The New Diet

So what is the new diet plan? As mentioned in my first post, what I have come up with is my own Natalie Wade Plan. Perhaps I could call it Wade Watchers. Ha-Ha. Seriously though, I don't have a name for it. I basically just researched dozens upon dozens of websites for healthy eating tips and guides. Then I sorted through all the information and figured out a reasonable plan that I hope will work for Sam and myself.

The idea is based upon the national pyramid guide that is already established. My plan calls for all the food groups. Nothing is to be left out of a daily balanced diet. I don't understand how a diet can be called a balanced diet when one or two of the food groups are eliminated from the plan?

One of the key rules that I have established is the implementing of diary products all throughout the day. Contrary opinions say to shy away from dairy because it tends to be higher in fat content. Other research has shown that obese people tend to lose more weight when incorporating dairy into their diets. I chose to add it. So the rules of dairy is as follows: 4oz of skim milk with all three major meals of the day. 1 cup of yogurt or sugar free pudding per day. And one serving of low fat or fat free cheese per day is required. (big smile- required foods to eat - yes! I like it already!)

Another KEY Rule in the no-name Natalie Wade (Wade Watchers) plan is the requirement of 3 fruit servings, and 5 vegetable servings per day! (Another requirement, I'm still liking this plan) The fruits and vegetables can be eaten as snacks throughout the day, or included into the meals. I leave this up to the dieters. The vegetables are best if consumed raw, however steamed, baked, boiled, or grilled is acceptable too.

SNACKS are most certainly allowed and even Required! Up to 3 snacks per day! (Again, this may be part of the fruits or vegetables in order to get all of them in throughout the day.) Other snacks that I have decided are okay on this diet are things such as air popped popcorn, yogurt, 1 wedge of laughing cow cheese, 1 cup of Cheerios cereal, sugar free pudding cups, warm chicken broth, sugar free pop cicles, sugar free fudge sticks, low fat pretzels, plain boiled shrimp, homemade pinto beans, or 1 cup of cooked oatmeal (plain).


Seasonings: Gosh Natalie, it sounds so blah and bland, how can you season things up or give your food any jazz? Well, I thought of that too. I have allowed fat free mayo, fat free sour cream, spices, seasonings, splenda or other sweeteners of your preferred taste can be added, and the spray I Can't Believe it's not Butter can be used also. These foods are considered free and I shouldn't feel guilty when mixing them into my food. This will also open up a wide variety of possibilities of preparing different dishes on the diet.

I have set a table that should be used as a weekly guide for lunches and dinners. As healthy as skinless chicken breast is, I find myself typically getting in a routine of eating the same thing over and over. I don't want to do this on my new diet. Therefore, after looking through countless sources of protein, I have come up with the following weekly schedule.

In one week there are 14 Lunches & Dinners.

* 2 of these meals can be a low fat beef option.
(Perhaps use the 93% lean ground beef in a dish, or thinly slice a fillet.)

* 2 of the meals will consist of Turkey Breast

* 2 meals will have no meat, but rather use another source of protein such as beans, eggs, egg whites, or natural peanut butter.

* 3 of my lunches or dinners throughout the week will be fish. (salmon, swordfish, tilapia, shrimp, or any other fish that is baked, grilled, or broiled is perfectly fine).

* 5 of the meals will be skinless chicken breast.


Water! Of course, all good diets recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of water per day! With my plan, it is now required to have a full glass of water at each of the three meals, (along with the smaller 4oz glass of skim milk) and in addition it is required to drink a full glass of water with each snack that you consume through the day too. Now for those die hard coffee drinkers, don't fret my dear, coffee is allowed, along with the sugar free drink mixes, and even unsweetened teas. However, those liquids do not count towards the water and milk that is required at every meal.

What type of diet would this be without some form of accountability? As embarrassing and shameful as it is, I intend to weigh weekly and post upon this public blog my true and accurate weight. I trust that the fine readers will inform me of mistakes I am making and also send along a word of encouragement to me when they feel it is rightly needed.

I'm excited and motivated about this new journey. I'm just as excited to know that I am using my own personal diet and life event to start the first blog I've ever created. If I end up as my only fan and reader, disappointed as I might be, I still will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment to look back one day and read the working progress I have made in my eating habits, developed exercise routine, and one day realize that my personal goals for myself have been met! CHALLENGE: I Accept! Game On!

The Birthday Gift

My husband and I have talked about starting our diet for months. In fact, we have already started and stopped a diet several times. This time, we set a date to start our diet. The starting date was December 27, 2009. This is the date of my husbands birthday. He has referred to this diet as his gift to himself. The gift of health is by far more precious than any gift that could be placed in a box and wrapped with a pretty bow.

For his birthday, we celebrated in style at the grocery store. We bought fresh fruits and vegetables. We piled our cart up with loads of shrimp, fish, boneless skinless chicken breast, turkey, and low fat dairy products. We compared labels, prices, and purchased the healthiest items that we could find!

We had discussed different diet options and plans. We mentioned the popular Atkins, or Weight Watchers plan that works well for so many people. Thinking of a dear friend of mine whose done well with the South Beach diet I had done a bit of research on it's guidelines too. We talked about trying the 6 week body makeover plan, or simply counting calories. He ensured his faith in me by allowing me to research and come up with our own diet plan for this endeavor.

I spent the past few weeks searching through the internet for dieting tips, rules, and the answers to common key questions while dieting. What I have come up with is my own plan, and with my fingers crossed it will work and we will see the results on the scale, but also in our attitude and spirit of a healthier well being.

Let me state that I am not a doctor nor do I have any medical training whatsoever, and the plan that I have created may or may not work for us. However, his faith in my research gives me the determination to at least try it.

As I mentioned, his birthday gift to himself this year is the gift of health by making it the start of our new diet. The birthday gift I'd like to give to myself is a healthier, slimmer, more toned body. My birthday is May 30th (which gives me 5 full months as of today to lose 50 pounds.) This can be done! I have full assurance that I can go from 300 to 250 in a matter of 5 months!