What will I eat during my second diet plan?

Now that I've more-or-less reached my target weight, I want to start planning my meals more thoughtfully. I wouldn't mind losing 2 lbs of fat and replacing it with muscle. However, at this point, I don't care if I lose the fat quickly or slowly. I think it's more important to just start eating properly for my height and weight.

I ran my "metabolism estimator", and I find that an average 43 years old, 5'4", 129 lb woman who does office work and no aerobic exercise would probably burn 1729 Calories a day. One with a slow metabolism might burn as little as 1380 Calories a day; one with a fast metabolism might burn 2071 Calories. Since I plan to burn 240 calories by doing 25 minutes of aerobics 5 times a week, I probably will be burning 1873 calories a day, give or take 250 calories a day.

So, I've decided to try to plan my weekly meals to include roughly 1730 Calories. If my metabolisms is "average" I expect I should continue to lose 1 lbs in 1 month as a result of the extra calories burned through exercise! That's great as long as I don't lose more than 2 lbs for this 12 week period. I'll be monitoring my weight to see what happens.

Ok, I should record my actual consumption, right? Well, I'm not going to! It's too much of a pain in the neck. I'm going to run typical daily meals on this plan through my menu analyzer to see whether they come out more-or-less ok.

I'll start tallying if I gain or lose more than 2 lbs. (Well, maybe I'll start tallying. Maybe I'll just add more food to the Menu Plan.)

Lucia

Typical Meals.

When planning my meals, I like to establish patterns throughout the day. That way I can organize my shopping and cooking efforts. At the same time, I don't like to be straight jacketed into a strict plan. I don't decide which snacks to eat in advance. Instead, I keep my snack selections at hand and pick the one I want when it comes time to eat.

Even though I like to establish a pattern, I also need the plan to be realistic. This means I need to consider family traditions and habits. I think it makes more sense to include these enjoyable traditions in my plan than to convince myself these enjoyable habits "cheating". My husband and I typically invite my family over for Saturday night dinners. Dinner get togethers last from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. I always drink wine. I could create a fictional plan in which I pretend I'm going to stop drinking wine during big family get together. Realistically, that's not going to happen. Instead, I plan for the wine consumption. To avoid overindulging, I put sparkling water on the table. I've developed the habit of alternating 1 glass of wine and 1 glass of sparkling water.

Other traditions I plan for:

my in-laws invite us out to breakfast nearly every Sunday. I'm not going to order low fat cereal at the restaurant! (I would if I ate out more than once a week, but I don't.)
friends and relatives invite us to dinner about once a week. They pick the menu! I know I will be served more than 2 oz of meat, tasty pasta and potato salads made with mayonnaise and other enjoyable items. I know my friends will serve wine. I like all these things. I'm going to eat and drink them. So, I plan accordingly. ( I also try to bring fruit salad and sparkling water when I visit! That helps me eat moderate quantities of mayonnaise laden pasta salad!)

Lot's of diet books recommend "just say no" when these are served. It seems to me that strategy is not going to work for me. If I visit someone for dinner, I need to eat food they serve. Obviously, I can only select from the offerings on the table. Let's face it, it's sort of rude to tell your hosts: "I'll visit, but please only fix foods on my menu plan." (Well, maybe it's not rude if your doctor put you on a special diet. But I started out as 5'4" and 140 lbs. My cholesterol level was 132. My blood pressure is 100/60. Am I really going to convince them that eating a 1/2 cup of pasta salad is going to kill me?)

I guess I might also change my strategy if I started eating out in restaurants often. Right now, I permit myself dessert after dinner at a restaurant. (I don't permit myself to clean my plate for the main course! LOL!) I would probably need to make a "rule" about dessert in restaurants if I ate dinner out more than once every two months!

Anyway, based on my lifestyle, I've come up with the following flexible plan. Calorie consumption will vary from day to day. I'm sure I'll eat 200 or so more calories on weekends than on weekdays. But I'm not convinced there is anything wrong with gaining 1/10 th of a lb on the weekend and losing the 10th of a lb over the course of the rest of the week.

