Food basics

I didn't really much change the kinds of things I eat when I first started (and even now I've more changed the frequency that I eat different things I already ate, rather than adding lots of completely new things or cutting out things I used to eat completely).

Breakfast: I have cut way back on pastries, croissants, bagels, muffins, etc. which don't fill me up as much as lots of other things with equal calories would -- I think I've had one croissant and one bagel in the past four months, but I can't say I especially miss them.

What I do eat for breakfast:

When I have absolutely no time, I wait until I get to work and have coffee with milk (dairy or plant-based sub.) (no sweetener b/c sweet coffee tastes vile to me) and a granola bar, cereal bar or a Pop-Tart (!)

When I have a little time, I'll have whole-grain cold cereal (definitely more than the sad little amount listed as a serving on most packages) with milk and fresh fruit, or cold rolled oats mixed with yogurt, fresh or dried fruit, and nuts. Maybe some orange juice, often diluted with seltzer water. I actually was already doing that before I started on MFP, and I'm diluting it less now, trying to get used to a stronger flavor, because I realized it was a good source of potassium and (if fortified) calcium, not to mention the vitamin C, and I found I could afford the calories. Another thing I'll have if I have a little time is a low-fat, Nutri-Grain Eggo waffle (I prefer the taste to the other kinds) with peanut butter or other nut butter.

When I have a lot of time, I'll have hot cereal (e.g., oatmeal, toasted wheat, or mixed grain--love rye!) with milk and/or butter, nuts, and dried fruit, sometimes a little brown sugar, honey, or molasses. With whole grain toast, if I'm hungry enough. This weekend I tried cooked pumpkin (I cooked it myself from a fresh pumpkin, but I may try the canned stuff when this runs out) as a mix-in, with kefir smoothie (in lieu of yogurt, because I had run out of yogurt) as a topping, and that was very good. Or when I've got lots of time I might do scrambled eggs topped with avocado and salsa, or potatoes/onion/bell pepper/tomato hash, topped with a fried egg. I usually only do bacon on the weekend or when I'm having "breakfast for dinner," because I don't much like it from the microwave, so it's a bit too time-consuming for a weekday breakfast.

What I eat for lunch:

I have a job where a lot of days I go to an event of some sort before going to my office, so I don't want to cart lunch around with me (I'm already schlepping a laptop to those events). Plus when I can, I really like to have going out to get lunch for an excuse to get away from my computer for a few minutes. So I eat black bean burritos or burrito bowls (lots of calories in those tortillas, and I don't feel like I enjoy them _that_ much) without cheese but with sour cream from the burrito cart across from office; chick pea salads from Pot Belly; veggie subs and BLT subs from Subway; salads and sandwiches from Pret a Manger; the tofu/veggie/brown rice stir fry or the avocado/tomato/cucumber/sprouts sandwich from a local juice and veggie-friendly carryout cafe; and lots of ethnic wonderfulness, usually vegetarian or vegan, from the food trucks that park a couple of blocks away at lunch time.

I also keep shelf-stable meals and soups, microwavable popcorn, individual 4 oz. containers of applesauce, coffee-coated almonds, roasted sesame-flavored seaweed, and crackers in my desk for days when I'm just too busy to get away.

I generally have 1 or 2 days a week where I have to go to out-of-office events at lunchtime, sometimes with box lunches, sometimes buffets, sometimes plated meals. I try to eat sensibly from whatever choices I have, and do my best to log it. If it's a box lunch, I'll usually just eat the sandwich at lunch, and save any side items for an afternoon snack.

Once in a while, when I'm going to straight to work, and I don't have to go out for lunch, I'll pack any good leftovers I have in the house, or I might grab a (commercially prepared) frozen meal to take with me.

Because I am a college student, I find it easier to eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the sake of making buying groceries for the week easier and then I can make everything in bulk for the week. Breakfast is always overnight oats with Greek yogurt and sliced apple by choice because I love the taste so much that I get excited to wake up just so I can eat it-it's been 4 months now XD lunch has always been a sandwich and yogurt because I rarely have much time to put something together between classes and to be honest, I will always be a sandwich girl. Turkey or roast beef sandwiches have been my thing for lunch for just as long as my breakfast. Dinner is what I change up from week to week because I have the time to put something together. Most of the time it's stew or turkey chili or chicken wraps. This week it's chili with extra lean ground beef to spoil myself since the store rarely has it. Not sure what next week will be yet. Snacks are always protein shakes, simply because that time of the day is either when I' just finished a fitness class mid morning or just finished my workout for the day in the afternoon.

I don't think there is so much reason to change what you eat as much as how much you eat. Of course you don't want to keep eating all the sugar filled / salty crap that got us where we are. There are a lot of breakfast and lunch items that are good for you. We just tend to over eat in portions. I had already cut out all soda pops and had cut way back on my candy/pastry intake so that was not an issue. What i was having a hard time with was figuring out just how much of everything was the proper amount. Then the struggle to get the exercise in place, the right type and the right amount. (still working on that part) We all pretty much know what is good and bad for our health its just a matter of deciding how and when we are going to start making those changes. Take the foods that you like and figure out the healthy portion and enjoy it. One thing i have found for myself is that if i make things in advance it is easier to grab it when i want/need it. Of course you cant do that with everything but it can help. Also there is nothing wrong with letting yourself have a treat every now and then(once1 a week or less, don't keep them in the house ), treats can help in the long run so you don't feel like binging. If you treat yourself to a goody just do an extra exercise to counter the treat. It has worked for me so far.

I alternate between the same two breakfasts -

2-3 eggs, sourdough or wheat toast with butter, piece of fruit, black coffee
or
oatmeal mixed with plain Greek yogurt, fruit, walnuts, honey, cinnamon, and black coffee

I tend to eat the eggs on strength days, and the oatmeal on run days. And at least a couple of times a month when the family is all home, I make a full breakfast with pancakes or waffles, bacon or sausage, eggs, etc. :bigsmile: