How can I cut calories without having to cut out the foods that I like?
Replies
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arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.0 -
Liftng4Lis wrote: »swole_elsa wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »For me, I don't like to drink my calories, as I want food. You don't need to give up your frap, just get a little smaller one. Eat lots of meat and fat, so you're sated. I pre-log my days and include my "treats", so I never feel I'm going without.
Except perhaps.. A chocolate oreo cheesecake milkshake?
and there are ALWAYS exceptions......IN!!!!
Smoothies and milkshakes are always pretty filling though anyways. Throw in some chocolate protein powder and you've got yourself a meal!
yep! I have a protein smoothie pretty much everyday for lunch, and it keeps me full for hours. Much more nutritious than a frappuccino.
I put in:
Chocolate Protein powder
fibre powder
Banana
raw egg
Blackberries
rasberries
wheatgerm
Chia seeds
coconut oil
almond/coconut milk
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ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
What is your height and weight? And activity level?0 -
ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
So 1200 calories, and 700 ish coming from coffee and such. I don't know how you're going to successfully hit your macros with your current diet?
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Then it is simply a matter of deciding what you want to use those calories on. 1200 can keep you full if you choose filling foods...I've done it. But I recommend you make sure you get plenty of protein and fat...they are filling, and a little of those will keep you full for hours. After you meet your protein and fat minimums, and throw in some vegetables, then spend whatever calories are left on the sugary drinks if you like...but you will need to make cuts there. Either not have all of them every day, have much smaller servings of them, or consider making one or two lower calorie substitutions. There are different ways to do it, but it is simply math.ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
0 -
arditarose wrote: »ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
What is your height and weight? And activity level?
5 ft 7 1/2 and 150 lbs. I'm pretty sedentary unless I'm going to the gym.0 -
Here are a few tweaks that'll definitely help you get things under control, and still allow you to keep every one of these things in your diet. Once these start working, then I'd keep dialing things down until the point where you've eliminated things completely. Then, stick with that. Here's what I would do:
Overall tips: Consume all meals you have out of a bowl. Skip the plates, they encourage you to eat more. And go with small bowls - like those you'd find in an Asian restaurant for miso soup. If you really want to challenge yourself, start eating with chopsticks. Until you get proficient, it'll slow you down, which allows your brain to catch up with your eating speed. lastly drink a full glass of water before each meal. Then don't drink anything during your meal (this part is harder, BUT drinking during a meal is great at cleaning the palate and convincing you that you're still hungry.) This last part I learned living with folks from Asia for the past 20 years. It's an interesting habit - and not many of them struggle with weight like we Americans. ;-) Lastly enter all of this into your calorie-count here on MFP, and understand how all of this pans out for you in particular. Sugar is most definitely your weak-spot, it seems.
Breakfast: Add another egg or two to fill you up. Remove a yolk or two if you'd like. Also, try cooking them in the microwave. Scramble in a bowl first, then put it in the micro for 2 mins. Flip and cook another minute or for whatever length of time works for you. By whisking them in the bowl first, they'll be super-fluffy, and rise nicely in the microwave. try on slice of cheese instead of two. Tear it into pieces instead of eating it whole to trick your brain into thinking your eating a larger portion (which, in effect, you are.) Bonus: No oil. ;-)
By eating more protein for breakfast you'll have less desire for the bagel and the juice. So eat the eggs entirely first. Then start with 1/2 or a quarter bagel if you'd like. For the juice, my best trick in the world is to add plain ol' seltzer water to just an ounce or two of juice. You'll save a ton of calories, and it'll taste a ton better. Trust me on this one. If you have to start with more taste at first, go with half juice/half seltzer. But, I guarantee you, you'll be fine with even less. An alternative suggestion would be to make your grape juice into popsicles (small ones) and enjoy your juice that way. That's what Moms do for kids, and it works.
