February Week 1 Group Challenge - Back to Basics
jessicakrall8
Posts: 5,557 Member
We have quite a few new members this week, so I thought this might be a good challenge for the start of the month. Hope you find it helpful. Please post daily and share your thoughts on each day's tasks. Remember the more you share, the more likely you'll touch on others' issues, as we're all on the same journey, but each journey is different for each person...and how each person handles those issues can help us all to get on and stay on track. Looking forward to good discussions this week.
See you in the chat thread!
Jessica
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I love my food scale and use it daily. I measure out my portion sizes of chicken, snacks, and I use it during baking as well.
I have also been tracking my food *almost* everyday for the last year.
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I don't have a food scale, maybe I should, but I think I would just be too lazy to use it... I am in awe of those that do!
I made Greek Yogurt today, portioned it into 12 x 1 cup servings. Each serving, according to the recipe has 101/cal per 1/2 cup, so, if I eat the whole container it will be 202. I love having Greek yogurt with berries at work for lunch, so easy and convenient. I made bread too, used the Whey from my last batch of yogurt.
I have been tracking religiously for 217 days (according to MFP)... way too often I go over my suggested calories. No wonder I have been gaining instead of losing. Time to reign it in!
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I've really been working on tracking accurately lately. I tend to get lazy and start to cut corners here and there, which is what has been happening in the recent past. And unsurprisingly, I haven't been losing much weight. So I've pulled out the food scale and am trying to get a more accurate picture of my CICO balance.
It's so easy to misjudge portion sizes. I just had a fish fillet from Sea cuisine which listed the portion size as 3/4 of a fillet! Why?! Paying attention to portion sizes is a part of accurate tracking.
When I put more effort into tracking accurately and paying attention to what portion sizes should be, I usually see better results with my weight loss.
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I have a food scale but rarely ever use it. I get too lazy. I am a visual person so I try to stick to the healthy plate method using the smaller salad plates. Also, using my hand for approximate serving size is easier for me. I need to be better about tracking everything though. I'm good about logging 1-2 meals per day in MFP but then get distracted at the end of the day. My doctor wants me to be between 1400-1600 calories per day to help with weight loss so I need to track better so I can stick to that goal. Time to dust off the scale. I was thinking of getting the portion control containers from Amazon too in ordered to make it easier.3
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I use my food scale daily, also my measuring cups. I don't dwell on the calorie difference between a medium banana and a large one; I just give myself an "atta girl" for having fruit. The way I see it, you don't need to worry about portion control for things you don't have trouble controlling portions! I mean, if I serve up a double helping of green beans, even if I don't track it accurately, I will never notice the difference in my weight.
One of the portion control things I like to do is to batch cook whole grains: brown rice, barley, farro, and quinoa. I portion them into 1-cup servings in zip sandwich bags. I flatten the bags so I can stack them, and I put them in the freezer. I take out as needed for a fast side dish or as part of my lunch for work. Convenient, but portioned.
-Mica8 -
For me I have a scale beside my fridge & weight everything. I love spread sheets & data so I log everything on my phone as I have it. I used to stop logging when I knew it was doing bad but now I log everything the good the bad and the ugly & it seems to work for me3
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I’m recently starting back using MyFitnessPal after a long break. I have been using my food scale every day, and I’m really trying to stick to the calories recommended by my dietitian. I was eating too much before, and what has helped me to stay on track this time is pre-logging some of my foods for the day. I have been planning my meals and estimating my portion sizes in advance, and then I can go in and adjust the quantities once it’s time to eat the meal. I find it somewhat freeing because I know what my next meal will be and I don’t have to keep thinking about it. I can also have treats more mindfully because I know the impact it will have on my day and my goals.5
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I have a mini scale that sits on my worktop permanently.I have been tracking my food every meal for a very long time.I can guess some portions quite accurately like 100g of Greek yoghurt, 15g of nuts,100g baked chicken breast.
Yet I am still surprised when I weigh something new eg boiled potatoes I thought I was having 100g cooked weight but in reality it was more like 150g.
Somehow I still manage to overun my calories on average about 2 to 3 days per week even with tracking.Its those pesky snacks that you don't measure like a handful of peanuts or 3 !!
My tip is to weigh & measure snacks & wrap in foil or bag up.
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I am pretty bad at eyeballing things, so use my scale for most things. I think the pb&j sandwich I make now is probably 500 calories less than what I used to eat. For me paying close attention to labels and using the scale allows me to be more accurate in my tracking. Better information in my diary means I am making more informed choices and have a better chance of getting the results I want.
