They are everywhere. 100 calories of Hostess cupcakes. 100 calories of chips ahoy. 100 calories of decadent Godiva chocolate cheesecake with chocolate graham crust and gorgeous dark chocolate shavings :girlscream: Okay, maybe the last one is not a real 100 Calorie item but if it was, it would be about the size of a nickel. If I’m going to enjoy dessert, I want to know that I’m enjoying dessert, not a scant taste of some chemically altered funky fake thing. It doesn’t happen often, and almost always for a special occasion out. Life is too short for skipping dessert FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

But, supposedly, all these 100 calorie things are good for self-control and portion size. I get that. What I don’t get is that they are being used by millions of people as an alternative to the real thing, right? But what is the real thing? The real thing has zero nutritional value.  The real thing is just as processed, just as sugary, fatty, whatever but just in a smaller version.

Allow me to introduce a new perspective. I found this on the Weight Watcher message boards about 2 years ago, specifically, the old Core (now called Simply Filling, Filling Foods, etc). Weight Watchers participants have the option to count points for any food, or stick to real unprocessed food in their most natural state and eating until SATISFIED—not stuffed. Some of their rules, I don’t agree with although I understand the reasoning. Nut butters are not on the Filling Foods list due to their fat content and their altered state. A smoothie made from real fruit is not a filling food because only food in their natural state make the list. It’s all about nutritional density. It’s still an awesome approach to clean eating.

A poster named Kippy did some research and created a list of real food in 100 calorie portions. Check this out.

This list was originally put together by Kippy2006. It is not intended to function as a real snack list (although for some of the entries, it certainly is reasonable)
It’s a *thought starter*, an illustration to show how much more REAL food you can get for 100 calories compared to a nutrition-less 100 calorie pack.
1/4 of an avocado
1.75 cups apple slices
1 medium banana
1 cup grapes
2 cups berries
1.5 cups sliced peaches
1.25 cups orange sections
1.25 cups blueberries
2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup sliced pears
1.33 cup diced pineapple
1.5 cups raspberries
1 cup cherries
2 large kiwifruit
3 clementines
4 cups cherry tomatoes or 10 plum tomatoes or 3 large beefsteak tomatoes
1 medium baked sweet potato
1 small baked white potato
2 cups carrot strips or slices
12 cups torn lettuce
10 large broccoli spears
8 cups sliced cucumbers
5.5 cups sliced bell or sweet peppers
5 cups whole raw mushrooms
32 spears cooked asparagus
2.5 cups cooked green beans
80 snow or sugar snap pea pods
4.5 cups mixed vegetable salad (without dressing)
1/2 cup cooked grain/rice/pasta (most, bulgur is 3/4s cup)
1 jumbo hard boiled egg
20 large boiled or steamed shrimp
2 oz chicken breast meat (a little more than 2 oz)
2 oz sirloin steak (a little less than 2 oz)
0.75 cup plain fat-free yogurt
3 cups air-popped popcorn

Compared to:
Less than an ounce of some kind of packaged cookie crispy thing

So which would you rather eat?

Boot camp day 2! It was a great day! I was a little sore in my butt and legs this morning. My arms were not fatigued at all, so I used the heavier weights today. I’m amazed at how each woman can do each exercise at their level. Some days, it’s about time. Do such-and-such for 2 minutes. Do that-or-this for 4 minutes. Today, it was about a certain number, but everything had levels of how far down, how much weight, various forms. I love how there is a TON of room to improve at my own pace.

And tonight, after 2 days of up at 4, coming home at 8, crashing at 11, I’m sitting here full of energy. I’ve eaten well today (with fewer than normal pictures), but I’ve had a metric ton of water. And how interesting that we’ve done a lot of squats….and drinking more water…..means more bathroom trips…..which means more squatting to sit down……I sense a conspiracy with Miss Mallory. I’ll let you go ahead and wonder if I grabbed that handicap bar with both hands this afternoon. And we won’t even mention the brief moment of insanity when I wondered if I could do it like the boys do. So unfair, those boys with their…cool toys.

(Just to clarify, my goal is to get in bed by 9. I just have had 2 nights of dealing with a minor school crisis and dealing with school boards/PTO meetings. Most days, I’m home by 5 and running is done by 7.)

I’ve got to figure out the breakfast thing. I miss my oatmeal and green monsters. But the past two days, it’s hard to eat or drink anything. I hope this will work itself out since I’ll be doing this class again all the way through the end of June. I can’t wait until weekends only to eat my oatmeal!

So, breakfast was a mini Cliff Bar—2 bites

Lunch was leftover beans and rice.

Morning snack—pear and almonds

Afternoon snack- greek yogurt with strawberries

Dinner….TBA.