My current diet plan

I want to start posting about what I have been doing lately to lose a few pounds (of fat!), improve my fitness level,  and still enjoy the foods I eat. For anyone familiar with the McDougall diet, this is basically my own subset of that plan. The major components of high complex carbohydrate, low to moderate protein, and low fat still apply. For all the macronutrient ratio oriented folk out there it breaks down to an average of something like 75% CHO/15%Pro/10% Fat. 

I would say the main differences are that I include some vegan convenience foods such as plant-based meats and cheeses, morning coffee with soy creamer, and restaurant foods such as fresh spring rolls, veggie pho, vegan pizza, and the occasional breakfast at Wayward Vegan Cafe :).

Another big difference is that I have found that the only way I have ever been able to lose ANY weight has been to track my food in a diligent manner. By track I mean to physically put pen to paper and write down every single thing I eat and drink each day. Dr. McDougall does not advocate counting calories, and in a perfect world that might work for me someday, but for now I have to go with what I know will bear results for me.

I also am trying to get into the habit of weighing myself daily. There is plenty of controversy over this subject as well but there are reasons for the sayings "What gets measured, gets managed" and "ignorance is bliss" and I have found that when I find the thought of weighing myself distasteful there is usually a reason for it :o/.

Just to give an idea of what a days worth of food looks like:

Pre-workout snack: 1/2 ww english muffin with apricot jam, coffee with 3 Tbs silk creamer (140 cal, 4 grams fat)

Breakfast: Scrambled lite tofu, steamed kale, hash browns (250 cal, 1 gram fat)

Lunch: Faux Pho (mushroom rice noodle bowl w/o oil packet, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and more kale) (250 cal, 0 fat)

Snack: Large pear, chai tea w/stevia and 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (150 cal, 1 gram fat)

Dinner: Papa Murphy's vegetarian pizza without cheese (2 slices, 500 cal, 5 grams fat)

Daily totals: 1290 cal, 11 grams of fat (7.6% calories from fat)