Nine Hershey’s Kisses® are 230 calories. I know this because I looked up the information before I ate nine Hershey’s Kisses®. I’m not telling you this because I want you to “cheat” or tempt you but I really wanted a treat the other day. I have been very “good” with my eating choices and I wanted to see if a little chocolate could fit in. I realize this isn’t a good idea if you’re on a low sugar eating plan but I’m on a some sugar eating plan. No lifestyle plan is going to work for me if I can’t savor chocolate now and then.  And low and behold SCIENCE is now agreeing with my chocolate is good for you plan!

Here’s what they’ve recently discovered about chocolate and its benefits!

Her’s why I think The Kisses® are a good choice for me: it’s because you have to open each one. This takes time so it slowed the experience down. I planned for 230 calories from the nine individually wrapped treats and I also planned for 1 cup of ice cold skim milk to wash it down. The milk was 80 calories. So while I don’t think this is a choice for every day I do think it helped me be the boss of my four in the afternoon craving.

I was in charge of them and not the other way around. I had my lovely little chocolate treat and stayed within my eating plan for the day. It made me want to kiss the Kisses® right back. Oh.. and it also helps me keep track the next time I’m at a party and someone has a dish of them out. One is 25.5 calories.

So how about you? Is there room for a Kiss® or are you better off completely avoiding them for now? Science would suggest chocolate (in reasonable quantities – course that’s the part Imma workin’ on) is GOOD!

I’ve been very rigorous in adhering to my new Target BMR Diet. By rigorous I mean I write everything down, don’t cheat, snack on veggies with NO dipping sauce, and don’t go over the BMR for the weight I want to be. This means I’m consuming around 1200 calories a day. (Give or take a cherry tomato.)

The other day I’d budgeted everything out food wise. I’d eaten a healthy and balanced breakfast, a lunch with protein and veggies, a controlled but satisfying afternoon snack, and was properly hydrated all day. I was so virtuous that I’m certain the Order of Our Lady of the Austere and Virtuous Convent and Putt Putt Golf  would call at any moment and beg me to join.

I was prepared for a fairly lavish serving for dinner. I was hungry and I’d already calculated that two pieces of pork tenderloin, a small potato and a veggie were all calling my name and were well within my calorie budget for the day.

So I dug in, salad first of course, then the main course. Before I finished the first piece of pork I began to feel uncomfortable. What was this? I continued to eat because that is my idiom. But alas, I stopped. What was this feeling?

This feeling was full.

Normally it takes a while for me to feel full, like 42  years. But here I was, eating  a small salad, a reasonable sized red skinned potato, and one piece of pork. It was enough. Was it possible that I’d actually shrunk my stomach? It sure felt like less was enough.

My brief research into the medical feasibilty of this shows that while my stomach might not be a physically smaller space, it is possible, after a sustained period of lower calorie intake, to lower the level of food that makes you satisfied.

Isn’t that the Holy Grail? To feel sated with an amount that also keeps you healthy and the size you’d like?

Intimidating my stomach with Mr. T. Shrinky Dinks.

Is it possible I’ve found a key to why MY efforts haven’t worked lately? On lower carb plans I feel free to eat ridiculous quantities of lean protein. By ridiculous I mean a whole chicken. On current point counting plans I feel free to eat ridiculous amounts of fruits and vegetables. By ridiculous I mean ALL the grapes in the bag. I use the idea that you don’t have to count certain foods as a crutch to eat until I blow out all concept of what’s enough.

Lowering my calorie intake has meant nothing is unaccounted for, if I eat it I add it. This has meant less food, but pretty much any food that I feel I want. Just less. And I do not subsribe to the idea that a calorie is a calorie. I have very much been eating lean protein, vegetables, and whole grains. But when I hit the Target BMR number of calories I’m done. Could I be retraining my stomach? Is my stomach too old for that? Can it learn new dances? Or is it doomed to the Electric Slide and The Hustle? We’ll see.

But for now, the idea that I was full before my plate was clean gave me some hope that my Target BMR Diet might be hitting the bullseye for a while.

My first step is the BMR number. This is the amount of calories you’d burn if you laid in bed all day at certain weights. It takes into account your height, age, and gender. For example, say you want to be 145 pounds and you’re a 30 year old woman who’s 5’5″ and you don’t exercise, according to the BMR calculator you’d need to stick to about 1450 calories a day to maintain that.  Now that’s a fairly low amount of calories, but of course if  you say walk to the bathroom, unload the dishwasher, you could eat 1453 calories to maintain.

