Hello all,
I had a really good day food and exercise wise.
I keep forgetting to tell you about the tattoo I got last week.
I promise to fill you in tomorrow....oy. lol.
I decided to go pretty small but it does say Live deliberately.
So again, will talk about that whole experience tomorrow.
I went grocery shopping today.
Since nixing the whole splurge day thing, I have been thinking about how to fit in my little treats here and there.
I am also working on cutting out calories that don't really serve any purpose and don't increase my 'food enjoyment quotient'....which, which from here on out, will be referred to as The F.E.Q.
I am trying out frozen fruits.
Blueberries and cherries are the two I am giving a go this week.
I have been using canned peaches in light syrup (1/2 cup 60 cal.)....with 2 % fage (1 cup=150 cal.) and 2 T honey (120 cal.) for breakfast three days a week.
F.E.Q. 8 out of 10 on the food enjoyment scale.
I am going to (using my handy dandy blender) take a half cup of frozen blueberries (45 cal.) (or cherries...depending on the day), 1T honey (60c.) and 1 packet of Truvia (0 c.) and see if I can't equal or exceed The FEQ of my fage.
It will eliminate around 75 calories from my breakfast total if I like it.
A tablespoon of honey...60 calories. just sayin'.
It will drop my breakfast calories from 330 to around 260.
My other breakfast is 3 eggs and one piece of toast. (310 cal.) (Don't say a word..anyone touching my eggs will draw back a bloody nub, I love my eggs over easy...also known in THIS house as 'dippin' eggs. )
I think I need a third option....I still have to try that baked oatmeal.
If there is anything I really need to improve it's my kitchen experimentation.
I will also be cutting the sugar out of my second cup of coffee with Truvia as well.
I will drink the first one like I usually do.
2 T of sugar and 1/4 cup of 2% milk.
I love my coffee..it's starbucks espresso.
I brew it at home, and is the only food that enjoys a 10 on my FEQ meter.
My second cup rarely rates a 10, more like a 5 or 6.
So I have decided that since the pleasure drops precipitously with each succeeding cup, why waste calories?
If I really need a second cup I will use milk and Truvia.
The second cup would only clock in at 30 calories instead of 120.
It's worth cutting.
Just those two small changes would net me 165 extra calories that I can spend in a few different ways.
Right now...I am eating around 800 calories at the first part of my day and 600 *to 700 for dinner.
My lunch is usually around 330-400 calories. (*700 is RARE)
It is usually a small handful of nuts, a cascadia farm oat and flax bar and maybe some fresh fruit.
Or it could be cottage cheese and fruit...or soup, or a sandwich (one piece of bread), or a salad (this is rare as it feels a bit diet-y to me, a feeling I avoid at all costs.)
Now I can spend my NOW remaining 700 or so calories with either a more extragavant dinner (meaning I get some starch) OR a little treat..
For instance I found these skinny cow bars. I got some white mint ones...
Well, they are pretty tasty and only clock in at 100 calories.
So, I ate some turkey sausage that I found that was sliiiightly higher in calories but loads better in taste...110 calories vs. 70 per serving. I ate three servings or 330 cals worth...and then ate one zuchinni, one red bell pepper and five mushrooms.
I then ate one skinny cow ice cream bar.
FEQ of around a 9. If it had been the chocolate one...it would have been a 10.
I am trying to enjoy my food more.
I am also going to try that pasta TJ eats.
Fiber gourmet.
It has a lot fewer calories and a bunch more fiber.
I may, on Saturdays, (my 1800 calorie day) be able to bring back my world famous lasagnawith that pasta, my reduced fat mozzerella, 2 percent cottage cheese and prego spaghetti sauce *the only kind that will do.
We shall see...lol.
I am on a quest over the next 6 months to Find foods I love and can eat in moderation, daily.
This is a part of my finding maintenance.
The next thing I will work on is a satisfying mix of exercise that I can do, and achieve the maximum results in less than 1 hr. and 15 minutes per day. Probably 45-50 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of toning daily, and 5 minutes of stretching.
It takes me 10 minutes to get to my gym, and 10 minutes to get home.
An hour and a half a day is quite enough to spend.
Well, hope you all are having a great day.
Today I did 3/4 ths of a mile walk, 1.25 mile barefoot jog, 15 minutes on a stationary bike and 20 minutes hands free on the stairstepper. I then stretched for 5 minutes and did 210 sit-ups to discipline the mind and the body.
Hope everyone had a successful day.
Hugs,
Your in search of blogger,
Chris
21 comments:
I love when people talk about their food plans. It's a weird hobby I guess.
Oh I hear ya on the eggs. Nothing beats a real egg and there's nothing there to be scared of. People need a re-education on that food for sure.
I suppose you might tire of me saying AMEN all the time but I like how you're laying out your maintenance plan. You're a smart, low-calorie cookie!
Hey, Chris, you played a starring role on my blog today. I'm still traumatized by the reality fo it all, tho. chuckle.
I don't know if you've heard of Miracle noodles or not. They are noodles made from a plant fiber. No cals, no carbs, no gluten, no chemicals. Apparently have been used for thousands of years in Asia.
They are an amazing sub for Angel Hair pasta. Really not bad.
