" For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. " Song of Solomon

November 27, 2007

The 500 Calorie Potato Chip




Betcha didn't know a potato chip has 500 calories! Well, not technically. But if eating one leads to you eating the whole bag, then one potato chip will result in 500 calories eaten.

I've been reading The Thin Commandments Diet and it has some good pointers. One aspect we should think about is our calorie history, says the author. Good point....my history with cookies is not good. I find I can't just eat one or two of them...I must have several as in 6, 7 or more if they are lower in calories or hot from the oven. Guess you could say one cookie is 500 calories...at least in my world.

The next time you reach for a food, and consider the nutrition information per serving, ask yourself..."is it reasonable for me to think I'll eat just one serving?". If the answer is no, figure the count for the amount you'll likely eat. That candy bar that is 190 calories per serving and a serving is 1/3 of the bar and you know you'll eat the whole bar, in reality, for you, is 570 calories per serving.

This particular point stuck in my mind. I've just begun reading the book and I think I'll find several more helpful pointers. I was drawn to this book because it focuses on the psychological aspects of dieting and connects the dots from there to the practical aspect of eating....it contains information on how to break a particular craving and even why we personally crave the foods we do. Why do I crave chocolate and another person doesn't? There are some, evidently, legitimate tangible explanations for this.

I found the book on the bargain table at Books A Million. It was published in 2005 so it's still up to date. I love a bargain and at $5.95 this book was a good buy.
"....there have been many times when I have shed bitter tears, when if I had understood the situation better, I would have celebrated my good luck instead."

DISCLAIMER

I am not a doctor and all information, suggestions, etc are my personal opinion only.