Mid morning snack: This is nearly perfect from a pure nutrition standpoint, just avoid yogurt with fruit. If you like fruit, get plain yogurt and add your own frozen blueberries. Smash a few up for extra juice/sweetness. If you still need a little more sweetness add a teaspoon of pure Maple syrup. That'll do the trick. The Cheerios are generally fine. Experiment with Hemp Milk or Almond Milk (Plain though, on both counts). Regular milk has sugar in it too.
Lunch: You don't suggest a lot here, as far as portion size goes, but I'd try to incorporate some other protein into your diet. You say you don't like all of the good proteins people would likely suggest, so how about trying something that gets close to a steak without being one: You won't believe how close a King Oyster Mushroom comes to the texture of meat, and portobello mushrooms are a good second. Look into vegan/vegetarian cookbooks for ideas. If you've absolutely got to have steak, enlarge the heck out of your salad (make it HUGE) and eat it first. Or, slice the meat extra thin and add it to the salad. Keep your portion to 3oz. For the dressing, get it on the side and dip your fork in it prior to dipping your fork into your salad. That'll satisfy your taste buds. You won't believe how much you leave behind. And, remember dip it, don't scoop it. ;-) Also, what works for me with dressings is to mess with my taste buds. Dressings are often a combination of salt and sugar which we like, so if you like olives, and olives for salt. Or, pickles, lets say. Then for sugar, raisins, or apples. Adding fruit will work wonders. Then, again if you still want to keep the dressing nearby, just dip your fork. You might surprise yourself though with your ability to get by with olives and raisins. Just don't overdo it on the raisins. ;-)
Afternoon snack: This snack is your killer. If it were me, I'd try these few things. Mostly mix up your order. Try it first without the sauce or syrup. See if you still enjoy it. If so, go with that, then try and eliminate something else. Ask for half the chips, perhaps, then eventually none. Go with a smaller size/skip days, etc. Your taste buds will absolutely adjust as you start weaning yourself from the sugar. After awhile as you lessen the sweetness going up again will taste horrible. Trust in yourself and experiment. If you're really daring, and can get by with just a taste, see if your Starbucks buddies (they have to be at this point if you're going there every day) will just give you a sample every day. I'm sure they're allowed to do that for customers anyway. Lastly, on the syrup, ask for it on the side and occasionally dip the tip of your straw into it while drinking.
Dinner: Here, try decreasing your portions and/or using meat substitutes (tempe/tofu/prepackages stuff). You can also use ground beef and tofu together ... you'll never know the difference when covered in sauce. Shop around for alternatives to white pasta ziti. There are TONS.
Snack: Make your own hot chocolate instead which will have hardly any (if any sugar in it), or try Swiss Miss' "No Sugar Added" version. People seem to like it on Amazon. Only 60 calories a packet, I believe. Or, better yet, try Vega's Chocolate Covered Savi Seeds. Each packet is only 170 calories and contains 17X more Omega 3 oils than Sockeye Salmon. The stuff is insane, and will help your nutrition, and choco-fix. Alternately a square or two of 72% cacao chocolate can hit the spot as well. Try letting it dissolve in your mouth in chunks instead of chewing it, to mimic the feel of the hot chocolate. You may also be able to warm it in milk for lesser calories than your Swiss Miss.
Good luck. You're young, and can change your habits easily at your age. You know what also might help? Count the dollars on how much money you're spending. Your Starbucks habit alone must cost nearly $2600. a year if you enjoy it every day. Start doing the math on what else you could do with that money ... even just half of it, and you'll start thinking twice about grabbing one every day. Likewise, I always find figuring out how many hours/days I'd have to work in order to earn that sort of spending money is also a very good deterrent.
Please let us know how you progress! The forums are great when the dialog goes two-ways, so don't leave us hangin'! ;-)0 -
ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
Unlikely. Considering I'm 7lbs heavier and eating 1000 calories more than this to lose weight, you can eat more than 1200 to lose weight while working out 7hrs a week.
