Daily Calorie Counting Accountability (#4!)
 

Hi all,
Use this thread to log your calories and keep yourself accountable to yourself and other CCers!

Scale finally budged! Although my calories yesterday were 1756, my calorie deficit was still 835, so I'll continue to eat and move!


breakfast: NS cereal, milk: 152
2nd breakfast: Pradaboy Quiche, 233
lunch: zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, NS Chicken Tortellini, 3.2 oz chicken breast: 362
3pm: NS Fudge Graham bar, 2.5 oz carrots (in car) (earlier- piece of dark chocolate) - 301
5pm dinner: fat free coleslaw, pizza fit & free, 263
Evening: Candy bar, blueberries & greek yogurt: 431


Total: 1742
Calorie deficit will be almost 600.

After I figure out what my calorie goal will be I would love to join you all on here. This looks like an excellent way to help stay real.

b: 2 scrambled eggs w/1 thinnnn deli slice of American cheese and some leftover sauteed mushrooms, small bagel w/1 tspn butter, coffee - 450
l: 2 homemade wraps w/leftover london broil, peppers, onion, light sour cream - 350
s: coffee and some frosted flakes (yes those darn things are still around but I portioned them out instead of consuming massive amounts from the box :D) - 150

Total so far: 950

d: a big salad with leftover london broil and tblspn thousand island dressing - 400
s: small banana w/smear of p. butter - 125

Total: 1475

Ok I decided on a calorie goal. Thanks to all you who commented on my post. I feel less overwhelmed and feel good about my goal. I am going to go for 1700 calories a day.

Since I havent counted calories successfully before, I plan to keep that as my calorie goal for two whole weeks before I get to try to tweak it. I have no idea what is really going to work. But I figure that without a decent trial period I shouldn't let myself get all crazy and try to change it before I give it a chance.

Today so far I have eaten 1155 calories.

Ma26, I thing that sounds like an excellent plan.

I think that sounds good, too, ma.

When I was beginning to lose weight last summer, I ate about 1400-1500 on most days, but if I worked out or ran for more than, say, an hour, I would add calories (a serving of protein, then a carb, as needed, up to 300 calories for, say, two hours of moderate to intense workout). I kind of let my body tell me how much to add. But once I started running more than about 9 miles, my body wasn't an accurate indicator, because the feeling of depletion often wouldn't show up until the next day. That's when I got the Fitbit, and that really helped.

Ezekiel Raisin Bread, PB2 Greek Yogurt w/granola: 273
1/3 Powerbar, Cottage CHeese w/Peaches: 226
15 bean stew, Cornbread, Tangerine, 2c So Delicious Chocolate :fr: , 7 Almonds: 750
1/2 Cauliflower Crusted Pizza :drool: , 1 c Roasted Cauliflower: 386
Total: 1675

1/2 Mary Training :running: 4 miles plus walked an extra mile (74 min total): 618 :carrot:
**the 4 miles was 50 min**
Water: 96 oz

Breakfast: Kashi GoLean, Skim Milk, Orange, Egg: 283
Morning Snack: GoLean Roll, 190
Lunch: NS Pasta Parmesan, 3 oz chicken breast, fat free coleslaw, broccoli, 2 Hershey Kisses: 429

Total so far: 902

b: H.N. Cherrios, banana, milk, coffee - 430
l: L.C. spinach/mushroom pizza - 340
d: homemade burger on a small bagel, homemade fries, ketchup, light ranch dresssing - 600

Total: 1400

I see I neglected to update yesterday -- it ended up 1541 calories logged, 1954 calories burned, for a deficit of 413. Not bad for being home all day, I guess. I have a 3202 calorie deficit over the last 6 days, avg. 533, which is my goal, so I'm right on target.

Today:
Early morning breakfast: Kashi GoLean, 41 g, Skim Milk, 4 oz: 152 cal
7:45 morning snack: Morningstar Farms breakfast patty, one pear: 201 cal



Total so far: 353

Queen Sarah -- how do you figure your calorie deficit? Is it just cals burned minus cals consumed? How do you know how many cals you've burned? I guess I'm asking which site do you use for that info. lol Thx.

