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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 24 March 2006 11:53 pm |
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I wrapped up the week with a resounding failure. I tried to boost protein with an odwalla protein shake for breakfast, but it turns out it wasn't all that great either. I'm just now starting to get an idea of what a good protein source's label looks like. If I stick to my homemade protein bars or my protein powder, I seem to do fine. But I'm not yet a good judge by "grams of protein" on the side of a package.
My boss ordered us pizza for lunch, and I ate two pieces. Actually I ate one piece and three-quarters of another piece - until I suddenly realized the disasterous effects the pizza was going to have on my goals. I mean both my goal of eating less fat & more protein and my goal of eating & feeling healthy more generally.
I think the lesson learned is that I do not do very well when I let myself have "lapse" days. That is what I was doing for the 3 days that I was out of town. I made a concious effort to stay close to my goals... but other than that I ate more and less quality than I would have otherwise. It seems to be harder for me to get back into the healthy-focused mindset than I thought. I think I would do better to keep my focus on my goals every single day, even though that means I may have occasional slips. I did not do that this week, and now I've lost a whole week's worth of effort.
For today: grapes & odwalla protein shake for breakfast, rye crackers & scrambled egg for snack, pizza for lunch, piece of cookie dough, protein shake for dinner. Total 1800, 20%P, 25%F.
- too much food, too much fat, too little protein.
- walk this evening for an hour.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 25 March 2006 02:11 am |
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Review of week Sat 3/18 - Fri 3/24:
Average Calories 1750
Average Protein% 23
Average Fat% 21
Walk 2x, Yoga 1x, Elliptical Machine 1x
- I didn't meet any of my goals this week. protein goal was 25%, fat goal was 20%. Not terribly far off, but I had hoped to improve instead of getting worse. Overall I feel I made worse choices this week. Several days I had junk food type snacks, mostly while at work. That is the hardest habit to break I guess.
- I had hoped to get in a little more exercise, but being out of town for a few days made it difficult.
- I measured my body fat again with the calipers - trying to be more careful this time. I think I am more like 29% fat rather than the 26% I initially thought.
Goals for upcoming week Sat 3/25 - Fri 4/1:
- Calories 1600. This gives me a safe margin to lose fat only, but it will take a while. I noticed that much less than 1600 and I start to get pretty uncomfortably hungry at times. Obviously I could not keep that up for long. At 1600 calories, it would take about 3 months to lose 10 pounds of fat (that would put me at 24% body fat). Thinking about setting mini-goals to keep me motivated and focused on my progress.
- Protein% 25. Need to stick with the protein shakes and homemade protein bars. Also would be nice to find other protein rich, low fat foods that are cheap.
- Fat% 20. I'm getting fairly good at this goal. If I can consistently get 20% fat this week, I can think about cutting back even more. Hooray for baby steps!
- Some sort of activity every day, including one good run. It's getting nice out lately - no excuse not to run every once in a while. I like the way it makes me feel... as long as I don't overdo it and hurt my back.
- Think about how I can cut out junk food at work even more. Baby steps are good, but only if I keep going and getting better & better.
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 25 March 2006 02:06 pm |
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Average Calories 1750
Average Protein% 23
Average Fat% 21
Walk 2x, Yoga 1x, Elliptical Machine 1x
You're setting yourself some high standards if that was a 'bad' week. I think, generally, you're in the right area for it to work. If focussing keeps you on track and happier, then that's the best way for you. We're all different. (In fact, if you believe my wife, I'm so different that I might be another specie!).
As to the food label/protein thing... I don't know how labels work in the USA, but here in UK they generally have a 'constituents per 100g' panel. That makes it easy. Anything with more than 9 grams of fat has more than 20% fat by calories, so either I avoid it or make sure it's a small part of my meal.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 25 March 2006 09:55 pm |
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I thought you were the one who set the high standards around here, nevd! ;)
I do admit to perfectionistic tendencies, and I feel discouraged easily if I've missed a goal for myself. So I do think it's best for me to stay focused on the goals and skip the planned lapses... if only to keep myself motivated.
As far as the food labeling learning goes - I had a revelation last night!! If I want to get a certain number of calories and 25% of those to be protein, well I can just figure out how many grams of protein I need. Math skills coming in handy, you know. So I did just that, and now I am shooting for roughly 100g of protein per day. It's a high goal, but I should at least be able to get close. Food labels almost always have grams of protein printed on them, so I know I can evaluate my foods based on calories versus protein grams. Yay! This technique is working so far today...
For today: grapes & protein bar for breakfast, odwalla protein shake & piece of bread for snack, sliced turkey & piece of gouda for lunch, lean cheeseburger for dinner . 1700 Calories, 29%P, 25%F.
- protein higher than 25% goal. fat higher than 20% goal.
- ran for about 30 minutes.
- had another idea about how to measure properly with the calipers... I'll have to write more later.
