The pitfalls of food ignorance.

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24

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  • misslibbyh
    misslibbyh Posts: 90 Member
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    That is exactly what logging will do for you and why this site is so awesome! You learn so much! It's all part of the process. So now you know about the coffee and you will learn more about the caloric content of other foods.

    I will ask people if they have the nutritional information available at their establishment when i am ordering or I will ask what exactly are the ingredients.... This helps me very much in making those decisions on the spot when ordering food. If they can not tell me what is in it i probably will not eat it.
  • fitfreakymom
    fitfreakymom Posts: 1,400 Member
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    So today I learned the importance of looking up food/drinks before rushing out to go grab a quick snack/drink. As usual, I was feeling that afternoon slump at work, and decided I wanted a pick-me-up.

    Thought I would have a nice iced coffee, instead of soda, assuming it would be less sugar. I know, never assume. :-( I got back to the office, and it was sweet, very sweet. I figured I got it, so I might as well drink it. When I entered it in my food diary I was astounded to discover that each serving is 25g of sugar, and I got the x-large cup which is probably 4 servings.

    So often I think I am getting something that is the "better option," and it ends up being one of the worst food decisions of my day. How can anyone stay on the right track when everything around us is so deceptively bad for us? No wonder there is a diabetes epidemic.

    I also have a tendency to enter food after I have already eaten it, only to tally up the day and figure out that I went completely over my goal. It is hard for me to learn a new good behavior after having that bad behavior instilled in me for so many years. My main challenge on my road to health will have to be becoming more aware of what goes in my body.

    At least today’s fiasco helped me learn the importance of portion control and knowledge. Next time I feel that slump, I think I'll have an apple. :-)

    Iced coffee isn't black coffee with ice?

    that would be the homeade healthy version with just a bit of milk, the stuff at the coffee shop? not so much lol
  • trulycrazed
    trulycrazed Posts: 79 Member
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    Hi Chunky Monkey! (LOVE the name by the way)

    As you continue to log your food you will begin to learn what a serving size and how many calories are in what. Don't be hard on yourself it is a learning process. I have traded my iced coffees at startbucks for iced green tea unsweetend. My best advice I think to give you is to be sure you read waht a serving size is and meausre everything until you can "eyeball" it. Best of luck on your journey!

    Agreed!
  • erin4455
    erin4455 Posts: 135
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    To be honest, with the exception of a little juice (and only "lite" versions), I don't drink anything with sugar. That being said, I know many people ban drinks with artificial sweeteners but I don't. For now, artificially sweetened iced teas, coffees and Diet Coke/Pepsi are treats for me that help me get through this diet. I figure, I'd rather eat my calories than drink them. :)
  • IamBorg
    IamBorg Posts: 49 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean!

    Tomorrow is a school day, and since my class runs through lunch time and I tend to arrive very early to do homework, I know I'll be hungry by the time class is over. Then I have a 45 min drive back home, an hour tomorrow since I need to stop at the vet on the way, so I thought it best to eat lunch at school.

    At the beginning of Fall term I would stop by Fred Meyers on the way to school and pick up a Baguette sandwich for lunch. I was thinking I haven't had one in awhile, and that would be a perfect lunch for tomorrow. But wait.... FM doesn't provide any nutritional info on their deli items!

    So I started searching online, and couldn't find reliable info. It was about lunchtime, and I already figured I could probably only eat half a baguette tomorrow anyway, so I stopped by FM and bought one. I asked them to make one for me without butter, since the pre-made ones come with a stick of butter spread on. I took it home, then took the sandwich apart.

    I weight everything, and was in shock! 9.5 ounces of turkey, 2.2 ounces of provolone cheese, and 5.2 ounces of bread. Holy moly, no wonder I always felt stuffed after eating one of those! I used the recipe tool here to find the total calories of the baguette sandwich so I could record it. I ate half today, and will eat half tomorrow. Honestly, I could probably get away with cutting these in 3rds next time and just eating 1/3 for lunch since even 1/2 is really filling.

    Anyway, counting calories can sometimes take a lot of planning ahead!
  • chunkymonkey423
    chunkymonkey423 Posts: 7
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    Thanks for all the great advice. Although I'm still at the starting line, I am just glad that I am at least attempting the race. I know that just last year, I would have had the coffee and not thought twice about it. One step at a time, right?
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Thanks for all the great advice. Although I'm still at the starting line, I am just glad that I am at least attempting the race. I know that just last year, I would have had the coffee and not thought twice about it. One step at a time, right?
    Exactly~
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
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    Get into the habit of reading the label before you consume it and checking the nutrient panel. I do this at the supermarket when I go shopping.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    If I have a drink out, I tend to have a normal americano or a cappuccino made with half milk, half water, to keep the calories down, and add my own sweetener or sugar.

    It is best to get a good grasp on calorie contents of various foods, so you have some idea.
    The database here is great for that.
    I rarely have something unless I have a rough idea of calorie content, other than when I decide to have a 'sod it' moment and give myself a break from caring about the calorie content.
  • lovelifehealth
    lovelifehealth Posts: 71 Member
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    I've gotten caught in that trap too, thinking you're making a "better" choice only to discover it was worse. It's so deflating!

