I had a reader send a question about ” why I count calories”. He felt that it seemed obsessive about calories instead of looking at the value of nutrition.
I understand where his question comes from, but you need to understand that some people read the blog to get a kick-start to their clean eating habits. I use the calorie counting as a tool to allow the readers to understand that I’m not just eating grapefruit and green tea to have my figure at age 46!
I eat real food and lots of it!
I don’t think everyone needs to count their calories forever, but it can help you for a week or even a month, to see just where empty calories (drinks, candies, fast foods) can creep into your diet and sabotage your goals.
Work out alone will not help you see the results you seek. A clean eating diet of 5 small meals per day, cutting down on processed foods, pop and alcohol plays a huge part in your results (or lack thereof). Processed foods are filled with sugar and salt and saturated fats to extend their shelf life, and to give flavor. Over time all of those ingredients can cause high blood pressure, obesity and Diabetes. Clean eating allows you to modify your daily calorie consumption while feeling more energy and receiving valuable nutrients from the foods you eat.
I love hearing from you, so keep those responses and future ideas coming!
Friday 01/27/12- Exercise Diary:
Pure Barre class- 30 minutes
Strength training- upper body, DVD- 55 minutes
Friday 01/27/12- Food Diary:
Breakfast-
1 cup egg whites, 1/2 cup onions, handful organic spinach (135 cal)
Whole wheat, low- calorie, english muffin [eggs served on top with a squeeze of lemon] (100 cal)
A.M. Snack-
1/2 banana(frozen) (45 cal)
Whey protein shake (125 cal)
Lunch-
2 3/8 oz. Mahi-mahi (60 cal)
Salad- spinach, cherry tomato’s, asparagus, green beans (60 cal)
P.M. Snack-
whole wheat, low-carb tortilla, 2 tbls red pepper hummus (200 cal)
Dinner-
4 oz lean-beef filet (290 cal)
1/3 cup brown rice, Craisons, basil, sliced almonds (200 cal)
12 small asparagus spears (40 cal)
Dessert-
1/2 cup no-fat cottage cheese, 1/4 cup non-fat yogurt, berries (140 cal)
TOTAL CALORIES- 1681
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