Hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was fairly uneventful, which actually was kind of nice. Plus, I made it through my 7-day 1500 calorie challenge to myself! (more on that below) Now I can get back to regularly scheduled eating on Monday. Even with lowered calories, I was still able to eat my bagels. Like breakfast this morning:
Gingerbread bagel at Panera!
Yummers. I was really hungry for this as I woke up early and got on the bike trainer for a while instead of waking John up to go to breakfast. I am such a good wife. 
John made eggnog this morning, but decided to leave out the egg whites. So, I figured I would use them up at lunch time today! I tried something way different for me.
I put 4 egg whites into the magic bullet with 1/4 cup of FF ricotta cheese and blended. Then I made an omelet with them and tucked in some sauteed broccoli. Or sorta made an omelet. I kind of fell apart on me. Topped with a chile con queso laughing cow and salsa:
Interesting, no? With an apple and cinnamon. This was good, but I honestly have to say that I do miss the yolk.
This week was really good for me in a lot of ways with my calorie experiment. I learned that my meals are actually just fine portion wise. Where I get in trouble are with unplanned snacks. My normal snacks will have higher calories, and that is where I trimmed my calories from the last week – and maybe a little off of a meal or two here and there. Where I was having trouble was the extra snacks.
I have decided that chocolate chips really are not something I can snack on. 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips has 70 calories. That is all fine for topping oatmeal, but I usually want more than 1 tablespoon as a snack, and often paired with nuts. That kind of snack can easily end up being 300 calories. Not that there is anything wrong with a 300 calorie snack, but not if I have already had 2 snacks during the day already. It is most annoying at how easily that stuff adds up…
I do much better with an Attune bar or a couple of dark chocolate mint cups. I am not sure what the difference is between the chocolate chips and those other things. Maybe it is the quality of the chocolate? Or maybe it is just my brain 😳
Speaking of snacks, John made eggnog lattes for the afternoon snack with the nog he made earlier:
Another thing I did last week was to decrease my exercise. As I had mentioned to Shelley in the comments the other day when she asked me if I felt deprived – the answer to that was no. Part of that was because I lightened the exercise up. I didn’t want to shoot myself in the foot with lowering calories and keeping up a high level of exercise. That combination would really have made me unhappy. Ironically, I actually felt exercise deprived! I love working out (who is this person??) and will be glad to have more calories again so I can do longer workouts. I don’t exercise to eat more – I eat more because I exercise!
Since it is Sunday, I cooked up a bunch of chicken for the week. Included in dinner with some roasted brussels:
Tonight’s snack? I made some cinnamon raisin bread yesterday (recipe coming Tuesday):
Knowing I had a specific calorie budget really helped keep me from scarfing half the loaf yesterday. Because I wanted to, and I was home alone LOL! I did have some extra calories on Saturday because of the bread, but I was totally fine with that. That was another thing I noticed this week is how much I had been letting rarely eaten foods in more often. Stuff just has a way of sneaking in.
So, I really do call the calories experiment week a success!
Calorie tally:
Saturday calories: 1650 – little higher, but I am okay with that for a Saturday with fresh baked bread in the house.
Sunday: Preworkout: 110, Breakfast: 590, Lunch: 276, Afternoon snack: 186, Dinner: 286, Evening snack: 144. Total: 1593
Man you are getting good at that bread making–very professional looking. Yes, the chocolate chip trail mix–with walnuts and raisins. That can add up so quickly. darn it.
.-= debby´s last blog ..Its A Very Merry Birthday Mostly =-.
It sounds like you really learned a lot from your experiment. How encouraging to know that your meal portions are fine, and that you just need to keep an eye on the snacks. I have to be careful around nuts myself. I have developed a bad habit of popping one here or there, and they add up!
.-= Desert Agave´s last blog ..New Snack =-.
Awesome job Lori!!! I like the experiment. Looks like you learned a lot about yourself this past week. PS: Cant wait for the cinnamon raisin bread recipe. I’ll stay tunned :D. Have a great week.
.-= Mabelle´s last blog ..Favorite Christmas-Season Activities 1 =-.
Good for you–making it through your experimental week. It sounds like you’re doing very well overall, and it’s just the snacks that may need tweaking. I found your comment about the chocolate to be interesting, and I have found the same to be true. I do much better with an Attune bar than chocolate chips. Attune doesn’t set off cravings for me, which is important for this “choc-o-holic.” That reminds me, I had better order some–Attune, that is.
.-= Jane´s last blog ..Challenge Updates and Backing Away For Now =-.
But now the question is did the scale come down any??? I know what you mean about the snacks sneaking in. And i know what you mean about the chocolate chips. Maybe because they are small they are so deceiving. I bake alot with chocolate chips this time of year and a few invaribly sneak in my mouth. Sometimes half the bag will….so not good! Thanks for the well wishes on the Half Marathon. We survived and collected out medals. Race Report to follow!
It did come down a little, so that was really an added bonus 😀
It looks like you are staying right on track! Good for you!
I dropped by the grocery store today to get three things: steak for dinner, a rolling pin for cookies, and eggnog. They were all out of eggnog. 🙁
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Bar Hopping- Babies and Jello Shots =-.
Good eats.
I find that when I used only EggWhites as opposed to the EggBeaters original, they fall apart. Egg whites are too delicate.
I’m opposite to you: I exercise to eat. Love my food!
.-= joanne´s last blog ..CNYEats A Taste of Utica Honey Chicken Crockpot =-.
Bagel…ohhh so good. Snacks get me too every time. I wouldn’t even dream of chocolate chips as a snack. Something very bad would happen. 🙂
.-= Ishmael´s last blog ..Hot 100 Update 10 =-.
If you hadn’t mentioned missing the yolk in that egg white omlet with ricotta, I might have tried that myself. 🙂
I like how you put the eating statement – I eat more because I exercise! (Although on hard work-out days, I seem to eat less, but the next day I usually make up for that.)
.-= Kim Zepp´s last blog ..No more blank calendar =-.
Congratulations on successfully completing your 1500 calorie challenge! And it’s funny you mentioned the eating/exercising thing – I find that I’m much more ok with food when I am exercising regularly. It becomes fuel in my mind, which my body needs and I gladly supply. Plus I make better choices. Except for the darn M&M’s that I bought, obviously too early, for our gingerbread house decorations.
.-= Shelley B´s last blog ..Friday Mishmash – and Athletes Honey Milk Winner! =-.
Lori, you inspire me. I’ve been AWOL for a bit, but I just read your posts back through T-giving. Wow, girl, you’re amazing. I really think your comments on snacking (chocolate chips, pre-portioned snacks) are right on. I also like your idea of tracking calories for a week to see where you are. I seem to have re-gained my “good place” in my weight loss and am getting back to losing mode, finally. Good work on completing your 1500 challenge!
.-= Tish´s last blog ..Friday Fly By- Hot 100 Update =-.
Your doing great! Are we going to find out how John makes the lattes?? Please 🙂
.-= suzanne´s last blog ..Challenge day! Week 1 =-.
That brocolli and ricotta cheese thing looks divine and so does your bread. Very nice.
.-= blackhuff´s last blog ..Having children in the Holiday season =-.
Good on you, Lori. You are a model of ‘stick-with-itness’ 🙂
.-= Jo´s last blog ..Feeling alive =-.
Congrats on a succesful week although there was no doubt in my mind that you wouldn’t make it a success.
I have the same “problem” as you, my normal meal portions are good and healthy, it’s everything in between. Trying to do better on that from today because I don’t want to gain in December.
and Im left with the word BUDGET.
I like that. I know you arent the first to use it (actually I dont know that :)) but for some reason it resonated with me this morning in this time of FISCAL budgeting around here.
.-= MizFit´s last blog ..I am the expert of my own body! video =-.
I still have not found Attune Bars around here….hmmmm I am so curious to what they are like, might have to do an internet order.
.-= Ron´s last blog ..This time for a lifetime =-.
I had half of one of my gingerbread bagels this past weekend!!! I eat them plain.. love just the flavor of it toasted! 🙂 Heck, I eat all my toast plain except for after the workout with my PB.. YUM!
I so understand the calorie & snack thing… except I call my snacks, mini meals. I have really had to watch all this more & more as I age.. it sucks! 🙂
Great job Lori!
.-= Jody – Fit at 53´s last blog ..Risk Can Be a GOOD 4 Letter Word =-.
Great job with the calorie challenge. Also great observation on how foods tend to “sneak” back into rotation. I’m finding that’s true for me, too.
Getting the most bang for my caloric-buck makes the most sense. Like you, 1TBL of chocolate chips just wouldn’t cut it.
As always, I appreciate you sharing your experience in the whole maintenance realm.
.-= Roxie´s last blog ..Day Four of Twenty- Rif Ram Ka Boom =-.
Okay, now I want a Panera bagel – that looks great! I love that you don’t exclude anything in your diet – and agree, it is nice to eat more calories to work out more! 😀
Hope you have a great Monday!
.-= Biz´s last blog ..Bacon Santa Giveaway and I’m Leaving You =-.
Way to go with your challenge!
I’m loving that Laughing Cow Chili Queso. I had it on my chicken wrap last night and it was divine!
.-= cammy@tippytoediet´s last blog ..First Grain- Whole Grain =-.
Your blog always gives me hope… I look at the food you eat and the lattes you drink and I know that someday I will be able to enjoy all those types of things in moderation as well! Great job on the 1500 calorie challenge. Nice to know that if you need to, you can do it successfully!
.-= Helen´s last blog ..Making A List- Checking it Twice =-.
I’ve never seen homemade bread that looked so pretty before! 🙂
I really need to make my own eggnog soon. My best friend usually makes it for Christmas but I always just buy it pre-made.
.-= Ang´s last blog ..The Seasons Best =-.
Hi Lori. Sorry I’ve been lurking lately. Downside to getting my emails on my phone. Easy to read. Not so easy to comment. I will try to do better. Congrats on the 1500 week success!! I’ve been feeling your pain. The snacking gets me too. Love those bagels. You always have the best breakfasts.
Don’t ever worry about commenting! I’m just glad to know you are reading 😉
Sorry to have been so MIA lately – busy work + trip time around here! Glad you survived your 1500 calorie week. I already knew you are amazing, but seriously, a whole week in the 1500 range! I think I would have gnawed my own arm off before the end of it. Your experiment inspired me to do my own, though, and the week sure ended much better that it started – thanks! 🙂
.-= Pubsgal´s last blog ..Week 2 of the Holiday Hoedown! =-.