So...budgeting calories

Watching your calories is very much like pinching your pennies.
If you live within a financial budget, you understand the concepts of need vs. want, quality vs. quantity, "saving up for a rainy day," or making do or do without. Believe or not, I use these same concepts when I am dieting. Because that really is all dieting is - budgeting my calories.

Need vs. Want
This is an obvious problem when it comes to weight gain. Obviously we gain weight when we eat more food than we need. And we surprisingly don't need to eat as much as we think.

One of the first things I do when I'm trying to cut back on our financial budget is I look back on my spending for the past month or two. I label things as "need" and "want." When cutting back on spending, I always cut the "wants" before the "needs." It is definitely ok to have some "wants" in there - mostly for sanity. But I can't buy everything I want if the money just isn't there.

Sometimes, I even find that I spend too much on things I need. For example, I need toilet paper, but do I need 100 rolls right now, when I need the money for something else? On a limited budget, sometimes I can't afford to buy extra of the things I need.

Ok, so now let's apply this to food.

When trying to cut back on calories, I go through a very similar process. Throughout the day, there is a certain amount of food that I need to survive, and then there are certain foods I need to be healthy. Then there is a whole lot of food that I just want.

Now, I still believe it is good and important to allow myself to eat things I "want" and don't necessarily "need." But when I'm budgeting my calories, I have to remember that I only have a certain amount I can "spend" each day. Eating something I want means I probably won't eat something I need. I have to be careful that there is a healthy balance between "wants" and "needs." I can have a cookie that I really want, but if I have a dozen I may not have enough calories left for the food I need. And, if I've planned well all day, then when I really want that ice cream at the end of the day, I can have it because I've had what I need all day and have calories left over to spend on what I want. I try to do this almost everyday. All little treat at the end of the day does me good. (One battle at a time...)

On the other hand, just because a food is healthy and full of things my body needs, that doesn't mean I can eat an unlimited supply. I still have a "budget" I need to keep. If I'm on a 1200 calorie diet, eating 1400 calories of fruits and vegetables is still going over my allotted amount of calories, and over time I will gain weight.

Remember, weight loss and weight gain is simply a matter of calories in and calories out. If you are eating more calories than you are burning, you will gain weight. If you are burning more than you eat, you will lose weight. It really is that simple.

Quality vs. Quantity
When I am on a limited calorie diet, just like a limited financial budget, I have to make smart choices. I want every calorie to count. I wouldn't want to drink a 44 oz. Dr. Pepper and then only have 300 calories left that I can eat all day. (I don't know, I guess it depends on the day) I would be starving and miserable all day, and most likely would quit my diet that day or the next.

If I am being tight with my money, I naturally make smarted choices. I take time to decide what I am spending my money on. I might even do a little research. I want to make sure that I am getting the most for my money, but that I will be satisfied with what I buy. I'm not impulsive with my purchases. I don't waste my money on cheap things that won't last or that I don't love. What usually ends up happening is I buy a lot less things, but end up being happy with almost everything I buy.

Counting my calories is the same. I naturally make healthier choices. I find myself eating more fruits and vegetables because they are low in calories, I can eat a lot of them, and then I fill up my stomach with calories to spare. I think about what I am putting into my body and if it is worth spending calories on. I plan my meals more and am not impulsive about eating. I may even do a little research into the nutritional value and calories of what I am eating before I eat it. I don't waste calories on eating things that I don't love to eat or that are not good for me. (Unfortunately, I love a lot of things that are not good for me) Or, sometimes it's worth "spending" a little on a food because I love it so much, instead of eating a lot of things that I don't love so much.

Saving up for a rainy day
Like I have said before, I am an emotional eater. And if you haven't noticed, I also am a social eater. (Who isn't?!) Just like I can't predict when I'm going to need some extra money for the unexpected or special circumstances, I can't always predict when (or where) I will be in situations when I will need (ok, want) some extra calories to spend. But, just like with finances, the thing I can predict is that those situations will come.

Part of saving for a rainy day is learning to delay gratification. I try not to buy things I want today so that I can save for things I may want or need even more tomorrow. (Well, most of the time. I'm still working on this one. Key word = TRY)

I try not to eat more than I need, and "save up" my calories, so I don't have to say "no" later to the unexpected cookies my neighbor brought over that are calling my name. For me, it is easier to limit my calories throughout my normal day. It is nearly impossible to limit myself when I am in situations that are tempting - cookies from a neighbor, Girls' Night Out, date night, holiday party, neighborhood BBQ.

There will also just be days when I completely blow it with calories. Some days I will not have the will power or strength to "be good" all the time and that is OK! If I am sticking to my 1200 calorie budget on most days, a 2000 calorie day every once and a while won't kill me. And it won't destroy everything I've worked for. What I really am doing when I'm sticking to my 1200 calories (along with trying to lose weight) is preparing myself for those inevitable days when I just want to eat everything. I don't know about you, but those days come for me pretty regularly. Let's just say, about once a month :)

I never know when that rainy day will be, whether for good reason or bad, but I do know that it will come. Feeling guilty and bad about it won't do any good. The good I can do though, is plan, prepare, and save for when those rainy days come.

Make do or do without
Sometimes there just isn't room in my financial budget to buy something, even if I think I need it. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. So, I just figure out how to make things work without it, or until I can afford to buy what I need.

This comparison to the food budget may be a little bit of a stretch, but I think the concept still applies. Perhaps a bit differently, but it still applies.

Sometimes I am in situations when I have little to no control over what my food options will be. Some examples may be a church activity, a friend's birthday (she picks the restaurant of course), eating at a friend of family member's house, travelling, or school/work cafeteria. Sometimes there are just no healthy or low calorie options. This can be challenging when trying to diet.

But, it is what it is.

Here are the choices.
1) You could always bring your own food, or eat before you attend one of these activities. The only downsides to this is missing out on the social aspect of eating with the group, and possibly feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed about your individual accommodations. If this doesn't bother you, than this is absolutely the best option for you.

2) You could do your best to estimate the calories in the food provided for you (or ask for a nutrition guide at the restaurant, or look it up online before you go) and then just portion out your food to fit within your calorie budget. The tricky part about this is that it requires some will power. You will have to control your portions (which is sometimes the hardest thing to do!).

3) You could not eat.

You make do, or do without.

It's Not Always Easy
Budgeting is always easier when there is a limited supply. If you have to stretch your money to make ends meet, you do. If you have to stretch your food to last you multiple meals, you do.

The trickiest thing about dieting, is that most of us do not have to go without when it comes to food. Most of us have more than enough food to survive. With money, we budget because we don't want to run out of money. With food, we budget not because we will run out of food, but because we don't want to gain weight. The main difference, is in the supply.

It is always easier to budget when you have a limited supply. It is always harder to budget when your supply is larger than your need.

And then sometimes your amount of food is limited by your financial budget. It is then that you have to work double time, making sure you are stretching your buck to buy the right kinds of food. Don't waste your money on food that you will waste calories on.

This is why I'm trying to stay away from soda + fast foods.
It's a lose/lose deal.

So...what do you think?
Are you seeing the similarities?
Is budgeting calories like budgeting money for you? What is similar and what is different? What is the hardest thing for you about budgeting? What helps you stay within of your budget?


Oh, and of course, please read my Disclaimer