Tiffany Tastes

Control...Well, Portion Control

One of the tasks that I'm working on is making sure that I'm aware of my portion and serving sizes. This is especially important when trying to keep count of my calorie intake. When I have carbs during a meal (brown rice, whole grain pasta, etc) I try to keep my portion size under 1/2  a cup. Carbs, even those that are good for you, tend to be calorie-dense, so if I still want to enjoy them, I need to eat less.

I think some people have issues with eating healthy because they may not be well-educated on how to measure their serving sizes. For many people, when they measure 1 cup of some food item, they use a vessel that looks similar to this:

And that's fine if you're measuring juice, soda, stock or any kind of liquid. This is a liquid measuring cup. If you're measuring dry food items, (rice, cereal, granola, or anything non-liquid) you actually want to use a cup that looks like this:

Not quite the same thing. This is a dry measure cup. When the back of a box of rice, or a bag of candy says the serving size is 1 cup, this is what they're talking about.

To further illustrate, I have 1 cup of cereal (Special K Fruit and Yogurt) pictured below that was measured using the 8 oz liquid measuring cup.

Now, I have 1 cup of cereal pictured below (in the same bowl) which was measured using the dry measuring cup:

Quite a difference, eh? When the box of cereal says that 1 cup is a serving size, this is the amount that coincides with the nutrition information.

I blame it on the fact that the US doesn't use the metric system and that the word "cup" actually has different measurements depending on the makeup of the item that is being measured.

Make sure that you have the correct tools when trying to measure and keep up with your portion and serving sizes. A good set of dry measuring cups is an excellent tool for every kitchen. If your nutrition panel includes a notation for ounces or grams, then take all the guesswork out of it by using a digital scale and not using those stupid cups at all. :)

Did you know there was difference?

Getting back into the swing of things...

Down about 3/4 of a pound this week.  Good progress. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not going to drop this weight overnight, and as long as I'm making progress and utilizing good habits, I can't complain (whoa, run on sentence).

However, this week, we're going to get back to what www.tiffanytastes.com used to be about.  I promise 2 updates that have nothing to do with losing weight. (Restaurant or product reviews most likely) Because, at the end of the day, this is a food blog, and just reading about my weight loss (or lack thereof) could get old :)  Besides, I had a lot of fun while I was being bad :P

Not What I Was Hoping, but What I Expected

So, this week, I got on the scale and it was exactly the same as it was last Monday. I did not lose (or gain an ounce).  For what I've eaten, and how much I've worked out this week, I'll take it.  I will admit that I ate poorly this week (my birthday is tomorrow, and I definitely celebrated a little).  But I kept my portions small, and I think that I could have done a lot worse.  Next Monday, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled program.

Quick Update

I'm super busy at work today; I'm in overdrive. But, I wanted to continue the trend of updating every Monday so I can let you all know about my progress.  I hopped on the scale today, and I'm down 1 pound (and that's with that water weight that occurs once a month).  I'm feeling pretty good, and I'm still feeling motivated.  We went out for Japanese on Friday night, and I pretty much had a couple of bites of whatever I wanted.  I kept my portions small, and definitely indulged a little. I worked out a little harder over the weekend, and I think that's fine.  I love food too much to deprive myself :)

Milestones!

So, I stepped on the scale this morning and I dropped another 2.5 pounds last week.  If you're keeping track, then simple math will tell you that I'm down 10 pounds in the last month. (Go me!)  This week was a lot tougher than I expected for a couple of reasons:

First of all, I went to see Stars on Ice at the Scottrade Center (home of the St. Louis Blues), and most sporting venues don't really have a bunch of healthy options for those of us watching our figures :) I decided on a personal cheese pizza and a freshly squeezed lemonade (for $15, what?).

Second, I went to visit my grandma for Mother's Day, and like many grandma's (mine is awesome!) they're always trying to feed you.  For example, when I first arrived on Thursday evening, we had an exchange that went something like this.

Grandma: "Are you hungry?"

Me: "Nah, I'm not hungry."

Grandma: "Yes you are."

Me: "Okay grandma. What am I hungry for?"

Grandma: "What are you the mood for?"

To which I want to reply, "Nothing, I'm not hungry" But instead, I say, "Whatever you're in the mood for."

