so i thought i was plateauing... after about 5 lbs. This seemed totally illogical to me because i - am - overweight. i had been counting energy consumed (calories) and all that, making it so that i'd lose about a pound a week. What i couldnt understand is how, even though i underestimated the calories i burn per day i was only losing about half a pound a week...
i discovered an error on my behalf. I had been eating a bag of popcorn every night, as a reward for doing well during the day. The box of popcorn says that 1 cup = 40 calories. The box also says that there are 3 servings per container. - that's easy. 120 calories per bag--right? WRONG. the servings they define are the number of tablespoons of mix and seeds- which are about, as it says on the box, 180 calories per serving. It hit me, as i was thinking about how big a cup was. There is no way only 3 cups of popcorn fit into that bag. there have to be at least 10! turns out, with the math all done, there are about 12 cups of popcorn in a bag ( but they cant say that because they dont know how much of it will pop. GRRRRR. so what i thought was about 120 calories was really 480 calories, putting me really close to my basal metabolic rate.
as soon as i stopped eating a full bag of popcorn every night i started losing about 1.5 to 2 lbs a week.
it's crazy the hassle we are put through just to avoid false advertising.
What I do, typically, is either buy a 100-cal snack sized bag (they are 100 cals per bag), or I pop my own in a brown paper bag with a measured amount of kernels. Either way, I know I'm getting my 100 calorie portion.
I seriously don't understand the popcorn labels on those big bags.
I would in no way, shape, or form consider a 1/2 pound loss a week a plateau! At least you were still losing
Microwave popcorn can be VERY tricky. I have an air popper, so I end up being able to measure my plain popcorn in cups and then I usually just add spray butter and a dash of salt.
Me too - the 100 calorie bags are great for a quick snack at work - but if I'm at home when I get the craving, I pull out my air-popper and the sea salt. It helps that my husband doesn't mind plain popcorn...
i love the ordenvillee (spell?) redenbacker (spell?) 98% fat free popcorn. its 4 WW points because of all the fiber and I think around 320 cals for the whole thing. still a lot of cals but i try to fit it in. it doesnt help that the way i used to eat it was covered in garlic olive oil and parm. cheese. :eyeroll: geeze let me tack on about 400 MORE cals! hehe but now i just eat it plain and its STILL good.
anyways good for you for figuring out what the prob was! stupid lables!
I agree that popcorn is very ticky to figure out. I either buy the 100 calorie bag (as previously suggested) or I have an airpopper, I measure out two tablespoons of popcorn (actually I measure it in a medicine cup measurer thing) and that is 100 calories, then I spritz it with ICBINB and sometimes season it with whatever I have around.
I am so glad that you have solved the popcorn mysteries: first, the reason for your plateau, and second, for how many calories are actually in a bag. My husband and I have popcorn as a treat every once and a while, and we have had discussions about figuring out the calories. I have tried to cut down on popcorn, but I split a bag with my honey like once a week.
I almost bought some popcorn the other night but decided I did like it enough to waste my calories on it. However, I should add, I did take the time to read the servings per bag but I did NOT take the time to figure out that I could easily eat a 3rd of the bag and have more than 1 serving even if it said 3 servings per bag. I had no idea! So, I'm really glad I read this thread.
popcorn was my enemy.
It helps that my husband doesn't mind plain popcorn...
