Thursday, February 20, 2014

2-20-14 Total Calories

(1836 cals)

Hit my goal for calories today. Been drinking more water too when I feel the urge to shove something in my face. The water is necessary for my overall hydration. The small coke strategy is a step towards getting rid of sodas altogether and to keep my soda binges small. I'm working on figuring out a way to my exercise more a daily occurrence, but nothing big yet. Have to do a step at a time rather than all at once.

2-20-14 Dinner

1 Beef Taco from a Mexican Restaurant (250 cals)
.5 cup Spanish Rice (106 cals)
.5 cup Refried Beans (109 cals)
1 Tablespoon of Cheddar Cheese (61 cals)
1 Small McDonald's Coke (150 cals)

(676 cals)

2-20-14 Snacks

5-10 Reser Pepperoni Sticks (160 cals)
2 Safeway Brand Chocolate Chip cookies (120 cals)

(280 calories) - Gotta make sure I don't eat unconsciously. Every mouthful counts.

2-20-14 Lunch

Roast Beef Sandwich from Safeway deli (see below)
.25 oz of yellow mustard (3 cals)
2 leaves of lettuce (4 cals)
5 slices of roast beef (25 cals)
2 slices of swiss cheese (140 cals)
2 slices of whole wheat bread (138 cals)
1 Bottle of Pom's Pomegranate Peach White Tea (160 cals)
1 Banana (110)

(580 cals) - The cheese was a surprise as far as how many calories it has.

2-20-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Oat Fit Apples&Cinnamon Oatmeal (300 cals)

(300 cals) - This brand is less sweet and more filling. I might have had some water to go with it.

2-19-14 Total Calories

(TBA)

2-19-14 Dinner

.5 cup of spanish rice .5 cup of refried beans 2 fried shredded beef tacos 1 small McDonald's coke

2-19-14 Lunch

1 McChicken Sandwich from McDonalds 1 McDonald's Hamburger 1 McDonald's small fry 1 McDonald's small coke

2-19-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Oat Fit Apples & Cinnamon Oatmeal 2 strips of bacon 1 slice of light french toast 1 cup of scrambled eggs 1 glazed doughnut

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

2-18-14 Total Calories

(2540 cals)

I thought I had eaten better than I actually did. The bad stuff, such as ranch dressing and brownies, really add up. I'm going to try and be a lot better about not drinking sodas. That was the worst mistake of the day.

2-18-14 Dinner

1 Fried Potsticker (90 cals)
1.5 cups of white rice (306 cals)
1 cup of Teriyaki Beef (350 cals)
1 small portion of lettuce (25 cals)
1 16 oz Coke (190 cals)
.5 Tablespoon of Ranch Dressing (38 cals)

(999 cals) - Not sure how to estimate the calorie amounts of food when eating at a mom & pop restaurants, but I am hoping that I am in the ballpark. The coke was a bad idea.

2-18-14 Snacks

2 Safeway Chocolate Chip Cookies (120 cals)

(120 cals)

2-18-14 Lunch

1 Roast Beef Sandwich on Sour Dough toast (640 cals)
1 Medium Salad (green leaf, tomato, carrot shreds) (35 cals)
.5 oz of Bleu Cheese Dressing (38 cals)
1 16 oz Iced Tea (4 cals)

(717 cals) - I honestly thought the roast beef sandwich was healthy than it actually was.

2-18-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Quaker Instant Oats Apple & Cinnamon (480 cals)
2 Brownies (224)

(704 cals) - I blew it with the brownie, but I know that.

2-17-14 Total Calories

(2657 cals)

The lesson from today was to think about meals in terms of modules. I think I am doing well with breakfast so far. My bad meals usually occur with lunch and dinner. So, perhaps the lesson is to fix lunch (no pun intended) by making more healthy choices, and then work on a more healthy dinner. We'll see what I can manage.

Monday, February 17, 2014

2-17-14 Dinner

.5 cup of Spanish Rice (106 cal)
.5 cup of Re-fried Beans (109 cal)
2 fried Shredded Beef Tacos (500 cal)
1 16 oz coke (182 cals)

(897 cal) - Thinking about it. Tough day for reasons that have nothing to do with food, but make me want to eat a lot.

2-17-14 Lunch

1 Big Mac (560 cals)
1 medium fries (380 cals)
1 medium Coke (210 cals)

(1150 cals) - I know I am not going to lose weight eating fast food.

