Tracking your calories can be really intimidating. I know it is for me. Measuring everything that enters my mouth seems tedious. Counting (and keeping track) of every calorie I consume is not only boring, but seems rather like an inconvenience than something that helps me watch what I eat.
To be honest, as a permanent part of my healthy lifestyle (something I do every day of every week of every month for the rest of my life) it is not something that i would choose to do. But everyone is different.
For some people, counting calories and measuring portions according to serving size works for them. There are many people who (once they get the hang of it) become naturally good at keeping their portions the correct size. There are also many people who can recall the calorie count of the meals they eat most often (which makes keeping track of calories eaten much easier). Calorie counting is a skill, and a good one!
No matter your interest in counting calories, it is a very important part of a diet! For a good weight-loss diet you should eat between 1200-1600 calories (or more) depending on your workout intensity, activity level, etc.
Whether you want to count calories every day to keep yourself in line, or one week every few months to make sure youre keeping yourself in check, here's today's tip-
Tip 17: Keep a food diary!
First, Im going to give you 5 easy tips to making a food diary as painless as possible, then I will provide you with my food diary from last week (complete with the calorie counts), my best and worst meals, my best and worst days, other analysis of my week and ways to improve for next week.
5 Easy Tips for Keeping a Food Diary:
1. BE HONEST! I know this seems like common sense, but its is the MOST important tip! If you lie or manipulate how much or what you ate, you're only hurting yourself. The point of a food log is to keep track of what you eat. It will not punish you if you have a bad day. It won't mock you or make fun of you if you had a weak moment and gave into some ice cream (like I did last week- see my example!). You're human and everyone has their off days, or days where they treat themselves. Its normal to have some not-so-healthy food choices. Its a part of life.
2. Write down EVERY single thing you take into your mouth. This also seems like common sense, but often people forget to include drinks (everything except water-- including diet soda!), or they forget to write down 1 bite (which would be approx a tablespoon or so) of something that they ate off a spouse's or child's plate. Every bite counts. For some people, sticking to this strict rule helps them control what they eat- and think twice about "just one bite" of something with a high calorie count.
3. If you're STARTING a weight loss journey- take one week and eat normally. Observe your habits. What do you eat? What habits can you spot that are potentially making you gain weight? How many times a week do you eat fast food? How many fruits or veggies do you have every day? If you're ALREADY on your weight-loss journey, use it as a check-up. If it is something you don't regularly do as part of your weight-loss lifestyle, it can provide insight to why you might have reached a plateau in your losses, or just remind you of exactly how many calories you consume (so you can adjust accordingly).
4. Write and eat NOW, count and add LATER. Who wants to sit there, slumped over a notebook trying to figure out specific calorie counts of food on the spot? Once you get the hang of things, you'll start to learn what correct portions are, and approximately how many calories are in what you're eating. When you go to eat a meal, write down what you're eating as specifically as possible- approximate portions size (in cups, ounces, whatever you're most comfortable and familiar with), and what you're eating (whether that means a brand name, or writing down what is in your food [see my shrimp, rice, and veggie mixture in my food diary on Monday and Tuesday]). At the end of the day (or end of the week, which is how I did it below), put specific numbers next to what you ate. There are many ways people do this- some might rummage through their cabinets to find the container something came in, but most people use an index of foods. My personal favorite is CalorieKing.com, which lets you look up any food- including brand names, and foods that can be specific to how you make them. There's also many websites that you can enter in your food and obtain calorie counts, but then go a step further and track your meals through the week or month- an online food diary. Use what suits your needs and your time. Make this as easy as possible for yourself!
5. Analyze your eating habits, and change them to suit YOUR personal needs. Everyone is different. Many people have specific dietary needs, such as a low-cholesterol or low-sugar diet. There are infinite ways to analyze your food diary and make it work to your benefit. Emotional eaters should write how they're feeling in the food diary next to every time they eat, and then reflect on what triggers their emotional eating and find ways to change it. People stuck in their weight-loss journey can use the diary as a tool to reanalyze what they're eating, how much, at what times, and many other aspects to break through that plateau. Many dieters stick to the numbers of calories as the only thing they evaluate, which is the most simplified way of using the diary, but not the only. You can also analyze fat, fiber, carbohydrates, and so many other things. When your goals or needs change, change your eating habits with them. If you're putting in the time to have a food diary, put in just a little more time to reflect on your week, and change your habits. Make it work for you! And remember to continue to reevaluate every week, or every month, to ensure you're sticking on the right path to where you want to be.
