Food and Nutrition - Getting Started

Here are some key items in my "healthy living pantry"

• Protein Powder and a hand held shaker (I like Syntha-6 by BSN)
• Fat Burner (Atro-Phex by BSN)
• Multivitamin
• Vitamin C (a natural fat burner - chewable is fine)
• CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) 3X/day (good for belly fat metabolism)
• L-Carnitine (a protein supplement) 1/day on an empty stomach - I usually take this when I first wake up
• Flax Seed Oil Pills (a heart-healthy omega-3 fat that helps to curb carb cravings) 3X/day
• Chicken Breasts and other Skinless Chicken
• Canned Tuna in Water
• Salad
• Low Fat or Fat Free Dressings
• Low Fat/Fat Free Cheese
• Ground Turkey
• Ground Chicken
• 'Green' Veggies (fresh is best but canned and frozen are more convenient - watch sodium w/canned)
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• green beens
• collards (cooked w/ smoked turkey parts for African American/Southern flavor)
• spinach
• mixed frozen veggies
• lima beans
• kale
• Salmon
• Tilapia
• Brown Rice (cooked in chicken broth or w/ bouillion - I can't stand it any other way)
• Whole Wheat or Mulitgrain Bread
• Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Weight Watchers Chocolate (in moderation)
• Sugar Free Pudding
• Sugar Free Jello
• Redi Whip (chocolate and regular)
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Angel Food Cake
• Light Beer (in moderation)
• Red Wine (in moderation)
• Eggs
• Oatmeal (natural oat meal or weight control instant)
• Grilled/Steamed Shrimp
• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Sweet Potatoes
• Splenda
• Caramel Rice Cakes

I try to eat between 1800 and 2000 calories per day, but I'm usually not a calorie counter.  I try to eat protein with each meal. 

My meals usually go something like this:

Breakfast  5:30 am
L-Carnitine
Egg White Omelette w/ Low Fat Cheese cooked w/ 1 tsp olive oil + oatmeal

or

4-6 egg whites + one baked (microwaved) sweet potato w/ one packet of splenda and cinnamon

16-20 oz of Water

CLA

2 Flax Seed Pills

1 Vitamin C Pill

Morning Snack   8:30 am

one scoop of protein powder mixed with 8 oz of water

1 orange or other fruit

Lunch  11:30 am

Bagged Salad w/ Tuna and 2 tbs of Low Fat Ranch

Fruit

Rice Cake

or

Baked or Grilled Chicken

Brown Rice

Broccoli

or

Turkey Sandwich on Wheat w/ Mustard

Fruit

Carrots

20 oz Water

Snack   2:30 pm

1 scoop protein powder mixed w/ 8 oz of water

fruit

Dinner  5:30

Whole Wheat Spaghetti w/ Turkey Meat Sauce

Garden Salad

or

Fish/Chicken or other Lean Protein

New Potatoes w/ seasoned salt and pepper

broccoli or other green veggie

*Dinner is the meal where I get the most variety, so I'll post recipes when I can.

Snack  9:00

1 scoop of protein powder mix in 8 oz of water

veggies