Monday, December 29, 2008

Calorie restriction and exercise or not

A great video that expresses my feelings on exercise.
I knew I had to be right about this.
My original plan to lose weight was to get control of my food and binge eating.
Now that I am in control of my food and food choices, although I still over eat it is now healthier choices and always fruit, I can start to think about what type of exercise I want to do.
I would like something that will not injure me in any way. Nothing that could hurt knees, hips etc.
This is going to have to be a decision I make, just like Calorie Restriction was to lose the weight.
I already have ruled out joining a Gym and walking. No treadmill either. Maybe I am just not meant to exercise and I am putting to much stress on myself thinking about it.
I would like to burn off about 300 extra calories 3 days a week. That is about the limit I am going to put on myself. If I feel I can handle more I will do it. Burning off 900 calories every 3 days sounds pretty good to me.
I refuse to add calories to my daily food right now. I don't want my body to ever get used to more calories. I know all to well what that leads to.
For me it leads to eating more and more, gradually building back up to where I was.
Adding a few hundred calories a day is very easy to do if you don't count calories and keep a vigilant eye on what your putting in your body.
It is like going back on a diet again, trying to get used to eating less over and over. Going through that hungry all the time stage. I can't handle it. I don't do hungry well. Best to not eat more in the first place. If I do over eat in a day I will eat less the next. Never more. Counting calories and knowing the nutrients in my food is my exercise.
I absolutely have to count calories and keep them where I have them for freaking ever and I know it.
Good thing I also love it.
A little update, I am now in a size 7 (seven) wow, wow, wow.
I bought them in a junior dept. at Macy's. I was shocked. The Greek saw them and wanted me to get them because of the brand name. Yaso, it is a Greek word with several translations, mostly hello, sorta like aloha to Hawaiian's. So for him I took them to the dressing room, I expected to get them to my knees because the legs are so narrow. The darn things went on, up, buttoned, and zipped. Of course I had to buy them. They are so comfortable.
Then a new top to go with the jeans. Size medium in the junior dept. Loving it.
Then to the women's undergarment dept. A size 36 B. Wow, where did the girls go?
I don't care where they went, just never want to see them again.
I would love it if all I had was the sack they came in. Useless appendages anyway. All they ever did was get in my way.
So, I am all decked out in my new clothes.
Not really, I am sitting here in my mens size XL, I just can't seem to give them up. I had been wearing mens clothes for so long, they were all I dare buy without trying on when I was obese.
Now I am a shopper from hell. Juniors, not bad. I haven't worn a jr. size EVER.

Friday, December 26, 2008

A interesting Calorie Restriction post

http://www.taraje.com/
This blogger has a very good understanding of food choices and calorie restriction. I am impressed.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Calorie counting and HD video camera

Hey, I lost the 3 pound gain.
Next goal is 143. I expect that to take another 2 weeks. That is about how long it is now taking to lose one pound. I actually see no big deal with that. I would if I hadn't lost 83 already. It sure sounds, and is a darn long time.
Control hunger
I am still hungry at 11pm. I was last night anyway. But, it is getting better. This time I didn't raid the fridge. Hunger is not something I deal with very well. It gives me a nasty personality, but so does a carb high. I prefer my mellow self. Good thing I am that way most of the time.
I do like the energy rush I get from the alpha lipoic acid. Yea, give me that. In fact I am going to take a few capsules right now.
HD camera
I finally got the replacement for my HD Camera. I bought the Canon Vixia HV30. It is a great little camera. So much easier to use than my Sony TRV900. I see they are selling my old camera on EBay for $900. Wow, half what I paid for it but more than the new Canon. Wonder what I should do with it. It is a great camera just too good for me, I guess.
Anyway, this new Canon came with a pretty serious problem, it froze. Wouldn't shut down, wouldn't turn on. Amazon sent me a new one, so far it seems to be working better than the old one and doesn't have dead pixels either.
This camera is very good with light, something I couldn't figure out with the Sony. I know it is supposed to be a pro model. Guess it needs a pro to work it too.
Now I can concentrate on content in the videos instead of how to work the camera. I have a few scripts in the works.


