Help - I've been logging now for about 10 days and finding it very difficult to stick to calories

bigbeff

Hi,

I've been logging for about 10days, started well, but am finding it very difficult to stick to my calorie limit. I thought this 2 week period would be the perfect time to start because I am at home, and can really watch what I eat, but alas, I find myself getting very hungry (maybe because I am at home and have nothing better to do!) I have started regularly attending the gym for cardio and a bit of weights. I'm back at work next week and they provide lunch, so I'll have very little idea of the calorie content or cooking methods etc. I need some suggestions to what I am doing - the wine midweek will stop when I am back at work.

My thoughts for a standard day are:
Breakfast - eggs and spinach or porridge
Snack - banana or apple
Lunch - either chicken/fish/veggie option with plenty of veg or salad
Dinner - Something light, soup, salad or lean meat and veg

I don't eat too much at lunchtime, just a small portion of whatever. My downfall at work is the amount of cakes and biscuits that are in the staff room every day. I am trying to be strong and choose the fruit option or the super seeds!

Please, any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!

_Zardoz_

That doesn't sound like much food what's your calorie allowance and how much do you have to lose? Are you eating back any exercise calories?

bigbeff

To lose 1lb a week, calorie allowance is 1350 - there was no way I could stick to 1200 if I wanted to lose 2lb!! Yes I am eating back exercise calories. I think I need some ideas of low calorie filling foods or I need to reduce portion size because I seem to want more and eat too much!! The exercise has made me hungry too.

LeanButNotMean44

What are your stats (height, weight)? Are you using the MFP guidelines for cals? What is your activity level set at?

candistyx

It won't make you feel satisfied but it might curb the appetite enough to be able to stick to it: carrots. When you are hungry just eat lots of carrots.

So you have 300 calorie breakfast, 400 calorie lunch and dinner and save the rest for munching on carrots whenever hunger pangs hit.

It's not ideal but it might get you through.

Also go for a walk when you are hungry (not near shops though! :P) often if I go for a walk I don't feel as hungry after.

bigbeff

I'm 5'1" and weigh 148lbs. Yes using MFP guidelines, not sure what else to look at. Have set my activity to lightly active as I am a teacher so on my feet most of the day.

I think thats it, during this 2 weeks I need to distract myself when I get hungry!

SezxyStef

With 20lbs to go perhaps 1/2lb a week would be better esp if you are finding the limit for 1lb a week too little.

Goal should be not to lose as fast as possible but do it at a reasonable rate and still live life.

Ricksta1984

Make sure your drinking plenty of water aswell.

pinkiezoom

up you calories, MFP told me 1200 and i tried it for 2 weeks, lost too much weight too quickly and was struggling to keep in the calorie allowance, i now have 1750 and i dont feel deprived and can factor most things into my diet, i do work out daily but dont eat all of my calories back, as the post above says .... go for .5lbs a week. Remember it has to be a sustainable life choice, and who wants to live on 1200 a day for the rest of your life

Liftng4Lis

First, with that little to lose, you should have your goal set less aggressively. Second, with 1350 plus whatever exercise calories your earning from that cardio, how is that little you're eating equaling this?

bigbeff

Definitely not me! Thanks for the advice so far, I will try some of these ideas. I have been drinking plenty of water and I think I need to avoid the sugary options of snacks!!

Francl27

Not enough fat and protein. I know for a fact that I'd be starving if I only had oatmeal in the morning, and fruit as snack is pretty much useless to me. For me the key to staying full is a good ratio of complex carbs (and fiber), fat and protein.

For example, if I add a bit of nut butter in my oatmeal, it will keep me full twice as long... If I have tuna and veggies at lunch, I might be full for 2 hours, but if I add half a bagel or a potato or a wrap, I'll be full for 4 etc. And for snacks I eat protein bars, apple with nut butter, or Greek yogurt. Or try nuts.

jamesblood13

candistyx wrote: »

It won't make you feel satisfied but it might curb the appetite enough to be able to stick to it: carrots. When you are hungry just eat lots of carrots.

So you have 300 calorie breakfast, 400 calorie lunch and dinner and save the rest for munching on carrots whenever hunger pangs hit.

