Wanted to give everyone an idea of what I eat everyday. I think this is helpful as I am an unusual case as I am a vegetarian (for spiritual reasons) and I don't eat wheat or wheat gluten. Also there are always people who want to know "what you eat" to lose weight and be abstinent. I have lost weight this year (2006). My top weight was between 420-450 lbs. (Just a few years ago) Earlier this year I weighed myself and I was 333lbs, now I am 260 (I am 6' tall). I was estactic to be able to fit in my "old" size 28. (You know you have a weight problem when you look forward to being a size 28 again!) Now I am a size 22 and have no clothes (I own 2 pairs of pants that small!) Ah well....we all have our crosses to bear! I shoot to eat no more than 600 calories per meal. But my stomach has shrunk & I don't need volume like I used to. My average meal is between 400-500 calories. I don't eat cheese as it is a binge food for me but I do occasionaly eat eggs. I eat no meat, fish, or poultry. I don't eat anything with wheat or wheat gluten (which pretty much wipes out all meat replacement products) but I will eat products with rennett (it does not trigger me.) I buy a protein replacement product that does not contain wheat but has 25 grams of soy protein per scoop. So rather than list meals by category I will just list an average meal. I would like to say that I am eating foods I NEVER thought I would eat. I find that my tastebuds are adjusting & changing as I continue to stick with whole healthy foods. So if you see something you think you could NEVER eat realize that I too never ate a vegetable or fruit (and I was a vegetarian! I lived off cheese!) and now I look forward to nothing more than a crisp apple & some spinach. So try these ideas, see if they work for you. Remember as always....take what you like and leave the rest.

Strawberry Protein shake

1 scoop of protein powder
1 cup unsweetened soymilk
1 strawberry soy yogurt (lots of sugar but the protein balances it out well)
2-3 cups frozen strawberries (the amount of strawberries depends on whether I have to eat it "on the run"....I usually do as I eat this for breakfast a lot & I am late for work!)
Put in a blender a let it spin! Can be mostly frozen or more liquid depending on how many strawberries you use. This has between 450-500 calories & boasts 32 grams of protein!!! Great to have after a workout. Also has all sorts of healthy stomach bacteria (from the yogurt). Keeps you nice & healthy. Of course you can use unfrozen strawberries or any kind of fruit. Just watch the calories. Try peach shakes/bannana & peanut butter/bannana & coconut & pineapple. Try different flavorings, fruits & yogurts. This is a great on the run meal.

Soup & salads for lunch

Soup is great to have for lunch as is salad. Both are filling. I buy packets of soup mix by Bean Cuisine. They include beans, peas, lentils, & seasonings (there are different types.) You add your own veggies & meat. I omit the meat & add canned organic tomatoes & carrots & veggie broth. I estimate a cup as 100 calories (for the beans & veggies). If I eat a salad I will buy greens & tomatoes & add either no calorie dressing or add protein (1/3 c raw/unsalted cashews) & some dressing (I make dressing w/1 tbsp flax seed oil (keep flax seed oil in your fridge!) , dijon mustard, lemon juice & garlic & add a little water. The dressing gets calories from the flax seed oil only (& it's healthy!!!) and I add lemon juice & water to cover the salad. Very good!)

Sometimes I will have soup w/1 c brown/wild rice mix & 1 c of vegetables. I will make the soup/rice (topped w/spicy tomatoes) in containers & freeze. I make the soup in & freeze too! That way I always have ready meals to take to work. I always keep at least one frozen meal at work.....that way if I forget my lunch....no excuses! Healthy meal in fridge. Soup & rice are good hot stick to your ribs food for winter (which is coming up).

I have found a lightline product that is chicken strips protein (made with soy) and contains no wheat. (I found these in Walmart in the produce section with the other meat replacement products). The whole package contains 160 calories & has 30 grams of protein! It tastes delicious & I enjoy it on top of salad or I grill it in 1 tbsp of olive oil & with on onion & put it on top of spinach.

I also have pizza! I found gluten free personal pizza crust & top it w/1/2 c of organic tomato sauce, 1 onion, peppers, 2 1/3 c of soy cheese & put it in the toaster oven & bake 15 minutes. Very good!

