Day's meals planned out

To represent a typical day's breakfast, lunch and snacks I laid them all out and took a photo. I try to plan out my meals on the weekdays so there is a reduced risk of going over the limit and no pressure for making decisions at lunch time - with rumbling tummy to distract me in the wrong direction! I usually plan for one sweet / chocolate snack.

So here we have:
Breakfast (107) of:
- toast (51), tsp spread (18), slice ham (34) & mustard (4)

Sandwich lunch (210) of:
- two slices light bread (102), 8g spread (28), slice of Chicken with stuffing (41), heaped tsp light Salad Cream (11), lettuce (6).
- 120g (handful / small pottle) of cherry tomatoes (22)

Snacks of:
Nectarine - 50
4 large Strawberries - 25
Third of large (approx 7cm) banana - 70
Yoghurt (low cal) - 54
Slice cheese - 51
10g (2tsp) chopped dates & walnut - 42
Chocolate coin - 51
2 Rolo - 51
5 sugar free Wherthers - 40

So all those little snacks come to .... 438 calories. They do add up!

The little treats and the splattering of sweetness are mixed with the stabilising yoghurt and cheese (so I don't get too big a sugar hit - and therefore insulin rise - and therefore body resorts to fat storage - and then get sugar low) so the day goes by nicely.

By dinner time I could enjoy a meal worth 535 calories and still stay within 1300 a day limit. With the brisk walk from where I park my car (1/4 mile from work) I was able to enjoy a bit of dessert of hot chocolate with small scoop of icecream.

Some days I do it this way - small meals and lots of snacks. Other days I'll have bigger meals and just a piece of fruit or cup of tea in between. Depends how I feel - which is so important for being able to maintain this for life!!