@looneycatblue I am in awe of those that are making there own Greek yogurt, pre portioning it and then using the whey to make some pretty tasty looking bread. I must have a different definition of lazy🤷♀️2 -
@p8m6bwghh9 the yogurt is super simple and only 2 ingredients, 1 gal milk and 1 cup of store bought greek yogurt with live cultures. After that, you can use a cup of your own homemade greek yogurt. All done in a slow cooker, and then strained for a couple of hours. The whole thing takes about 20 hours, but is totally worth it! Tastes great, and much cheaper than store bought.
The bread was easy too, my 1st time trying King Authur No-Knead Crusty White Bread... I wasn't very happy with the results, mine didn't raise much, and it is pretty dense. I think I didn't get the liquid temperature warm enough for the yeast. I might try again next week, but I'm going to look for a different recipe.1 -
I have a food scale. I use it occasionally. Not daily but a few times a month. I portioned out breakfast today and I set aside some more for breakfast tomorrow. I also made egg salad for my lunch this week. I portioned it out in half pint containers. I normally meal prep for the week but that didn't happen today. I do have a plan though for my meals.2
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I brought my water to work. I placed it in front of me instead of off to the side to help me remember to drink more. I also brought a refill of water so I can add it to the large cup. I am starting to crave junk so I am drinking more instead.3
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I have gotten in a good habit and log my food either good or bad almost every day.
I have been getting more water in by having a bigger cup, using flavoring packs (right now I like the sugae free hawaiian punch) and using a straw. I tend to drink more on days that I work, than at home, so trying to work on that. It was amazing when I increased my water originally, I often don't need an afternoon snack.3 -
I do well with water intake. I love ice cold water, so I use a 50 oz insulated water bottle to have ice cold water all day. I always finish 1 full bottle and sometimes 2 but usually am around 75 oz per day. My parents were all about promoting water, we only had the sugary drinks for special occasions. So I don't have much of a taste for sugary drinks. I do like sweetened coffee but have switched to green tea as I don't like my hot tea with anything in it. And the green tea gives me some caffeine.3
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I don't track water. When I have tracked before, I realized that I was easily hitting my goal of what I "should" be drinking, so I felt like it wasn't worth the effort. I live in a hot climate, so it comes pretty naturally to drink a lot of water. I just keep a cup by the fridge, and take a drink whenever I pass by, which is frequently.
I used to end most days with a beer or two. I gave that up a few months ago when I decided it wasn't worth the calories. Now I barely drink at all. And I don't miss it at all.3 -
I always try to drink more water.I try & drink some before every meal.Also I have water with me when I go to a class at the gym or for a walk.I log water in my food diary when I remember.
I don't tend to log my food beforehand I just like to decide what to eat on the day.Also I may have a bigger breakfast then skip lunch.I do try to stock up on vegetables & fruit to make better choices.4 -
I have been working on better hydration. I log water in the diary and added a category for drinks like coffee and tea. I also track in Garmin Connect and my watch reminds me when I haven’t added anything in a while.3
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I usually drink a lot of water but I haven’t hit my target yet today so I am going to drink some more. I keep one of those big tumblers full of water beside me while I work and take it with me pretty much everywhere. I am not the best at noticing when I’m thirsty so I try to just aim for 2L per day generally and drink a bunch extra during my workouts.
I do like the flavoured water as well sometimes but mainly I just try to keep ice in my water because I’ll drink more if it’s really cold. Using a straw also helps.4 -
Hi Slimpossibles! 👋
I'm back. I stopped tracking for a little while and lost motivation due to stress and sickness. But I am back with more determination than ever. I gained back a few after these last couple months. But I wont let that stop me. You are all very inspiring as you continue on this journey. Hope I can also motivate you all 🌟 ❤️
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Day 3 - mindful eating.
This morning as I was eating my breakfast I focused on just eating without doing other things like logging my food, looking at my phone. I focused on how the food tasted, and my hunger & fullness cues. It was nice but also somehow difficult. I have ADHD and my mind is busy, so it's sometimes hard to just be mindful in the moment and resist the distractions. Can anyone else relate?3 -
Day 2:
Drank more water - check
No Alcohol - check (this was a big one for me)
I measured my fruit, yogurt & granola for lunch
Logged & Tracked food and steps
Day 3:
I will practice mindful eating, plan ahead for dinner tonight, big salad with chicken & egg, (instead of just warming up some l/o pizza)
If feeling hungry in-between-meals... drink more water before going in for a snack, then re-assess
Logging food everyday with MFP
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I practice mindful eating and always assess my hunger levels before, during and after eating. My method of assessing my hunger is to give it the broccoli test. If I feel hungry and a serving of steamed broccoli sounds satisfying, then I'm truly hungry. It doesn't mean that I have to choose the broccoli, but if my brain comes back and says no, we want bread, then I know it's Mouth hunger not Stomach hunger.
