The Great Cereal Experiment

End of An Era

2010-03-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

It was fun while it lasted, but it didn't last 30 days. Turns out monotony and sickness were my downfall. I'm only just now getting over a bronchitis/cold hybrid that has kicked the trash of everyone in the family for a month.

Keep eating your fiber!

Weekly Weight Wednesday - 2

2010-03-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?

I'll just start with the bad. I have consumed exactly ZERO cereal in the last two days. That's right. Days 13,14 - and likely 15 (today) are cerealless. (I believe I just invented a word).

This cold, or whatever it is has taken away my appetite, and when I do have a small one, cereal and milk just DO NOT sound appetizing. So, I won't report my entire menu, since it included no cereal. But, rest knowing that it is is minimal and the last two days can pretty much be summed up with Diet Dr. Pepper, a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a frozen burrito.

The GOOD news is, I'm in Richmond again and at the same scale I weighed in with last week. So, this is a firm number, not a guesstimate. I'm down 5 pounds from last week. That's right. 5. I know... I know... it's from being sick and not eating. It will return. Let me just be happy for a little bit. Besides being able to lay in bed and watch hours of Rick Steves in Europe on Hulu, it's the only good thing to come out of this cough.

I need your vote. I'm thinking of tacking on the days missed while being sick to the end (so I still have 30 days of cereal, even though the span of time will be greater). Your thoughts? Do you think that is fair? Please comment.

Giveaway Winner!

2010-02-28T17:14:00.000-08:00

I used Random.org to generate the winner of this week's giveaway. Congratulatons go to.....

Comment #4 - Fighting for Freedom!!! Congrats!!!

Fighting, email me at (my first name) dot (my last name) @gmail(dot)com with your mailing address and I'll get your prize off to you.

All others, keep an eye out for the next round!

Days 11 & 12

2010-02-28T17:04:00.000-08:00

Hereafter known as the "beginning of sickness" days.

Sat.

Breakfast - Fiber One w/ lvsm and a banana
Morning Snack - None
Lunch - None - on the road to the old apt again
Afternoon snack - 1/2 of a 6" turkey and veggie sandwich
Dinner - *begrudgingly* WG Total w/ vsm (not light) - not hungry, but did for you. All for YOU, the readers.

Sunday

Diet Dr. Pepper - no appetite. I have two oranges in the fridge. They are the only other thing that mildly appeals to me right now.

I've had a cough for a few days, but no other symptoms. My temperature is normal, I have no nausea or upset stomach, no nasal congestion, etc. Just a cough. Last night and today, though, I've lost my appetite. I hope this isn't forshadowing worse things to come. I really need to get the move done in the next couple days.

Day 10

2010-02-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

Breakfast - Fiber One scrambled eggs (see post below)
Morning Snack - none, breakfast kept me full for quite a while
Lunch - WG Total w/ lvsm
Afternoon Snack - chocolate mint cookies (argh! - see post below)
Dinner - WG Total w/ lvsm, one slice toast w/ chipped beef (I wanted to see if I still disliked it)
Dessert - chocolate mint cookies (double argh!)

I have noticed a significant mental hurdle since passing the 1 week mark. I could use encouraging words in the comment section. They help me along. Also, don't forget to comment on the Give Away post if you want a chance to win the prize!

You Might Think I'm Crazy

2010-02-26T15:51:00.003-08:00

For the following two reasons:

1. This was my breakfast today. Remember when I said I reserved the right to use the cereal in a recipe if my sanity demanded it? Well, this morning it did. I ate scrambled eggs with Fiber One, shredded low-fat cheese and salsa. Not as bad as you might guess. The cereal was not crispy nor soggy. It was chewy, which is the best of those three options, if you ask me. It was pretty much like adding 14 grams of fiber to scrambled eggs.

2. I'm holding a grunge against Girl Scouts today. I see them at grocery stores. Friends from all over the country keep updating their Facebook statuses to gloat in their cookie orders coming in. It's all very hard to keep out of my mind. So, last night, during my Target run, I purchased a bag of these. At $1.52, they were nearly exactly a 1/2 price box of thin mints!

If it weren't bad enough that my will finally gave in to the siren song of "girl scout-ish cookies", the bag is now empty. (I had two other people helping me eat them!). Darn you, Scouts!

