Day 7: Count The Calories That Really Count | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon

Posted on by Michele Connolly
07 Apr

Time for Day 7 of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon. Today’s 10 minutes could pay enormous diet dividends.

If you’re new you might want to check out these posts:

Read the steps below first, then take 10 minutes to complete them.

Move fast, act quickly and stop over-thinking. Ready?

What You Need:

  • Paper
  • Pen
  • Calorie counter book, website or app.

Step 1

Calorie counts – useful info, or source of major [cue Psycho shower-scene music] obsessiveness? Depends on how you use them.

One of the reasons my programs works so well for people is that they’re strategic. You make small sacrifices for large benefits.

An excellent way to identify such power-packed mini-sacrifices is to find out what your everyday food costs in calories. You may find there are things you care little for that contain 74 fatillion calories. You’d probably want to know what they are, right?

I’m not going to ask you to count calories, which many people find time-consuming, boring, and obsessive. But I will ask you to learn the rough calorie value of only certain foods – those foods you eat regularly.

Let’s start by making a list of the foods you usually eat. Include your usual breakfasts, lunches, dinners snacks and drinks. No need to be exhaustive – just list the items that come to mind.

Step 2

Next, use an online calorie counter, app or calorie book to look up the calorie values of your main foods. (If you have a favorite calorie counter, feel free to share it in your comment on this post.)

Make a note of the calorie value beside each item on your list from Step 1.

This exercise is very useful – it gives you a good sense of the relative calorie values of certain foods. Knowledge is power! But we have to act on that knowledge, right?

Step 3

What are we going to do with what we’ve learned about the calorie values of your food?

We’re going to look for smart ways you can eat fewer calories without feeling deprived.

For instance:

  • Surprised that mud cake contains many more calories than other desserts you enjoy as much or more? Then you might decide to swap your slice for a lower-calorie alternative.
  • Surprised that vegetables contain so few calories? Then you may choose to add more of them to your lunchtime sandwiches and evening meals so you feel more full.

Whatever you learned, look for ways to tweak your eating regime so you get calorie benefits without depriving yourself of the foods you most love.

Step 4

Update your diet tweaks from Day 4, as well as any post-its or reminders you’ve created to help you.

Check in!

And you’re done!

Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable. If you’re reading this by email or in a reader then please click here to leave your comment.

See you tomorrow!

Michele Connolly

Michele Connolly helps people move from procrastination to action. She believes that taking action on your priorities makes you a happier person. Michele is the founder of Get Organized Wizard and creator of tools for business, home, and personal organization. Her programs are used by tens of thousands of people worldwide.

282 thoughts on “Day 7: Count The Calories That Really Count | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon”

  1. Stacey Bass McPherson says:

    My mornings and afternoons, I’m a pretty healthy eater. Then I get the snack attack, and all bets are off. My biggest calorie offender? I LOVE Nutella. I could smear it on anything and eat it. Bread, Wasa, apple slices, old shoe leather. Food to me has to have flavor, otherwise it’s not worth eating. So if I want sweet, it better be worth it taste-wise, not just sugary. If I want savory, I’m talking Indian food, or Greek food. Something REALLY worth eating because it tastes SO GOOD. Anyone have any thoughts on how to get a handle on this? I also have problems in the evenings because I am cooking for my family, and my husband and kids are just too picky. Whole what pasta? Forget it! Cheese-free meals? Yeah, right! But I hate cooking more than one thing. HELP!

    Reply
  2. Laura Bowman says:

    I have found that when I keep track of my food, whether it’s Weight Watcher’s points, or on a website like Sparkpeople.com or even in a notebook, I do better at losing weight. I can roughly tell you the calories in about everything I eat, and I KNOW without a doubt what foods are really high and I should avoid…but I find it difficult unless I have to be accountable to write down what I eat. I look forward to a day when I can just eat what I need throughout the day and know when I’ve had enough. Can that happen?
    Sorry about the late post, I got behind with the Easter Holiday. Fortunately 2 of the days so far I handle pretty well ( exercise and water). This one however I will have to work on!

    Reply
  3. Laura Bowman says:

    I have found that when I keep track of my food, whether it’s Weight Watcher’s points, or on a website like Sparkpeople.com or even in a notebook, I do better at losing weight. I can roughly tell you the calories in about everything I eat, and I KNOW without a doubt what foods are really high and I should avoid…but I find it difficult unless I have to be accountable to write down what I eat. I look forward to a day when I can just eat what I need throughout the day and know when I’ve had enough. Can that happen?
    Sorry about the late post, I got behind with the Easter Holiday. Fortunately 2 of the days so far I handle pretty well ( exercise and water). This one however I will have to work on!

    Reply
  6. Sharon J. Patacca says:

    I’ve learned a lot over the past few weeks about what foods are worth eating and which aren’t. I have discovered I love 5 c. of fat free microwave popcorn much more than say a granola bar. I enjoy the sheer volume of food and the satiety I experienceby eating the popcorn. I also love fruit as a snack. I am definitely not depriving myself. I splurge once in a while and on the other days I prioritize what oods make me feel full and happy rather than full and miserable.

    Reply
  7. Sharon J. Patacca says:

    I’ve learned a lot over the past few weeks about what foods are worth eating and which aren’t. I have discovered I love 5 c. of fat free microwave popcorn much more than say a granola bar. I enjoy the sheer volume of food and the satiety I experienceby eating the popcorn. I also love fruit as a snack. I am definitely not depriving myself. I splurge once in a while and on the other days I prioritize what oods make me feel full and happy rather than full and miserable.

    Reply
  8. Sharon J. Patacca says:

    I’ve learned a lot over the past few weeks about what foods are worth eating and which aren’t. I have discovered I love 5 c. of fat free microwave popcorn much more than say a granola bar. I enjoy the sheer volume of food and the satiety I experienceby eating the popcorn. I also love fruit as a snack. I am definitely not depriving myself. I splurge once in a while and on the other days I prioritize what oods make me feel full and happy rather than full and miserable.

    Reply

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