Set your goal to 1lb/week, eat to your goal, eat back at least half of your exercise calories.0 -
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ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
Unlikely. Considering I'm 7lbs heavier and eating 1000 calories more than this to lose weight, you can eat more than 1200 to lose weight while working out 7hrs a week.
Set your goal to 1lb/week, eat to your goal, eat back at least half of your exercise calories.
I think you're a little atypical losing on 2200 at 157. I'm 5'8 160 and my maintenance is around 2000. 1500 and I lose a lb a week (that doesn't include exersize though, which op's probably doesn't).
OP, yeah you're probably going to want to set it to lose 1 lb per week. I also think 20 lbs lost would be plenty. 40 would put you underweight (and you would definitely never be drinking any frappecinnos)
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Another idea is sometimes you can get skim milk at Starbucks instead of whole or 2% (or whatever they use) and it might not make much of a difference in the flavor of the drink, especially if its a frozen one
Another thing I sometimes do with juices is use 1/2 a cup of juice and Fill the other half with sparkling water. It still tastes sweet and it's half the calories! And the fizziness makes it even better.
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ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
Unlikely. Considering I'm 7lbs heavier and eating 1000 calories more than this to lose weight, you can eat more than 1200 to lose weight while working out 7hrs a week.
Set your goal to 1lb/week, eat to your goal, eat back at least half of your exercise calories.
I think you're a little atypical losing on 2200 at 157. I'm 5'8 160 and my maintenance is around 2000. 1500 and I lose a lb a week (that doesn't include exersize though, which op's probably doesn't).
OP, yeah you're probably going to want to set it to lose 1 lb per week. I also think 20 lbs lost would be plenty. 40 would put you underweight (and you would definitely never be drinking any frappecinnos)
I think I set it to like 2 lbs a week. I've weighed 110 before (like two years ago when I tried going vegan) and I've gotten compliments at that weight. Apparently I look fat to some at 120-130.0 -
So many things to address...
I'm going to sleep though. You guys got this.0 -
ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
What is your height and weight? And activity level?
5 ft 7 1/2 and 150 lbs. I'm pretty sedentary unless I'm going to the gym.
You are 5'7" and your goal is to possibly be underweight by getting to 110 lbs? Why?
110-130. Preferably 120. It's just that some people seem to think I still look large at 120+.0 -
kitchensolo wrote: »Here are a few tweaks that'll definitely help you get things under control, and still allow you to keep every one of these things in your diet. Once these start working, then I'd keep dialing things down until the point where you've eliminated things completely. Then, stick with that. Here's what I would do:
Overall tips: Consume all meals you have out of a bowl. Skip the plates, they encourage you to eat more. And go with small bowls - like those you'd find in an Asian restaurant for miso soup. If you really want to challenge yourself, start eating with chopsticks. Until you get proficient, it'll slow you down, which allows your brain to catch up with your eating speed. lastly drink a full glass of water before each meal. Then don't drink anything during your meal (this part is harder, BUT drinking during a meal is great at cleaning the palate and convincing you that you're still hungry.) This last part I learned living with folks from Asia for the past 20 years. It's an interesting habit - and not many of them struggle with weight like we Americans. ;-) Lastly enter all of this into your calorie-count here on MFP, and understand how all of this pans out for you in particular. Sugar is most definitely your weak-spot, it seems.
Breakfast: Add another egg or two to fill you up. Remove a yolk or two if you'd like. Also, try cooking them in the microwave. Scramble in a bowl first, then put it in the micro for 2 mins. Flip and cook another minute or for whatever length of time works for you. By whisking them in the bowl first, they'll be super-fluffy, and rise nicely in the microwave. try on slice of cheese instead of two. Tear it into pieces instead of eating it whole to trick your brain into thinking your eating a larger portion (which, in effect, you are.) Bonus: No oil. ;-)
By eating more protein for breakfast you'll have less desire for the bagel and the juice. So eat the eggs entirely first. Then start with 1/2 or a quarter bagel if you'd like. For the juice, my best trick in the world is to add plain ol' seltzer water to just an ounce or two of juice. You'll save a ton of calories, and it'll taste a ton better. Trust me on this one. If you have to start with more taste at first, go with half juice/half seltzer. But, I guarantee you, you'll be fine with even less. An alternative suggestion would be to make your grape juice into popsicles (small ones) and enjoy your juice that way. That's what Moms do for kids, and it works.
