Snack list

These are our basic snacks we eat and continue to lose

Egg, (cooked anyway)
Celery with natural peanut butter
Banana chips (about 40) try to look for natural instead of sugar glazed 1 daily
Hummus with veggies
Tomato cooked or raw
Almonds about 10
Any fruit
cheese stick with a hand full of grapes
sugar free applesauce
Any berries
rice cake with sugar free jam (not for everytime you get hungry) 1 time
air popped popcorn ( a cup) once, not everytime
Raw veggies, tomato, broccoli, celery, carrots, bell pepper slices
Grilled onions
Fruit with plain yogurt
Juiced veggies
A very small can of tuna

We basically eat anything on this list anytime we have to eat in between meals.You never can really have to many veggies. So crunch away...!!!
This list may seem boring but there are so many ways of eating these things. You can cleverly find different ways of cooking these items. The best veggies to eat are the crunchy colorful ones.

Just wanted to make this list to let you know we are not starving... and either is Patience. I used to think celery = diet food. Now i love it so much. Celery has a salty taste and instead of crunching on a bag of chips I now reach for it. These are Dr. G recommended foods. The author of Boost your Metabolism. And our friend who has helped lead us in this health journey.

Patience lunch

Today is Saturday, so we had more time for her to have a hot lunch.
Baked Tilapia, shredded carrots, and Broccoli. We added spices such as onion powder, pepper flakes, lemon. Kids can have healthy meals without complaining.  We always tell Patience carrots are good for your eyes, Broccoli good for your skin. Reminding her veggies are not boring they are energy food that help you grow and learn. Yes it looks alike alot of food. But how many calories would a McDonald's kids meal have? You never can eat to many veggies. In the beginning we did have to sprinkle Little Parmesan cheese on the veggies to get her to eat them. And we still do but she does not have to have it now, because she has gotten used to eating veggies without being breaded or drenched in a cream sauce. After eating her lunch she is now off to visit her friend in the neighborhood to play. It gave her engery to play. In the past if we were to feed her something with high carb she would have been so tired. And would have came home asking for something to eat. Yes the carrots have sugar but the fiber the carrots slow down the sugar. She still contiunes to maintain her weight. It looks like alot of carrots but it isnt really, They are shredded. We watch portion size there are alot of times Patience will skip her snack so it will not hurt if she ate alittle more veggies at lunch.

Dinner

Baked Tapila, lettuce, Tomato, pita bread. We try to eat most of the veggies/protein for dinner and no bread. I could have added a large salad along with that but it was a workout night.And we were on the go.

Sometimes we will have a veggie one packed with avocado slices, grilled veggies. This is alot less calories than a hamburger.
This pita bread is Made by a company called Joseph's it has flax seed in it.And it SO good!!! Only 60 calories.

After the workout we came home and ate fresh strawberries. Patience loved them without the whip cream. She loves Strawberries. There was no Momma can we stop by Wendy's and get a hamburger.
It amazes me what a little girl can do that some adults have a problem with. I know sometimes it is the time trap that gets people.
But if they plan ahead they can have a healthy good for them meal.

I wanted to add a photo of something that Jerry and I seen at the market. And I was horrified. This is a nightmare for parents whose child has a insulin problem they are unaware of. (The one cookie with sugar and pizza does hurt, even if it is just one)

Lunch

Jerry's salad

Look how big this looks

from the Man who was 330 now down to 163!!!!

Lettuce, chicken, carrots celery, tomatoe

And lots of water.

Jerry does not eat meat everyday for lunch. Alot of days we will have a huge plate of veggies.  Anyway grilled chicken, tuna, fish always ok. Yesterday we had a picnic in the car. Just him and I  we had some errands to run. Anyway we went to Walmart bought a veggie plate Raw veggies and ate pineapple slices for a sweet. It was so good. And enough. Jerry had pita bread with his.

I loved our lunch and I felt good about eating healthy.

Please stop losing weight Jerry.. LOL

The small steps

So you ate the cupcake?
Heard some bad news today so out of frustration you ate the whole thing of cookies?
Try to remember its not about a diet, its about your health. What is good for your body. Since we started the healthy journey I have had some health problems. So I have no choice but to eat right.  I eat better to keep my immune system stronger. In the begining of  course i followed the plan because we had to call Dr. G and i did not want to disappoint. But some where down the road I realized Its about loving myself to want better. To want to feel better. And stop what health issues I have from going down hill.