It's not ideal but it might get you through.

Also go for a walk when you are hungry (not near shops though! :P) often if I go for a walk I don't feel as hungry after.

Carrots - i agree. They take a while to munch through, and they make you feel full.

mamamodge

Try upping your fat to stave off hunger pangs but avoid processed foods and bread.

StaciMarie1974

The key is to find something you can live with for an extended period of time. Perhaps try a goal of .5 pounds per week, and only eat back exercise calories if you feel you've exerted yourself more than usual. If 1/week is 1350 then .5/week should be 1600. And gives you MUCH more room.

Dinner ideas:
4-6 ounces lean meat 100-200 calories
salad & baked/steamed veggie 100-150 calories (I use cheese, lite dressing)
Something starchy - couscous, baked sweet potato, rice, etc. 150 or so calories

Lunches, I have something similar or a PB&J on light bread w fruit/veggies/pretzels/small salad.

Breakfast I tend to snack thru the morning on weekdays. An ounce of cheese, a small breakfast pita sandwich, a banana or apple. This morning Vitatops because they were on sale.

Snacks: nuts, yogurt, fruit, protein bars, sweet treats as you see fit.

For protein bars - look at labels IMO. I buy a brand that I like, has 180 or so calories and 13g protein. Not a TON of protein but also not loaded w/ a bunch of fat & sugar. And I don't like to eat things that remind me of cardboard!

psuLemon

If you are exercising, you can eat more calories. So are you?

jenny3008

I'm in a soup phase just now. Can have a big bowl of home made vegetable soup for very few calories. Then chicken and veg or something like that. Fills me right up

I give myself 1500 calories a day and don't eat back my exercise calories mainly because I haven't found a reliable way of measuring them and it just seems like too much hard work

I personally try to minimise the amount of starchy carbs I have like bread and pasta, mainly because not only do they not keep me full for long but also because I blow up like a big balloon. Instead I try to fill up on proteins.

I snack on carrots or a small portion of nuts, cottage cheese things like that

Good luck

rainbowbow

Eat more fiber rich foods like low cal high volume veggies. That'd be my suggestion. Fat and protein also help with fullness but it looks like you've got that covered.

NK1112

bigbeff wrote: »

Hi,

My thoughts for a standard day are:
Breakfast - eggs and spinach or porridge
Snack - banana or apple
Lunch - either chicken/fish/veggie option with plenty of veg or salad
Dinner - Something light, soup, salad or lean meat and veg

I don't eat too much at lunchtime, just a small portion of whatever. My downfall at work is the amount of cakes and biscuits that are in the staff room every day. I am trying to be strong and choose the fruit option or the super seeds!

Please, any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!

Sounds to me like you are hungry because you are not eating enough. Try to have protein, a bit of fat, and some carbs at every meal.

The breakfast of eggs and spinach sounds ok, but how about adding some yogurt or milk or a citrus fruit to it. Porridge is something I eat most days, but I doctor it up with an egg, or some nuts, and often cook it on milk instead of water.

If you have having a banana or apple for a snack, add some peanut or other nut butter to it so it stays with you longer and doesn't set off a hunger lurch a short while later.

The lunch sounds ok. But if it's salad only, add some protein to it ... some beans, or a piece of chicken breast or tuna fish ... something besides just vegetables. Use a real salad dressing instead of low fat.

Dinner ... again, something light might be ok if it's balanced, but you will need a snack later on depending on what time you eat. You might get more lasting power if you add milk or cheese or yogurt to that meal.

Good luck.

KatJ_NZ

I can offer my personal experience (I lost about 40 pounds this year netting 1300 a day)... fruit makes me hungrier. I found better snacks (for me!) were cup-a-soups, protein shakes, sugar-free hot chocolate, yoghurt, or even just a boiled egg. I also drink a lot of water, which helps.

I also find it harder to stick to my calorie limit when I'm home and not doing much. I think that's normal, because where else can your mind wander to if not the pantry?

Also, when you go back to work, do you *have to* eat the lunch that is provided? It is up to you, but as you don't have much to lose you could consider bringing your own food for the short term until you are confident about guessing the calorie content of your work meals.

