Trimming the Fat

It seems to be an easy concept to eat less and work out more, but for some of us it is not that easy. Some weeks we gain weight or fail to lose the weight we expected to lose. If this is the case it is really important to write it all down. I have mentioned in the past there are free websites to track the calories. One is www.livestrong.com and the other is www.sparkpeople.com. I tend to like spark people a little better. It seems a little more user friendly. My name is Harpie19 on the site if you want to link up with me or give me referral credit.
Otherwise write down everything you eat. I have found the days I think I am getting around 1700 calories I am actually eating around 2000. It makes a difference in what I need to do for a work out if I am eating more than I think I am.
Also it is helpful to look for ways to trim the calories here and there. I cannot start my day without a good Chai. Starbucks has some low calorie options but I found if I make it at home not only do I save money but save on calories. I also switched my Chai from low-fat milk as a base to almond milk. The texture of my Chai is not as creamy as with dairy but it is still the rich spicy flavor I am looking for. I save myself 30 calories with every Chai made that way, but by the end of my five day week, I have saved 150 calories, which means the first 15 minutes of my Adapt work out is now just burning fat calories and not Chai calories. :) What ways do you think you can trim the fat/calories?

Interesting to notice

How many of you have signed up for Spark People yet? And of those of you that signed up, how many have started using it? I noticed that just by tracking how much I eat, not purposely making changes, that I have dropped my overall daily calorie intake around 1000 calories a day! I had no idea I was eating that much. Now I am in a healthier level and will be ready to reduce the calories a little more come contest time. It's good to hold yourself accountable and see the trends.