What's in it for me?

Today I will eat three meals - breakfast, lunch and tea (as us Aussies like to say). Hearty, healthy food, no junk, just wholesome and mostly homemade - cereal, toast, juice, leftover chicken and rice, an apple, banana and some watermelon, yogurt, pasta.

In between meals, there will be coffee, chocolate milk, and lots of water. I will also take a long walk, relax for a bit, and might even do some stretching. And at the end of the day, I expect I will watch a bit of tv, read a book, and sleep well into the night.

Food, exercise and downtime. All of which sounds great. So, my question is, what in all this is good for me and what is not?

Before anyone answers that question, let's get a few things straight.

1. I like coffee, so that's staying, but I usually have only two cups on most days - sometimes less, rarely more. And I like wine and sherry, occasionally and socially, and always in moderation.

2. Except for baking (which I don't actually do any of) and coffee (although I'm trying to cut down), I don't add sugar to anything, nor do I add salt. Not for any healthy reasons - I simply don't think most food needs either of it.

3. I do make a concerted effort to buy low salt and low sugar products, but low fat? I really like my 2% milk and associated products, so that's about as far as I am willing to go.

4. I eat lots of fruit (~ 3 to 4 pieces) and vegetables (~ 3 servings) each day - way up from where it used to be (~ 0). Delicious and really fills me up.

5. I love meat, so that's staying, but these days I eat about half of what I used to, and fill the plate up with salad or veggies instead. I love eggs, with bacon on the weekend, and I'm trying to eat more fish - mostly when I eat out since we never think to cook it at home.

6. I love chocolate, but only if I can keep the consumption of it under some sort of control. Rationing was easy when I only ate Aussie chocolate - I'd fill a suitcase with all sorts of stuff on every visit back home, and when that was gone, that was it ... until the next trip. However, of late, I've discovered a taste for chocolate-coated peanuts made in Canada and can't seem to ration them at all.

7. Yogurt is a relatively new addition to my day, but not sure if I'm getting the right stuff. I do add flax and fibre to it - adds crunch and tastes delicious. (Thanks to Miriam for sending me the Magical Breakfast Cream recipe, which I will try as soon as I get all the ingredients.)

8. I sometimes eat late out of necessity, but mostly aim to be done by 7:00 pm. And since I'm up at 5:00 am, I try to hit the hay by 9:00 pm where I read fiction (no work!) to let the day slowly wash away.

9. Not a huge fan of vitamins and supplements, but I do take calcium and salmon oil capsules daily. Think (hope) everything else I eat provides the rest of what I need.

10. I won't diet, but I will consider subtle changes that are doable and good for me.

So, there you have it. The exercise and downtime works well with my current schedule. The eating and drinking component, however, is where I'm a bit clueless as to whether I'm heading in the right direction or not. And although I'm not looking to do anything radical here, I would like to know if there's anything I'm missing or should miss, and what's in it for me either way. If you want to share your thoughts, I'm all ears.

Oh, did I mention that I also love corn on the cob?