The Day

6:30 AM 

• Medium-sized bowl of oat-flake cereal with either almond chunks or raisins
• Fat-free milk
• Glass of orange juice 
• Multi-vitamin pill  

The Dish: Breakfast
Tom scores bonus points for starting his day with a healthy breakfast. Far too often people skip this all-important meal.
Tom chooses an oat cereal that supplies some soluble fiber, a complex carbohydrate which is associated with heart health and cancer protection. Tom also opts for fat-free milk – a good choice to keep the calories and saturated fat at bay. While a glass of orange juice is certainly a nutritious choice, Tom might want to grab a piece of whole fruit instead and enjoy added nutrients, phytochemicals and fiber.
Tom’s use of a multivitamin is age-appropriate. As we age our bodies can have trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from foods; people over age 50 are encouraged to take a daily multi-vitamin or choose fortified foods for extra coverage.

  8 – 10 AM

• Cup of caffeinated green tea

11:30 AM

• Cup of soup (Vegetable, Chicken Noodle or Chicken Florentine)
• Small salad (Greens, ham/turkey slices, broccoli, green peppers, mushrooms, carrots, egg pieces, cheese bits, beets). NO salad dressing.

The Dish: Lunch
While Tom packs in the veggies, whole-grains are noticeably absent from this meal. A rich source of nutrients and a wide array of phytochemicals, whole grains are an essential component to a well-balanced plant-based diet. In fact, AICR's latest report on diet and cancer prevention recommends eating whole grains with every meal. Tom could easily add a serving by simply adding a slice of whole-wheat pita bread to his salad or choosing a half-cup portion of brown rice or whole-grain pasta.
In addition, there’s nothing wrong with topping a salad with a small amount of vinaigrette. Dressings made with olive or canola oil supply heart healthy fat and may help extend satiety long after lunch is finished.

3 PM

• Another cup of caffeinated green tea or diet cola

5 PM

Following 30-60 minutes of exercise (either dancing lessons, weight lifting or 3.8 miles on a treadmill)

• Diet cola (sometimes rum + coke)
• Hand full of nuts or some fruit (banana, apple or orange)
• Sometimes, if I sweat a lot, I’ll grab something salty like a hand-full of potato or tortilla chips to replenish my electrolytes  

6:30 – 7:30 PM

• Chicken, meat or fish entrée
• Vegetables (green vegetables or carrots)
• Brown rice or potato
• Small salad (greens, carrots, green peppers, mushrooms). NO salad dressing
• Glass of fat-free milk or red wine with meal.  

The Dish: Dinner
Tom’s dinner plate serves as a great meal model. With several servings of vegetables and a moderate portion of protein, this meal exemplifies the New American Plate. Tom also allows for occasional indulges, like dessert. While restraint from overindulgence is best, research shows that overly restricting oneself and denying an occasional treat cause more harm than good.

 * Dessert - not every day, but several times per week: a couple of cookies or chocolate pieces after dinner.  However, we own property with some apple trees, and my wife makes a great apple pie.  Can’t pass this up in the fall season!  

8 – 10 PM

• Cup of tea or a glass of red wine if did not have wine with dinner

The Dish: Snacks
A lack of snacking is Tom’s biggest downfall during his day. Tom waits 5 hours to eat between breakfast and lunch and a whopping 7 to 8 hours go by from lunch until dinner. While Tom makes time in his day to rehydrate, I would recommend a small snack along with his tea breaks. Re-fueling every 3 to 4 hours can help prevent sharp dips in blood sugar, which can often lead to hunger and irritability. Good snack choices include: a medium-sized piece of fruit, a small handful of nuts, a container of low fat yogurt.