I just go the book, read it all .. love it. Started to work on calculating all the macronutrient info for the recipes, because it wasn’t in the book. I track everything I eat with my phone: MyNetDiary.

I punched in the data for the first 3 recipes and all of them seemed off in calories. The numbers in the book seem a bit low. Is the 800 calorie per day diet more like 1000? It’s seeming so. I only punched in the first three recipes though, before stopping.

Example, the first recipe: Yogurt with Rhubarb Compote (page 171) , serves 1
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into small chunks. So I figured 14 oz for the rhubarb, figured 2oz of trimmings: 83 calories
Zest and juice of one orange. MyNetDiary tells me this 39 calories
Zest and juice of one lemon. I just left this at zero calories
1 inch piece fresh ginger.. left at zero calories
5 ounces plain yogurt 84 calories (5g carbs)

So total calories is 83 + 39 + 84 = 206

But book says it’s 160.

Anyways, again the two recipes that followed also were much higher in calories than the book suggests.

Are calories different in the UK than the US? I’m in the states.

Jennifer

Nope, a calorie is a calorie. However, not all yogurt has the same calorific value, for instance I use one that is 125cals per 100g (approx. 4oz) with 4.2g carbs (approx. 156cals for 5oz). So given that there can be variations on calorific value on some foods, I think you have to allow that the stated calories may not be exact for the produce you are using, but more a general guideline.

In addition please bare in mind you will not be eating the entire 14oz of rhubarb in one go, but maybe portioned out over a few days, which means you would divide 83+39 by the number of portions you make from it – 83 +39=122 divided by 3 for instance would give you 41 cals (ish) add in your 84 for yogurt, would only give you 105cals, or eaten over two days would be 145cals.

Personally I have always worked out the calories for myself and have actually only used the book for inspiration, but have not followed any of the recipes exactly. Instead I look at the nutritional values as I choose foods and now have a core group of ingredients which make up the basis of my diet. I have found this way of eating has made me get more creative, cooking more healthy food in interesting ways.

So, bottom line here, check the calories per portion of anything you are eating and keep an eye on the carbs, as they can sabotage your progress all too easily.

Good luck and hope you will be posting some positive results soon.

Thank you much! 🙂

I have found this on every recipe so far. I am only on day three so am new but log everything in MFP to help me keep track. For example listed as book vs mfp:
Poached egg with half an avacado 200 calls vs 205
Minted pea Houmus 170 vs 161
Lamb & pine nut meatballs 480 vs 541
The breakfast of almond butter with Apple etc I had to have just 10g of almond butter, a very small apple , 2g of seeds and no goji berries to come close to 110 at 113.
I won’t have the time to faff around when I’m back in work (tomorrow onwards) so am a little concerned.

All measures are fuzzy around the edges, from the back of the packet, to MFP, to the book. All use ‘guideline’ figures – and so have margins of error. I don’t get hung up on precisely 800 a day, and take it that any recipes that are listed as low calorie will be in that low range and the difference from my normal/previous intake will be significant. Personally I don’t weigh and calculate – no time for that, and as a lifestyle change I don’t personally find ‘diet behaviour’ like weighing every ingredient helpful to me. Plenty of others do weigh and count assiduously and it helps them – so each find our own way. Just don’t let it get you anxious and at risk of not carrying on.