Day 25: Dinner

31 January 2008 at 8:52 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

6:30pm Cottage cheese and watercress salad + pint of fizzy squash

Pineapple cottage cheese with half a packet of watercress and half a red pepper dressed with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

I panicked after seeing the lone rye bread slice and added two Crackerbreads. Even so, I was still hungry afterwards so, after checking the meal’s nutritional totals, I had the rest of the cottage cheese with some sunflower seeds.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
42g watercress 11 1.1 1.1 0.2 0.9
250g pineapple cottage cheese 210 26.3 22.3 1.8  
5ml extra virgin olive oil 41     4.6  
lemon juice 6 0.1 2.1   0.1
80g red pepper 10 0.2 3.3   0.2
1 mild green chilli 5 0.2 1.2 0.1 0.4
1 slice whole-grain rye bread 93 2.9 18.9 0.7 4.2
10g sunflower seeds 58 2.6 0.8 4.9 1.0
2 crackerbreads 40 1.4 7.8 0.4 1.2
Total 473 34.7 57.3 12.6 8.0

I don’t intend to eat any more today and so here are the day’s totals:

Day 25 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Snack 51 0.7 11.3 0.3 0.2
Lunch 563 26.1 76.2 17.1 1.4
Dinner 473 34.7 57.3 12.6 8.0
Other drinks 100        
Total 1,187 61.6 144.8 29.9 9.6
  23% 53% 25%  
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%

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Day 25: Snack and lunch

31 January 2008 at 4:29 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

11:20am Caramel rice cake

1:15pm Egg sandwich with crisps + biscotti + latte coffee @ Costa Coffee

I just had a third of the crisp packet, to go in my sandwich.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
small skimmed-milk latte 46 3.8 7.3 0.2  
egg sandwich 315 18.3 41.9 8.2  
crisps 72 1.1 9.0 3.7 0.4
almond biscotti 130 3.0 18.0 5.0 1.0
Total 563 26.1 76.2 17.1 1.4

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Cottage cheese!

31 January 2008 at 10:30 am (shopping, thoughts)

Posted by Paola

Hurray for cottage cheese!

My high-protein / low-carb problem has been solved.

A couple of days ago, I wanted to know what proportions of protein, carbohydrates and fat I should be aiming for. Little did I know that many of the named diets out there are all about these proportions and there’s a lot of conflicting information out there.

I read that protein and carbohydrate contribute 4 calories per gram, whereas fat contributes 9 calories. One site suggested these calories proportions.

* 10% – 15% protein
* 55% – 60% carbohydrates
* 25% – 30% fat

After a day – protein seemed to low – and more reading, I came up with my own. Here are the details to fit my daily 1,200 calorie allowance:

  % Calories Calories Grams
Protein 25% – 35% 300 – 420 75g – 105g
Carbohydrates 40% – 55% 480 – 660 120g – 165g
Fat 25% – 30% 300 – 360 33g – 40g

I have been finding it hard to increase protein and decrease carbohydrates and did a little research online. And – lo and behold! – cottage cheese comes to the rescue! A fat-free cottage cheese can have four times as much protein as carbohydrates.

The top hi-protein/lo-carb items on my list are cottage cheese, watercress, Quark soft cheese and Quorn. This is how the calories are distributed:

  Protein Carbs Fat
Fat-free cottage cheese 81% 18% 1%
Quark soft cheese 73% 25% 3%
Watercress 67% 33% 0%
Quorn mince 62% 19% 19%
Quorn pieces 55% 23% 23%

I really like cottage cheese – there’s loads of ways to sex it up. I now have to stock up. Prepare yourself for lots of photos of cottage cheese meals!

Hurrah!

