Renal Diet - Day 5

I am undergoing these dietary restrictions for the purpose of a project meant to teach patient empathy which will last for one week. I am not suggesting that anyone follow this diet unless it has been prescribed by their physician.

Breakfast:
8 oz coffee with 2 Tbsp fat free half and half
2 frozen blueberry waffles (about 1 oz each)
3/4 cup blueberries and strawberries (thawed from frozen)
1 1/2 tsp Smart Balance Light
1 Tbsp lite syrup
1 tsp powdered sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

I can't believe it's day 5 already!! I waited until about 10am to eat breakfast this morning, since I'm working today and won't get lunch until around 2. I was absolutely starving, but that was to be expected. I know orange juice is a no-no (high potassium) but I've restrained from it all week, and I only had half a cup.




Lunch:
1/2 cup chicken salad (from http://www.davita.com/recipes/Meats_and_seafood/a/404 )
1 tbsp whipped cream cheese
on 2 slices of white bread
12 baby carrots with about 1 tbsp whipped cream cheese













I could not wait until 2 to eat today, plus we were having a meeting at that time so I decided it would be better to not be starving at that. The chicken salad recipe came from the Davita website again, and it was very good. Matt even had some for lunch at home today and had good feedback about it. I was so disheartened about eating the carrots that by the last six, I actually started dipping them in the cream cheese! Looking back on it, it wasn't really very good but sounded more palatable than eating them plain at the time. Plus, I was starving! My yummy waffle and fruit breakfast just did not hold me over the way that my oatmeal with bananas usually does on work days.

Snack:
1/2 cup canned fruit cocktail with 1/2 cup of its juice (pear juice)
9 vanilla wafers



I went for a walk today during lunch, outside! It was so much better than going to the workout room on the boring treadmill. The wind was still a bit chilly, but I just walked faster and warmed up. When I got back, it was time to start answering phones but I had to eat my snack between calls because I was definitely starving again after that walk.



Another quick snack:

6 unsalted crackers


I had the sense to grab something just in case I got hungry again before the end of the evening. I thought, surely our hospital kitchen has something for renal patients! I saw the saltless crackers sitting there and thought that would be perfect. I held out until nearly 7, and was really glad I had them at hand.


Dinner: another good one from Davita!
http://www.davita.com/recipes/Meats_and_seafood/a/2698


1 pita bread
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
1/2 cup diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 cups salad (bagged, Asian style) with 1 tbsp dressing





These BBQ chicken pitas were amazing! I will definitely make them again, even when I'm not a "renal patient".

Dessert: no more Jell-o, please!
1/2 cup raspberry sherbet
3 tbsp cool whip lite












I went back to sherbet tonight, but added the Cool Whip because I've really taken a liking to it. Somehow, it makes it more special :)

Misc. H2O record:
4 oz (morning)
16 oz (all day, at work)
8 oz (evening)

How compliant was I today?
Total calories: 1640 out of 1861 allowed
Total fluids: 1440 mL out of 1861 mL allowed
Protein: 56 g out of 53 g allowed
Phosphorus: 971 out of 1200 mg allowed
Potassium: 2533 mg out of 2127 mg allowed
Sodium: 2495 mg out of 3000 allowed

I would say my compliance was very good today! This was the closest I have come to my goal on protein all week, and although I was over on potassium (could that orange juice this morning have done me in?) I was well within my limits on everything else. Plus, I tried two new recipes that were tested and approved by someone not following this diet. So, hooray for me!