I try to stop eating when I'm no longer hungry - as opposed to feeling full. If I've planned the meal, then usually the amount of food that I planned is the right amount. But if I'm dining out or in a situation where I didn't prepare the food, then I want to stop eating when I still "want" to eat a bit more. That means it's time to pause. If I still want more after 10 minutes or so, then I can have a bit more, but usually that's the end.
-Mica
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Day 3-I have been mindful of the choices I make when it comes to food. I was making an egg sandwich for my kids and I used to eat some of the cheese I put on the egg, but not this time. I'm making sure not to eat off my kids' plates/finish what they don't. I don't want to teach them the finish everything on your plate way of thinking but listening to your hunger cues, so I'm trying to break out of that mentality as well. It hasn't been easy but I'm working on it.2
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Mindfulness is a “work in progress” for me but a goal that I believe is attainable. Pre planning meals and sort of sticking to a schedule has been an important part of my lifestyle changes over the past 15 months. I don’t know if I was ignoring signs that I was getting hungry but I frequently felt like I was suddenly lightheaded, shaky and hangry. I would then start shoveling in everything I could quickly get my hands on, never very nutritious choices. I was usually not paying attention and didn’t notice the “ hey, your full! Stop eating!” signals so would end up overeating.
I haven’t put myself in that situation in at least the year I have been on MFP, pretty pleased with that. 😀1 -
I am still working on the whole mindful eating and assessing hunger levels. I am also working on trying to eat slower. I have a habit of eating fast starting from high school. Our lunches were 19 minutes long and that included getting to the cafeteria and standing in line for food if you didn't bring it. Then work re-inforced that for 30 minute breaks, if I was able to take the full break time.2
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angelaor84 wrote: »Day 3-I have been mindful of the choices I make when it comes to food. I was making an egg sandwich for my kids and I used to eat some of the cheese I put on the egg, but not this time. I'm making sure not to eat off my kids' plates/finish what they don't. I don't want to teach them the finish everything on your plate way of thinking but listening to your hunger cues, so I'm trying to break out of that mentality as well. It hasn't been easy but I'm working on it.
I do the same with my kids' leftovers. Or grab a handful of whatever while making their meals, sneak some crackers while they are eating them, etc. It's something I am becoming more mindful of, but still isn't perfect. I have started drinking hot tea during times it is likely going to be an issue. It helps keep me distracted a little and I know that while I'm drinking tea, I shouldn't be eating.
I'm also pretty bad at eating slow. I eat when I can, and usually only have a few minutes before I'm being pulled in another direction. I decided on what and how much I am going to eat beforehand, and then I am done. So I try not to let how fast I eat influence how much I eat.
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Wednesday Day 4
I am always working on adding more veggies. I don't give protein much thought. Based on my age, I'm getting plenty of protein without making an effort to add more. I definitely work at keeping sugar low, but I mean added sugar, not the sugar that occurs naturally in the whole fruit that I eat. I also do my best to keep sodium low when I'm doing the meal prep. I also try to make sure I get enough potassium.
-Mica
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I didn't do much mindful eating yesterday as I was out all day & into the evening.I are out for lunch & dinner.I did have a cooked breakfast before I left.I sometimes feel hungry after I've eaten a small meal.I may just have a bananna or some yoghurt if that happens.Otherwise I may make unhealthy choices for snacks.1
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Day 4
I try my best to follow the healthy plate method. I don't add salt to my foods and read labels as much as possible. I rinse my canned veggies if I use them. I do have a sweet tooth but have been loading up on having fruits available so I can grab one if I have a sweet craving. Tracking my food has helped with being more mindful of my food and seasoning choices.2 -
Wed, Day 4
I try to eat a balance of protein, veggies, fruit, carbs throughout the day, not always during the same meal/plate.
I've been trying up up my protein, I'm not a huge meat eater, so I fill in with eggs, almonds, protein powder...
What is saturated salt?
I avoid sugar during the day, as it makes me tired, I save it up and usually have something sweet after dinner.
Ummm salt, I like salt, and I cook with it, but I don't add more to the finished product, unless it calls for it, ie: french fries!2
