My Little Problem

Calories! The answer to my  previous post question: where am I going wrong. Already reminding me why I hate dieting, but I'm trying to ignore that thought.

I have regular oatmeal, not the package that has all the sugar (though I used to eat the stuff with all the sugar).  Then mid-day I have an apple. Then I have a lunch, usually a salad. Then another snack, usually celery with some PB for dipping or a small box of raisins. To curb cravings I munch on sugar free mints (used to be gum) and sugar free werthers caramel candy. These are all the healthy habits I developed thanks to April's experiment of healthy diet/ living.

 Dinner is where I am a disaster. Alfredo pasta, potatoes loaded with butter, and usually ice cream to follow, or sometimes just the ice cream for dinner. Whatever I'm craving and is quick is my dinner. Healthy? What healthy?

So I was surprised to realize that it's not dinner alone. My healthy choices are a great start, but I'm not there yet. If I want to enjoy a halfway decent dinner (400 calories is my goal, or I'll end up snacking all night) I need to cut out more throughout my day, such as switching out 2% milk with my oatmeal to almond milk instead.

Thus showing the importance of calorie counting.

Counting calories sucks. Believe me, I know!

 I cannot get my own father to calorie count in order to lose weight for his life-saving cancer surgery! 

Me: 'Dad, it's probably calories.' 

Dad: 'No, Meggie, I'm not eating anything these days!'

Once I made sure he's exaggerating, I repeat 'Dad, it's probably the calories. Are you really watching every little item- 1 handful of nuts, 1 tbsp of dressing- that you put in your mouth?'

He informed me he is. He's baffled.

Me: 'You'd be surprised, dad. You have to count everything. Even one m&m.'

Dad: 'What do you mean count? How do I know what's in each item?'

Me:  'Look at every label; every mayo label, every bread label. I promise you, you're not counting something up.'

Dad: "All that stuff? No, I'm not doing that. What I'm doing now is fine. I know I'm under-eating.'

I know I will not get through to him, but I also know I'm right because time and again I have situations like today when I don't realize just how many calories something really is.

Joy to finding the answer, pain to having to find the solution.