Best Diet in the Universe: Day One-Graehm Gray

Feb 27 2011

Best Diet in the Universe-Day 1 (One):Graehm Gray

Hello fans. I have just come back from a week long cruising adventure aboard one of Celebrity’s newest ships called ECLIPSE. In one word it was-amazing! I decided to experience a week on the ocean, in one of the latest mega ships to cruise in the Caribbean and write about it to you, my adoring fans. From the abundance of food, quality, and food choices to the excellent service, it was a great time away and I recommend the cruise highly! However, as a result of this review and of course tasting the delicious food offerings, I am now going to go on a post cruise diet. That’s right, I am going on a specially prepared diet-The Best Diet In The Universe-and you can follow it with me! I will give you the goal amount of calories for each meal-but since I believe in moderation, nothing will be specific. I think too many times, we focus on the numbers, when we should be focusing on the food and the exercise. Oh, did I forget to mention exercise. Yes, that’s right, along with the food details, there will be an exercise to follow as well.

Now I know that most of you are ready to take off a few unwanted pounds. You are tired of that extra bulge around your waist. You are tired of the pants not fitting, the bathing suit that sits in your draw. The bathing suit you fear to put on or the blouse that you can’t button. You are tired of it and you are not going to take it anymore! Fine, say it with me-I am ready! Great-say it one more time-I am ready! Summer is just around the corner and that means going to the beach. That means bathing suits and shorts! This winter weather won’t be hanging too much longer. We all hope! So get ready-here is is-day one of your eating and exercise plan.

This is a diet plan with moderation, fitness and health in mind. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the numbers and statistics, we forget how to eat. We get worried with 100 grams of this and 200 mg of that. This plan is for the eaters-those of us that don’t live our lives based on the numbers. All of the nutritional data are important. Especially when there is an element that we should be careful with-for example-sodium. So we have to follow the guidelines. And based on the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, we need to lower our sodium intake (maximum of 1500 mg per day), restrict our portion sizes, eat more fruits and veggies, lean meats, low fat dairy, restrict our intake of cholesterol (maximum of 300mg per day), of course avoid trans fats, limit alcohol intake (one drink for women and two for men) and finally be active! Also, it is important to drink several glasses of water per day with this diet. You can add a slice of lemon and the juice to the water as well. Why water? Well its good for you, it fills you up, it’s good to flush out the kidneys, and did I say it’s good for you? With that in mind-here we go-DAY ONE!!

The Best Diet In The Universe: Day Number 1

Monday-always a good day to start a diet

Breakfast: 2-eggs-scambled (scramble with olive oil or canola oil) with one sliced tomato, 2 slices of low fat cheddar cheese, 2 slices of cantaloupe, handful of blueberries, coffee or Green tea (can add 2% milk and natural Stevia-no sugar), 6 ounce glass of water with lemon. Calorie goal-300 Calories

Mid morning snack: roasted/unsalted almonds and walnuts with coffee/green tea and 2 glasses of water with lemon. Calorie goal: 50 calories.

Lunch: tuna salad (use canola oil mayonnaise)-1-2 small cans, lettuce (romaine preferably but can add some iceberg-although people say iceberg is worthless-I like the taste), also add tomatoes, peppers, olives-salad dressing-a little-Thousand Island-made by natural low sodium ketchup and canola oil mayonnaise, coffee/green tea, water with lemon. Add some slices of almonds (if you don’t have a nut allergy). Remember with salad dressing-you can use any one you prefer, but the method is to dip and taste-dip the salad into the dressing for a light covering-not to pour the dressing over the salad to saturate it. Calorie goal: 400 calories.

Mid afternoon snack: of course there are middle of the day snacks! A handful portion of walnuts, almonds, cashews or sunflower seeds-unsalted please-roasted is the preference-with a 6 ounce glass of water and lemon. Calorie goal: 50 calories.

Dinner: grilled salmon-portion size-the size of your outstretched hand. A mustard dressing-mix some plain yellow or brown mustard with a small amount of canola oil mayonnaise-use dip and taste method; vegetable-steamed broccoli (I like the broccoli soft-have it how you like), can use a bit of Earth Balance on it if you prefer or the mustard dressing from above; ¼ of a well baked sweet potato sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon for just a taste; small dinner salad with tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, lettuce (your preference), peppers (red, yellow-not green)- a bit of dressing your preference- and always dip and taste method; decaf coffee/tea, water with lemon. Calorie goal: 400 calories.

Dessert: first-get up and walk around and come back for dessert after 30 minutes (it’s a secret why and I will tell you later). Then after 30 min elapses-have some (hand full and a half) fresh blueberries, raspberries and strawberries-sprinkled with cinnamon and a glass (6 oz.) of water with lemon. Calories goal: 100 calories.

Snacks: did I hear I am still hungry???? Okay-Okay==snacks: hot air popcorn-no butter. Make a buttery sauce with Earth Balance. Earth Balance is a vegetable/soy spread-in the dairy section of your local supermarket that tastes and acts like butter with no preservatives and less fat-tastes great-less fat—tastes great—less fat-STOP!!!! Sorry I got into a loop there for a moment. Eat up to three handfuls. No MO!!! Calories goal: 75 calories

Exercise for the day: you didn’t think you were going to get out of that one did you?? Now really!!!!-Simple- Your job today is to walk between 10,000 and 20,000 steps. This will require you to get a pedometer-unless you are a good counter. Or walk outside or on a treadmill. While walking-pretend you are ROCKY and do some air boxing-good for your arms and reflexes. Plus a lot of people will watch you and think you are a professional boxer in training. Anyway, walk and box. 10000 steps equal about 5 miles. Also, this will rev up your metabolism so you will burn off more body fat and digest your food better. Calorie burning goal: minimum of 300 calories.

Late snack: yes you can have a few handfuls of almonds (roaster, unsalted) and a glass of water with lemon. Calories goal: 50 calories

The bottom line-diet and exercise go hand in hand. Don’t eat after the last almond snack. Drink lots of water. Do not add salt. You can add pepper and cinnamon.

Well fans, this was day one. Send me your feedback. Remember, portion sizes are important. If you can eat a bit less, okay! You will not see bread on day one. Bread, rice, potato and pasta are noticeably absent. The reason-this diet is based on a lower carbohydrate intake initially. We will add good carbs slowly, but we have to get the body (metabolism) into a fat burning mode first.

My friends stay fit and healthy The Nerdel Way.

Please send me your feedback. I will of course write mine here! Also stay tuned for more news about cruising on the Celebrity Eclipse.

NOTE: for those of you that have nut allergies, please avoid the nuts and substitute plain (no salt or butter) hot air popcorn or veggies. For people that don’t like or eat tuna, substitute Boarshead low sodium chicken breast, ham, salami or turkey slices. Don’t like salmon? Substitute a grilled meat or poultry choice-same size portion-your outstreched hand-is the maximum.

Also-always check with your medical provider before starting a diet or exercise plan.

For more information about the Celebrity Eclipse-Click here