February 18, 2011

400 Calorie Fix

Since January I have made a lot of changes to my portions, included more fruits and vegetables, tried to eat better in general, but overall I'm not eating anything special nor am I excluding anything entirely.  Instead, I have embraced the 400 Calorie Fix.


This book is really helping me with my success.  Since January I've lost 18.5 lbs.  It does not emphasize any particular kind of diet (like Atkins, the Blood Type Diet, South Beach, etc) instead it just emphasizes portion control.  In encourages you to make every meal about 400 calories and I eat four meals a day.  This usually puts me between the 1600-1700 calorie range.  I do not want this blog to become a daily tally of what I eat but I do want to show you how much food you can eat for 400 calories.  An example: my breakfast this morning included an Alternative Bagel 110, light cream cheese 160, a Light and Fit yogurt 80, and half cup of fresh blueberries for 30.  This all adds to 380.  Additionally I have a cup of coffee that averages about 65 calories.  This is by far my most filling, favorite breakfast.  Other breakfasts include oatmeal with dried fruit and a yogurt, or cereal with fresh fruit and yogurt. 

It seems that, for me, this 400 calorie number seems to really help.  All my meals are about the same size.  I have a breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus a dessert.  A 400 calorie dessert is a pretty big dessert.  For example, last night I had a Warm Delights mini microwave cake 150, an Edy's half cup of light chocolate ice cream 170, strawberries, and a piece of chocolate.  All for 390 calories. 

I will say this, when I first started I was very hungry, sometimes all day.  This has gotten better but there are times that I just have to ride it out.  My nutrionist has advised me to break up my dessert into two 200 calorie meals but I don't want to do that.  I guess if I felt like I really needed to eat then I would but I love knowing that my large dessert is coming. 

All in all I think this book is great.  It gives me the structure and guidance I needed.  I gave me some great recipe ideas and the pictures are a real help.

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