The Graphite Blog

Continuing the guest series, we recently talked with Katie Gilmore about her ongoing experience using Graphite’s self monitoring tools. In the short video, Katie talks about the self-monitoring model and tell us how she’s now more calorie-conscious. Be sure to check it out!

The New York Times recently published an article about the newly released “nutrition plate” guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture. The new design replaces the outdated, but well known, food pyramid and has been aptly titled “MyPlate.”

Mrs. Obama and her anti-obesity team worked with the Agriculture Department on creating the new design. The article quotes the first lady stating, “This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating.”

ChooseMyPlate.gov makes suggestions about what and how much to eat. For example, the website suggests that half of a regular meal should consist of a combination of fruits and vegetables. The actual amount of each food group a person should consume will depend on individual age, sex, and physical activity. Conveniently, the department’s new website includes charts listing suggested portion size based on those individual characteristics.

The combination of the department’s suggested guidelines and Graphite’s easy-to-use tools makes leading a healthier lifestyle a challenge-free mission. Check out the Department of Agriculture’s website to plan your meals, then track your diet using Graphite’s tools. Record the amount of exercise you get, and routinely monitor your results. To reach your wellness goals, make necessary adjustments to your lifestyle on an as-needed basis.

Foods can be deceiving. Just when you think you’re making a healthy choice, you come to find that the sauce in your pasta dish outdid your good intentions. To show you how food descriptions aren’t telling the whole story when it comes to calories, we took a look at some Qdoba items and entrees that appear on Graphite’s Food Nutrition Database.  Here are some tips when ordering at Qdoba:

1. Don’t skimp on the tomato-based salsa. Two ounces of Fiery Habanero Salsa (Extra Hot), Pico de Gallo (Mild), Salsa Roja (Hot), or Salsa Verde (Medium) range from 10-25 calories each. That’s a lot of flavor packed in very few calories. Corn Salsa isn’t as forgiving, weighing in at 60 calories, while guacamole packs 85 calories for 2 ounces.

2. Choose your taco wisely. Here’s the lowdown on three taco types. Per serving, Qdoba Grilled Vegetables are 20 calories, Pinto Beans are 43 calories, Chicken is 63 calories and Ground Sirloin is 79 calories. 

3. Go naked! A “naked” burrito foregoes the tortilla in lieu of another base like black or pinto beans. 

4. Don’t be fooled by the wrapper. It seems like that thin, flat tortilla shell couldn’t pack too many calories inside of it. The fried taco shell, on the other hand, feels like a real indulgence. Actually, they’re relatively close in calories. Just one Taco Salad Shell at Qdoba includes 400 calories. The burrito-sized Flour Tortilla (13") holds 330 calories. If you want the shell, go for it. Just be careful what you put inside. 

For many more Qdoba items and thousands of other foods, check out Graphite’s Food Nutrition Database.