Mid morning snack: This is nearly perfect from a pure nutrition standpoint, just avoid yogurt with fruit. If you like fruit, get plain yogurt and add your own frozen blueberries. Smash a few up for extra juice/sweetness. If you still need a little more sweetness add a teaspoon of pure Maple syrup. That'll do the trick. The Cheerios are generally fine. Experiment with Hemp Milk or Almond Milk (Plain though, on both counts). Regular milk has sugar in it too.
Lunch: You don't suggest a lot here, as far as portion size goes, but I'd try to incorporate some other protein into your diet. You say you don't like all of the good proteins people would likely suggest, so how about trying something that gets close to a steak without being one: You won't believe how close a King Oyster Mushroom comes to the texture of meat, and portobello mushrooms are a good second. Look into vegan/vegetarian cookbooks for ideas. If you've absolutely got to have steak, enlarge the heck out of your salad (make it HUGE) and eat it first. Or, slice the meat extra thin and add it to the salad. Keep your portion to 3oz. For the dressing, get it on the side and dip your fork in it prior to dipping your fork into your salad. That'll satisfy your taste buds. You won't believe how much you leave behind. And, remember dip it, don't scoop it. ;-) Also, what works for me with dressings is to mess with my taste buds. Dressings are often a combination of salt and sugar which we like, so if you like olives, and olives for salt. Or, pickles, lets say. Then for sugar, raisins, or apples. Adding fruit will work wonders. Then, again if you still want to keep the dressing nearby, just dip your fork. You might surprise yourself though with your ability to get by with olives and raisins. Just don't overdo it on the raisins. ;-)
Afternoon snack: This snack is your killer. If it were me, I'd try these few things. Mostly mix up your order. Try it first without the sauce or syrup. See if you still enjoy it. If so, go with that, then try and eliminate something else. Ask for half the chips, perhaps, then eventually none. Go with a smaller size/skip days, etc. Your taste buds will absolutely adjust as you start weaning yourself from the sugar. After awhile as you lessen the sweetness going up again will taste horrible. Trust in yourself and experiment. If you're really daring, and can get by with just a taste, see if your Starbucks buddies (they have to be at this point if you're going there every day) will just give you a sample every day. I'm sure they're allowed to do that for customers anyway. Lastly, on the syrup, ask for it on the side and occasionally dip the tip of your straw into it while drinking.
Dinner: Here, try decreasing your portions and/or using meat substitutes (tempe/tofu/prepackages stuff). You can also use ground beef and tofu together ... you'll never know the difference when covered in sauce. Shop around for alternatives to white pasta ziti. There are TONS.
Snack: Make your own hot chocolate instead which will have hardly any (if any sugar in it), or try Swiss Miss' "No Sugar Added" version. People seem to like it on Amazon. Only 60 calories a packet, I believe. Or, better yet, try Vega's Chocolate Covered Savi Seeds. Each packet is only 170 calories and contains 17X more Omega 3 oils than Sockeye Salmon. The stuff is insane, and will help your nutrition, and choco-fix. Alternately a square or two of 72% cacao chocolate can hit the spot as well. Try letting it dissolve in your mouth in chunks instead of chewing it, to mimic the feel of the hot chocolate. You may also be able to warm it in milk for lesser calories than your Swiss Miss.
