What's Your Menu??

[Cathy]

This might be an odd question but since I have always had a bit of a problem with food I decided that it would be a good thing to see what the other half eats.  So I have started asking people questions as to what their normal day would consist of.  For those who brave to answer I don't expect you to give how much you would eat at each sitting (but sometimes that information is also useful) but more to what you eat and maybe when i.e what time of day, if it is after exercise etc. etc. 

I am really trying to get a handle on my poor diet and what I already know I need to incorporate into it and where they all fit without trying to eat everything on the same day.  (I think that I am a binge eater  ha ha.  Start me out on a tuna sandwich and I will eat the same lunch for weeks and weeks and weeks and sometimes litterly months.)  And at this point I see lots that needs improving.  I started as well going through menus to see what would be normal food eating choices and picked a wide variety of daily diets.  I am amazed what they expect you to eat daily.  WOW

So any of you that wish to contribute, and the more the better, I would greatly appreciate it.

Happy eating

[ShoppinShannon]

I totally know where you are coming from Cathy.  I feel I have a real bad relationship with food.  It's a dependency thing for me.  I mean we all depend on food to survive, but for me, I think about it constantly.  I think about the next meal.  The other problem I share with you is that I can start out a well planned meal and by 8 o'clock at night, I manage to sabotage myself. 
So, here are idea's that I try to use to keep me on the straight and narrow.  Now I love a variety of fish, most people don't.  For me, I buy the Capt Hi-liner fish filet (not breaded)  Cooks nice in the microwave. Nice 3.5oz portion.  Canned Tuna is great for making sandwiches (as you know) or just spreading on Melba.  I'm not a fan of bread so I just like it on it's own.  A can is very filling.  Sometimes I get the flavored kind those are great to throw in the purse with packaged melba toast.
If you like chicken, I like to make a quick caeser salad.  How is that fast? It's like this... I bought the precooked chicken strips and I just cut up any lettuce I have throw in croutons and dressing (Rene's Light Caeser).  These are just lunch ideas.  Dinner is stir fly with oyster sauce.  Any fresh veggie with the "precooked chicken strips works great.
I make chicken chili, makes great for lunches too. 
Hey Cathy, we should do a reciepe exchange for a fun run idea, or just exchange at the clubhouse?  I have a ton of really yummy easy recipe's.  As you know, I cook just for me and Jacob so my portions are usually small.
I would be happy to bring in a few meal ideas.  I would love to get other ideas to spice up my meal planning.  Can we make this happen?

[SNOWRUNNER]

Hey Cathy.. here is what Dave eats in a day.. hope it helps.
 
Breakfast.. never skip it. Egg whites and a bagle.. or some pumpernickle bread. sometimes a quarter cup of raw oats n` honey.
 or i have a half pint of yogourt with granola banana and dried cranberries.
2 nd breakfast .. eaten at or around 9:30 am... the first one eats at 6am.
 a handful of almonds and the same in peanuts. another banana and an apple. premix 30 gm of protien powder for a drink if i have it. and an apple.
 Lunch.. 1 - 2pm.. a salad bowl of pasta, or long grain brown rice.either one mixed with herbs and spices.. ie: tumeric, greek, or italian spices. olive oil . A handful of fresh peas and a can of tomatoes. With another apple. ( red delicious is at the top of the heap in nutrition )
 run when i get home.. 6 - 7 ish.. may have a piece of pumpernickle or a hunk of power bar prior to running.
  After run.. Banana and peanut butter. or some whole grain crackers and cheese.
    Achange up of things is fish a couple of days and a mixture of veggies.. corn, green beans.. an yes  eat your roots..
   beets, spuds now and then .
  always use olive oil, but never fry with it.. not good for you.
   basic rule. eat breakfst like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper..
   which means eat when your gonna need the energy, and not so much over night. so slow down as the day goes by.
                  and chocolate is actually good for you... especially 70% dark and over..
         got any questions i will answer if i can.. im pretty good with the food thing.
                                                   Dave..

