Day Fourteen

Day Fourteen: July 31

Breakfast

• 2 scrambled eggs: 200 calories, 15 fat, 1.5 sugar
• cheese: 150 calories, 8.5 fat, .75 sugar
• 1 bagel: 350 calories, 2 fat, 7 sugar
• 1 cup 1% milk: 100 calories, 2.5 fat, 12 sugar
  

Lunch

• 1/2 Burger King Tendercrisp Chicken sandwich: 400 calories, 23 fat, 4.5 sugar
  

Day Thirteen

Day Thirteen: July 30

Breakfast

• 1 banana: 100 calories, 0.25 fat
• 2 Italian butter cookies: 200 calories, 8 fat, 10 sugar

Lunch

• 1 nectarine: 70 calories, 0.5 fat
• Progresso soup: 100 calories, 2 fat, 2 sugar
• Salad: Cheese (70 calories, 5 fat); croutons (50 calories, 2 fat, 1.5 sugar)
• Sugar wafers: 140 calories, 6 fat, 14 sugar

Dinner

• Cheese and pimiento-stuffed chicken breast: 200 calories, 10 fat
• Spinach salad with tomatoes, feta cheese & vinegar and oil: 50 calories, 3 fat
• Steamed broccoli: 25 calories, 0 fat
• 3 Italian butter cookies: 300 calories, 12 fat, 15 sugar

Exercise: 1/2 hour biking: 200 calories; 20 minutes stationary bike: 200 calories; weight training, 30 minutes

Total: 1305 calories, 43.75 fat, 42.5 sugar

Day Twelve

Day Twelve: July 29

Breakfast

• Coffee ice cream. I had a bad morning - woke up late, rolled my ankle while coming down the stairs, then found out there was no gas in the car - and no money in my bank account. So I thought ice cream would make me feel better. It did, with just tiniest twinge of guilt. Anyway, that had 200 calories, 5 fat, 20 sugar

Lunch

• BLT sandwich
• Bacon: 70 calories
• Mayonnaise: 45 calories, 4 fat
• 2 slices wheat bread: 120 calories
• Cheddar and Sour Cream baked Ruffles: 140 calories, 4 fat, 2 sugar
• Nectarine: 70 calories, 0.5 fat, natural sugars

Dinner

• Veggie wrap in a large tortilla with pesto and cheese
• Tortilla: 150 calories, 3 fat
• Pesto: 95 calories, 9 fat
• cheese: 200 calories, 15 fat, 0.5 sugar

Day Eleven

Day Eleven: July 28

Weight: 215.6 or 216.4, depending on what the scale wants to do.

I suppose I shouldn't beat myself up for not having lost more; after all, the whole idea of body love and body acceptance, and intuitive eating, is to eat when I'm hungry and not focus on the numbers. But I can't help but want to get down to below 200 by the time the semester starts...in three weeks.

At this point, that's an unreasonable goal. 5 pounds a week for the next 3 weeks is intense. The thing is, I know it's doable; if I were to follow the meal plan my aerobics instructor gave me (link in the header), I could lose a lot - I lost 8 pounds the first week I followed the plan, and 4 the second week - and that was only because I didn't follow the plan precisely in Week Two.

The way I eat now, I fluctuate; Mostly, I use the plan as a basis to go off of. I eat about 1200-1400 calories per day, exercise at least 4 times a week, and so far this month, I've lost about 3 pounds in ten days. If I keep it up - and maybe was a little more strict about watching my sugar and fat intake - I think I could lose ten pounds this month without having to put myself through too much discomfort.

The thing is, I don't want to think of this as a diet - I want this to be a way to lose weight, while still eating what I want. And that's the way I should be eating.

So what now? Well, number one, find healthy alternatives. I know that I get cravings. I know that sometimes I just feel like I need sugar. But I think as long as I try to find a healthy alternative to ice cream, and not something that just feels like Splenda-flavored frozen milk (like Weight Watchers and Skinny Cow, which really don't satisfy me), I could be on the right path. The slow-churned ice cream, for instance.

