Food Journal # 1

I am trying to make a conscious effort to eat healthy. My brother just recently started working out with a trainer, a family friend, who is in the best shape of his life. My brother is in no way fat, but would like to get in shape. Apparently from his sessions he was told to eat more throughout the day but in SMALL portions. I am the complete opposite. I eat less a day but with HUGE portions.

Today I made a conscious effort to eat small portions more frequently....

5:45am Breakfast - Meal 1: Chocolate Protein Shake & Piece of Bread

8:30am Snack: Orange

10:00am Lunch - Meal 2: Pasta with Grilled Chicken

1:00pm Lunch - Meal 3: Kidney Bean Salad w/Grilled Chicken

* I left work at 3:00pm which by that time I had already drank 72 ounces of water ( yes I went to the restroom a gazillion times)

Notes: It's 3pm and I'm tired. Granted I only got 5 1\2 hours of sleep but I want to go home and take a short nap. Is napping okay? I think all this extra weight is making me tired all the time. It could be my menstrual cycle also, I'm always tired when its that time of the month...

4:00pm Snack: Chocolate Protein Shake

7:00pm Meal 4 - Dinner: 1 small Chicken Pastry Puff

10:00pm Snack: Banana Protein Shake

I started cooking around 8pm for lunch & dinner for tomorrow. I think the hardest part of eating healthy is planning ahead. What happens is that when you don't plan ahead and get hungry, you will eat just about anything. 9 times out of 1o it's fast food because well, its food within minutes. Then once you're there, the chances of you ordering something healthy are slim to just about none. You say to yourself, fuck it, might as well get the cheese burger & fries and I will start tomorrow on eating healthy. Yeah...five years later and that tomorrow is finally today!

Cooking takes time & planning and most of us are either lazy, tired, or just don't have the time nor patience to cook. This is exactly why I need to start prepping ahead of time and cooking. When I cook my meals I have control of what is in it as far as fat and preservatives.

My mom came home and of course helped me as she is a wonderful cook. She almost never eats out and cooks every other day. I planned on making a simple pasta to go along with the grilled chicken and veggies. I started asking if we had the ingredients which some would include, heavy cream, mozzarella, & parmesan. Instantly my mother said "this might not be a good recipe to cook. You need something that is not as rich or fattening." It was a caprese pasta that seemed light. Apparently not. She proceeded to make a similar pasta without any cheese, butter, or heavy cream and all I can say is wow. I just tasted a piece as it was late and I didn't want to eat & It was soo yummy! I packed my lunch and am ready to go for tomorrow.

This planning this is going to take some work but I think once I get the hang of it, everything will fall into place. Its a lifestyle change that I need and want to make. No more excuses.

My brother came home with a lot of information from the nutritionist he saw early this morning. Now we are two different cases, but I can use some of the information for myself. I plan on seeing a nutritionist soon but until then, this should suffice until then.

I started cooking dinner too late today so I didn't get a chance to work out today but tomorrow...it's on!

TD