Health Article

Well, I can now officially tell about the 500 calorie per day diet.  I started on Saturday and today is Tuesday.  First, it has not been NEAR as difficult as I thought it would be.  Saturday morning I went to the grocery store and bought a food scale, chicken, low fat steaks, spring lettuce and tomatoes.  I weighed the meat pre-cooked out to 3 1/2 ounce portions.  I also sliced the tomatoes into the same.  I quickly found that you get a TON of spring lettuce for 3 1/2 ounces so I will probably choose that over tomatoes from hear on out.   In fact, only 2 ounces was filling up my entire plate so that is what I ate.  I baked the 3 1/2 ounce slivers of chicken with no oil and just a little seasoning salt.  They are small - but they are good and with a lot of lettuce, I was surprised to not be that hungry.

So, day 3 of Releana (which was the first day on the 500 calorie diet), I ate:  3 1/2 ounces of chicken, 2 ounces of lettuce and an orange for lunch.  For dinner, I had the exact same but chose an apple over the orange.  Using calorie counters online, I calculated that I had eaten approximately 444 calories.  Oh, and I managed to drink 4 liters of water (the doctor requires at least 2).  Amazingly, I wasn't starving. 

Day 4 (down two lbs to 178 lbs - yea!)  was very similar to Day 3.  I was a little hungry, but never starving.  This was the first day I attempted to eat out.  It was my little brother's birthday and, of course, he picked MEXICAN food.  Agh!  When the waiter got to me I asked if he could get me dry lettuce and a plain chicken breast with no oil or butter.  To my amazement - they did perfect!  I put a little salsa on the lettuce and the charred chicken was wonderful and there was no oil to be found on my plate.  I took over half the chicken breast home to save for later.

Day 5  I began work with a bang - it was a busy day and we had briefs due in Federal Court by noon so it was stressful!  We aren't supposed to eat breakfast and I stuck with it.  However, by noon I was literally shaking I was so hungry.  I devoured my orange.  My husband and I went to subway and I had them put a chicken breast on lettuce and got a fat free packet of italian on the side.   However, I noticed the dressing had 25 calories so I put it in the lid and barely touched my fork to it just to get the taste.  I also gave my husband some of the chicken breast so hopefully I didn't go to far over my 3 1/2 ounces (pre-cooked weight).  I am trying to judge by the size of the ones I previously cooked.  For dinner, I ate the remaining chicken breast from the restaraunt (I weighed it and it was 2 ounces cooked so hopefully close to 3 1/2 ounces uncooked) along with 3 1/2 ounces of tomato.  Because I wasn't starving, I skipped the apple for the evening in case their had been any extra calories from the restaraunt chicken or subway.

Day 5 (Down to 175 lbs - a total of 5 lbs) - Today has been more difficult.  I was incredibly hungry throughout the morning.  But I also messed up!  I drank 3 diet cokes (and we are limited to 2 per day!) and little to no water.  I think the water is a definite hunger buster so I have to make sure to not do that again.  I had my 3 1/2 ounces of chicken and tomato around 11:00.  I also ate my orange around 2:00.  For dinner, I plan to cook the steaks I purchased but in 3 1/2 ounces pre-cooked portions.  I'm out of salad so it looks like it will be tomatoes again but I definitely plan to buy more salad tomorrow!

With all that said (sorry for the horribly long post), it has been hard - but no where near impossible.  Yes, you have to pass the candy bowls and realize that even a mint would have calories, but "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."  That's my new motto!  Hopefully time will fly and I will be back to my high school weight of 135-140.

I do need to add in exercise.  The doctors says a maximum of 20 minutes walking since our calories are so restricted - but I need to be doing at least that!