What I’ve been doing is eating my target BMR number for a week or so. I’ve lost 5.9 pounds in one week. Yep. That’s a HUGE weight loss in one week for me, but I was so encouraged it’s given me the motivation to do it again this week. I expect I’ll lose less the second week but I’m going to try it.

So how do you stick to a lower calorie diet?

You head needs to be on lockdown: Put that goal weight in your brain. Remind yourself this is what ya eat if you want that number. Period. No other options. When you’re tempted to go over with something high in calories don’t think of it as cheating. Just be rational, this is not going to get me to that number. Then decide, yes or no.

Plan backwards: What’s for dinner? I’ve been adding up the dinner calories first. Then adjusting my breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack accordingly. It’s much easier than being stuck with a “what’s left” for dinner. Plan around a GREAT dinner. Or if lunch is your big meal do that. But make sure one meal is your “big meal” and adjust around it.

Snack: For me the afternoon is binge time. I go for a sweet snack everytime. Then twenty of them. It is the killer of every diet I’ve ever been on. First up knowledge is power. SO I’m planning a snack. I’ve got almonds, carrots, and even fresh red peppers. I eat it before that sweet craving hits.

Fruit versus Veggies: I LOVE the new Weight Watchers plan but I was eating too much. Argue with me if you want but I needed to simmer down on the fruit. With my current plan I count the calories in fruit and my veggies. I eat the veggies as the snacks. FOR ME fruit starts me down the sugar road. It is a trigger to more sugar. That may not be the case for you. I just know controlling my fruit seemed to help me control the entire day.

Protein: I’m trying to make sure each meal has protein. This is the way to stay full and feel satisfied.

More to come on what I’m eating but only if I lose again. Just for your own interest, go calculate the BMR of your target weight. Not what you weigh now, but what you’d LIKE to weigh. Then calculate your BMR for your current weight and see the calorie difference. It gave me a fresh perspective on how to pretend I am at goal and it’s given my weight loss efforts a little boost.

Does this barrell make my butt look big?

1. During The Great Depression I heard they wore barrels with suspenders. Barrels hide every figure flaw from chest to upper thigh! Heck with the Pilate’s class get yourself a barrel!

2. Anxiety is a great appetite suppressant! Nothing quells the urge for a candy bar like fear of global economic collapse. Skip the vending machine and stoke your nervous stomach.  (Unless you’re a nervous eater, in that case uh oh.)

3. Panic can really help a workout! Sure all the pundits say you shouldn’t panic, I say panic like it’s your birthday. Panic your way to a higher intensity spinning class, a quicker pace on the treadmill, and even some in the car toning. That’s right, clench your muscles in the car out of sheer panic. Start with clenching your jaw, put a tight grip on the steering wheel, and while you’re at it just squeeze everything you have physical control of. Make sure the radio is on a news or financial show to keep you focused.

4. Skipping a meal or three so you can horde your food could mean BAM skinny jeans. Sure everyone says we’re supposed to eat 5 sensible meals but supermodels skip dozens of meals and they’re super models. They must know stuff. I did not have a second bowl of Cheerios this morning out of love of my family. If there’s an apocalypse driven by S &P’s downgrade who knows WHEN I’ll get to Kroger. Now the children will have one more bowl of cereal to sustain them and I will look fantastic in my barrel!

So how can YOU use the downgrade to look prettier? Share with me.

*Second Disclaimer. This is not actual health advice. This is a humor website. Remember how WE’RE NOT A DOCTOR. We expect you to get actual health advice from doctor and supermodels. Also I was joking about skipping meals. I actually did eat two bowls of cereal this morning. The kids are out of luck if we’re cut off from new cereal sources due to economic collapse.

Three Ways to Make your Food and Exercise Journal Fun!

1. Pretend your food/exercise journal is an ongoing letter to either your vampire or werewolf fantasy boyfriend. Example Below:

read two more fun ways….

2. Write it your food entries like they are an adventure story.

3. Celebrate your success (when you make good choices or achieve a goal) like you just won the Oscar!

(This is a repost – sorry -late for work!)

“Artificial sweeteners could have the effect of triggering appetite but unlike regular sugars they don’t deliver something that will squelch the appetite,” Sharon Fowler, obesity researcher at UT Health Science Center at San Diego and a co-author of two recent studies. She also said sweeteners could inhibit brain cells that make you feel full.”

SO just great. I’m consuming zero calories but it’s making me fat. I’ve contemplated it before. Giving up diet pop. I currently drink one sweetened with Splenda AND that’s caffeine free. It’s practically brown water. But still. I love it. Diet pop is my LAST VICE!    But I’m considering trying to give it up – again. Here’s my reasoning.

So – can you give up diet pop? I may be doing it…. gulp.