Also try tempeh grilled on salad. Egg & soy cheese on a bagel for breakfast.
Sometimes simple is best! I eat 2 slices of rice bread w/2 tbsp of REAL peanut butter (no sugar........just pulverized peanuts). Or a bannana w/peanut butter. I also eat wheat free waffles w/a little syrup & soy butter. Fresh fruit platters. If I need to add protein I will have some vegetable broth w/a scoop of protein powder. It makes a soothing soup & is only 120 calories w/25 grams of protein. A nice hot drink if I'm not feeling well. I also eat wheat free cereals w/soy milk.

That's pretty much all I eat right now. Lot's of salads, rice, soy milk & cheese, soups, vegetables & fruits & protein replacements since I don't eat meat. I DO eat healthy fats & proteins as they balance carbs (too high in carbs & it's a binge food for me). I think a lot of people leave out fats thinking fats make you fat. The truth is....too many calories make you fat! Not moving makes you fat! Eating foods that trigger your compulsion makes you fat! Healthy fats (olive oil, flax oil, sunflower oils) are very very good for you! They tell your body you are full & keep your brain working right. They oil your joints & make your skin pretty. As long as you're not eating a ton of it you're fine! And if you think about it....the foods you binge on may have fat in them......but they also have tons of sugar!! When was the last time you sat down to eat a bowl of crisco? Now add 14 cups of sugar.....different story! It's important to add healthy fats to your diet to help control the carbs. Protein & fat slow down the absorption of carbs....making carbohydrate foods less triggerful. I count calories because it helps me control portions. But I am not a fanatic about it. I weigh & measure my foods to keep my portions under control but estimate calories so I am more normal!! If I become to obsessive about calories.....than I know I have entered "diet mode" and that is not any healthier than overeating. 3 meals a day for me, no more, no less. Too many meals are unhealthy, too few, also unhealthy. Sometimes if I need to, I will break up 1 meal down into 2 (same calories/portions) if I have a long day. I also allow myself snacks but find I don't need them much anymore as my body has adjusted to a certain amount of meals/calories. But I prefer to eat a snack rather than let myself get too hungry as extreme hunger triggers your bodies survival mode and your brain will do anything to get you to eat. My preferred snack is 1/4 cup of raw nuts (usually almonds). That has fat & protein to sate hunger & not a lot of carbs (which triggers more eating). If you think nuts are a bingeing food I suggest you try raw (not roasted) unsalted nuts. A totally different food altogether. What people don't realize is that raw nuts have UNSATURATED fats. But when you roast/heat nuts you change them at the molecular level. The fats chemically bond & grow "tails" & become SATURATED fats which are unhealthy. (The same thing happens to oil!) Thats why unroasted nuts & oils are healthy & good for you (and for me are NOT addictive) but once you heat oil & nuts they become saturated & addictive. The addition of salt (which is addictive for me) just makes it worse. I hope this gives you some ideas. I know some people say you should eat a variety of foods but for me that is addictive. I tend to eat the same foods day in & day out. I still enjoy my food, but it holds less power over me. I also find eating the same foods day in & day out comforting for my brain & body. I tend to go through phases where I will eat the same foods for months & then switch to new foods for a few months. I live with someone who is a coe (they would never admit it & think they're not because they've never weighed over 240 lbs & have maintained that weight several years) but they do not curb their eating habits at all in front of me. They have many of my binge foods in the house. I had to modify my behavior to continue living with them. I have shelves in our pantry & in our freezer that our mine! I do not even look at the other shelves. I have learned to turn a blind eye to their foods. I always keep certain foods in the pantry & freezer so I know if I don't have any money I will always have binge free foods. I always keep dried beans, canned veggies, soup mix, veggie broth & protein powder, rice & soymilk as well as some cereals. If worse comes to worse I can live off the abstinent but unexciting foods. I hope some of these strategies work for you. While I am in advice giving mode let me tell you that I watch very little tv these days. And when I do I tape/tivo shows so I can forward through all those fast food commercials. Why fill your brain with this unhealthy stuff? Instead I read lots of OA food recovery literature and go to meetings online and face 2 face. Blessings to you in your recovery journey!

Amy