Hey Everyone!
Yesterday was my first day tracking in a long time and my first time trying to post an attachment so forgive me if this blog doesn't display correctly.
I actually had a really good day yesterday food-wise.
We change internet providers and that always seems to be a nightmare. I spent so much time on the phone with tech support and trying to get everything working that there wasn't time to eat crap!
As this is my first time posting my tracker I will explain a little bit about how it works. If you want to know how many points specific things are, however, you will have to join WW. I can't give away all their secrets!
They have two plans and although I prefer the plan they call the "filling foods" plan (which I think emphasizes healthier eating more and counting points less) I am going to do the one they primarily focus on which is the "Momentum Plan" for now. In that plan you track everything and it gets you used to portion sizes. For this reason they have everyone start out on the Momentum Plan.
Essentially you respond to a few simple questions, and that information is combined with your age, gender, and current weight to arrive at a daily points total.
The ides is to use all of your daily points each day, and then use an extra 35 points for "indulging" when you would like to.
If you exercise you get more points depending on how much exercise you really do, and you can eat these points, but one needs to be aware that if they eat these activity points, the exercise won't contribute to additional weight loss.
You are also supposed to eat a certain number of servings from each food group. These are the "healthy guidelines" and are pretty much designed to follow each countries "food guide".
I'm not a big believer in following the "food guide" as I believe it is influenced by corporations, but I do believe that most people will be healthier than they would be otherwise if they follow it. When it comes down to following the food guide or eating fast food every night I quickly turn in favour of the food guide.
That is the summary version. Won't say anymore or weight watchers might sue me!
So my food eating for the day is in the image that is hopefully attached.
The things that stand out for me are:
1) Coffee. I drink at least two extra large coffees a day. I was shocked when I looked it up today and found out that each cup is 20 oz! So...I need to work on this...and I will...but not yet...I am doing enough already but I will get there.
2) Egg Creation Omelet: I am not sure everyone knows what this is but essentially it comes in a carton and is pre-made, processed, and low calorie. I really don't think I should have this, but right now I am ok with it. First I want to get to goal while being relatively healthy...then, hopefully, I will focus on staying away from anything processed.
3) Coconut Oil (Extra Virgin): Some will freak at the thought of eating this but I have done my research and it is heat stable and a medium string fat so it digests much better than other fats. When possible I will cook with this EVERYTIME.
4) Exercise: I did a lot today (20 minutes cardio and 80 minutes weight lifting) and gained 6 activity points I can use for another day (or not). Just don't expect me to do that much exercise everyday! LOL
5) Protein: Didn't have meat today but I had a protein shake and Tofu so I am not too concerned. Shoot! I forgot to put the Tofu on my tracker! Will do it now but the image attached to this will not show it. Add 2.5 more points for Tofu.
6) Total points eaten. I didn't eat enough. I really believe it is important to eat ALL your daily points and after correcting the TOFU mistake I still have 3.5 points left. Eating too little can just make your metabolism drop. I usually have no trouble eating my points so I'm not too concerned.
Technically I didn't have enough milk but I am not really convinced that it isn't better to get your calcium from other sources anyway so I am cool with that too. I usually drink Goat's milk as your body can digest it better but we didn't have any in the house today.
So that is the scoop for today!
I promise that this blog will not become a daily detailed analysis of what went in my mouth but since it is the first day of tracking properly in a long time and not everyone knows what that is, I though it would be worthwhile to go through.
Be healthy!
Alan
4 comments:
Glad your 'Scoop' for the day was not Ice Cream. Wow that is a lot to have to track everything that goes in your mouth. You have been very disciplined about writing your blog everyday, so 'tracking' what you eat should become routine for you.
Now for the weekend, good friends, good times and good healthy eating (okay you can have a beer or two, not sure how many points for them) are on your menu. Remember you have the support of all of us, and when you are tempted too much, just visualize next Wed. weigh-in.
Hey Karen!
Tracking actually takes surprisingly little time once you get the hang of it. It just requires discipline and although it may appear otherwise, discipline has never been one of my strong points. That is why I have gained and lost weight so many times and why it took me about ten years to FINALLY make exercise a routine.
It took me less time to track my food then it did to write about my tracking.
I think Weight Watchers is right to start everyone on this "tracking" plan as it really does make you aware.
I need to be "aware" right now too so this plan is good for me at this point in time.
On an on-going basis though, I just don't think I am a "tracker" so I will ultimately switch over to their other plan which is the "Filling Foods" plan (formerly called the "core plan" for all you old time WW members). In this plan you eat healthy, filling foods, until you are "comfortable" but you don't track the points. You only track foods that fall outside the window of the "filling foods" box and you are only allowed 35 points in "non filling" foods as well as additional points for exercise (if you choose to use your activity points as food).
Basically foods that have to be tracked are "processed" foods, sugar foods, and wheat foods).
I think this approach is much easier, and, at least for me, it is a healthier options. I find that with the "tracking plan" i resist getting all my healthy foods in for the day if I have already spent my points on crap.
My only beef with WW is that this plan used to have equal weight with their main plan. Now it is an "option" if you can't do the one they want you to do.
I can understand that this change is probably because some members were eating too much "filling food", and the original plan might suit more of the current weight watchers crowd (which can be a little older (like me) but I think they are missing the boat on the younger crowd who are becoming more and more focused on healthy eating as opposed to "low fat" eating. I just hope this change in emphasis doesn't hurt their ability to bring in the younger crowd which is their future.
God I am typing a lot today. Long blog...long comment...I will shut up now and try to behave this weekend. You behave too but enjoy your regular Saturday night indulgence :-)
Alan
Hi Alan,
Wow I can't believe that you find time to write this blog daily, and write so much but if it is helping you, then keep it up!
I will attest that the tracking is so very important and although there will be times that you don't want to, it is much easier at the end of a week to have it to look back on and know if you did all that you needed to or not to help you deal with what ever result you get at the scale. I know that last week I stayed the same but I also know that I ate all my points, used all my extra weekly allowance points but really didn't drink enough water. I also know that sometimes my body just doesn't want to 'let go' of the weight and the right behaviours may take a little while to show the results. If you have that tracker and know you were honest, then you have to know you are doing what it takes and the results will come....at least I keep telling myself that!
Keep up the good work and have a great long weekend.
Thanks! To be honest I DON'T have time but I am loving it so I will keep doing it! In order to do it though I have pretty much decided I have to be up at 5:00AM and have done the blog, gone to the gym, and be back home to start my day at 9:00AM. Once the day starts there is little time to stop (but I try to touch base to add a little comment like this now and then.
Today's blog was REALLY long. Sorry to all about that. I know if something is too long I don't read it...no time to.
Have an AMAZING weekend!
Post a Comment