When I'm able to be in control of my food, I've been able to eat healthy (at least since I started to eat healthy, that is).
Eat this
For breakfast, I'll often have:
- eggs over easy
- Weight Watchers bagels
- smoked salmon (for lox & bagels)
- oatmeal
- bananas
- lean sandwich meat (chicken, turkey, ham)
- low-fat cheese
- high-fiber, low fat bread (Weight Watchers has a couple excellent variations)
- 1/4 cup of almonds (pre-measured and in bags so I can take it and go in the morning)
My normal dinner diet consists of:
- grilled boneless, skinless chicken (with some sort of rub)
- grilled salmon (often pre-seasoned)
- swordfish
- tuna
- shrimp
- turkey tacos
- lean hamburgers (90% lean or more) -- probably turkey meat
Not That
When I'm in control of what food is in front of me, I'm quite good at eating healthy. I know that my willpower comes at the grocery store, not at home, so I just don't bring bad food into the house, unless I'm hosting a party.
I have completely gotten rid of regular soda (though Diet Coke and Diet Sunkist still play a major part in my day). I have no taste for pasta and only have to eat it come pre-race fuel time. And when I do, I get the whole wheat stuff.
I substitute turkey meat for beef and haven't missed red meat at all. I substitute fat-free shredded cheese (for tacos, nachos, etc.) for regular cheese. I substitute Weight Watchers sandwich rolls for regular, heavily starched rolls.
For me, I ask myself one simple question: do I want to spend the calories I worked so hard to burn on a fuller-fat roll or a regular Coke? That's an obvious no. Do I want to spend the calories on beer or wine? That answer's not so obvious.