Much of losing weight is about awareness. Awareness in your body, awareness about how much you move (or how much you don’t), and awareness of what you’re eating. For instance, they passed a law in Vermont that fast food restaurants have to post calories on every food item. Well, one day I took my son to Applebee’s, and ordered the Oriental Grilled Chicken salad as I always have, thinking it a healthy option. But there were the calories next to the item: 1,390!!! That left me with 10 calories for the DAY! It’s true, I rarely ate the whole thing, but come on…1,390 for a salad?
These days people are more aware of these sort of hidden calories (and in fact Applebee’s now offers Weight Watchers Selections) but taking the time to track what you eat, even if it’s just for awhile, is very much worth the effort. It’s helped me to realize that if I use 140 calories on a chicken breast versus a granola bar I am far less hungry an hour later. And that some things are just not worth the calories they cost.
I’m in the home stretch in my weight loss adventure and goal to lose 65 pounds by my 50th birthday. I’m doing a six-meal everyday type diet, high protein, no carbs after noon. But my trainer is insisting I eat more calories each day (don’t envy me this dilemma, I would kill you now for a piece of fruit, a slice of dried mango), so once again the counting has proved invaluable.
I know if it were me reading this a year ago, I would think to myself, “Sure, YOU need to count, but I know all this stuff. I know how to eat less and watch my calories, what’s good and what’s bad. I don’t need to track them.“ But seriously, try it. Just for a week. Learn where your calories come from and how much you’re taking in. And be honest. Your body deserves honesty.
And as for me? four weeks and 13 pounds to go…
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