[Cathy]

Breakfast -  usually none, lately a shake, rarely oatmeal or eggs (these would be usually a lunch thing rather than breakfast)

Snack of a granola bar around 9:30 in the morning

Lunch - lately a granola bar or I try to eat yogurt

Dinner - my son is a good cook and last night it was a real good meal.  This is more of  what I am trying to get to for EVERY meal and EVERY day.  We had fresh cooked trout and halibut in lemon and onions and a pasta salad with carrots and some fetta cheese. 

Now the problem starts.  I usually eat dinner when I arrive home from the clubhouse.  I don't get away from there until 7 or 7:30 so that makes dinner about 8.  Far too late to be eating.  And when I do it just doesn't seem to stop.  I know this is because I haven't had enough during the day and my body just wants food now.  But what I eat after dinner isn't good.  It is JUNK.

Last nights dinner came from a conversation with my family that I needed to change my diet adding things in that I didn't like and finding ways of eating them because I knew that they were good for my to have.  I like fish, tuna and battered haddock.  Fresh fish from the market is better for sure but I haven't been able to tolerate the bones that I seem to be the only one to find.  Well that is too bad, figure out how to eat it.  I have gotten to quite like fish. 

Bananas I have a real problem with.  I can do them in bread and muffins but am not able to eat them by themselves.  I am about to embark on the smoothie thing.  Send any and all recipies you have that include bananas.

I got the meal plans so that I would see what was suggested for serving sizes as well as what to eat that would give me a variety of foods daily.  Almost all of the plans had more food before dinner than I would eat in a whole day or possibly a day and a half.  I looked at this as just being TOO much food but when I think of it is all good for me and I would need it daily.

So keep your daily menus coming in (if you don't mind).  It is all useful information and I appreciate your help.

[SNOWRUNNER]

Ok..
  Try this.. when you get home eat lightly ie: salad with oil and vinegar. If your son makes a nice meal, try seting yours aside and take it the next day. Thus making your mid-day meal your main meal. This is when your body needs it anyway. Try if you can adding fiber to your diet. A bit at a time. like some brcolli or a member of the legume family. The added fiber will fill you up as well as provide good nutrition.Keep up the carbs tho.. rice is good, brown is better. Your brain runs on carbs, if you delete carbs, or cut back you will suffer. As a runner you need more protien than other people. But you dont need animal fat. So try a protien powder. Bodily nutrition is why you should eat. Want to be social?? try a cup of tea... green is good. If your tummy gets antsy from the fiber, drink peppermint tea.
 Most of peoples problems with food are usually habitual. Emotions can take a play in junk food.Ie: comfort food, usually night eating becomes a crutch.. so kick it.
       eat well live happy!!

[Sandy]

Maybe you need to turn your day upside down.  They say you should eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Queen and dinner like a Prince.  Biggest meal first etc.  ALSO you need to get in some protein at EVERY meal as protein helps you to feel full longer and keeps sugar cravings down.  Try adding high fiber foods which add bullk to a meal (oatmeal w/flaxseed, raisins and cinnamon) will make you feel REALLY full.  Add to all of that water and you might not crave such a huge meal at night.  Remember also that part of what we crave is chewing, so lots of raw veggies, salads, fruits play a huge roll here.

[SNOWRUNNER]

All of this  just made me hungry... 

[Cathy]

I am working on having my meals put over to the next day.  I think my family is just mad at me for not being home at meal times and likes to give my some grief but my son will put food aside for me so I can have it when I get home but I have suggested for lunch the next day is better.  Most of our meals consists of a huge clomping pile of veggies.  My husband would eat nothing else except bananas if he could.  So most meals consist of broccoli, cauliflour and carrots as well as asparagas all at the same time.  But when there is gravy I will put that on them as well. 

IHAVE NEVER EATTEN WELL.  AND NOW IS THE TIME TO START GOOD HABITS.  I want to just start fresh with no pre- conceived ideas.

Right now I am late for work so better get going and get back to this later.  Keep the ideas and hints coming.  I am digesting them all and love all your assistance.