Last edited on 26 March 2006 01:46 am by trimB
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 26 March 2006 10:56 am |
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had another idea about how to measure properly with the calipers
Mearuring on the right-hand side of the body:
If you locate the top of the hip bone with the right index finger , then laytwo fingers of the left hand above that index finger, that's the place to measure. Find it, then mark it with a small indelible dot.... I'm lucky - I've got a freckle just there!
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 26 March 2006 11:26 pm |
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I believe I have the location right... but how vigorously (I can't think of a better word) to pinch? Should I pinch everything that I can muster? Seems like I have to be getting some muscle that way. Should I just pinch the skin & what's directly underneath? Seems like I would be missing some fat that way. I guess it's supposed to be easy, because I can't find details on this anywhere.
So I pinched as much as I could get hold of, then I tensed my stomach muscles. Well, some of what I was pinching contracted... okay, so that's obviously muscle. That helped. Now I know what it feels like to pinch all of it except for the muscle? Maybe that's not the right way, but it seems to make sense to me right now.
Doing that I read 28-29% body fat. Now if I can repeat that measurement, I will be convinced.
For today: bit of oatmeal & protein bar for breakfast, grapes & piece of bread for snack, sliced turkey & rye crackers for lunch, protein shake for snack, ww pita "pizza" for dinner. 1600 Calories, 30%P, 16%F.
- wow! lots of protein! less fat today pretty much makes up for yesterday.
- did about 45 minutes of yoga.
Last edited on 27 March 2006 01:21 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 27 March 2006 09:49 pm |
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What a stressful day at work! Need to find a way to wind down and relax. My trainee did not show up this morning, so now I have to hire someone else to train all over again. One giant party popped up for this afternoon - 900 small pastries! My co-worker told me I had gained some weight... I don't even think this is true, but who likes to hear this?? Jerk! Sure the scale was up a pound or so this morning, but it fluctuates all the time, right?!? Several large parties for this weekend, and I have about half of the staff that I normally do. And I'm supposed to be assuming all these new responsibilities that came with my promotion. Hello seventy hour work weeks!! Everyone was stressed and overwhelmed, and I was no exception.
Okay, I think I'm through venting...
For today: protein bar for breakfast, sliced turkey & crackers for snack, piece of petit four cake (nooo!), half of chicken breast & a bit of rice for lunch, grapes for snack, protein shake for snack, hot&sour soup & chinese dumplings for dinner. Total 1600, 32%P, 22%F.
- not too bad, considering that I had some opera cake scraps while at work. boy were they tasty!
- went for a walk for about 45 minutes this evening. it helped with the stress a bit.
Last edited on 28 March 2006 02:17 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 28 March 2006 10:27 pm |
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Busy and slightly less stressful day at work today. Tomorrow is my day off, <sigh of relief>. I have alot of errands/chores type stuff to do, but it will be nice to sleep in until a whooping 6 am. Whew, I'm gettin crazy over here!
For today: protein bar & grapes for breakfast, rye crackers for snack, cookie dough bits as I was scooping 600 mini cookies (boring!), veggie "surprise" stir fry (what exactly was in this, I don't know?!?) for lunch, protein shake for snack, ww pita "pizza" for dinner, protein bar for snack. Total 1600, 24%P, 22%F.
- plan to do light weights routine tonight.
Last edited on 29 March 2006 01:07 am by trimB
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Be A Cow
Senior Member
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Posted: 28 March 2006 11:18 pm |
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| Your co-worker is a jerk!! What's wrong with people who say things like that?? Another "favorite" of mine is "You look awful!! What's wrong?" or "Have you been sleeping ok? The circles under your eyes are realllly dark!" (Yes, people actually have said these things) Telling someone that they look fatter is seriously misguided!!! Did you say something mean?? I hope so.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 29 March 2006 08:02 am |
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I was working out by a pregnant woman at the gym a few months ago and wanted to share my excitement about my daughter who was about to give birth. But I didn't say anything... I was only 99% sure she was pregnant.
I told my daughter the story and she said I did well. "Dad, the rule is, never say anything to a woman about looking pregnant till you see the head coming out."
Haha.
Back to your subject... it wasn't even about weight. But I remember one day when I was walking up the stairs at work when someone coming down said something about my not looking so good. I think it was because I was feeling so great that it made me feel so bad. All morning long.
A good friend and I always joke, "people are idiots." Unfortunately, a lot of them are.
Peter
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 29 March 2006 02:05 pm |
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I think the riposte (paraphrasing Winston Churchill) is:
"Well, I'll have lost the weight by next week, but you'll still be a thoughtless person"
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 29 March 2006 05:46 pm |
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Thanks for the sympathy, all. That thoughtless co-worker's comment really did ruin most of my day. By way of reply to his rudeness, I pointed at his own bulging belly and said, "Yeah maybe a few pounds... how 'bout you?". It sounds childish now, but it was the best I could come up with on the spot. Especially since I haven't gained any weight for at least a year.
