Day 50: Weigh-in
Posted by Paola
Weekly weigh-in: 3 lb lost (total: 14 lb in 7 weeks)
Ooh, a big surprise. I thought that after the weekend of eating out, I’d have not lost anything. The smaller plates approach to make me eat less more often must be working. Hurray!
Day 49: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Posted by Paola
8:25pm Wholemeal roll with marmite
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bread roll | 172 | 6.2 | 31.3 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| light Flora | 28 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| marmite | 11 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Total | 211 | 8.1 | 32.5 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
Then out at a music Discovery day at the Barbican.
1pm Crispyfied egg sandwich + biscotti + latte @ Costa Coffee
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| small skimmed milk latte | 46 | 3.8 | 7.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| egg sandwich | 315 | 18.3 | 41.9 | 8.2 | 0.0 |
| crisps | 72 | 1.1 | 9.0 | 3.7 | 0.4 |
| almond biscotti | 130 | 3.0 | 18.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| Total | 563 | 26.1 | 76.2 | 17.1 | 1.4 |
8:15pm Frankfurter, sweetcorn and cheese with yoghurt & bread + tea + mandarin
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sweetcorn | 148 | 5.4 | 27.0 | 3.7 | 2.4 |
| half-fat cheddar cheese | 52 | 5.9 | 0.0 | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| fat-free yoghurt | 41 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| vegetarian frankfurter | 68 | 5.4 | 0.8 | 4.5 | 0.6 |
| wholemeal bread roll | 154 | 6.1 | 23.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 |
| mandarin | 37 | 0.5 | 9.4 | 0.2 | 1.9 |
| Total | 499 | 27.4 | 67.0 | 15.4 | 9.5 |
The day’s totals below. Not TOO bad.
| Day 49 | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 211 | 8.1 | 32.5 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
| Lunch | 563 | 26.1 | 76.2 | 17.1 | 1.4 |
| Dinner | 499 | 27.4 | 67.0 | 15.4 | 9.5 |
| Other drinks | 100 | ||||
| Total | 1,372 | 61.7 | 175.7 | 35.1 | 13.7 |
| 20% | 56% | 25% | |||
| Allowance | 1,200 | 75 – 105g 25 – 35% |
120 – 165g 40 – 55% |
33 – 40g 25 – 30% |
|
Day 48: Dinner
Posted by Paola
6pm – 9pm Party food
One small beer, a vegetarian hotdog in a wholemeal roll, a sixth of a slice of pizza, crisps and dips, a vegetable samosa and a tablespoon of Anna’s homemade chocolate cake.
Everything except the info for the pizza, samosa and hotdog is estimated.
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| small beer | 83 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| pizza | 171 | 8.3 | 23.4 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
| vegetable samosa | 115 | 2.3 | 10.8 | 6.8 | 0.9 |
| crisp | 48 | 0.7 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 0.3 |
| dip | 120 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 12.0 | 0.0 |
| 1 vegetarian frankfurter | 68 | 5.4 | 0.8 | 4.5 | 0.6 |
| wholemeal bread roll | 154 | 6.1 | 23.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 |
| ketchup | 5 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| mustard | 9 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| 1 tbsp chocolate cake | 103 | 0.8 | 12.3 | 5.2 | 0.2 |
| Total | 874 | 25.1 | 80.9 | 40.4 | 8.5 |
Many more calories than I thought.
| Day 48 | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 257 | 7.8 | 53.2 | 2.4 | 6.1 |
| Lunch | 261 | 13.0 | 31.5 | 10.5 | 7.6 |
| Snack | 104 | 3.0 | 22.3 | 0.6 | 4.5 |
| Dinner | 874 | 25.1 | 80.9 | 40.4 | 8.5 |
| Other drinks | 100 | ||||
| Total | 1,597 | 48.9 | 187.8 | 53.8 | 26.7 |
| 14% | 52% | 34% | |||
| Allowance | 1,200 | 75 – 105g 25 – 35% |
120 – 165g 40 – 55% |
33 – 40g 25 – 30% |
|
Day 48: Breakfast, snack & lunch
Posted by Paola
10am Malted wheats cereal with banana + tea
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| malted wheats | 145 | 4.3 | 30.0 | 0.8 | 3.9 |
| semi-skimmed milk | 37 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| banana | 76 | 0.9 | 19.4 | 0.3 | 2.2 |
| Total | 257 | 7.8 | 53.2 | 2.4 | 6.1 |
Noon Chickpeas with broccoli and cheese + pint of squash
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| red pepper | 4 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| balsamic vinegar | 9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| chickpeas | 49 | 3.0 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 2.1 |
| red chilli | 1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| dried mint | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| orange juice | 2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| steamed broccoli | 52 | 2.1 | 12.2 | 0.4 | 5.2 |
| lemon juice | 6 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| extra virgin olive oil | 66 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.3 | 0.0 |
| fat-free yoghurt | 44 | 4.5 | 6.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| half-fat cheddar cheese | 29 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Total | 261 | 13.0 | 31.5 | 10.5 | 7.6 |
2:15pm Salad with Crackerbreads
| 1 serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lettuce | 12 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| steamed broccoli | 11 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 |
| lemon juice | 6 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| capers | 2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Peppadew | 33 | 0.3 | 7.8 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 2 crackerbreads | 40 | 1.4 | 7.8 | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| Total | 104 | 3.0 | 22.3 | 0.6 | 4.5 |
Which leaves about 475 calories for this evening with friends.