Watch the HD video

Monday, December 22, 2008

Calories count

Here is the link to the Bodybugg.
You will need the Display too. Wonder why they are sold separate?
I might get this thing in a few months.
Gym visit
The interview did not go well. The gym closest to me is closing in 2 weeks and they said I would have to buy the gym program that lets me work out in any gym. I didn't want that and don't want to drive even further to get there than the 1/2 hour I planned.
So no gym for me.
I do have other options, so I will try them, maybe.
I have lost 83 pounds without exercising and plan on losing the remaining 17 the same way. I do want to tone. I still plan on exercising so I can eat more for 3 days then back to more restriction on the no exercise days. That is why I want the Bodybugg.
Dang thing is so expensive. Crap!
The day went a bit better for me.
I am not as hungry anyway. It is still early though. I am not going to eat if I do get hungry.
Oh please don't get hungry.
I think I remembered something I did that may have put those 3 pounds on me. I ate a whole pineapple.
Yikes.

Counting calories, is it working?

I am having a set back. A bad one.
I have gained 3 pounds in as many days. One pound a day sucks.
Today I am looking back in the cronOmeter to see what I did different. I did go over my usual calories by a few hundred, that is no way near enough to put 3 pounds on me.
I have never done this before. I need to find out what I am doing to cause it.
We did have date night yesterday. That means a cookie and tea at the book store. The tea sucked but the darn cookie was good, in fact it became two cookies. We always share so that means we both had a cookie. They are not tiny cookies.
So that could explain the problem with the gain for today but how about the day before. I can't figure it out.
Oh, maybe this is it. Hunger!
I have been sorta hungry around 11pm. I have never been, ever, not even at 227 was I hungry that time of night.
Well, I hate being hungry, so I would have some fruit that late at night. This did spike my calories but I felt ok because there are safe food, right? I am thinking not.
So now I will have to stop eating fruit late at night and not eat anything. Hoping this hunger deal stops in a week or less.
All I know is I am now 4 pounds away from my mini goal.
I keep a piece of paper where I write down each pound I want to lose and how long I predict it to take. I was supposed to be 143 today. I am 147. Rats.
Fitness
I have an appointment at the gym today. I have a 24 day free pass. I should be able to tell in 24 days if I like the place and how it works for me.
I want to burn about 300 calories there, and go only 3 days a week. I plan on reducing my calories 3 days with no exercise,then exercise and eat 300 more.
I don't need exercise to make me feel good, I already do. I want it to keep me healthy, not to lose weight. I will do that with food as I have been doing. I still believe you need to know how many calories and nutrients your getting from food and that is the only way to get and stay healthy.
There is no way I could get healthy eating cheese and ice cream then go to the gym to work it off. It still sticks in the heart, better to not even eat them in the first place.
Body Bug
I want one of those body bugs to see how many calories I actually burn in a day. That is the only way I will be able to tell what I need to maintain and lose.
The gym sells them, so does Amazon. I see they are not in stock at Amazon. These are the things they use on Biggest loser. (I think)
HD video
I have finally successfully loaded a new video to youTube in HD. It still has some problems with sound so I am not making it public yet. Also the subject sucks, it is me cleaning out the dang fridge.
It is hard to do videos with great subject matter while in pjs and with a new camera.
BTW the camera has a serious problem and has to go back. That sucks.
I hope to make a better video soon and get the right codec so it looks and sounds as good as it does in Quick Time.
Right now they do not.
I am thinking I might need better editing software too.
All I have right now is Imovie08 and Imovie HD. I am not so crazy about either of them.
I want more control, so I might need Final Cut Express.
More dang $$. Hate it.
I will have a Gym update later today.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Calorie counting