EXAMPLE-- My Week:
FRIDAY
11 am
1 ChiChi's Whole Wheat Tortilla (170)
1/2 can Starkist Low Sodium tuna (60)
1/4 cup chopped white onions (20)
1 tablespoons Fage plain lowfat greek yogurt (approx 25)
1/3 cup Sorento shredded artisan blend cheese (150)
2 pm
1/3 package of Road's End Organics Vegan Macaroni and Cheese made with water only (270)
4.30 pm
1/2 of a Kaishi Go Lean Crunch Chocolate Peanut Butter bar (90)
7 pm
1/3 package of Road's End Organics Vegan Macaroni and Cheese made with water only (270)
TOTAL: 1055
SATURDAY
5 am
1 slice of seedless rye bread (83)
1 tablespoon of Smart Balance buttery light spread (45)
6 am
1 Dunkin Donut's wake-up egg and cheese wrap (180)
10 am
1/2 of a Kaishi Go Lean Crunch Chocolate Peanut Butter bar (90)
12.00 pm
1 garden salad from Friendly's with no dressing (60)
1 cup of Friendly's clam chowder (270)
12.45 pm
1/2 of a Friendly's Watermelon Slammer (230)
6 pm
1 plate of Smokey Bones' Salmon (370)
1 side of steamed broccoli (27)
7.30 pm
1/2 of a Kaishi Go Lean Crunch Chocolate Peanut Butter bar (90)
8 pm
1/2 of a large cup of Dip N' Dots' Cookie and Cream Ice Cream (203)
TOTAL: 1648
SUNDAY
11.30 am (at a Diner)
4 slices of ham (300)
2 slices of american cheese (210)
2 slices of white bread (214)
1/4 cup of applesauce (60)
5 pm
1 container of Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal (150)
1/4 cup of Quaker Steel Cut Oats (150)
8 pm
2 Morning Star ''Sausage'' Patties (160)
TOTAL: 1304
MONDAY
9.30 am
1 cup of Lucky Charm's Cereal (144)
1/2 cup of Skim Milk (46)
1.00pm
1/3 of a Shrimp (37),
Brown Rice (52),
Honey BBQ sauce (34),
corn (28),
and peas (21) mixture
5.30 pm
1/3 of a Shrimp (37),
Brown Rice (52),
Honey BBQ sauce (34),
corn (28),
and peas (21) mixture
10 pm
1/2 cup Chobani Plain Lowfat Greek yogurt (50)
1/2 cup Chobani Vanilla Lowfat Greek yogurt (60)
TOTAL: 644
TUESDAY
9.20 am
1/4 cup Chobani Plain Lowfat Greek yogurt (50)
1/4 cup Chobani Vanilla Lowfat Greek yogurt (60)
1/4 cup 2% milk large curd cottage cheese (90)
4 cherries, frozen & defrosted, no sugar added (20)
12 pm
1/3 of a Shrimp (37),
Brown Rice (52),
Honey BBQ sauce (34),
corn (28),
and peas (21) mixture
2 pm
1 scrambled egg, microwaved with nothing added (78)
4 pm
1/4 cup Chobani Plain Lowfat Greek yogurt (50)
1/4 cup Chobani Vanilla Lowfat Greek yogurt (60)
1/4 cup 2% milk large curd cottage cheese (90)
1/4 cup blueberries, frozen & defrosted, no sugar added (25)
5.30 pm
1/2 can Starkist Low Sodium tuna (60)
1/4 cup chopped white onions (20)
1 tablespoons Fage plain lowfat greek yogurt (approx 25)
1/2 cup of mixed green lettuce (6)
1 piece of Arnold Artisan Ovens Multi-Grain Flatbread (140)
8.30 pm
1 peiece of Arnold Artisan Ovens Multi-Grain Flatbread (140)1 teaspoon of country crock butter (30)
TOTAL: 1116
WEDNESDAY
9.30 am
1 peiece of Arnold Artisan Ovens Multi-Grain Flatbread (140)
1 tbs Skippy Chunky Peanut Butter (80)
1 tsp Smuckers Low-Sugar Raspberry Jam with seeds (25)
12.30 pm
1/2 can Starkist Low Sodium tuna (60)
1/4 cup chopped white onions (20)
1 tablespoons Fage plain lowfat greek yogurt (approx 25)
1 piece of Arnold Artisan Ovens Multi-Grain Flatbread (140)
1 tbs Heinz spicy brown mustard (0)3.40 pm
2 cups mixed greens lettuce (20)
1 grilled chicken breast from the school cafeteria (170)
1 tbs Heinz spicy brown mustard (0)
6.00 pm
2 cups mixed greens lettuce (20)
6.30 pm
1 peiece of Arnold Artisan Ovens Multi-Grain Flatbread (140)
1 teaspoon of country crock butter (30)
1/4 cup Chobani Plain Lowfat Greek yogurt (50)1/4 cup Chobani Vanilla Lowfat Greek yogurt (60)
1/4 cup 2% milk large curd cottage cheese (90)
1/4 cup blueberries, frozen & defrosted, no sugar added (25)
TOTAL: 1095
Analysis:
Best Meal: The 1/3 portions of a Shrimp, Brown Rice, Honey BBQ sauce, corn, and peas mixture, which totaled 172 calories per portion and were filling and yummy.
Worst Meal: Wednesday at 6.30 pm, with a total of 395 calories. It was just alot of calories, and it was not a very healthy choice.
Best Day Overall: Tuesday, with a total of 1116 calories. This was closest to my ideal calorie intake- which is 1200-1300 calories.
Worst Day Overall: Monday, with a total of 644 calories AND Saturday, with a total of 1648 calories. Both eating too little and too much are bad for me. I was very surprised to learn that i only consumed 644 calories on Monday. a calorie intake that is too low can lead to overeating and a slow metabolism. On the opposite side of the spectrum, on Saturday I consumed too many calories. I also indulged in two desserts that day, which was very poor decision-making on my part.
What I learned: Overall, I am eating too little. Most likely, two weeks ago (when I gained weight at my weigh-in), was due to me eating too little.
How I am going to take steps to improve: I need to add in a 200 calorie snack to my routine in order to ensure that I am not eating too little calories and therefore doing damage to my success.
Good luck with your food diaries! Leave a comment if you have any questions, I'd be happy to help!
I know its complicated, but don't give up! I know you can do it! :)
Just Another Whale,
MyzzLyzz
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