Day 9

2010-02-26T15:51:00.001-08:00

Breakfast - WG Total w/ lvsm
Morning Snack - leftover potatoes
Lunch - WG Total w/ lvsm and blackberries
Afternoon Snack - chips and salsa
Dinner and Dessert - explained below

So... another confession. I didn't eat cereal for dinner. *shock* *horror**gasp*

You see, I finished off the bag of blackberries with lunch. That bag had been reserved for Dad to make his famous blackberry dumplings on Christmas. Because of his condition and then hospital stay in Lynchburg, they never fulfilled their purpose. So, I've been putting them to good use with the cereal. When the bag ran out, it was one of those things that made me sad out of the blue. It was one more tiny piece of Dad that was gone. I wish I had left a few in the bag and in the freezer.

I was reflective the remainder of the day, and when mom wasn't feeling like eating dinner, I had an idea for the both of us. Pancakes. Dad spent the last 15 years or so making pancakes (and occasionally waffles) for Sunday breakfast. He went through a great deal of effort perfecting his own recipe. I didn't use his recipe. I used the Better Homes and Gardens buttermilk pancake recipe. But, Thursday dinner was a tribute to Dad and his pancakes.

*end confession*

Weekly Weight Wednesday

2010-02-24T19:20:00.000-08:00

Confession: I botched the weigh in. My initial starting point was measured on a scale in Lynchburg. This morning, I was in Richmond on a different scale. The two of them never agree on anything. Therefore: my weight this morning is an honest guesstimate. 2 lbs down.

Wed. Report

Breakfast - Fiber One w/water
Morning Snack - none (packing)
Lunch - none (packing)
Afternoon Snack - Jason's Deli - Turkey Wrap and fresh fruit - heaven!
Dinner - WG Total w/lvsm and blackberries
Dessert - Krispy Kreme (I don't even like those things. Why did I eat a stale one?)

Tues. Report

Breakfast - Fiber One w/ Water
Morning Snack - Apple
Lunch - Fiber One w/water
Afternoon Snack - canned chili (not many choices while cleaning up the old apartment)
Dinner - Total w/water
Dessert - Organic chocolate cookies

The Mon. Calorie Report
I told you I'd let you know how that Angus Burger and mousse cake worked out with my FitDay total - Not too shabby. My day still came in at 1800k. More than my 1500 target, but hey... I got a 1/2 pound burger squeezed in. I'm going to be happy about this.

A Give Away! - To Celebrate 1 Week of Cereal

2010-02-24T19:00:00.001-08:00

That's right folks. To celebrate 1 full week of cereal, I'm offering one lucky reader a piece of my joy.

Prize: Your very own sample packet of Fiber One and Whole Grain Total and two coupons from each brand as well! (Total Coupons for $1 off, Fiber One Coupons are for $0.75 off)

Rules: Leave a comment on this post. I will choose one commenter at random on Saturday to receive the prize.

Chemistry

2010-02-23T14:51:00.000-08:00

My father was a complicated patient. Over the course of the last 15 years, he's made adjustments to his diet to accommodate cholesterol, sodium (first less, then more), kidney function and in the last few days, abrasion to his stomach ulcer. During the last few months in the hospital, I've done a whole lot more serious contemplation of the effect of what I put in my mouth has on my organs and blood vessels.

I majored in Health Science (community health education), but it wasn't until having the real gravity of food choices thrust upon me by observing Dad, that I truly became interested in chemistry. I need to read more. Heck, I need to reread the text books I already have.

It's hard to grasp the fact that what I'm eating now has an instant effect on my body, when thusfar I've been blessed with a lack of chronic disease or condition that demands specific omissions from my diet. I can obviously see the long term effects when I suddenly realize the new pair of slacks I need to buy is a size larger than before. But, those instant effects are harder to keep in mind.

Day 6

2010-02-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

6 down, 24 to go. First day of takin' this show on the road. Blogging from Richmond tonight.

Breakfast - Fiber One w/ lvsm
Morning Snack - Tortilla w/ cheese & salsa
Lunch - WG Total w/ lvsm and blackberries
Afternoon Snack - Carrot Sticks and mozzarella
Dinner - Fiber One (dry and in the car, let's not repeat this)
Dessert - Angus Burger and a slice of Peanut Butter Mousse Cake (take home)

I haven't plugged this into FitDay yet. I'll let you know tomorrow how this panned out calorie-wise. I may need to fit a jog in tomorrow ;-)

Packin' It

2010-02-22T18:54:00.001-08:00

I hit the road today to do some more packing up of the old apt. These sample size cereal packages sure make it easy to pack food.

