So I've been finding a couple of things that help me keep track of my calories without a whole lot of hassle. If something is low hassle I'm more likely to stick to it, so I'd really like to hear of some shortcuts or tips that you guys have gathered!
I have a ceramic measuring cup that I use as a bowl for soup and cereal. It looks kind of like a coffee mug, but shorter and wider. This way I can just pour and eat, knowing that I have a cup without every having measured! In the past I've not measured just because I didn't want to wash an extra dish or spoon.
Any kind of storage container that is a specific measurement.
Portioning out leftovers in several small containers rather than one large one so when I have repeats I know exactly what the count is ahead of time. Hubby eats these as a snack, though.
Snacks that are either individually packaged, or something that I can count out like nuts or crackers.
I wish I could help you out - but calorie counting is SO different in Germany because of their packaging, it is actually much easier and more accurate.
When I go to America to visit my parents, I look at the nutrition info and am always quite perplexed - I mean, what if I don't want to eat 2 tbs. or 1/2 a cup?
In Germany the nutrition information shows how many calories, per gram, the food has. So, then I just weigh it on my digital scale and quickly multiply according to how many grams.
Eek! Sorry for being of no help! Just wanted to write that I feel your pain!
I have 1/2 cup & 1 cup serving spoons which I love & have a binder with
lists of foods that I have looked up calorie counts for, so you only have to figure it out once, add to book and have as reference. Also a digital food scale that measures grams, ounces & pounds. All these things have helped me along the way.
When I buy meat, I always portion it out into sandwich bags before freezing. I normally do 4-5 oz, but you can easily do 8-10 oz if you're normally cooking for 2. You can also write on the bag so you know exactly what you're pulling out before defrosting.
Eating a lot of the same things has made it easier for me. I don't have to look up how much something is and I can usually make certain meals depending on how many calories I want to eat.
It's not the most exciting thing to do, but I enjoy my routines.
What i do is, every friday (wich is my higher carb day) i set the menu for the next week. I eat the same the whole week with little variations to stay in my caloric range. For me is less time consuming and i don't mind eat the same for a couple of days.
Of couse i have a kitchen scale to messure everything. I also have and excel app i did myself with all the foods i usually eat, so i can select and make the menu. Everything is automatic, so i just have to select from the drop down menu, set the amount and it will calculate the whole thing. For me this excel is a life saver, cause it took me so much time to do the same in MyPersonalDiet App for Iphone i was using before.
I entered a lot of my favorite food combos/recipes into FitDay and I use FitDay to track all my calories and carbs. I definitely agree with eating the same things often. Less variety keeps me more on track, as long as there is SOME variety so I don't get too bored or feel too deprived. I do best when I limit my choices.
Oh! I forgot another thing I usually do is create my own 100 calorie packs I have snack bags and I will gather different items and make a small 100 calorie bag of them. I have some gluten-free chips I enjoy (THEY ARE SO GOOD) and they only come in large bags, so I make my own 100 calorie packs that I can just grab on the way to work.
I have tracked for what seems like so long that I just know what calories are in everything I eat. I tend to avoid foods that I have to lok up now, b/c I'm lazy in that department.
I've found that my sanity benefits from spending a bit more to have individualized portions. I love greek yogurt, but it drives me crazy to measure out servings from the jumbo container. I just love the single serving cups..I know exactly what I'm getting every time.
I, too, measure out leftovers into small containers. This also helps me to see just how much food each meal REALLY makes, not the old huge servings i used to eat!
I always estimate high on the few items that I just can't count exactly...like homemade soup. Who knows how many noodles are in that exact serving? LOL
And lastly, I force myself to not obsess about measuring down to finite amounts, and weighing food. I have OCD-like tendencies, so that, for me, would lead to a spiral of disaster. Part of his journey has been about teaching myself that estimation is not a dirty word.
I always estimate high on the few items that I just can't count exactly...like homemade soup. Who knows how many noodles are in that exact serving? LOL
And lastly, I force myself to not obsess about measuring down to finite amounts, and weighing food. I have OCD-like tendencies, so that, for me, would lead to a spiral of disaster. Part of his journey has been about teaching myself that estimation is not a dirty word.
I estimate high too....I have OCD, which is another reason I choose what's easiest when I count calories. If I didn't take shortcuts I WOULD count every noodle.
I think the only way I've been able to keep up with this as long as I have (3 or 4 weeks now, but that's the longest I've ever been able to CC!!) and the only way I'll be able to keep up with it is to allow myself not to worry about being exact. the little shortcuts and easy solutions help me not to worry.
I estimate high too....I have OCD, which is another reason I choose what's easiest when I count calories. If I didn't take shortcuts I WOULD count every noodle.
I think the only way I've been able to keep up with this as long as I have (3 or 4 weeks now, but that's the longest I've ever been able to CC!!) and the only way I'll be able to keep up with it is to allow myself not to worry about being exact. the little shortcuts and easy solutions help me not to worry.
You are doing so well already. i know how hard it can be for us to relax and let it be..but this is the first Time I've done that, and I know it has freally helped!
Frozen non-starchy vegetables (like cauliflower and broccoli) are low calorie and I can eat a whole 500 gram bag without feeling guilty or blowing my calories or carbs for the day. I just pair it up with a portion of fish or meat and a serving of healthy fat and it makes a whole meal which keeps me full for hours.
Best part is that I can microwave the whole meal in a fraction of the time it would take to cook it. I use less dishes that way too...easy clean-up.
Tips for quick and easy counting.
I have snack bags and I will gather different items and make a small 100 calorie bag of them. I have some gluten-free chips I enjoy (THEY ARE SO GOOD) and they only come in large bags, so I make my own 100 calorie packs that I can just grab on the way to work.
