Day 7: Count The Calories That Really Count | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon
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:
- FREE 30-Day Weight Loss-athon – Join Us This April!
- 30-Day Weight Loss-athon – Ready…
- 30-Day Weight Loss-athon – Ready, Set…
- 30-Day Weight Loss-athon | FAQs
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!
Since I have previously found a successful eating concept, I just need to get back to it. So I don’t have to concentrate on calorie counting, I follow Cynthia Sass’s 5 puzzle piece process. The 5 pieces to the puzzle are…produce, whole grain, protein, & fat. The 5th piece is using herbs and spices for taste…eliminating salt and sweetners. I also like that dark choc is a daily requirement and there is a built in splurge. I found that preparing proper meals around my work is my challenge. Lunch and snack splurges have gotten out of hand.
Since I have previously found a successful eating concept, I just need to get back to it. So I don’t have to concentrate on calorie counting, I follow Cynthia Sass’s 5 puzzle piece process. The 5 pieces to the puzzle are…produce, whole grain, protein, & fat. The 5th piece is using herbs and spices for taste…eliminating salt and sweetners. I also like that dark choc is a daily requirement and there is a built in splurge. I found that preparing proper meals around my work is my challenge. Lunch and snack splurges have gotten out of hand.
I like My Everyday Health for tracking calories. I am sporatic but I pretty much eat the same foods so I have a general idea for calories. Too bad this came the day after the Easter bunny arrived at our house. It’s going to be a struggle this week!
I like My Everyday Health for tracking calories. I am sporatic but I pretty much eat the same foods so I have a general idea for calories. Too bad this came the day after the Easter bunny arrived at our house. It’s going to be a struggle this week!
I have to check My Fitness Pal again, I registered ages ago as a friend recommended it to me, but actually I never use it, so…it is time to go back again and see how it works. Probably getting in the habit of writing absolutely everything you eat will put you off from eating too much (just because you will hate going again and again to your diary to write it down).
I have to check My Fitness Pal again, I registered ages ago as a friend recommended it to me, but actually I never use it, so…it is time to go back again and see how it works. Probably getting in the habit of writing absolutely everything you eat will put you off from eating too much (just because you will hate going again and again to your diary to write it down).
This one is hard as I too have trouble with portion control. Time to start cutting back and adding foods with less calories.
This one is hard as I too have trouble with portion control. Time to start cutting back and adding foods with less calories.
This one is hard as I too have trouble with portion control. Time to start cutting back and adding foods with less calories.
Swapping cheddar cheese for cottage cheese and Helgas bread for Helgas bread thins, wraps or cruskits. I will also be getting back on track and using Weight Watchers e-tools.
This is going to be a hard one for me but I will try it. I am going to try the My Fitness Pal ap and see if that helps me remember to count. I guess this is where I need to be more careful with portion sizes as well. Well here goes.
This is going to be a hard one for me but I will try it. I am going to try the My Fitness Pal ap and see if that helps me remember to count. I guess this is where I need to be more careful with portion sizes as well. Well here goes.
I’ve been using http://caloriecount.about.com since mid January. It allows you to track your daily calories, water intake and activity. It helps you to set and track goals for yourself, both long term and daily. Counting calories is definitely a good way to track what you eat and it works! I keep just below 1400 calories per day and I’m losing at least 1lb. per week which I’m happy with.
I’m a vegetarian but since I’ve started counting calories I’ve noticed that much of the ‘meats’ that I eat for protein are very high in sodium and fat, which I really don’t like. I really found myself at a crossroads. So one day a week I allow myself a portion of extra lean chicken or turkey. At first I felt very guilty about this but right now my decision to lose weight must override my lifestyle choice to not eat animals…at least for now.
I’ve been using http://caloriecount.about.com since mid January. It allows you to track your daily calories, water intake and activity. It helps you to set and track goals for yourself, both long term and daily. Counting calories is definitely a good way to track what you eat and it works! I keep just below 1400 calories per day and I’m losing at least 1lb. per week which I’m happy with.
I’m a vegetarian but since I’ve started counting calories I’ve noticed that much of the ‘meats’ that I eat for protein are very high in sodium and fat, which I really don’t like. I really found myself at a crossroads. So one day a week I allow myself a portion of extra lean chicken or turkey. At first I felt very guilty about this but right now my decision to lose weight must override my lifestyle choice to not eat animals…at least for now.
Wow! I was going to recommend myfitnesspal but I see it’s already being used. It really helps me understand the relation between exercise and calories. Have learned on a high activity date to leave at least half the calories ‘earned’ uneaten’ or it defeats the purpose, while eating some of those calories can be an incentive. The key I discovered is the program EXPECTS you to workout minimum amount… Another incentive.
Wow! I was going to recommend myfitnesspal but I see it’s already being used. It really helps me understand the relation between exercise and calories. Have learned on a high activity date to leave at least half the calories ‘earned’ uneaten’ or it defeats the purpose, while eating some of those calories can be an incentive. The key I discovered is the program EXPECTS you to workout minimum amount… Another incentive.
Just downloaded My Fitness Pal, which I’ll work on another day (when I don’t have groceries to buy and put away and 2 meetings to attend). Don’t judge me for being behind after spring break with grandkids!
Just downloaded My Fitness Pal, which I’ll work on another day (when I don’t have groceries to buy and put away and 2 meetings to attend). Don’t judge me for being behind after spring break with grandkids!
Just downloaded My Fitness Pal, which I’ll work on another day (when I don’t have groceries to buy and put away and 2 meetings to attend). Don’t judge me for being behind after spring break with grandkids!
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!