Counting down the pounds

Counting your calorie intake is very much like adding up each dollar you spend on little things. The more aware you are of how each extra dollar (or calorie) affects the outcome, the more likely you are to be more conservative in the future. That's how it is for me, anyway. Once I started counting my calories, I started thinking more heavily on each extra glass of juice, slice of pie, or helping of pasta I take. I find that I'm not taking the seconds or thirds that I'd often take when I don't pay attention to these little details. And perhaps you would do the same, too.

Did you know that you must burn an EXCESS of 3,500 calories per one POUND of fat? Sound easy? It's not. Even if you ate 500 calories less than your average daily caloric burn, you'd still take 7 days to lose 1 pound and as much as 6 months to lose 30 (which is my goal). Doesn't seem like it took that long to put it on, does it? It often times doesn't. We usually have an easier time eating WELL over our recommended intake than we do eating UNDER. Certain things have a tendency to sneak up on us as well. Here are some interesting numbers that may get you thinking twice about the things you DRINK:

• 8 ounces (1 cup) of 2% milk is 120 calories
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of apple juice is 110 calories
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of soda is approx 140-160 calories
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of lemonaide is approx 120 calories
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of beer is approx 90-100 calories
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of wine cooler is approx 110-120 calories
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of orange juice is approx 105 calories (depending on the type)
• 8 ounces (1 cup) of hot cocoa is approx 200 calories

(these numbers are based on averages from my cooking program called Mastercook and numbers on packages may vary)

Those are just averages and approximations. The type of milk, juice, beer, coffee, and wine that you drink will vary it greatly. But stop and think about it for one moment. How many of us just have 8 ounces? Sodas often come in 12-20 ounce containers, beers and wine coolers 12 ounces or more, and we often drink large glasses of juice and it isn't uncommon to ask for seconds is it? So your daily calorie intake could easily be 500-600 just from what you DRINK! I'm not saying to not drink juice or milk. They do offer things that are quite good for you, but some of those others aren't necessarily good for you. Sure, you can drink diet. That's not something I've ever recommended. I've always believed real sugar is better than chemical sweeteners, but some people HAVE to use artificial sweeteners for their own reasons. The moral of the story? Drink water when you can and as often as you can. Order water instead of soda when you go out to eat. You naturally have about 400-500 calories in soda alone because its served in large glasses with free refills, and restaurant food is usually on the fattening side. Drink water not only to substitute high calorie drinks, but also to help your body. Believe it or not most people do NOT get their recommended intake of water a day (8-10 glasses of 8 fl oz). Drinking more water alone can help you in a number of ways: helps keep the body hydrated and the urinary tract functioning properly, helps keep you regular (to a point), helps against heat exhaustion especially during exercise, overall important for your general health and well-being. It also has other benefits such as helping you feel full sooner when you drink water with a meal (rather than soda or juice, or tea, etc) and it can help satisfy a hungry tummy for a short time to keep you from eating more snacks.

Seconds on your lips, a lifetime on your hips.

I heard this from someone on TV and it brings up a good point. Americans are natorious over-eaters, and this is evident in our insistence on having seconds, thirds, fourths, and sometimes dessert. It is said that once you "sigh" after you've eaten that's the most you need to have. Of course, most of us feel hungry after that or may never "sigh". It's just another thing to consider, however. Here are a few tips to help you eat less and still feel content:

• Eat more slowly- it takes approx 10 minutes for your brain to register that you're full
• Chew your food more thoroughly-you are less likely to overeat and stretch your stomach
• Don't take another piece on your fork until you've chewed thoroughly and swallowed first-just slows you down.
• Include water or a beverage with your meal-it helps you feel full sooner
• Don't be afraid to leave crumbs, scraps or morsels.
• Don't eat it if you don't like it that much-especially true with high fat and unhealthy foods. Some things you just HAVE to choke down once in a while-like green beans.
• Don't take seconds unless you really need it (depends on serving size) but CERTAINLY don't take thirds!

Food for Thought

I am trying out a new way of losing weight. New for me, not necessarily a new idea. It is a very simple and painless plan that anyone with a little will power can follow. Here's how it goes, and you're welcome to follow along with me.

1. Document every thing I eat and calculate the approximate calories. I pay no attention to fat or carbohydrates.
   • If you are eating something out of a package, try measuring out exact serving sizes to get an exact idea of you calorie intake. That way you also get an idea of how an average serving you eat measures up to a real serving.
   • For more difficult foods to measure, I use a program called Mastercook to approximate the calorie count.
2. Keep track of my exercising and approximate calories burned. At least 30 minutes in one day and 300 calories.
3. The body burns 80-100 calories per hour just being alive. I assume I burn 80 (since I'm smaller) and that's about 1900 (1920 exactly) calories. Using that number I figure my intake and my total calories burned.
4. I try to keep my intake about 300-500 less than my total calories burned. At that rate it takes approximately 7-12 days to lose one pound of fat.
5. I keep track of my weight and waist size to measure progress. Progress is slow, but so far I've taken off 2 lbs.

Following this has so far allowed me to eat what I want, just in smaller amounts. Moderation is a big word and it goes along way. Eat in moderation and you can still enjoy everything you love and not have to wear it forever.

To help me in my endeavor I have formatted a sheet that helps calculate all those complicated numbers, keeping track of my calories burned, consumed, and my progress toward my goal. I'd be happy to give you this sheet for your own uses. Click here for more information. It is completely free; I ask for nothing in return.

---STILL BUILDING---

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