First of all, I'm not going stick to the Isagenix plan 100%. What I mean by this is that I don't necessarily believe that I need the Natural Accelerator, or Isaflush add-ons. I've never had digestive issues; that's not why I started this diet. So I think I can do without the supplements. I'm also not a huge fan of Cleanse Days. I just like food too much. So instead of having a certain number of cleanses every month, I'm going to cleanse only when I feel my body needs it. Just this will help to dramatically cut costs. Without all the supplements and cleanse day materials, I just have Ionix Supreme and the IsaLean shakes left. And those, I think, are the most important tools in this diet. Shakes will serve as meal replacements -making meal times much easier - and the Ionix Supreme will provide an energy kick start in the morning. I can take care of snacks and dinner on my own.
Second, I'm not being too hard on myself about what I have for dinner every night. I have been using two apps in conjunction with Isagenix - one of them being MyFitnessPal. MyFitnessPal allows me to keep track of my calorie intake and exercise throughout the day. The food and drink item search makes calorie counting as simple as it can be. Just search for a food or drink item and the calorie count will automatically pop up. You can then select the item and add it to your calorie count for the day. After inputting my breakfast, lunch, and snacks, I can see how many calories I have left for dinner time - it's usually about 800, though I try to stick closer to 500 or 600. The part I'm not being such a stickler about is what makes up those calories. I always try to include some form of protein, grain, and vegetable into my meal, but if they're not the "correct" portion sizes, I don't fret. And sometimes, if I have leftover calories at the end of the day, I like to have a beer or two. This may not be part of the Isagenix plan, but I enjoy my booze. And as long as it's in moderation, it will be okay. Any dietary change is going to make a difference in my health; it's okay if it's not perfect.
The other app I'm using - Water Your Body - allows me to accurately keep track of how much water I drink every day. It's just one of those things I can't keep track of in my head, so this has proven to be extremely helpful.
And although Microsoft Excel isn't technically an app, it has certainly been a helpful tool during this process. I've begun creating spreadsheets that allow my to tear down a meal by ingredient and calculate the number of calories per serving of the dish. Here's an example:
This is a recipe I found on Pinterest for 3-Cheese Chicken Ziti. In order to use up ingredients I had around the house, I altered the recipe slightly (i.e. using penne instead of ziti). With this spreadsheet, I can enter the number of calories per ingredient and then divide the total by four to determine the number calories per serving. Last Wednesday I prepared three meals this way, portioned them out for storage, and labeled each container with an accurate calorie count. This made enough meals to last me for more than a week and I would never have to worry about my calorie count. The only downside to this is that my fiancé (who is also a chef) doesn't like any of the things I make. He says they're good for being low-calorie, but would taste so much better with more fat, salt, and sugar. So for now he has to to fend for himself when it comes to meal time. And we're both okay with that.
In other news... I'm not in unbearable pain sitting at my desk in blue jeans. And that feels really nice. It makes this whole thing seem worth it. I'm really excited to be able to fit into my clothes again.
Love,
Miss Melissa
No comments:
Post a Comment