I had a thought today about weight fluctuations and my monthly cycle. I know this might be "too much information" for this forum, but I think it's interesting. I've noticed that both my weight and my self-image follow closely with the natural cycle of my hormones. Not sure which is the cause and which is the effect. Do I feel better about myself because of the hormone changes (which also effect the number on the scale)? Or do I feel better about myself because of the changes on the scale (caused by the hormone changes)? As soon as I enter the progesterone phase, I seem to be much more self-confident about my body. Once the oestrogen phase hits again, I feel flabby and unsure of my self. I was thinking of posting a separate thread for this topic...
For today: oatmeal with raisins & brown sugar for breakfast (the other alternative was diner breakfast with my beau, so this wasn't too bad), protein bar for snack, ff yogurt & protein shake for lunch, rye crackers for snack, cookie dough bites while making cookies for a gift, tuna & white bean sandwich (yum!) for dinner. Total 1800 calories, 23%P, 19%F.
- surprisingly close to my goals considering the cookie dough incident. Overall calories a bit high though. I'm learning to relax a bit as long as my weekly average seems in line still.
- took a day off of activity due to sore back. i think maybe i slept in a funny position?!?
Last edited on 30 March 2006 03:47 am by trimB
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Hisgal
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 29 March 2006 11:38 pm |
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I think that could be a real interesting thread....
Another thing I've noticed is how my weight or my "cheating" (with food, that is) affects my romantic moods. If the scale is up or I've pigged out that day, and my hubby is in an amorous mood.....I am definitely not. However, if I've been on a weight loss streak or just making very good food choices, and he makes a move...I am ready. If I overeat for weeks, he thinks I don't love him anymore....and it has absolutely nothing to do with him...it's me, my self-image.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 30 March 2006 12:05 am |
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| Thanks for the feedback on my potential topic, hisgal. That makes at least two of us who are interested, so I went ahead and started a new thread under the general category. We'll see if anyone else has two cents to add.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 30 March 2006 06:47 pm |
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I did NOT want to wake up this morning. Not motivated to work or do much of anything. Ho hum. Had a cavity filled this morning. Big long needles are not much fun!!! Work was stressful, and I left a little early. It's supposed to be my other day off anyway.
I think the reason I am feeling so unmotivated today is that I didn't do anything fun or relaxing on my day off yesterday. I really regret it. I did chores, ran errands, worked on a project for my sister, baked a bunch of cookies for some birthday gifts, etc. What I really wanted to do was go for a walk, make a picnic, take a nap, see a movie with my beau, have a relaxing cup of tea and read the newspaper. I hope I learned my lesson - that my days off will not be refreshing if I don't take the time to plan them that way.
For today so far: protein shake & sesame crackers for breakfast, protein bar & grapes for snack, hamburger for lunch, protein shake for snack, tuna&whitebean "salad" for snack, leftover cookie (I promptly threw the few remaining away!), 1/2 of a protein bar & ff yogurt for dinner. Total 1600, 35%P, 24%F. I've got the munchies today!!! My lunch had alot of fat. I worked my way down fairly close to my goal from there, so I'm not too upset.
- decided to do 30-minutes pilates dvd today. been mastering this yoga dvd for the past month or so - time to get back to pilates. i could only make it through about 15 minutes before the tight-ab instructor was doing crazy moves that i could not keep up with. maybe adding brushing up on pilates to next week's goals. i'm sad that i apparently lost some of my core muscle strength through neglect. oops.
Last edited on 31 March 2006 03:19 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 1 April 2006 01:29 am |
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I could barely sleep for some reason last night. Very tense, could not relax. Longing for a swedish massage, aaaah. Gearing up for a busy weekend at work, but it seems to be going smoothly. Barely had time to think about food today. Guess my appetite wasn't forcing me to think about food today, really.
For today: protein bar, sesame crackers (yum!), grapes, 1 piece of pizza, taste of chocolate stout cake, banana, protein shake, scallops with eggplant and risotto (I love risotto!). Total 1700, 21P, 18F.
- am not exercising today so I can spend time with my beau. he's been working every evening this week, so I miss him. we went for a short walk though.
Last edited on 1 April 2006 03:05 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 1 April 2006 07:47 pm |
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Week review March 25-31:
- Average calories 1660, Goal was 1600
- Average protein 27.7%, Goal was 25%
- Average fat 21%, Goal was 20%
- Ran 1x, Yoga 1x, Walk 1x, Weights 1x, Pilates 1x. Took 2 days off. My goal was to do some sort of activity every day, even if it was light.
- I had four junk food "episodes" at work - mostly involving cookie dough and cake scraps. Embarassing, but true. That pretty much accounts for my calories being over my goal.
- I wanted to think about bumping my fat goal down to 15%, but I don't think I'm ready for that step.
- I did very well getting enough protein. Ready for the next level... 30% protein.
- My weight and body fat stayed the same. After repeated testing, I think my body is 28% fat. Goal is 24% to be accomplished by losing 10 pounds of fat.
