Here a Calorie, There a Calorie

Keeping track of calories is an eye-opening experience. It's annoying and tedious, but still, eye-opening. Take oatmeal for instance. One serving is 150 calories. Not bad. Make it with milk and it's 270 calories. Add a tad of brown sugar...and it jumps up to 320. You say you like butter with it? 420. But it's good for you...right?

Same oatmeal made with almond milk is 210. One teaspoon of honey rounds it off to 270.

There are studies that show people lose more weight if they write down everything they eat (honesty here!) and they track calories for what they eat. I can tell you just writing it down provides a brake.

I am by no means deprived. Every morning I have one egg, one piece of bacon, oatmeal, and coffee. 440 calories for breakfast. I could eliminate the bacon and cut 40 calories but I LIKE bacon. Sausage is...180 calories. Bacon is good!

The entire day is a matter of choice. Since I discovered over 50% of my calories were liquid, I changed to water and found I really like water. I keep a glass on the desk and when I feel hungry, I have a drink, and usually empty the glass.

Conscious eating. It's not a diet. It's just an awareness of every bite we consume. I'm not a snacker by nature so I couldn't figure out where the calories were coming from. Well, I found out. Creamer for my coffee. Fruit juice. Butter on my toast PLUS peanut butter. Sweet tea. Gravy. Toast. Cheese. Sour cream.

Add-ons!

It's kind of like all those Apps people buy for their electronics and then they wonder why their bill is so high. Or when we go to the grocery store and fill our basket with things not on our list. Heh. Since we've gone to a conscious eating plan, our grocery bill has plummeted. It's amazing how much money you can save without the add-ons.

There's been a second side effect I wasn't counting on. I don't have the same nagging urge to eat sweets. Again, it's not deprivation, just no desire.

Conscious eating.

anny