Curbing cravings is so much easier for me if I have snacks with me already. I really wish i had been disciplined enough to do it more during the last two and a half years of campaigning. Hopefully having this little bag o' fun will help me to resist the siren call of the cafe around the corner as well as abide by my cereal regiment.

Day 5

2010-02-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

Good Sunday. I'm ready for bed, so will make this quick.

Breakfast - Fiber One w/ lvsm
(no snack, was at church)
Lunch - Fiber One w/ lvsm
Afternoon Snack - 1 Krispy Kreme (darn my sister for buying that box from a fundraiser!), handful of kettle corn
Dinner - WG Total w/1% and blackberries
Dessert - 8-10 French fries w/ kechup

Clearly junk food snacks. Far under calorie target, though. Will do better on fruits and veggies for the next couple days.

Day 4

2010-02-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

I hereby nickname today as "The day I snuck in savory meals as snacks".

Breakfast - Fiber One w/ light vanilla soy milk (lvsm)
Morning Snack - Breakfast burrito (with my homemade tortillas)
Lunch - Fiber One w/ lvsm
Afternoon Snack - Split Pea Soup
Dinner - WG Total w/ 1% and a few blackberries
Dessert - Some of mom's pork chop/pot roast -

You might be wondering how I managed to sneak mom's dinner in for dessert. Well, after plugging everything I've eaten today into my FitDay account, I saw how much wiggle room I still had in calories. My day's total is 1530k.

You gotta Keep 'em Separated

2010-02-20T14:40:00.000-08:00

This morning I managed to make my little sister a breakfast burrito with egg, sausage and cheese - yet eat Fiber One instead. I deserve a gold medal.

Ok.. ok.. so I made a smaller one for myself for my morning snack 2 hours later. BUT, the triumph is eating something separate. Dinner tonight will be difficult as well. Mom is making some pork chop pot roast dish. It smells heavenly right now.

Monday will be a birthday celebration for a good friend. I believe we're going somewhere for $1 burger night. Argh!

If I was isolated for 30 days, I would have no problem plugging away. But, living in the real world and (thankfully) having people in my life, means that my choice to do this 30 days of cereal will bring me into conflict with what other people eat.

I know this is a common dilemma for those going through dietary changes. If my only change was to "eat healthy", it wouldn't be a problem to engage those around me in the efforts. However, in my particular project, I don't think I can convince friends to eat cereal for dinner at the restaurant Monday.

Any readers have tricks for what's helped them get through a separate diet from those around you?

Day 3

2010-02-19T16:18:00.000-08:00

I used my snacks to satisfy that salty craving. Success even when battling desires!

My FitDay report for the day shows that too many of my calories today came from fat. I'll need to watch that later. I did also start my multi-vitamins up again today. I found them in one of the moving boxes.

Breakfast - Slept through
Morning Snack - a small handful of roasted almonds
Lunch - Fiber One w/ light vanilla soy milk
Afternoon Snack - 1 overhard egg and some black beans with salsa
2nd Afternoon Snack ;-) - 1/4 of a quesadilla w/ my homemade tortillas
Dinner - WG Total w/ light vanilla soy milk
Dessert - fuji apple w/ peanut butter

Salt of the Earth

2010-02-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

It's only day 3, and I woke up to a stark reminder of why I'm not a natural frequent cereal consumer. Salt.

When I crave, I crave salty things. I haven't always been a regular breakfast eater, but when I have, and I'm happy, it's because of egg white omlettes. In fact, now that I type this and work it out logically, most breakfast foods are sweet, and that's probably the reason I don't always feel compelled to eat it.

This morning I wanted to eat something salty. I slept in. I could have gotten away with brunch instead of breakfast. But, I didn't want to ruin my 30 days and accountability to what I hope is a growing readership. I ate my Fiber One.

Day 2

2010-02-18T16:54:00.000-08:00

2 down. 28 to go.

Today, I began to get a little concerned about making sure I do ok on calorie counts for the day. I'm excited to shed some pounds, but I don't want to slow my metabolism because I'm not eating enough.