    I log my estimated food plan for the day in the morning to give me an idea of how I'm going to balance out my nutrition for the day and then update it after every meal. If I know I'm going out, going to a celebration, or other food event I make sure I have a lot of wiggle room for unexpected calories.

    I periodically spend time perusing the food database to get an idea of how many calories different foods have. That has helped me have a better idea of possible calorie range when I'm trying a new food. It's also a good way to compare foods and different brands without having to go to the store. Knowledge helps to keep my estimates closer to reality and avoid the calorie shockers.
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
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    I log before I eat unless it just isn't an option and I'm eating something that is familiar to me. If I can't log it and am unfamiliar with the calorie count then I don't eat it! 127 pounds in seven months wasn't done by guessing and making up for lost moments... Anyone that needs an extra pal is welcome to add me.
  • saralayne42
    saralayne42 Posts: 27 Member
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    So today I learned the importance of looking up food/drinks before rushing out to go grab a quick snack/drink. As usual, I was feeling that afternoon slump at work, and decided I wanted a pick-me-up.

    Thought I would have a nice iced coffee, instead of soda, assuming it would be less sugar. I know, never assume. :-( I got back to the office, and it was sweet, very sweet. I figured I got it, so I might as well drink it. When I entered it in my food diary I was astounded to discover that each serving is 25g of sugar, and I got the x-large cup which is probably 4 servings.

    So often I think I am getting something that is the "better option," and it ends up being one of the worst food decisions of my day. How can anyone stay on the right track when everything around us is so deceptively bad for us? No wonder there is a diabetes epidemic.

    I also have a tendency to enter food after I have already eaten it, only to tally up the day and figure out that I went completely over my goal. It is hard for me to learn a new good behavior after having that bad behavior instilled in me for so many years. My main challenge on my road to health will have to be becoming more aware of what goes in my body.

    At least today’s fiasco helped me learn the importance of portion control and knowledge. Next time I feel that slump, I think I'll have an apple. :-)

    Lesson learned, you won't make that mistake again soon. It happens to us all at one time or another, great job recognizing the behavior and attempting to change it. Be proud!!!
  • cnelson1974
    cnelson1974 Posts: 235 Member
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    I was ignorant about food as well. I had to hire a nutritonist to help me sort out what was good and bad.

    As for the food diary, I log in after each meal so that I can forcast what I will have for the rest of the day. I know this isn't possible for everyone, but for those that can take that extra second on their lunch hour I recommend it.

    When I first started my journey, I had to leave all my cash at home because the vending machine is just so easy to reach for. I look at it now, and I can see nothing I can eat (including the 'healthy' 80 calorie Snack Well items). I prepack all my food (including non-pershable healthy snacks) so that I'm ready for the hunger strike if it should show up (it can and will happen).

    I think it's great that you recognize your pitfalls, and rather than empty complaining you've decided to share your experiance here as a lesson learned.

    Bravo!
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    McDonalds Vanilla Iced coffee only has 1-2g of sugar if you order with the sugar free syrup. 80-120 calories depending on size. I love those in the summer as I don't like my HOT coffee when it is hot out.
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
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    I, too, try to log my food/drink before I consume it. Also, even though it may seem more cost effective to get a larger size, I still just get the smallest. That way I still get my little treat and am not going overboard with it.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    Oh yes, I've had a similar experience. Yikes! The calories in some foods are just outrageous!

    So I try to log things before I eat them to avoid little shocks like that.
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
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    i do my cals before i eat them mainly but sometimes like today i change things a bit, in fact i normally have my foods logged at the start of the day.
  • fitfreakymom
    fitfreakymom Posts: 1,400 Member
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    log it before you make it, i do that at night for the next day so when I got up today I already knew what i was going to be eating. And make your lunch and snacks for the day so that you don't eat out which is not good for you anyway lol unless it is ocassional like maby once a week or less.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    1.) pre-log whenever possible...I pretty much plan out my day the night before, including my snacks, drinks, etc and log it. This has also helped with the grocery/food bill in that I pretty much have to sit down on the weekends and decide what I'm going to eat the following week.

    2.) As you progress, you'll start to visually see what people mean when they say "moderation"...none the less, measure and weigh everything and stick to serving sizes. Eventually you'll know when you can afford to give yourself a little extra something.

    3.) Try to avoid and/or limit beverages with calories...they add up quick and most are loaded with sugar and or other stuff that can quickly defeat your calorie and macro goals. Stick to water, plain black coffee, tea, etc...I drink alcohol, but I make sure I fit it in when I do and have greatly reduced my consumption. About the only beverage that I have on a daily basis that has calories is my low sodium v8.
  • mapnerd2005
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
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    I also log before I eat.

    the Eat This/Not That books are a great resource (there's a phone app too) to help make "better" decisions when out and about and the calorie bombs you should avoid at various chains.

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