Increase Your Food Mileage
Ever wonder how much you should be eating?
Sometimes after a big meal at a restaurant, when I’ve unbuttoned my pants to keep breathing and hope no one’s noticed, I feel like I’ve just consumed a full day’s worth of calories.
I went to Escalante’s with some co-workers today, and surprisingly, was able to stop eating without scarfing down my entire meal. After a bowl of their famous tortilla soup and one quesadilla, I decided I was satisfied and didn’t need to go back to work stuffed and itching to go back home to throw up.
Ideally, I try to keep each meal at around 500 calories. Sometimes, that’s wishful thinking, but it’s easier to do if I avoid eating out. But put some brownies or ice cream in front of me and it’s over. Like today when I had a brownie, a cookie and a cupcake.
This Web site gives you an idea of how much 200 calories constitutes. That’s one half of a Jack-in-the-Box cheeseburger, three apples or a bowl of cereal. Nutrition Action shares the 10 best and worst foods. The best include citrus, wild salmon and brown rice, while tempting delicacies like McDonald’s Chicken Selects Breast Strips, Starbucks Caffe Mocha and Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake are deemed the worst. A Dairy Queen chocolate chip cookie dough blizzard has 950 calories.
The other day at a housewarming, I stayed away from soda, knowing I could replace that 100 or 200 calories with some dessert. Sajan and I discussed snacking on apples when we’re hungry at night. We don’t drink soda, and generally don’t keep junk food in the house. Though we did snag a $3 bucket of Blue Bell Cookies ‘n Cream.
Confessions of a Lame-O
I have a confession to make. The other day, I left my office and went to a secluded flight of stairs and jogged up and down in my high-heel boots. I had been sitting at my desk for hours and could feel my rear end begin to merge with my chair. It was time to burn some calories.
What do you do at your office to get some time away from the computer? How do you burn some extra calories those eight hours?
My Calorie Counter is Ticking Away
I’m (roughly) counting calories these days. Worst-case scenario (meaning if I’m very sedentary), my daily calorie limit, according an online calorie calculator, is a measly 1,500 calories. A fast-food combo would blow that out of the water. I try to keep my number below 1,800.
Use the Mayo Clinic’s calorie calculator to zero in on your calorie needs. Enter your age, height, weight and sex, and the calculator will magically do the rest.
Anyways, here’s a snapshot of my eating routine (very fascinating!…or not):
Cereal (Great Grains, Special K or Smart Start) with 2% milk: 350
Special K bar: 90
Water: 0
Sandwich (meat, provolone cheese, spinach, a dab of mayo): 300
Strawberries and half an apple: I count fruits as 0 calories 
Cookies or some chocolate (sparingly, as in not every day hopefully): 70 to 150
Handfuls of trail mix: 140
Dinner (could be anything): 500+
This list does not account for meals like the three pieces of fried chicken, potato salad and ice cream I had the other day. I try to forget those!