Next week April 1-7:
- Calories 1600, not over
- Protein 30%, Fat 20%
- Activity every day, even if it is light. Pilates 1 or 2 times to keep core muscles in shape. Find out how much it would cost to join a gym. Every time I've joined one in the past, I always go several times per week.
- Have less junk food "episodes" at work. I don't want to set a goal for this, but I do want to keep getting better.
- If I don't lose any fat after the end of this week, I may reevaluate my strategies. What else can I do? Has to be a realistic approach to my goals. Do I want to buy a body fat % scale? I don't feel I'm being very accurate with my calipers.
Last edited on 3 April 2006 12:36 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 2 April 2006 03:04 am |
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I hadn't taken the time to focus on my weekly goals until my day was half over. I had to work at 3 am this morning because of a large breakfast event we were catering. So I was hungry for breakfast by 5 and lunch by 10. The getting up early thing makes it difficult, I think. Took a long walk downtown to see all the cherry-blossom-related activities. Finally something fun!!! But I dropped my ID somewhere along with $20. Bummer!
For today: protein bar, grapes, sesame crackers, piece of a bran muffin, rice w grilled veggies, giant protein shake, spinach salad with tomatoes, mushrooms, & vinegar. Total 1650, 27%P, 19%F. about 1 hr walk.
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 2 April 2006 10:53 am |
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I don't feel I'm being very accurate with my calipers.
Can I ask why you think that? I thought you'd be getting 'repeatability' by now.
Do I want to buy a body fat % scale?
Not if it's accuracy you're after. They measure body impedance, which can change with water content of body (variable during day, week and month). The scales type measure only lower body impedance, the hand-held type measure only upper body impedance. The electrode type that you can fix anywhere (right arm and left shin for whole body impedance, for example) still suffer from the body water inaccuracies.
And you have to understand how painful that was to write, since I'm a gadget freak!
Seriously, I would advise practising more with the callipers. Are you absolutely sure you measure the same spot every time. An indelible ink spot would help while you improve...
And - did you mean your protein average had been 31.5%? Or was that 21.5%?
Best of luck, as usual.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 2 April 2006 07:42 pm |
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I guess it would be more accurate to say that the body fat caliper method itself has a larger margin of error than I would prefer. The skin fold measurement tick-marks are to the nearest even number, ie 16 mm, 18 mm, 20mm. So I read about 18 mm (maybe a little more). Then I look up on the chart that I have... for 18-19 mm, someone 26-30 years old has a body fat of 27.6%. Does this seem wierd? The body fat itself is listed to the nearest tenth, yet all of the other "factors" have large ranges. The next smallest tick mark is 16mm, which the chart lists as 26.1%. Perhaps I need a better chart? Or I bought a bad pair of calipers?
I did calculate my protein average for last week wrong, nevd. It should be 27.7%, not 31.5%. Suspect math skills. Still moving my goal up to 30% though. If I'm somewhere between 25 and 30%, then I'm happy. Of course, I'm mostly operating off various recommendations on this site though.
For today: protein bar, grapes, sesame crackers, lots of sliced turkey, piece of cookie dough (d'oh!), ff yogurt, small bit o oatmeal (I was craving this!?), brown rice, mini protein shake, choc biscotti with tea (was craving this too!). Total 1600, 28%P, 16%F. Did pilates for about 20 minutes before I wimped out. Brief, but tiring.
Last edited on 3 April 2006 12:40 am by trimB
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nevd
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 3 April 2006 11:15 am |
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I put the callipers chart in a spreadsheet and 'interpolated' the values, so that I could monitor things a little better. I could see whether I still have it, if you're interested.
I take it you do have MS Excel?
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 3 April 2006 07:34 pm |
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What a great idea - interpolation just might work! I do have Excel, so that would be a great tool for me. Much appreciated, nevd.
I finally managed to hire someone to fill the vacant position in my department. Too bad he can't start for a week - so it will be about 2 weeks before I get a day off. I'll work relatively short days (I hope), so I won't get burned out.
For today: sliced ham, pineapple chunks, protein bar, small bit of veggie lasagna, homemade chili, 2 bananas, protein shake, tempeh with veggies, choc biscotti. 1650 Calories, 28%P, 22%F. Will go for a walk this evening. It's very nice outside, and it's staying light out later & later.
Last edited on 4 April 2006 01:28 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 4 April 2006 09:39 pm |
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I am very moody and emotional today for some reason. I was trying to arrange to take a day off work tomorrow after all, but it didn't work out. Seems I am stucking working straight through till I can get this other person started and trained. I hope I'm not biting everyone's heads off before I get through it!
For today: pineapple, grapes, half of a protein bar, oatmeal, chicken soup, piece of dark chocolate, turkey sandwich on multigrain bread, blackbean & corn salad, protein shake, squash soup, spinach salad, almond biscotti with hot chocolate. Total 1700, 24%P, 15%F.
A little light on the protein today. Also had the munchies late, so I ended up eating more than I planned. Did my light weights routine.
