is this a well balanced diet for someone trying to lose weight (15) pounds?

1

Instead of oatmeal and sausage links eat oatmeal with fruit (if using dried fruit like raisins, use two tablespoons to 1/4 cup) and low fat or non fat milk. The orange as a snack is fine, but you might want to add a small handful of nuts.

You need lunch too. Right now you are skipping too many calories and too much nutrition. Have a salad with some protein; this can include chicken and various types of beans, such as chickpeas or kidney beans. Make it with lots of different vegies, and use dark green leafy greens, such as spinach. Use a small amount of olive oil and a nice balsamic vinegar for dressing. Or make yourself a sandwich with whole wheat bread, some lowfat deli meats or chicken, and vegies. Use mustard and either no mayo or light mayo.

Instead of canned spinach, use frozen. Add some other vegies, carrots and celery for example. For the potatoes, make a baked potato with a very small amount of butter or margarine. Or make brown rice or wild rice instead.

If you have to have an evening snack eat low fat yogurt or a piece of fruit. Leave out the cheezits, they are an awful junk food.

And drink lots of water. You are doing pretty well on the exercise, but see if you can add in more, you can do it gradually, maybe add 5 minutes every few days.

I think you need to throw lunch in there. Never skip a meal. And NEVER go below 1200 calories or you will initially lose weight, but it's the kind of weight that you lose a little and then you gain a bunch of fat.

I would lose the oatmeal and the potatoes, but everything else is fine. Replace them with non-starchy vegetables and you're good to go.