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MENU GUIDELINES
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"I am a tall, 17-year-old strong athlete in very good condition, but I was unhappy being a size 9. I started the..."
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FollowHolly Menu Guidelines
1. Try to balance the carbohydrates, protein and fat in each meal to equal approximately 40% Carbohydrates/30 – 35% Protein/25 – 30% Fat.
2. Drink at least 50 to 60 ounces of water a day. I like distilled water the best.
3. Drink a hot beverage with meals if possible. You will eat less and be satiated longer. I usually have coffee with breakfast, hot tea at lunch and either tea or a sugar-free hot coffee (such as Sugar Free Café Vienna) with dinner. If I cannot get a hot drink, or do not feel like having one, then I'll have Crystal Light or a zero-calorie flavored water or iced tea.
4. I do not eat breakfast right away when I get up. I personally am never hungry first thing in the morning. I get up between 6:30 to 7:00 a.m. and do not eat breakfast until 9:30 or 10:00 a.m., usually after I have worked out. I do, however, have a very small (but strong) cup of coffee about 30 minutes after I awake, along with some water, to get me revved up for my morning workout. Try this and see how your body reacts. Some people are hungrier during the day if they delay eating breakfast, so determine what works for you and stick to your formula.
5. It is critical to get some protein in your breakfast, preferably with the correct amount of fat, to stabilize your blood sugar. Although pure egg whites contain a fair amount of protein, they do not have fat, and therefore I have found egg whites do not keep me full. I usually eat 2 eggs (whites and yolks) for breakfast mixed with a carb, or cottage cheese (see Breakfast Recipes under the Holly’s Recipes tab for suggestions).
6. I eat three square meals a day and usually have a snack. For my snack, I usually have it in the late afternoon and I'll have some fruit (apple or berries) and hot tea or Crystal Light. I have tried eating 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day and found that I was never satisfied and developed a habit of constantly eating, so it did not work for me. However, you may want to experiment with this and see if it works for your body.
7. I work my favorite "craving" type foods into my weekly eating. I love frozen yogurt so I have frozen yogurt at least one night a week (and sometimes twice a week). On that night, instead of a traditional dinner, I'll have a very large non-fat frozen yogurt (1 pint approx. 450 calories), and with the yogurt, I stir in a small single serving of peanut M&M's (25 M&M's are approximately 250 calories). I know such a "meal" is frowned on by nutritionists, but let's face it, eating has an emotional component to it and I really look forward to this treat. It keeps me from bingeing out at other times and is not too horrible nutritionally. Plus it is fun! I have seen many people attempt to restrict themselves to weeks of pre-planned "proper" diet meals and eventually they always fail because they are left feeling deprived. I recommend you work your favorite "cheat" foods into your weekly eating plan (being careful to keep it within your daily calorie allowance). Doing so will allow you to make this a permanent lifestyle change and easily maintain your weight loss.
8. I allow myself one "Pig Out" per week. For example, for one meal per week I allow myself to forget calories and food composition and just enjoy the food. I usually do this on Saturday night. That's the one night I will enjoy a glass of wine with dinner and eat my favorite dessert. But I do not eat thousands of extra calories and I get right back on the program by the next meal. The day after this "Pig Out" I will usually work in some extra exercise, for example, my normal workout early in the day, plus a 30 minute walk in the evening.
9. Studies show too much variety in your meals encourages overeating. These studies found naturally slim people do not vary their foods all that much. Once you determine the breakfasts/lunches/dinners that work for your body, try to stick to your favorites, within reason, and do not add too much variety.
10. Deprivation does not work! Studies of binge eating have found that the day before a binge, the person typically consumed approximately 700 fewer calories than their norm. This is why it is critical to determine your proper daily calorie allotment and do not eat significantly less than that in an attempt to speed weight loss. Deprivation can trigger a binge and is counterproductive to your permanent lifestyle change.
11. If possible, remove yourself from the vicinity of people who are eating if it is not a meal time for you. Take a quick walk or catch up on some phone calls to get your mind off eating. Humans are herd animals and we tend to do what others are doing without thinking. Because of this, be mindful and take control.
Holly's Daily Menu
I will list food I ate during the week in the "Holly's Daily Menu" tab. This will be updated every week so you can see exactly what my actual menu is, so you can follow along.
