When I published my first “What I Eat In A Day” post a few months ago, I had no idea what to expect.
So I was happily surprised when the post received such an outpouring of positive reader feedback, with many people writing in to say they loved seeing the example of how a vegan day in the life might look.
As I mention in the first post, there’s no typical day for me, but the amount of food stays pretty constant. I’ve also never been one of those people who can go even a day without dessert!
If you missed it, here’s the first post: Everything I Eat in a Day – Part 1
What I Eat In A Day
I wake up hungry and usually snack on a handful of nuts as I check emails, maybe post to @Chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram, and make breakfast.
Today I also ate a few strawberries that needed to be used up. If I’m going running in the morning, I’ll make a cup of coffee and have a more substantial first breakfast.
That’s about 1-3 times per week, depending on whether or not I feel like running.
I’ll never again force myself to exercise if I don’t feel like it, after being an obsessive exerciser for years.
Anyways, no running or coffee today.
Breakfast
Lately, I’ve been craving savory food for breakfast.
Today was two Homemade English Muffins–one of my favorite recipes in my new cookbook–toasted in the oven with organic vegan buttery spread, kale sautéed with olive oil and garlic, and caramelized cherry tomatoes.
It looks fancy, but honestly the tomatoes took under a minute to prepare, and all I did for the kale was throw it into the cast-iron skillet the day before and let it cook as I put my groceries away.
Lunch
Lunch was even easier to prepare.
Heat up some leftover Buffalo Chickpea Chili from the freezer, dice an avocado and throw it on top, and finish the meal by breaking off a piece of extra-dark (95%) chocolate.
My blog title really is a good name for me.
Snack 1
I always get hungry in the afternoon, and—surprise—it’s usually for chocolate.
Today was homemade cashewmilk and a Chocolate Brownie Paleo Bar.
Dinner
Dinner was this Broccoli Cheesy Rice, also from the cookbook.
I added extra broccoli and served it with sautéed mushrooms on the side.
I could eat this meal every single day – it is the epitome of creamy comfort food.
Snack 2
Nighttime snack: Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream
More creamy comfort food. And also more chocolate. Katies are simple creatures, and we know what we like.
That’s usually it for the day in terms of eating, but on this particular night I went out later and had a glass of red wine as well.
Daily Total: 3,003 calories
(As a vegan, I also take Vitamin B12 and Omega 3s each day.)
By Popular Request: Link to the Full Nutrition Facts
i always love seeing what other people are eating, mostly for inspiration since i tend to eat the same things everyday! that cheesy rice looks so insanely delicious. i also love that you’re so intuitive about eating & exercise – i think it’s so important to listen to our bodies and follow our cravings or motivations!
Wow – I am so intrigued by this. I’m also vegan, and admittedly, actively trying to lose weight (and recover from binge-eating disorder/EDNOS – which is part of the reason I objectively have weight to lose) but I find that I will GAIN weight for sure if I eat more than ~1800-1900 calories per day, and sometimes don’t even lose weight at 1400 (I have to go down to like 1200, and I’m young!) AND I tend to eat largely plant-based and non-processed foods. So wow, yes, I am in awe that you can eat 3000 calories a day and still be so slim? Do you think it has to do with most of your calories coming from vegetables or just a super high metabolism? Wow wow wow! In any case, thanks for posting! Your daily food looks delicious & happy-making, I am inspired! 🙂
It’s definitely genetic in part, but I think it also has to do with having a lot of adrenaline, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. I don’t sleep or relax much. Even when I’m sitting, I sometimes notice myself moving without even realizing it. I’m actually making a conscious effort to force myself to relax more, which will probably slow my metabolism down a little in the process because the adrenaline won’t be torching calories. (I’m not a doctor… just hypothesizing! 🙂 )
AH! Okay, yeah, that makes sense. Thanks for the response!!
Your moving whilst sitting is an anorexic thing and I’m sure you do know your doing it really.ive been anorexic for 23 years.
It is not specific to eating disorders and many people of all different weights do this. Just google something like “shaking leg without realizing” or watch people around you in school or church or another public venue. It is pretty common.
If you’ve been anorexic for 23 years poster, why can’t you be supportive and kind instead of snarky?
Because it takes one to know one?
Anonymous, you are also PROJECTING.
My Mom has always been a leg bounce, especially in church. She likes to be busy. And never once had she had anything resembling an eating disorder. In my family, we eat to live. We don’t live to obsess over what we eat.
