If you've been around these parts before, then you know I love calorie counting. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but for me, I have a really hard time completely cutting out certain foods (read: pasta). I would rather be able to eat whatever I want as long as it fits into my count for the day! I'm fine with guestimating and getting close enough, and don't ever "cheat" on the app - I really count everything I eat!
I've been using the Lose It app now for six years whenever I want to lose a few pounds or get my diet back on track, and I love it because it's really simple and easy to use. The focus is on calorie counting, not on monitoring anything else though, so it really depends on what you're looking for in an app. I've had success following the calorie counting plan in the past and have lost thirteen pounds so far this spring! (Although do the first five pounds really count? I started the day after our trip to Charleston and was up five pounds from the trip, which came off within two days. So eight may be a more appropriate number ;)
I freaking love reading other people's food diaries because I'm nosey, so I thought it would be fun to share what I eat in a week with you! My calorie allowance for each day varies around 1,400 (It goes down as you lose weight - nooooo!! But you do get extra calories if you exercise!) and is based on losing two pounds per week. I tried the one pound per week plan in the past, but really didn't see much success. My trainer (ahem: a few years ago) told me to really go for it and cut the calories more drastically if I wanted to see results, and that has worked for me. He also said to definitely give myself a cheat day or a couple cheat meals every week so that my body wouldn't think it's starving itself and adjust my metabolism. I'm not a nutritionist, but his advice has worked for me!
Monday
- 10:00am - started late because I’ve been answering emails. I worked from home so I decided to make eggs! I’m always amazed how much two eggs can fill me up throughout the day. I added a teensy bit of butter for flavor, and also a teeny bit shredded cheese because I was feeling crazy. 204 calories
- 12:30pm - a Sesame Chicken Lean Cuisine - grabbed between meetings! 330 calories
- 3pm: carrots and hummus 105 calories
- 6:30pm - I roast some broccoli and make some couscous to go along with leftover pork chops that Jeff grilled yesterday. They were HUGE so we shared one between us. 619 calories
- 8:30pm - I realize I have the exact number of calories left on my plan for one serving of ice cream. Yes, I’m one of those disgusting people who can eat one serving of ice cream and stop. 280 calories
Exercise: walked 40 minutes
Total food calories: 1,538
Daily total minus exercise: 1,423
Tuesday
- 8:00am - made a smoothie, I eyeballed incorrectly though and basically ended up with spinach and a hint of berry! I’m actually at the point now where I prefer my smoothies to have spinach in them so they aren’t so sweet so it actually isn’t too terrible. 227 calories
- 11:00am - I realize that I’ll be in meetings through 1:30, so I have a bowl of popcorn! I used to eat tons of microwave popcorn, but my mom was worried I would get cancer from it so she bought me an air popper. I do three tablespoons of kernels and melt one tablespoon of butter to drizzle on top (oh and add lots of popcorn salt of course!) 242 calories
- 2pm - I remembered to buy an avocado yesterday, so I decide to have avocado toast with three slices of turkey for lunch. We have leftover grilled brussels sprouts in the fridge, so I add those on the side. 507 calories
- 7pm - We make my favorite Chicken and Zucchini Noodle stir fry from the SkinnyTaste Fast and Slow cookbook, so good and flavorful! We usually just eat this itself as a meal, but I remember we have a bagged Asian salad mix so we have that on the side. 506 calories
Exercise: walked 30 minutes, ab and leg exercises at home
Total food calories: 1,482
Daily total minus exercise: 1,374
Wednesday
- 8:00am - another smoothie! My favorite recipe is a handful of spinach, 1.5 cups of coconut water, 1 cup of frozen mixed berries, plus a teaspoon of chia seeds. 227 calories
- 10:30 - I head into the kitchen at work and discover they added peanut butter chocolate Kind bars, so yes, I’m having one as a snack. I’ve gotten into the habit of Kind bars as a morning snack when I’m in the office, so now every day at this time I crave one! 150 calories
- 12:00pm - Whenever I’m in the office I order the same thing for lunch - a chopped chicken salad from Fooda. Today they remembered all of the ingredients, so I’m a happy camper. 501 calories
- 6:30pm - I get home and am starving, so we dive right into leftover Chicken and Zucchini Noodles again. 399 calories
- 8:30pm - I once again have enough calories leftover for a little scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, so one serving it is! 280 calories
Exercise: walked 45 minutes
Total food calories: 1,557
Daily total minus exercise: 1,398
Thursday
