Dear diary..try the cod

Losing weight is a basic equation of calories in minus calories out. Women need about 2000 calories per day and if you’re trying to lose weight, you should reduce what you take in to around 1,500 (everyone is different so please seek advice from a professional – don’t just take my word for it). Any exercise (calories burnt) can be deducted from your total.

If you’re trying to lose weight, it is vital that you are aware of roughly how many calories are in what you’re eating as it is very easy to consume more calories than you think. I don’t keep a food diary every day as I tend to eat similar things but I have been doing some rough calculations on new recipes I try and working out my total over a day.  I’ve also been working out the rough calories burnt in any exercise  to avoid over estimating!

Here’s my diary from today as an example:

Breakfast

40g shreddies and handful of blueberries with skimmed milk (200 cal)

Cup of tea with skimmed milk (16 cal)

Lunch 

Homemade vegetable soup with 1/2 sandwich thin (130 cal)

Greek yogurt with raspberries and honey (90 cal)

Snack

Banana (80 cal)

Cup of coffee (16 cal)

Dinner

Cod with bacon, lettuce and peas (430 cal)

Exercise 

45 mins step aerobics (-350 cal)

Grand total = 612 calories

All these are approximate and I used an app called Nutracheck to calculate the calories for items that don’t state it on the packaging or recipe. There are others available but I like this one as it has most UK brands and serving sizes you need for a more accurate calculation. You have to pay for the full version but the free one will allow you to search for all the food items you use to see how many calories they are.  If you’re really snazzy of course there is a Fitbit or Apple watch that will do all this too.

Looking back, today was a very very good day. Not all are this good calorie wise I promise you. In fact, this might be too few calories. I might waste away… better get a biscuit (only kidding.)

Now please go and try the cod dinner I had – such a bizarre combination of ingredients that you’ll think it’s never going to work but it’s been our favourite new recipe so far!