I started back writing my weight in a notepad. I did this for about 10 months, when I first started Calorie Restriction Sept. 07. It really helped me because I could see how long it took to lose one pound. Back then it took 4 to 5 days, now it is 6 to 7.
What is frustrating, since I have chosen to not exercise, I regain very easily and on less calories. A good example of this was yesterday, I had about 300 calories more than normal and the scale went up one entire pound. I know from my past experience with this that it will take me the 6 to 7 days to get rid of that darn pound.
On Calorie Restriction I should reduce the calories by that 300 plus the 20%. I plan on doing that just for today. I want to see if it works for me. My calories are 1100 a day but not over 1200. So for just today I will keep them at 900. I already did the day on the CronOmeter so I know what I will be eating.
Calories In
I found this great webpage. It has more information than I usually find about food.
I don't agree with the amount of carbs it recommends and the protein seems high. I keep my protein around 60g. and carbs at 140. I know that is high for you no-carbers but it works for me. Mostly because I don't want all the fat from the proteins. I am getting all the nurtients I need from what I do eat. I know my food is balanced properly because I am using the cronOmeter to check that.
Let cramps
I was getting some leg cramps and I noticed my potassium level each day was on the low side. By adding the potassium capsules I no longer have leg cramps. That took only 3 days.
Today I am going to start using a combo omgea 3,6,9 capsule. I have to buy it first. Add these to the few I am already taking and I will not be needing any more.
I plan on getting more of the b vitamins from food. I will keep an eye on the Vitamin E to see how I do. Right now it seems low but I hate taking these darn supplements unless I can actually see and feel results. I have never felt that from Vitamin E.
Exercise?
I have a 24 day free gym pass from 24 hr. Fitness. I might have to sign up. My plan was always to start some sort of exercise close to goal. What I want to do is exercise 3 days and eat an additional 300 calories then on the no exercise days eat 300 calories less. This should make my body burn calories better and not put it in starvation mode. I would, of course, like to work off 500 calories but that might be unrealistic. I better shoot for just the 300.
Since I have this problem of going places alone and other odd phobias I hope I can force myself to do this. I know once I get started I will be good. It is the first step that bothers me.
Another reason to join a gym, I have been told by a few people that I don't need to lose anymore weight that I just need to tone. Well, there ya go. I do need to lose more weight, I am still 18 pounds from my ideal weight but yes, I do need to tone. I must look skinny because I have none to little muscle tone. This also was my choice. I wanted this. I have never liked exercising and didn't want to make my weight loss be determined by how much I exercised. It had to be food. I had to reduce the amount of food and get rid of the bad foods I was eating. I absolutely had to get control of my weight my way. Now I can think of exercising, not to lose weight but to build muscle.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Calories Count

Plateau
I have finally broke the plateau. Today I am 146, since it takes me about a week to lose a pound I should be 143 by the end of the year.
Count Calories
Weighing my food, counting calories and of course weighing myself everyday has been just what I need to make sure I don't regain.
I tried several times to lose weight. There was always something I didn't want to give up. Most of the time it was wine. I do love wine. But, I know it was what was keeping the fat on me. It is all carbs and after drinking it I wanted more carbs. Lots more.
I gave up Ice Cream, sugar, rice, grains, all milk products except cottage cheese, potatoes, and of course the Wine.
No more M&M's either. I could eat the whole darn bag. To make them last longer I would eat one color at a time, the large bag size, in one evening.
Yikes, it seems like that wasn't me. It is hard to even think I was doing that to my body.
Calorie Restriction
Without Calorie Restriction in my life I would not be as healthy as I am and as lean.
I used to think about what I had to give up and felt just terrible. I got so upset that I couldn't buy all the premade foods and eat just what ever I felt like.
Hey, guess what, it has been 14 months counting calories and I am eating what I want all the time. I don't want any of the bad carbs I was eating. The thought of a bag of M&M's make me sick.
And the wine, I have had about 10 glasses of wine in 14 months. I have an open bottle in the fridge, does wine gather dust in the fridge? Anyway, it is staying there until I decide to dump it out.
Counting calories has really changed my life and it is all for the better.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Lo Calorie eating and nutrient needs

Less Calories
I am a low calorie eater. I do it for several reasons, all of them to benefit my over-all health. Most importantly, right now, is to lose weight. I needed to lose 100 pounds. I have lost 80 pounds in 14 months and need to lose 20 more.
After I am 127 I will increase my calories by 10%, making my total calories 10% less than the USDA recommends for my age and height as well as activity level. Keeping the calories less will insure that I will not regain and that I will have optimal health. That is my goal, I hope to be able to keep it long term. Ten percent less is not very much each day. I believe the most important is to know how many calories I am eating each day and what is in them. I need to know if I am getting the proper amount of nutrients out of my food choices.

Time to Learn
I have decided to learn more about the nutrients in fruits and veggies. I found this great site from the CDC.