Meal Plan
Items Portions

Breakfast 1. Weekdays and Saturdays

1 oz Toasty Ohhs cereal, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 orange or blueberries, 1/2 calcium tablet (25% of daily requirement), 1/2 multivitamin tablet. (50% of daily requirement for many vitamins and some minerals.) Coffee, black.

2. Sundays: (restaurant.)

2 eggs, 1 oz Canadian bacon, 1/2 cup hash browned potatoes, 1 oz white bread. Coffee, black.

One of:

1 whole grain, 1/2 skim dairy, 1/2 whole fruit

2 fatty protein, 2 lean protein, 1 starchy vegetable 2 tips (estimated) 1 grain.

midmorning

1 C low cal or standard calorie vegetable. (Usually raw carrots sometimes steamed broccoli)

Opt: 1 t butter (when I eat the broccoli).

Splurge: 1 small pastry. (I eat this when I go to teas, club meetings or other friends. This happens about twice a month.)

One of:

Vegetable: 2 low or standard.

Tip: 1/2 tip.

Splurge: 7 mixed tips.

Lunch

Sandwich made from 2 slices of whole wheat bread., 2 oz lean lunch meat. (Usually ham, sometimes turkey.) 2 servings fruit and or standard vegetable. (Cantaloupe, apple or banana or carrots, or broccoli)

2 whole grain, 1 standard protein, 2 whole fruit or 2 standard vegetables or 1 fruit and 1 vegetable.

mid afternoon snack Select 1 or 2:

1/2 piece whole wheat bread with 2 T humus

1 oz blueberry, banana, applesauce bran muffin.

3/4 c non-fat yogurt with fruit and non-fat sour cream.

3/4 c vegetable soup.

Splurge: 1 ounce of chips. (About twice a month. I only eat these at other people's houses.)

One or 2 of:

1/2 grain & 1/4 bean.

3/4 grain, 1/4 fruit, 1/4 non-fat dairy.

1 non-fat dairy, 1/2 fruit.

1/2 standard vegetable & 1/4 grain.

Splurge: 4 fat tips.

Dinner Select 1:

soup

tossed green salad with 1 T oil and vinegar dressing.

Also select 1:

2 oz cooked pasta with 1/2-1 C tomato sauce with meat and 2 T grated parmesan.

1 serving of a bean based casserole dish. 3 corn tortillas. (A typical bean casserole consists of 1 serving cooked beans, 1/2 portion meat, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/4 - 1/2 cup onions, peppers or other vegetable.)

Shish kebabs: 2 oz lean beef, 1 cup mixed vegetables including peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. 1/2 c - 1 c whole wheat couscous cooked.

1 serving fish or chicken casserole and 1/2 steamed vegetable with butter or oil. (A typical casserole serving consists of 1 C grain, 2 oz meat and 1/2 C to 1 C vegetables and 1/4 C non-fat white sauce. The vegetable is typically broccoli or squash.)

2-3 slices pizza.

2-4 oz roasted chicken, beef or pork, 1 c grain or starchy vegetable (I eat the 4 oz servings when I am a guest at someone's house. This typically occurs once a week.)

Beverage

unlimited sparkling water.

Optional:

0-2 6 oz glasses of wine or equivalent alcoholic beverage. (I typically drink wine with meals on weekends.)

1 standard size piece of cake, pie, cheesecake etc. (I only eat these at celebrations. Example: birthday, anniversary, holiday or graduation. These occur approximately once a month.)

2 T mayonnaise or oil. (I eat the mayonnaise when I am a guest at my in-laws. They serve delicious potato salads or pasta salads.)

One of:

1/2 standard vegetable & 1/4 grain.

2 low cal vegetable and 1 fat tip.

plue one of:

2 refined or whole wheat grain, 1/2 whole dairy, 1/2 fatty meat & 1-2 standard vegetable.

1 bean protein, 1/2 meat protein, 2 standard or low cal vegetables, 3 whole grain.

1 standard meat, 2 standard vegetables, 1-2 whole grain.

1 standard meat, 1 standard or starchy steamed vegetable & 1-2 whole grain.

2-3 grain (50%-50% whole refined), 1 lite-dairy, 1 standard vegetable.

1-2 standard meat, 2 refined grain.