[ShoppinShannon]

WATER, drink lots of it.  I make a point of traveling with a measured amount of water.  1.5liters must be drank by noon and then another by dinner.  It fills the need to snack.  Great for digestion and skin!
Protein is so important too.  If it's weight you are concerned with, stay away from pork and beef, stick with fish and chicken.  It's leaner.  You probably already knew that.
I'm not a big fan of pasta, in fact I know I don't have any in my house other than KD for my son! lol
I like getting my fiber from veggies and nuts.  Nuts are great to carry around for snacking.  I have unsalted almonds in the drawer next to the chair I sit in...keeps me away from the bad stuff fills my belly and full of protien and fiber. 
I get sabotaged at dinner alot.  Sometimes I dont' get to eat till later due to my classes at school, so when I am a good girl, I try to premake a salad for at home (greek).  This way it is waiting for me, but it's not too heavy.  I ususally take a protien bar and put it in my purse when it comes close to dinner time and I'm trapped somewhere.  Believe me, I'd much rather eat food, not out of a wrapper...ugh.
If you are in control of the grocery shopping, go shopping full and stay away from the ingredients that can contribute to your downfall.  I know, I AM MY WORST ENEMY.
So I won't allow certain things cooked in the house (potatoes/gravy/bacon..) or brought in the house (chips, chips, chips).  Because I'm weak.  I even went as far as only letting my son pick out small bags of chip vs big bags because I don't want left overs. 
Hope this helps.   
.......I just realized I need to follow my own advise....I'm hungry.

[SNOWRUNNER]

Hey Cathy..
  Try this web site. just google " real age " . It is a great site. Full of nutritional tid bits and little known things about the food you should and should not eat.
 Take the real age test, its fun and probably fairly accurate considering all of the info you must submit.
 If you sign up to the site you recieve a couple of e-mails per week. A pretty resourceful information highway.
 I like it cuz they dont have anything to sell you. Just great info on good ol food.The archives is crammed with all of the information you may require to set yourself right.
 
     hope this helps.   
                                      Dave.

[Cathy]

 If you sign up to the site you recieve a couple of e-mails per week. A pretty resourceful information highway.
 
                                      Dave.

When I first read this I thought that it said "e-meals."

Now I thought that that was just what I was looking for.  ha ha

[Jane]

  Keep the ideas and hints coming.  I am digesting them all and love all your assistance.

   

Check under food and nutrition on Runningmania too.  They have recipes there as well - some of them are just good though, not necessarily GOOD for you!!

Don't forget Sparkpeople too --  http://www.sparkpeople.com/

They have tons of recipes in there - I was just looking at them. 

Check out this one:

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
Snacks  Breakfast 
Submitted by JOJOMKE

A yummy way to start the day with very little fat and lots of flavor!

Recipe Added to SparkPeople.com

Ingredients

1 cup old fashion rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup non-fat milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar
raisins or nuts (optional) 


Directions
Soak the oats in milk for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
Combine the oat mixture with the applesauce and egg whites, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if desired.
Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan.
Combine the cinnamon and sugar and top each muffin with some of the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.
Remove from pan, cool and enjoy.
These can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for a quick breakfast.

Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 93.5
Total Fat: 0.5  g Cholesterol: 0.4 mg
Sodium: 196.2 mg
Total Carbs: 20.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
Protein: 2.9 g
 

[Jane]

Me again - Spark People has some kind of diet plan as well, but I didn't check it out.

[SNOWRUNNER]

Hey Cathy.
 By the sounds of it you only need a change of habit. It can be difficult living with other people who differ from yourself.
 Habits run deep. Before you eat something, ask yourself why your eating it. Like i suggested before, eat for the day not the night. And eat 5 smaller meals instead of 3 staple ones. I , like many of us grew up in a " meat and potatoes " house. That doesnt have to be the case.
           
                Norm could live off of bananas?? ...  hehehe.

[SNOWRUNNER]

Oh Cathy, i forgot..
  I have been eating a grain for the last couple of years. It`s called Quinoa. ( keen-waa) . It`s also called the mother of all grains. It has more protien than meat with no fat or chemicals. It absorbs into the body just as well. It is especially good for women due to the iron content.
 It looks like little bird seeds, and cooks like rice. 2 patrs water, 1 part Quinoa. Bring water to boil add the grain and then simmer for 12 mins. It is done when the little balls open up.
 It is widely used in Europe and can be a breakfast meal.
  It has been eaten for over 6000 yrs and was once considered peasant food.. healthy peasants back then.
    By it in the a&p or at the bulk food store.
          Dave