Was hungry when I went to bed last night but didn't eat. Woke up at 5am w/a horrible, horrible sinus headache AND starving hungry. Waited until 9am to eat and am starving hungry right now and it's only 11:30am. :(

b: h.n. cherrios, banana, milk, coffee - 430
l: l.f. cottage cheese, pineapple, leftover homemade fries - 350
s: banana, cup of spiced tea w/2 tspn honey - 150
d: chicken, rice, broccoli (half my plate was brocoli lol), small piece of homemade coffee cake - 600

Total: 1500 or so

I have been counting calories; 1200-1400 per day.

I walk 5-7 miles per day, six days per week, burning 450-620 calories each time.

The past few weeks I have been enjoying the swoosh effect :) Last week I lost 3 pounds and this week I have been measuring 0.5 less each day.

Happy to be here :)

loose seal Have you tried going sugar/gluten/grain free? -- I have avoided all above for 6 weeks and I never feel hungry.

Please read the book called "Wheat Belly", it is a REAL eye opener.

Sum38 -- no and likely won't, mostly because I'm not fixing/buying separate food for myself. I usually have more protein at b-fast . . .usually a 1 egg/2 white omelet . . . which holds me for several hours. Didn't have time today and went with the cereal and fruit. That almost never sticks with me. Had I eaten some cheese with it I probably wouldn't have gotten so hungry so soon.

Hi loose seal, are you feeling better by now? I wonder if you're coming down with something? :(

I wear a Fitbit, which is like a pedometer, but it also accounts for intensity (and the newer one has more features -- I have the old version). It's kind of like a BodyBugg, except you wear it on your bra, and it's tiny. It syncs with my computer, and I log my calories on their website. It tells me how many calories I've burned (and inspires me to do a little extra some days! Or a lot extra!)

I like it because some days I am very active, but it's not all because of a discrete workout session -- it might be incidental activity spread throughout the day -- parking a mile away, walking across campus, etc. It adds up to quite a bit. So some days I can really get away with eating more, and in fact, I feel weak if I *don't* eat more, but I don't like to guess about how much to eat.

I've been wearing it since September, and it's been an enormous help to my weight loss!



(Edited my today's report in the quote above.)


....Editing myself again... I'm probably overestimating by saying it was 3,000 calories for the day. I just did some math, and the afternoon was probably about 1600 by itself, and I had half of it for dinner, so I won't be eating many more calories today. I'm estimating my calories are 2053, and I've burned 1800 so far, so I might break even today or even get a calorie deficit if I keep going...




Sure, Mynnie! Whatever works best for you! You'll notice that I left out detail today and yesterday. Usually I post every food, simply because I am logging it at the Fitbit site, and that is how I remember it.

I just looked back and saw you Krystal. HAHAH: I am stalking you :D

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Yesterday's calories; a bit over 1300
6.9 mile walk; 600 cal.

STALKER!!

:rofl:

Ok, so I slacked on this thread over the weekend b/c of work. I swapped Sun night for Mon, so I'll be working tonight but wanted to check-in.

I usually do really bad at work--eating Snackwell's, PB, and other highly-processed carbs, but not Saturday night!! :yay:

I figured out a "already known to me" trigger.
Just the smell of junk food makes me hungry, even if I just ate!
I HATE this!
Saturday night, my colleagues DID NOT order take out & the cafeteria was CLOSED!
This was very good for me, b/c no one brought up any food that smelled delicious, but totally off plan for me!

