Weight Maintenance Month 12: Week 1

Day 1

• Breakfast: Doughnut, Fruit, Water
  1 sour cream glazed doughnut and some fruit.
• Lunch: Chicken Wrap, Apple, Water
  We were on our way to the zoo, and I was going to get a grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy’s but apparently they don’t make it anymore (!!), so I got a grilled chicken wrap instead. Definitely not as good, but there weren’t a lot of other options. I also brought an apple to go with it.
• Dinner: Chicken, Carrots, Rice, Green Beans, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
  Leftover Chicken and Carrots with Wine Sauce, brown rice (about 1/2 cup), and canned green beans. We stopped at the ice cream sandwich shop on the way home; I got one, but cut it into four pieces and had one for dessert.
• Snack: Fruit, Water
  I had a doughnut for breakfast and I didn’t know how many Points the wrap was for lunch, so I went with just fruit for a snack.

Day 2

• Brunch: Cheerios™, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
  Late breakfast – Cheerios with sliced banana, strawberries, and 2% milk.
• Dinner: Chicken Burrito, Apple, Water, Ice Cream
  We went to the beach, stopped at the burrito place for lunch, and then the ice cream place for dessert. I got the chicken burrito (luckily they weren’t too big), had an apple that I brought, and just got one scoop of ice cream in a cup.
• Snack: Snap Peas, Melon, Water
  Again, I wasn’t sure how I did on lunch/dinner, so I figured fruit and vegetables for a snack would be best.

Day 3

• Brunch: Grape-Nuts^®, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
  Another late breakfast – Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup) with 2% milk, sliced banana (half of a banana), and some strawberries.
• Dinner: Pork Skewers, Couscous, Pineapple, Water
  Spice-Rubbed Pork Skewers with Tomatoes (4 skewers), Peanutty Couscous (1/4 recipe), and fresh pineapple.

Day 4

• Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Banana, Water
  Whole wheat toast with 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and sliced banana.
• Lunch: Memorial Day Food, Water
  I tried not to go too crazy, but I did have a little bit of almost everything: brat, fruit, salad (with low-fat dressing), baked beans, deviled egg, dessert (I made Cool, Cream Chocolate Dessert from Cooking Light magazine).
• Dinner: Hot Dog, Fruit, Water
  Hot dog with ketchup and mustard, and more fruit.

Day 5

• Breakfast: Granola Bar, Water
  Quick breakfast on the go: Nature Valley™ Fruit & Nut granola bar.
• Lunch: Turkey Armour^® LunchMakers^®, Water
  Crackers, meat, and cheese, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert. Probably should have added some fruit.
• Dinner: Chicken, Carrots, Rice, Watermelon, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
  Basically same dinner as Day 1, except watermelon instead of green beans.
• Snack: Grapes, Triscuits, Salsa, Water
  Grapes, and 3 reduced-fat Triscuits with salsa.

Day 6

• Breakfast: Cereal, Strawberries, Milk, Water
  Kashi^® Island Vanilla biscuits with strawberries and 1% milk.
• Lunch: ??
  I forgot to write down what I had for lunch – but it may have been half of a turkey sandwich and some fruit? (whole wheat bread, light mayo, whole-grain mustard, turkey, low-fat cheese slice, pickles)
• Dinner: BBQ Chicken Tacos, Coleslaw, Fruit, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
  Crockpot BBQ Chicken (2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked on LOW for 4 hours in BBQ sauce and water and shredded) on 2 small tortillas and topped with coleslaw (1 bag coleslaw, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. celery seeds), fruit on the side, and a ice cream sandwich square for dessert.
• Snack: Veggies, Dip, Fruit Bar, Water
  Veggies with low-fat dip, and a That’s It Mini Fruit Bar.

Day 7

• Breakfast: Kashi, Blueberries, Milk, Water
  Same as Day 6, except with blueberries instead of strawberries.
• Lunch: Burrito, Apple, Water
  Amy’s Organic Black Bean Burrito (microwaved frozen burrito), and half of an apple.
• Dinner: Pork, Couscous, Melon, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
  Leftovers from Day 3 (only 3 skewers this time), with melon instead of pineapple and another ice cream sandwich square for dessert.
• Snack: Popcorn, Apple, Water
  Low-fat popcorn and apple slices.

How Did I Do?

Honestly, I have no idea. I tried to balance things out and keep portions small – 1 doughnut with fruit, a takeout wrap with an apple, a chicken burrito with an apple, fruits and vegetables for nighttime snacks. When Wendy’s didn’t have a grilled chicken sandwich, I had a wrap instead. When we got gourmet ice cream sandwiches, I divided it up into four portions to eat throughout the week. For Memorial Day, I made sure people were bringing fruit and salad, skipped things like chips and bread, kept portions small, and made a light(er) dessert. I made a couple of light/healthy dinners to have the rest of the week.

Sometimes, you’re doing stuff with your family that involves food and you need to make a choice. Sometimes you decide to choose something lighter. Sometimes you decide to not have anything at all and just enjoy your time with them. Sometimes you enjoy the burrito, or the ice cream, or the takeout, or the Memorial Day food, but without going too crazy. Which one is best? Whatever works for you! Whatever doesn’t make you miserable and lets you enjoy your time with your family – and hopefully doesn’t tip the scale the wrong way. But even if it does, just enjoy that time, and then start again and keep going.

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers^® program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.

• Weight Maintenance