I've decided to start a Food Mood Journal, inspired by Christie over at Intuitive Eating: http://www.honormyhealth.com/2010/05/07/food-mood-journal/

Breakfast

• New York bagel: 360 calories, 2 fat
• 2 tbsp cream cheese: 100 calories, 10 fat, 1 sugar
• 1 nectarine: 70 calories, 0.5 fat
• 1 pack gummy fruit snacks: 80 calories, 0 fat, 10 sugar (I think)
• 1 medium coffee - that I drank about 4 oz of: 40 calories, 2 fat, 5 sugar

Lunch

• Smart Ones Pasta Primavera frozen meal (I got lazy with packing my lunch today): 250 calories, 4 fat, 4 sugar
• Cupcake from a bakery downtown: no idea. Probably a lot; there was a lot of really thick frosting.

Dinner

• 1/4 pound cheeseburger: 360 calories, 20 fat (not sure how accurate that is)
• Spinach salad with balsamic vinegar, feta cheese, and mandarin orange slices: 200 calories, 7 fat, 4 sugar (this is an estimate)
• Toblerone piece

Exercise: 650 calories burned on the elliptical, plus 1 hour of weight training

Day Ten

Day Ten: July 27

Breakfast

• Cinnamon toast crunch: 130 calories, 3.5 fat, 10 sugar
• 1 cup 1% milk: 100 calories, 2.5 fat

Lunch

• Tuna: 100 calories, 1 fat
• Mayonnaise: 90 calories, 8 fat, 1 sugar
• 1 hardboiled egg: 80 calories, 5.3 fat, 0.5 sugar
• crackers: 150 calories, 5 fat, 4 sugar
• Watermelon: 70 calories, 0.2 fat

Dinner

• 1 cup spaghetti: 220 calories, 1.3 fat, 0.8 sugar
• Parmesan cheese: 20 calories, 1.5 fat, 0 sugar
• Meatballs: 160 calories, 12 fat, 0.5 sugar
• Spinach salad with Italian dressing: 75 calories, 5 fat, 2 sugar

Dessert

• 1/2 cup ice cream: 105 calories, 3.5 fat, 11 sugar

Exercise: 75 minutes "aerobic dancing": 725 calories burned

We got "Just Dance" a Wii game from Target. My review: It's pretty fun, and a fairly good workout. (Yeah, not too specific a review :P)

Total: 1300 calories, 48.8 fat, 25.3 sugar

Day Nine

Day Nine: July 26

Weight: 216.2. Well.

BINGE DAY :(

I don't know whether I should believe this number or the one from yesterday. Or, if I should even be weighing myself this often. It's good to have an idea of where I am on the scale, but on the other hand when something like this happens, it can ruin my mood if I'm not careful to talk to myself about it.

I think I'll limit it to weighing myself every five days; that is, days 10, 15, 20, 25, and of course, 30. It's a good way to determine where I am without overwhelming myself, I think. I hope. I really didn't want to see a number above 215...

Breakfast

• Ruffles cheddar and sour cream chips (140 calories, 4 fat, 2 sugar)

Lunch

• Crab cake (200 calories, 10 fat, 2 sugar)
• Bagel thin (110 calories, 1.5 fat, 2 sugar)
• Pretzels (110 calories, 1 fat, 1 sugar)
• 1 nectarine (70 calories, 0.5 fat)
• 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise (25 calories, 3 fat, 1 sugar)
• Pecan bar (about 400 calories)

Dinner

• 2 oz chicken (60 calories, 0.7 fat, 0 sugar)
• brussels sprouts (35 calories, 0.6 fat)
• chickpeas (125 calories, 4.2 fat)

Binge

• Fruit snacks (400 calories, 0 fat, 75 sugar)
• Cookie dough (250 calories, 11.5 fat)
• Reese's candy bar (150 calories, 9 fat, 15 sugar)
• Sun Chips (210 calories, 10 fat, 3 sugar)

Exercise

1000 calories - 65 minutes on the elliptical, plus 15 push-ups

Total: 2285 calories, 56 fat, 117.5 sugar

Day Eight

Day Eight: July 25

Weight: 214.6

Breakfast/Lunch (woke up late, yet again :P)

