WHAT DO YOU ALL EAT ...?

My diary is open though I'm probably eating more calories than you right now.

Also, note that February - April is non-stop birthdays so there's more pizza and cake than normal.

However, I'm getting all of my micro-nutrients in over the course of each week and hitting the calorie/macro goals I set.

(The insect I logged on Saturday is runner-humor.)

Thanks guys
As i said my main problem is that Im a really busy mom , my kids are still little so i find it hard to make food for myself thats mainly my problem , the busy and exhausting life thats not letting me take care of myself , but i really want this to work this time and i will try my best !

What time do they go to bed? You could make a big batch of pasta or oatmeal or a few sandwiches and put them in individual containers for easy grabbing for when you are hungry.

When you say really little, how little? Kids can eat what you are eating.

You don't need to use low fat/diet products - hidden sugars in there.

I eat everything - curries..tacos...thai food...chinese food (ok...chinese food in Aus is a bit healthier)...pizza....pasta.... I drink wine...I drink vodka...I drink soft drinks (sodas to you guys ) I just work out what my yummy is for the day, log it in advance then plan my meals around it. It takes a couple of minutes each night the DAY BEFORE. Working meals out in advance with small children helps keep you on track.

Plan ahead. Plug your family recipes into the recipe builder. It works out the calories in your meal. If you don't like what it says for 4 portions make it 5 or 6 portions in the recipe builder and divide the meal into those portions before you eat. Stick 1 or 2 in the freezer and you have a meal in advance.

Get some zip lock bags and tear up lettuce/rocket/kale/baby spinach leaves. Grate in some carrot. Throw in some sprouts.Throw in some fennel (if you like fennel). Keep in the fridge.

When you need a quick meal, grab about 30g of this mix, add some feta cheese, a small can of drained chick peas/kidney beans/cooked chicken/ham/small tin tuna, and a chopped tomato, cucumber, capsicum (whatever takes your fancy). Add lemon juice, a small drizzle of olive oil or sriracha (if you like it hot). Season. Eat.

Throw salad mix in between bread with a protein (deli meat/egg/cheese). Eat. Instant lunch.

Many people say that you shouldn't restrict. Keep the same foods in your diet as you did before, but in moderation, or only occasionally.

I think they do have a point. The more you restrict, the more you want/crave, the more you set yourself up for disaster, right?

For me things went a little differently than that.

I started off going STRICT Paleo. I wasn't counting any calories. I honestly did it, at that time, to clean up my eating because, you know what? There are certain foods that I, personally, for health reasons, didn't want to include in my "diet," or more aptly put, my eating lifestyle. I wanted (want) to make better changes for my health in general and avoid as many processed, canned, frozen, refined, etc. foods as I can. Simply put, I wanted (want) to be healthy. My main focus wasn't weight loss.

After doing strict Paleo, I started playing around with the lifestyle. I researched other types of Paleo diets (because they're all not the same, believe it or not), and allowing myself certain foods . . . like some skim in my coffee. Or a chocolate bar once or twice a week. Or, on the rare occasion, using canned chicken broth.

It took a lot of "playing around" with the foods that I ate, and how much of them, before I found a way to keep my hunger satisfied and my cravings for sweets at bay. Once I did this, I was able to successfully track my caloric intake so that I could lose weight, while at the same time, eating healthful foods at least 85-90% of the time.

Put simply, when I was tracking calories way back when, and eating whatever I wanted, it was hard for me to stick to a calorie goal. Now that I found a way to keep my appetite satisfied and my cravings at bay, I've been much more successful in sticking to my calorie intake goal.

I've learned a lot of things about my eating, and about food in general. But a few things stick out that are extra-helpful to ME (of course, I'm not saying this is THE WAY, but this is the way FOR ME):

1. Eat enough good fats. This helps with cravings.
2. Go easy on the fruit. If I eat more than 1 piece a day, I find myself craving sugary snacks.
3. Eliminate processed and pre-packaged foods, this includes canned, frozen.
4. Eliminate flours, wheat, gluten, etc. (see #3).
5. Eliminate dairy.
6. Eliminate starchy vegetables.
7. Basically the majority of my diet consists of veggies, meat/poultry/fish/eggs, nuts in moderation, fruit in moderation.

This works for me because #1, I was never big on bread to begin with. Or starchy veggies. So I can pull that off. #2, I rarely ate dairy also, except for occasional yogurt. #3, My most desired "bad" foods are sugary snacks like chocolate and chewy candy. And I'm allowing myself to have that a couple times a week, but for the most part, with the way I eat, I rarely crave it as much anymore.
I'm always in the kitchen cooking or preparing food, but I don't mind, because I always loved cooking. It's really fun to create healthy recipes that also taste ahhh-mazing!

