives), and lowfat cottage cheese in place of the ricotta (mostly due to cottage cheese being cheaper). I have used egg substitue in place of the egg, but I think it might set up better using a real egg. I use shredded reduced fat mozzarella - not sure what grated mozzarella is (I guess like grated parm?). I usually leave out the pepperoni, but I've made it both ways. Depending on the cottage cheese brand, if yours is somewhat liquidy, you might want to drain some of it off. I've made this both in the slow cooker, and I've baked it in the oven, too.

Feel free to add any veggies you might like to the sauce - onion, green pepper, etc. I use this over WW pasta and it is excellent! A lot of good protein, low in fat, and clean!!

jessmomof3

That sounds great! You go on recruiting people to health! :flowerforyou: We have a friend in our (homeschool) group who's a personal trainer and she gives us lots of tips and information about stretching and strengthening. She's not a clean eater, though.

Thanks, Cheryl! It was great, we had a good 25 ladies there and I made them all work out too. :laugh: It was fun! They all enjoyed it too, even better! And they wanted me to email them some recipes and healthy eating tips. YEAH!!!!!! Bring on the clean eating friends!!

Jess

jessmomof3

This is from "Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly - Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker"

Noodless Lasagna, courtesy of Nanci Keatley of Salem, OR

That recipe looks great! Similar to my homemade lasagna that I use w/ WW noodles, low-fat ricotta & FF cottage cheese, organic tomato sauce, etc. It's really yummy!!!

Jess

jessmomof3

Snack:
1/2 c. strained NF plain yogurt + 1 T. NM PB + 1/4 c. Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola

Lunch:
Small bowl leftover spicy chicken chili
Broccoli & cauliflower
1/2 c. cottage cheese

Snack:
18 All Bran multi grain crackers + 1 T. NM PB

Going to get our Christmas tree after the kiddos get home and going ice skating tonight!

Jess

cherapple

We went bowling today and I had my first experience with the food Nazis, LOL! :laugh: I brought my cooler in, and it took an employee less than five minutes to zoom in and tell me it was against the rules to bring in my own food. I was a bit annoyed. I understand that they want to make a profit by selling their own food, but I explained to them that I couldn't eat their food, and then I went on to spend quite a bit on bowling and food for the girls. They didn't make me take my cooler back out to the car, so when I got hungry enough, I ate my own food anyway. :devil: :bigsmile: I'm going to have to start using a container that's much less conspicuous! A friend of mine has a cooler that looks just like a purse. I think it's time to invest in one!

When I finally did eat, I was famished and ate more than I would have had I eaten when I first wanted food. I'll probably be a little over in calories today.

cherapple

I like this clean eating club. I am off to a bad start for today before I found this . I try to eat clean but get off the wagon some. This will truly help me. Starting right now. Caliecat

Hi, Caliecat! It helps to know we're not the only ones in the world eating this way, when sometimes it feels that way. :happy: Welcome to the group!

cherapple

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit what I've eaten today because I went more than 500 calories over! :blushing: Stress eating.... I REALLY wanted some sugar, mostly chocolate, but I didn't do it. (I also successfully avoided the bowling alley food, even though I was tempted to finish off my kids' uneaten portions.) I finished off an almost empty jar of peanut butter and had a bunch of nuts instead. :blushing: I'm really not even sure about the portions sizes. I probably went over even more calories than I'm calculating.

Snack:
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 Tbs PB

Lunch:
Whole wheat tortilla
Turkey buger

Snack attack :blushing: :
Coffee substitute with H&H and maple syrup (my sweet fix, which is too sweet anymore)
2 Tbs PB
7 Triscuits
1/4 c pomegranate seeds
14 almonds
1/8 c cashews

Dinner:
1 c skim milk
1/2 c cottage cheese
1 slice homemade whole wheat pizza with onions and red peppers

I guess it doesn't look too bad after all. It's good to go over calories now and then. I'm not sure about my settings for my minimum calories, anyway (still wondering whether I should be eating more than the 1200 base level), so i feel kind of ambivalent about sticking to them sometimes. :indifferent:

Tomorrow morning we'll be leaving for the weekend, so I'm not sure whether I'll get a chance to post again before Monday. Wish me luck on keeping it clean :glasses: away from home -- and finding a way to get some exercise over the next two days, too. :ohwell:

Have a good night and a great weekend!!! :flowerforyou:

cherapple

We're taking Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew as our contribution to the family Christmas dinner. Phew! I know I'll have something good to eat! :laugh: And I'm not anticipating that a lot of others will eat it, so more for me!

Pre-workout snack (Upper body weights):
3/4 c skim milk
1/4 c egg whites
1 Tbs cocoa powder
Stevia

Breakfast:
1/2 c dry oatmeal, cooked
1 sliced apple
1/4 c cottage cheese (OMG, it's good -- I'm hooked :bigsmile: And I discovered the low-salt variety this week, too. MUCH better.)
1/4 c skim milk
1/4 c egg whites
1 Tbs flax
(Darn, I forgot the cinnamon )

Off to the in-laws. See you all soon!

CALIECAT

I am having Kroger pina colada yogurt and fiber one this morning For a start. I am trying to keep my fiber up.

cherapple

I'm doing great! :flowerforyou: I only ate the stew we brought and raw veggies at the family party. I got hungry later and had to go out to the car to grab some stuff from my cooler - a piece of wheat bread and some almonds (couldn't get the PB open! :grumble: ). I made a tuna wrap for dinner, and had a banana and a cup of plain herbal tea. I have my next two or three meals planned out. Eating this way is so liberating. At no time did I feel glued to the buffet table, or the dessert table (my usual habits)! Food is becoming nourishment, rather than entertainment or emotional support. :happy:

Maybe I shouldn't say this here (and I hope no one takes offense) but I'm bothered by my feelings when I look at other people. Almost everyone at the party was overweight, unhealthy looking, and showing their age. I don't like seeing overweight children, either. :frown: I just have to keep reminding myself that everyone is doing the best they know how. As I always have, too, and I was headed in an unhealthy direction a couple years ago. What causes some people to become determined to be healthy, while others treat "aging" (a term I've heard many people use to brush off a lack of health) as something inevitable? :noway: I must be experiencing something like survivor's guilt. :ohwell:

Does anyone else ever feel guilty for living a healthy life?:blushing: