My Weight Loss Journey

Show quote
“If you are not eating with some kind of control, then you are eating, out of control”. — Carol
  • Aunt Jemima Cornbread

    Aunt Jemima Cornbread

    I’ve been making this Aunt Jemima cornbread recipe for years and years. The recipe originally came right off the Aunt Jemima cornmeal package, and it was so good that I hung onto it. Sometimes the recipes you find on the back of a package turn out to be the ones you make for a lifetime, and this is one of those recipes at our house.

    It’s a slightly sweet cornbread made with cornmeal, flour, sugar and whole milk. We especially like it alongside a big bowl of Nonnie’s Beef Stew, but it’s good with just about any meal where a warm piece of cornbread belongs.

    Aunt Jemima Cornbread

    Total Batch Calories
    2048
    kcal
    Calories Per Piece
    256
    kcal

    Ingredients

      Yield: 8 pieces

      Directions

      1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
      2. Grease a round cake pan or use cooking spray. Do not flour the pan.
      3. Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar (if using), baking powder, and salt.
      4. Add the milk, egg, and shortening. Mix until combined.
      5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
      6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden and baked through.
      7. Cut into the selected number of standard-size pieces and serve.

      Larger batches may require a larger pan, multiple pans, or additional baking time.

      Estimated Nutrition Information

      Serving size: 1 standard piece
      Servings per batch: 8

      Nutrition information is estimated using standard ingredient values. Actual values may vary depending on brands, measurements, and serving sizes.

      A Calorie Crusader Tip

      Cornbread is one of those foods where deciding on the serving size before you start cutting makes calorie counting much easier. I cut this recipe into eight pieces, so each wedge is one serving.

      And don’t throw away those old favorite recipes just because they came from the back of a package. This one has been in my kitchen for years and years for a reason!

      Calories Crusaders Recipes

      This is a recipe I originally found on an Aunt Jemima cornmeal package many years ago. Aunt Jemima products were later renamed Pearl Milling Company.

    • My Favorite Tool for Counting Calories: Cronometer

      My Favorite Tool for Counting Calories: Cronometer

      I’m counting calories again, and this time around I have a tool that makes the job a whole lot easier. It’s the Cronometer calorie tracker, and it has quickly become one of my favorite tools in my Calorie Crusader toolbox.

      Before I go any further, I want to make something clear. Cronometer isn’t paying me to write this, and this isn’t a sponsored post. I just think it’s an excellent tool and one that’s worth talking about.

      More Than a Calorie Counter

      Obviously, one of the main things I need to know on my Calorie Crusade is how many calories I’m eating. Cronometer does that very well, but that’s really just the beginning.

      It also lets me see what’s actually in the food I’m eating.

      At a glance, I can keep an eye on things like fiber, sodium, added sugar, saturated fat and calcium. Instead of simply knowing that I’ve eaten a certain number of calories, I can look at a meal—or my entire day—and get a much better picture of how I’m doing nutritionally.

      I like that.

      Sometimes calories only tell part of the story.

      One of My Favorite Features: Recipes

      One of my favorite things about Cronometer is the recipe feature.

      I cook something, enter the ingredients into Cronometer, and it does the math for me. Once the recipe and serving information are entered, I can see the calories and nutrients in a serving.

      That is incredibly handy.

      Without something like this, figuring out the calories in a homemade recipe can become quite a project. You have to figure out the calories in every ingredient, add everything together and then divide it into servings.

      Cronometer does the work.

      And once I’ve entered the recipe, I have it available the next time I make it.

      Finding Foods Is Easy

      Cronometer also has a very large food database. Most of the foods I’m looking for are already there.

      For packaged foods, I can also scan the barcode. That can save quite a bit of time when I’m standing in the kitchen trying to get a meal entered.

      The easier it is to record what I eat, the more likely I am to actually do it.

      And that’s important.

      I Don’t Have to Enter the Same Things Over and Over

      Most of us have foods we eat regularly.

      If I eat the same thing from one day to the next, Cronometer has a premium feature that makes it possible to repeat those foods instead of making me start from scratch every morning.

