logging nutrition

I previously thought that keeping track of my calories and nutritional intake is going overboard, is micromanaging, is obsessive, and a waste of time. Actually it's been a good educational exercise. I think it's a great way to fine tune your eating plan. You can see what foods costs a lot in calories and fat, and decide if they are worth it to include or if you want lower quantities. It's been good for me for regulating the nut intake. And it's great to find out which foods you like that you can eat tons of. For example, I love carrots. I can go crazy with those babies. And I like fruit. I can only go a little crazy with fruit but I like them more than nuts, so can eat them instead. And things I love like beets and sweet potatoes, well, I can go crazy with them too. Fuhrman recommends we limit the starchy vegetables, but I think that's more for people trying to lose weight. I'd rather have baked beats than grains any day. So go for it!

So as it's turned out, it's actually kind of fun to log the calories and nutrition and you learn a lot doing it. This CRONoMeter program is easy to use. I won't do this forever, just until I feel I've learned what I want to learn. And not only do you learn a lot, it helps you regulate your intake. Check out this article from SparkPeople.com. They refer to a major study in the New England Journal of Medicine that shows that no matter what diet you go on, if you track your calories, you are more likely to lose weight. I know someone who lost 50 lbs in the last 6 months and she tracks her calories too. So I learned something new! Thanks to Howard for turning me on to this.