Let Life Happen

Weekends come and go but my new eating plan is here to stay. It is great to be introduced to something that feels like a good fit. That is how it is with the Flat Belly Diet. The menus are very satisfying and I like the Mediterranean-style approach. I know that I am eating healthier than I have in years.

There was little temptation to veer off-course when eating out this past weekend, or celebrating a family member's birthday. The biggest challenge was staying on schedule. The plan stresses the importance of eating every four hours and that didn't happen. I managed to get every meal in both days but got off schedule on Sunday, causing intense hunger at times. It makes me realize the importance of eating regular. The meals are quick to prepare so there is no excuse for letting myself get as hungry as I did.

When I looked at Saturday's menu, I was concerned about whether or not I would be able to eat everything that was listed. In addition to other foods, I needed to eat two frozen whole grain waffles, four slices of whole wheat bread and six wheat crackers throughout the day. That is more "bread" than I am accustomed to eating. I knew that I would not be hungry afterwards.

As it worked out, the third meal of the day on Saturday was at a restaurant. Knowing that I would not be home, I packed the afternoon snack, which consisted of wheat crackers, almond butter and an apple. For dinner I referred to the Restaurant Rescue section of my Flat Belly Diet Pocket Guide. It lists acceptable meals at several well-known restaurants. Panera Bread was one of them. I had the Low-Fat Chicken Noodle Soup and a whole grain baguette. It was very satisfying and the best thing was that I was still on-program. It is recommended that you go online to check restaurant menus and nutritional information prior to going out to eat. Planning, after all, is the key to sticking with any diet program.

When I started the 28-Day program, I was somewhat concerned about my own ability to lose weight while eating bread, waffles and chocolate chips. But that concern has subsided since stepping on the scales this morning and seeing that I was down another pound. 

Here is a look at my menu for Sunday and today. Again, items listed in bold are associated with a Flat Belly Diet recipe. Pay close attention to today's snack. Yum!

SUNDAY'S MENU

Mango Strawberry Smoothie

California Burger

 Fruit and Nuts

6 small whole wheat crackers

Dijon Salmon Pita

TODAY'S MENU

Walnut Apple Waffle

Avocado And Salmon Salad

Strawberry Chocolate Waffle

(this is my snack)

Waldorf Pita

"Sammerkin"

Blessed this earth 6 years ago last Thursday.

28-Day Plan: Day 2

As expected, the Strawberry Chocolate Waffle from yesterday was my favorite meal (actually afternoon snack). Foods with saturated fat are very limited on this diet so how can chocolate be on the menu? Apparently, the saturated fat in dark chocolate is stearic acid, which is different. It is largely converted to oleic acid in the body and that's a MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acid). In other words, it's a good fat.

Speaking of favorites, the Chicken and Apple Salad was a close second. By the time it was completely assembled, my dinner plate was heaped full of romaine, tomato, apple and chicken. I topped it off with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. And it was so darn pretty!

I took another look at the shopping and exchange lists in my Flat Belly Diet Pocket Guide and noted that I had done better than I thought at the market. There are actually few items that I need to purchase since so many substitutions are allowed. I was glad to see that many of the oils, some of which are rather expensive, can be exchanged. 

A basic version of today's menu follows. Bolded items signify a Flat Belly Diet recipe.

Walnut Apple Waffle

Chicken Sandwich
1 small banana

 Crackers with Almond Butter

Apple

Scrambled Egg and Toast
1/2 grapefruit
1 string cheese

Since I will be going away today, the challenge is how to eat out and still stay on-program. Needless to say, my handy Flat Belly Diet pocket guide will be near me at all times.