Melissa Bender Diet

Hi Everyone,


Many people have been asking about my diet. I am going to share some pictures to give you an idea of what I eat, and list some foods that I might have on a typical day. 


Any of the recipes that I share on my blog are things that I would normally eat. 

Breakfast:

A very typical breakfast for me is 1-2 eggs, fresh spinach leaves, and a whole wheat sandwich thin with a little bit of cream cheese. I also have a cup of coffee (a big cup!) with french vanilla creamer. In this picture I had steal cut pumpkin oatmeal. If I am really hungry I might have Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt (but I generally save that for lunch). I also have about 16 ounces of water. 

At lunch I generally have a salad. The one in the picture above is pretty typical, but I might have chicken or tuna instead of salmon. Obviously I really like fresh baby spinach, I put in some red grapes, and sun dried tomatoes. Sometimes I add sliced strawberries, and some sliced almonds or sesame seeds. I also have a small green apple, and a cup of yogurt. Sometimes I have vanilla yogurt with some fresh fruit and granola. Other times I have the Peanut Butter Greek yogurt (1 cup) in the recipe link above. 

I also bring some nuts or a granola bar, and an extra apple or banana with me for a snack. I am usually hungry before lunch, and on my way home from work, so I make sure I have snacks. I also have another 16 ounces of water, and have generally had a bottle of water with lunch, and another throughout the day. If I am still hungry when I get home from work I have a slice of whole wheat bread with some peanut butter, or a small bowl of cereal. 

This is a picture of a dinner I had recently. In this picture I am having salmon and mixed vegetables. We also had some egg rolls with dinner this night. Normally I wouldn't have salmon for both lunch and dinner. One would be chicken. Some type of whole wheat pasta, or brown rice would be typical additions to our evening meal. Another typical dinner would be whole wheat penne with tomato basil sauce, spinach leaves, and mushrooms. I will also have more water with dinner. 

If I am still hungry in the evening I have some more veggies, cereal, yogurt, or frozen banana "ice cream." I may make that tonight to share some pictures and the recipe. It's not uncommon for me to snack on some Triscuits or wheat thins at some point during the day. 

That's a pretty typical day for me. I will try to take some more photos of my meals. I listen to my body, and eat when I am hungry. I eat many times throughout the day, and I drink water all day long. 

Hopefully this gives you an idea of my diet. I try to eat many veggies, and whole foods. I also like to prepare extra salmon, chicken, or pasta (whatever we have for dinner) so I have some to bring with me to work the next day. Eggplant is another common dinner item at my house. 

If you guys have any questions let me know!
Melissa