They certainly wouldn't do for world famous lasagna, but for a low-cal spaghetti dish for one, they're excellent. You can find them on the net under "Miracle Noodle"
Deb
I just had a bad Leonard Nimoy flashback. lol
Hey, we all have things that are just worth the calories. And if it is your eggs and your coffee then you should have them. :D
One of my biggies is my coffee. Take my coffe from me and die. Slowly. Painfully. And often. And my weekly Subway yummy. :D
Making sure the food I'm spending calories on is worthy taste-wise has been a huge thing for me. I literally have a laundry list of foods (okay condiments especially) that I've said goodbye to as a result. Try the baked oatmeal... I LOVE it with a glass of fat free milk.
Maybe I'm nuts, or maybe I've killed off all my tastebuds over the years, but I LOVE Boca Burgers, which clock in at 1 weight watcher point due to the high fiber, I eat the most likely poisonous Olestra lite chips for one point and those flat little bagel or sandwich thin things and have this gigantic meal for 5 points.
I've been doing this a long time, and I know points are a little sneaky, but I'm majorly in love with the "zero point" tortillas and the zero point progresso soups. My husband makes fun of me, saying everything has to have some calories but I'm a slave to my point calculator and obey only it, not him!
But honestly, Chris. I also like food and I like food that tastes good (though I don't eat desserts) and these foods that give me quantity with little "price" fulfill that.
Mmmm eggs.
Love them, and yes the yolk is the best part. I don't see them as bad enjoy!!!
But this baked oatmeal you have talked about has me curious?? Care to share??
I think the BIGGEST benefit of an interesting post like this is to remind us that a few little changes will add up in the end! It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing drastic thing... just some tweaking here and there.
And I agree.. it's got to be "worth it" if I'm going to spend my calorie budget on it. :-D
Loretta
=^..^=
I'd laugh at Fit for calling you a cookie but I'm in too much pain. lol..ouch! I had your other blog post up on my screen forever and didn't get a comment on it...so I'm leaving one on your new one. I like to hear about how you're tackling this maintenance/new calorie load deal. I really need someone to walk me through the process. I've never strictly counted calories before, but I'm gonna start. I was thinking sparkpeople but I wanna look at yours too. Thanks btw for putting it on my blogpost. :)
Oh, and word verification says, "suplise"...hmm. Maybe it's like this: Suplise!! I'm on your blog. haha
Just sent you an award Chris...just to store away somewhere in your head is all - wanted you to know that you figure large amongst my unsung hero's.
oooh tattoo talk please :)
Miz.
I love your maintenance plan! I think you are so wise to try to find a way to fit this into "real" life. Smart cookie, indeed.
I especially love the bit about the second cup of coffee not being as satisfying as the first. Brilliant! I've added back coffee to each day and even pour the second cup but rarely finish it.
I could go on and on, but figuring out how much return you get for your food is very smart. It's a way to optimize the good stuff and enjoy your food more. Brava!
Sounds like an awesome plan! Hey we are still living and life is to be enjoyed (within limits). Way to go on making your life a little more enjoyable!! Keep up the great work!! Hugs!
You gave me an "I coulda hada V8" moment. It really is important to up the satisfaction factor 9FEQ IN chrisspeak) and omit the items that don't cut the mustard.
You clearly are able to handle certain items in measured amounts and not be compelled to eat more of them...like the infamous saltines and butter! Or honey. I have great respect for a taste of honey and what it can do to my inner addict! Splenda is fine for me and I'm not giving it up because it might turn my hair blue and fry my inner organs.
I tried Truvia and thought it had a weird taste - wish I liked it because it's probably more natural.
Good stuff as always, Chris!
I love the idea of your F.E.Q. I know I've eaten food just because it was there and didn't get any enjoyment from it at all so why waste my calorie budget on foods I don't even like. *head slap*
Oh, in my house, over easy eggs(actually medium, I need the whites all cooked) are called "dunky-dunky" eggs. ;)
I'm with Fitcetera - love the food plan talk.
You say all the time about not being a great cook or kitchen experimenter but I think you do an awesome job of finding new taste sensations that do it for you. Your comment about the eggs made me laugh out loud.
humm maybe you can snack pics of a day of food soon???!! :) I love that you plan what you eat and that you want to eat things that you LIKE and that are healthy for you! :) If it's not good I toss it- seriously! It's not worth my points! lol
:)
did i ever tell you my story of peaches???no, well i ate 1 quart of peaches with sugar about 6799874 calories and went to bed>>in the morning felt sick and went to the doctor, drove myself, walked into the clinic , said i was thrirsty walked to the back and fell into my doctor's arms, diabetic coma>>>23 hours later found myslef in a hospital bed saying get me the hell out of here, this must be costing me a fortune>>>when i called my employer to tell them i was sick i told them my dog had died, and had to stay home from work, i don't remember saying that, but they say i did>>my boy gave me a preiesthood blessing and brought me back from death>>.so that is my story of the PEACHES
thumbs up
Finding the FEQ quotient for yourself is huge. Good hunting! :)That's smart. Smart is what works.
Chris.. thanks for the kind words.. coming from someone who has done so well .. I take this a compliment... thank you.. your history is amazing... I hope I do so well
Looking forward to tomorrows post!!!
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