• Chips (140 calories, 3.5 fat, 3 sugar)
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (70 calories, 6 fat, 2 sugar)
• Smoothie (110 calories, 1.5 fat, 10 sugar)
• 4 cocktail weenies (220 calories, 18 fat, 0 sugar)
• 1 bagel (350 calories, 2 fat, 7 sugar)

Dinner

• Ravioli (230 calories, 8 fat, 1 sugar)
• Spinach salad with 1 egg, bacon bits, Italian dressing, and bell peppers (200 calories, 6 fat, 0 sugar)
• 1 cup 1% milk (100 calories, 2.5 fat, 10 sugar)
• Dessert: Kids' size sugar-free mango peach Italian ice from Rita's (80 calories, 0 fat, 0 sugar)

Total: 1500 calories, 47.5 fat, 33 sugar

An OK day sugar-wise (could have been better), fat and calories were a bit high. I'm very proud to be below 215 now. :)

Day Seven

Day Seven: July 24
Weight: 216.4

Breakfast/Lunch (woke up late again)

• Crab cake "pan fried" with Pam (200 calories)
• 1 nectarine (70 calories, 0.5 fat, not counting sugar)

Pre-workout snack

• 1 small apple (75 calories, 0 fat)
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (100 calories, 8 fat, 1.5 sugar)

Well my internet decided to poop out on me right as I tried to post the final version of this, and of course I didn't copy the text....but I do remember the totals.

Exercise: 1000 calories on the elliptical for 75 minutes. I was DRENCHED in sweat, it was disgusting but it felt soooo goooood. :)

Totals: 1385 calories, 50.2 fat, 45.1 sugar

Maybe it's time to revisit my goals. 20 pounds in 30 days is a big number in the first place; I'll definitely be happy with anything between 5 and 10. Really, the number wasn't set in stone when I first decided to do this little blog project.

Well, I'm off to the gym!

Day Six

Day Six: July 23

Well I binged a little bit last night; I had a Hershey's King Size chocolate bar (370 calories), 1 slice of French bread (70 calories), and some other stuff that I don't really remember. >.<

Breakfast/Lunch (I woke up around noon)

• Meatball and mozzarella Lean Pocket (290 calories, 9 fat, 9 sugar)
• 1 cup 1% milk (100 calories, 2.5 fat, 12 sugar) mixed with...
• Yoplait smoothie mix (140 calories, 3 fat, not counting sugar since it's basically frozen fruit)
• Frozen fruit (140 calories, 3 fat)

Dinner

• Homemade crab cake (I feel like a real Marylander now!) (200 calories)
• Chocolate (100 calories)

Exercise
Elliptical for 60 minutes - 800 calories

AFTER DINNER BINGE

• Chocolate bar - 200 calories
• 1 Nectarine - 60 calories
• Crackers and cheese - 160 calories
  

Day Five

Day Five: July 22

Breakfast

• 1 plain bagel (195 calories, 1 fat, 1 sugar)
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (100 calories, 10 fat, 0 sugar)

Lunch

• Panera Greek salad w/ half of salad dressing (270 calories, 22 fat, 4 sugar)
• 1 small apple (80 calories, 0 fat, not counting natural sugar)

Dinner

• Frozen fish (270 calories, 11 fat, 0 sugar)
• 1 zucchini, cooked in Pam with garlic and pepper (30 calories, 0.5 fat, 3 sugar)
• 1/2 cup mango nectar mixed with crushed ice (65 calories, 0 fat, 16 sugar)
  

Total: 1010 calories, 44.5 fat, 24 sugar

Exercise: Volleyball for one hour (according to Calorie Count, that's 544 calories burned if I weighed 150. So it's probably more than that since I weigh significantly more than 150 - which, incidentally, would be a fantastic overall goal weight. Hmm...)