Which ended up being KFC. (In case you're wondering- a grilled thigh, grilled drumstick and a side of corn on the cob will run you about 300 calories, which is acceptable to me and not worth the fight :P)

All things considered, last week was a total success!  Hoping that this week and the next month are equally productive.

Any Progress is Some Progress

So, I only lost 1/2 a pound this week.  I know, I know, it's not just only, and any loss is a loss.  I'm more irritated at the fact that I dropped the ball this week on the exercise. I could blame the weather or the fact that I haven't felt very good (sinus infection), but truth is I just didn't do it.

However, I am re-committed, re-energized, re-motivated and re-dedicated and all those other re things.  Watch out world, I'm back and better than ever :P

Still Going Strong Week 2

So, Monday is my weigh-in day, and last week (despite a birthday party and two meals out) I managed to drop another 4.5 pounds.  Which means, if you're keeping score, 7 pounds in the last 2 weeks.  I did increase my overall exercise last week, but I also ate more calories on certain occasions.  It makes the whole thing worthwhile to keep seeing results. 

I am having difficulties with my water intake.  I bores me to no end to drink water, especially while I'm eating.  I have found that Crystal Light On-the-Go pouches make it much more bearable, especially the Lemonade and Pink Lemonade flavors.  Also, when I went out to eat, I avoided the temptation of having a drink and stuck with water.  I also skipped dessert (which, if you know me, you know that is a big deal) and the bread basket.  

I've only really been hungry once in the past two weeks.  I've gotten pretty good at determining if I'm actually hungry or if I'm just bored. :)

I'll keep you informed on my progress, but so far so good.

One Step at a Time

I've noticed as I'm starting to really catalog everything that I eat, that I really do eat a lot, and even on a restricted calorie meal plan (notice I said meal plan and not diet :P) that I can still eat plenty, as long as I eat the right things.  I've also noticed that sometimes substitutes won't do.  I know that if I have a cup of coffee in the morning, that my three teaspoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of whatever flavor Coffeemate suites my fancy that day is going to cost me 85 calories.  Doing it any differently just won't suffice. If I have the coffee, I just make sure to budget for it. 

I made veggie fried rice over the weekend and I cut the calories by upping the veggies (broccoli, squash, zucchini, carrots, and peas), decreasing the amount of rice (from 2 cups cooked to one cup cooked), using 2 egg whites instead of one whole egg, and using 1/3 of a tablespoon of butter and butter-flavored cooking spray instead of 3 tablespoons of butter like I normally do. And, while I did notice a difference, it was still enjoyable, and I was still able to budget for an occasional plate of fried rice while still watching my calories.  No, I can't eat it everyday, but it's okay for a treat.

I also measure everything.  If a portion of something is 2 oz, then I will use the digital scale (that my wonderful mother got me for Christmas) and I'll measure out exactly 2 oz.  I've realized that I'm pretty good at estimating these things, but I want to be precise.

The hardest part is having an office on the same hall as the event staff.  Caterers and wedding cake designers are forever auditioning to be placed on our preferred vendors list, and there are always samples.  So far, I've been very good, but it's definitely difficult.

It's Always Easier at the Start

So, going into day 3 of eating healthy, working out, and writing down every single thing I eat or drink, has taught me a couple of things: I eat...a lot.  In the world where there are two kinds of people (those that eat to live and those that live to eat) I'm definitely the latter.  I love food; I love the social aspect and the satisfaction from eating a good meal.  I've also noticed how much I was eating without even realizing it.  A handful of crackers here, a couple pieces of candy there. It all adds up.  I'm working on it, one day at a time, but I am starting to feel better.  It's nice to have the accountability.

A New Beginning

I know it's been a while since I've updated, but we're about to put a whole new spin on things.  Over the past few years, I've steadily put on weight (and I know this is  a problem that a lot of people have).  Truth be told, I'm a bit chunky.  I've decided, for the next few months, I'm going to chronicle my journey through trying to eat and be healthier.  There will still be restaurant and product reviews and recipes, but hopefully, with a healthier spin. And, I'm really going to try to update more frequently; maybe even just short posts to let you know how I'm feeling, what I'm thinking, or issues that I'm facing.  My ultimate goal is to drop about 40 pounds, but I'm taking one small step at a time.

I hope you'll come along for the ride.