Below is actual correspondence I exchanged with one of my newer clients on his current eating habits. I decided to share it with you all since his feedback was so comprehensive and, since he has a hectic work schedule and eats out often, his profile raises some of the most difficult issues in terms of options to planning and preparing meals in advance. It’s presented in a question and answer format with his information first, and my responses below that. I provide this service free of charge to my regular clients, but also as on-line coaching to anyone via the internet. Please contact me if you’d like to learn more about this service – proper eating is the lynch pin to the “getting lean” project for anyone.

• A glass of 1% or non fat milk, take a few handfuls of Quaker oat squares in a baggie and half an apple, orange or banana
• A hard boiled egg with two additional whites, a piece of whole wheat bread and a V8
• A few bites of cottage cheese, a clif bar and a handful of grapes

Each of those should hold you for about 2-3 hours tops, so have a mid AM snack like a small handful of fruit/nut trail mix. At lunch, try to stay with small portions that emphasize veggies like stir fries, salads with meat, or steamed/grilled veggies with a protein source like lean meat, beans or tofu. Another good idea is to order appetizers only, like a cup of broth (not cream) based soup and a small salad with lean meat and maybe a small piece of bread. Keep meal sizes to no more than two fist sized portions. It’s a good habit to have the waiter bring you a take-home box right when they bring the entree. Put away at least 2/3 of it. After a five minute wait, you can go back for a very small portion of seconds only if you are truly still hungry. You know you’re successful if you are feeling hungry for a snack no later than 4:00pm or so.

Sushi is generally great , as long as there’s not a bunch of mayo, fried stuff or cream cheese. I get minestrone and eggplant (very light on the cheese and pasta sauce or I scrape most of it aside) or a salad w/meat at Italian places, tortilla soup or fish tacos at Mexican places, broccoli beef or asparagus chicken at Chinese restaurants and never dessert. I usually just mooch a few bites off my companion’s plate if I really want something sweet. But if I don’t order dessert, they usually don’t either (positive peer pressure!)

You can get a regular burger (dump the top bun) and a side salad at burger joints. Pile on the produce (but, again, lose the top bun) at sandwich shops and skip the mayo. At Taco Bell, have a bean and cheese burrito and a grilled chicken soft taco (no sour cream, extra lettuce and tomatoes.)

No sodas or caloric beverages with meals – remember to have water right before you chomp into your meal – it will help.

Keep me posted!

– Dan

Learn more about how to get and stay in great shape? Contact Dan at Tri Valley Trainer