Foods
I checked to see how many fruits and veg I need in a day. I have been getting very close to that for some time. Problem is when I check the nutrients for my daily intake I am not getting enough potassium, calcium, and vitamin D.
I don't want to eat more fruits because of the high carbs and calories. I could eat more veggies but can't seem to always do that. I don't eat a raw diet and won't eat hi fat, hi calorie nuts, rice or potatoes, and I refuse to eat any dairy products so I would need to get it completely from fruits and vegetables.
The only thing I could come up with is to supplement it . I already have been taking calcium and Vitamin D.

Benefits
The benefits from taking a supplement for potassium is really good. It keeps the muscles strong and controls blood pressure and water balance in the cells.
It protects against heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. It keeps muscles strong, bowels regular and works to eliminate irritability, confusion and stress.
If the sodium intake is high the potassium will be low. I do add salt to everything I cook. I don't know if I have a high salt diet, I do like salt.

Requirements

The daily requirement for me is 4700mg with a maximum of 23,500. (These figures vary, I would do more research before taking a supplement).
I will track my food intake to see how much potassium it has them supplement to bring it up to but not over the daily requirement. I know that too much can be toxic, so I will monitor it.

I can add supplements to the cronOmeter to be sure I am getting 100% of the daily requirements of all the nutrients.
I am looking forward to taking this supplement.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Eat well balanced meals for weight loss

What are good food choices when you diet?
Calorie Restriction is the most important part in weight reduction.
Everybody knows that he number of calories you eat must be less than what your body uses.
You need to know how many calories your body needs to maintain your target weight. Then reduce that by 30% so your body can burn your excess fat.
After you know how many calories your going to eat, you need to make them as nutritious as possible. Your will need to choose foods that have all the essential nutrients required for optimal health.
Last, is balance, the proportions of protein, fat and carbohydrates to stimulate weight loss while getting optimal nutrition.

Protein and Carbs
You should be eating foods that are high in protein and Low in Carbohydrate.
Good protein sources are fish, lean meats, chicken, and eggs. A reasonable target for protein, for women, is 60 g. carbohydrates 60-100g. a day.

Eat lots of green leafy veggies, mushrooms, green beans onions, parsley, and tomatoes.
Don't eat starchy and sugary foods such as pasta, breads, tortillas, potatoes, rice, and foods made with sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Good dairy choices are non-fat cottage cheese. It has good calcium and vitamin D in it and a good protein choice.
If you must have cheese make it a low fat one. But if your like me cheese says "Eat Me". I can't have it in the house because I will eat the entire weeks worth of cheese in a day. I find it better to leave it at the store. I take a calcium with vitamin D supplement.

Maintenance
After you weight is at the normal range for your height you should maintain the Calorie Restriction by a minimum of 10 % for life. You will always need to know what calories and nutrients your putting into your body.

Eating proper nutrients and calories gives you more energy and a better quality of life and the best part of all, it stops food cravings. Everything in life becomes easier, you shop for less food, you cook less, you enjoy the taste of food more and you feel and look fantastic not to mention that you have less cholesterol and a normal blood pressure. You also reduce your chance of getting sick from even the common cold as well as other serious illnesses.

Start your personal 30 day challenge.
Give yourself 30 days keeping track of your calories and nutrients to see if it works for you.
It will be the best 30 days of your life.
At the end of the 30 days, and most likely 15 pounds gone give yourself another 30 day challenge.
Soon you will be a calorie counter for life, and that is a very good thing.

Nice Surprise

I have not lost any weight for what seems to me, weeks. Maybe it is only one, sure seems longer.
But, today the scales finally went back to 147. I was 147 on Thanksgiving day. That lasted one day, I was 2 pounds heavier and it wouldn't go away. So that is my nice surprise. Sure hope it stays away this time.
Plateau?
I thought just maybe I had hit another plateau. When I stared counting my calories in Sept 07 I was 227 and quickly, so I thought, lost 70 pounds. That all stopped in May 08. I didn't do anything different, still counted my calories and ate good protein and lo carb. Then finally in Oct. Nov. 08 I lost 12 pounds. That is where I was until today. I have 20 more pounds to lose.
Yes, I was 100 pounds over weight.
I started this adventure with a 44 inch waist. This AM I was shocked to see it is now 29 1/2. Wow, is all I can think to say. It is wonderful to be smaller than my husband and he is no small guy.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Eat Protein burn the fat

A good article about eating protein to burn the fat in overweight and obese people.