All people just are not the same, Katie is a grown woman, if something is arr, she’ll go to her doctor. Not be “diagnosed” by someone who refuses to sign their name.
Coconut oil! It boosts the metabolism and revs energy. You say you have a lot of energy. That could be partly why!
Also, it’s possible that her calorie counts may be inaccurate if she doesn’t count calories often. When I first started counting calories, I was off by 600 calories on some days because I didn’t measure properly. Also, she’s a runner and may need more calories as a result.
I also have a problem with weight gain – and have all my life. What I’ve found is that exercising is the key to dropping and keeping weight off. (I’m not a physically active person, so I really dislike exercising, but force myself to do it.)
Also, I don’t process certain carbs – i.e. starchy ones – well and they tend to add weight even though they are vegan. I have found that eating plenty of organic coconut oil helps a great deal in weight loss and maintenance even though it is high in calories. It is the “type” of calories I ingest, not necessarily the amount that is important for me! I think you’ll have to keep experimenting and find out what works the best for you – everyone is different and react differently to certain foods.
Obviously, not eating processed foods or fast foods helps a lot to drop pounds and keep them off as well as not drinking alcohol (sorry!) or sweetened or artificially sweetened sodas. I love soda and have found that Zevia soda products (sweetened with stevia, no caffeine, or artificial ingredients) sate my desire for a delicious soda!
As Katy stated, it is a metabolism thing as well. My husband can eat and drink anything and everything and still weighs what he did in high school – and that was a very long time ago!! He has a very high metabolism and I have the metabolism of a sloth!! 🙂 Oh, well, it’s just something we’ve got to deal with.
I am confused by your size and the amount of calories you consume. If I ate 3000 calories a day I’d be 300# at 5’2.
Please explain this to me.
Different people have different dietary needs. It depends on metabolism, age, height, gender, activity level, genetics, etc.
Of course, but I was asking Katie specifically.
Why should Katie explain to you how you would be 300# at your height? If you choose an active lifestyle, you will burn 3000 calories, too. That’s the only secret. It’s all in your own hands.
Ha, yeah right. Im 5’1″ and workout nearly everyday, weight lifting, running etc. I wear a Fitbit and log all my food intake. On a super active day, I mean active all day long, I might burn 2000 calories, but a typical day at work with a normal workout, averages 1700 or so. My basic if I did nothing all day calorie burn would be around 1200 calories. Height, weight, age, gender, and activity level all matter. She is probably 5’8 with a high metabolism.
I’m afraid the answer might annoy you – it looks to me that Katie is simply naturally skinny, one of the few people who can basically eat whatever they want. Genes. It is annoying indeed but 3000k without much exercise would make most people overweight. Life isn’t fair!
Actually, exercise science claims that there is no such thing as a fast metabolism. If your body needs more calories, that means that a) you move more or b) there are certain hormones like adrenalin or thyroid hormones which boost calorie burn. Katie talked about how as he subconsciously moves a lot- its a thing! You call it the “NEAT”- non-exercise activity thermogenesis. It can make up more than 1000 calories a day without even going to the gym. Look it up, it´s a real thing!
I can’t find the recipe for the cheesy broccoli rice in the cookbook, but it looks so yummy, I need that recipe 😀
I just emailed you (from chocolatecoveredmedia). Let me know if you didn’t receive it, and thank you for getting the book!
I have the cookbook, too, but I don’t have the recipe, either!
I emailed you too. Sorry for the trouble – the bonus pack of recipes did not automatically send out to some people and we’re not sure why, but I just sent them all to you now.
Hi, Can you email it to me too? I just purchased the book this morning (I’ve been meaning to do it, but the cheesy broccoli rice looked so good I couldn’t wait anymore). Thanks!
I’m having the same issue… I was hoping to get the cheesy broccoli rice and melty mozzarella recipes included as advertised, but they’re not there!
I just emailed you the missing recipes as well. So sorry for the trouble!
I also did not receive it either after I ordered the cookbook, would you be able to send to me as well?
Thank you very much 🙂
I also cant find the recipe for the cheesy broccoli casserole, which is basically why I bought the book 🙁
Hi! It’s in the bonus pack that ships out automatically with the book. I will send it to you manually ASAP so you don’t have to wait for it to arrive. If you don’t see it within the next few minutes, definitely let me know!