The day started off wierd. I only had half of a protein bar left so I couldn't decide what to snack on. So I had about three bites of five different things. I realized that this indecision was going to wreck my day, so I calmed myself down with some coffee. I think that's what my body really wanted anyway. I feel about coffee the way I've heard some people describe their nicotine addictions... I know it's bad for me, but I like it so much that I don't even want to quit!
Last edited on 5 April 2006 07:58 pm by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 5 April 2006 07:55 pm |
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I was so busy today at work (my day 'off') that I didn't eat breakfast until about 10 am! That's very late for me, since I start work so early. I think I actually freaked out a little bit about skipping breakfast, and grabbed the first snack I could see. Which in my line of work is not likely to be good. Okay so I had a corner of a lemon bar. That's fairly innocent by my normal junk food episodes' standards. Then I regrouped and grabbed some oatmeal. Not exactly high protein, so I'll have to work more in for lunch and dinner.
For today: piece of lemon bar, bowl of oatmeal, piece of cinnamon bread, protein shake, banana, cup of chili, tempeh curry salad, can of tuna, ff yogurt. Total 1600, 25%P, 27%F. Worked my way up to the entire 30 minute booty-kickin pilates dvd today. Yay! Now I just need to improve my form more.
Wow I just couldn't get my fat down today. I went to the grocery store, but was very frustrated by the lack of cheap lean protein sources. I really wanted sushi, but it was very expensive. I don't prefer eating meat (besides seafood), although I very often do just to get my protein up without drinking powder shakes all day long. I bought tofu-dogs, but I didn't read the label closely enough - they are very high in fat. I splurged on some fresh salmon, although I just looked up the fat content (yikes!!!). Even tempeh is fairly high in fat. I feel like I'll be eating lite tofu, cans of tuna, and protein bars my whole life.
Last edited on 6 April 2006 01:50 am by trimB
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 6 April 2006 01:08 pm |
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trimblebe wrote: Also would be nice to find other protein rich, low fat foods that are cheap.
I feel like I'll be eating lite tofu, cans of tuna, and protein bars my whole life.
Nothing wrong with tuna! I love seafood. Prawns are 88% protein; any (non-oily) white fish will also be low calorie and high in protein.
A few affordable protein-rich ideas - these happen to be vegetarian:
- egg whites (or egg beaters) are 100% protein and 12-15 calories per egg.
This morning I disolved 5 sweetner pills (0.05 calories) with a little instant decaff (1 calorie) and 4 egg whites (up to 60 calories) and made delcious egg-white coffee-flavour pancakes. I'm counting this as 13.5 grams of protein. Are eggs affordable enough to throw away the yokes where you live?
- low fat soft cheese: try your luck with low-fat Cottage Cheese (60-70%), and if available in your area also look out for Quark Cheese (75% - originally from Germany)
Eat on its own, mix with veggies, make a dip out of it (spicy or sweet), try your luck at low-calorie cheesecake etc.
- textured vegetable protein is an inexpensive versatile soy product, about 57% of calories from protein.
you're supposed to hydrate it, but recently I've tried enjoying it unhydrated for its crunchy texture, or slightly moist for an in-between effect. You can use it as substitute for minced meat in recipes. It has no taste so I like making desserts from it (I do have a sweet tooth).
Although I'm not vegetarian I think I've not had meat or fish for a week (and I can push my protein intake as high as I like with the above choices, without using Protein shakes or bars). It is always a numbers game. Oh, Spinach is 66% protein if you're interested...
Last edited on 6 April 2006 01:10 pm by Nir
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Synicalchick
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 6 April 2006 02:32 pm |
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Oh, Spinach is 66% protein if you're interested...
WOW :D I had NO Idea. I eat a lot of raw spinich!
trimblebe White fish is FAB. I cook a lot of Flounder and the one that starts with a T that I can't spell. AND they cook fast and taste great with basil, lemon and tomato:yumm:
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 6 April 2006 10:01 pm |
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Thanks for the reminders, nir and chick. Egg whites and TVP are definitely going on my next shopping list. I'll also pick up some cottage cheese, and maybe splurge on some tilapia. Salmon is my fav though - why does it have to be so bad for you?? I'd been buying shrimp & scallops lately at the store, but they are quite pricey. The salmon was an impulse because it was on sale. I'll probably have it for dinner tonight, and then never buy it again. sad.
For today: 2 protein bars, piece of opera cake, chicken breast, piece of bread, ff yogurt, wheat crackers, salmon, brown rice. Total 1700. 34%P. 20%F. I ate the opera cake trimmings, and I didn't even care. It was like my reward for a strenuous day. I know it makes no sense, but that's what it felt like. I was experiencing shooting-type pain in my left forearm, yet had to keep working all day right through it. Is this how carpal tunnel starts? Anyway, that was my first truly bad junk food episode at work this week.