      That may sound like a small thing, but those little conveniences add up.

      In a previous Calorie Crusaders article, “When Life Gets in the Way of Counting Calories“, I talked about some of the things that have caused me to stop counting calories in the past. Sometimes life simply became too busy and there were too many other things demanding my attention.

      So this time I’m paying attention to anything that makes the process easier.

      If something saves me a few minutes and removes one more little chore from my day, that’s a good thing.

      Even My Water Is in There

      I can also use Cronometer to keep track of my water.

      I like having that information right there along with my food instead of trying to remember separately how much I’ve had to drink during the day.

      Again, it’s one less thing to keep track of somewhere else.

      Information Helps Me Make Better Choices

      I think this may be what I like most about Cronometer.

      It gives me information.

      If I’m low on fiber, I can see it. If I’ve had more sodium than I realized, I can see that too. I can look at calcium, added sugar, saturated fat and other nutrients instead of simply concentrating on one number at the top of the page.

      I’m still counting calories. That’s the foundation of what I’m doing.

      But I’m also learning more about the food those calories are coming from.

      Another Tool for the Calorie Crusade

      No app is going to lose the weight for me.

      I still have to decide what I’m going to eat. I still have to decide how much I’m going to eat. And I still have to enter it honestly.

      But a good tool can make all of that easier.

      That’s what Cronometer does for me.

      It takes something that could involve a lot of calculating, writing things down and looking things up and puts it all together in one place.

      For someone who has decided to count calories for a long time—not just for a few weeks—that convenience matters.

      Glenn has even started using Cronometer too, so apparently I’m not the only one in this house who finds all those numbers useful.

      I’m trying to build habits that I can continue even when life gets busy.

      And right now, Cronometer is one of my favorite tools in the Calorie Crusader toolbox.

    • I Really Didn’t Feel Like Moving Today

      I Really Didn’t Feel Like Moving Today

      This morning, I was really out of snuff.

      I knew I needed to figure out how to be more active during the day. There was just one problem.

      I really, really didn’t feel like doing it.

      I’ve been down in my back lately, and somewhere along the way I got out of the habit of getting things done. On days when we don’t have work, I’ve even gotten into the habit of staying in my lounge dress all day.

      This morning, I needed to figure out how to get myself moving again.

      I Started by Journaling

      I tried journaling first.

      That helped a little. Writing things down gave me a chance to think about what was bothering me and what I wanted to accomplish.

      But I still needed something more practical.

      So I made myself a list.

      It wasn’t a list of exercises. It was a list of ordinary daily tasks that would get me up and moving.

      Some of them were very simple.

      Wash my face.

      Make the bed.

      Clean the kitchen.

      These aren’t things I would normally think of as exercise. But they do require me to get out of my chair and move.

      And that was exactly what I needed.

      Then I Got Dressed

      This may sound like a little thing, but I think it made a big difference.

      I got dressed.

      Not in my lounge dress. I put on regular clothes and my shoes.

      That seemed to tell my brain that the day had started and I had things to do.

      Apparently, my lounge dress may have been conspiring with my chair. I’m keeping an eye on both of them.

      I Put My Day on the Calendar

      I use Google Calendar to help keep myself organized, so I put my tasks there.

      I also set those tasks to repeat every day.

      Now I don’t have to start from scratch each morning and figure out how I’m going to get moving.

      I already have a simple daily activity plan waiting for me in my calendar.

      That gave me something else I needed.

      I could mark things complete.

      There is something satisfying about finishing a task and checking it off. Then I could move on to the next one.

      Instead of looking at the whole day and thinking about everything I needed to accomplish, I could concentrate on one little thing at a time.

      And every little thing got me moving.

      I Watched My Activity Add Up

      I also used the cardio load feature on my Google Health watch.

      I have a weekly cardio goal, and I could see my activity adding up as I went through my day.

      That gave me another little push to keep going.

      I wasn’t doing a formal workout. I was simply trying to have an active day.

      And it was working.

      Even Feeding the Chickens Became Exercise

      Normally, I might take the golf cart out to feed the chickens.

