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Jan 7th, 2011 @ 10:52 pm › Skinny Emmie
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I talk about workouts a lot, and post videos of the gym and such, but I never talk much about the other third of the weight loss equation (the first two thirds being workout and mind) – FOOD.

I haven’t typically posted food  photos or menus as many bloggers do because I think food is a very personal choice. As explained over on my Explaining Eats page (which now desperatley needs to be updated):

I’m a big believer that you should follow whatever eating regimen works for YOU, and that just because I eat this way doesn’t mean everyone should.  I’ve had to change the way I think about food so dramatically during this weight loss journey. I used to eat for entertainment, satisfaction, comfort. Now, I try to eat to live.

All of this is still true. However the past couple of weeks (funk withstanding), I’ve made a decision to change my eating habits to give myself more variety and hopefully produce better results – switching things up a little bit. Instead of focusing solely on carbohydrates, I’m now eating many more carbohydrates (but still trying to be moderate with my of white flour and most sugar) but focusing on calories and feeling satisfied. I lived a super-restricted low-carbohydrate lifestyle off and on for 5 years, and I just wanted to try something different. So good ‘ol calorie counting for me!

Here’s some of what my week looked like:

I measured (and ate) my rice - these bowls are cool- they have the measurements on the inside so you can measure + eat in one bowl

I found I love taking 25 calories-worth of this rice seasoning I got at the Asian Market to flavor the rice.

I "rotisseried" a chicken in my new fancy-dancy rotisserie I got for Christmas

I weighed out each portion

I remembered how much I love cereal (measured out, of course). That's low sugar OJ to beat the funk.

I baked sweet potato fries (and measured out the portions)

and used steamed veggies to fill up my plate at lunch

and replaced my coffee-guzzling habit with tea

People have given me some really great ideas over on my Facebook page of things to eat, including tonight’s success of sweet potato fries. So far, I feel great. No carb-crashes as feared. The biggest shocker? IT’S EASY! I had dreaded all the counting, weighing and measuring, but it’s so simple it’s stupid.

So no matter what eating program you follow, here are my three personal rules for food:

  1. You must enjoy the food
  2. Your body must feel good on the food
  3. You must feel in control with your options

We’ll see how my body responds, weight-wise, in a couple of weeks, but I just wanted to give an update on where I’m at with that.

Do you have a specific way of eating?

Categories: Fitness
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  • http://my100poundmeltdown.com/ Melissa Cohoe

    Your food looks great thanks for sharing! I am currently following the Weight Watchers program, but I am learning more about ratios protein/carbs/fat and trying to incorporate MORE protein and LESS carbs into my diet.

  • http:///darnfitness.wordpress.com Reinaldo

    I do try to stay paleo, but in reality I do eat carbs as potatoes and white rice. I measure them just like you do. I do eat those foods at the post workout meal.
    So far, I’m feeling great. No bloat or sugar crash. I do stay away from processed foods though. I smelled Oreos the other day, and I was like “WTF? Do I smell plastic?!?!?!?!”.

  • sarah

    Im so excited you are focusing on calories, what helped me lose 50 lbs so far. I love following your journey and Ive learned that no matter where we r in our journey we can all learn from each other.

  • Sinclair

    LOVE the food pictures. That’s the hard part for me – I HATE cooking. I have the exercise part down, but really, I’m not seeing big results because I eat the calories (and then some) that I burn. :-( Anyways, I like that bowl that has the measuring in it. Where did you find that? Or what is the brand? Thanks!

    • http://skinnyemmie.com Skinny Emmie

      The bowl is called a MeasureUp bowl. They’re kind of pricey (after all, they’re just BOWLS!) but I re-use them over and over throughout the week. This is their website: http://shopmeasureupbowl.com/

  • Kaitlin

    Is that bowl with the measurements a Measure Up Bowl? That seems really useful and I would love to get some, but so far the best price I’ve found is $20 for one bowl. A little out of my price range as a poor graduate student.

    • http://skinnyemmie.com Skinny Emmie

      Yes, it’s the Measure Up bowl. I know, they’re pricey. I kind of just eat out of that one bowl over and over throughout the week.

  • http://breadlessbrandi.blogspot.com/ Brandi

    I eat low carb for weight maintenance and diabetes. I do occasionally eat things like beans in chili and whole grain wheat thins, but not daily because my blood sugar can’t handle it, even if my weight could. But I truly enjoy low carb so it’s all good.