Reuters article

"They found that overweight men and women burned more post-meal fat when they ate a high-protein breakfast and lunch than when they had lower-protein meals. That is, the added protein seemed to modify the fat-burning deficit seen in heavy individuals."

I know, for me, it has worked. I have been watching my protein intake for 14 months. Making sure I get at least 60 grams a day.
I had been trying for years to lose weight without success.
For me, I know I will never be able to eat carbs from processed foods. I will always get plenty of them from veggies and fruit.
The last paragraph in the article says it all for me. Even though I eat foods for protein I still count the calories and portion size. I do eat fish at least twice a week.

New Calorie Restriction cooking video

I haven't made many videos and I am not liking the way they are compressed. It looks like the transitions are pixelated. So, no more transitions for me.
The recipe is sooo good. I can't make it enough. I, like lots of people that watch their calories, have loads of chicken recipes.

The recipe is also a web page at my other blog.
It is a typical recipe for me, quick, tasty and low in calories and fat.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Stevia News

An article about Stevia. I have been using Stevia over a year now and love it.
Some people claim it leaves an after taste, I don't have that problem.
It is an herb that you can grow yourself.

I am glad to see big companies are finally going to offer it in soft drinks.
I use Stevia in my tea and sprinkle it on my berry mix.
No calories. Good stuff.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Why I picked Calorie Restriction to help me lose and maintain weight.

Calories
Calorie Restriction, quite simply makes common sense. More calories in than out equals fat gained.
I found it hard to track my calories everyday and still do, although not as bad as at first. I know a bit more about foods I like and what nutrients they have that my body needs.

Dessert
I have discovered what foods satisfy my hunger and taste buds and I stick with them. I find it easy to eat out and eat with friends. Having a glass or two, or more of wine is no problem, even a bite of dessert is OK. But, cheese, for me is not an option, I find it easy to pass up. Same for other foods that people that don't count calories shouldn't eat, such as, chips, cookies, and flour based desserts.
I don't even have flour or sugar in the pantry. I never buy desserts. If I want some chocolate I have the husband stop at See's and bring home 3 pieces. I have done this only twice in 14 months. I will sometimes share a cookie with him when we are at Barnes and Noble on our date night.


Pasta
I didn't find it hard to give up processed and man made foods. The first thing I tossed out were cereals and breads.
Next was pasta, I even thought I might be able to have whole wheat pasta but found that it didn't work for me. There are far to many calories in it to make it worth it.

Eat less to live
Our body is constantly changing, a 25 year old will always need more calories to sustain their body than an older person. The problem is we don't stop eating the extra calories and it shows in weight gain, starting in our 30's. Calorie counting is the only way to know if your over eating and knowing what nutrients are in the food your eating is the only way to know if your providing your body with what it needs.

Supplements
I see no reason to take supplements to get the proper nutrients if you get plenty of them from your food.
I personally find it hard to get calcium and vitamin D so I supplement them. I do take some supplements, they are important to me and I plan on making a post about them.

Life changing
I have only been counting calories for 14 months. My life has improved tremendously, I am no longer hungry most of the day, I have no food cravings, I am looking better in my clothes, my clothes sure are a lot smaller.

I had blood work done and was shocked to find how healthy I really am. Everything is in the normal range. I was very concerned about the cholesterol as it was high when I was 170 and I grew to 227 before I woke up and started counting my calories and eating foods that nourish my body.

Start a new life
I am just one person, not a diet professional, that knew that the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to know what is in the food that I choose to put in my body. I now eat to live not live to eat. A whole new way to look at life.
Food has become my friend, I actually love to cook and eat dinner now. I used to eat all day, stopping only when I could hardly move, then send the husband out for a large bag of chips or box of ice cream.
I would then finish up my day with a cup of dieters tea. It got rid of the food alright, but not before it turned to fat.

Eat less
Counting calories and eating a bit less than my body needs, making dam sure it is unprocessed and as close to nature as possible, and most important, knowing what nutrients I am getting from it is the only thing that makes sense in my struggle to stay slim for the rest of my life.