      Today I walked.

      It was a small decision, but that’s really what the whole day was about.

      Small decisions.

      Get dressed instead of staying in my lounge dress.

      Put on my shoes.

      Make the bed.

      Clean the kitchen.

      Walk instead of taking the golf cart.

      One choice didn’t amount to very much. But by the end of the day, all those choices had added up to a good amount of light activity.

      I Didn’t Wait Until I Felt Like It

      I think that’s the biggest thing I learned today.

      This morning, I didn’t feel motivated.

      I could have waited around hoping motivation would eventually show up.

      Instead, I started doing little things.

      And somewhere along the way, my attitude changed.

      I felt more focused. I felt more productive. And I ended up having a very good day.

      Maybe I don’t always have to feel motivated before I start.

      Maybe sometimes I just need to put on my shoes and do the first thing on the list.

      Then I can see where the day takes me.

      Today, it took me all the way out to the chicken coop.

      On foot.

    • Exercise: It’s All About Movement

      Exercise: It’s All About Movement

      When I think about exercise for weight loss, I’m beginning to realize that it doesn’t always have to mean putting on workout clothes and doing an exercise routine. Sometimes I simply need to get up and move.

      I learned that lesson after having what I thought was a really good week.

      I counted my calories. I stayed on track. I felt pretty good about how I had done.

      There was just one problem.

      I had also been very sedentary.

      That Wasn’t the Number I Was Hoping For

      When I stepped on the scale at the end of the week, my weight loss was disappointing.

      I knew I had done well with my calories, so naturally I started thinking about what else had been different that week.

      And one thing stood out.

      I hadn’t moved very much.

      I had spent far too much time sitting.

      Now, one week’s number on the scale doesn’t prove anything. Weight can fluctuate for all kinds of reasons.

      But it did make me curious.

      Then I Looked at the Calculator

      I started looking more closely at how many calories I should be eating to lose weight.

      That’s when I used our Weight Loss Calorie Calculator.

      What caught my attention was the difference activity makes.

      When I selected sedentary, I could see that my estimated calorie needs weren’t nearly as high as they would be if I were more active.

      That gave me something to think about.

      Calculate Your Calories for Weight Loss

      I realized that counting my calories was only part of what I wanted to work on.

      I needed to move more too.

      Exercise Doesn’t Have to Mean a Workout

      When I hear the word exercise, it’s easy to picture an exercise routine.

      But movement doesn’t have to happen only during a workout.

      I can walk.

      I can clean the house.

      I can work outside.

      I can get up and do something instead of sitting in my chair.

      Of course, I can deliberately exercise too.

      The important thing for me is to move.

      So I’m Putting More Movement Into My Day

      This week, I’m making a point of being more active every day.

      I haven’t suddenly become an athlete.

      I’m just paying attention.

      If I have an opportunity to move, I’m trying to take it.

      Instead of thinking that exercise has to be a separate event that I somehow have to fit into my day, I’m thinking about how I can put more movement into my day.

      That feels much more manageable to me.

      So What Will the Scale Say?

      I don’t know yet.

      That’s the interesting part.

      I’m counting my calories, and this week I’m deliberately adding more movement to my days.

      Will I have a better weight loss when I step on the scale next week?

      Maybe.

      Maybe not.

      Weight can fluctuate for plenty of reasons, so one week won’t prove anything either way.

      But I’m curious.

      And since you’re following along on my Calorie Crusade, you’ll find out when I do.

      To be continued…

    • I’m Not Giving Up the Foods I Love

      I’m Not Giving Up the Foods I Love

      I’m losing weight, but I’m not giving up the foods I love. In fact, eating favorite foods while losing weight is an important part of making this something I can actually stick with.

      I’m counting calories. I’m weighing some of my food. I’m paying more attention to nutrition, and I’m keeping track of what I eat.

      But there’s something I’m not planning to do.

      I’m not giving up the foods I love.

      I’ve Got to Live With This

      I have a lot of weight to lose.

      That means this isn’t something I’m going to do for a few weeks and then go back to eating exactly the way I did before.

