With the exception of my breakfast (one cup oats, one cup wheat bran, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, and 2 tbsp whole flax seed, sometimes I add 1/2 a banana) I like to switch up my meals. I’ve been eating the same cabbage dish now it seems for MONTHS ON END for lunch, against the very nature of my chef spirit of experimenting. Yes, I do switch up the herbs and spices, but it’s always cabbage, some form of other vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, etc.) but also always shirataki noodles. In the heat of the NY summer, this is a very heavy dish to consume in the middle of the day, so I’ve switched up to an omelette with a side of vegetables instead. I use one whole egg and a cup of egg whites, and saute my vegetables in a wok (NO, not with oil or butter, silly – simply just add rice vinegar and/or low sodium soy sauce):

Eggs are some of the most versatile foods you can find out there, it can be prepared and eaten in so many ways and is a great, lean source of protein (provided you use the egg whites mostly, not yolk!).  The only bad thing about eggs is that they are high in sodium, however I must admit I never watch my sodium intake. Living with and being around chefs, I HAVE to season my food! And my body does not seem to mind. Sometimes I get sick of eating meat, and I choose eggs for dinner or lunch, and it works really well for me personally in satisfying my hunger and bodily needs. I also love mushrooms with their earthy, meaty flavors – low in fat and calories and also a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. I experiment with different kinds of mushrooms; I’m so lucky that we have a farm close by to our house that grows a ton of different mushrooms, and although they are expensive, I allow myself this little luxury weekly and stock up.

I have been eating on average between 2000-2500 calories for the past month now, and I am maintaining my leanness, in fact I was even half a pound lighter this morning when I stepped on the scale. SO.. I’m going to experiment with a 2-day carb loading phase to see how my body reacts, as I was told by my guru, Pauline, I might need more carbs! Imagine that! Everyone around me is so scared of carbs, but I have seen nothing but great things happening to my body when I consume them. Of course it has to be monitored- you can’t just gorge on carbs mindlessly, they must be selected carefully (types, amounts, etc.)and you also have to reduce your protein intake on those days and have very little fat.   I am going to report back on how I feel on Friday morning after my first day – I also will have to take into consideration that next week I am going to be in a different environment and might have to resort to other foods than I normally consume, so going to be very careful here.

Lastly, when calculating your calorie needs, also keep in mind your lifestyle. I do not have an office job and don’t spend hours in front of my computer (well, my husband would disagree, lol!). Most of my day is spent running around, lifting and lugging things for our business of catering, and standing. I probably burn more calories than the average person as I am very active in addition to my daily gym visits. I also have a healthy metabolism to start, and being naturally lean (not skinny) and with an athletic build from years of gymnastics and sports has helped me a bit also. That being said, I’ve seen many people with all the odds against them, build their bodies into beautiful sculptures, so there are definitely NO EXCUSES!!  Go have an egg white omelette now instead of that fatty steak! See y’all later… 🙂