Saturday's Menu
Cauliflower Crusted Pizza: 296
Bean Dip w/tortillas :nono: , Fresh Pineapple: 345
SBD Lazy Cabbage Roll w/Kavli Crispbread: 387
Cottage Cheese w/Pineapple, 15 Bean Stew, Roasted Cauliflower, 1 Tangerine: 496
Total: 1424

Walking for 90 min: 299
Water: 72oz

Sunday's Menu--SPIKE DAY
PB2 Greek Yogurt, w/granola, 100 cal Popcorn, Hot Cocoa: 323
Corn Flakes w/skim milk :nono: : 280 (I must STOP eating boxed cereal!)
Bean Dip w/tortillas :nono: , Fresh Pineapple: 440
Double Dense NOW Green Monster, Sushi: 1580
Total: 2623 :fr:

Walking: 134 (REST DAY)
Water: 88oz

This week, I am aggressively trying to alternate 1200/1400 days. I want to break free from this plateau!

:dust: to everyone this week!!

It was an effort (two hours of stepping in place on the mini tampoline last night while reading), but I think I undid the damage of the afternoon celebrating my daughter's birthday. I estimated the calories to be 2193, and I burned 2372, so I ended up with a deficit of 179. (Total deficit for the week: 3381) (Calorie burn is calculated by the Fitbit I wear on my bra).

My trend weight last Monday was 135.7, and today it is 134.9. (I'm using the Libra phone app, which graphs your weight and tells you a "trend weight" that takes out all of the wild ups and downs due to fluid fluctuations.)

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TODAY, Monday:

7:30 breakfast: NS Lowfat Granola, 2 oz skim milk: 181 cal
9:45 snack: hard-boiled egg, apple: 191
11:30 lunch: Mashed potatoes made with 1/2 head cauliflower, NS mashed potatoes, & leeks, with 4.1 oz chicken breast stirred in. 473

Packed in my cooler bag to take with me for the rest of the day:
Afternoon snack: Chopped pear & PB2 chocolate, 207
Dinner: NS Ravioli, Big spinach salad with tomato, artichoke hearts, green onions, pumpkin seeds, Hidden Valley FF Ranch: 475
Dessert: NS Chocolate Caramel Bar: 160



Projected Total: 1668
(Plus at least 3 miles walking, probably more. Actual walking, not mini trampoline!)


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ETA: Hey Joycelyn, that book sounds great! I might look into it! Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

It doesn't look "scientific," and I don't like the made-up word, but the concepts sound like good-old common sense that you don't see too often. I like the idea of eating at maintenance level from the get-go -- I think that would definitely make the eater understand that this is a lifestyle change, and not a diet. (SO many people gain it back after losing!) According to their formula, my maintenance calories would be 1500. That sounds low, but I am probably much more active than the average person, so my level is probably higher -- but how much? I think it's really helpful to have a way of tracking activity level (not just separate working-out activities, but all the incidental moving we do throughout the day). I haven't read the book yet, so I don't know how much this is addressed.

I am jumping in here too. After reading all the inspiring posts on the goal board, particularly one I just read by sept15lija that she lost 100 POUNDS just by counting calories, I am in. I am doing it a little differently, dusting off an old copy of a book called Calorie Queens, in which you eat your maintenance calories while you lose (eucalorics). You guys are so inspiring. I'm in.

I'm eating 1800 calories a day. That is what I need to maintain a weight of about 145 pounds, which is my goal weight. I can do this!

Queen S -- oh, Fitbit! I had forgotten about those types of gadgets. I wish they were less expensive. I'll have to keep my eye out for one on ebay or craigslist. thx for the info!

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b: 1 egg/2 white picante/cheese omelet, 2 pieces p.f. raisin toast w/1tspn butter, coffee, 32oz water - 450
l: 1 wrap w/refried beans, small bit of shredded cheddar and lite sour cream, and picante sauce, 1 apple w/1 tblspn natural p.butter, 16oz water - 400
s: 1 baby bell cheese wheel, 26 goldfish (yes I counted them lol) - 150
d: homemade: burger (no bun, no cheese), mashed spuds, broccoli, 16oz water - 400

Total: 1400

loose seal -- The BodyBugg is expensive and has a monthly fee, but the Fitbit is only about $100, and no monthly fee. It's worth saving up for, if you can afford it!

