New Year's Resolutions in MAY?! Calorie Budget Report!

Who talks about New Year’s Resolutions in May? We do. How you are you doing with yours?  My 2 resolutions had to do with BUDGETING… 1. My money 2. My calories to lose some weight.  Today’s post will revisit the latter. 

 

I started to count calories (using myfitnesspal app) back in November.  I’ve lost 12+ pounds and I am really happy with how all my clothes fit.  Moreso, I am happy about what I eat and how I feel.   My “pals” who include girlfriends, sisters, mom, cousins, uncles, my husband and everyone else who asks us about it, can’t believe how it works!  It is pure MATH… clear scientific evidence (calories in- calories out)!  Counting calories works to lose weight! Everyone who stuck with it religiously for 12 weeks has made significant healthy changes.  Besides the inches lost, we have had some great laughs and created memories cheering each other on and competing at things.  It has been a fun game to play with each other- for heaven’s sake, my husband special ordered me adidas shoes with “muffintops” embroidered across the heel.  A couple girls got into the “alpha dog” competition at the gym and they kicked BUTT! One of them is advancing to the next round.  I have enjoyed many “plank offs” at parties with these healthy buddies.  My uncle who is 20- years older than me won the last round- darn it!      

This post was inspired by 2 of my favorite “sisters”… we won’t user real names just yet so we will call them… Mrs. Weet Weet and Mrs. Giggles McGoo!   They want to lose weight but they just aren’t sure what to eat or how to grocery shop.  A fellow muffintop loser (the Ridler) and I put this together as an easy to use guide for dropping some pounds.  Starting with BREAKFAST!

First, a few notes from my experiences:

When I first became aware of calories, I kept going over my 1310 calorie a day budget.  My friend looked at my log and we quickly realized that I ate up most of my calorie allotment before noon!  I also realized that I have a lot of will power in the morning and it starts to dwindle as the day goes on. SO- the best place to start to make changes was in the morning… at breakfast.  Then later in the evening, I might have room for an evening snack or glass of wine. 

COMMIT TO 8 WEEKS!  If your 8 weeks starts now- you are looking at now until the middle of July.  First, you have to learn to record everything you eat… that takes a few days.  I used to nibble the kids leftovers and take “handfuls” of things without even realizing it.  Measure EVERYTHING! Once you know how to record everything that goes into your mouth, you can try to adjust the amounts.  Becoming, aware of your daily habits takes a few weeks to get used to.  Then it will take you a few more weeks to make new habits.  That’s why I think that 8 weeks is a magic number to see results!  You will get into the swing of it! Before you know it, you will be dropping 1 pound a week. Your clothes will loosen up! You will feel lighter! You will have more energy! You will be able to move more quickly and confidently.  Boom! You hit your goal then you can eat more calories per day again. When you reach 8 weeks, you will want to do another 8 weeks with a new goal.  

 Calorie Breakdown:

200 (breakfast 8- 9am)

100 (snack 10 or 11am)

250- 350 (lunch- noon or 1)

100 (snack 3pm)

350-450 (dinner 6-7pm)

100 (evening snack)

TOTAL: 1100- 1300 calories

Breakfast:

OPTION 1:

Oatmeal Bliss! 

Oatmeal (150 for 1/2 cup)- Almond unsweetened vanilla milk (18 calories for 1/2 cup)

Add a handful of blueberries, strawberries, grapes or blackberriesJ (when they are start to go bad and are getting mushy you can still eat them in your oatmeal or a smoothie! )- ~20 calories

Coffee or Tea with measured 1 Tbsp creamer 35 calories- (Splenda? Stevia? NO SUGAR)

Total – just over 200

OPTION 2:

Eggerific Sandwich!

Egg white sandwich- ½ English muffin (50 calories for Thomas wheat), 2 egg whites (18 calories per), thin slice of ham (15 calories) spray butter (zero calories)

¼ cup of cottage cheese (45 calories)

Coffee or Tea with measured 1 Tbsp creamer 35 calories- (Splenda? Stevia? NO SUGAR)

Total- less than 200

 

OPTION 3:

Shake it up! 

Protein shake- 1 scoop ~100 calories, 1 whole cup of almond milk (35 calories) plus fruit

It doesn’t seem like it fills you up but it’s fast and healthy- great way to get your vitamins and suppliments. It’s an energy booster… it starts your metabolism.  Plus, you will be eating 2 hours later.

 Coffee or Tea with measured 1 Tbsp creamer 35 calories- (Splenda? Stevia? NO SUGAR)

Total: Less than 200

OPTION 4: 

Yogie Morning!

1 serving of greek yogurt (140 calories) with high protein granola (1/8 cup 70 calories)

Coffee or Tea with measured 1 Tbsp creamer 35 calories- (Splenda? Stevia? NO SUGAR)

Total: 200

OPTION 5:

Peanut butter (1 Tbsp is 100 calories) on an English Muffin (Thomas wheat 100 calories)

*You will figure out that a whole Tbsp and a whole muffin is a lot! You could cut it in half.

Coffee or Tea with measured 1 Tbsp creamer 35 calories- (Splenda? Stevia? NO SUGAR)

Handful of berries (25 calories)

Total- less than 250

Now remember, IF YOU DO A CARDIOVASCULAR exercise to burn extra calories, you can eat more! Add them to your calorie count! Get to the gym, go for a walk, a bike ride, chase your kids at the park, play softball, do yoga etc. etc. !

As I have said before, I LOVE breakfast foods! I use to LOVE cereal.  I used to eat Kashi Go Lean Heart to Heart cereal (the kids call it “mom kind”) almost every day.  Now I enjoy it now and again but smaller portions and with skim milk or almond milk.I have been known to eat a pumpkin roll with cheesecake filling french toast but I save those for dessert on days that I work out.  

I don't like to call this a "DIET" in the sense of a temporary thing... it should be changing the way you eat forever... HOWEVER, you will NOT have to monitor so closely what you eat for too long.  Do it until you make new habits and lose the weight. While you are trying to lose you are consuming a deficit of calories.  Once you get used to new foods and portions, you will not want to go back to your old ways- your old ways will gross you out.  You will get more calories a day to maintain you new weight and your new calorie count will feel like a ton.  This new YOU will feel great! It WILL make your form new habits to eating the right portions of food!  Please note: I know there are always better and better ways to eats. (eliminating caffeine, cleanse, raw foods, all organic, vegetarian, no sugar) This is where I am on my journey and I am REALLY happy to be here now.  Another BLOG that I LOVE is REAL FOOD. They are all about healthy choices! 

So, there ya go… those are our favorite breakfast options to drop pounds.  Tell us what you think!  Look forward to upcoming posts for lunch, snack, dinner and dessert options.