Again, this won't work for everyone, as it is quite restrictive. But it is working for ME. I've felt so good for the past few months since I've started cleaning up my eating. And I see this as a lifestyle change- permanent. I also have my boyfriend who is also on board with me, so it really helps to have his support (he cooks kick-*kitten*, healthy meals! and loves everything that I cook!).

The dietician's I've met with have said to focus on the protein, and the carbs/fats will take care of themselves. I've found that to be pretty true.

I've also found that (for lack of a better way to put it) the "cleaner" you eat, the better. What I mean by that is: instead of having baked potatoes with all the "fixings" (sour cream, bacon, cheese, butter, onions, etc. etc. etc.), have it with just a little butter, salt/pepper. Yeah, I'd prefer it with all that other stuff on it, but it comes with a price. If you must decorate the potato, use only enough "fixins" to enhance, but not overpower it. After all, you shouldn't drown the potato in so much other stuff that you miss tasting the potato!!

It's all just a big case of "choosing your doom carefully". If I go somewhere where I want a burger, but they also bring bread to the table: pick one. Either have the bread they bring to the table, or remove the bun from the burger. No rule says you have to eat the bun that comes with the burger. I order the burger without the bun all the time.

Or if you know you want fries - don't get the hamburger bun and/or don't get the bread they bring to the table.

Decide what you really want to eat instead of eating just to be eating. What will taste best? What will you enjoy eating most? And don't "hoover it". Take your time eating and really enjoy what you're eating.

Okay - getting off my soap-box.

I'm trying to eat foods that are better for me nutrition-wise, so for breakfast I eat a fruit (apple, banana, whatever) with a half cup of granola & a tablespoon of peanut butter (to better get the granola to stick together). I usually eat my breakfast over an hour or two when I'm at work (done eating around 10 am). Then I eat biggish lunch at 2 pm or later, because I usually work 3-9 or 5-9 in the evenings at my 2nd job, and I only get 15 minutes for a break so I try to have a lunch-dinner combo in the afternoon. I eat something small as a late dinner at work: hummus & carrots & a cheese stick are my go-to. I also save some calories for a small sweet-tooth appeasement, and I take calcium supplement gummies daily because I don't get enough in my diet naturally as I am not a fan of milk or yogurt (though I am a HUGE fan of cheese).

I try to budget out for foods I know will be high in calories; for example, pizza night with the ladies is usually scheduled on a high-exercise burn day. If I know I'm having something I want to eat a lot of (see: any food that is spicy!), I'll ease up on the breakfast or plan to have a smaller lunch. I like to put everything in my diary early in the day so I know what calories I have left, and that is usually my extra biscuit at dinner or a few chips in the afternoon. Everything in moderation!

I'm no diet/nutrition guru, but my diary is open if you want to take a look

I try to eat the most nutritious foods that I can. I strive to follow the Eat to Live lifelong version of eating (not perfectly though. I do cheat sometimes) It's basically a different food pyramid. I'm 4'11 about 98 lbs. my diary is open.

This is a great example for filling out your diary.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity

I thought of one more thing. I got a FitBit several months ago and was amazed at how many steps I take just chasing around little kids and getting them out the door and me to work every day - same thing in the evenings. A tool like that can really help you be aware of how many calories you are burning in your day to day life so you can more accurately estimate your TDEE and set your calorie goals to be realistic and sustainable.

Diary is wide open. Feel free to take a cruise through.

Some days are things like egg whites, salads and lean proteins. Some days are pizza and beer ..

Chicken, Eggs, whole grains, fresh veggies, protein bars, Kaizen protein powder (costco/sam's club) Shakeology, banana's, oikos greek yogurt, almonds, peanut butter... and occasionally some air popped popcorn with olive oil and sea salt for a treat.

Thanks guys
As i said my main problem is that Im a really busy mom , my kids are still little so i find it hard to make food for myself thats mainly my problem , the busy and exhausting life thats not letting me take care of myself , but i really want this to work this time and i will try my best !

It helps to do some planning and prep work. My wife and I shop on Sunday mornings, then spend Sunday afternoons laying the groundwork for the week. For example, I like to eat spinach and feta frittatas for breakfast - I'll make one and package up 5 portions. We'll roast a chicken or 2 to have quick access to it for nights where we just cant work cooking dinner into the schedule, or for meat to throw on salads.

For me, planning and pre-prep has been a huge key to success.

PS-every Saturday and most Sundays breakfast is Waffle House. 1 egg breakfast (scrambled) with raisin toast & grits & 2 pieces bacon. 520 calories, very filling, and those mornings I don't feel the need to snack so much.