Starbucks, Grilled Cheese, and Spark People

These are a few of my favorite things!  I have been a huge fan of the Lose It! program in terms of logging calories, but I have always been frustrated that the application doesn't let you plan ahead.  I have often used www.sparkpeople.com to look for recipes and calculate my own recipes, but I just recently discovered how much I love their nutrition planner.  You can either eat the plan they give you, make substitutions, or create your own plan.  You can log as you go or plan ahead.  Planning ahead is so crucial.  I have learned through experience and the Made to Crave study that planning is a must.  Instead of feeling deprived it makes me feel empowered.  I have been using Spark People all week long with some success.  I love it so far, because the food database is extensive. You can search the custom foods that other Spark members have already plugged in.  Plus you can access the extensive recipe database (including your own spark recipes) to plan your meals making calorie counting streamlined.  It also pulls together your grocery list for the week based upon your plan (even if you change it to your own recipes!).  You can pull it up on your mobile app, Ipad, or computer.  I prefer using the nutrition tracker on the computer and printing out each day so I can just eat the same thing in the future.  You can track your exercise as well.  The best part is that it's all free! Next let me tell you how the day is going so far.

This morning I had a delicious waffle with blueberry and raspberry compote, topped with a dollop of Cool Whip Free.  I also had my Starbucks Espresso & Cream Double Shot Light.

Mid morning a friend needed some moral support, and it called for comfort food.  I stopped and picked up a Starbucks Pumpkin & Cream muffin and two tall skinny vanilla lattes.  Even though we split the muffin it was still a calorie splurge (a deliciously, sinful one!).  It was my first taste of pumpkin for the fall season.  I'm waiting until closer to Thanksgiving to make Eat Yourself Skinny's mini pumpkin cheesecakes.  Perhaps I should have ordered a tall nonfat pumpkin spice latte instead for only 200 calories, but tears cry out for comfort food.

Since I splurged on a decadent snack I decided I had better show some restraint for lunch.  I tried to stick to half a cup of cream of tomato soup with 4 saltines and half a grilled cheese sandwich.  However, I went back for seconds on the soup.  It was delicious.  I was able to cut calories, rather than flavor, on the grilled cheese by spraying the bread with Parkay spray.  I sprayed the pan with PAM.  I know it seems odd to make half a grilled cheese sandwich, but I knew I could not withstand the temptation if I made a whole sandwich.  I literally cut the slice of bread and cheese in half before I grilled it.  I saved 110 calories so there is a method to the madness.

Low calorie eating does not mean starving so I carefully planned out a balanced meal for dinner.  I don't think a fish fillet and half of Amy's Mac & Cheese will fill me up enough.  I know I will be tempted to eat double the serving of mac & cheese so I plan to round out the meal with steamed green beans.  If you feel deprived trying to eat a lower calorie intake, then chances are you are not getting enough fruits, vegetables, and water in your diet.  I know it's tough.  Vegetables aren't necessarily at the top of my list either, but they are loaded with nutrients.  If you want to feel good and feel satiated, then vegetables are a must.  Now I'm off to get my workout in.  I need to make sure that muffin doesn't go straight to my muffin top!

Here are all the nutrition facts on my meals for today thanks to www.sparkpeople.com:

Breakfast
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Eggo Homestyle Waffle, 0.5 serving	95	4	15	3
Agave Nectar syrup, 0.34 tbsp	20	0	5	0
Blueberries, frozen (unsweetened), 0.25 cup, unthawed	20	0	5	0
Raspberries, 0.33 cup	20	0	5	0
Cool Whip Free, 1 tbsp	8	0	2	0
Doubleshot Espresso Light, 1 serving	70	0	0	0
	233	4	31	3
Lunch
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
American Cheese, 1 slice (1 oz)	106	9	0	6
Milk, 2%, 0.37 cup	45	2	4	3
Saltine Crackers (Saltines), 6 cracker	77	2	13	2
Campbell's Tomato Soup, 0.75 cup	135	0	30	3
Bread, Sara Lee Delightful Reduced Calorie 100% Multi Grain, 0.5 serving	45	1	9	3
	408	13	56	17
Dinner
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Green Beans (snap), 12 beans (4" long)	20	0	5	1
Costco's Sea Cuisine Tortilla Crusted Tilapia with Chipotle & Lime, 1 serving	180	10	6	16
Amy's Kitchen Macaroni & Cheese (9 oz.), 0.5 serving	205	8	24	8
	405	18	34	25
Snack
	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein
Starbuck's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, 0.5 serving	245	12	32	3
Starbuck Skinny Vanilla Latte (tall), 12 oz	90	0	14	9
	335	12	46	12
	1,382	47	167	57
	1200 - 1550	32 - 56	163 - 236	60 - 127
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