Nutritional Benefits vs Calories?

pussingtonp

Hi, In a bid to change my diet and be more healthy, I was looking to try and change some foods for healthy equivalents.

In a regular working day I don't eat breakfast (changing this now!), eat a small salad/sandwich/leftovers for lunch, and 2/3 snack cereal bars, and then come home for a snack then dinner. I am ususally exhausted in the afternoon, and hungry by the time I get home.

I ususally eat under my 1200 allowance on My Fitness Pal, and excerise for about 200-300 calories per day (briskly walking to and from work).

I was thinking if I switched out my 100 calorie cereal bars for something else my diet would benefit. Eating Apples, for example, just makes me more hungry, and my stomach will start rumbling after I eat an apple, so I thought of making a trail mix kind of thing with pumpkin seeds, canberries, sultanas, peanuts, sunflower seeds, roasted soy beans and chocolate coated acai berries. I am counting a portion as just less than a 1/4 cup (counting a 1/4 of a cup on my food diary though) and the calorie countent would be around 200 for a serving.

I was seeking advice elsewhere and was told this was too calorific and I would be better off eating 3 hershey kisses as a snack, as it would be only 66 calories. But this doesn't seem right to me? Surely raw nuts and seeds provides more nutritional value to my diet, and would make me feel fuller and more energized than processed chocolate? I always thought that there was way more to weight loss than just simple calorie counting.

I have not seen any form of weight loss in my current methods (been doing it for around 8 months now, and haven't lost a single pound, sticking to 1200 cals + 200 cals excersize per day) and I actually gained weight , and I am sure some of this is down to me not being religious about my food diary, but I was thinking that maybe eating the wrong type of foods is causing this issue.

Does anyone have any input on this, or any suggestion on snacks that would satify my (very) sweet tooth, and would fill me up without making me more hungry?

AJ_G

scottyxxx wrote: »

I always thought that there was way more to weight loss than just simple calorie counting.

There isn't...

ndj1979

scottyxxx wrote: »

Hi, In a bid to change my diet and be more healthy, I was looking to try and change some foods for healthy equivalents.

I ususally eat under my 1200 allowance on My Fitness Pal, and excerise for about 200-300 calories per day (briskly walking to and from work)

wait, so you eat under 1200 and then burn another 200 to 300 so you are netting under 900 calories a day?

Do you own a food scale? Weigh/log/measure anything???

you have either been chronically under eating for a long time or you are not measuring your calorie intake correctly...

pussingtonp

So I would be better eating say 1000 calories of Candy in a day than 1200 of vegetables ?

Over simplifing I know, but if that's the case, I may change my diet

HeidiCooksSupper

You are correct that having a nutritious diet is important. Weight changes happen due to the balance of calories eaten and energy expended but health relies on a nutritionally balanced diet. There is a lot of good information at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

If you are really not losing weight at a net of less than 1200 calories a day, it's likely you are either very tiny, very sick, or something's wrong with your calculations. Are you measuring and weighing all your food? There's lot of research out there that shows we are all really bad at eye-balling it. Weighing food in grams is the easiest and most accurate way to go -- a simple electronic kitchen scale can be had for about $20.

Delilahhhhhh

Scottyxxx just follow these instructions.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

pussingtonp

Thanks for the replies!

I ususally put all my food into a "1 cup" measuring cup, and use that as my "weight".

I am very tired a lot, ususally once a week I have one day when I come home and go right to bed and just sleep until work. On days like that obviously, the calorie intake is way below normal. Trying to remedy this, and thinking maybe my diet doesn't include enough protien or energy foods.

Some days I do go over, like if I go out for dinner or lunch with collegues.

I feel I am eating the wrong things and this is factoring into it. I am 5ft 3, and about 180lbs - I have ALWAYS been this weight - since I was around 12. It's my lucky number apparently!

I think my biggest problem is eating 100cal cereal bars. I will eat only that for lunch some times, so my whole day will just basically be a box of cereal bars.