Overall, a very good day. I was happy with what I ate and it didn't leave me wanting more. Plus, I cooked my own dinner! I's a growned up. :P

Day Four

Day Four: July 21

Breakfast

• Smart Ones chicken and cheese quesadilla (220 calories, 6 fat, 1 sugar)
• 1 cup 1% milk (110 calories, 2.5 fat, 12 sugar)
• 2 tbsp Ovaltine mix (40 calories, 0 fat, ? sugar)

Lunch

• Tuna sandwich on wheat bread (310 calories, 11 grams fat, 5 grams sugar)
• Pretzels (110 calories, 1 gram fat, 1 gram sugar)
• Carrot sticks (35 calories, 0 fat, 5 grams sugar)
• Apple slices (72 calories, 0.2 fat, 14.3 sugar)

Dinner

• 1 turkey burger, grilled in safflower oil (160 calories, 9 fat, 0 sugar)
• 1 hamburger roll (150 calories, 2 fat, 4 sugar)
• 1 slice pepperjack cheese (70 calories, 6 fat, 0 sugar)
• 1/2 tbsp. mayo made with olive oil (which tastes exactly the same) (20 calories, 2 fat, 0 sugar)
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese (100 calories, 2.5 fat, 4 sugar)

Exercise

• Walking, 30 minutes at lunchtime: 163 calories

Total: 1407 calories, 44.7 fat, 27 sugar

The Good

Stayed under 28 grams of sugar, which is awesome. I was tired so I went to bed early, but it was mostly because I haven't been getting enough sleep lately - not because of a sugar crash.

The Not So Good

I guess 1400 calories isn't great, but it's not terrible either. Could have done better.

Day Three

Day Three - July 20

Weight: 217.2

Breakfast

• 1 small slice raisin bread (71 calories, 1.2 grams fat, 1.5 grams sugar)
• 1 banana (105 calories, 0 grams fat, 14 grams (natural) sugar)

Lunch

So what do you do when someone offers you a free salad? The greedy part of me accepts without question. I could have said, no thanks, I have lunch already. I could have said, yeah sure, and eaten that instead of the lunch that I had already packed - which seemed like a waste. Instead, what I said was, sure, and ate part of that salad with the lunch that I had already packed. And I ate more calories. So...I don't know.

• Spinach salad with oil&vinegar dressing (130 calories, 0 grams fat, 1 gram sugar)
• 1 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (110 calories, 9 grams fat, 0 grams sugar)
• Croutons (60 calories, 2 grams fat, 0 grams sugar)
• Chips (120 calories, 3 grams fat, 2 grams sugar
• Canned peaches in water (60 calories, 0 grams fat, 12 grams (natural) sugar)
• About 1/3 of a CalTort salad (250 calories, 27 grams fat)

Snack/Dinner

• 1 Wendy's coffee toffee Frosty (540 calories, 20 grams fat, 71!!!!!!!!!!! grams sugar) No wonder I had a major sugar rush and then a crash 2 hours later...jeez!
• 1 slice French bread (92 calories, 0.6 grams fat, 0.8 grams sugar)

Late Night

• 2 slices of a large sausage pizza from Domino's (640 calories, 28 grams fat)

Exercise

700 calories on the elliptical

Total: 2178 calories, 90 grams fat, 100 grams sugar (ACK!)

Sooooo today wasn't the best as far as food goes....like at all. Heh. What started the downhill slide was the Frosty. I enjoyed it, yeah, and decided that it would be my dinner. Then came the sugar crash, and the fact that I was hungry again at 8:00, which is never good. Enter the pizza.

Some healthy alternatives to a Frosty, or ice cream in general:

• Frozen yogurt (similar texture, fewer calories)
• Sorbet (fewer calories, fruity flavor)
• Mousse (fewer calories and sugar)

So next time I'm on my way home and decide to stop somewhere for a snack, I'll go to Sheetz instead of Wendy's and pick up some froyo or mousse. I'm also bringing more for lunch, and I'm going to spread out my lunch break. I've noticed that I don't get hungry as often if I'm eating, say, one item from my lunch box every hour. For tomorrow I've packed a tuna sandwich, carrot sticks, apple slices, and some pretzels. Honestly, you can't get any more disgustingly healthy than that.

Day Two

Day Two: July 19

Breakfast

I was in a huge rush this morning; I didn't have to get into work until 10, so I had planned on waking up at 7 and going to the gym. When 7 rolled around, I hit the snooze button; looks the gym will wait until after work. I literally only had time to throw on some clothes and bolt out the door.

