Monday 20 July 2009

COUNTING AND PLANNING

I've decided I need to start counting calories again.



I hate doing it, and I've managed just by eyeballing so far. I could continue eyeballing, it works too once you have a basic understanding of food and know roughtly the calorie content. But more importantly, counting calories means I have to keep a log of what I eat, and that makes me think about everything I put in my mouth, which again makes it harder for Fatty to sneak in a binge right under Thin Girl's nose. It also means that if I factor in for a treat here and there I can enjoy them without guilt, knowing they are all accounted for and within my "allowance".

Today's food:

Breakfast:
1 crispbread with pate = 138 kcal

Lunch:

2 crispbreads with lean roast pork, peppers and lettuce, 1 yoghurt, 1 plum and 1 cup of low-cal hot chocolate (today's choccy fix) = 480 kcal

Snack:
Muslibar (with far too much sugar, it was sickly sweet!) = 119 kcal

Dinner:
Home made Taco Soup with grated parmesan = 350 kcal
2 digestive bisquits = 130 kcal (naughty)

Snack:
An apple and a low fat yoghurt = 110 kcal

TOTAL: 1327 kcal

When I lived in the UK I used CalorieCount's tools for tracking calories and weght loss progress, and was very happy with their (free) service. However, now I am back in Norway I find it so much easier to use the tool at Vektklubben.no (also a free service) since it already has a lot of the common Norwegian brands of food pre-programmed in, making it much easier to keep track.

I have also concluded that I need to plan and almost make regular exercise "dates" with myself for the week. What I would ideally love to do is to get out for a run at least a few times a week, but as a single mum that means I need a babysitter and that isn't always easy. It sucks because I hate exercising at home, I have a mini tramppoline and an elliptical, but I'd so much rather be out in the fresh air. Once, what seems like a lifetime away but what is in reality only just over 4 years ago, running 5k was a breeze. Now, I can manage 3k, maybe 4 - but it nearly kills me... Anyways, I'll get out and run when I can and force myself to go on the elliptical or the trampoline otherwise. I have already established a good habit of doing Pilates twice a week - now I need to make a habit out of the cardio workouts too.

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