-Jason (media relations)
How do you get your Omega 3s? I have a hard time finding reasonably priced supplements that are suitable for vegans or vegetarians, and often the few that are out there are too enormous to swallow. Any suggestions would be appreciated! P.S. Love the blog and the cookbooks!
Hi Karen, try Minami Nutrition Algae Omega-3. It is the one Katie uses and is 100% vegan.
Jason (media relations)
Thanks!
Great post Katie. Thanks for keeping it real. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one with high (natural) sugar, vitamin A, C, etc. amounts. I would also be interested to know the exact amount (or the tipping point) that is too much vitamin A. I’m not a nutritionist either, but in one of my biology classes we discussed a paper about people in the arctic consuming polar bear liver. Polar bear livers are extremely rich in vitamin A and it caused them to become sick. (Here’s the link to one of the papers : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257872/pdf/biochemj00974-0009.pdf)
Anyway, I love sweet potatoes (I’ve got some in the oven right now) so my vitamin A almost always above the recommended amount, whatever that is, and I have not suffered any ill effects…
That is so interesting. I know there are two different types of vitamin A and that it is possible to overdose on the type you can get from a supplement. No idea about polar bears though. If you ever learn more about this from your biology class or a nutritionist, definitely be sure to report back!
Vitamin A from animal or manufactured sources is generally in the form of retinol and too much retinol is pro-inflammatory. Vitamin A from plant sources is in the form of beta-carotene (it’s actually pro-vitamin A because the body enzymatically converts beta-carotene into Vit A) and is processed differently in the body. As far as I know, it’s impossible to OD on beta-carotene, although some people who eat excessive amounts of orange foods (pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, etc) can begin to turn orange. Pretty funny! It’s called carotenemia and can take a few months to go away, but that’s the only thing it does. It’s not toxic and it doesn’t cause sickness, just orange skin.
We lovingly called our youngest ‘carrot stick’ for a brief period when he was about 7 months old, after I had rushed him to the doctor when I noticed he was turning yellow! I thought he had developed jaundice and was seriously ill. Our family doctor examined him, smiled and asked me what I’d been feeding him? I was making his baby food and using whatever was in season (or more importantly cheap!) which happened to be carrots and sweet potatoes at the time. He explained the whole carotene thing 😉 He did suggest maybe shaking up the veggies I was feeding him a bit but wasn’t worried at all about his health. It went away after a few weeks and I can happily report he’s a very normal skin-toned 12 year old now.
There’s no such thing as “high natural sugar”. Please read Dr. Joel Fuhrman Eat to Live or any of his other books like End of Diabetes. All about HEALTHY eating. And THIS is not it. Jeeze there are hardly ANY vegetables in this entire day. The misinformation here is astounding.
Here’s what IEID (ONLY):
Two lbs vegetables 80% raw
1 Cup beans
Some fruit (3-5 “servings”)
1-2 oz Nuts and Seeds.
Occasionally but rarely – a slice of Food for Life Ezekiel bread.
NO added sodium, no added sugars fake or real, no oil whatsoever.
Nutrient dense eating A.K.A. Nutritarian.
Well. I apolgize that she dose not eat you. (…)
You are so right
Hi Katie~
Wondering what website you use for tracking your “what I eat in a day” nutrition data. I’ve used a few and like the display for the one you used. Thanks for sharing!!
She uses Calorie Count to calculate nutrition labels.
I have found Calorie Count to be inaccurate in many instances, and there are many variables, so it’s likely that Katie doesn’t eat 3,000 calories a day, and certainly not every day…. if she did, she wouldn’t be nice and slim, even with a high metabolism. It’s good to use different websites for counting nutrition. And food has to be measured and weighed, not guessed at….. not saying that Katie guesses, but a lot of people do.
It’s absolutely possible for some people to eat 3000 cal a day and still be slim. As other posters have said, it just depends on your metabolism.
It is absolutely possible. I eat roughly the same amount, also from plant based sources, and have always been slim. It has a lot to do with genetics and activity levels! Also, calories from natural whole food sources are a lot more nutritionally dense. 😉
Use Cronometer.
I had such trouble when I tried making my own English muffins. Hats off to you Katie!
Hi – Can I get the missing recipes as well? Just downloaded the cookbook. Can’t wait to get started!
Sent!
Me too?
Thanks!
I like these posts as someone recovering from an eating disorder it is refreshing to see and hear that people aren’t just surviving on salad and a minuscule number of calories. Thanks Katie.