      If I’m going to lose the weight and keep it off, I’m going to have to learn how to eat differently for the long haul.

      And I don’t want to spend the rest of my life believing that there are foods I’m never allowed to eat again.

      That doesn’t sound particularly realistic to me.

      It doesn’t sound like much fun, either.

      I Have a Calorie Budget

      One of the things I like about counting calories is that I have choices.

      I think of my calories somewhat like money.

      I have a certain amount available to spend each day. Some foods are relatively inexpensive. Others can use up a pretty big chunk of my budget.

      That doesn’t mean I can’t have the expensive ones.

      It just means I have to decide whether they’re worth the price.

      If I want a hamburger, I can have a hamburger.

      If I want dessert occasionally, I can have dessert.

      If Glenn and I go out to eat, I’m going to order something I enjoy.

      The trick is figuring out how to make those things fit.

      Portion Size Makes a Difference

      Sometimes I don’t need to give something up. I just need less of it.

      That’s one reason my food scale has become such a useful little gadget.

      There can be a big difference between having some of a favorite food and having as much of it as I can possibly eat.

      I’m learning what a reasonable portion looks like.

      Sometimes I’ll decide that a smaller amount is enough. Other times I may decide that I really want the whole thing and adjust the rest of my day accordingly.

      Either way, I’m making the decision.

      Nutrition Still Matters

      Of course, there’s a little more to this than staying under a calorie number.

      I want most of what I eat to give my body something it needs.

      I need protein. I need fiber. I need vitamins and minerals. I want fruits and vegetables and other nutritious foods to make up a substantial part of what I eat.

      If I used my entire calorie budget on cookies, I might technically have counted the calories, but I wouldn’t consider that a particularly successful day.

      Calories matter to my weight-loss plan.

      Nutrition matters to my health.

      I want to pay attention to both.

      I Don’t Want a “Cheat Day”

      I’m also not particularly fond of the idea of calling something a cheat food or a cheat meal.

      If I’ve decided I can have it, I’m not cheating.

      I’m eating.

      Maybe it’s something I won’t eat very often. Maybe it’s something with a lot of calories. Maybe I’ll have to make some adjustments elsewhere in my day.

      But I haven’t broken a rule.

      That’s important to me because I don’t want to divide food into things I’m “good” for eating and things I’m “bad” for eating.

      It’s food.

      I get to decide how much of it fits into the life I’m trying to build.

      The Goal Is to Learn How to Eat

      For me, eating favorite foods while losing weight isn’t about finding loopholes in my calorie plan.

      It’s about learning.

      I want to learn how much food I actually need. I want to learn which foods keep me satisfied. I want to learn when something is worth the calories and when it really isn’t.

      And I want to learn how to enjoy something I love without turning it into an excuse to abandon everything else I’m doing.

      That’s a skill I’m going to need long after the weight comes off.

      So yes, I’m changing the way I eat.

      Quite a bit, actually.

      But I’m not saying goodbye to hamburgers, desserts, restaurant meals or the other foods I enjoy.

      I’m just learning how to make room for them.

      Because this Calorie Crusade isn’t about seeing how much I can give up.

      It’s about learning how I can live.

    • Glenn’s Chunky Tomato Bisque

      Glenn’s Chunky Tomato Bisque

      Some of the best recipes around our house are also some of the simplest. Glenn’s Chunky Tomato Bisque is one of those recipes. It starts with ordinary Campbell’s tomato soup, but fresh Roma tomatoes, diced tomatoes and plenty of basil turn it into something that tastes much more homemade.

      I especially like recipes like this when I’m counting calories. It makes a nice big bowl of soup without using cream, butter or a lot of other high-calorie ingredients. Pair it with a sandwich or salad for a meal, or just enjoy a bowl of soup when you want something warm and filling.

      Glenn’s Chunky Tomato Bisque 🍅

      A hearty, homemade tomato bisque filled with chunks of Roma tomatoes and the flavor of basil.

