Motivation
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Last week I mentioned that I really like food and don't want to give anything up. I feel very resistant about restricting myself to certain foods or banishing any particular food. Instead, over the years I have created a personal strategy for eating pretty much whatever I want. I just do it with great awareness.
Are you aware of how many calories are in a Chipotle burrito?
Find out!
Do you know which salad has the fewest calories at Panera?
Here you go!
For me, the key to weight loss was finding foods that were lower in calories that I liked just as much as the high calorie option. Here's an example:
I like the omelets at Scrambler Maries. If I order the full omelet breakfast it looks like this:
eggs 210/cheese 220/veggies 50/sour cream 100/hash browns 300/white English muffin 150/butter 100/jelly 70 = 1200 calories
After I look up the calories and really think about it, my order changes to:
egg whites 60/light cheese 110/veggies 50/fruit 80/wheat English muffin dry 150/sugar free jelly 20 = 470 calories
Better yet, today I made it at home:
egg whites 60/tomatoes 20/fresh spinach 15/light feta cheese 80/morning star farms sausage 80 = 255 calories
The 255 calorie breakfast has just as much flavor and is just as satisfying as the 1200 calorie one.
An easy recipe to follow:
Sue's High Protein Breakfast: 255 calories
Heat a skillet to medium and spray with non-stick. Add chopped onion and peppers. (You may also add chopped mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, tomato, etc.) Heat until onions are cooked. Set aside, spray pan again.
Heat skillet back up and add 1/2 cup egg beaters. Once top of eggs start to cook, flip. Spread veggie mix and 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top. When cheese melts, fold in half and serve with two strips turkey bacon or two slices Canadian bacon (heat in microwave). Serves one. Calories 260.
A few other examples:
Chili's Chicken Nachos: 1570 calories/97 grams fat/3630 mg sodium OR
Sue's Yummy Chicken Nachos: 405 calories
Place one serving baked blue chips (Guiltless Gourmet) on plate in single layer. Cover with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese and grilled chicken strips (should be in fridge). Microwave for approx. 40 seconds or until the cheese melts. Cover with a handful of shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes (fresh), salsa and 2 tbsp. sour cream. Serves one. Calories 405.
Chammps Quesadilla: 1548 calories/100 grams fat OR
Sue's Super Quick Chicken Quesadilla: 360 calories
Heat a skillet to medium and spray with non-stick. Add chopped onion and peppers. Heat until onions are cooked. Set aside.
Spray pan again. Put whole wheat tortilla (100 calorie or less) in skillet. Spread 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly on tortilla.
Add onion and pepper mix over the cheese. Add 100 calories of grilled, chopped chicken breast. Cover skillet and heat for a few minutes (until cheese melts and tortilla is crisp).
Fold in half, slide onto plate and top with salsa and 1 tbsp. 20 calorie sour cream.
Makes one quesadilla. Calories 360.
Option for two servings: Add a second tortilla on top, flip once, slide onto plate and cut in half. Top with salsa and sour cream. Serve with 18 baked blue chips on each plate (110 calories). Total calories 340 per meal.
One more:
Sue's Quick Black Bean Chili: 280 calories
Heat a skillet to medium and spray with non-stick. Add chopped onion (about 1/2 of one) and peppers (plenty of green, red, yellow- you should have these in your fridge, chopped and ready to go). Heat until onions are cooked.
Add one can (drained) Black Beans
Add one cup of frozen corn.
Add two cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis. Do not drain. (If you don't like spicy, use one can of regular tomatoes).
Simmer and stir occasionally until it's at your desired thickness. Top with 1 tbsp. of 20 calorie sour cream.
Makes 2 big bowls of chili. Calories per bowl 280.
Add 99% lean ground turkey for a meaty version. 380 calories.
Now get moving!
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