October 21, 2004
WEIGHT, WEIGHT...DON'T TELL ME!
Earlier this month, on the 13th of October, I celebrated my one-year anniversary as a participant in Lifestyle Strategies of Indiana's health and weight management program (now called Health and Nutrition Technology). Since last October, when my friend Melody first told me about this remarkable program, I've lost between 50 and 60 pounds (depending on my weekly program weigh-in totals), and nearly 70 pounds since the beginning of 2003.
As I enter my second year in the program, I've decided to commit myself to goals that will help with my 40 x 40 plan. Tops on my list...learn Steve Silva's 'Calorie Steps'--a highly streamlined system for estimating the caloric intake of vegetables, baked goods, fruit, meat/poultry/dairy, condiments, beverages, and mixed foods. On the surface, trying to memorize the caloric values of the many items covered by each of those categories seems tedious or impossible for the layperson. Silva knew this all too well, and as a result created a system that makes it relatively easy for a schmoo like me to know how many calories I'm consuming within an acceptable range. For example, the range for calories consumed in the vegetable category, figured raw and per cup, is as follows:
- Leafy Greens: 10 calories per cup
- Cauliflower/Popcorn/Summer Squash: 25 calories per cup
- Carrots: 50 calories per cup
- Onions: 65 calories per cup
- Winter Squash: 100 calories per cup
- Peas: 115 calories per cup
- Corn: 135 calories per cup
For months now I've been skating on thin ice where knowing these values is concerned, and I've come to the conclusion that that's just not going to cut it if I truly want to maintain a weight of between 170 and 175 pounds (or less) over the long-term. The most important thing I can do right now is commit Silva's simplified calorie system to memory. Doing so will afford me with the opportunity to make informed choices and decisions, which is critical when attempting to maintain a significant loss of weight.
I'll post the other category calorie values as soon as I've committed the veggie scale to memory.
Posted by Mikal at October 21, 2004 5:55 AM
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