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Day 24: Dinner

30 January 2008 at 11:14 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

8:45pm Tangy Quorn with salad + pint of squash

Again, I had to come up with something high in protein and low in carbs for dinner. Quorn is useful but not something I could eat daily.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
1 mild green chilli 11 0.6 2.0   0.4
4 cherry tomatoes 7 0.3 1.2 0.1 0.5
25g Pepperdew 29 0.3 7.0   0.9
1 veg frankfurter 68 5.4 0.8 4.5 0.6
25g capers 4 0.4 0.3 0.1  
10ml extra virgin olive oil 82     9.1  
gem lettuce 4 0.2 0.6   0.4
lemon juice 12 0.2 4.1   0.2
10ml balsamic vinegar 11   2.3    
70g fat-free yoghurt 41 4.1 5.9 0.1  
225g Quorn pieces 232 31.5 13.1 5.9 12.4
Total 500 42.9 37.3 19.8 15.3

The Quorn was very filling and I don’t think I’ll be eating anything else today. So here’s the day’s totals:

Day 24 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Snacks 149 3.6 20.4 1.4 4.7
Lunch 430 17.0 62.6 12.9 13.9
Dinner 500 43 37 20 15
Other drinks 100        
Total 1,179 63.5 120.3 34.1 33.9
  24% 46% 29%  
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%

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Day 24: Snack and lunch

30 January 2008 at 7:07 pm (food diary)

Posted by Paola

Woke up middle of the night.

3:20am Hot chocolate

4:30am Rye bread with tomatoes and mustard

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
hot chocolate 40        
4 cherry tomatoes 7 0.3 1.2 0.1 0.5
1slice whole grain rye bread 93 2.9 18.9 0.7 4.2
5g Dijon mustard 9 0.4 0.3 0.7  
Total 149 3.6 20.4 1.4 4.7

5:30pm Mushroom burger and salad sandwich + banana + tea

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
2 slices brown wholemeal seed bread 194 10.2 23.0 6.8 7.8
1 mushroom burger 125 4.8 14.1 5.5 2.3
20g Pepperdew 23 0.2 5.6   0.7
4 cherry tomatoes 7 0.3 1.2 0.1 0.5
5g extra-light mayonnaise 5   0.6 0.3  
1 mild green chilli 11 0.6 2.0   0.4
4 gem lettuce leaves 4 0.2 0.6   0.4
1 banana 61 0.7 15.6 0.2 1.8
Total 430 17.0 62.6 12.9 13.9

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Day 23: Dinner

29 January 2008 at 11:27 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

10:30pm Vegetarian frankfurters and salad with Crackerbreads

I only had 200 calories left in my allowance for dinner and so I had to design this meal based on nutritional information I’ve collected so far. I needed to have protein and fat with little carbohydrates. A splash of balsamic (no oil) on the salad.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
10g Pepperdew 12 0.1 2.8   0.3
25g half-fat cheddar cheese 65 7.3   4.0  
100g cucumber 15 0.6 3.7 0.2 0.6
2 veg frankfurters 135 10.8 1.6 9.0 1.2
3 crackerbreads 60 2.1 11.7 0.6 1.8
Total 287 20.9 19.8 13.8 3.9

Evening drink: a pint of squash

Day 23 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Breakfast 520 17.6 81.6 9.6 4.8
Lunch 369 13.8 59.1 9.9 9.6
Dinner 287 20.9 19.8 13.8 3.9
Other drinks 100        
Total 1,276 52.2 160.5 33.2 18.3
  18% 56% 26%  
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%

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Day 23: Breakfast and lunch

29 January 2008 at 9:32 pm (food diary)

Posted by Paola

7:30am Porridge + orange juice

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
50g porridge oats 180 5.5 30.2 4.1 4.3
300ml semi-skimmed milk 147 10.2 15.0 5.1  
10g light Flora spread 35   0.3 0.4  
25g sultanas 74 0.7 17.4 0.1 0.5
200ml orange juice 84 1.2 18.8    
Total 520 17.6 81.6 9.6 4.8

5:10pm Mushroom burger salad sandwich + pint of squash

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
2 slices brown seed bread 200 8.0 35.0 2.6 5.4
1 mushroom burger 125 4.8 14.1 5.5 2.3
20g Pepperdew 23 0.2 5.6   0.7
1 dill pickle 7 0.5 1.3 1.2 0.6
15g extra-light mayonnaise 9 0.1 1.1 0.5 0.1
4 gem lettuce leaves 4 0.2 0.6   0.4
Total 369 13.7 57.7 9.9 9.4

Ugh, just over 200 calories left for dinner.

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