BLT's - Bites, Licks and Tastes – They’re not Free!
Do you count your BLT's? And no, I’m not talking about bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. BLT’s are bites, licks and tastes that we all seem to partake in now and then and yet, somehow, we either don’t think they count or believe they don’t count that much.In reality, BLT’s can add hundreds, even thousands of calories, throughout the day and week. Over the course of time, it not only explains why we’re not losing the weight we feel we should, but it can actually cause us to gain those unwanted pounds. READ MORE...
As a child, my mother had a rule that taught fairness. Whether it was my turn or my sister’s turn, one of us was given the duty of cutting the last piece of cake or splitting a sandwich in half. Following this, the bystander had the privilege of being the first to choose the half they wanted. Trust me, every effort was made to divide it into equal portions.
I wonder why, when we start measuring for ourselves, that we tend to make the cut a little to the right of center, keeping the largest piece for our self but somehow think it is a fair division. Don’t we realize that the only one we’re truly fibbing to is our self?
It’s not like we can’t see the results of these choices or that they don’t catch up to us. Do you suppose it has anything to do with our reluctance to step on the scale, to hide from the camera or walk quickly past the full-length mirror?
OK … so it’s time to be truthful! Let’s do this together and, in friendship and support, help each other be honest about BLT’s and make a plan to change our behavior.
Here are a couple of little sayings that might help you remember to count your BLT’s.
If it crosses your lips, it can end up on your hips!
If you bite it, write it!
The tools needed for success in overcoming BLT’s are simple … a journal (paper, electronic or notebook), a pen/pencil, measuring cups and spoons.
I’m a big advocate of journaling because it helps us record the BLT’s, learn about their true caloric values and assists us in making a conscious choice as to whether to grab a few M&M’s from the candy jar, a few potato chips or pretzels, eat a few bites you’re your children’s plates or eat the corner of the brownie from the plate in the lunchroom. In essence, it allows us to be responsible for every bite that crosses our lips.
When I started my quest for a healthier lifestyle, I faithfully wrote down everything. I was astounded at what I learned and realized there was a very good reason I weighed 330 lbs. I’ll share a few of my eye openers with you.
Coffee Creamer
Before – I poured coffee creamer into my coffee on the “guess” method and, in hindsight, I was using approximately 125-150 calories with each cup and I was drinking several a day.
After – I now use 1 TBSP of either liquid or powdered creamer for approximately 35 calories.
Results – Based on 3 cups of coffee, 270 to 345 calories are saved per day, which is the equivalent of 2 ½ pounds per month.
Dipping in the Candy Jar
Before – I used to grab M&M’s out of the candy jar at work. Mind you, I wouldn’t do this only once, but two or three times. Somehow my brain thought that since I was dividing it up into smaller “dipping” cycles, it wouldn’t add up to eating a lot of them! Well, the truth is, I actually ate at least ½ cup and that corresponds to 420 calories.
After – With my newfound knowledge, I usually stayed clear of the M&M’s and made better choices, like one piece of hard candy for 20 calories or some sugar free mints I kept handy in my purse at 15 calories for 2 chocolate covered mints. On those times I did elect to have M&M’s, I held myself to 1/8 cup for 105 calories.
Results – New learned behavior that saved me 300-400 calories an occurrence.
Salad Dressing
Before – This was another one of those items that I half-knowingly did not measure. It’s because I did not want my salad to taste like I was having less; I didn’t want to sacrifice flavor. Why I didn’t think it would count is beyond me. In hindsight, I was using dressing containing 73 calories a TBSP and I used plenty, approximately 500-700 calories worth.
After – I located Paul Neuman’s Light salad dressings for 40-80 calories for 2 TBSP and I now only use 2 TBSP.
Useful Tip – If you place your salad in a large 44 oz convenience cup, add carrots, mushrooms, green peppers or other similar garnishments, then add the 2 TBSP of dressing, place the lid on the cup and shake, shake, shake … Voila … everything is covered with dressing!
Results – Knowledge, creativity and a savings of an amazing 460-660 calories per salad. At three times a week, that calculates to a little over a ½ pound a week and a whopping 29 pounds a year!
Here are a few other items to watch out for …
Sugar
Licking your fingers, the beater or the bowl while baking
Multiple tastes of the food you are preparing for dinner
Bites from the plates of family/friends
Just a few chips or pretzels
Helpful Hints to Avoid BLT Temptations
Rinse your hands and wipe them on a towel to remove food and resist the temptation to taste.
Pour water into a baking dish and promptly insert the spoon and beaters.
Scrape plates from dinner immediately into the garbage.
Enlist your spouse or children to taste what you are cooking to see if the seasoning is correct.
Try chewing gum or carrot sticks while cooking.
There is a huge price to pay for BLT’s. So … before you follow in my path and arrive at 330 lbs … get your “mitts” out of there!!! Would much rather watch you harness the BLT’s, cheer you on to success and meet you for a shopping trip. Then we can change our old BLT’s (Bites, Licks and Tastes) for new BLT’s (Buy Lots Together) as we celebrate your success in a smaller size!!! :]
It’s not like we can’t see the results of these choices or that they don’t catch up to us. Do you suppose it has anything to do with our reluctance to step on the scale, to hide from the camera or walk quickly past the full-length mirror?
OK … so it’s time to be truthful! Let’s do this together and, in friendship and support, help each other be honest about BLT’s and make a plan to change our behavior.
