You are what you eat?

If the saying "you are what you eat" is true, then I am probably a chicken, or a turkey, or possibly a vegetable. Any way you slice it, it doesn't bode well for me.

I was intrigued by some comments on another blog that I follow, as well as some of the emails from my "weight watchers" group. People are spending a lot of time talking about what foods they are eating, and I thought I might join in on the fun. I am a very serious creature of habit (one of the reasons that my unhealthy diet has been so difficult to break) and my diet does not change dramatically from day to day. However, this consistency does give me a pretty clear idea of my caloric intake on a daily basis.

For breakfast, I will typically have one of the following meals:

1. 2 egg white omelet with vegetables, turkey sausage and reduced fat cheese, one slice of toast with Smart Balance, and half of a banana

2. breakfast burrito with 2 egg whites, veggies, turkey sausage, reduced fat cheese and salsa in a whole wheat tortilla, and half of a banana

3. one serving of old fashioned oatmeal, turkey sausage and a whole banana

I used to eat a ton of whole eggs, but when I researched further I realized that egg yolks are full of cholesterol and fat. So I cut back to egg whites. They took some getting used to, but I really enjoy them now. The turkey sausage is much lower in fat, and is soooo much better than turkey bacon. Now, some research will tell you that eating a banana every day is too much sugar, but I recently tested low for potassium and I eat the banana for that particular mineral and hope that my exercise will burn off the excess sugar.

On the weekends, I will splurge and I usually make pancakes for the family. I have been trying to sneak in some whole wheat flour to make the batter, but I think the kids are catching on.

For morning snack I always eat a piece of fruit. Usually an orange, but occasionally an apple if the kids have left me any.

For lunch I almost always have a smaller portion of whatever we had for dinner the night before. For convenience, Katie and I plan our meals this way. If perhaps there are no leftovers from the night before, I will:

1. have a salad with low fat dressing. I usually add some diced lunch meat for protein, but I have to be careful because of the sodium.

2. on rare occasions have a slim fast shake. I am not real big on this as a main source of diet, but every once in awhile the limited calories and ease make for a good lunch.

3. on even rarer occasions I will have a cup of soup, but again I have to watch the sodium

Recently, for afternoon snack, I have been eating a protein bar. They are a little heavy on the calories, but usually provide me with the energy to make it through until dinner without over-snacking. Occasionally, I will eat some carrots or celery.

Dinners are by far the most creative meal of the day. Katie and I really try and mix things up with new dishes and old favorites. However, we almost always have a lean protein, vegetable, and good carbs. Regularly occurring dishes are:

1. Tacos with ground turkey and whole wheat tortillas

2. baked chicken breast, lightly breaded with a side of veggies or a side salad

3. pork chops, same as above

4. pork or chicken stir-fry

5. whole wheat pasta with ground turkey in the sauce and a side salad

The most important thing is portion control, and saving food over for lunch the next day has helped with that. If we eat everything for dinner, somebody is going to have to make a lunch and we just don't have time for that.

If we eat out (which we do with relative frequency), I try to stick to the same plan as at home (lean protein, veggie or salad, etc.). Occasionally, I will order a salad entree, but it usually has to look really good. Sometimes when I am out, because Katie and the kids don't like like them at home, I will order some red meat (sirloin) or fish (just about any).

None of this is to say that I don't splurge, I do. For example, last night Katie went to a meeting, and the kids and I had double stuf Oreos and milk. This was a tradition that Alaric and I started for "guys' night in", but we have included Amara as she has grown. I do try to keep my splurges infrequent, and I also try to do them on Friday or Saturday, giving myself enough time to burn them off before weigh-in Wednesdays.

So that is my diet in a nutshell (Also, I keep peanuts and cashews around for emergency situations), and if you are what you eat and if I eat healthy, then I guess I can live with that.