For Patience of course we do not want her to develop diabetes.
Its not about the weigh in, its about giving your body something that it is good for it. If  Little girl like Patience can do it, i hope you find encouragement today.

It isn't about eating the brownie, and working out like crazy to not gain the weight. For us it's about loving yourself enough to eat right.
(of course it isn't fair to ask a child to give up brownie's forever) On very special days we will make sugar free. But we also want Patience to have a love for fruit. There are many times we say Hey Patience we are going to have strawberries with sugar free whip cream as a treat. And she says ok mom sounds good.

Everytime we go to the super market and I see a overweight child and tons of junk in the buggy. I think do they know better? or does their child have a health problem they do not know about. I want to help. For all I know the junk could be for the other siblings. Just like our family. ( remember I have two other children who can eat anything and not gain)

All I can do is start with our family and maybe just maybe some where down the line Patience's journey will help other's.  It  has even helped Simplicity she is now wanting to trade her chips in for  air popped popcorn. And candy bar in for apples with yogurt.

Now Patience is at a point we can show her a list of food and she knows what is the better choice. One day I had forgotten her lunch at home and we live 30 miles from the school and i said Patience you will have to buy your lunch today. She knew we hardly ever do that. (NEVER)

Anyway she picked all the protein/veggie/fruit

When i said Patience i know you like pizza why didnt you pick it she said Momma i knew the protein was better for me. ( Is it ok to be so proud of your child you brag?)

Breakfast

I Know this looks like alot of food but still losing the weight/maintaining. This was Jerrys omlet this morning.(2 eggs and a slice of turkey bacon chopped)lightly sprayed olive Oil. Patience had a egg with 2 slices of Turkey bacon. And I had a couple celery sticks because i have the flu (Not very hungry.)

You could use egg beaters or egg whites. It was a school morning, I wasnt feeling well. So Jerry just made himself a omlet. Sometimes he will add chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, Tomatoe, any veggies really. In the bistro Md Meal it was 2 egg whites with two slices of turkey sausauge.d

We do meatless meals alot, so I hope im not offending anyone who does not eat meat.

We are not big ceral Eaters. Because we are not to crazzy about milk. We use soy milk. But one ceral Dr. G has recommended is "Mother's Brand" In the begining he had Patience eating Mothers Brand Shredded wheat with a fruit with soy milk. Every now and then we give her ceral but her engery level lasts longer with a EGG with fruit or sometimes even a whey protein shake, or oatmeal.

Breakfast

Breakfast for Patience           Oatmeal 1/2 cup
Breakfast for Jerry                 Oatmeal  Bowl
Breakfast for me            Whey Protein Shake with fruit



When I say oatmeal, I mean either steele cut oats or Plain oatmeal. Packaged oatmeal has tons of things in it that really is not healthy. We add cinnamon in it for her and agvae nectar or stevia, for sweetnesss.Patience loves oatmeal.The oatmeal is usually enough for Patience but if she wanted Jerry will fix her a couple slices of Turkey Bacon Along with her oatmeal or add blueberries.


Snack
Patience - Green apple
Jerry- Green apple
Me- Green apple

Ok lets face it, Food costs alot. We try to eat as natural as possible.  (on a Budget) Patience is content with her apple and I have no guilt. We never ask her to eat something we do not eat ourselves.

She is so healthy, she makes me proud. She will take a water with her apple for snack to school. On Average she is drinking 3 Water bottle daily.
Jerry is drinking 150, Me- 130
Staying clear of soda's and sweet drinks. We love water :)

LUNCH
Patience- Tuna Sandwitch, On whole Wheat, with a fruit. I haven't went grocery shopping yet. So she wanted another apple instead of a orange. A sandwitch with fruit is always a typical lunch for Patience. We switch it up to a whole wheat wrap, or soup sometimes. But most of the time that is her lunch. (Chips, cookies, candy, Imo are just Junk food.)
I'm not cutting anyone down that puts that in their children's lunch. ( Remember I have two other children who can very well eat those things and not gain weight.) But for Patience we really try to stay clear. There have been times on speical days. I will put a sugar free cookie. ( so she does not feel left out.) But most of the time
Sandwitch/fruit
Soup/fruit/ whole wheat cracker
Salad with veggies and grilled chicken and a fruit

Dinner
Shredded Cabbage, chopped celery, chopped carrots, in olive oil About 2 or 3 Tablespoon. Stir fried.
You could add Stir fry seasoning, not the whole package or mix your own: garlic, cummin, onion.

The Taste is excactly like Stir fried rice. Patience loves this dish.