• Strawberry-chocolate Fiber One bar (140 calories, 3 grams fat, 9 grams sugar)

Lunch

Luckily I packed my lunch last night, so I didn't have to worry about that. I'm meeting a friend at a pizza/pretzel/ice cream joint, but I'm bringing my lunch. I may get a small desert while I'm there.

• 2 slices wheat bread (180 calories, 3 grams fat, 4 grams sugar)
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (100 calories, 7 grams fat, 1 gram sugar)
• 1 tablespoon jelly (50 calories, 0 grams fat, 12 grams sugar)
• Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips (140 calories, 6 grams fat, 2 grams sugar)
• Green grapes (110 calories, 0.3 grams fat, not counting sugar)

Snack
Stopped at Taco Bell before I left Frederick; I got off work later than usual and I was starving.

• Soft taco (210 calories, 10 grams fat, 2 grams sugar)
• Diet Coke (0 calories, 0 fat, 0 sugar)

Dinner

• Ribs (250 calories, 15 grams fat, 13 grams sugar)
  
• Cooked peas and carrots (from frozen) (60 calories, 0.2 grams fat, 3 grams sugar)

Exercise

250 calories on the treadmill

400 calories on the elliptical

650 calories burned total

Total: 1240 calories, 44.5 grams fat, 46 grams sugar

Day One

Day One: July 18

Weight: 218

Breakfast

• 1/2 stuffed pizza pretzel from Barnes and Noble (250 calories, 4.5 grams fat)
• 1/2 tall raspberry smoothie from Barnes and Noble (100 calories, 1 gram fat, 15 grams (!!!!!) sugar)

Lunch

• 1 cup Special K (120 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 4 grams sugar)
• 1 cup 1% milk (110 calories, 2.5 grams fat, 12 grams sugar)
• 1 Fruit by the Foot (80 calories, 1 gram fat, 9 grams sugar)

Snack

• 1 12-oz. can Diet Pepsi (0 calories, 0 sugar, 0 fat)

Dinner

• 1 cup spaghetti (220 calories, 1.3 grams fat, 0.8 grams sugar)
• 2 slices French bread (184 calories, 1.2 grams fat, 1.6 grams sugar)
• 4 meatballs (216 calories, 16 grams fat, 1.5 grams sugar)
• Spinach salad with ranch dressing (60 calories, 7 grams fat, 0.5 grams sugar)

Dessert

Cooked apples in caramel glaze (240 calories)

TOTAL: 1580 calories, 35 grams fat, 44.5 grams sugar

The Bad

I went over my goal of 1000-1300 calories for the day, and I went above my goal for sugar (27 grams)

The Good

The number of calories I consumed was still under 1800, which is the top end of what I allow myself to eat every day.

What to do differently

Don't go for seconds with the slices of bread; substitute butter for water in the apple caramel glaze; eat 2 meatballs instead of 4

It's a bit late, so I'm debating whether I want to work out today. To do so I would just have to jump rope outside. I think I may compromise and do a light workout outside starting at 9:00, which would include jumping rope, pushups, situps, and some volleyball drills. It'll probably last about 30-45 minutes.

Day One: The Outline

The Goal:

Release twenty pounds in thirty days.

The Method:

• A meal plan outlined by my aerobics instructor, that's limited to about 1000-1200 calories per day.
• Exercise at least 5 times per week.
• Get through a reading list to help me emotionally, to be discussed.
• Blog once every day.

The Reason:

Well, I've been trying to lose weight for...forever. And usually what ends up happening is I gain weight while I'm moping about what a terrible job I'm doing of losing it. I've proudly released about 15 pounds in the last 3 months, and I'm going to jumpstart the next part of this. I'm going all out, and following this meal plan for one month. After that month, I'll work on maintaining that loss. If at that point I feel like I can continue with the meal plan, I will, but that's in the future.

This Blog:

Is mainly just for my own use. If other people stumble upon it, great. If not, I'll use it as a diary of sorts.

The Reward:

Hmmm....to be decided.

That's all for now...bedtime.