**********************

Yesterday I had some Arctic Zero, so I ended the day with 1816 calories. My calorie deficit was 321, a little lower than I like. I'll try to step it up today.

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5:30 breakfast: NS cereal & 4 oz skim milk: 152
10:00 snack: apple, egg: 160
11:30 lunch: NS Minestrone soup, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Mushrooms, 3 oz chicken breast, 1 pc Dove Chocolate: 415


Total so far: 727

Ok, seriously! I had the BEST food weekend probably since I started last April!!
For those that don't know, I work on a Heart Failure unit in a very busy hospital, usually on the weekends.
When I go to work, I eat off plan food religiously!
Usually, I have a 1600-2000 cal day when I go.

I have been trying aggressively for over a month to change this behavior. This past Saturday and Monday night, I had the BEST 2 nights I have had--I think--since I restarted this journey!
It may have had ALOT to do with the Spike Day on Sunday that landed me such a winning night Monday. But, whatever it was, it WORKED!

Monday's Menu
Turkey Waldorf Salad w/ 1/2 pkt FF Raspberry Vinaigrette: 291
Fresh Pineapple: 200
Pre-run Fuel: Ezekiel Raisin Bread, 1 tsp Sunbutter, 1/2 Apple: 164
Sweet & Sour Chicken w/Miracle Noodles, PB2 Greek Yogurt: 608
Total: 1263
**I'll have a 140 cal snack before bed to make this a 1400 cal day.

1/2 Mary Training + Walking at work: 665
Water: 80 oz

Thx, Queen S., I just may do that!

b: 1 egg/2 white omelet w/picante and cheese, coffee - 250
l: 1 homemade bean and cheese burrito - 200
s: peanut trail bar - 190
d: 1 cup spaghetti, 2 homemade meatballs, 1/3 cup sauce loaded with sauteed garlic, zucchini, peppers and bella mushrooms that I added in, small sprinkle of fresh parm - 500
s: 2 homemade meringues with choc chips (no clue really, just guessing here) - 100

Total: approx. 1300

Didn't drink enough water today ... at least I don't feel like I did. Was unexpectedly busy but oddly not starving hungry, considering I didn't eat much b-fast or lunch. Dinner was absolutely fabulous . . . best I ever made!

So when I made last night's dinner I sauteed the garlic, bella mushrooms, red peppers and zucchini in a separate pan then whoever wanted to add them to their sauce/spaghetti could (not everyone enjoys the veggies :rolleyes:). This morning I took some of the leftover sauteed veggies and put them in my omelet . . . omG!!! Absolutely fantastic. One of the best breakfasts I've ever eaten. And the grapefruit? You know how sometimes it's too dry or too tart or too just not good? This one was red, ripe, sweet and juicy. Wish I could eat breakfast all over again!

b: 1 egg/2 white omelet w/leftover sauteed garlic/peppers/bella mushrooms/zucchini and shredded cheddar, 1 red grapefruit, coffee, 16oz water - 375
l: l. cuisine santa fe beans and rice w/some chicken I added in, 16 oz water - 350
s: cup of coffee and one homemade meringue - 75
d: pork chop, homemade scalloped spuds, salad - 500

Total: 1300

So far I have been shooting over and under pretty bad! The weekend was so busy (and that is no excuse) but I haven't been getting everything from notebook to calorie counting app until late in the day. As a newbie I have over shot and undershot alot. I'm going to start entering stuff right after the meal so I know whether I am on track, instead of logging stuff to find I ate too much or too little. Heres my days so far:
1/07/12: 1453
1/08/12: 2089
1/09/12: 1230
1/10/12: 2912 blech!!!

Ugh! My goal is 1700 a day. I have an app on my phone I am going to start using instead of entering my foods in fitday on my PC. I know its a learning process. But I dont know why I believed I could just write things in a notebook and then put them in on my PC at the end of the day or the next day. Which I ended up doing a few times. I waas trying to guess what the calorie counts were on some foods, and of course with labels I wrote them in the notebook as I went. I guess this shows why I have gained weight. I had no idea the true calories in alot of foods.