I think I should start weighing things, then I would know way more accuratly what i am putting in my mouth

pussingtonp

Delilahhhhhh wrote: »

Scottyxxx just follow these instructions.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

Thanks! I do want Sexy Pants

Delilahhhhhh

Oh yeh, we looooove those sexy pants - go for it!!!

FitOldMomma

I could lose weight eating only Twinkies, as long as my caloric deficit is in place. But, I'd much rather eat nutritious food for good health.
900 net calories per day is much too low for anyone. Weigh your food and log it daily.
If you aren't losing weight with what you say you're eating, something is wrong. 99.9% of the time it is that you're eating more calories than you think you are.

FitOldMomma

Delilahhhhhh wrote: »

Scottyxxx just follow these instructions.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

^^^^^^^^^THIS!

AJ_G

scottyxxx wrote: »

So I would be better eating say 1000 calories of Candy in a day than 1200 of vegetables ?

Over simplifing I know, but if that's the case, I may change my diet

That's very over simplified, but yes in the short run you would lose more weight eating the 1000 calories of candy a day, but I wouldn't say you'd be "better". In the long run, because your diet is basically 100% carbohydrates, you'd most likely develop a resistance to insulin and have some problems in that department.

The best thing to do is set a realistic calorie goal that has you losing weight. Next you want to set proper goals for macronutrients: 0.4 grams per pound of body weight for dietary fat. 1 gram per pound of Lean Body Mass for protein, or 0.8 grams per pound of body weight if you don't know your Lean Body Mass. You can set the rest of your calories as carbohydrates. I reccomend you set your fiber at 30g per day. Also try and hit the recommended micronutrient goals for Vitamins A and C, as well as Iron and Calcium. Eat basically whatever you want that has you hitting all of those goals and you're good to go, don't over think it.

HeidiCooksSupper

For your overall diet, aim for this:

AJ_G

HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »

For your overall diet, aim for this:

malibu927

scottyxxx wrote: »

Thanks for the replies!

I ususally put all my food into a "1 cup" measuring cup, and use that as my "weight".

I am very tired a lot, ususally once a week I have one day when I come home and go right to bed and just sleep until work. On days like that obviously, the calorie intake is way below normal. Trying to remedy this, and thinking maybe my diet doesn't include enough protien or energy foods.

Some days I do go over, like if I go out for dinner or lunch with collegues.

I feel I am eating the wrong things and this is factoring into it. I am 5ft 3, and about 180lbs - I have ALWAYS been this weight - since I was around 12. It's my lucky number apparently!

I think my biggest problem is eating 100cal cereal bars. I will eat only that for lunch some times, so my whole day will just basically be a box of cereal bars.

I think I should start weighing things, then I would know way more accuratly what i am putting in my mouth

You're eating more than you think. Purchase a food scale and weigh everything you eat. When it comes to weight loss, a calorie is a calorie. How you obtain those calories/macros/micros is up to you.

hill8570

I can't see your diary, but from your description it sounds like you're eating very high-carb. For a lot of folks, going with more protein in the snackage will help keep you more satiated (doesn't work for everyone, but it certainly works for me). Calorie-wise, protein is a straight 1-to-1 swap with carbs. Maybe try subbing in greek yogurt for your cereal bars (go with sugar free if possible -- the amount of sugar in the sweetened yogurts is crazy)?

I don't know the rest of your situation, but it also sounds like you're undereating. Again, without seeing your diary, that's all guesswork.

pussingtonp

Thanks guys I have learned a lot! I will be trying some of the things mentioned here, it may seem like common sense to a lot of people, but you hear so many things from people, and crazy diets that have worked for them, I think, huh why doesn't it work for me?

I think I need to religiously weigh my food, and complete my food dairy for at least a month and evaluate my problem areas - now I know what to look for!

silentKayak

"Better for weight loss" doesn't mean better for nutrition.