I hate diets. After years of being a chronic dieter for various reasons, including professional physique competitions, I. Hate. Diets. 

I affectionately call the way I eat ‘Manage Your Mangia’. This is based on my upbringing in an Italian American family, where I like to believe mangia means eat and enjoy.

What I eat in a day can vary, and I use a simple template and my hands as my measuring tools. If you want more specifics on that, sign up for my ‘Manage Your Mangia’ downloadable cheat sheet here, an I will share it with you.

This is a typical day:

Upon waking: 16 oz of water.

Breakfast (meal#1)

 

Omelet made with 1 egg + 5 egg whites and 1-2 cups of veggies, and topped with a drizzle of low sugar ketchup. coffee

or

Shake made with leafy greens & whey protein & mint. coffee

Mid Morning:  optional

a few times per week, post workout.

coffee and a protein bar.

Lunch  (meal#2)

 

Panera Salad, use just half the dressing, ask for extra greens, and add1-2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, and omit the baguette.

Optional: If I am hungry, and I did not have the midmorning food, I will add in a fruit or a toasted Josephs Oat and flax Pita. ( This is not some magic food, I just like it)

or

Salad at home:  large amount of leaves, a few raw or cooked veggies, protein leftover from dinner and a fat. Optional: If I am hungry, and I did not have the midmorning food, I will add in a fruit or a Josephs Pita.

or

In colder months I might choose to make a quick, broth based veggie soup with leftover chicken. Sometimes I will add in a high protein pasta like Explore Cuisine.

Late afternoon  (meal #3)

a protein  bar.

or 

Greek yogurt with cocoa powder, cinnamon & Stevia, few  berries.

or

greek yogurt with salsa and raw veggies

*If dinner is going be out, I skip this altogether.

Dinner: (meal 4 or 5)

Protein, salad, cooked veggies or fruit, and a fat.  Pictured here is  pulled pork, atop  asian slaw dressed lightly with poppyseed dressing. On the side are fruit and  nuts.

Optional: add 2 glasses wine, if so I will skip the late afternoon snack, and possibly the fruit at lunch. I choose to spare starchy carbs on wine days in favor of wine. I find this to be fine for me two days per week.

Snack: on non wine nights

Herbal Tea

or

Zevia Ginger Beer (comes sweetened with Stevia),

or

occasionally decaf coffee and cream.

 or 3 hershey kisses

Back in the competition days, I believed the hype about drinking a gallon of water or more every day. I haven’t found any documentation of that being a necessity of life, so I quit that rule. I drink water, just enough to keep my urine clear, but not so much that I have to use the bathroom every 45 minutes. Examining skin as feedback is  also a good measure adequate hydration. Dull flat skin can be a sign of dehydration. Drink up beautiful lady.

TIP: On wine days, chase that wine with water, and finish the night with an extra glass of water. It makes the next day much more pleasant.

Shout out and thank you to fellow bloggers for sharing posts! check out their blogs and spread the love!

Jenn of Peas And Crayons!

Laura of Sprint to the TableLinking to the HOST