Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Truffle fries and Creative Calorie Accounting

Hmm.... nothing much to write about nowadays, besides what I've been doing and eating...

Finally tried the Truffle Fries from P.S cafe. Well I think generally its a good portion for $15, can be shared by 3 people. Fragrant enough. Though I was surprised when I checked online later that truffle oil doesn't contain truffles at all. In fact, its only olive oil infused with truffle aroma. Saw a few comments by westerners whom said that truffle oil doesn't taste like actual truffles at all. Hmm... yep so that means one of those things to do before I die is to eat food with actual truffle slices on it. I think I had it on my list.

Well as far as I know, there's a luxurious buffet with free flow wine at a 5-star restaurant that has pizza with truffles. Saw it on a TV show about food but again, the names and address flashed by too quickly to remember. But that buffet would set one off at $150++ Another one of those things to do b4 I die, eat a super luxurious buffet.

Yes and those truffle fries, I can eat them because of "Creative-Accounting" practice of 'using the calories of the next day'. So if I already reached my limit for today, I do 'push' the extra calories til tomorrow though I consume it before the day is here. Just that the next day, calories is tight due to that. To resolve this, I would have to have a lighter calorie meal that day to balance off. At least I can balance off after a few more days of calorie-deficit. I try not to do it too often cos if the calories spiral outs, cannot make back, kinda demotivating when I cant lower the excess to almost nil.
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So far since last November, I've started monitoring my diet more. This time instead of just keeping a food diary (using HBP app), I also try to jump-start exercising, try to change my taste to more blander food, ate fruits as a snack. More effort to have a balanced daily calorie-intake. Either is just nice or have small deficits.

My weight very slowly went down, 2.6kg over 4 months duration. Not that much by Feb this year. At least I wasn't at the "Pig/Peak" of my life, but still pants were fitting. So that continued, by now, I had built up a bit more discipline in terms of my food choices. I still overeat at times on weekend outings but I make an effort to balance it off but still with the holidays and stuff, the drop was slowly over months.

Took me from Feb until up to mid-May to lose another 1.6kg. Then towards the end of June, gradually my pants came looser, 1kg came off. I could belt up 1 more hole than before. That plus the fact I could see the stomach flattening out more is satisfying. At least my concerted effort is working and finally showing result. I am hitting the 'glass wall' that I often drop to but which can never go under. So far still hovering there. In the mean-time continue the lifestyle change. Think will need more exercise discipline to help push it below. As it is, only did one Kettlebell workout last week.

I find a simple practice of NOT drinking sugared drink helped me alot. I have managed to reduce the Coke Zero from about 2-a-day til 1-a-day til 1 every other day. Trying to replace it to the point of being once 1-2 a week. Try to drink plain water if not very watery diluted tea for the taste. Lots of tea, lower Coke Zero and etc. Even my coffee which I restarted is now Coffee-O (no condensed milk which doubles the calories of the coffee) and my tea is Teh-O-Kosong and/or unsugared Chinese tea.

I must admit, there are some sacrifice. Like sometimes I do feel a bit unsatisfied and felt like chewing something. But I garner the will-power not to succumb to snacking. So there is some sacrifice on days when I ate high-calorie food for lunch that I cant spare much beyond the normal meal for dinner even though I am tempted by other stuff or felt like eating something else. Sometimes I really ate a lite dinner of salad or half bowl of rice but with lean meat and vegetables. Really sometimes the mouth is not satisfied but the stomach is. All these keeping way above the 1200 calories. Its actually very difficult to go below unless you starve yourself, which I am not interested in.

My target is just another 3.3kg away, I don't intend to push myself down to insane weight like 45kg, duh? So my goal has always to try to go back to Uni weight. Or my ideal weight for my height, which is like 7kg away, which is like impossible... I will be happy enough with my Uni weight and staying put in that range.

On days I still feel a bit unsatisfied, I 'll tell myself, leave that to tomorrow with a clean slate. Then I can decide how to 'spend' the calories. I find I do plan for my meals nowadays eg lunch eat what stuff. On some days, when my lunch was really light, I can have a big indulgence like Nasi Bryani and still be okay calories-wise. I am also mindful of the cholesterol levels. Eating lesser fatty stuff as and when I can.

Like now, I am tempted to have a cider but no calories for today. Hmm creative accounting? Its past 12am, so I can if I want to. See how later, maybe it will be a yes cos I have planned my meals for breakfast and lunch.

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