Day 1: Vegetables for Breakfast

30 pounds. When I tell people that I have gained 30 pounds in the year since I have graduated from college I am usually met with biwilderment. "What the hell have you been doing?" They usually say. My answer goes somewhere along the lines of a breakup, a horrible first job out of college, and Jersey Shore and chocolate chip cookies as my escape.

In March of this year I moved onto my second job out of college. It involved a much healthier environment, but it also has involves 40-60 hours of sitting in a chair staring at a screen and typing away. I'm very happy with my job but I am not happy with the fact that I avoided the "Freshman 15" in college, yet gained twice that amount in my Freshman year in the "Real World."

Like most Americans I have struggled with my weight and with portion control. It is easy for me to stop at McDonald's after a 12 hour day of work and eat my weight in french fries. But it certainly hasn't done me well. When I came across MyPlate I thought it would be simple. I'm not neccesarily changing the foods I eat, just the quantities and varieties. But there is one thing that will take me a while to get used to on this plan: Vegetables for breakfast. Right now I am rotating peas and V8 for my breakfast veggies. Does anyone have any better ideas for what I can have with my bagel, peanut butter, glass of milk and grapefruit?

This was my first dinner on the MyPlate meal plan. Turkey Brat, Whole Wheat Bun, Corn, Canteloupe and skim milk. Normally I probably would have forgone the fruits, veggies and milk and just ate four Bratwurst (I've grown to love Wisconsin food far too much!). But this was all portion controlled and I felt....okay afterwards. I haven't struggled much this far into the game. It's only a day and a half in and I've eaten a variety of foods. I also have fish and potatoes in the oven roasting right now! I just still am not sure what other veggies I can eat for breakfast. V8 and grapefruit does not taste good together. :P

-Kellen