My current weight
I am now in the normal weight range for my height and age. The chart says I am normal if I am between 118 and 154. I am 147. I am in no hurry to lose more, but hope to go down to 127 and stay there. If that takes a year I wouldn't care, I would care if I gained in that year.

Challenge
The only thing I would change in my life right now is exercise. I have a hate relationship with it. I have unopened exercise tapes, a 2 year membership at a gym that I never used once, a trampoline gathering dust, and other wasted exercise equipment. I wouldn't exercise to lose weight but to give me strength and for muscle tone.
I see no time in the near future I will be running off to exercise.
Oh well.
Maybe I will make a News Years resolution. I will make it my 30 day challenge, do it for 30 days starting in Jan. I will be there with the rest of the ladies that made the same resolution.
A thought, I give myself 30 days to talk myself into it.

Chicken Piccata
My calories were low today, maybe to low, but I did get in all my protein a bit high on the carbs again.
I made Chicken Piccata with green beans. I took pictures while I cooked it for a video. I am horrible with a video camera, any camera really. I need to learn how to operate the darn thing.
It is sitting beside me right now, looking innocent but I know better.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

My calorie day

I gained, grr
I have no clue what the heck I did to myself to have a one pound gain. It has to be the pumpkin custard and the wine.
I did have Merlot Thursday and one of those darn custards. When I made them I used half the amount of sugar the recipe called for. So little sugar nobody likes them but me. I have 3 left and won't touch them. The Greek adds his sugar to them, he is going to finish them.
12 Pound Challenge
Today I had a great calorie and food choice day. I decided to have cabbage more often and added psyllium 3 times a day for the fiber.
I expect to lose that darn one pound by tomorrow. This is such a set back if I intend to lose 12 pounds by Christmas. I have lost only one so far. I have always lost weight slow, very slow, but I keep at it. I am in my 15th month right now.

Here is what the cronOmeter says I did for the day.

For the small amount of calories my nutrients sure are high. Works for me. So are the carbs. I am going to have to get used to the fact that I can't get them low. I like fruit to much to give it up. I don't eat bad carbs at least, by that I mean processed grains.

Teeny Tiny weight gain

I wasn't able to stay in the 147's today. Close, only .4 away. I better be there again tomorrow.
Today was a very good day with calories and snacks. Back to my usual eating plan. I was 148.4

New Jeans
I have only one pair of pants that fit, so I went shopping for one more pair. I didn't want to try them on in the store. I found a size 8 slims that looked pretty small to me, I brought them home and to my surprise they fit with a bit of extra room even. I thought maybe the first 8's might be made bigger so this time I bought Lee Jeans. I don't remember them being cut big.
Now, I am thinking, if I get to my goal of 127 I might be wearing a size 4. That is hard for me to even think about. I have never worn anything that small.

One year ago
I was reading my journal from one year ago. I was happy to be leaving the 200's. When I started CR back in Sept. 07 my waist was 44. It is now 30, wow.

It seems I was having a hard time with hunger then. I can now say that doesn't happen to me. I have very little hunger now. It is a wonderful feeling. Maybe my body has finally adjusted to the amount of calories it is going to get.

Goal for the am is 147.2.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Counting calories and enjoying a holiday

I did OK today. I might have gone over in calories but not much.
I was 147.8 when I left for Hopland this am. When I got back I was 150. I usually don't weigh more than 2 pounds more in the pm than am. Sure hope I am still 147 tomorrow morning.

I checked my journal from last year. Hard to believe, Thanksgiving 2007 I was 201 pounds. Apparently I had a decent calorie day then also, but still put back on two pounds. I sure don't want to do that this year. Only a few hours to go and I will know what damage I did to myself.
Dinner was great and as lo cal as we could make it.
I hope everybody had a wonderful meal.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A small intro to Calorie Restriction

Calorie Restriction to me is about eating less calories and eliminating harmful substances, and maximizing nutrients. We all should learn what foods are best for us not just for Calorie Restriction.

VEGETABLES:
Below are a few low calorie, high nutrient, and high fiber vegetables that I enjoy.

Broccoli: It is fairly low in carbs and protein, OK in fiber. One of my favorites so I will stick with this one.