Good luck. You're young, and can change your habits easily at your age. You know what also might help? Count the dollars on how much money you're spending. Your Starbucks habit alone must cost nearly $2600. a year if you enjoy it every day. Start doing the math on what else you could do with that money ... even just half of it, and you'll start thinking twice about grabbing one every day. Likewise, I always find figuring out how many hours/days I'd have to work in order to earn that sort of spending money is also a very good deterrent.
Please let us know how you progress! The forums are great when the dialog goes two-ways, so don't leave us hangin'! ;-)
Thanks for this advice. I think I'm going to make the Starbucks frap a weekly or once every two weeks thing. I guess I can just have a regular coffee or maybe one of the skinny lattes in place of juice in the morning.
In place of red meat, I'll attempt to start using ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef for the pasta dishes. Maybe cut back on the cheese and add some veggies instead.
I can try alternating red meat days with vegan days. At one time, I had experimented with a vegan lifestyle.
I'm going to go out and purchase a scale. I just got a calorie counting book but I'm not well versed in estimating how many oz a piece of meat is for example.
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Who are these people? They're not people you should be listening to.0
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Everybody's body's different, but I'm 5'7, and I know what 115 (after an illness) looked and felt like on me. tl;dr: not great. Not healthy on a 5'7 frame either, unless that frame is unusually fine-boned and there is something else going on metabolically that makes it normal for that person.0
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SergeantSausage wrote: »
Scientific term, you might not know it0 -
(The red meat is fine, you can lose on that, I have)0
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1) You cannot make decisions about your body based on what "some people" look. And I really really hope the "some people" is not the current boyfriend of the month!
2) You need to figure out where you want to be for yourself. Would you like to lose fat? Be more athletic? Fit into a size or two smaller clothes? What would make you happy? For yourself, not anyone else.
3) You need to figure out a way to make whatever goals you set for your body match the lifestyle you are willing to have, on the long run. If you are not happy changing anything in the way you eat, then maybe losing weight is not the first priority. And since it looks like weight loss for you is not a matter of health (e.g. you are not obese) but of personal preference, you need to figure out what your goals really are. Is giving up your daily coffee worth losing 10 lbs after a few months for example? And when you do lose these lbs, will you want to go back to the daily treats, with same ingredients and portions? Because if the answer is yes, then changing eating habits for a short term, it is pointless.0 -
Sounds like you're on the right track!
As per what 3oz. of meat looks like, it's roughly (very roughly!) the size of a fist. It's not a great guide for obvious reasons, but it works in a pinch. Re: scales: I've got an Escali scale that's about 5 years old - the newer versions l look even better. You'll want something that measures in both oz. and grams. They're a joy to use. Check out this one: Escali A115S Aqua Digital Scale Liquid Measuring Scale. Also, don't underestimate how much vision plays into registering a satisfying portion to your brain. After you've weighed-out a portion of cooked meat, take it to a plate/cutting board and slice it thin. In doing so, you'll "see" all that meat fanned out in your serving bowl as a much larger portion than you would if it weren't cut, and in a solid 3oz block. Mental trickery is a good thing. ;-)0 -
ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
Unlikely. Considering I'm 7lbs heavier and eating 1000 calories more than this to lose weight, you can eat more than 1200 to lose weight while working out 7hrs a week.
Set your goal to 1lb/week, eat to your goal, eat back at least half of your exercise calories.
I think you're a little atypical losing on 2200 at 157. I'm 5'8 160 and my maintenance is around 2000. 1500 and I lose a lb a week (that doesn't include exersize though, which op's probably doesn't).
OP, yeah you're probably going to want to set it to lose 1 lb per week. I also think 20 lbs lost would be plenty. 40 would put you underweight (and you would definitely never be drinking any frappecinnos)
I think I set it to like 2 lbs a week. I've weighed 110 before (like two years ago when I tried going vegan) and I've gotten compliments at that weight. Apparently I look fat to some at 120-130.
Those people are trippin. 125 to 160 is a healthy range for that height according to bmi charts. Just speaking from experience, 125 is quite lean. Below that is gaunt. I know everyone is different, that's why there's such a range. In any case, you don't look large at 125.
