Vegetables

Apologies for forgetting to address my "dietary" habits. I will preface this by saying this may not work for you--it just happens to work right for me. I will dispense with the "I grew up as a heavy kid" stories, which we've all heard X amount of times. For nearly 20 years now, I've managed to maintain a certain range; it's always that "last 20 pounds" that always seems to be the scourge. Nonetheless, this is pretty much the routine/pattern--please keep in mind, I also bring my own lunch during the work week (and I'm incredibly conscious of my cholesterol and fat levels, so I keep a very close eye on portions--there is NO going overboard):

BREAKFAST:
8 oz. orange juice
2 cups of coffee--2 tsp. sugar, whole milk to lighten

3 days a week, an 8 oz. cranberry juice (usually Tue./Wed./Thu.)

Monday: 1 cup Wheaties w/ 1/2 cup of skim milk
1 (strawberry) Nutri-Grain bar

Tuesday through Thursday: 1 (honey-wheat) English muffin w/ fruit spread (ea. day a different flavor--apricot, blueberry, peach). Equals about a tablespoon

Friday: 1 cup Corn Flakes w/ 1/2 cup of skim milk
1 (banana) Nutri-Grain Muffin bar

1 12 oz. glass of water with the following supplements (after coffee, 5 days a week):

1 Centrum -- the best all-purpose multi-vitamin
1000 mg. Vitamin C w/ rosehips
500 mg. garlic/parsley oil
1000 mg. flaxseed oil

LUNCH:

Monday:
1 Power Bar (I'm fond of the new Carb Select flavors)
1 Nutriment liquid energy meal suppliment

Tuesday through Thursday is either/or:

4 celery sticks
4 carrot sticks
1 tomato, quartered
4 olives (I prefer the ones stuffed with red pepper)
4 small quarters of sharp cheddar cheese
4 small quarters of Monterey Jack Pepper cheese
1 wheat roll (no spreads)
1 apple
1 banana
1 peach
1 pear
1 orange
1 (as per suggested serving) piece of organic milk chocolate

Drink would usually include something like diet iced tea
Mid-morning would also include 2 cups of caffeine-free peppermint tea w/ 2 teaspoons of honey
Mid-afternoon would include 2 cups of decaf w/ 1 Sweet & Low and a splash of skim milk

The other version of lunch those three days would be:

1 yogurt
1 cup of "trail mix"
1 1/2 cup of grapefruit slices
1 wheat roll
1 organic apple juice box

Of course, without fail, Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to the gym after work.

Weekends are a bit more lenient. However, I do maintain breakfast patterns:

Saturday:
1 packet of maple brown sugar cereal
1 banana muffin

Sunday:
1 packet of grits w/ 1/2 tsp. butter
1 blueberry muffin

Juice and coffee remain the same

The reason I'm so into the oatmeal-for-breakfast is thanks to Brother Rolo, who showed me an article from a runner's magazine about "preventive-medicine breakfasts" and oatmeal is key for preventing colds and aiding in the building up of the immune system.

Lunch will usually be whatever takes Liz' and my fancy, really. No set law, there. The key thing is I almost never eat dinner. I don't like to eat past 5 and while I don't recommend this to anyone, it just does me a great deal better. It should be noted that I do actually measure every portion out with measuring cups and spoons. Also, I drink at various intervals during the day, at least 5 - 7 12-to-16 oz. glasses of water (preferably with a lot of ice).

It's really about discipline on all levels and after years of ups-and-downs, this is what works best for me.