Here are a couple of little sayings that might help you remember to count your BLT’s.
If it crosses your lips, it can end up on your hips!
If you bite it, write it!
The tools needed for success in overcoming BLT’s are simple … a journal (paper, electronic or notebook), a pen/pencil, measuring cups and spoons.
I’m a big advocate of journaling because it helps us record the BLT’s, learn about their true caloric values and assists us in making a conscious choice as to whether to grab a few M&M’s from the candy jar, a few potato chips or pretzels, eat a few bites you’re your children’s plates or eat the corner of the brownie from the plate in the lunchroom. In essence, it allows us to be responsible for every bite that crosses our lips.
When I started my quest for a healthier lifestyle, I faithfully wrote down everything. I was astounded at what I learned and realized there was a very good reason I weighed 330 lbs. I’ll share a few of my eye openers with you.
Coffee Creamer
Before – I poured coffee creamer into my coffee on the “guess” method and, in hindsight, I was using approximately 125-150 calories with each cup and I was drinking several a day.
After – I now use 1 TBSP of either liquid or powdered creamer for approximately 35 calories.
Results – Based on 3 cups of coffee, 270 to 345 calories are saved per day, which is the equivalent of 2 ½ pounds per month.
Dipping in the Candy Jar
Before – I used to grab M&M’s out of the candy jar at work. Mind you, I wouldn’t do this only once, but two or three times. Somehow my brain thought that since I was dividing it up into smaller “dipping” cycles, it wouldn’t add up to eating a lot of them! Well, the truth is, I actually ate at least ½ cup and that corresponds to 420 calories.
After – With my newfound knowledge, I usually stayed clear of the M&M’s and made better choices, like one piece of hard candy for 20 calories or some sugar free mints I kept handy in my purse at 15 calories for 2 chocolate covered mints. On those times I did elect to have M&M’s, I held myself to 1/8 cup for 105 calories.
Results – New learned behavior that saved me 300-400 calories an occurrence.
Salad Dressing
Before – This was another one of those items that I half-knowingly did not measure. It’s because I did not want my salad to taste like I was having less; I didn’t want to sacrifice flavor. Why I didn’t think it would count is beyond me. In hindsight, I was using dressing containing 73 calories a TBSP and I used plenty, approximately 500-700 calories worth.
After – I located Paul Neuman’s Light salad dressings for 40-80 calories for 2 TBSP and I now only use 2 TBSP.
Useful Tip – If you place your salad in a large 44 oz convenience cup, add carrots, mushrooms, green peppers or other similar garnishments, then add the 2 TBSP of dressing, place the lid on the cup and shake, shake, shake … Voila … everything is covered with dressing!
Results – Knowledge, creativity and a savings of an amazing 460-660 calories per salad. At three times a week, that calculates to a little over a ½ pound a week and a whopping 29 pounds a year!
Here are a few other items to watch out for …
Sugar
Licking your fingers, the beater or the bowl while baking
Multiple tastes of the food you are preparing for dinner
Bites from the plates of family/friends
Just a few chips or pretzels
Helpful Hints to Avoid BLT Temptations
Rinse your hands and wipe them on a towel to remove food and resist the temptation to taste.
Pour water into a baking dish and promptly insert the spoon and beaters.
Scrape plates from dinner immediately into the garbage.
Enlist your spouse or children to taste what you are cooking to see if the seasoning is correct.
Try chewing gum or carrot sticks while cooking.
There is a huge price to pay for BLT’s. So … before you follow in my path and arrive at 330 lbs … get your “mitts” out of there!!! Would much rather watch you harness the BLT’s, cheer you on to success and meet you for a shopping trip. Then we can change our old BLT’s (Bites, Licks and Tastes) for new BLT’s (Buy Lots Together) as we celebrate your success in a smaller size!!! :]
4 Comments:
Great Post! Being an all or nothing kind of gal, I hardly ever have those BLT's unless we're talking cake/cookie batter. I'll wait for my meal with no nibbles or licks but when I do eat I eat alot and I want it all. Binging is my downfall not BLT cheats.
As for your tip on mixing salad dressing I've been doing that for years and it works amazingly well. I cut all sugar/milk/cream from my coffee and now drink it black.
Great tips all around, thanks for sharing!
Great tips. Fortunately, I don't taste much when cooking. I did make cc cookies last week for a church function but only tasted a small bit once and let my husband eat the five that didn't go. I'm getting better. The salad dressing tip is great. I've been dipping my fork in the dressing instead of putting it on the salad. That uses much less also.
JSpring,
All those calories sure add up don't they! That's exactly why I think that adopting a healthy eating lifestyle FOR LIFE is the only way to go! Forget the DIETS they do not work!
I make my own salad dressings.. I have several homemade vinegars and I add a dash of flax seed oil or olive oil. Try using Rice Vinegar. It has a milder flavour. I also have jars of herbs that I have grown and dried so there is always lots of flavour.
I use Soy Silk in my coffee instead of creamer it's only 2% fat and it tastes GREAT. I drink a lot of green tea in the afternoon; usually iced. There's always a potfull in my fridge.
Thanks Ranae
My mother used to do that too.. and I used it with my children also. Thanks for sharing this.. I can see that there are a couple additions that I need to make to my 'SelfTalk'.
Thanks again, J.
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