Breakfast
Cream - Half and half, 2 tbsp

Lunch
Cucumber - With peel, raw, 100 g
Tomato - Small 100g - Tomato - Small 100g, 200 g
Pine nuts
Onions - Sweet, raw, 45 g
Bell Pepper - Red, 100 g
Dole - Bag Lettuce, 1 1/2 cup
Chicken - Chicken Breast - Skinless - Baked (Ck), 3 oz
Athenos - Natural Crumbled Feta Cheese, 1/4 cup (34g)
Litehouse - Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing, 2 tbsp

Dinner
Costco Salmon - Salmon, 7 oz, 7 oz.
Uncle Ben's - Brown Rice (Boil Bag), 0.5 Cup
Generic - broccoli- Steamed, 200 g

Snacks
Celery - Raw, 1 stalk large (11"-12" long)
Laughing Cow - Processed Swiss Cheese Wedge- Light, 1 wedge (21g)
TOTAL: 1,297

OP all day yesterday:)

That sounds ***SO GOOD***!!! I love veggies, garlic, and eggs!

ma, you're figuring out what works! (and what doesn't)! Keep it up!

Way to go, Sum!


I neglected to update last night. Ended the day with 1682 calories logged, 2264 calories burned = 582 calorie deficit.


Today, Wednesday:
early breakfast: NS cereal, skim milk: 152 cal.
morning snack: Pradaboy Quiche, 233
lunch: 4.2 oz carrots, 3/4 cup fat free coleslaw, 2.5 oz chicken breast, Zone Perfect Dark Chocolate Almond bar, 361
afternoon snack: Larabar. 220
dinner: spinach, artichoke hearts, NS penne chicken alfredo, 275

Total so far: 1241

Queen Sarah- Thanks your always so encouraging!

I was thinking about my calories being off so far. I think I am going to make a mini goal. So three days I am making a goal to track everything in my iphone app right away. And when I get to the calorie allotment I gotta be done for the day no matter what else I have going on that day. I dont think I will be perfectly on plan everyday. But I know I can commit to three days totally on plan.

ma -- I added up your cals then divided by 4 (days) and you averaged just over 1900 cals/day. Not nearly as far off from your 1700 cals/day goal that you set. If you eat 1500 cals/day for the next three days your weekly average will be 1740 which is pretty close to your original goal.

Sometimes I find it helps to plan out what I'm going to eat for a few days and add up the cals before hand, that way I know if I'm on track or not. After awhile you do get into a groove of how many cals things you eat have (well, things you eat frequently) and it does get easier.

K9 -- congrats on your weekend success! It's so hard when you're surrounded by stuff you know is going to throw you off plan, isn't it? Kudos to you for sticking to it!

I made an entire post of personals & have NO IDEA where it is!! GRRR

Pre-Run Fuel: Ezekiel Raisin Bread, 1 tsp Sunbutter, 1/2 c grapes
FF Turkey Cheese Omelet, Cottage Cheese w/Strawberry Jam:432
Bean Dip w/tortilla chips :nono: , SBD Lazy Cabbage Roll, Grapes: 417
Thyme Chicken Pistachio Salad w/Mandarin Oranges: 544
Total Cals: 1393
Water: 80 oz
:running: & some floor work: 406{HRM} (50 Min)

Kristiina: Look at your perfectly OP day!! BRAT!!! :rolleyes: {{giggles}}

Seal: I've tried to put veggies in omelets, and I just can't eat it. I love all the foods--separately, but not together. Glad you found something you like. It keeps the lifestyle easier to adhere too.

