Remember all that number-rounding you had to do back in elementary school? Well, now you can put your long-hibernated math skills to use. For most people, keeping track of calories is a hassle and a chore; however, if you use a simple technique I devised called “Calorie-Counting by the 100’s” counting calories will be easy and paperless. Having to tediously count every calorie will be a thing of the past. The basic premise of this technique is that anyone can memorize something if it is rounded out.
My qualifications? Ok, I will admit up front that I am not a certified trainer nor dietician and I don’t possess any degrees in kinesiology or exercise physiology, however, my advice is germane, field- tested and proven. Several years ago, I was a competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter, at times weighing 255 pounds. Today, I weigh a lean 180 pounds and have a 28-inch waist. I have attained and maintained this condition for several years through my “Calorie-Counting by the 100’s” method. For many years, I tried to lose fat through other diet programs with little or no results. It finally dawned on me that the only way to effectively lose weight was to follow the precept that One must burn more calories than One consumes. This seemed a simple enough concept, however, I wanted a no-muss, no-fuss calorie-counting system that I could use year-round and in most settings.
With the holidays quickly approaching, everyone’s mind is occupied with endless festivities, family, friends and especially the rich and delicious foods and desserts that accompany the holiday season. Using this simple technique, most people can eat during the holiday season and year-round and keep their weight under control for good.
The technique itself is simple. As you eat, round out your total calories so that the count always ends in either a “50” or “00.” Perform the calorie count as follows: If the caloric value of a certain food falls between 10-50 calories, round the total count up to the nearest fifty calories; if the caloric value of a food is between 60-100 calories, round the count up to the nearest hundred calories. Treat foods exceeding 100 calories in the same manner. The general idea is to always have your caloric total represented in numbers ending either in “50” or “00” so that they may be easily remembered.
Here’s an example:
This morning for breakfast, I ate a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich with a glass of skim milk and a banana.
2 tablespoons of peanut butter: 190 calories
1 tablespoon of jelly: 20 calories
2 slices of wheat bread: 100 calories
1 cup skim milk: 80 calories
1 banana: 90 calories
Round the peanut butter up to 200 calories, the jelly up to 50 calories, the skim milk up to 100 calories and the banana up to 100 calories. Add the wheat bread and your total caloric intake for breakfast is 550 calories. This technique can be used for any food: just determine its caloric value, then round it out. A cool feature of this system is that the calorie count will always be calculated slightly higher due to rounding the numbers up, which translates into more weight lost.
You may wish to give my system a try- in my case, I lost 65 pounds in about a year and a half. The reason this system works is that it forces you to pay attention to how much you are eating. This technique is not a license to eat anything you desire. When it comes to eating during the holiday season as well as year-round, always use common sense and moderation. Happy counting!