Taking the evening free of any activity, because I am so tuckered out from work.Last edited on 7 April 2006 02:43 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 8 April 2006 01:58 am |
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Had another wierd day of not caring about what I ate while at work. This trend could be dangerous. Usually I immediately feel guilty when I grab an unhealthy snack. But today and yesterday I was thinking "forget it, i'm eating this junk and i don't even care". My salvadorian coworker even maybe a mightily unhealthy lunch that I gladly devoured. I think starting a new "week" tomorrow might help.
For today: grapes, protein bar, piece of blueberry muffin, cake scraps, handmade tortillas, eggs, feta cheese, bite of cookie dough, leftover brown rice. Total 1600, 16%P, 29%F. Went for a 45 minute walk.
My fat and protein percents are all out of whack. This day reminds me of myself about 3 months ago, when I first started this diary. Now I'm really nervous that I'm wimping out on all the better habits I've been slowly accumulating. I've ordered the ETL book from the library. Should be here in the next week, and I'll try to incorporate some more good habits into my life.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 8 April 2006 02:11 am |
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Week Review, April 1-7:
-Average calories 1643 (goal was 1600)
-Average Protein 26% (goal was 30%)
-Average Fat 21% (goal was 20%)
-walked 3x, pilates 2x, light weights 1x, 1 day off (goal was every day, with 2 days of pilates)
- I'd say I ate more junk food at work this week than last week. To my credit, I did work every single day, some days for long hours (ugh). But I had many minor slip-ups and at least 2 major 'episodes'.
- Body fat holding steady at 18mm. I'm not a patient person by nature. So I'm already starting to question my plan. Am I being accurate with my food log? Should I do more vigourous exercising? Is my junk food eating at work becoming a barrier?
- Gym membership is just not in my budget right now. I do fairly well with the walking, dvds, and equipment i have now. I'm not too worried about this.
Next week, April 8-14:
-will be another busy week, working every day for long hours. goal is to do some sort of activity every day, despite this. i'd like to do my pilates dvd 2 times, like i did last week.
-eat less junk food at work! i'll be busy training a new person most of this week, so i don't think this will be as much of an issue.
-calories 1550, protein 25-30%, fat under 20%.
-pick up ETL book from the library. read and learn!Last edited on 8 April 2006 03:20 am by trimB
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suenos
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Posted: 8 April 2006 03:02 am |
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trimblebe wrote: Salmon is my fav though - why does it have to be so bad for you??
While there are problems with a concentration of dioxin in farm raised salmon, wild ocean salmon is a terrifically healthy food. A 4 oz portion provides about 22g of protein, 102% of the RDA of vitamin D and over 50% of vitamins B3 and B12. It looks high in fat, but is actually low in saturated fat, the fat is primarily Omega-3 (an essential fatty acid). One serving provides 83% of the RDA. Wild salmon is probably one of the most heart/brain healthy foods. Please investigate it further before deciding to give it up.
p.s. you may think I actually like salmon from reading the above, truthfully I don't like the taste much but eat it three times a week because of the health benefits;).
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trimB
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Posted: 8 April 2006 08:25 pm |
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Thank you, suenos, for correcting my error. Sometimes I can get tunnel vision and lose a bit of common sense. I look forward to the next time that salmon is on sale :)
Today I did care about my eating habits while at work. I won't say that I was entirely successful, but much much better than the previous 2 days. We had leftovers of the same lunch - minus the eggs and much smaller portion. I'm planning on having sushi tonight, so I should have no problem getting more lean protein while keeping calories down. I'll stick to the nigiri this time and avoid the rolls.
For today so far: grapes, protein bar, white beans, feta cheese, handmade tortilla, coconut macaroon (passover-time sabotage!), bread, nigiri & sashimi. Total 1550, 22%P, 24%F. Walked very briskly for about 90 minutes.
Last edited on 9 April 2006 09:57 pm by trimB
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trimB
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Posted: 9 April 2006 10:05 pm |
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Again a somewhat unsuccessful day at work. Maybe partly because I was feeling low... the scale has been up a couple of pounds for about a week now. I took a measurement with my calipers, and I swear they were inching up as well. What gives? I need to take an honest look at my approach and see where I am failing & how to fix it. I realize I'm not perfect by any stretch, but I've made so many positive steps that it's a shame not to have my body fat/weight reflect that.
For today: grapes, protein bar, half of a rye bagel, jicama & carrot sticks, piece of brie cheese, ff yogurt, spinach, veggie egg white omelet (yum!!!), protein shake, baked sweet potato. Total 1300, 26%P, 13%F. Did pilates dvd for 30 minutes - definitely making progress. If I stay motivated, I will be able to do the whole dvd WITH good form soon. I feel like I ate alot of food, but my total calories were lower than I expected. This made me realize that I have more learning to do as far as what foods will fill me up for less calories.
I am considering putting more emphasis on my total calories than I have in the past few weeks. I still want to shoot for higher protein (maybe more like 20-25% instead of 25-30%) and lower fat (close to 20%). I'm looking forward to reading the Eat to Live book when it comes in from the library. I predict more veggies on my horizon!
