What do I eat?

For the most part, I still eat the same foods I ate before I started this journey.

For cooking, I still buy and use white flour, as well as whole grain flour; organic white and brown sugar; and organic dairy products, made from whole milk if possible. I still cook only with butter, coconut oil and olive oil.

I don't follow any diet or eating fad or drink any concoctions. I concentrate on whole foods, including mostly fruits and vegetables,whole grains, yogurt and cheese, along with meat a few times a week. I rarely eat meat more than once a day.


Once I began logging all my daily foods, I did ban my worst indulgences -- ice cream and potato chips. A heaping cereal bowl contained a regular serving of ice cream for me. And frequently, I ate two cereal bowls of it. In the same manner, I would keep refilling a bowl with potato chips until I had consumed half a bag. There was no filling up on either of those snacks.

After I had been on this journey for about seven months, I allowed myself a small dish of ice cream. I carefully measure a half cup and did not refill the dish. I still measure ice cream into a dish and stay within a half cup and occasionally have a full cup. But no more. I still have potato chips banished. Early on I replaced chips with nuts, which are much more filling and nutritious.

Although I haven't banned soft drinks, I've gone from drinking them once or twice a week to maybe one every two months. I just don't want that much sugar in my daily consumption. My favorite beverage is black coffee.

I still have a sweet tooth and mostly satisfy it with treats I make at home. Many recipes can be adjusted to lower the sugar content with no noticeable changes in taste or texture. Surprisingly, most of my favorite dessert recipes that I've entered in the Lose It app recipe section are not that high in calories, fat or sugar, within a single serving. Staying within portion limits is key,but tracking sugar as well as calories helps to pull in the reigns. At least, it helps me. I do not use any artificial sweeteners.

The same goes for sodium, as far as daily tracking, and I try to stay within the guidelines for my age. It's much easier when I'm eating meals at home. It's difficult to stay on track with daily sodium intake when eating out. For this reason, I started making pizza from scratch at home. It tastes much better than commercial pizza, and it's a super accomplishment for me.

I do not get up each morning thinking about what I can or cannot eat that day. I have established a habit of starting the day with a good breakfast, packed with essential nutrients. I used to eat skimpy breakfasts and snack until lunch. My breakfasts are now usually around 500 calories, so I don't get hungry an hour or two later.

I have the freedom to eat anything I want as long as I stay within my daily allotment of calories.

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