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!
I use mynetdiary and really like it- it has lots of foods and you can scan the bar code too- I am scheduled for surgery in May and I’m not sure if losing weight is good for me, I need to check with the surgeon- I think it should be fine but I would rather be safe than sorry- funny to think that it wouldn’t be good for me to lose a few pounds before then 🙂 Cancer is a not so funny thing I guess-
I use mynetdiary and really like it- it has lots of foods and you can scan the bar code too- I am scheduled for surgery in May and I’m not sure if losing weight is good for me, I need to check with the surgeon- I think it should be fine but I would rather be safe than sorry- funny to think that it wouldn’t be good for me to lose a few pounds before then 🙂 Cancer is a not so funny thing I guess-
I’ll start tracking my food today… two eggs scrambled for breakfast, a chef salad (with only a little lite dressing) for lunch.. trying to get in more veggies with salads. I managed to do a 1 hr zumba workout at the gym today and I’ve only had water, no soda! I need to find a website that’s free to find out the calories for the foods I eat…
I use The WebMD Food & Fitness Planner. I working on this still just a little late in posting.
I use The WebMD Food & Fitness Planner. I working on this still just a little late in posting.
I use The WebMD Food & Fitness Planner. I working on this still just a little late in posting.
I actually make myself a weekly menu anyway at the moment, though that’s for budgeting and organisation purposes, so I will pick a couple of those and go through the calories. Can anyone recommend a decent site online to visit for this information?
I actually make myself a weekly menu anyway at the moment, though that’s for budgeting and organisation purposes, so I will pick a couple of those and go through the calories. Can anyone recommend a decent site online to visit for this information?
I already do this for breakfast and lunch. Dinner has been harder, since it is the big family meal every day. I’m trying to eat more fruit and veggies before eating anything else. Going to have to check out My Fitness Pal.
I already do this for breakfast and lunch. Dinner has been harder, since it is the big family meal every day. I’m trying to eat more fruit and veggies before eating anything else. Going to have to check out My Fitness Pal.
This was an eye opening challenge. I was not aware of how high some things were in calories. I use the Points Plus WW app. I have been on WW in the past, but couldn’t keep up with the high fees. The app is really good for keeping track of what I eat and my exercise. I can scan the packages of the food directly into the app. I also use the Noom app. It tracks my exercise by GPS so I know how far I have walked, driven, etc.
About 3 or maybe 4 years ago I tried Weight Watchers so I will there method by using the way they count the food a person would eat as points and that might help me to be more careful of the calories I consume.
About 3 or maybe 4 years ago I tried Weight Watchers so I will there method by using the way they count the food a person would eat as points and that might help me to be more careful of the calories I consume.
My Fitness Pal is an awesome app to keep track of counting calories! When I started my weightloss journey I started using that app and was losing weight. However, I wanted some group support and started doing WW. I am no longer a paid member but I know the program and have been using an app called The Ultimate Weight Watcher Diary. So far so good! What’s going to be hard is trying to get through this Easter holiday without eating lots of chocolate!
My Fitness Pal is an awesome app to keep track of counting calories! When I started my weightloss journey I started using that app and was losing weight. However, I wanted some group support and started doing WW. I am no longer a paid member but I know the program and have been using an app called The Ultimate Weight Watcher Diary. So far so good! What’s going to be hard is trying to get through this Easter holiday without eating lots of chocolate!
My Fitness Pal is an awesome app to keep track of counting calories! When I started my weightloss journey I started using that app and was losing weight. However, I wanted some group support and started doing WW. I am no longer a paid member but I know the program and have been using an app called The Ultimate Weight Watcher Diary. So far so good! What’s going to be hard is trying to get through this Easter holiday without eating lots of chocolate!
I am currently following the Weight watchers points system, – all fruit & veg (with the exception of corn, potato & avocado) are 0 points & therefore “free” foods!
I am currently following the Weight watchers points system, – all fruit & veg (with the exception of corn, potato & avocado) are 0 points & therefore “free” foods!
Downloaded the Lose it! app. Allowed about 1,500 cal/day to lose 2 lb/week! I’m ok during the week, I’m BAD on the weekends.
Downloaded the Lose it! app. Allowed about 1,500 cal/day to lose 2 lb/week! I’m ok during the week, I’m BAD on the weekends.