Last edited on 10 April 2006 01:26 am by trimB
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Graylark
New Member
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Posted: 10 April 2006 01:46 am |
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Not sure if it might help, but how many cal do you get per day? It seems kind of counterintuitive, I know, but you might need more calories. I'm 150 and 5'2" (I don't know your stats) but my dietician said I should get about 1400 per day - and that coupled with exercise I'll lose weight on it. And it works! So if you're bigger than that, you might need more.
Also it could be water gain from eating salty things or from it being that TOM. You're doing so great - just keep going and you'll see the weight come off!
Last edited on 10 April 2006 01:48 am by Graylark
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 10 April 2006 10:28 pm |
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Thanks for the encouragement, lark! The past month or so, I've been getting roughly 1700 calories per day. I was attempting a very modest calorie deficit, since my goal is just to lose a bit of fat. I believe my calories burned is around 2000 per day (I have an active job). I'm now wondering if either my food diary is not accurate or if my calories burned is not accurate. There is a high-tech pedometer out there that will measure your calories burned if you wear it throughout the day... wondering if that might help me be more accurate. It's $50.
So far today: protein bar, cup of minestrone, piece of bread, handmade tortilla, hummus on whole wheat with a piece of cheese, sweet potato, protein shake w yogurt (yum yum!), bean soup. 1600 calories, 24%P, 18%F. Wanted to do cardio tonight but my back is a bit achey. Hmph! Walked to the grocery store instead - about 25 minutes or so. Lackluster, I know. I am quite worn out.
Last edited on 11 April 2006 02:15 am by trimB
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trimB
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Posted: 11 April 2006 11:42 pm |
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Long day at work. Start at 4 am, work full speed ahead for 10 hours, run errands for another 2 or 3 hours, energy depleted. Can I go to bed now? Oh, it's only 5 pm. Really struggling with the exercise this week.
For today so far: protein bar, hummus sandwich, coconut macaroon (eeeevil), ff cottage cheese (yum!!), atkins protein bar, egg white omelet, giant bowl of brussel sprouts. Total 1400, 30%P, 29%F. Stupid atkins bar that I bought at a convenience store while I was running errands. I should have been more careful with the label-reading... all that fat!! Still it would have been ok if I hadn't splurged on the macaroon earlier. Coconut calls my name.
Need to clean apartment and then take the day off from any activity. Plan on taking a shower and going to bed ungodly early. I know I need to get some real cardio... but getting 8 hours of sleep is taking priority tonight.
Last edited on 12 April 2006 12:50 am by trimB
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trimB
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Posted: 12 April 2006 08:42 pm |
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Sunday will be my first day off in well over 2 weeks. I already can't wait. Just gotta make it through all those passover macaroons and easter hot cross buns first. Oy!
My plan for the rest of the day - post-work relax period (my legs are so tired!), workout on the elliptical machine, cook a nice dinner with my beau, get 8 hours of sleep. Getting 8 hours of sleep requires me to go to bed at 8pm. My plan doesn't sound ambitious, but it feels ambitious to me at the moment.
For today so far: protein bar, piece of bread, rice with veggies (cooked with some oil, I could tell), protein smoothie, cottage cheese, scallops, roasted baby potatoes, salad with vinegar. Total 1500, 34%P, 19%F.
**added later** Didn't end up on the elliptical after all. Fell asleep reading. My beau woke me up to say that a friend was in town and coming over to visit. Quickly cleaned up apartment, and then visited with said friend. I did get fairly close to 8 hours of sleep though.
Last edited on 14 April 2006 08:17 pm by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 14 April 2006 08:24 pm |
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Yesterday (Thursday) was not a very typical day for me. I don't eat out often, but the friend who was in town wanted to go out to a nice steakhouse. So we did. I ordered a salad for an entree, but they didn't put the dressing on the side. I could tell there was alot. I had bites of the giant onion rings that my beau ordered, and bites of the cheesecake that someone else ordered. And I had a beer, yes just one. Managed to squeeze in a very brief walk, even though my legs were still tired from work.
Thursday: protein bar, apple, biscotti, cup of soup, stir fry veggies with tempeh and rice noodles, salad with vinaigrette, bites of onion rings, bites of cheesecake, 1 beer. Total 2200, 17%P, 41%F. Whew! That's the most fat ever since I've been recording! I could have done better, but I'm not extremely upset because this much fat is quite unusual for me lately.
Today, so far: protein bar, banana, 1 piece of homemade pizza (lots of veggies, light cheese), protein shake, ff yogurt, salad with chickpeas & tuna. Total 1400, 36%P, 18%F.
I mustered the energy for a real workout this evening. Yay! Went for 30 minutes on the stationery bike while reading Eat to Live. Much more on that subject next post...
Last edited on 15 April 2006 01:31 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 15 April 2006 09:55 pm |
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Week Review, April 8-14:
- Averages were 1542 calories, 27% Protein, 23%Fat. Just about right on for my goal of 1550 calories, within my goal of 25-30% Protein, and a few points over my 20% Fat goal. I had one horrible restaurant meal that caused most of the damage to my fat average.