Most people set it to 2 lbs a week at first, and they get that 1200. I did, it was pretty tough and unsustainable. I ended up switching to 1 lb a week, and get a little more leeway for treats and stuff. I still eat a lot of chicken and veggies as that gives me the most bang for my buck calorie wise.
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arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »arditarose wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
I just don't think it's really appropriate to tell someone they're drinks need to be sugar free. Will you save calories? Sure. You can eat regular pasta too. If the OP wants to try noodles made out of yellow beans, fine. I also don't know how someone could just assume that another person would start enjoying yellow bean noodles better than regular pasta.
430 calories in a grande frappuccino, 170 calories in 8oz. of grape juice, 138 calories in 1 packet of swiss miss.
That's 738 calories completely wasted. I think it's completely appropriate.
Touche.
Yup, I don't drink a single calorie in my life anymore. More yum yum and more water, less wasted cals
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ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »ILUVPOPPYDEARLY wrote: »arditarose wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »galgenstrick wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »christinev297 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Eagerlylookingforward wrote: »You really need to cut out carbs in your liquids, so the daily hot chocolate and fraps need to be sugar free. In fact if you can cut them out you will notice a huge savings in calories. There are other noodles that are made with rice, yellow beans, udon etc. try them instead of regular pasta. It may take a few tries, but you really will start enjoying them more than regular pasta.
No
Care to explain why?
I often see just plain "NO" as a reply here. Which isn't really a helpful response at all
Because its unnecessary to give up anything. Nothing needs to be "sugar free", she doesn't have to give up carbs. She just needs a caloric deficit to lose weight, thats it. It's CICO and learning moderation will benefit for a sustainable diet.
Lose weight yes, but if you want that weight to be mostly fat you need to have a reasonably healthy diet to meet your macros.
No you don't. You need to be eating enough protein, have a small to moderate deficit only (i.e. no more than 1lb/week), and lift heavy weights at hte gym. None of this requires eating any weird pasta substitutes or cutting out Starbucks. Sugar doesn't somehow kill one's muscular maintenance.
We're saying the same thing I think. If you eat all those drinks + the pasta, then there's probably not enough room left for the protein. That's about 1000 calories of carbs and fat and not much protein. I don't know OP's calorie target so it's hard to say.
I don't think OP knows her calorie goal either!
OP, have you figured this out yet?
I think it's 1200 calories with a daily hour workout. I want to lose 20-40 pounds.
What is your height and weight? And activity level?
5 ft 7 1/2 and 150 lbs. I'm pretty sedentary unless I'm going to the gym.
You are 5'7" and your goal is to possibly be underweight by getting to 110 lbs? Why?
110-130. Preferably 120. It's just that some people seem to think I still look large at 120+.
Jeez . That's just sad
Do what you feel is best for you. What other people think should have no bearing on your goals xx
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With trial and error and a willingness to experiment, you can make some smart swaps for your favourite thing MOST of the time, saving the real thing as a treat.
- For example, here in the UK we have sandwich thins - 2 slices of bread for 100 calories, as opposed to about 160 calories. A bit smaller and thinner, but enough.
- At Starbucks you can ask for skimmed milk and sugar free syrup. I get a frozen skinny caramel frapuccino that's about 90 calories but tastes like so much more.
- Do you really love grape juice? Or could you live without it most days? Because fruit juices are a lot of calories that don't fill you up. Swap for water, flavoured water, or tea, or coffee perhaps.
- Swap your dressing for a lower calorie version, or make your own. Ranch and regular mayonnaise are insanely calorific.
- Cook the foods you love, but use less oil. With a good non-stick pan you can use half a teaspoon of oil. And when frying things like onions, you can even use a bit of stock instead.
- Your bedtime hot chocolate could easily be a low cal version. I find the uk versions a bit weak at 40 calories, so I just use 50% more powder. Still loads less calorific than the regular stuff.