Plus beverage:

0 portions!

Plus optional

0-8 alcohol tips.

10 mixed tips.

3 fat tips.

Evening Snack: Optional Select 1:

1 oz blueberry, banana, applesauce bran muffin.

3/4 c non-fat yogurt with fruit and non-fat sour cream.

non-fat hot cocoa.

I generally have a snack when dinner is particularly low fat or low calorie. Otherwise, I skip it. On average, I eat 3-4 evening snacks a week. One of these:

3/4 grain, 1/4 fruit, 1/4 non-fat dairy.

1 non-fat dairy and 1/4 fruit.

1 non-fat dairy, 1 mixed tip.

Daily Total Grain: 6 1/4 - 7 1/2 portions, mostly whole wheat.
Dairy: 2 nonfat, 1 light and 0-1/2 whole.
Protein: total = 2-3; 0-2 fatty; 0-2 lean; 0-2 bean.
Vegetables: total = 4-6; 0-4 low cal, 0-2 standard 0-2 starchy.
Fruit: 2-4 whole fruits.
Tips: total 0-24 tips. 0-8 alcohol, 0-10 mixed tips, 0-3 fat tips, 0 sugar tips.

Meal Plan
	Items	Portions
Breakfast	1. Weekdays and Saturdays 1 oz Toasty Ohhs cereal, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 orange or blueberries, 1/2 calcium tablet (25% of daily requirement), 1/2 multivitamin tablet. (50% of daily requirement for many vitamins and some minerals.) Coffee, black. 2. Sundays: (restaurant.) 2 eggs, 1 oz Canadian bacon, 1/2 cup hash browned potatoes, 1 oz white bread. Coffee, black.	One of: 1 whole grain, 1/2 skim dairy, 1/2 whole fruit 2 fatty protein, 2 lean protein, 1 starchy vegetable 2 tips (estimated) 1 grain.
midmorning	1 C low cal or standard calorie vegetable. (Usually raw carrots sometimes steamed broccoli) Opt: 1 t butter (when I eat the broccoli). Splurge: 1 small pastry. (I eat this when I go to teas, club meetings or other friends. This happens about twice a month.)	One of: Vegetable: 2 low or standard. Tip: 1/2 tip. Splurge: 7 mixed tips.
Lunch	Sandwich made from 2 slices of whole wheat bread., 2 oz lean lunch meat. (Usually ham, sometimes turkey.) 2 servings fruit and or standard vegetable. (Cantaloupe, apple or banana or carrots, or broccoli)	2 whole grain, 1 standard protein, 2 whole fruit or 2 standard vegetables or 1 fruit and 1 vegetable.
mid afternoon snack	Select 1 or 2: 1/2 piece whole wheat bread with 2 T humus 1 oz blueberry, banana, applesauce bran muffin. 3/4 c non-fat yogurt with fruit and non-fat sour cream. 3/4 c vegetable soup. Splurge: 1 ounce of chips. (About twice a month. I only eat these at other people's houses.)	One or 2 of: 1/2 grain & 1/4 bean. 3/4 grain, 1/4 fruit, 1/4 non-fat dairy. 1 non-fat dairy, 1/2 fruit. 1/2 standard vegetable & 1/4 grain. Splurge: 4 fat tips.
Dinner	Select 1: soup tossed green salad with 1 T oil and vinegar dressing. Also select 1: 2 oz cooked pasta with 1/2-1 C tomato sauce with meat and 2 T grated parmesan. 1 serving of a bean based casserole dish. 3 corn tortillas. (A typical bean casserole consists of 1 serving cooked beans, 1/2 portion meat, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/4 - 1/2 cup onions, peppers or other vegetable.) Shish kebabs: 2 oz lean beef, 1 cup mixed vegetables including peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. 1/2 c - 1 c whole wheat couscous cooked. 1 serving fish or chicken casserole and 1/2 steamed vegetable with butter or oil. (A typical casserole serving consists of 1 C grain, 2 oz meat and 1/2 C to 1 C vegetables and 1/4 C non-fat white sauce. The vegetable is typically broccoli or squash.) 2-3 slices pizza. 2-4 oz roasted chicken, beef or pork, 1 c grain or starchy vegetable (I eat the 4 oz servings when I am a guest at someone's house. This typically occurs once a week.) Beverage unlimited sparkling water. Optional: 0-2 6 oz glasses of wine or equivalent alcoholic beverage. (I typically drink wine with meals on weekends.) 1 standard size piece of cake, pie, cheesecake etc. (I only eat these at celebrations. Example: birthday, anniversary, holiday or graduation. These occur approximately once a month.) 2 T mayonnaise or oil. (I eat the mayonnaise when I am a guest at my in-laws. They serve delicious potato salads or pasta salads.)	One of: 1/2 standard vegetable & 1/4 grain. 2 low cal vegetable and 1 fat tip. plue one of: 2 refined or whole wheat grain, 1/2 whole dairy, 1/2 fatty meat & 1-2 standard vegetable. 1 bean protein, 1/2 meat protein, 2 standard or low cal vegetables, 3 whole grain. 1 standard meat, 2 standard vegetables, 1-2 whole grain. 1 standard meat, 1 standard or starchy steamed vegetable & 1-2 whole grain. 2-3 grain (50%-50% whole refined), 1 lite-dairy, 1 standard vegetable. 1-2 standard meat, 2 refined grain. Plus beverage: 0 portions! Plus optional 0-8 alcohol tips. 10 mixed tips. 3 fat tips.
Evening Snack: Optional	Select 1: 1 oz blueberry, banana, applesauce bran muffin. 3/4 c non-fat yogurt with fruit and non-fat sour cream. non-fat hot cocoa. I generally have a snack when dinner is particularly low fat or low calorie. Otherwise, I skip it. On average, I eat 3-4 evening snacks a week.	One of these: 3/4 grain, 1/4 fruit, 1/4 non-fat dairy. 1 non-fat dairy and 1/4 fruit. 1 non-fat dairy, 1 mixed tip.
Daily Total	Grain: 6 1/4 - 7 1/2 portions, mostly whole wheat. Dairy: 2 nonfat, 1 light and 0-1/2 whole. Protein: total = 2-3; 0-2 fatty; 0-2 lean; 0-2 bean. Vegetables: total = 4-6; 0-4 low cal, 0-2 standard 0-2 starchy. Fruit: 2-4 whole fruits. Tips: total 0-24 tips. 0-8 alcohol, 0-10 mixed tips, 0-3 fat tips, 0 sugar tips.