MA: I would defo suggest logging as soon as you eat or during your meal (which is what I usually do). Depending on which app you use, you can determine where you are before your last meal. Like Tuesday night, I chose the chicken and miracle noodles--a lower carb meal, b/c I ate to many carbs throughout the day and not enough protein. I use the My Fitness Pal app and it includes a scanner. I love it! Good job on making progress!! Keep at it, you'll get there!

Sarah: You're making me consider a FitBit. Not good, considering I have enough gadgets. I just need the loss!! :lol:

Hanging in there...

Ended yesterday at 1555. :carrot:

coffee, omelet, toast: 445
salad: 300
pb crackers: 100
Tacos: 550
rice crispy treat and cookie: 140


Finally saw the scale start to budge this morning so I'm happy with that. :D

b: coffee, another of those tasty veggie omelets, 16oz water - 200
s: banana w/smear of p. butter, 16oz h20 - 150
l: one homemade bean burrito on low carb wrap, 1 red grapefruit, 16oz aqua - 275
s: two homemade choc. chippers and a bit of the dough - 250
d: the most fabulous roasted chicken, steamed carrots w/a bit of butter, honey and cinnamon, leftover scalloped potatoes - 400
s: 3 jolly ranchers - 60


Total: 1350

I think I may make this into a through the month editable post. Then have a side by side comparison to calories and weight. I'm curious to see the correlation develop.
-------Weight Calories
1/11: 179.8____1922 +222
1/12: 178.4____1798+98 much better :)
1/13: 177.8____1685-15 Doing the 5pm as start of the new day was much easier! I am liking the tracking days dinner through lunch so far. It's easier to plan and properly excecute calories at breakfast and lunch for me.
1/14:
1/15:
1/16:
1/17:
1/18:
1/19:
1/20:
1/21:
1/22:
1/23:
1/24:
1/25:
1/26:
1/27:
1/28:
1/29:
1/30:
1/31:

ma, you might want to copy & paste into a new post every day or every few days, or it will get buried, and we won't get to see it!

K9Owner, I am a gadget-addict, too! I know how you feel. (This one really is great, though. A week after I bought it, they came out with the Ultra Fitbit, and it's all I can do, not to upgrade! But I can't justify it, since this one is perfectly good. But -- they are coming out with a wi-fi scale -- like the Withings, but less expensive -- that will sync with the Fitbit -- and it's sooooo tempting. I will probably get it as a reward for myself by the time it is released!)

OK, I forgot to update again last night. I went into a severe popcorn craving, but at least it was air-popped. So I ended the day with 1744 calories, and a 353 deficit.

Today was my mammogram, and I have a tradition -- I celebrate good results on mammograms by taking myself to IHOP and ordering two pancakes. :D Really, not having cancer is a great thing to celebrate! (I am hard-pressed to think of a better reason -- or two -- to celebrate) :D I also had an omelette, because I am assuming that I also do not have ovarian cancer. (On subjects like this, I like to think negative).

:carrot:

So, without apologies, (except, sorry for the bad puns), here is my already-high calorie count for today, Thursday:

breakfast: boiled egg, pear: 201
second breakfast: Light & Fit omelette, two blueberry pancakes: 730
afternoon snack (all that talk about popcorn made me crave it, and I have a box of microwave popcorn I need to use up, so --) one bag, plus a string cheese: 320
dinner: zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, NS Pasta with Beef: 230
snacks: NS dessert bar, 4 Hershey kisses, nonfat cottage cheese: 438


Total: 1919 Probably no deficit for me today. I'll be lucky to break even. But I had a good mammogram, and that's the important thing!

I've seen on here people who count calories dinner to lunch. I want to do this. I feel it will help greatly at reigning in the caloric counts. Especially since dinner is the most unpredicatable meal I deal with. For example we have dinner at a friends home tonight. And I have no idea what will be served. So to make the transition I figured that dinner tonight will be counted twice. Once to round out today, and then to start tomorrow caloric count that will end at lunch tomorrow. I figured this way I am sure to stay on track better than if I skipped this morning and just started tomorrow with dinner.

Anyone count this way? Did you just start it off doing so?