Calories: 2164
401's an important number, especially this time of year. 401(k)s are investments for tax season, and this is my 401st post, which makes the word "investment" mean something else for me. Jim posted a fantastic blog yesterday about Entitlement and what he's "entitled" to. To add to that theme, I've been thinking about the investments I've made into my weight loss plan.
I've invested a ton into this - not just the time that it took to write out 401 blog posts. I've put over a year into waking up and being in the gym before 6am. I've sacrified a ton when it comes to eating whatever the hell I've felt like eating. I've put things aside in order to reach my goals.
I've benefitted a lot in the past year because of this. My constant backaches are gone. My snoring is gone. My acid reflux is gone. I have more pride in myself. I know that I can accomplish things that I never, EVER thought I'd be able to do. I can look myself in the mirror - and even though it's not where I want to be - it's POSSIBLE. I've invested quite a bit into this.
And with every good investment there are strong growths and some days where the market isn't so good to us. And just like money transactions, you never sell low. You don't bail out when the trends are heading downward. You DO NOT GIVE UP when it looks like times are tough.
That's an investment.
I've been struggling a lot lately, to the point of wanting to fold. The past few days there's been quite the discussion on my blog about the right way to do things, the right eating habits, the importance of nutrition vs. exercise, and we all have our ideas on how to do things. Constant improvement is what has to happen. I'll be altering the food intake some - I want to start cooking more on the weekends to plan longer term meals. I want to eat more 'natural' but I know with financial restrictions I don't have the luxury of heading to the Whole Markets food store to spend the money that it would require.
When you can't invest money, you invest time. That's the next step in my growth. I'm going to make the most out of my meals - try to eat more natural, and keep the calories around 2000. But if I have to eat a Lean Pocket because I wasn't able to make a chili - that's OK to me too. As long as I don't follow it up with a large pizza and a basket of chili fries, then I will be ok. There's decisions to make, and even if it sounds like an excuse, sometimes I have to substitute 'quality' for convenience. That's my life, and I'll never apologize for it. I'll just continue to work hard, continue to focus on improvement, and over time, my investments will mature.
I'm a stock worth holding.
That being said, here's my breakdown for the day. Long day tomorrow - 5:30 up, 6:00am gym, head to school and work, and then straight to Mongolian BBQ for our fund raiser to raise money fro Breast Cancer Awareness and the 3-day walk. Hope your weekends went well.
| Sun, Jan 27 2008 | |||
| Breakfast | |||
  | A Grapefruit - Raw, Pink And Red, All Areas  | 123 | 52 |
| B KELLOGG'S SPECIAL K RED BERRIES | 62 | 229 |
| A- Milk, Lowfat, Fluid, 1% Milkfat - With Added Vitamin A | 244 | 103 |
| Lunch | |||
| B+ Bread, Wheat - (Includes Wheat Berry) | 50 | 130 |
| B- Peanut Butter, Smooth Style - With Salt | 64 | 383 |
| Strawberry Jelly - Smucker's | 40 | 100 |
| Dinner | |||
| C+ Santa Fe Chicken Salad - Fresh Tastes Salads | 798 | 740 |
| Fat Free Honey Mustard | 120 | |
| Snacks | |||
| A Apples - Golden Delicious | 204 | 98 |
| Pumpkin Bread | 62 | 210 |
| Total Calories Consumed | 2,164 | ||
 |  Fat - 31.3% (77 grams) Protein - 18.2% (100 grams) Carbohydrates - 50.5% (278 grams) Alcohol - 0.0% Other - 0.0%Daily Sodium Intake - 4,307 mg Daily Cholesterol Intake - 227 mg Daily Fiber Intake - 25 grams |
7 comments:
that's really cool how you can click on something that you ate today and it will show the nutritional value for it.
good job keeping up on the daily food log. :)
~your wife
Hi Rob,
Glad to see your 401k in blog land - keep 'em coming.
I was looking at your calories and the breakdowns and I understand the financial contraints that may prevent you from shopping at whole foods market but I would suggest you change things up a little bit.
Its highly recommended that you consume 1g of protein for every l lb of body weight. 18% per day is extremely low which will lead to catabolism (eating of your muscles that youre working so hard to build).
Another change I would suggest is eating less starchy carbs and more fiberous ones. Three things will happen... 1.)You will be able to cut back on your carb intake 2.)you wont have an insulin spike 3.) you can consume more of these sorts of foods allowing for you to feel more satisfied.
Like I said I understand budgets and time contstraints but that isnt an excuse to have quality suffer. If you take a few hours on a Sunday you can prepare your meals for the whole week and find its not extremely expensive.
Lastly try uping your fats - healthy ones in moderation like nuts, natural peanut butter sold at regular grocery stores, fish oil, olive oil and the like. They will keep you full as well and help your body become fat adapted which means help it use fat for fuel and nothing else...all this comes with lowering your carbs to the right kind. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated which will help with the fluctuations on the scale. If you find youre having a great fluctuation day to day its highly likely due to hydration issues.
I know I said last thing, but I also think youre eating too low for your size.
Stick with it Rob because like you said its POSSIBLE!!!
I've put a bit more effort into my meals for today - soem refinement still necessary,but it's a step in the right direction:
Breastfast: eggs
Lunch: home made vegetable soup, yogurt, grapefruit
Dinner: Monglian BBQ (hosting breast cancer fundraiser tonight).
snacks: fruit
Mmm...Mongolian BBQ...(*drool*)
On the outset, yesterday's menu "looks" healthy enough, but the sodium intake clued me in: do you realize you ate 4 GRAMS of sodium yesterday? Just imagine a few teaspoons of pure salt and you'll understand why your weight's been fluctuating lately.
And healthy eating on a budget: your new best friends are oatmeal (the tub, not those packets), eggs, beans, in-season fruits, and in-season veggies or frozen veggies. Chili soup is wonderful at that: celery, tomatoes (as many as you can stand), onions, garlic (cloves), kidney beans, chili beans (rinse the kidney beans and chili beans off, and the tomatoes if they come from a can). All cheap foods, and can serve a family for a week.
I know, I'm one to talk. Looks like today's menu is much better. Good to see you plugging on so well!
I can help you on the eating natural stuff, Tuck. I know you're busy bro, but it doesn't take long to grill a porkchop and nuke some broccoli. That's just one example, but it's all pretty easy if you let it be. I myself have done the occasional can of soup or frozen meal when I'm stuck in a bind, but it's not something you should be doing on a regular basis. I know it's easy, I know it tastes good, and lord knows I know what it's like to go to school and work and work out...but if you want a decent ROI, it's something you're going to have to look into.
To me, it's more the 'lunch on the run' than it is the dinners and breakfasts. I don't have a place to sit down and eat usually, it's in the car, or wait until late to eat - although that's changing with being at the school and all.
I'm taking the chili for lunch idea, and the cooking full turkies and making them work. It just is going to take a bit more time on my side, and I'm going to have to accept that.
That being said, I had a grapefruit and some awesome home made vegetable soup for lunch and feel pretty satisfied.
you better add slices of pumpkin bread to today's menu. just keepin ya honest!
~ekt
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