calories confusion

Ok so me more than anyone else knows it is not ALL about calories it is about the quality of calories consumed which goes hand in hand with the idea of fiber, fat, carbs etc. that makes a diet healthy.

MY problem is I would like to use calories as a rough guide to assist in my eating habits (combined with making healthier choices that combine with the above) ... how shall I say use calories as a restriction generally giving more overall thought to the other items.

Looking at my list from yesterday there is a STARK lack of protein *ouch* need to up that (legums and such here I come!)

but my general problem is how many calories is reasonable for me to consume??

based on one calculation I need "You need 2307 calories during a typical day"

based on another estimate I need 3500 calories a day
(wow that's a LOT)

and I've seen as low as 1900 calories recommended.

BASED on my education I know that anything below 1500 is dangerous and below 1200 should ONLY be conducted under the careful direction and monitoring of a doctor.

MY problem I I know that to take off 1 pound you need to burn off 3,500 calories or roughly 500 calories in a day.. I could simply eat 500 calories less (however I don't think that is sustainable for the long term) or I could eat the same and burn 500 calories more a day for 1 pound a week.

Or the average eat less and burn more but really this seems a lot like a guessing game to me right now.

Matters get worse when I start trying to figure other things in like how much fiber? carbohydrates? fat? protein? baaah (I think this is why Weight Watchers is a good system based on what I have read...however I've spent way too much on my education hehe all 9 years of it) not to be able to research and figure this out on my own. *le sigh*

and for the inquiring minds:
Meal planning when sharply downhill a few weeks ago when husband was out of town. Since then he has had an unpredictable work pattern in the evenings making my life a mess. This lead to eating out WAY too much as well - so much I'm too ashamed to even post here how much. I might add that this was also influenced by friends and sushi/lunch dates! (you KNOW who you are!)

I'm back on the home cooking this week after a stark realization at the restaurant the other day that (a) I can cook WAY better than places like Applebees, Montana's, Boston and (b) I can cook the food I am ordering there for less money and more creatively than some packaged crap they are just reheating anyways *rant over*

So monday night we had tortellini and meatballs with sauce, broccoli and corn with a 7 grain salad.

Tuesday night (yesterday) I made the Thai Curry with Shrimp, chicken, mini corn, broccoli, red pepper and served with brown rice *yum* and we added pineapple to boot! It was tastie enough that husband said I can even make it again (note: he HATES curry as it gets into everything!)

Tonight I'm not sure I am thinking Tuna or salmon for supper as it is just kidlet and I.

I will say that I have found that I am LOVING my salmon (if you know me I only eat salmon raw) but I have learned how to cook it well on the stove (in a non-stick pan with no added oil or anything). My key UNDERCOOK it (yes I know not good) but I cook it so it is falling apart but just pink on the inside and then I find the taste isn't really strong.

As for running - well I must say that last week was the last week of class (yippy!) and was hectic although I did get a few days in but I definitely need more! I am finding that I'm not a huge fan of the c25k program. Instead the last thing I did was run 5 walk 5 run 4 walk 4 and then just ran a minute past where I thought I could and then walked for the same amount of time. It was great I managed to do a mile in under 20 minutes (big as I normally only get to the mile mark at just around 30 minutes).

Back at it this week and more information on the Trip to mexico coming soon!

Thursday Accountability

Hey
So I haven't posted in a little bit and figured that I need to post to be accountable.

I have started as I previously posted the C25k program and I'm very excited by it but have had a few set backs (as expected).

RUNNING - so I am working on the first week but I am calling it pre-week. I ran on Saturday and was all geared up to run on Monday but was so exhausted from a long night of work caused by procrastination... anyways I did not end up running. However, on Tuesday night I did go for a run but I ended up getting a massive blister on the back of one foot and then dropped a weight on my other foot with 10 minuets left so I had to stop.

So my set backs:
First - blisters and my shoes - I need better shoes I have been running on/off since September of 2007 and I have been using the same shoes. I LOVE them but it is high time that I get new shoes. The blister on the one foot is caused by the wearing out of the shoe.
Solution - I will be going to the running room soon to get fitted for a new pair of shoes.
Second - I LOVE watching good movies or watching TV while I run. I makes my mind go numb after a long day and totally allows me to decompress much easier and faster. However, since I have moved my treadmil out into the family room I can't listen to the TV full blast. WE had rigged up the TV to broadcast using a wireless FM transmitter. However, the dollar store tuner I bought was terrible. I would spend almost as long trying to get it to work and stay working during a run then I would actually run.
Solution - I went to walmart yesterday and picked up a FM tuner, small, sleek and only $8. I also picked up an MP3 player that can FM tune. However, for $35 it is going to stay in the box until the other tuner is tested. I am hoping that the cheaper option works much better. Although, I am told that you can purcahse an FM tuner for my iPod and then listen to the radio broadcast that way.

So those are my main set backs right now and that is how I plan to deal with them. OH and for the record the BEST movie to run to is "The Devil Wears Prada" the music mix in the movie is GREAT!

Last night (so Wendsay) I was watching the Top Chef Finale and didn't think I wan't to take a run (because of the foot) so instead I hopped on and did a nice walk through the entire show. The Tuner that I picked up on Tuesday worked fantastically!

Tonight is going to be walking through Hell's Kitchen and then back to the C25K program.

Tomorrow I will likely walk through Grey's Anatomy and ER while watching them online!


NOW as for the food issue
Well that has been going downhill. We ate out or had take out for the last three nights and honestly I feel just SICK from it and I have no idea why I keep doing it. Tonight I have Marinated Baked Salmon on the menu for the kidlet and I. I am looking forward to it. It is a receipe I stole from the website of Dr. Gillian McKeith (host of "You are What you Eat") I love that show.

Books and reading
I have been causally reading roots but just haven't managed to keep up with my readings and have really stagnated. However, this is my last weekend of having assignments for my course (YIPPY!) so I am hoping that with the dawn of the new spring, a new life and a NEW JOB coming up that I can continue on this momentum and migrate part of the time I had spent on assignments to reading.

Running

So I know that I have my goals and that I haven't been posting at all about my running. Well I'll use the life has been hectic excuse but I'm getting back into it slowly have had a few set backs.

I did my walk/run/walk/jog yesterday (I don't want to say just running because I found early in January that after being away from it for some time I am definitely not where I was and need to build back up. that being said last week I did do every other night for the whole week *yippy*

I have decided that I am going to go with the Couch to 5 Km Program which helps train the body to be able to run 5 km over the span of 9 weeks.

The program has you run every other day with a rest day in between. However, I have decided that I want to return to a schedule similar to what I had a couple of years ago when I made real progress. I went to aqua size four or five times in a week (for a one hour session however I sometimes managed to go through two sessions at once).

I love being in the water and feel so at home there. However, given my current situation (where I live and the kidlet) I know that making those trips will be extremely difficult. As such, I am thinking that I am going to do the following:

Sunday: Aquasize at the pool
Monday: Run (c25km)
Tuesday: 30 min walk/30 min strength
Wednesday: Run (c25km)
Thursday: 1 hour walk/30 min strength
Friday: Run (c25km)
Saturday: Rest

Or at least that is going to be my goal!