Paperclippy, you posted while my post was sitting in the reply box. Welcome to Volumetrics. It sounds to me like you have done well in spite of medical problems.
I don't figure the energy density of everything - mostly because I don't like arithmetic. I go by the principles of using foods with high water and fiber content. I pretty much know what I shouldn't be eating - ie foods with high energy density.
I eat lots of salad with lots of lettuce. I absolutely know that the two big salads I usually eat every day help me to stay away from things I shouldn't eat. I guess it is the bulk. I put anything I can find into my salads, avoiding high fat salad dressing and starchy vegs. I like Trader Joe's low fat salad dressings or sometimes I make my own with fat free yogurt or reduced fat mayo.
I like designing my own recipes. For instance, I just made myself some turkey spaghetti. I chopped up a huge pile of bell pepper, onion and garlic, sauteed it, added tomatoes and tomato sauce. Then I browned the meat and mixed it all together. I do always weigh out my pasta so I don't overdo the serving size. It turns out I really like the spaghetti with all the veggies added. I would have used some mushrooms, too, if I had had any.
Gail, thanks for the welcome! I find the energy density to be really helpful because then I can put my bowl on my scale, zero it, put food in, write down the grams, and calculate calories by grams * e.d., which is way easier for me than measuring out something like "1 1/2 Cups" or "1/3 recipe". I've suffered from portion creep in the past so weighing makes it much easier for me. Plus I like knowing which category my recipe ends up in, so I can make a file of which are lower e.d.
My plan is that once I get back to my goal weight I'll be able to transition away from calorie counting and at that point I'll have a big enough file of low e.d. recipes that I know which recipes to watch portions on and which I can eat a larger amount of.
I'm going to have to go back and look at that. I know it can't be that difficult!! You sound much more organized than I am! I have tons of healthy recipes, and I have to go through every one to find what I want. I keep thinking I will sit down and organize it all....
Welcome paperclippy! I work much like Gail does, not keeping exact track of things but cramming everything full of veggies and avoiding fats and processed grains, etc. I think I add grated carrots to EVERYTHING!
I would probably lose weight quicker if I was more organized and disciplined as it seems you are, but I find myself rebelling against myself if I'm too restrictive. Maybe you could just keep close track of the carbs, fats and proteins, and fill in with veggies? That way you could use any number of different recipes and just adapt them to the volumetrics theory? There are recipes on different 3FC sites, and maybe you could look at them and adapt them to work for volumetrics. Good luck!
Well, Liz, we don't want to discourage Paperclippy from being organized, just because we aren't. LOL.
I am sort of foundering here. I just can't seem to stay on track with the eating. I have been getting a little exercise....darned little, but better than none.
Hello everyone:
Just wanted to introduce myself as a volumetrics fan. I read the book last December and it really clicked in many ways. Adding that information with movtivation, an awesome dvd exercise tape, and extreme knee pain, helped me to get started in January. I chose Jan 20th to start since someone else was starting their own massive change the world job. I've journaled my food in a little notebook everyday (often the night before in pencil to plan things out for the day). I've also kept a sort of diary of my first 100 days in comparison with our President's 100 days. Next January, I'll do a State of Me review and notice to see how I've done (should have reached my weight loss goal and kept if off for at least four months by then). I had a very conservative weight loss plan but with steady progress I've re-evaluated and have set the goal of 130 pounds. I'm about half-way to my goal so that's encouraging. Haven't weighed yet but have measured myself about two months in to this, then at three. So, hope to continue to see smaller clothes in the closet (hello size 8--never fit in that size) and also less pain. I'm actually moving around with days of little to no pain. Wow.
It's been a long wait, but I'm finally giving myself 2 lbs lost. I think it might be more, but I don't trust myself enough- I'll wait another week or two and then see.
