Jan 20: What's on the menu?

Hello friends! Big-ass shout out to everyone who's dropped by so far. (Stop by later and maybe you'll get a smaller-ass shout out.)

So today's entry is about what I'm eating, and what I've stopped eating. One thing I've decided this time around, which is a new approach for me, is to make a concerted effort to cut back on the amount of sugar and carbs I eat. For a long time, I figured as long I cut my calorie intake to between 1200-1400 per day and got in some exercise of some sort, I was doing okay. And, I'm sure this still holds and I am not saying it's a bad idea for anyone reading this who is following that sort of program.

But what I found was, I was eating a looooot of carbs in the form of processed foods, mostly frozen dinners (I've been a Jenny Craig customer off and on for the last 5 years or so) and sugary, if small, snacks and desserts. (And then sometimes sugary and large... and multiple... snacks and desserts.) I always thought the low-carb thing was nuts and something I would never be any good at, because of the whole deprivation angle.

But I have a theory that so far is proving to be true: the less sugar you eat, the less you crave it. I'm hoping this holds when the inevitable emotional cravings try to storm the brigade of my resolve.

So the diet I've been following for a couple of weeks now is, eat around 5-6 servings a day of vegetables and usually 2-3 servings of fruit, have some lean protein at every meal, and try to stick with whole grains, and way less of them. And try to get this all to total around 1200-1400 calories a day.

Today's menu

Breakfast: 1 cup cottage cheese (1% milk fat) small banana 1/4 cup blueberries	200 cals 70 cals 40 cals
Lunch: 2 pieces 12 grain bread 3.5 small slices bacon 1 tbsp "lite" peanut butter 1.5 cups raw veggies	240 cals 70 cals 80 cals no score!
Dinner: 1 egg 1/3 cup egg whites 1/5 pkg tofu 1.5 oz parmesan cheese 1.5 cups veggies	75 cals 45 cals 60 cals 180 cals high five for freebies!
Dessert 3/4 cup frozen yogurt 1 clementine orange 1/4 cup blueberries	150 cals 25 cals 40 cals
Total	1275 cals

Okay, so there's some stuff I can work on there. Bacon is kind of an indulgence. Oh, and I forgot to include the ketchup. I used one slice of the bread I brought to have a half bacon sandwich with some ketchup. I am a ketchup fiend. I have made a concerted effort to cut back on the ketchup in an effort to steer clear of the sugary carbs. But sometimes I give in.

Also, the "lite" peanut butter - probably really over-processed and gross. It was in my drawer at work and I'm gradually finishing the jar. It's a good shot of protein and carb during mid day to have a slice of bread and some p.b. But I bet it won't taste so good when I get the kind that doesn't have sugar added to it. Frowny faces!

Fruit for dessert? Is this a trick?
For the past couple weeks I've been having fresh fruit with some variation of sweetened dairy product after dinner. The first week I had a spray can of light whipped cream. But I used too much of it per serving, I'm sure. Then I got Cool Whip Light. Which, hello, does not even exist in nature. So I've switched to frozen yogurt. Anyway, it seems to get the job done. I don't want to give up sugar completely.

For the most part I am feeling pretty satiated on this diet. I stop at the grocery store twice a week and get around $20-$25 in fresh produce. I don't spend any money on frozen dinners anymore, though, which is definitely a change.

Bonus: stave off mentalpausal hot flashes
And! For a long time I have been getting night sweats when I sleep. It's so uncomfortable and gross to wake up with your pyjamas and/or bed sheets soaked. Since I've switched to this diet, the sweats have vanished. Amazing.