      1234 5678
      Total Pot Calories
      —
      kcal
      Calories Per 2-Cup Serving
      177.5
      kcal

      Yield: 8 cups
      Serving size: About 2 cups per bowl

      Ingredients

        Estimated Nutrition

        Nutrition is shown per serving. Actual values depend on ingredients and brands.

        Instructions

        1. Combine the canned tomato soup, diced tomatoes, and water in a large pot.
        2. Wash and chop the Roma tomatoes. Add them to the pot.
        3. Stir in the dried or fresh basil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
        4. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to 2 (low). Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes sink into the soup. Keep the pot uncovered to prevent it from boiling over.

        A Calorie Crusader Tip

        One thing I like about this soup is that the chunks of fresh tomato add a lot of volume without adding many calories. That means you get a good-sized bowl of soup while still keeping the calorie count reasonable.

        Calories are an estimate and can vary depending on the exact size of the soup cans, tomatoes and brand of diced tomatoes used.

      • Two Pounds Down

        Two Pounds Down

        This morning I stepped on the scale and discovered that I lost two pounds this week.

        I’ll take it!

        I’m counting calories again, paying attention to what I’m eating and trying to make better choices. And this week, at least, the scale moved in the direction I wanted it to go.

        Two Pounds Is Encouraging

        I know better than to expect the scale to cooperate every single week.

        Weight fluctuates. Some weeks I may lose more than expected. Some weeks I may lose very little. There will probably be weeks when I do everything right and the scale doesn’t move at all.

        That’s one reason I’m trying to look at this as a long-term project rather than a race from one weigh-in to the next.

        But I’m still going to enjoy seeing those two pounds disappear!

        It’s encouraging.

        I’m Not Changing the Plan

        A good week doesn’t mean I need to start eating less or exercising like crazy so I can lose even faster.

        What I’m doing right now is working, so I’m going to keep doing it.

        I’m going to keep counting my calories.

        I’m going to keep paying attention to nutrition.

        I’m going to keep using the tools in my Calorie Crusader toolbox.

        And I’m going to keep living my life.

        That’s important to me because I don’t want to follow some temporary diet that I can’t wait to finish. I’m trying to figure out how to eat and live in a way I can continue.

        One Week at a Time

        Two pounds isn’t my entire goal.

        Not even close.

        But I didn’t gain all of my extra weight in one week, and I’m certainly not going to lose it all in one week.

        So I’m going to celebrate the small victories along the way.

        This week, that’s two pounds.

        Next week? We’ll see.

        Whatever that scale says, I’ll gather the information, keep going and see where this Calorie Crusade takes me.

        This week’s progress: 2 pounds down.

      • When Life Gets in the Way of Counting Calories

        When Life Gets in the Way of Counting Calories

        I’m counting calories again.

        I’ve done this before, so I already know that counting calories works for me. I also know something else. Somewhere along the way, life has a tendency to get in the way.

        It probably won’t be one big dramatic event that causes me to quit. More likely, it will be a time when there are simply too many things competing for my attention.

        That’s happened before.

        For a number of years, I was involved in taking care of Mom and Dad. They needed me, and taking care of them became a much higher priority than keeping track of everything I ate. I was overwhelmed. Something had to give, and counting calories was one of the things I let go.

        I don’t regret that decision.

        There are times in life when something truly is more important than losing weight.

        There have been other times when nothing quite that important happened. There was simply too much work, too much stress, too much to think about and not enough of me to go around. When that happens, something that requires daily attention can gradually fall by the wayside.

        That’s what I want to guard against this time.

        I Don’t Have to Be Perfect

        I’ve been thinking that perhaps my mistake in the past wasn’t that I stopped counting calories. Sometimes life really does become overwhelming.

        Maybe the mistake was thinking of stopping as quitting.

        Those are two very different things.

        If life gets crazy and I miss a day of counting calories, I haven’t quit. If I have an unusually stressful week and don’t do very well, I haven’t quit. If circumstances become so demanding that I deliberately decide to put calorie counting aside for a little while, I still haven’t quit.

        I’ve simply stopped for a while.

        And I can start again.

        I Need a Way Back

        This time I want to have a plan before the obstacles arrive.

