Bonnie's Journey to Fitness
It might be hard, but I'm proving it can be done at any age.
Let me first say, I am not a dietician or a nutritionist.
Before I started this journey, I was on medication for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. And was a hair away from having Type-2 Diabetes. So my eating habits had to change. Last week I had bloodwork done during my annual physical. My cholesterol is now normal. My blood pressure … normal. And my risk of Type-2 Diabetes - gone! I am off all medication!
We all know what we’re suppose to eat. But like everyone else who has a busy schedule, I wanted something quick. So would fall back to frozen meals, carryout or fast food restaurants, and vending machines. Have you ever read the ingredients on a pre-packaged meal? At one of TWR’s monthly meetings, Ron had examples of some pre-packaged meals and had us actually try to read some of the ingredients …. of course we had no idea how to pronounce most of them! And the sodium level … Holy Cow! No wonder my ankles were always swollen!
I met with a dietician and I work with DB at TWR. The key was eating clean and making sure I got enough of the nutrients in my body to fuel my workouts. I find for me, eating every 3 hours helps keep my energy up and hunger at bay. My goal is to eat 1300-1400 calories a day (a 30 year old would probably aim for 1500-1800 calories/day), consisting of 50% of “good” carbs, 20% of “good” fat, and 30% of protein, as well as eating 35 grams or more of fiber each day. I do give myself a “cheat” day too. I keep a food log and DB reviews it each week. DB has become instrumental in helping me stay on track.
I made the decision to eat as clean as I could and avoid anything processed. I pack my breakfast, snacks & lunch every day - no more takeout, fast food, or vending machine. The local food pantry loved me when I purged my cabinets.
It really does not take much time at all. Just a little planning and an hour of your time every Sunday. And keep it simple!!! It’s important to get a variety of fruit and vegetables (the more colors the better), but don’t go crazy. And make sure you become friends with your measure cups and even pick up a food scale. Don’t rely on your eyes. I learned the hard way.
My typical hour on a Sunday ….
1. For breakfast - I’ll measure out a week’s worth of oatmeal into handy snack bags. Blueberries is the fruit of the week (frozen), so I’ll measure out a serving and put into a bag so it’s easy to grab each morning. I always add 1 Tbls. of Almond or Peanut butter to my oatmeal (gives me a little more protein). Tupperware has these really small containers that are perfect.
2. For lunch - I keep it simple. It’s always a salad. I have really grown to love Spinach or Arugula as the base for my salad. I’ll make up 5 containers. Fill it with the spinach or arugula. This week I’ll include shredded carrots, shredded red cabbage, some green and red peppers and cucumbers. Chicken and black beans are my protein for the week. Perdue has these great packages of the “Perfect Portion” boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Right from the freezer I’ll take 3 breasts, spray with a little olive oil, drizzle some lemon juice over them, and then finish with Mrs. Dash. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Done! 3 salads with chicken breast, and 2 with Black Beans. I make my own salad dressing too. Those small Tupperware containers are perfect. All I do is add some Mrs. Dash, 1 tsp Olive Oil, 1 Tbls. Rice Wine Vinegar, and 1 Tbls. White Balsalmic Vinegar and then a squeeze of Brown Mustard. Shake it and it’s ready to go. I finish off lunch with an Apple.
3. For Snacks. Again, keep it simple. My favorite snacks are 3 oz of Baby Carrots and Laughing Cow Light Cheese, a handful of almonds or walnuts with dried apricots or dried cranberries, half a turkey sandwich, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with about 5 sliced grapes and 3 to 4 walnut halves, a small container of plan Greek Yogurt and some fresh strawberries.
4. For Dinners - yes, I even plan these out for the work week. There are 2 days I’ll be at TWR to train so know I won’t get home until after 7:00. Those nights I’ll have a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomatoe (I discovered adding a little mustard instead of mayo in your tuna is quite good). Then I’ll grab a handful of raw veggies - like celery and carrots. Or I might scramble up some eggs (Egg Beaters or Egg Whites plus one egg) throwing in some spinach or peppers, a slice of whole wheat toast and a sliced plum tomatoe. If it’s an evening I’m home earlier, I always have fish in the freezer (salmon or tilapia). Right from the freezer I season it and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Serve it with Whole Grain Pasta, Brown Rice or Baked Sweet Potato and broccoli or green beans.
I love soups. If I have some extra time on a Saturday or Sunday, I’ll cook up some healthy soups, put them in serving size containers and pop in freezer.
My cheat day … I still write things down, just to keep me from going crazy. This is the day I may go out to Brunch or dinner with friends and even indulge in desert. I don’t feel deprived knowing I have this day.
Here’s a sample menu from last week:
Breakfast (6:30 a.m.) - 3/4 Oatmeal with 1 Tbls. Almond Butter and an Orange
Snack (9:30 a.m.) - 1/2 cup Low-fat cottage cheese with 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers
Lunch (12:30 p.m.) - My standard salad (spinach and a variety of veggies) with 3 oz of Chicken Breast, and an Apple
Snack (3:30 p.m.) - 3 oz of Baby Carrots and Laughing Cow Cheese
Dinner (7:00 p.m.) - Turkey Sandwich (4 oz turkey, on 2 slices of Double Fiber Whole Grain Bread with Mustard, Lettuce and Tomatoes) and 1 cup of Green Grapes.
Total calories for the day: 1305. 29% Protein, 21% Fat (good fat), 50% Carbs. Also gave me the 35 grams of fiber I strive for every day.
Some websites I’ve found helpful:
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/index.php
Coming next: A TWR workout! I was going to say a typical workout - but there’s nothing typical about these training sessions. Check back on Monday!
The journey continues.
