Ladybug

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Food Plan

If I am going to reach my goal, I need to lower my calories.  Period.  I'm doing OKAY with food choices, but in order to meet the aggressive goals that I have set, I need to make GOOD to GREAT food choices.  Currently, I average 2,500 calories burned per day and 2,000 consumed per day.  That should be a good average for 1 pound loss per week. 

It is definitely sustainable, but I would like to do a 2 week push to get to Onederland.  So, I have come up with a few ideas.
  1. Breakfast - I typically have a Smoothie King Chocolate Shredder (311 calories) w/ blueberries (40 calories) and coffee with hazelnut cream (50 calories) for a total of 400 calories for breakfast.  The Shredder gives me 39g of protein but I've determined that I get PLENTY of protein throughout the day, so there is no real need for a big time protein drink in the morning.  However, a shake works well because I'm sometimes tight AND I go to lunch quite early.  So, I ordered the low carb slim fast shakes (190 calories, 20g protein).  Hopefully I will like them as is, but I can always add some PB2 for 45 calories.  With my coffee I will be at 240-285 calories which will save over 100 calories in that one meal.
  2. AM Snack - Since I eat lunch early, I don't have a need for a morning snack and that should continue.
  3. Lunch - when I stay in for lunch, I have no problem staying in the 400-500 calorie range for lunch.  However, I go out at least a couple of times a week.  Since that is some of my only social contact, I don't want to give it up.  So, I will commit to working to find 400-500 calorie meals for lunch.  My friends are very good about going places where I can make good choices, I just have to ask.  *** Interesting note:  today, my lunch plans cancelled on me.  I was planning to go to Chili's and get the Guiltless Grill salmon with black beans which is under 400 calories for the whole thing (of which I typically eat 2/3.)  Deep breath...I am flexible.  My new plans took me to Olive Garden.  They have a healthy fare menu and I got Minestrone (100 cal) and Chicken Speidini (460 c) depending what looks best when I get there.  I ate about 1/2 of both and brought the other half back for dinner.  My goal will be to limit my lunch to 500 calories.
  4. PM Snack - not cookies.  Since Girl Scout cookie time, this has been an issue.  My snack for the next two weeks will be a granola bar or greek yogurt (or any other filling item I can find for less than 200 calories.  And I will only have this snack on days that I work out.  Total for the day thus far:  1000 calories.
  5. Dinner - I would like to limit my dinner calories to 500.  Any ideas?  I'm sad to say that dinner is often a bowl of popcorn (475 c).  Not horrible, but not really the best choice.  I also often get 2 tacos from Taco Bell.  I think this meal is where I need to focus most.  If anybody has some good options, let me know.  I need easy and convenient!  Oh, and tasty!  :)
  6. Dessert - if I try to have NO treats after dinner, I usually end up doing something stupid, so I will limit myself to 2 ghirardelli chocolate squares (140 c)  Total for the day under this scenario:  approx. 1635 calories. 
Seeing that I'm averaging 2500 calories burned a day, that is over an 850 calorie deficit each day which amounts to a 1.7 pound loss per week.  That is the range I was losing for the first 9 months, I just need to get back there.  :)

Food has always been my weakness.  But I am committing to two weeks of healthy goodness!  Achieving little goals will help get me to where I want to be.

Hugs!

3 comments:

♥ Drazil ♥ said...

Food will always be my weakness....sigh. We just have to keep working on it...and your blog is part of that. Keep it up.

The Cozy (not crazy) Coconut said...

You have a great plan! I laughed at your comment on my post about my friends boobs! I'll let you know how she does and heck, maybe you will! LOL. My weakness is in the evenings and snacking after dinner too. My goal is to limit my calories - I need to be down at 1100 calories and I need to get my workout going again! I did lose a pound this week, so that's a good thing! Dinners for me are the birds eye or steamed veggie combinations - they are actually good and very quick. I also like to make turkey chili ( with black beans) - its so quick and easy - for a low cal but high protein dinner. Fish is also always good b/c it cooks so fast!

Liz said...

Do you cook? I find that making a big batch of something and freezing into individual portions makes dinner SO easy. My faves are chili, soup and meatloaf muffins.