2-17-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Quaker Instant Oats Apple & Cinnamon (480 cals)
1 single package of Chobani Blueberry Lowfat Yogurt (130 cals)

(610 cals)

Sunday, February 16, 2014

2-16-14 Total Calories

(2844 cals)

I seem to be eating about the same amount of calories each day. The real trick is not eating less as much as it seems to be about replacing some of those very bad calories with fruits and vegetables. I need to make more time for food preparation. Although figuring out how to make food buying and preparation a part of my lifestyle change is trickier than just eating less junk. Changing bad habits stinks.

2-16-14 Dinner

1 Medium Soft Drink (Coke) from DQ (270 cals)
1 Box of fries from DQ (380 cals)
1 Crispy (ie. fried) Chicken Sandwich (610 cals)
1 Mini-tub of Fry Sauce 1 Fl Oz. (140 cals)
1 Heaping Helpful of Regret

(1400 cals) Not a good decision. I need to figure out a quick and healthy meal that both satisfies and lasts me the rest of the day.

2-16-14 Snacks

1 16 oz. Allan Bros. Chai (250 cals) ~ estimated
1 16 oz. Hot Tea (8 cals)

(258 cals)

2-16-14 Lunch

1 Beef Taco from a Mexican Restaurant (250 cals)
.5 cup Spanish Rice (106 cals)
.5 cup Refried Beans (109 cals)
1 Tablespoon of Cheddar Cheese (61 cals)

(526 cals)

2-16-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Quaker Instant Oats Apple & Cinnamon (480 cals)
1 single package of Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Yogurt (180 cals)

(660 cals)

Snow Interruptions

Well, I was off to a pretty good start, but when the snow hit, I found that I did not want to keep track of what I was eating. It was not that I did not want to eat better any longer. Far from it. The desire to be more conscious about what I ate was still as strong as ever, as well as the more wistful and infinitely fainter hope that I would lose weight by making better choices. The problem was that I was ashamed of what I was eating. Being cooped up inside, all while snow raged outside, made me want to eat everything in the house. I am convinced that there must be a biological basis for this. In terms of the ancient world, large snows probably meant famine of some kind, and increased desire to eat was a hedge against starvation. However, in the modern world, it's hard to justify eating an entire bag of potato chips because you were bored, cold, and had a craving for it. I also did not exercise at all during this period. I mostly stayed in bed under the covers.

Aside from the emotional dimensions of eating, I was also a little tried of keeping track of everything. The nature of my current lifestyle means that I tend to eat a lot of meals out, which frankly, is related to where I live (lack of full kitchen access) and whom I eat with. (The "whom" part means I eat with people who also eat out and would be hurt or insulted if I begged off as much as I would want.) It turns out navigating a change in food is the same as navigating a change in behaviors that have social, economic dimensions, as much as will-power.

It might sound strange and counter-intuitive to say, but my meals out are a function of my poverty, something else which I am trying to come to terms with as well. Poverty is a root factor in a lot of the dimensions that affect choices about food - i.e. knowledge about food, relationship and access to certain foods or equipemnt, attitudes towards food, etc. You can be affected by a thing and still not know just how much it can affect you.

Friday, February 7, 2014

2-7-14 Breakfast

2 eggs (156 cals)
2 Tablespoons of 2% milk (16 cals)
2 Tablespoons of La Victoria Medium Hot Salsa (10 cals)
2 Slices of Dave's Killer Bread Blues (240 cals)
1 Tablespoon Butter (102 cals)
1 Tablespoon Safeway Select Strawberry Preserves (50 cals)

(574 cals)

2-6-14 Total Calories

(2780 cals)

My mistake from today was the sparkling red apple juice from Martinelli's. I knew that I was cheating, but it was cold outside, and my will-power was faltering. Just being aware of my calorie intake has helped me make better choices. However, I need to get better at figuring out portion sizes. My ability to estimate a tablespoon or a cup of anything need work.

2-6-14 Dinner

2 pieces of card-deck-sized roast beef (500 cals)
.25 cup of roast onions (20 cals)
.25 cup of roast carrots (25 cals)
.5 cup of roast potatoes (163 cals)
1 24 oz. glass of Martinelli's Sparkling Red Grape (510 cals)

(1218 cals)

Thursday, February 6, 2014

2-6-14 Snacks

1 Safeway chocolate chip cookie (60 cals)
.5 cup of Fried Rice (114 cals)
.5 cup of Mandarin Beef (225 cals)

(399 cals) - I finished up my left over lunch.

