Patty James M.S., C.N.C.

Pictures can say more than words….look at all these beautiful veggies, fruits and flowers.

If you need inspiration as to what to eat for the day or week, simply wander around the Farmer’s Market if you have one in your town, if not, try something new at the grocery store. There is nothing like the taste of fresh fruit and veggies.

Here is Day 2 of my eating plan which began on September 4th:

Breakfast: grapefruit, 7 grain hot cereal with 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup milk- 301 calories total
Lunch: 5 ounce local, organic, free range lean ground beef, 1 small tomato, 2 cups kale sauteed in 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1/2 red onion all served with 1/4 cup fresh salsa-388 calories total
Snack: nectarine 62 calories
Dinner: Smoothie made with 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk, 1 small apple, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 large leaf collard greens, 1 cup coconut water (not coconut milk) 1 tablespoon flax seeds, 4 tablespoons Hemp Pro Fibre-416 calories total
Drink: Tea, 1/2 cup coffee, 1 beer 152 calories

Total calories 1319

Exercise: bike ride 13 miles, 1 hour of dancing/jogging/walking through the vineyards, light weights

Since it’s Labor Day weekend, I will most likely have another beer or glass of wine tomorrow, but I try not to have alcohol every day.

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend! Be safe!

I generally eat really well, but do consider myself a moderate eater, meaning I am not really strict. I pretty much eat whatever foods I want to with some exceptions. I don’t care for lamb, I am not a raw oyster fan, and won’t eat foie gras or veal. I am the same way with what I drink. Lots of water is always a part of my day, but I’ll have a beer now and again with dark beers being my favorite and I do like a glass of nice red wine. There you have it.

So how did this 10 pounds sneak up on me? Mostly it was life on the road these past 8 months; again I ate pretty darn well, but I think I ate my weight in nuts-mostly raw walnuts and almonds with some cashews, Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts thrown in. They’re easy to eat on the road and are a good source of proteins and fats. I do, as most know, have a little peanut butter problem. Love the stuff… Mostly the 10 pounds is from less than my usual exercise.

So now I’m home and haven’t gotten serious about the 10 pounds until yesterday. I don’t go on diets by the way. If you can go on a diet, you can go off. If you lost pounds, you can find them again. I just re-shift my habits.

So…here is my plan. Exercise more and eat less. Everyday I will post exactly what I have eaten and had to drink and I’ll let you know my progress and when the 10 pounds have gone. I am using Calorie King for calorie counting. By the way, I have never been a huge calorie watching person, but right now it’s going to be useful.

Day 1:

Breakfast: an apple, banana, 2 soft boiled eggs and 1 cup steamed zucchini -287 calories total
Lunch: 2 cups raw spinach, sardines (I buy Vital Choice in water), 1 ear raw corn, 1 stalk celery, 1 carrot, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic – 359 calories total
Dinner: 1/2 cup quinoa, 1 avocado, 2 cups raw broccoli, half a lemon, juiced. (all mixed together) -493 calories
Drinks: Tea, 1/2 cup coffee, 5 ounces red wine-total 147 calories

Daily calories: 1286

Exercise: 8 1/2 mile bike ride, walking/dancing/jogging through the vineyard for 1 hour total

Remember last week when the radio show hosts in Texas wanted to go over and slap the parents feeding their kids chips? Well, today is the follow up. Also, tomorrow is the Martha Stewart radio show discussing kid’s health. Both events are on the Calendar. I also added a cooking class on October 12th. Join me!

Wow, this is new for me. Generally my friends and family comment on my web sites and this post and the Shine The Light post. Now I wake up to 25 or more comments and most of them have their URL attached with boxed sets of DVD’s for sale, or BMX bikes, or even something about Beijing ‘escorts.’ I don’t like it. It has taken away the intimacy of my daily posts for me.

Do I remove the comments section? If I do that I can’t receive the comments from the people I want to hear from. It’s also been fun to hear from people who I had no idea actually read my posts. I walked into Benedetti Tires in Sebastopol a week after I returned home and all the guys were there and said, Patty! all at once and told me they knew what I had been up to because they read my posts. I do believe I blushed.

I guess I will continue to send comments to the Trash, as much as it pains me to do that. Why do these people think I would actually publish their comments? The rest of you, please send in your comments! You’re the saving grace….