        On the really busy days, maybe I don’t need to count every calorie perfectly. Perhaps I can simply keep a rough record of what I’ve eaten. That’s better than completely losing touch with what I’m doing.

        And when things calm down, I don’t need to wait until Monday, the first of the month, or some magical day when I’m suddenly motivated again.

        I can start with the very next meal.

        I think that’s important.

        There will always be another project. There will always be work to do. There will be stressful days and unexpected problems. I can’t build a weight-loss plan that depends upon life remaining calm, because life has never shown much interest in cooperating with my plans.

        The Calorie Crusade Continues

        I’m going into this knowing that there will be obstacles.

        I’m also going into it knowing something I didn’t fully appreciate before: getting temporarily knocked off course doesn’t mean the journey is over.

        I’ve been down this road before. This time, I want to recognize the obstacles before I get to them.

        And if one of them knocks me down?

        I’ll get back up and keep going.

        After all, I’m a Calorie Crusader.

      • Calorie Crusaders is Back

        Calorie Crusaders is Back

        Years ago, I started something called Calorie Crusaders.

        It grew out of my own efforts to lose weight by doing something remarkably simple: counting calories.

        I only kept Calorie Crusaders going for a few months, but during that time I wrote about what I was eating, what I was learning and how I was doing. Eventually, life moved on, other things took priority, and Calorie Crusaders was put aside.

        Well, Calorie Crusaders is back.

        And so am I.

        I’m Counting Calories Again

        I’ve decided to start counting calories again and make a serious effort to lose weight.

        This isn’t a new idea for me. I’ve counted calories before, and I know it works for me. There are countless diets and weight-loss programs out there, but I’ve always liked the simplicity of knowing how many calories I’m eating and making my choices accordingly.

        There are no forbidden foods.

        I don’t have to eliminate entire food groups. I don’t have to eat special foods. I don’t have to prepare one meal for myself and something entirely different for everyone else.

        I have a calorie budget, and I decide how I want to spend it.

        Of course, that doesn’t mean nutrition isn’t important. It is. I want to pay attention not only to calories but also to what I’m getting from those calories.

        But when it comes to losing weight, counting calories gives me a structure that I understand and can live with.

        Why Bring Back Calorie Crusaders?

        I could just count my calories quietly and go about my business.

        But I’ve discovered something about myself over the years.

        Writing about what I’m doing helps me stay interested in what I’m doing.

        Calorie Crusaders gives me a place to talk about the things I’m learning, the things that work, the things that don’t work and probably a few things that don’t go according to plan at all.

        It gives me a project.

        And projects motivate me.

        There’s another reason I’m bringing Calorie Crusaders back.

        It’s fun.

        That’s actually a pretty important reason.

        I enjoy working on the website. I enjoy writing about what I’m doing. I enjoy experimenting with food and figuring out how to make things fit into my calorie budget. I enjoy watching a project develop from an idea into something real.

        Losing weight is going to take a long time. If I’m going to stick with something for that long, why shouldn’t I find a way to make it enjoyable?

        Calorie Crusaders makes it more fun.

        This Time I Know There Will Be Obstacles

        I’m not starting this thinking that every day is going to go perfectly.

        I’ve done this before.

        I know there will be days when I’m hungry. There will probably be days when I eat more than I intended. There will be holidays, restaurant meals, busy days and stressful days. There will be weeks when the scale doesn’t do what I think it ought to do.

        Life will happen.

        In the past, some of those things have eventually caused me to lose focus. That’s something I’m going to be thinking and writing about this time around.

        I don’t need to be perfect.

        I need to keep coming back.

        So Here We Go

        I still have some of my old Calorie Crusaders writing, and eventually I hope to bring some of it back here too.

        I’ll write about calorie counting, the foods I’m eating, the tools I’m using and the things I learn along the way. I’ll share the successes, but I also want to talk honestly about the difficult parts.

        I don’t know exactly where all of this will lead.

        I do know where it starts.

        I’m counting calories again.

        I’m writing about it again.

        I’m having fun with it again.

        Calorie Crusaders is back.

        Let’s see where we go from here.