2-6-14 Lunch

3 Imitation Fried Crab Puffs (242 cals)
1 small cup of tea (2 cals)
.5 cup of Fried Rice (114 cals)
.5 cup of Mandarin Beef (225 cals)
1 12 oz. glass of water (free)

(583 cals) I had lunch too close to breakfast, so I did not eat as much as I usually would have. However, a couple of hours later, I was feeling hungry again.

2-6-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Quaker Oats Apple & Cinnamon Oatmeal (390 cals)
1 Tillamook Strawberry Yogurt (190 cals)

(580 cals)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

2-5-14 Total Calories

(2713)

I skipped lunch because breakfast was so late in the day. I also ate some food in the morning out of boredom. Later on in the evening, my food choices were influenced by emotions. I wanted to eat a lot of food to help myself feel better. The emotions made it so I didn't care how much I was eating. Clearly, this is a problem. However, I am not going to let myself get too distracted by these problems. You can't win every battle, but you can still win a war if you keep fighting.

2-5-14 Dinner

Olive Garden Dinner w/ Family
2 breadsticks (300 cals)
1 medium sized salad (300 cals)
1 raspberry lemonade (110 cals)
1 Capelini Pomodoro (540 cals)
1 small slice of pizza (200 cals)

(1450 cals) A Birthday dinner. Calorie totals are more of a guess, since I can't tell how much Olive Garden considers a serving.

2-5-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Quaker Oats Apple & Cinnamon Oatmeal (390 cals)
1 Tillamook Strawberry Yogurt (180 cals)
2 cups of stale popcorn (93 cals)
2 doughnuts (600 cals)

(1263) Clearly, the doughnuts were a mistake. I ate them for comfort reasons.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

2-4-14 Total Calories

(2452 calories)

I would have met my goal if not for the hot fudge sundae at the end of the day. It was just one of those things. The real story here is that this was a day I normally would have over eaten by 1000 calories. Instead, even though I was eating out, I made better choices than I otherwise would have done. Instead, I only missed my goal by about 300 calories. I am more conscious of my food choices. That's good. The temptation to eat even more junk is there, but I am resisting it. The next goal is to stop eating out so much, but then again, that will be a bit more difficult since food preparation and shopping are challenges.

2-4-14 Snacks

Part of an apple (25 cals)
1 Hot Fudge Sundae from Dairy Queen (306 cals)

(331 cals) The apple had an awful texture, so I wasn't able to finish it. I like really crisp apples, and this one was a bit mushy. The hot fudge sundae was an effort to boost the mental health of someone else. It was a treat that served as a relationship strengthener. These things happen and are necessary.

2-4-14 Dinner

2 slices of sourdough toast (136 cals)
4 large strips of bacon (276 cals)
.25 Tablespoon of mayonaisse (24 cals)
.25 Tablespoon of Ranch Dressing (37 cals)
Shredded Lettuce (5 cals)
Tomato slices (15 cals)
.5 cup of fries (183 cals)

(676 cals) No soda for this meal, which is a good thing.

2-4-14 Lunch

1 Beef Taco from a Mexican Restaurant (250 cals)
.5 cup Spanish Rice (106 cals)
.5 cup Refried Beans (109 cals)
.25 cup Mozzarella cheese (185 cals)
1 Tablespoon of Cheddar Cheese (61 cals)
1 16 oz Coca-cola (184 cals)

(895 cals) I don't want to talk about the mozzarella cheese thing. It was hidden lump on my plate that was only discovered after swallowing.

2-4-14 Breakfast

3 Packets of Quaker Oats Apple & Cinnamon Oatmeal (390 cal)
1 Tillamook Yogurt with Mountain Berries (130 cal)
1 handful of stale popcorn (30 cal)

(550 calories) I seriously don't understand why that Quaker Oats stuff is overpackaged. The wasteful packaging design almost makes me not want to buy it. I am also not too certain what the heck a mountain berry is, but then again, there were pictures of blueberries and blackberries on it, so I am going to go with that.

Monday, February 3, 2014

2-3-14 Total Calories

(2143 calories)

I think I hit my calorie target for 2200 or under. However, I should also start paying attention to the quality of food I eat. Fried calories stick to the heart worse than vegetable calories do, or so I assume. I only had that after dinner chocolate for a snack. I plan to do some grocery shopping tonight so I can buy some oatmeal, and possibly eggs and salsa, for more breakfasts. I've also made it a point to drink more water and tea.

