Tuesday, August 17, 2010

what’s for lunch

So I lost 1 pound last week, which was my goal, but also an amazing accomplishment, given the fact that I spent more time off the wagon than on it.


I've been packing my breakfasts and lunches for-ev-er, but with the new eating plan I decided to make it even easier to keep healthy food close at hand. These are the supplies I keep on hand for breakfast, snacks, hydration, and lunch at work -

  1. insulated lunch bag (a gift from Ursa, kind of like this one; these are also readily available at every thrift store I've ever been to, maybe not this cute but cheap and functional.)
  2. reusable plastic containers (faux Tupperware®)
  3. plastic flatware
  4. zipbag of individual water-flavoring packets
  5. reusable metal water bottle (I have a variety of these from thrift stores, and Dollar Tree)
  6. zipbags of tea, sugar, powdered milk
  7. sea salt and pepper, in a recycled sprinkles container 
The plastic containers, water bottle, and flatware travel back and forth daily in the bag; everything else lives in my office.

Twice since starting the new eating plan,  I've made a double batch of oatmeal and portioned it out into 2 ready-to-go servings. It's really easy:

In a VERY LARGE microwave-safe bowl, I mix:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tablespoon sugar
about 1/2 c powdered milk
1 large apple, chopped coarsely
about 1/4 cup trail mix (nuts/fruit)
lots of cinnamon
2 cups water

Place on microwave safe plate (in case of boil-overs), cover, nuke on high for 5 minutes; stir, nuke another 3-5 minutes, until water is absorbed. After cooking I stir in a splash of vanilla, and 2 packets Truvia (stevia sweetener), then divide into 2 1-cup resealable plastic containers and refrigerate. That's two breakfasts, done. 

I've been packing my meals each evening for the next day. Today I had oatmeal, "lite" yogurt, a kiwi, 1 c leftover ww spaghetti & 1/2 c sauce (Ragu, to which I added a large can of diced tomatoes), and a cup of fresh cherry tomatoes from Jason's garden, w/ 2 T ff ranch dressing. I also refilled my 3 c water bottle 2x (flavor crystals added), getting in 2/3 of my water before dinner. I was satisfied and energized all day.

Speaking of dinner - 2 slices lite cheese, mayo, & lettuce on 2 slices dark pumpernickel; potato chips. A cup of hot tea is in my very near future.

One more thing: In a jar at work I have sugar-free peppermint, butterscotch, and mocha hard candies (Dollar Tree) - they're dee-lish, and don't taste sugar-free at all! I plan to try them in coffee and hot tea; sounds good, doesn't it? I'll let you know how it turns out.

: )

xox,
Susan

Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch. 
Orson Welles


2 comments:

Luna said...

Thanks for the tip on Dollar Tree sugar-free hard candies. I think ES told me about them before, but I had forgotten. Something sweet for a treat sounds good. Now I need to find a healthy alternative to cookies/cakes/pastries to go with hot tea in the evening.

Speaking of sweets. . . At Kroger on Tuesday I checked the baked-too-much bin as usual. I couldn't let the packages of scones get away. I bought them, but as soon as I got home I put them in the freezer. Now I'm waiting to forget they are there!

susan said so said...

Mmmmmm, scones! You did the right thing, taking them home instead of lesving them to languish, unloved on the "oops" shelf...

I've read about someone dumping hot sauce on anything she wanted to pass up on her plate when she was eating out - she'd seperate her food into eat this/don't eat this portions, then douse the extra with hot sauce so she wouldn't be tempted to overeat. Sounds awfully wasteful to me, but I guess if one is concerned about one's lack of willpower, that method would work.