Good luck!

d6melanie

Choose the egg & spinach for breakfast, the fat and protein in the eggs and the fiber in the spinach will help keep you fuller longer. Make sure you're adding some protein and fat to each of your meals. Avocado is a good example of fat plus fiber. Hope that helps!

DvlDwnInGA

You can eat a ton of celery for very little cals. More veggies in your diet can help to keep you full. On another note, the first couple weeks of getting accustomed to eating less cals are tough. Your body will adjust though, and it will get easier.

girlviernes

Another vote for raising your calories and making sure to have protein and fat to balance your carbs when you eat.

bloodlett

take any and all the vegies you like chop them up add cheese olives again anything you like add some olive oil and red wine vinegar if you feel hungry eat a bowl of this takes more calories to digest then the vegie salad has in it and it fills you up I go to the farmers market get all my vegies mix a huge batch and fill single serving tupperware when i get the urge to snack this is what i eat

loratliff

Agreed with everyone who said you're not getting enough fat. For breakfast, try an egg and avocado on whole-wheat toast.

Also: I don't think we hear it enough, but IT'S OK TO BE HUNGRY. For most of us, we are SO dehydrated that what we think are hunger cues, are actually thirst cues. Next time you feel peckish, drink a big glass of water and see how you feel 20 minutes later. You likely won't be hungry anymore.

Sued0nim

bloodlett wrote: »

take any and all the vegies you like chop them up add cheese olives again anything you like add some olive oil and red wine vinegar if you feel hungry eat a bowl of this takes more calories to digest then the vegie salad has in it and it fills you up I go to the farmers market get all my vegies mix a huge batch and fill single serving tupperware when i get the urge to snack this is what i eat

Rubbish

There is no such food

ljashley1952

I've only been at it for a month and while I haven't lost much, I have learned a whole lot. I weigh and log every single thing that has calories over about 10. I don't bother with celery, tomatoes, lettuce and that sort of thing. Somewhere someone posted a thread asking people what small things they do to cut calories and there were some great ideas and good info.

I plan for the times during the day when I will likely be hungrier or be around a lot of food. If I'm going to be at a party in the evening, I will exercise during the day and have a very low cal breakfast and lunch. I'm on 1350 a day and I really like to cook, so it can be hard. I try to keep my breakfast under 200 calories and my lunch under 300. This allows me to still have a nice dinner and snack or bit of dessert. Breakfast is normally a piece of toast or steel-cut oats and coffee. Lunch is often a sandwich with 1/2 oz sliced cheese, one or two slices of thin deli-sliced meat and sliced tomato and lettuce on it, and coffee or tea.

I also make a huge pot of vegetable soup that is about 167 calories per 2 cup serving. I can fill up easily on it without blowing the calorie limit. Weighing and calculating everything has the added benefit of making me intentionally choose not to use mayo when mustard would be fine. Mayo is calorie rich and mustard is almost calorie free. I switched to skim milk for my lattes. I spread as small of an amount of butter as I can on things. Instead of a tablespoon I might barely use a teaspoon. It is the small things that add up.

loratliff

celestlyn wrote: »

I've only been at it for a month and while I haven't lost much, I have learned a whole lot. I weigh and log every single thing that has calories over about 10. I don't bother with celery, tomatoes, lettuce and that sort of thing.

This is a bad idea. You can still eat 2,000 calories of celery, you know.

Unknown

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WalkingAlong

loratliff wrote: »

celestlyn wrote: »

I've only been at it for a month and while I haven't lost much, I have learned a whole lot. I weigh and log every single thing that has calories over about 10. I don't bother with celery, tomatoes, lettuce and that sort of thing.

This is a bad idea. You can still eat 2,000 calories of celery, you know.

I don't think so. That's like 330 eight-inch celery stalks.

Kalikel

MFP gives you extra calories if you exercise, so you can eat a little more.

What you listed, though, seems like it would certainly fit into 1350 calories!

If you get hungry, eat more fresh produce. It's fairly to very low-cal and filling. If you tried to eat 1350 calories of only healthy food, you'd probably have a hard time getting to the goal because you'd be too stuffed.