Day 47: Dinner
Posted by Paola
8pm Mixed vegetable salad + mandarin
| 300g serving | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| red onion | 13 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| steamed broccoli | 14 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| lemon juice | 5 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| extra virgin olive oil | 61 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.8 | 0.0 |
| green beans | 16 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| cooked beetroot | 26 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 |
| half-fat cheddar cheese | 23 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| red chilli | 1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| fat-free yoghurt | 22 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| mandarin | 37 | 0.5 | 9.4 | 0.2 | 1.9 |
The day’s totals:
| Day 47 | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunch | 452 | 26.6 | 51.8 | 16.9 | 9.8 |
| Drunch | 352 | 19.1 | 56.0 | 6.3 | 11.4 |
| Snack | 32 | 0.4 | 5.0 | 1.3 | |
| Dinner | 218 | 8.5 | 29.7 | 8.7 | 6.6 |
| Other drinks | 100 | ||||
| Total | 1,154 | 54.8 | 143.0 | 33.6 | 27.9 |
| 20% | 52% | 28% | |||
| Allowance | 1,200 | 75 – 105g 25 – 35% |
120 – 165g 40 – 55% |
33 – 40g 25 – 30% |
|
How to use a spreadsheet to calculate calories for one serving
Posted by Paola
If you cook a big batch of something but need to know the nutritional information for a specific serving, here’s how to work it out using a spreadsheet. This method is based my own process of counting calories.
Tools
- a heat resistant mat
- digital weighing scales with a 1g increments and a zero feature
- pad and pen
- spreadsheet software
1) Place your heat mat on your scales and zero
2) Weigh the pan you will cook and make a note – in this example, my pan is 591g
3) Remove and use the pan to cook with. However, before you add each food item to the pan, weigh it and make a note of it on the pad.
In this example recipe, I made the following notes while I was cooking:
- 45ml balsamic
- 158g red pepper
- 240g chickpeas (100g = 109 cal, 15.5 ca, 6.6g pro, 2.3g fat, 4.8g fi)
- 21g red chilli
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 30ml orange juice (100ml = 42 cal, 0.5g pro, 9.1g ca, 0.1g fat. 0.1g fibr)
4) After your food is cooked, reweigh the pan on the heat mat with the scales zeroed.
In this example, my pan weighs 977g
5) To weigh your portion, place your plate on the scales and zero.
6) Add your serving and note the weight.
In this example, my serving size is 179g (I round this up to 180g).
7) When you want to calculate your meal’s nutritional information, use the spreadsheet to calculate the cooked weight.
In this example, 977g – 591g = 386g
8) Create rows for each food item in your cooked meal, entering the quantities you noted earlier. The green cells are calculated, based on published nutritional information and eaten quantities.
This gives the nutritional information for the total cooked weight:
9) Copy the table to make a new block.
10) Replace the cooked weight in the second block with your serving’s weight (as a reminder).
11) In the first cell of eaten quantities, create a formula which refers to the corresponding food row on the previous table: [cell]/pan_weight*serving_weight
In this example, I’m dividing the cell which contains 158 with the total weight 386 to get the info per gram, and multiplying by my serving weight 180 to get the info for my serving.
12) Copy the cell with this new formula and paste it to the other eaten quantity cells in the row.
The resulting table represents the nutritional information for your serving:
13) You can then add additional rows for extras you added for your meal. In this example, I added yoghurt, bread and fruit.
Any questions? No? Good. You may begin.
Recipe: Tangy chickpeas with red pepper
Posted by Paola
This is a quick way to cook something very tasty. Balsamic vinegar replaces the need for any oil or salt.
Serves 2 @ 200 calories each (+ 125 for bread & yoghurt)
45ml balsamic vingear
1 tin (240g) chickpeas (tinned in just water, not with salt/sugar)
1 red pepper
2 tsp dried mint
1 chilli (optional)
1 red onion (optional)
To serve
Fat-free yoghurt
Wholemeal pitta bread or other bread
1) Slice the red peppers (and red onion, if you’re using it) into fine strips (the finer you slice them, the quicker they’ll cook).
2) Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan on a medium heat.
3) Add the rest of the ingredients: rinsed chickpeas, sliced veg and the dried mint.
4) Cook until the peppers and onions are floppy, and the only liquid is coating the chickpeas. About 5 minutes.
Lid off: Cook with the lid off if you can stay by the pan to frequently stir it. You’ll get a thicker coating of balsamic this way. If the pan dries out before the vegetables are soft and floppy, add more balsamic.
Lid on: Cook with the lid on and shake the pan vigorously once a minute. Remove the lid if the vegetables are cooked before the balsamic has reduced enough, to cook off the remaining liquids.
6) Serve with a large dollop of yoghurt and bread (these will add about 125 calories).
| 2 servings | calories | protein | carbs | fat | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| red pepper | 20 | 0.3 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| balsamic vinegar | 49 | 0.2 | 10.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| red onion | 64 | 1.4 | 15.4 | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| chickpeas | 262 | 15.8 | 37.2 | 5.5 | 11.5 |
| Total | 394 | 18 | 70 | 6 | 14 |
