I am happy this week is over. It was a successful week for losing weight, judging by my food intake, but I need more sleep than this.
Today was a swimming day. Using an online calculator, I found that for my height, weight, and exercise regimen, I am burning about 600 calories per workout. I don’t do this as part of a weight loss program, though. I just like to swim. The relaxing hot tub and shower afterwards are part of the reason I go. And I also use it as a bit of a reward – I allow myself an extra 500 calories if I want to eat them. And I am usually pretty hungry after exercising. It’s a great setup, I get to feel like I am doing a splurge and it is part of the plan and feels good. Today I took out some of my extra calories in chocolate.
Are you thinking, “Oh, no! Won’t those carbohydrates keep you fat?” Just remember that I am not on a diet. I am not restricted in what foods I can eat or when I can eat them. There is a bit of restraint involved in how much I can eat at one time or in one day.
There is a daily goal – I try to stay under 1800 calories. On an exercise day I can go up to 1800 + 500 or 2300 total. So on a normal day, the choice may be chocolate bar OR breakfast. But on my exercise splurge day, it’s chocolate bar AND breakfast, and more too. That chocolate bar is 220 calories. I broke it into 12 pieces and I took the time to enjoy it. Reward!
My daily food intake and calorie count are:
Breakfast – 2 x BLT wraps (200)
- 400 calories
Lunch – 2 x Costco pepperoni pizza slices (355)
- 710 calories
Dinner – 3 x Aldi pizza slices (100), chicken and hummus wrap (200).
- 500 calories
Snacking – tea with half and half (80), beef jerky (90), Hershey bar (220)
- 390 calories
Total for the day: 2100 calories (limit 1800 + 500 bonus from swimming)
I have promised myself not to be too rigid about the daily goal. If I get hungry, I will eat a snack. Beef jerky usually does the trick if I have hunger pangs. If I need something sweet, the pre-wrapped Nestle Li’l Drums ice cream cones are only 110 calories (or 120, depending on the flavor).
I don’t want to fall into a willpower battle with myself. I want to eat just enough so I can be hungry in time for the next meal, which has to be something worth being hungry for. That’s why I eat chocolate, bread, and other carbs sometimes. I am really looking forward to breakfast. You’ll see, tomorrow, why it was worth waiting for.