  • http://openingapinecone.wordpress.com Pinecone

    Just curious, what made you switch from low carb to counting calories? Did low carb stop working for you? I also very firmly believe that everyone should eat the way that works for the individual. But the scientific background behind diets for weight loss is also very interesting – Gary Taubes’ “Good Calories, Bad Calories” is a great book on this, if you are interested and haven’t read it yet.

    Personally I have some 10 kilograms of stubborn fat that I’m battling with – I’m not overweight with that weight on, but feel good about my body only without it. Through the years I’ve managed to lose that weight twice, both times with calorie counting and exercise, but always gaining it back. So now I’ve been playing with low carb (paleo, to be exact) but no luck with weight loss yet… The binge eating I’ve lately been battling with is likely a big reason for my weight gain though, I haven’t actually eaten very low carb (or calorie!) at all when I’ve been bingeing on chocolate and ice cream.

    I hope whatever eating style you pick works out for you, and I’d love to read more about the food part of your weight loss! :)

    • http://skinnyemmie.com Skinny Emmie

      The low carb didn’t really stop working for me, but I found it harder and harder to be satisfied with my food, especially when I increased my exercise. I may certainly go back to that way of eating if the calorie monitoring approach doesn’t work or makes me feel poorly. I know many people have had success with it (I did Atkins) and with Paleo, South Beach and others. I slowly started adding fruit, then whole grains, and by that time, I wasn’t in ketosis anymore, so I just started counting the calories. It’s been about a month long transition. My loss rate on low carb has slowed SIGNIFICANTLY since starting it, so I’m hoping the calorie-counting might help switch things up. Who knows?!

  • Lilly

    I had been on WW but a few months ago switched to calorie-counting via myfitnesspal and have found wonderful success and less anxiety. I found that MFP was easier than WW (and free!) AND let me track my protein, my sodium, my fat, etc. The values I’m supposed to hit are not based off any specialty diet, just pretty much i think the RDA? The more I exercise, the more calories I’m to eat for the day since they just figure in the lowest you should go w/out factoring exercise each day.

    I never knew until MFP how sensitive I apparently am to sodium levels. With WW I never thought about it and that’s one of probably 6 reasons why I wasn’t as successful on WW as I am calorie counting. I try to stick to MFP’s fat grams limit, but if I go over, I go over, I don’t see it harming my loss yet. Same with carbs. I’m losing at about the rate I should be, yet I pretty much never stay under my carbs limit for the day. I tend to go over my fiber and protein limits, which I see as being probably a good thing.

    I love that bowl, I need to go find one!!

    • http://skinnyemmie.com Skinny Emmie

      MFP is good. I’m using Sparkpeople to track, and it’s very similar. The bowl is called a Measure Up bowl. they’re kind of pricey, but I use mine for almost every meal. This is their website: http://shopmeasureupbowl.com/

  • http://musingsofmaia.blogspot.com Maia

    When I started I was surprised by how easy it was to measure everything too!

    Sweet potato fries are some of my favorites too, and a bowl of cereal is one of my favorite quick snacks! I hope this new style works for you! Its probably going to be a bit easier to follow I think. Can’t wait to hear about the results.

  • http://www.watchsarahshrink.com Sarah

    Please tell us about that bowl with the measurements built in! I love the idea!

  • http://debbidoesdieting.blogspot.com/ Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

    I am a food blogger so I LOVE to see new things that people eat! My main blog is the food blog, the dieting one is just to keep me accountable and track my food. I have some sweet potato chips that i’ll be posting next week! I hope you enjoy them! I do the same thing, I weigh and measure everything. Very nice.

    I LOVE that rotisserie you have!

  • http://TamsynSimon.com Tamsyn

    Great post! My latest thing… talking myself out of food. Sugar is my addiction. Every time I want or see a sweet, I tell myself I’ve already tasted that, there’s nothing to gain or learn or win. So far, so good. Food is such a mind game. :P

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  • http://housedrone.blogspot.com/ Rebecca

    What is the rotisserie machine that you have… I love chicken and I cook the heck out of it until it is like jerky. I keep trying but I am freaked out about it being undercooked. Does your rotisserie make it easier?

    • http://skinnyemmie.com Skinny Emmie

      It’s a cuisinart rotisserie, I think they only have 1 model. Since I got it at christmas, I’ve made 90% of my meat in it. I make sure to use a meat thermometer and it has always turned out great!