Breakfast: 557 cal

As I usually do, I started my day with coffee, but due to my busy meeting schedule today, I only had time for 2 16oz cups rather than 4 or 5.  I also had Apple, Pineapple & Gruava (88 cal, 0.9g fat, 20.6g carbs, 0.6g fiber, 0.9g protein) to wash down my vitamins and hold me over until there was time for breakfast.

Once I was at work and settled into my desk with only 15 minutes before my first meeting, I ran to the microwave and heated up my favorite breakfast: Oatmeal with Cinnamon & Raisins (401 cal, 13.6g fat, 72.9g carbs, 5.9g fiber, 5.2g protein).  I eat this for breakfast probably 5 days per week.  Its easy to prepare before work and take along, because I literally put 1/4 cup dry oatmeal, 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp raw honey, 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 tsp cinnamon in a container and stick it in my handbag.  Once I’m in the office and ready to eat, I microwave it for 2 minutes while I get my 3rd cup of coffee for the day.  I also love this for breakfast because it keeps me going until lunch; I remember my grandma saying to me as a little girl, “Oatmeal will stick to your ribs until lunch!”

I also mixed up a bottle of Agua Frescas (20 cal, 1.3g fat, 1.3g carbs, 1.3g fiber, 0.7g protein) using 1/2 cup fresh diced pineapple, 1 tsp chia seeds and filtered water before heading to the office this morning.  Throughout the day, I add water to the bottle and drink this amazing flavored water.  It curbs the craving for sparkling waters, cappuccinos, etc.

Lunch: 537 cal, 22.4g fat, 103.1g carbs, 5.6g fiber, 18.8g protein

On Tuesday night we modified Spicy Portobello Kale Rice Bowl (537 cal, 22.4g fat, 103.1g carbs, 5.6g fiber, 18.8g protein) to suit our dietary preferences and ingredients on hand.  I was so glad that it made 4 servings, because I get to have it for lunch a couple of days this week!  Not only does it taste amazing, it’s pretty too!

Afternoon Snacks: 657 cal

This is where I have to admit to you that I am not perfect and fess up  to eating an entire bag of the Natural Confectionary Company’s Forbidden Fruit gummy candies (609 cal, 0.7g fat, 136.3g carbs, 0g fiber, 3.6g protein).  I freaking love these things.  I cannot be allowed to purchase large or small bags of them because no matter what the size of the bag, I will eat the entire thing. They are so much better than any gummy candy I’ve ever eaten state-side.  YUM!

I wasn’t entirely naughty – I also had about 1 cup of fresh pineapple (48 cal, 0.1g fat, 12.6g carbs, 1.4g fiber, 0.5g protein), which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

Dinner: 613 cal

Quite a long time ago I pinned Detoxinista’s Creamy Pumpkin Sage Pasta because I thought the sauce on this sounded amazing!  Last Sunday at the farmer’s market, I bought some fresh mixed gnocchi and thought that these would be a perfect pairing.  I made the following modifications to the recipe:

• I replaced 1 cup of pumpkin with an entire butternut squash, which I roasted just after purchasing it on Sunday and stuck it in the refrigerator until today when I got around to using it. Australian’s seem to use the word squash and pumpkin interchangeably.  I think we need to remind them that all pumpkin is squash, but not all squash is pumpkin.  I think they have this backward.
• I replaced the almond milk with coconut milk.

I sautéed my gnocchi in 1 tbsp of coconut oil with 1 cup of sliced mushrooms.  After making the sauce, I poured it into the pan with the gnocchi and mushrooms and heated it thoroughly.  I felt strongly that this meal required something green, so I steamed up some broccoli.  The Pumpkin Sage Sauce was amazing on the broccoli!

In total I ended up with 4 hearty servings, which is fantastic because now I have more easy lunches!

I also had a small glass of red wine, because this felt like a very autumny dish that deserved to be paired with red wine.

My total day came out at 2316 calories, which is definitely over my daily goal.  The day also turned out to be very carb-intensive and low in protein.  I’ll have to make up for that with eggs for breakfast or something.

