Sample Menu

While it is true that a large portion of any fitness regimen is exercise and being active one part that can't be overlooked is what we use to fuel our bodies. I posted a while back about changes I made in my & my families diet when I began working out regularly and today I am going to post a sample of what I typically eat in a day. Keep in mind that I stay at home & that I have little demands on my time other than my girls. That said you can figure out a menu that works for you & your specific situation.

5:00 a.m. 1/2 a Luna Bar/90 calories

7:30-8:00 a.m. 1 1/2 c Special K with 1/4 c skim milk/220 calories

10:00-10:30 a.m. Protein Drink/210 calories

12:30-1:00 p.m. Turkey Burger with 1/2 TBSP ketchup & 1/2 TBSP yellow mustard/210 calories

3:30-4:00 p.m. One Gala apple/ 75 calories

6:00-6:30 p.m. Homemade Curry Beef/ approx 400 calories

That is a total of approx 1200 calories. I will usually make dinner something that is as healthy as possible but still family friendly. To that end I make lots of casseroles & rice with "gravy" dishes. Since I use only the leanest meat I can find & then I trim all visible fat off (if I'm using ground beef I drain any fat off once it's cooked) I'm keeping the calorie count down right there. I'll also use low-fat or fat free ingredients whenever possible. I put the meat, veggies & starch all in one dish. Also, for the average woman looking to lose weight a good rule of thumb in regards to calorie count; take your goal weight & add a zero at the end. Example: if your goal is to weigh 130 pounds aim for 1300 calories a day. By making my meal plan a little low for my goal (140 lbs) I give myself a little wiggle room. If I feel like a cookie or a treat that day, I'll have one. Regardless of whether I eat a treat or not I have the best results when I am faithfully tracking EVERYTHING I eat in a day. It makes it lots easier to just not eat something fatty or calorie packed if I know I'm going to be putting it down on paper.
So, I aim to eat a variation of the above menu every day. Like I said, some days I deviate a little, some days a lot. In the end, if I'm tracking my food & planning it before I am hungry I have an easier time being successful at the end of the day.