Syren, She's a Rebel

[Syren]

 

 

Not really, but I love this song, and I'm switching classes for this challenge

 

Anyway, Onto the Goals!

 

Phase 1: Collect the right number of calories

 

Phase 2: .....

 

Phase 3: Lose mass.

 

 

I know NF is not about the counting of the calories -- however, I need this for the time being to understand portion control. See I love food. Luv it! I want it all the time -- but not the things that are actually full of nutritious goodness that my body needs. Most likely because I am an animal and I have evolved, like the rest of us, from a common ancestor that had a hard time finding abundant sources of both fats -- for building collagen and other connective tissues and storing energy! -- and sugars -- the basic block components that allow our cells to function -- to keep them alive. 

 

Today, we have grocery stores! And take out! And epic significant others who love us, even if we are crazy, that give us chocolate. There is an over abundance of the good stuff as it were.  At least in 'Murica, where I live. Exceptionally happy that I don't have to find my own food, but also outraged that the people who grow it or make it don't have easy, affordable access to health care or a living wage or a means of achieving citizenship in some cases...hmm, that got political ...?-- moving on!

 

SO!

 

What do you do when you love food but hate your waist line and achy joints? Well, you could eat like a cave man -- which is great if you can -- my budget does not appreciate the price of that much carnivory and my gut bacteria do not have the umph to pull me through the steak sweats. "But the Primal/Paleo Diet isn't all meat!" Yes, I know, but I also can't eat that much veg right now to make me feel full without resorting to potatoes, plantains, yucca, etc. all. of. the. time.  I have tried primal/paleo and have wasted so much food trying to prep in advance only to have my will power fall at just the thought of the ease and dreaminess that is a normal pepperoni and jalapeno pan crust pizza -- because I have a limited amount of will power just to get out of bed and go to work most days, there is literally none left when I go home.... thank the old gods and the new that I can't drink soda now without severe gastrointestinal discomfort -- well, maybe not a good thing, but nearly 1/2 win since it keeps me from drinking more liquid sugar in carbonated citrus flavor.

 

I love the recent blog posts about other diet ideas. It felt like there was suddenly less pressure -- not that NF ever really instigated pressure, but it was a little relieving nevertheless to accept that it is okay not to be perfect at paleo/primal. I am a normal Omnivore, however I need to learn how to make my eyes and stomach come to an accord on most food. Enter the idea of, "Google, what does the 2,000 calorie diet actually look like?" 

 

Why 2,000? Well not much besides Goku's power level is great when it is over 9,000 -- unless you count Vegeta's ego, and great might be a matter of opinion.... The 2,000 calorie diet is the dream of all those FDA posters that I grew up with in the 90's -- those food pyramids where grains made up the bottom and milk was promoted as the best thing to make bones grow. It was a decent average that would encompass most people despite gender or activity, so this was the magic number around which all nutritional labels would be based. I thought this would be a good start because whenever I calculate my metabolic rate and dietary needs for losing 1 - 1.5 lbs per week, I get anywhere from 2,200 to 1,800 calories as a goal in most trackers and calculators. (Also, that is a huge range, what the heck?!)

 

I have started this week a guideline for me to attempt portion control and still eat the things I really want to eat -- maybe less pizza. 

 

11 servings of fruit and veg

• 1/2 cup cooked or raw veg
• 1 cup of raw leafy or salad greens
• 4 oz of a single piece of fruit (like an apple, pear, banana, etc.)
• 1/2 cup of berries -- botany brain stop! I know you mean aggregate fruits and grapes and cherries, but this will get tedious if I have to be more specific
• 1/4 cup dried fruit

4 servings of grain or bread

• 1 oz (read slice) bread
• 1/2 cup of cooked pasta/rice/oats/cereal
• 4 oz sweet potatoes, potatoes, plantains, yucca -- I feel like I am missing another super starchy veg, but I just can't remember it....

2 servings of nuts, seeds, or beans

• 1/2 cup beans
• 1/4 cup nuts
• 2 tablespoons seeds

2 servings of dairy

• 1.5 oz cheese
• 1 cup yogurt

1 serving of seafood or poultry 

• 4 oz

2 servings of oils or fats

• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

2 servings of sugary goodness

• 1 teaspoon honey -- use it wisely

1 extra serving of the good stuff (anything not veg or fruit)

 

Lots of rules, lots of measuring, lots of details to weigh down my routine. What could possibly go wrong?

 

Strictly speaking, this is to help me make my grocery list -- will I painstakingly measure out every single thing I eat -- absolutely not! But I will be able to focus more on "does the thing I want to make this week that is super tasty hit the nutrient categories?" "Am I actually getting nutrients?" "Yes, I have to eat vegetables..." (I do like them, but broccoli and celery make it really hard sometimes). 

 

The 80% of becoming healthy is the hardest part. I've come a long way from what I ate in 2014 when I started posting here on NF, but I still have a long way to go too. 

 

 

Bonus Round

Finding Phase II

 

I will at least do yoga if nothing else to make my morning complete and wonderful and shiny!

 

[Syren]

For the tracking!

[zeroh13]

Welcome to the Rebels! 

 

2 hours ago, Syren said:

I know NF is not about the counting of the calories -- however, I need this for the time being to understand portion control.

I see a good amount of people here counting calories. If it works for you, there's nothing really wrong with it.

 

2 hours ago, Syren said:

I love the recent blog posts about other diet ideas. It felt like there was suddenly less pressure -- not that NF ever really instigated pressure, but it was a little relieving nevertheless to accept that it is okay not to be perfect at paleo/primal. I am a normal Omnivore, however I need to learn how to make my eyes and stomach come to an accord on most food. Enter the idea of, "Google, what does the 2,000 calorie diet actually look like?" 

The best diet is the one that you can stick too, and not want to kill someone while doing it. Paleo, low carb, whole 30, etc, the majority of success with them is from eliminating processed foods. With the specifics of macro breakdown and all that stuff, well "results may vary". Not everyone processes food the same so you can't really say (for someone else) that one diet is better than another. For me personally, I'm vegetarian so a lot of those diets become ridiculously hard to follow. So I don't bother with them. 

 

2 hours ago, Syren said:

Strictly speaking, this is to help me make my grocery list -- will I painstakingly measure out every single thing I eat -- absolutely not! But I will be able to focus more on "does the thing I want to make this week that is super tasty hit the nutrient categories?" "Am I actually getting nutrients?" "Yes, I have to eat vegetables..." (I do like them, but broccoli and celery make it really hard sometimes). 

So I take it you're going to have a nice list ready the next time you get groceries?

 

Good luck! 

[J3NN]

On 10/15/2018 at 4:08 PM, Syren said:

I have started this week a guideline for me to attempt portion control and still eat the things I really want to eat -- maybe less pizza. 

I like the week guideline, some days there just aren't vegetables, and others there are so many... if it all balances out week after week, that should be good enough. It's not like those cavemen could guarantee they would have consistently well balanced meals every day right? I mean if they took the right fork and found the deer, but the vegetables were all down the left fork, then deer it was, until they went back down that fork.

 

This makes sense in my head, even if it doesn't translate out loud

 

Good luck on your challenge!

[Syren]

I love my co-workers, however when we all collectively skip real lunch to gorge on the Employee Committee bake sale -- that we all both contribute to and buy from -- well, our bond of doing terrible things to our bodies only grows.

 

I think I am good on sugar for the rest of the month.