Best Food Plans

ClevaFeatha

I have tried keeping myself devoted to MFP for several attempts now and have reached my all time low. I started this job 3 years ago at 125 and am now sitting at 184. Realistically at age 30 I know I’ll probably never reach 120-125 again and would be more than thrilled to reach a goal of 130-135 heck even 140! My problem is food! After reading a friends post and the replies to it I see there are ways to try to better my movements. I vow to start taking the stairs no more elevators, drink more water 1 coke a day if ANY at all. I typically try to get up and move as often as I can because of weak knees and sitting to long hurts so if I can get up and move around I do as much as I can. And as many of most things I say they are excuses but like I said food is my arch enemy. I try to stay devoted I try to keep my head strait and not fall off the wagon. I lost 6 pounds in month and I am my own worst enemy I say "hey great job you can cheat a little" Now 4 months later here I am miserable as ever. I try walking at lunch at work but we currently short staffed so im lucky to get a lunch at all and I think im now going to start forcing myself to walk 30 minutes a day not only for my health but to clear my head of everything on top of the gym and walking in the evening with my loved ones.

I’ve come to notice my biggest thing is food intake. I can handle a 1400 calorie diet a day but what foods should I eat? Any food idea's would be far beyond greatly appreciated! Food is the biggest issues and cheap money friendly idea would be great. We are on a strict budget and have to penny pinch and i allow that to stop me from getting what i would need to help my self.

So pleas any guidance would be amazing!

ClevaFeatha

I also wanted to add. We walk 1-2 hours a night most weeks and go to the gym following that for 30-45mins and ride bikes when able. So i am active so thats whar leads me to food being the enemy.

Thanks

HB

cmriverside

You are going to have to do what all the rest of us do if we want to control our intake and/or our weight.


Make choices that keep you going in that direction. This is a learning process, and the best thing to do is log all your food, and then study your Food Diary and decide where you can make changes.

No one said it was easy. But it gets easier.

healthygreek

You can get to 125-130, even starting at age 30. From my point of view (age 59), you are very young. Don't throw in the towel quite yet! I had my third and last child at 28 and at 30 I weighed in at 188 at 5'1". I quit smoking, replaced it with walking and cleaned up my food choices. I gradually lost until my weight went down to the 120s. It didn't happen overnight, but it did happen.
If you want it, you can and will have it. It's all up to you, but let me tell you-it feels great! I feel better, healthier, fitter and sexier than I did at age 30. No aches and pains and tons of energy.
Eat lots of veggies in season and look for the sales. Lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, beans and some beef.
Healthy fats like nut butters, olive oil, avocado. A couple of fruits a day including bananas. Treat yourself to some chocolate!
Don't go on a starvation diet or it will backfire on you causing a binge. If you are hungry-eat-but eat smart. Don't bring crappy junk into your home-you will gobble it all up in a moment of weakness. If you have a binge (as we all do) go immediately back to your healthy eating plan and don't let it consume you and create guilt.
Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again as the old song goes!

KAS0917

Ok, you want to eat 1400 calories. I assume you mean net calories - if you're earning a lot through exercise, you will be able to eat more. I'll just pretend there's no exercise involved for this example.


Work backwards from the top.
How many calories are you eating on a normal day now? 3,000? If so, you know you need to (1) work out a bunch to be able to eat that many, (2) cut your intake basically in half, (3) some combo of moving more and eating less that is sustainable.


What is something that you just 'have to have' to keep you motivated? Do you "need" 1 coke a day right now? If so, then that's 140 calories. So now you have 1260 calories left for the day. Do you like to just eat 3 meals, or do you want 3 meals and 2 snacks? Or 3 meals, and then a little something sweet after dinner?

Let's pretend you're not a snacker, but you like a little treat after dinner.

1400
- 140 Coke
- 150 after dinner 'treat'

---

1,110 / 3 meals = approximately 370 calories per meal

Maybe you only spend 200 on breakfast, now you have 170 you could add to dinner, for example.
Maybe you'll decide a coke isn't worth 140 calories
Maybe you'll workout and earn back 300 calories, so now you have 1700 you can eat

It's a math game and it takes some time and effort to plan. You just have to figure out what works for YOU that you will stick with as a life-style change, not a diet. I haven't changed anything I am not willing to do forever. I haven't completely eliminated a single food; I just eat smaller portions of things I like. If you cook for your family and plan to have leftovers for dinner the next night, go ahead and track tomorrow's dinner now. Then you know what you have left for the other meals tomorrow, and can do the math to see how many to eat per meal and plan accordingly.

You can do it!

ClevaFeatha

Thanks guys, lots of good info.

GormanGhaste

If you're walking 1-2 hours a day, you probably need more than 1400 calories. You'll find it easier to stay consistently within your calorie goal if it is more generous.

KAYRRIE

You're more than welcomed to check out my food diary. I'm at 1700 a day now and when I work out, I do eat my exercise cals back, but that's a whole other topic. Basically, I love food too, and I eat lots of it on MFP. It has nothing to do with starvation, but more to do with filling your body with the right fuels and plenty of it. And if you burn "gas" exercising, making sure to "refill" your tank. Some people like to ride on empty and eventually that will catch up with you. Anyhoo, I've been on here 3 straight months, 95 days and counting, I eat alot, and I've been increasing my workouts at home, not a gym (only cause I'm private like that, and get embarrassed to be frank). I use Zumba, I just got an upright stationary bike, I do hip hop abs from time to time, and it all works. I also work at a desk job and if it gets busy and I have to, I'll eat at my desk, but even doing that, it's still good stuff and I've been doing great, and losing 2 lbs per week. You can definitely do it.

cutlooseat60

You said it all! It is about choices. I like the idea of reviewing the food diary. I recently started that and it has helped a lot. One other thing I can add. You will have those moments of bad choices, but don't beat yourself up. Get back on the horse you might say and keep going.

ClevaFeatha

:happy: Thanks guys! Ive tried a 1200 Cal diet and that just wasnt for me i felt as if i was starving myself and i take pride in the fact that i know what i can and cant push myself to do. And that just wasnt cutting it. The 1420 cal works okay. But it screws me come night time and i want something to eat:grumble: . But that is also where i need to make myself stay determined and substitute it with something healthy. Ive made new friends here on MFP :flowerforyou: And it helps tremendously to see other peoples diaries so i can see what is out there.


HB

ClevaFeatha

I also wanted to add. We walk 1-2 hours a night most weeks and go to the gym following that for 30-45mins and ride bikes when able. So i am active so thats whar leads me to food being the enemy.

Thanks

HB

alobmaster

The food can TRUELY be the enemy! If you waatch some of those shows like Food, Inc etc you'll start re evaluating what you're putting in your body.
I've been told to shop the perimeter of the grocery store and it makes sense. I am currently eating about 95% "clean" and avoiding processed foods.
I was so sick and tired of not being able to keep up w/ the fam on vacation and at the same time a friend was starting the eating clean/bootcamp work out stuff so I decided to jump onn her bandwagon to have an online buddy to keep me accountable. It's really helped. I had that whole week of vacation of stuff myself silly and all the while meal planning for when we got home and gearing up mentally for a big change.
Some of these "foods" aren't even real food anymore-it makes me sick. Research what you're putting in your mouth.
I used to say I was active w/ the kids-walks, bikerides, some weights at the Y...finallyl I started working up a good sweat at the Y with lifting and classes and started dropping. You just have to set your mind and GO FOR IT! If you need a buddy to help you stay on path just message me
Amanda