So, I plugged everything into my account at fitday.com to keep track. I only discovered this free site earlier this week and thought it might be the easiest way to track my caloric intake. My day came in at 1500k. Just about perfect for my purposes, *I think*.

Breakfast - Fiber One w/ light vanilla soy milk
Morning Snack - unsalted peanuts and piece of mozzarella
Lunch - WG Total w/ light vanilla soy milk
Afternoon Snack - Baked Potato w/salsa
Dinner - Fiber One w/ 1%
Dessert - Split Pea Soup (couldn't resist, because it was warm and was just finished) and fuji apple

My Split Pea Soup Recipe

1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb package split peas
Water

Heat olive oil at medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery to saute. Add split peas and enough water to come 1.5 inches over the top of contents. Cover and reduce heat. Cook for 60 min. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Carbs Ain't Heavy, They're my Brothers

2010-02-18T14:50:00.001-08:00

I've realized that at least part of my motivation in doing this is in defense of carbohydrates. It seems, in today's America, poor little carbs can use a friend.

Low-carb diets have afforded me moderate success in the past. I understand the science behind it and agree with the premise in most regards.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) and as such, believe in the Word of Wisdom, what most of the world considers our "code of health". While it suggests avoiding alcohol, coffee and drugs, it also contains commentary on meat (to be eaten sparingly) and grain (to be the "staff of life"). This can seem to clash with what our eyes can see as convenient and nutritionless carbohydrates have helped our nation to hefty waistlines, increased rates of heart disease and diabetes and an endless supply of contestants for NBC's The Biggest Loser.

If I'm a small part of proving that whole grains and sensible choices can be a part of losing weight and improving health, I will consider this a success.

Day 1

2010-02-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

One down, 29 to go.

Breakfast - WG Total w/ 1%

Morning Snack - Deli slice of cheddar cheese and a glass of apple juice

Lunch - Fiber One w/ 1%

Afternoon Snack - Small salad of cucumbers, mixed greens and slice of chicken from last night's roasted hen (with light Italian dressing)

Dinner - Fiber One w/ light vanilla soy milk

Dessert - Fugi apple and a few dark chocolate chips

What a healthy day. I don't pretend every day will go like this, but I suppose the excitement of the beginning makes it easy to behave well.

While I was out getting a new air filter for the heater, I stopped to pick up few of my favorite groceries on hand for snacks. I picked up the fujis, light vanilla soy milk, baby carrots, lentils, split peas, mozzarella, unsalted nuts and (at no great suprise if you know me, Diet Dr. Pepper).

Cereal - The Beginning

2010-02-17T14:24:00.003-08:00

For your visual entertainment, here is what I'm starting with:

Box of Whole Grain Total - Arrived in Jan.

Close up of Total

Box of Fiber One - Arrived 2/16

Close up of Fiber One

Introduction

2010-02-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

Although I may introduce some commentary into the daily posts, I want to lay out the format for this month in one location. Here is what led me to deciding to do this and how it will work.

Background

My father recently passed away after spending the holiday season (Nov. - Jan.) in and out of the hospital. My cousin, Angie, in Tennessee remembered a discussion about cereal a group of family had at the reunion in September. Somewhere in that conversation, held in the Great Smoky Mountains, Dad mentioned liking Total.

As a joke, Angie sent a large box of Whole Grain Total sample boxes to the house in January. Yesterday, an even bigger box of Fiber One arrived to keep it company. Dad never got to any of it. What to do with all of this cereal?

Maybe it's because I need one thing I can control in what has been a three month spiral of loss. Surely it's because I have to return to my "pre-campaign" form. Partly it's for fun. And, as a Community Health major, it's definitely to make a pseudo-scientific experiment on the effects of a high fiber diet.

So... hats off to Morgan Spurlock, who blazed the trail with his 30 days of McDonalds, documented in Super Size Me. I'm now embarking on a healthier version of his journey (sans the medical following of blood panels etc.) Wish me luck, and thanks, Ang!!

Format

For 30 days, I will:

Eat Whole Grain Total or Fiber One for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Blog daily about it
Be eating additional snacks during the day (this isn't a "nothing but cereal" endeavor)
Report weekly on weight fluctuation (although, as a lady, never disclose my weight ;-) - Hitherto known as Weekly Weight Wednesdays.
Reserve the right to use the cereals in recipes (aside from the good ol' milk and bowl) if my sanity demands it down the road.