When Should You Count Calories?

Yesterday, I went to the movies with my boyfriend and I hadn't eaten breakfast. We were late, so I ordered some Reese's Pieces and we ran to sit down. I knew it wasn't the healthiest breakfast, but how bad could it be? I estimated about 2 servings of probably 150 calories per serving. A bagel would have been about the same. Right?

I remembered to put the package in my bag when we left so that I could track correctly later. But I didn't track it until after I had eaten lunch and dinner. When I finally pulled out the package and looked at it, it was 5 servings of 200 calories. My 300 calorie breakfast was actually 1,000 calories. Let me tell you, I was SO MAD that I hadn't checked before I ate them.

I have the Spark App on my Blackberry, and I have several computers available to me. What was so difficult about checking to make sure it fit into my plan before I ate them? I could have had Aussie Cheese Fries from Outback, 10 bananas, or 20 cups of Strawberries instead. There are so many things that would have satisfied me more than those few handfuls of Reese's Pieces.

So when is the ideal time to log calories? For most people before they eat,( or even the day before) is the best plan. Logging your calories before is the best way to make sure you know the damage a food will do (or not do) before you eat it.

Everyone makes mistakes, so all I can do is check everything I eat today, and log it BEFORE I eat it. Guessing doesn't work for me. But next time I am in a similar situation, if I even get the candy, I will make sure I know what I am actually eating.

Have you ever been in a similar situation?

Eat Stop Eat

I have begun a program called "Eat Stop Eat." I have been aware of this program for awhile, but I have not started it until recently. While I have not read the online book, I used to be subscribed to the list serve. I believe that I am well-informed enough that I can safely follow the program, I have done research, and it has several great reviews on reputable diet review sites.

Eat Stop Eat allows you to eat whatever you want to eat, most of the time. That is the "Eat" part. Two non-consecutive days a week you fast - water, black coffee, diet soda and tea are all acceptable on your fasting days. That is the stop.

To maintain and build muscle, you must weight train, so that your body will use fat stores instead of muscle. The program will not put you into starvation mode, you will not binge after, you will not pass out from hunger. All of that is myth from the diet industry.

Fasting a day or two a week is surprisingly easy. Although it goes against conventional wisdom, it is scientifically backed, and actually makes logical sense: if you eat less, you will lose weight. If the average person eats 1500 calories a day, then saving twice that (3000 calories) a week can significantly effect your weight-loss efforts. (remember: 3500calories is 1lb)

Now I am not doing this without eating healthy on my eating days. I feel like Eat Stop Eat is a tool, but it cannot replace nutrition and common sense.

This program is probably not for people with health problems (aka diabetes) or who are pregnant...

Weight-loss to date: down to 148.8lbs from 157lbs.
Current BMI: 26.4 (YAY!)

Breaking the Coffee Dependency

I regularly drink coffee. I buy one almost everyday between my classes, sometimes more than once a day.

My regular order is a Grande Non-fat Mocha with flavored syrup. According to Starbucks, my "little" indulgence is between 280 to 350 calories per cup(remember 1lb=3500cals).

If I get once drink 5 times a week, it costs me around 1500 calories. That isn't even considering the pastries that I sometimes get if I forget breakfast.

If I replaced that morning coffee with tea instead, it would help break my caffeine dependency, but also help me lose an extra pound every two and a half weeks.

In terms of money, I would save a significant amount as well. I have a limited budget, so the extra $4.50 per coffee could be used in a much better way. I could use that money to buy painting/school supplies, or organic produce, or new gym clothes, or going into savings (oh my!)....

So this morning I made myself a cup of green tea instead of stopping at the coffee shop. I didn't even miss my 350 calorie mocha.

Weight-loss to date: 153.9 from 157
Current BMI: 27.3

Image from Starbucks.com

Tracking Food Calories

For me, tracking the food that I eat is the key to weight loss. My problems come when I forget to write down what I eat. When I have to write down everything I eat and keep track of how many calories are in each meal, it gives me a reality check. I will think twice about eating something that is high calorie, low nutrition if I know I have to be honest with myself and write it down.

Sparkpeople.com is especially helpful because everything there has the calories already programed into the system so as long as I have internet, I can track. If I am at work, and I eat a candy from the (damn) candy jar, I can go online and track it and the reality of having 1 or 2 bites account for 100 or 150 calories will keep me from eating another. The internet is everywhere and SparkPeople keeps me honest.