2-3-14 Dinner

1 cup of white rice (206 cal)
1 cup of teryaki beef (350 cal)
3 fried potstickers (140 cal)
1 iceberg lettuce salad (5 cal)
1 Tablespoon of ranch dressing (74 cal)
1 piece of after-dinner chocolate (76 cal)

(851 calories)

2-3-14 Lunch

1 diner style hamburger (379 cal)
.5 Tablespoon of mayonnaise (47 cal)
.5 Tablespoon Relish (20 cal)
.5 cup of diner style thin cut fries (163 cal)
1 16 oz. Coca-cola (187 cal)

(796 calories) I really enjoyed this meal, but I was conscious to not eat everything they served. Just half of the fries, and not all of the coke (if you can believe it). It cost about ten bucks, but it was special treat. It was unhealthy to be sure, but I am surprised that it wasn't as many calories as it might have been. (Assuming, of course, I guesstimated correctly.)

2-3-14 Breakfast

2 eggs (180 cals)
2 Tablespoons of Milk (in the eggs) (14 cal)
3 Tablespoons of La Victoria Salsa Medium (30 cal)
1 Slice of Dave's Killer Bread (Blues)(120 cal)
1 Tablespoon of Butter (102 cal)
1 Tablespoon of Safeway Selects Strawberry Jam (50 cal)
1 12 oz. glass of water

(496 cal) A good sized breakfast with a decent amount of calories.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

2-2-14 Total Calories

(2465 cals)

I did not eat as many calories today as I thought, especially seeing as how I ate two meals from fast food restaurants in one day. My excuse is that I have not bought healthy food from the store that I can either make or cook yet. And, aside from the relaxing I did most of the afternoon, I attended a memorial service for an acquaintance and wanted to show support for our friends and her family. I was running late and buying lunch and dinner at a place of convenience seemed like a satisfactory compromise on a Sunday night when all of the good places are closed. I should have planned ahead and eaten better. As it was, even though I consumed less calories than yesterday, none of the food I had eaten tasted all that good. The lesson from today was plan better, drink more unsweetened ice tea, and don't eat so much at bad places. The last one is a habit that I will have to break.

2-2-14 Dinner

1 Burger King Whopper (653 cals)
1 Burger King Medium Fries (258 cals)
1 Burger King Regular Coke (168 cals)

(1079 cals)

2-2-14 Snacks

Handful of Popcorn (106 cals)
(106 cals)

2-2-14 Lunch

2 McDonald's hamburgers (500 cals)
1 medium fry (only ate half) (190 cals)
1 iced tea (0 cals)

(690 cals) I didn't know that unsweetened tea had zero calories. I probably should have known since it is basically water, and shouldn't be admitting that I didn't.

2-2-14 Breakfast

1.5 cups chili (384 cals)
1 cup rice (206 cals)
1 16 oz. glass of water

(590 cals)

Saturday, February 1, 2014

2-1-14 Total Calories

(2895 cals)

Once again, lunch foiled most of my eating goals. I am also surprised by how many calories are in white rice. I had always assumed that rice was good for you, but it turns out that I should be eating much less of it than I normally do. I also must remind myself that, even while I am overeating still, I am teaching myself which foods have the most calories and therefore am making progress towards my overall goals. Knowledge is the first step to change, right?

2-1-14 Dinner

2 cups of Chili (512 cals)
2 cups of white rice (412 cal)

(924 cals)

2-1-14 Lunch

1 Dairy Queen Crispy Chicken Sandwich (610 cals)
1 Dairy Queen Fries (260 cals)
1 Medium Pepsi (260 cals)

(1130 cals)

To change a diet, it helps to know how many calories are in the meals you typically get. I've been getting this meal for a long time. I hope I saved myself some calories by removing the mayonnaise on it, but really, I know I am probably just kidding myself. Just four days experience is telling me that just one of my favorite fast food meals make up about half of my daily calorie goals.

2-1-14 Snacks

1 Cinnamon Twist Doughnut (240 cal)

2-1-14 Breakfast

2 eggs (180 cals)
2 Tablespoons of Milk (in the eggs) (14 cal)
4 Tablespoons of La Victoria Salsa Medium (40 cal)
2 slices of toast (Dave's Killer Bread - Blues) (240 cal)
1 Tablespoon of butter (102 cal)
.5 Tablespoon of Strawberry preserves (25 cal)
1 12 oz. glass of water

(601 Calories)

January Monthly Totals

2827 cal - 1/29
2760 cal - 1/30
2537 cal - 1/31

Only three days to report, so I won't really do a lot with these numbers yet.