Green Beans: They are low in calories and protein, a bit high in carbs. I add a small amount of olive oil and salt. That raises the calories but also adds some Omegas and it tastes wonderful.

Brussels Sprouts: This is my all time favorite. I eat it only when in season and fresh. I steam it then add just a bit of sea salt, nothing else. It is low cal with protein at 4g for 9 sprouts. The carbs are low too. The vitamins and minerals are also great. I have this a least once a week when in season. This vegetable is wonderful with Hollandaise sauce on it as well. A great protein source, watch out, it is also high in fat.

Spinach: Low in carb and calories. I cook this in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil, when cooked I add some white balsamic vinegar. We have this at least once a week.


Cauliflower: 2 cups only 80 calories with 5.8 fiber and good protein at 11g. Carbs are a bit high. I don’t server this veg. Often, the Greek doesn’t like it. I like to eat it raw.


FRUITS:

Apples:
They are now sweeter and bigger than ever. One apple has about 115 calories no protein and a whopping 30 grams of carbs making it not such a good fruit choice.

Berries: I buy frozen organic blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
I mix them together and keep them in a large freezer bag. One cup is about 100 calories with a bit of protein and lower in carbs than an apple and banana.





PROTEIN:
Fish: It is a must, try to have fish twice a week. Prawns, Mahi Mahi, Salmon, Orange Roughy, Halibut are all my favorites.

LEAN MEAT and EGGS

I always try to buy hormone free meat and eggs. I prefer a Top Sirloin with all fat trimmed. I weigh it before its cooked and stick with 4 ounces.
I stay away from nuts and soy. Nuts because they are just to many calories and soy, well, I hate it.

I don’t like peas, carrots, turnips, parsnips and a few other root vegetables. I don’t eat potatoes but do eat yams and some winter squash. I never have liked summer squash like zucchini. I am finding out that winter squash my be to high in carbs for me. A 4 inch winter acorn has 44g. More than half what I should have in a day. I will be eliminating them from my food list as well as yams. The carbs are through the roof with yams. 86 in only one cup. Banned, gone forever. I did eat them recently and still lost weight, as I was looking at the calories not the carbs. Right now I am not so much interested in carbs as I am protein. One cup of yam does have 5 g. Protein. So I might finish eating the ones I have. The vitamins and minerals are good with them.

I need to think this food choice over. I need to decide what I need to do with carbs.



This is just a partial list of veggies, fruits, and proteins that I like and eat. I always have at least one serving of a green veg a day, sometimes more.


I have eliminated all drinks containing sugar. I drink teas. I try to never eat any processed foods high in sugar and fat, no bread, cereals, pastries, candy bars, no so called nutrition bars or energy bars. Those bars are not nutritional nor give me energy, they do give plenty of calories.
There is always the exception, Whole foods had a Chocolate bread this time of the year, winter, that I love and might buy again. I buy just two loaves and when its gone I am done for another year. I always freeze bread so it’s lasts for weeks.



No fried foods

Don’t eat anything fried. Cut back on saturated fats, use nonfat dairy and lean meats and olive oil. I don’t eat soy or anything that has soy in it, at least I try my best to. I don’t buy anything with High Fructose Corn syrup in it. That means Catsup, I did find an organic one without it.


I buy hormone free beef and free range whole chickens. The taste is wonderful and they have better nutrients than corn feed beef and caged chickens. If it costs a few cents more it is well worth it. I buy the beef and chickens from the rancher about 3 times a year.


Beans are a good protein choice but rice, pasta and bread are borderline, they are relatively high in calories and low in nutrients. I decided to eat beans seldom and to not eat rice, pasta and bread, except that Chocolate seasonal bread I already mentioned. If I do have bread or rice it would be brown and unprocessed as possible.





It is important to learn for yourself what specific mix of good foods you enjoy, make you feel healthy, cause no problems, and keep you satisfied.

A side effect of counting calories, protein and other food nutrients is losing weight, the other is maintain weight.

I know I will never be able to over eat unhealthy foods again. Now that I am learning what foods make me feel good and fill me up and are low in calories I will stick with them forever.
After my weight is stable where I want it, I will eat about 10% less than my calories requirements for each day. For me this is fairly low already. Knowing this does not make me unhappy but determined to not go over that amount.