- 9am - I remember that I had that half of an avocado leftover from Tuesday, so avocado toast it is! I mix the avocado with salt and a little bit of lemon juice, put it on top of some sourdough toast, and top it with extra virgin olive oil. This is so filling I’m good for hours! 352 calories
- 1:45pm - after going for a walk at lunch, I heat up some leftover rice and Pad Grapow from Chrissy Tiegen’s cookbook Cravings (note: I do NOT recommend this cookbook for dieting, everything is delicious but definitely not low cal). 519 calories
- 7pm - It’s still not quite spring, but a 50 degree day makes us decide to turn on the grill. We make our favorite sriracha salmon from the SkinnyTaste Cookbook along with grilled asparagus and whole wheat couscous. 608 calories
Exercise: walked 30 minutes, ab and leg exercises at home
Total food calories: 1,479
Daily total minus exercise: 1,373
Friday
- 8am - I know I’m going to go over in calories today because of my plans tonight, so I decide to go with something that will keep me full so I won’t need to snack - two scrambled eggs with a tiny bit of cheese. 204 calories
- 12pm - I’m in the office again and grab my favorite chopped chicken salad. They forget the croutons today (nooo the best part!) but it looks like they threw in extra chicken instead so I’m counting it the same. 501 calories
- 5:30pm - I met up with my friend Jaclyn after work to order bridesmaid dresses for a wedding this fall, and talk about how we have to make sure we can fit into the dresses in six months. Then we immediately wind up at happy hour drinking wine - that’s always the way it goes, right? We have three glasses each and then wind up ordering “snacks” which turn out to be huge once they come - burrata toast, shredded brussels sprout salad, and an avocado and tuna tartare - yum! Since we’re out it’s harder to track the calories, so I guesstimate. 1,333 calories.
- 7pm - Jaclyn just missed her train so we head across the street to a little pub for one more beer. Ugh I really should have gotten a light. 246 calories
- 8:30pm - I get home and mix a Moscow Mule while Jeff and I watch last week’s episode of The Challenge: Champs vs Stars (our favorite!). I remember that I’ve now had five drinks and start worrying I’ll have a hangover, so I grab a leftover slice of frozen pizza from the fridge. 264 calories.
Exercise: walked 45 minutes
Total food calories: 2,548
Daily total minus exercise: 2,389
Saturday
- 9am - I decide to go for scrambled eggs again, because my mom and sister talked me into going to the zoo with them and I’m not sure how long it’ll be until lunchtime. 204 calories
- 10:30am - I get to the zoo at the predetermined time, but as I’m about to pull into the parking lot my sister calls and says they’re stuck in traffic and will be another hour. I’m right by a Starbucks, so I head inside to hang and order my usual, a grande non-fat chai latte. 210 calories
- 1:30pm - After walking all over the zoo, we head into the cafeteria for lunch. My sister and I both want chicken tenders and fries, but decide to behave and get turkey sandwiches instead. We aren’t total monsters though and get some Cheetos for the table. My two year old niece doesn’t eat any of her sandwich and therefore does not earn her share of Cheetos, so I have a few more than I planned before we head back out to find the giraffes. 707 calories
- 7:00pm - I told Jeff to plan on something healthy for dinner, so he picked Orecchiette with Sausage and Baby Kale from the SkinnyTaste Cookbook. Jeff cracked into a beer while cooking, but I’m trying to behave so I have a Spindrift sparkling water. I’ve never had the blackberry flavor before - yum! 425 calories
- 8:00pm - We decide to watch The Greatest Showman, and Jeff is having another beer so I decide to open a Bud Light (watching those calories!) - it’s good but I don’t feel a need to open a second. 110 calories
Exercise: three and a half hours of slow walking around the zoo and then the grocery store - 592 calories
Total food calories: 1,656
Daily total minus exercise: 1,052
Sunday
- 9am - I put some toast in the toaster thinking I’d have avocado toast, only to discover the avocados I bought yesterday are nowhere close to ripe, so I end up having peanut butter toast instead. Peanut butter on sourdough bread is weird. 290 calories
- 12:30pm - I’m starving after Jeff and I play tennis, and heat up the little bit of leftover chicken and zucchini noodles left in the fridge. I also grab a yogurt. 399 calories
- 3:30pm - I’m starving and pop a little popcorn, and tell Jeff under no terms is he allowed to share with me ;) 242 calories
- 7pm - We decided to grill again, and I was in charge this time. Barbecue drumsticks, yum! We grill some broccoli and add a chopped salad too. 607 calories
Exercise: forty-five minutes of light tennis - 296 calories
Total food calories: 1,538
Daily total minus exercise: 1,242
Whew, and that's how we do it! So tell me, is calorie counting something that would work for you? Have any weight loss tips??
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