Kept the Calories Green Yesterday, Let’s Go for a Winning Streak!

Kept Calories Green
30 Jul

Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank

For the first time in what seems like weeks, I’ve actually been able to keep my calories green in MyFitnessPal. And, I weighed 0.6 pounds less this morning because of it. This is because the goal I have set up is for losing half a pound per day…if I can stick to my eating plan.

So, that was one day. If I can do it again today, that’s called a winning streak. It has happened before.

Why Does it Matter to Keep Calories Green?

One of my favorite apps to use for weight loss is MyFitnessPal. It uses a color-coded system to show you how many calories you can afford to eat on any given day.

And when you connect it to Fitbit, you get a fairly accurate portrayal of how you’re doing in terms of intake vs output.

Because I am trying my Net 600 Calorie Diet again, keeping the calories green essentially ensures that I can potentially lose about half a pound per day. This is because it’s based on what I eat versus how active I am.

If I can burn more calories throughout the day, I can have more snacks.

But it’s not just about eating more food to feel satiated. In order to really lose fat and live healthily, you also have to make smarter choices in what you eat. Sure, I’ll still have a serving of cookies or ice cream. However, I also snack on nuts, berries, and turkey jerky.

When I actually focus on keeping my calories green every day, I wind up losing quite a bit of weight.

What Did I Do Differently?

In reality, I didn’t have to make severe, life-altering decisions to hit my goal yesterday. In fact, I wasn’t even aware of how close I was until I went to bed last night. It was like I was running on auto-pilot most of the day.

But I feel like that every day, mostly because I’m always tired and don’t get enough sleep.

Increased Activity to Match Food

The premise behind my diet plan is to make sure I’m staying active throughout the day. This can be in the form of walks, playing the Xbox, working out with the weights, cleaning house, or anything else that elevates the heart rate.

In retrospect, I really didn’t think I burned enough calories for everything I ate yesterday to turn MyFitnessPal green. I did manage to go on a couple of short walks but was too busy to really pay attention.

When I saw that I was 70 in the red, I went for a 15-minute walk to burn it off. And that’s the mindset I need to keep…being worried about seeing those red numbers jump out at me.

Kept Busy with Other Projects

Perhaps one of the most effective means for managing my calories in the green was keeping busy. Instead of sitting idle and succumbing to boredom eating, I was able to focus on a myriad of projects throughout the day.

In fact, keeping busy often helps curb my late-night snacking. For example, I hate eating on camera. Since I live stream on various channels throughout most of the week, I tend not to eat.

Anyway, things like writing, blogging, gaming, or diving into video content help keep my mind off of snacks.

Went to Bed Earlier

And lastly, I went to bed far earlier than I normally do. Part of this is because I had some Sleepytime Tea and was able to wind down relatively quickly. Plus, I made a conscious effort to just go to bed.

One of the biggest problems I have is sleep. Between having that kid-like mentality of not missing anything and having a brick for a bed, I don’t get much more than 5 solid hours every night.

Considering how people in my age group should get 7 to 9 hours every night, it’s no wonder why I’m always so exhausted.

This is one of the biggest reasons why I like Sleepytime Tea. It not only helps me wind down, but I tend to have a more solid sleep throughout the night.

By making sure I went to bed at a reasonable time, I prevented about 1,000 calories worth of snacking on junk.

Can I Really Lose Half a Pound Per Day?

I’ve lost weight this year without actually sticking with my diet plan. But, I know I’m far more successful when I do. My Net 600 Calorie Diet is what works best for me.

That’s the key to really dropping the pounds – finding what works best for you. Diet plans, workout regimens, gym visits…find the things that really make a difference in your life that you enjoy.

Because I am such a dork when it comes to data, I know that if I keep the calories green in MyFitnessPal, I’ll lose half a pound per day. That is as long as I maintain a good level of activity.

I’m sure that as I get closer to my goals, it’ll be less apparent. But, that’s why I collect data and closely monitor everything. I’ll be able to see trends with the weight I lose based on the food I eat and the activity I perform.

For me, anytime I’ve maintained my Net 600 plan, I consistently lost 0.5 pounds per day. However, I cannot guarantee you’ll have the same experience. Everyone has different needs, wants, and levels of motivation.

Not to mention how we each have a unique physiology. This means that no one can guarantee results because of your own level of metabolism.

And I think this is one of the biggest problems I have with certain fitness influencers.

Oh yeah, I’m coming, V Shred.

How Many Days Can I Keep Green for Calories?

The next couple of days are going to be a bit weird in terms of eating right. I get on a plane first thing Friday morning and will spend the weekend with family. The hardest part is going to be focusing on my intake.

Every time I’ve gone home, Mom has bought a ton of food and damn near shoved it down my throat.

In any case, I have confidence I’ll be able to keep a handle on my intake. I just need to remember why I’m doing all of this in the first place.

For one thing, I want to see if I can improve my physique. And secondly, I want the calendar shoot in October to result in something other than some guy with a dad bod trying to pose topless.

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One thought on “Kept the Calories Green Yesterday, Let’s Go for a Winning Streak!

  1. There ya go. You’re such a green geek =)

    Wow. I’m hilarious when I haven’t slept much.

    Good job, man! Just do the best you can on vacation and try not to stress about it. And give Patrick a big ol smooch for me lol

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