Another good thing that I noticed about not eating processed foods, my body is leaner, while I still have 20 pounds to loose my body is leaner than it was when I was younger at 20 pounds heavier. Of course I realize that I have less firm muscle tone but I am still leaner and no puffy feeling.
My overall health has greatly improved. No colds, no flu, no headaches, no stuffy nose. My blood pressure is normal, so is the cholesterol, in fact my last blood test came back with everything in the normal range. This took less than a year to achieve

I am a calorie restriction convert for life.

I think I will go to Whole Foods this week end to see if that Chocolate Sour Cherry Bread is there.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

An Invitation to a Calorie Counting Tea

I received an invitation to a wine and cheese tasting at Williams-Sonoma today. There is no way I would blow my calories on wine and cheese but it did make me think of what I might do if I were to hold a holiday tasting party.
So I made my invitation like the Williams-Sonoma one.
Now, I want to have a party.



Mine

Monday, November 24, 2008

Nutrients and Calories for today

This is a very boring way of looking at what I plan on eating for today. Not my favorite way of posting it.

I usually use images but this one shows more detail.
I am low in calories but high in protein for the day and I managed to keep the carbs fairly low so I am not going to worry about the calories today. That will all change tomorrow anyway.

I am testing myself with the carbs. I adjusted my target range after I read more about them. I think I will have a hard time keeping them as low as what I have read about.
I eat good carbs, mostly fruit, but I want to try and keep them low for a week or so to see if it make a difference.

I also had to increase the amount of Non fat cottage cheese to boost the protein. I don't usually have a full cup.
Hope this day works good for me. Right now it is time for the cottage cheese and a cup of tea.
Yes, calories do count, even if you don't.


===========================================
Nutrition Summary for November 24, 2008
Report generated by CRON-o-Meter v0.9.4
===========================================

General (68%)
===========================================
Energy | 739.3 kcal 74%
Protein | 60.2 g 100%
Carbs | 50.9 g 102%
Fiber | 10.4 g 50%
Starch | 0.0 g
Sugars | 36.1 g
Fat | 33.9 g 60%
Alcohol | 0.0 g
Caffeine | 0.0 mg
Water | 593.9 g 22%
Ash | 4.7 g

Vitamins (54%)
===========================================
Vitamin A | 871.6 IU 37%
Retinol | 151.0 µg
Alpha-carotene | 0.6 µg
Beta-carotene | 215.3 µg
Beta-cryptoxanthin | 9.0 µg
Lycopene | 0.0 µg
Lutein+Zeaxanthin | 549.7 µg
Folate | 166.7 µg 42%
B1 (Thiamine) | 0.3 mg 31%
B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.9 mg 84%
B3 (Niacin) | 8.3 mg 60%
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)| 2.9 mg 58%
B6 (Pyridoxine) | 0.9 mg 61%
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) | 4.9 µg 203%
Vitamin C | 89.0 mg 119%
Vitamin D | 34.0 IU 8%
Vitamin E | 3.2 mg 22%
Beta Tocopherol | 0.0 mg
Delta Tocopherol | 0.0 mg
Gamma Tocopherol | 0.5 mg
Vitamin K | 37.0 µg 41%
Biotin | 0.0 µg 0%
Choline | 312.1 mg 73%

Minerals (63%)
===========================================
Calcium | 193.6 mg 16%
Chromium | 0.0 µg 0%
Copper | 0.6 mg 70%
Fluoride | 75.7 µg 3%
Iron | 6.4 mg 79%
Magnesium | 97.6 mg 30%
Manganese | 3.5 mg 195%
Phosphorus | 599.3 mg 86%
Potassium | 1037.6 mg 22%
Selenium | 65.1 µg 118%
Sodium | 405.3 mg 31%
Zinc | 7.2 mg 90%

Lipids (51%)
===========================================
Saturated | 12.1 g 61%
Monounsaturated | 13.9 g
Polyunsaturated | 2.5 g
Omega-3 | 0.3 g 27%
Omega-6 | 2.0 g 17%
Trans-Fats | 1.4 g
Cholesterol | 511.7 mg 171%
Phytosterol | 14.7 mg