Frequently Asked Questions

* My original website: Lynn’s Journey

I started Lynn's Journey website in 2005 after I’d lost the first 50 pounds. Click on the dates on the left side of the home page to follow my journey down the scale in chronological order.

* How I started my journey: “Writer shares journey to her 168-pound weight loss,” “Are You Getting It? Really Getting It?” and “Killing the Proverbial Possum” and "One Thing."

* Slow really IS the best way: "Hey, Slow It Down"

* Yes, I have some loose skin: “Closer to Accepting the Flabby Bits” and “The Green House Philosophy”

* What LW readers have to say about the journey: “Does It Get Easier?” and “Is Being Ready Enough?”

* Will losing weight solve all your problems?: “The Thing About Weight Loss Is…”

* What do I eat? 

I became a vegetarian after I got to goal in 2007. Many people have asked about it, particularly how I get enough protein each day. Below, I've outlined my typical food plan.

I strive to get between 55-60 grams of protein a day. I don’t eat “fake” meat (except for Boca vegan burgers) because the sodium content is so high. I like to make my own homemade bean burgers and keep them in the freezer. My go-to protein sources are:

3 egg whites: 11 g

Cabot 75% reduced-fat cheese, 1 ounce: 9 g
Greek yogurt, ½ C: 11 g
Boca burger: 13 g
Soy milk, ½ C: 4 g
Edamame, 1/3 C: 12 g
Bean burger: 6-12 g
Lentils, 1 C: 17 g

As for volume, I eat a LOT of veggies. When eaten in bulk, veggies satisfy not only because of their fiber content, but protein, too. I strive to eat at least one Lynn-sized serving at each meal. Technically, one serving of any veggie ranges from ½ to 1 cup. One Lynn-sized serving is closer to 2 cups or more (and up to 6 g of protein, depending on the veggie).

For instance, you know how you buy asparagus in bunches, wrapped in those plastic binders? I cook and eat an entire bunch. Sometimes there will be leftovers, but that’s usually only if I’ve prepared a second type of veggie.

One of my favorite meals is a salad. The basics (what I put in each salad):

4 C (minimum) spinach (4 g protein)

½ to 1 C shredded carrots (1 g protein)
1 C grape tomatoes (1.5 g protein)
1 type of protein such as 1/3 C edamame (12 g), ¼ C beans (black, garbanzos, pinto, etc.) or 1 oz cheese (5-9 g protein)
1 type of “crunchy” carb such as 60 calories worth of crushed whole grain crackers or 4 homemade corn tortilla or pita chips
2 T low-fat (or homemade) salad dressing

Typical add-ons (usually one or two):

1 T slivered almonds

1-2 T roasted soybeans or corn nuts (I often use these in place of the crunchy carb)
Hearts of palm
Sautéed mushrooms and onions (cooked with Pam and/or veggie broth)
Salsa
Olives
Cooked beets or other leftover veggies
Hard-boiled egg white
 
I usually eat something every 2-3 hours. Entirely carb-based snacks leave me unsatisfied. I like to eat a bean burger, edamame, some almonds, a piece of cheese or a hard-boiled egg. Sometimes I’ll have PB2 (Bell Plantation’s dried peanut butter that you mix with water to make it smooth) with a banana. I also love squash. Any kind of squash: butternut, acorn or spaghetti. Leftover squash makes a great snack. For butternut and acorn squash, I mix it with a small amount of reduced-fat butter and maybe a bit of brown sugar. I put butter, pepper and parmesan cheese on my spaghetti squash. Hummus is a must-have in my house, too. I prefer to make my own, but some store-bought is good, too (particularly Trader Joe’s brand).

I also like to have a vegetable soup on hand for a quick snack. Other soups I make are usually bean- or lentil-based and they make good lunches or dinners.

I limit my fruit intake to two real servings (Lynn-sized servings don’t apply to fruit) each day. My other rule is no more than one tropical fruit serving a day (i.e. bananas, mangos, pineapples). I also try to limit my grain-based carbs to two a day (reduced-calorie bread, crackers, cereal, etc.), I rarely eat pasta, and I limit potatoes to once a week (I used to eat them 3-4 times a week).

See also the blog I posted: “One Week? Establish Food Boundaries”