Now I’m off to the beach for a nice long power walk to burn off some of those extra calories!  (I hate running.  I only run when I’m being chased.  I’m more likely to swing than run. So I power walk.)

Juice (to take my vitamins with and hold me over to breakfast): 88 cal, 0.9g fat, 20.6 carbs, 0.6g fiber, 0.9g protein 

This is a new one that we have decided we really like!

Breakfast: 536 cal, 15.8g fat, 85.6g carbs, 6.2g fiber, 8.9g protein

I tried to make Quinoa Porridge in the microwave by combining 1/4 cup Mixed Quinoa, 1/4 cup Coconut Milk, 3/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp honey and 1/4 cup raisins.  I microwaved for 5 minutes, stirring once in the middle.  Unfortunately, while I was getting my coffee the porridge boiled over in the microwave.  This sounds like it should make a really great porridge, but it really wasn’t great.  The quinoa didn’t cook all the way, and even if it had I think it would’ve been about as good as the photo turned out.  I ended up throwing half of it out, partially because I was late for a meeting and partially because it wasn’t worth the calories.

Lunch: 383 cal, 5.6g fat, 62.4g carbs, 11.7g fiber, 18.5g protein

Maybe it was because I was starving, but finally, a meal worth eating!  I was so hungry, I started eating and then remembered to take the photo.  I put a whole grain tortilla in the bottom of my container and then layered 1/2 cup black beans, 1/4 cup corn, 1/2 cup salsa, lettuce, chili pepper and tomatoes.

Snacks: In my only 15 minute window in the whole afternoon, I [ran to the bathroom] grabbed a banana and a cup of coffee to take into my next meeting.  I also remembered that I had some Cadbury Milk Chocolate in my drawer and thoroughly enjoyed 2 squares.  When I came out of my last meeting of the day, I ate about a cup of grapes as I checked my email before starting the journey back into the city.

Dinner: 308 cal, 17.5g fat, 31 carbs, 5.4g fiber, 5.9g protein

For dinner tonight, we modified Vegetarian Times’ Corn & Quinoa Chowder recipe to use coconut milk rather than soy milk.  It is a great weeknight recipe, because it makes enough for lunch leftovers and only took about 30 minutes.  Next time, I’ll add a small chili pepper and some garlic, but we really enjoyed it as is!

On Sunday [my day of me], I went into kikki k and found a weekly meal planner.  Its been so crazy that I haven’t really started using it yet, but am pretty excited to!

In my 30s, I’ve decided that the number on the scale doesn’t matter.  I’ve realized how much I love and appreciate good food, beer and wine.  I want to feel good about myself, but not live hungry on the elliptical.  All of these realizations mean I’ve put on a bit of weight and it turns out that I’m okay with 145 pounds.  My body is comfortable with 145 pounds.  I do not have to work at 145 pounds.

I eat balanced, healthy diet, but I could cut back on the gummy snakes (they’re even better in Australia!) and beer.  Let’s be honest, I’m probably not going to.   Since we’ve been in Australia, I’ve put on a layer of beer padding that I’d prefer to get rid of before my wedding in Hawaii.  So here is the plan:

• Maintain my current diet, but maybe cut back on snakes and beer a bit.
• Start exercising.  Spending our first 6 weeks in Australia in a hotel without a gym really set some bad habits in Australia.  I need to get back on the fitness bandwagon.  Evenings that I work from my St. Kilda Road office, I’ll be sure to get in some cardio and yoga/Pilates.
• Keep having fun.

That’s it, that’s the plan.  Nice. Easy.  Achievable.  The end result will be that I’ll look as good for my wedding as I did for my sister’s.  If you’d like to come along for the ride or need an accountability partner, join me on myfitnespal.  My screen name is hantrobus.

I’m not going to share before and after pictures here or on myfitnesspal.  I’m not going to share measurements along the way.  I find these things to be incredibly private; I also think before and after pictures are very fake.  I mean, I can look 10 pounds lighter in 30 seconds by sucking my gut in, standing in good posture and changing my outfit.

And remember, we eat less to look good in our clothes; we workout to look good out of our clothes.