Cheating

What do I consider cheating? Not much really!

Generally, I never consider something cheating unless the food falls in the "tip" category. In principle, eating 50 servings of grain would be cheating, but you know what? I never have a sudden urge to eat 50 servings of grain. So, I wont' consider eating too many servings of low fat foods "cheating". I also won't consider it cheating if someone brings me a special treat. I'd change this policy if my husband or relatives suddenly started bringing home pastries every day but fortunately, they don't do that! When people bring me a treat, I eat one reasonable portion.

So, I'll consider these cheating:

Skipping my mid-morning or mid afternoon snacks.
Trippling my mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks. (If I'm really hungry, I've decided it's ok to eat two! One of them is required to be the low cal vegetable or the soup!)
Drinking alcohol more than 4 nights a week, or exceeding the permissible number of servings for dinner. (This is a generous allowance!)
Buying and eating chocolate, candy, pastry or chips except as an optional dessert after dinner.
Eating a "splurge" item when I am home alone. The splurge items are generally eaten when they are served by my hosts or when someone brings them to my house as a treat.

What do I do in restaurants? First, other than Sunday breakfast with my in laws, I rarely eat in restaurants. But when do eat out, I try to order something that is already in my meal plan. Also, one of the fun things about going to restaurants is eating food I ordinarily wouldn't prepare. I like to sample the appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. But restaurant portions are generally huge. I'd end up eating 4000 calories for dinner if I cleaned my plate. My husband and I agree that it's ok to violate the "clean plate" rule in restaurants. I often eat half my entree and half the dessert. He does the same thing! Some people are horrified at the waste. The way I see it, leaving half the food doesn't cost anymore than eating all of it. If I want to save money, I don't go to a restaurant!
Created: June 25, 2002. Revised:
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