- Walked 3x (mostly short), Pilates 1x, Bike 1x. 2 days off. My goal was to do some sort of activity every day. But also I worked every single day - well over 60 hours total. I was surprised how exhausted I felt almost every day this week.
- I definitely ate less junk food at work. Almost every day I steal a bite or two of something EEEVILLL. But the bite or two stopped right there this week. I believe this reduction in junk food is what enabled me to meet my calorie goal this week.
- Picked up the Eat to Live book from the library and finished it yesterday. I learned much and want to start incorporating the ideas into my life habits.
This week, April 15-21:
- I want to set some weekly goals even though I'm a little uncertain how I will start to incorporate the ETL ideas. The book seems to advocate diving right in to either the 6-week program or the lifestyle program. I thought alot about it, and I really feel that a slower pace of changes suits my personality better. I do very well when I break larger goals into smaller steps, so I will keep going down that path.
- 1550 Calories, 20-25% Protein, under 20% Fat.
- Some activity every day; may include walking, running, elliptical machine, stationery bike, yoga, pilates, light weights. Now that I'm writing it, this seems like enough variety. But really I'm starting to feel bored with it already.
- Grocery shopping trip to stock up on ETL basics. Try a few recipes from the book in large quantities (leftovers!).
- Experiment with the skeleton food plan; fruits, giant salads, plenty of cooked veggies too, beans & lentils. I barely eat "processed" foods now, unless you count sweets that I make as "processed". They didn't come out of a factory - but sugar, flour, butter, eggs galore!!!
This quote made me want to quit my job...
"If a food could be scientifically engineered to create an obese society, it would have fat, such as butter, mixed with sugar and flour."
This is exactly what I do all day long. Wierd.
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 15 April 2006 10:01 pm |
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For today: protein bar, piece of a hot cross bun, banana, pineapple, oatmeal, piece of a brownie, medium sized salad (no dressing, spinach, romaine, tomatoes, mushrooms, feta cheese), protein shake, ff yogurt, white beans. Total 1600, 25%P, 14%F.
Very busy day at work. I had to come in early and then work late so that I could take the day off tomorrow. I'm trying to not to be bitter, but I keep thinking that some people have 3 day weekends. Jealous!
Plan to do pilates later and hopefully take a trip to the grocery store.
My beau mentioned sleeping in tomorrow and having a leisurely breakfast. I'll have to think ahead if I want to avoid sitting down to a plate of scrambled eggs smothered in cheese and pancakes dripping with butter. I've brought up the subject of eating more fruits & veggies, so hopefully he'll be supportive.
Last edited on 16 April 2006 12:43 am by trimB
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 16 April 2006 02:03 am |
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| Wow I just spent twice as much at the grocery store than I usually do! I felt like a kid in a candy store though. I filled up my cart so much that I wasn't sure I could carry it all home (I walk to the store)... collard greens, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, spinach, mushrooms, melon, kiwi, brussel sprouts, celery, etc, etc. Yay! The woman behind me in line had okra... I forgot about okra! Next time. Although I will have to think of some strategies to keep my grocery bill down. Perhaps an approximate meal plan would help. My main goal was to experiment this week though.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 16 April 2006 09:01 am |
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Oh my. Well, if you can't figure out what to do with it all... there's always vegetable soup!
Peter
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trimB
Moderator
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Posted: 17 April 2006 09:11 pm |
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I don't think I'll have any difficulties eating all my veggies. But yes, soup is always an option.
Yesterday was a very interesting day. Had an awesome brunch of egg-white omelet with a ton of veggies, a whole lot of cantaloupe. (Made very supportively by my beau!!!). Then went to a friend's house for dinner - felt like I ate a ton, but I focused mostly on the salad that she made. I've always preferred mine with no dressing, so that helps. Total calories were much lower than I expected. Yay for filling up with nutritious foods!
For yesterday, Sunday: egg white omelet with veggies, half of a melon, half of a turkey on wheat sandwich, dinner at Barb's (cheese & crackers, romaine salad with oranges & almonds, sliced flank steak, roasted potatoes, chocolate pudding pie, beer). Total 1700, 26%P, 26%F.
Walked back & forth metro to the zoo, then all around the zoo.
For today, so far: protein bar, slice of melon, mini roast beef sandwich, rye crackers, spinach salad with tomatoes & red onions, carrot, cup of oatmeal, wheat soba noodles with lots of broccoli & tofu. Total 1650, 28%P, 17%F. Doing light weights routine this evening.
Forgot to note earlier - according to the ETL book, my ideal weight is about 123. So if I lose the 7 or so pounds of fat, I will be at my ideal weight AND at about 20% fat.
Last edited on 18 April 2006 01:07 am by trimB
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 18 April 2006 08:58 am |
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trimblebe wrote: Forgot to note earlier - according to the ETL book, my ideal weight is about 123.
I have the ETL ideal weight calculator on the website:
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_ideal.html
Peter
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