Progress Report

So far I am following my calorie counting consistently. And while I don't come under my calories every day I am at least logging it. I even logged Thanksgiving this year. Not sure if I have lost weight but I am feeling better. Less mood swings, more energy, sleeping better, and my stomach is shrinking. I have been to two buffets in the last month and stopped happily at 2 plates. I don't snack going down the road as much. So here is what's working:

1. Calorie counting. My daily target is 1860 a day. Myfitnesspal.com has an app that is awesome. The app has a killer search engine and has never failed me. It even will read a product's barcode and will have all the nutrition info. Calorie counting has helped me before and I am glad to be with it. The difference is that it's easier and you can have friends that track and lose with you. Dieting with friends makes it a lot easier. I am good friends with James at www.cdldiet.com and answering and trading ideas with him has made a difference. I am learning about my habits and what I can do. I seem to hover around the 2000 mark when I drive a 2am to mid-afternoon shift. It's like having a certain amount of money you can spend so you learn to be thrifty. Same concept.

2. Meal replacement. I bought a small blender with some advice from James and I make a protien heavy smoothie to help with hunger. The trick is to listen to my body only when it is hungry. Not craving. I don't do a smoothie everyday but I am increasing my frequency.

3. Meal replacement part 2. Instead of a full foot long sandwich at Subway I get the salad. I eat it slow. The salad is only a third of the calories and twice as filling. A whole bag of steamed in the bag frozen veggies is 100 calories and will fill you up. Add one chicken breast and I have a filling meal under 300 calories.

Challenges:

Breakfast. I tend to wake up and have to drive right off the bat. It was suggested to find one thing and stick with it. That is a work in progress.

Long days. If I am working a 14 hour shift I tend to eat more. More hours one is awake the one eats more. It's basic science.

Sitting. Waiting for a load or sitting at a customer kills me. I am like a bird in the cage and I want out. So I nibble then a snowball of craving hit. next thing I know I have concumed 500 calories and wasn't even hungry. Boredom hunger is a major issue with me.

I have cut out 90 percent of processed foods I used to consume. I am reading every label before I buy/consume the product. Sometimes I will log the calories before I eat it just in case I have to get something different or know what I getting into. I am getting obsessed about this. Which can be a good thing.