Exercise? I got that. I need a meal plan :-)

diva2infinity

I am really at my wits end with this whole nutrition thing. I am not interested in being a vegetarian or vegan, and I can't fathom my life without ever having any manner of sweets. I know there is a realistic way to lose weight and live a balanced life, but I haven't figured it out yet. I really need a plan to map it out for me - like, tell me what to eat daily in order to get off of this plateau. I've lost a good amount of weight over the last couple of years, but in the last 2 months I've gained about 7 lbs of the 65 lbs back. I neeeeed to lose 35 lbs in order for me to reach my goal weight. Is there an app for such a thing? Oh, and I'm on a strict budget too, so nothing pricey will do. LOL.

kristen6350

It's not what you eat, it's how much. What does MFP give you if you set it to lose 1lb/week? Eat that amount of calories + 1/2 your exercise, EVERY DAY. Consistency is the key. If pre-logging and planning help, do that. If you feel the calorie range is too low and you'll be hungry, then hang in there longer and lose it slower by setting MFP to .5lbs/week.

As for food, I eat anything that fits in my calorie range (which is higher because I'm taking this slow and I'm 5'11). I like eating tons of food, so I tend to stay with things that I can eat tons of (veggies, fruit, eggs, lean protein, fish, less carby snacks) .

Since Dec. 10th 2014, I went from 166.4 to 155.2 (took 2 months, been trying to decide if I want to stop and maintain or lose 5lbs more). I have found consistency is huge and learning to tell people "no" when they offer you food you haven't planned to eat.

It's really all about settling in, getting used to it and being patient.

Good luck!

DeWoSa

Here's a food plan that I follow:

Breakfast:
1 cup grain
1 cup dairy
1 serving fruit

Lunch
4 oz protein
1/2 cup grain
1 cup salad
1 cup vegetables


Dinner
4 oz protein
1/2 cup grain
1 cup salad
1 cup vegetables

Snack
1 cup grain
1 cup dairy
1 serving fruit

Once I fill in those blanks, I use the rest of my calories for condiments and food I want to eat.

dym123

You don't need a diet or meal plan. Just. Eat. Less. It is helpful to have a food scale and measuring cups to make sure you are eating the appropriate portions, especially in the beginning, after awhile you'll be able to eyeball it. You'll be surprised at how little an actual serving is. Will also save you money since you'll be eating less food.

Leana088

Eat smaller portions of the food you already eat. that's all.

KylaDenay

Don't over think it. Keep it simple. Eat less of what you already eat and count calories.

Deficit = weight loss. That is all you need to do.

diva2infinity

Thanks everyone! I'm going to work on the eating less thing. I feel hungry all the time, so it's a struggle.

sjohnson__1

No need to overthink. If you've been eating at a caloric deficit you may be in need of a few refeeds (tricking your body to think that it doesn't need to go into "starvation mode" in which our metabolisms slow down and we store fat for energy). Also, what are your current MFP calorie settings? Macro nutrients (carbs/protein/fat g's per day)? Weight, height? I can help you, and using flexible dieting you'll never have to give up eating sweets... it's all about living a balanced life based upon your goals. If you want sweets, and you find a way to fit them into ur caloric and macro nutrient goals, then go at it... in fact, ice cream is a 2-3 night a week occurrence for me and im on a cut. It's all manageable, don't listen to the "clean eaters", bc often times, it encourages binge cheat days and unsustainable dieting doesn't work!

KylaDenay

sjohnson__1 wrote: »

No need to overthink. If you've been eating at a caloric deficit you may be in need of a few refeeds (tricking your body to think that it doesn't need to go into "starvation mode" in which our metabolisms slow down and we store fat for energy). Also, what are your current MFP calorie settings? Macro nutrients (carbs/protein/fat g's per day)? Weight, height? I can help you, and using flexible dieting you'll never have to give up eating sweets... it's all about living a balanced life based upon your goals. If you want sweets, and you find a way to fit them into ur caloric and macro nutrient goals, then go at it... in fact, ice cream is a 2-3 night a week occurrence for me and im on a cut. It's all manageable, don't listen to the "clean eaters", bc often times, it encourages binge cheat days and unsustainable dieting doesn't work!

She gained 7 pounds. She is not in a deficit.

Leana088

diva2infinity wrote: »

Thanks everyone! I'm going to work on the eating less thing. I feel hungry all the time, so it's a struggle.

A lot of veggies help to bulk up your meals if you are a volume eater. If not, just eat more protein and fat. They keep you satiated for a loooong time.

KylaDenay

diva2infinity wrote: »

Thanks everyone! I'm going to work on the eating less thing. I feel hungry all the time, so it's a struggle.

fat, protein and fiber should help to fill you up

sjohnson__1

KylaDenay wrote: »

sjohnson__1 wrote: »

No need to overthink. If you've been eating at a caloric deficit you may be in need of a few refeeds (tricking your body to think that it doesn't need to go into "starvation mode" in which our metabolisms slow down and we store fat for energy). Also, what are your current MFP calorie settings? Macro nutrients (carbs/protein/fat g's per day)? Weight, height? I can help you, and using flexible dieting you'll never have to give up eating sweets... it's all about living a balanced life based upon your goals. If you want sweets, and you find a way to fit them into ur caloric and macro nutrient goals, then go at it... in fact, ice cream is a 2-3 night a week occurrence for me and im on a cut. It's all manageable, don't listen to the "clean eaters", bc often times, it encourages binge cheat days and unsustainable dieting doesn't work!

She gained 7 pounds. She is not in a deficit.

Great point, overlooked that. I just focused on the word "plateau"