- You can have pasta. Just have less and try swapping half of it for vegetables.
- Come to that, by making half your plate at each meal consist of fruit and veg instead of things like bread and pasta, you save calories. Calories that can then be spent on the foods you love. That's how a lot of people on MFP have success - we balance the low calorie diet food with yummy treats so we don't feel deprived.
- Yep, you can make room for all the things you love with exercise. That's the beauty of MFP! Be aware that most burn rates on MFP, apps and gym machines are exaggerated. You're probably safe eating back 50-75% of the calories they say you've burned.0 -
Of course you can compensate with exercise, but then you need a good heart rate monitor to check the amount you've burnt.
Some ideas: Switch one of the eggs by an eggwhite. Dump the grape juice or take half of it and dilute it with water. I'd also try to get rid of the starbucks thing or at least don't add the syrups. I had a chai latte from there once, and it was SO sweet, sickeningly sweet. Yet, for two weeks after that I had a sugarcraving for that latte every day (didn't give though). That starbucks stuff is cray. Like Mcdonalds in a cup.0 -
Sounds to me like the OPs issue might be with body composition (body fat vs lean body mass). I'm almost the same height and my goal is 140 which will make me very lean based on my current body. I'm 180-ish now and wear a size 10. I have a good amount of muscle that thankfully didn't leave while I was carrying a bunch of fat around.
OP, not sure what your circumstances are, but perhaps you can speak with a professional trainer to see what you can do in the gym to achieve your goals. Do you do strength training? It might help you.
As for your "must haves", I dunno. I think moderation that is preached here has to do with quantity and frequency. There is a fine line between the mindset of "if it fits... " and is this high calorie drink really worth me going to bed with a growling stomach every night? I choose to fill up with food that will make me not feel like I'm on a diet. I stir fry and season my food so it's flavorful. I've experimented with veggie to starchy carb ratios to increase the amount I can eat. My plate is a lot fuller with 3 times the veggies and less pasta or rice or potatoes. My food tastes better sauteed instead of steamed. What I'm saying is it is a balance.
The mantra of "it's a lifestyle, not a diet" doesn't mean you can still eat all the things (in the same quantity/frequeny) you ate before and magically lose weight. To me, it is about adopting new habits that keep you satisfied and allow you to continue eating food that you don't want to live without forever. But for those of losing weight, that usually means LESS of the high calorie stuff. Smaller size OR less frequently. I don't think there is any way around this unless you don't have protein goals or vitamin / nutrition goals to meet. I think you will be hungry drinking more than half of your calories. And pasta, while I love it, is also high in calories. By the time you add in those things, there is barely anything left after that (on a 1200 calorie diet).
Just my opinion. Good luck.0 -
You can have everything you want, just not all at the same time. To me, your daily diet looks like a greatest hits of all the things I love! When I eat a bagel, that's the splurge for the day. If I have a hot chocolate, that's the splurge for the day,etc etc. you can have all the foods you love,just not all at the same time, every day. My strategy has been to cut the things that matter to me the least, so I can still eat what I love the most. I learned I hate drinking my calories- not satisfying at all, so it's rare I drink anything other than water, seltzer, or herbal tea.
I've learned that breakfast is usually a fuel meal rather than an enjoyment meal, so during the week, I eat oatmeal with some berries and save the fun breakfasts like pancakes, bagels, etc for the weekends when I can really relax and take my time to enjoy it.
Same with week night dinners. Many times, even though I cook from scratch, and love food, I'm mainly eating as a stop between getting home from work and going to bed, so I save the decadent meals for the weekend. By doing this, my weekdays are typcially under my calorie allotment, so on the weekends, I can eatover,and still be at a deficit for the week.
I'm only eating 1200 cals. I'm never hungry, and never feel like I'm eating cardboard either. If ican do it, anyone can doit! My diary is open, don't hesitate to look at my meals and let me know if you'd like the recipes.0 -
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