Dear Herculodge,
This is Graham Hoerner. We spoke a few days ago about
limiting my calories to 3,000 a day. To achieve my goal, I started writing down
everything I eat, as you recommended I do. Let me tell you, it’s been a rather
anxiety-provoking experience and I am somewhat chagrined to disclose my
findings to you, but my weight-loss quest demands it, so here it is:
7:00 AM. ½ cup
steel cut oatmeal (210). Added to the oatmeal was the following: sliced banana
(120), 1/3 cup blueberries (50), 2 heaping tablespoons peanut butter flavored
whey protein powder (120), ½ cup nonfat milk(45), 2 cups of freshly roasted
coffee to which I added 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup (100). Total: 645
9:30 AM. One
handful almonds (150), kiwi (45), tangerine (70), ½ cup of milk (45). Total:
310
10:30 AM.
Pre-workout coffee with chocolate syrup: 100
12:45 P.M. Leftover
pasta with shrimp and spinach (500), ½ cup nonfat milk (45), orange (100).
Total: 645
3:15 P.M. One cup
nonfat yogurt (130) and 2 Medjool dates (130). Total: 260
5:00 P.M. 1/3 cup
mango juice added to 1 cup of carbonated mineral water. Total: 50
6:00 P.M. Two
scrambled eggs (100) with 1/5 cup shredded cheddar cheese (150) topped with
mango-peach salsa (50) and 2 buttermilk biscuits with low-sugar strawberry jam
(320) and ½ cup of nonfat milk (45). Total: 665
8:00 P.M. Fuji
apple 80
10:00 P.M.
High-fiber cereal with nonfat milk and blueberries 250
4:AM. Banana and ½
cup of milk 150
Grand Total: 3,155
Graham,
To be blunt, you eat too much. You appear to be constantly eating. I doubt your total is accurate. In my experience with clients, over 90% record about 20% fewer calories than they’re really eating. Secondly, the amount of calories they think they can eat a day is usually too high. I suspect you should shoot for 2,700 a day rather than 3,000. We may have to lower it again, but that’s a good start.
However, let me make it clear, your problem goes beyond
eating and is in fact an existential problem. Allow me to explain: Looking over
your eating frequency, I am struck by the fact that you are constantly hungry.
This is not physical hunger by any means but emotional hunger. You crave meaning,
absorbing work, higher purpose, the gift of losing your self in a project that
occupies your mind rather than your preoccupation with loneliness and
self-loathing. In other words, you will not cut down on your eating until you
find a substitute for food. In your next correspondence, let me know your
hobbies and interests and maybe we can build from there.
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