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Staying healthy
Recognizable?
You know the drill: you’ve been wanting to eat healthier for years. But every time that cake wins. That piece of cake or that extra chocolate takes over. Recognizable, right? At my house I also have a stack of books full of slim recipes, and on TV I like to follow how famous chefs prepare healthy dishes…
… And yet there was no progress in my intentions. Until now.
With this page I start an honest experiment: eating healthier, in a responsible way, step by step. I use tools like My eetmeter to track calories and nutrients. I share my successes and pitfalls. And show what works for me (and what doesn’t).
Follow along as I discover how small changes can make a difference in everyday life.
My Eetmeter: Your Personal Calorie and Nutrition Meter
I discovered a site where you can keep a personal eatmeter Every day you log what you eat and immediately see:
- how many calories you consume
- and, more importantly, which useful nutrients you’ve consumed.
The great thing is: it’s completely free.
The premise is simple: you have to burn more calories than you take in.
The recommended calorie intake for a woman is around 1800 to 2000 kcal. per day. For men 2200.
Your metabolism (calorie burning) decreases with age. That’s why I intend to draw the line at 1500 kcal if I want to lose weight. Some extra exercise is included. That should be possible.
Reliable sources for healthier eating
Do you want to know what is best to eat if you want to live healthier? Then look at reliable sources such as:
On the Belgian website Gezondheid.be you will find an extensive series of articles about everything that has to do with health.
Mijn Voedingscentrum.nl is the Dutch authority on nutrition. It provides scientifically backed advice such as the “Schijf van Vijf”. There are handy tools too like the app “Mijn Eetmeter”.
A recent article on Gezondheid.be pointed out that counting calories doesn’t work that well. Your metabolism is partly determined by your microbiome. This includes all the bacteria and microorganisms that are on and in your body. It works more efficiently for some than for others.
The article also says that cooked or processed foods often provide more calories than raw foods. This is because your body doesn’t have to exert itself so much to burn the calories.
This is how I work
I don’t let myself be dissuaded from my plan and look at the options on ‘My Food Meter’. The online tool is easier for me, but the app is handy on the move.
Calculate BMI
First I calculate my BMI. It turns out to be over 30: I’m obese. I really didn’t expect that. You don’t see yourself that way, but the scales don’t lie. I enter my details of height, age and weight and intend to register my weight monthly. Read more on my page about obesity.
Fill in diary daily
The diary is filled in daily. That takes some time and discipline. During the day I write everything down in a small pocket book. In the evening I only have to retype the data. Exactly what I need: someone who forces me to face the facts. Let that be an app.
Bottlenecks of the journey
We are now at the end of January, and my resolution is a month old. In that month it became clear to me how challenging it is to stick to a target of 1500 kcal. Writing down everything I eat requires attention and discipline every day.
Result: my first month of trial cannot be called a success. I didn’t gain weight, but I didn’t take off either. Conclusion: With renewed courage we enter the month of February. We don’t give up.
On the homepage you will find a brief overview of all the projects, which can also become your steps for more creativity and self-care .
Emma