Daily Menu, February 22, 2016

1600 Calories. Gluten Free. Dairy Free. Low Cost. Low Calorie Menu.

I did go ahead and waffles for the kids, and I ate 2 of them. The batter made 16-waffles that were about the size of a slice a bread. Like the size of frozen waffles. I got a new electric waffle iron for Christmas and the kids have been really anxious to get waffles as often as possible, so I guess I’ll try to indulge them once a week, but not more often than that. I ate the waffles plain, like toast, with my eggs and sausage. They were good, but they are fatty. Someday I’ll make a low-fat, gluten-free waffle, but not today.

It’s getting to be my PMS week when I have terrible cravings that I cannot control. So I’m working overtime to pray for my cravings to diminish, for my ability to stick to my food plan, and for me not to lose any of the progress I’ve made. I won’t actually lose any weight (at least I don’t think I will) until after my period is over. For the next two weeks the best I can hope for is to maintain my progress, and stick to the program I’ve set for myself. This is when I white knuckle it every month. It is so blasted hard.

To try to keep myself on track as much as possible, I am allowing myself 1600 calories a day for this week, instead of 1500. I’m including more starches, because that is what I crave. Plus really upping the veggies because they keep me full. I am not happy unless I am really full this week, so I’m just trying to manage my PMS as best I can. I’m going to try to eat more soy products, because they tend to help me manage my physical and emotional symptoms. This is the week that always breaks me. My plan is to continue, even if my eating gets chaotic, because I plan to keep doing this, even when I have days that go wonky. No every day can be perfect. But I can keep doing the actions, the behaviors, that I know will help me in the long run.

Breakfast

• 1/2 cup orange juice, from frozen concentrate
• 1-1/2 cups V-8® vegetable juice, no added salt
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1-1/2 ounces turkey sausage
• 1 tablespoon shredded Daiya Cheese
• 2 waffles made from Banana Pancake Batter
• 1/4 cup soymilk
• 3/4 cup coffee

Lunch

• 1 cup soymilk
• 1 cup carrot sticks
• 2 each brown rice cakes
• 2 teaspoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sugar strawberry preserves

Dinner

• 1-cup butter chicken (Indian Curry, sorry no-recipe)
• 1/2  roma tomato
• 1/4 a green pepper
• 1/4 a giant cucumber
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup cooked spinach
• 1 gluten free matzo cracker (Yehuda Brand)
• 2 tangerines

Miscellaneous

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• Herbal Tea, Iced Tea, Lemon Water

Nutrition

Per Serving: 1638 Calories; 46g Fat (24.6% calories from fat); 94g Protein; 225g Carbohydrate; 35g Dietary Fiber; 240mg Cholesterol; 1808mg Sodium.

Calories By Percentage: 25% Fat; 53% Carbohydrate ; 22% Protein.

Exchanges: 6 Grain(Starch); 9 Lean Meat; 10 Vegetable; 3-1/2 Fruit; 6 Fat; 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrates.