My food changes

A big part of this lifestyle change is the change in the way I eat and what I eat. I no longer eat fast-food and rarely ever go out to a restaurant anymore. This is a BIG deal for me because we use to eat out 4-5 times per week!

Not anymore!

I am eating alot more fresh veggies and fruits, lean protein and complex carbs and watching my portion sizes. I don't count calories but I make sure I don't over do it. I eat 5-6 times per day.
Below is a sample of what I eat in a day.

SAMPLE MENU

Breakfast:
3 egg whites, scrambled topped with salsa
Slice Whole Wheat Toast (dry)
Fruit
Caffeine-Free herbal tea with honey

After Workout Snack:
Protein Shake with Soy milk and Frozen Bananas blended up

Lunch:
Grilled Chicken Breast
Steamed Veggies

Afternoon Snack:
Apple and Natural Peanut Butter

Dinner:
Steak
Green Salad with lots of veggies and balsamic/vinegar dressing

Late Snack:
If I am hungry at night, I will have a light snack like carrot sticks with some hummus or some fruit.
Caffeine-Free herbal tea with honey


OTHER FOOD CHANGES MADE

• We eat a TON of veggies and fruits. I buy fresh fruit several times a week and the kids are allowed to eat as much of it as they like.
  
• We drink a TON of water. And NO soda at all! The only other thing we drink is milk (the kids) and soy milk, herbal tea and 100% juice every once in awhile. Lots of WATER!!
  
• We buy organic as much as possible.
  
• We buy Hormone-Antibiotic-Free Meat.
  
• We now buy brown eggs from cage-free, grain fed chickens.
  
• We read the food labels of everything! And limit our sugars, trans and saturated fats.
  
• We take a multi-vitamin and suppliments.
  
• We eat "good" fat everyday like olive oil and avacado (sm. amounts of course).
  
• I eat 5-6 times a day and ALWAYS eat breakfast. I went from eating breakfast maybe 4 times a month to eating it everyday!
  
• We try to limit our carb intake in the afternoon so our body's have time to digest it.
  
• We watch our sodium intake and buy all "No Salt-Added" foods and NEVER use table salt on anything. I don't even have it in my pantry anymore. We try to eat less then 1000-1500 mg of sodium per day.
  
• We only buy boxed cereal that has less than 9 grams of sugar per serving.
  
• We try to eat as little as possible of processed foods.
  
• And of course we eat less of everything.

We are working on the kids, as that is the hardest part. My youngest son is doing really well but my daughter who LOVES Mac n cheese and ramen noodles and hates veggies is having a hard time. We haven't forced her but have given her better options, so hopefully over time she wil get better.

Here's to a healthier you,
Shelly