500 Calories A Day

That's the goal.

And no, that's not my calorie intake goal. That's the number of calories that I am trying to drop everyday. I've been trying for about 2 - 3 weeks now and although I may not hit 500 calories a day exactly (most of the time I am rounding anyway because frankly, with a 2 year old and a 3 month old I don't have the time or the energy to count every calorie), I've lost 3 pounds since I have started. So not bad!!

Here's the deal...

1. In order to lose a pound, you need to drop about 3500 calories. Safe and consistent weight loss should be about a pound a week. Ergo...you can drop a pound a week by trimming 500 calories each day.
2. Thinking of it as only 500 calories seems much more attainable to me than only eating 1500 calories a day (even though its about the same thing). Smaller number = easier goal to reach.
3. It's a daily goal which is also easier to keep sight of, then a goal that may take months to get to. 
4. I get a little sense of accomplishment everyday, rather than having to wait for months.

Even though a daily goal is easier to keep sight of and for me, easier to accomplish, I do have a longer term goal. In order to get back to my pre-Jackson weight (which was actually a little bit under my pre-Emma weight), I need to lose about 16 pounds. Ack. But for now, it's baby steps.

500 Calories a day.

Here are some of the things that I have been trying to do to get to that 500 calorie mark. Like I said above, I may not always hit it, but I must at least be getting close!

• Soda: This is a big one for me. I don't necessarily drink a lot of soda each day, but I do tend to at least drink one soda a day. So I took out the soda (with the occasional treat here or there during the week), so that's about 150 calories right there.
• Reducing Alcohol: Apparently, my PPD and how I am feeling that day is directly proportional to my alcohol intake. Oops. So instead of having those two glasses of red wine at night, I took out a few nights all together, and on those nights where I do have a glass, I keep it to one. So that can save about 100 or more calories as well.
• Exercise: This one I am still working on and I'm trying to get into a consistent routine. Ha. "Consistent Routine". Yeah, those words pretty much don't exist in our house right about now. :) But, when I do get there, I am estimating I am burning about 100 to 200 calories.
• Portion Control: Again, something I am trying to work on, but getting better. We actually eat relatively healthy (substitute ground turkey in pretty much everything for ground beef, always have a veggie, etc) but I tend to eat more than I actually need to.
• Dessert: Wes and I tend to go through phases with dessert. For months we won't buy any and really don't mind it. Then, we will get on this dessert kick and go crazy every night. Crikey. But, the good thing about having a toddler in the house is that it is perfectly acceptable to constantly buy freezer pops, which actually provide a great, 50 calorie dessert for Mommy and Daddy.
• Coffee: Yeah right. I'm not touching my coffee or the yummy sugar or flavored creamer that I put in it. Not until I get desperate. :) 
• The Little Things: I also just try to make better choices throughout the day. For example, when I bought lunch at work, I would usually either get a turkey or tuna sandwich, some chips and a soda. So the soda is already gone (from above), the tuna lost its extra shot of mayo (because frankly, I work for a defense contractor who is not exactly known for their tuna sandwiches which can be pretty dry) and my beloved Miss Vickie's Salt and Vinegar chips got replaced by Baked Lays. Not quite as good, but I can still have chips with lunch, and still save calories.

So there you go.

That's the plan.

So far so good.

I've got a long way to go.

Baby Steps.

Tony Horton...Here.I.Come.