struggling with calories
Winter_Girl92
Posts: 39 Member
Some background info. I'm 167cm and 113kgs with have a calorie goal of 1820. So as you can see I don't have a small calorie goal or anything but I struggle to say no to food. It's not like people offering food to me but saying no to myself. So I seem to be going over my calories frequently. I have been counting non stop for two weeks with no weightloss but on and off for nearly 4 months with only 2kg lost. I need tips to help me say no to so much food.
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Are you getting enough protein and fats in your diet?
Have you tried drinking a glass of water when you want to reach for food to see if it's really hunger?
If your eating out of boredom, have you considered chewing a piece of gum or maybe a sugar free hard candy to suck on (I only say sugar free, because they are typically lower in calories)?0 -
Winter_Girl92 wrote: »Some background info. I'm 167cm and 113kgs with have a calorie goal of 1820. So as you can see I don't have a small calorie goal or anything but I struggle to say no to food. It's not like people offering food to me but saying no to myself. So I seem to be going over my calories frequently. I have been counting non stop for two weeks with no weightloss but on and off for nearly 4 months with only 2kg lost. I need tips to help me say no to so much food.
Winter girl, are you using a food scale? How aggressive is your deficit?
Sometimes when I am tight on calories, I will make a swap for a more filling food for a higher calorie food. For example, you can 'rice' cauliflower and then briefly steam it, and eat that in place of rice with a stir-fry etc.
Also, you can check out my post here if you'd like. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10257474/starting-out-restarting-basics-inside#latest0 -
Firstly when you say 'so much food' - its not the volume that's the problem, its the choices. What choices are you making that are causing you a problem? What choices do you want to make? I find being aware of what I eat really helps me feel in charge of what I put in my mouth, it makes it easier to beat the cravings.
Maybe start with listing out the foods you have tracked over the last two weeks and tick off the ones that are healthy, nutritious, fill you up and help you stay within your calorie goals.
Then with the others, work out roughly what percentage of your calorie limit you are willing to spend on them, and try to stick to that.
Have you seen the nutrition section on the MFP app? I was shocked to see that about 40% of my daily calories were coming from snacking. I'd be happy if that was at about 20%.0 -
I do believe it is more boredom eating because I am a stay at home mum and I am constantly in my kitchen preparing meals and snacks for my kids so I'll eat a biscuit or some chocolate. The weird thing is that it's not like I don't realise I am doing it, I know I am but my head just goes "oh one won't hurt".
I do use a food scale and I am on a 500 calorie deficit so not very low at all.
Thank you for linking the post, I will definitely read it.0 -
Winter_Girl92 wrote: »I do believe it is more boredom eating because I am a stay at home mum and I am constantly in my kitchen preparing meals and snacks for my kids so I'll eat a biscuit or some chocolate. The weird thing is that it's not like I don't realise I am doing it, I know I am but my head just goes "oh one won't hurt".
I do use a food scale and I am on a 500 calorie deficit so not very low at all.
Thank you for linking the post, I will definitely read it.
Yes, I feel your pain about constantly being in the kitchen, I feed 6 including 2 athletes, so I am constantly cooking or exhausted (I also tend to eat more when I'm tired, for energy). With a 500 calorie deficit, you will have to log every biscuit or piece of chocolate, or you could easily have no deficit for the day. One thing I did while losing was to only allow myself one piece of high quality dark chocolate per day. It works out to 50 calories, and the dark chocolate feels more satisfying due to the intense flavour.0 -
Firstly when you say 'so much food' - its not the volume that's the problem, its the choices. What choices are you making that are causing you a problem? What choices do you want to make? I find being aware of what I eat really helps me feel in charge of what I put in my mouth, it makes it easier to beat the cravings.
Maybe start with listing out the foods you have tracked over the last two weeks and tick off the ones that are healthy, nutritious, fill you up and help you stay within your calorie goals.
Then with the others, work out roughly what percentage of your calorie limit you are willing to spend on them, and try to stick to that.
Have you seen the nutrition section on the MFP app? I was shocked to see that about 40% of my daily calories were coming from snacking. I'd be happy if that was at about 20%.
Thank you for the tips. Yes I have seen the percentage thing and alot of my calories go into snacks as well.0 -
I'm quite familiar with mindless snacking. What has helped me is to get rid of the "mindless" part. I've worked on developing a habit of logging everything that goes into my mouth before it goes into my mouth.
That time buffer gives me a chance to decide if I really want to eat what I'm getting ready to eat or not.
Maybe I'm just bored or thirsty? If I think it's thirst, I'll try water first.
Do I really want to spend this much of my calorie budget right now? If not, maybe a different snack or less of what I'm planning to eat.0 -
That is a good idea seska422.0
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Everyone has a different hunger pattern, you just have to figure yours out. I basically eat 250 calories for breakfast, 300 for lunch, 400 for dinner, and the rest goes to snacks (I am maintaining on around 1650) approximately 700 calories.0
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Cut carbs below 100. Maintain calorie deficit. All will be good.0
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Are you using a food scale?0
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I would try to find some lower-calorie stuff for you to nibble on. Maybe some chopped up vegetables? I would usually do 100g of various things in containers and the total calories was ~50 or so if I ate everything, plus there's plenty of crunch to most veggies.
What also works for me when I'm in a deficit is to dedicate sweets to a certain time of the day - like after dinner. If I'm hungry at other points during the day, I have to go for something nutritious, and, at the end of the day, I can use my remaining calories for a treat.
~Lyssa0 -
I'm quite familiar with mindless snacking. What has helped me is to get rid of the "mindless" part. I've worked on developing a habit of logging everything that goes into my mouth before it goes into my mouth.
That time buffer gives me a chance to decide if I really want to eat what I'm getting ready to eat or not.
Maybe I'm just bored or thirsty? If I think it's thirst, I'll try water first.
Do I really want to spend this much of my calorie budget right now? If not, maybe a different snack or less of what I'm planning to eat.
That's what I do. If I know in the morning exactly what I'm having for lunch and dinner, I log it. Then I know what I have left to snack with or exactly how long my walk needs to be!0 -
I would suggest having pre-portioned packages of biscuits and chocolate in your pantry/fridge, so if you feel the need to snack, you can grab one that is already allowed for in your calories.
Also, keep a drink bottle with you. It's amazing how many times a day I think I'm getting hungry, but really I just wanted some water.0 -
Thank you everyone for your tips. I will be using all of them! I also have noticed that the eating more has correlated with me starting cortisone tablets for a rash, so that may also be a contributing factor.
Also liftingforlis I do use a food scale.0 -
macgurlnet wrote: »I would try to find some lower-calorie stuff for you to nibble on. Maybe some chopped up vegetables? I would usually do 100g of various things in containers and the total calories was ~50 or so if I ate everything, plus there's plenty of crunch to most veggies.
What also works for me when I'm in a deficit is to dedicate sweets to a certain time of the day - like after dinner. If I'm hungry at other points during the day, I have to go for something nutritious, and, at the end of the day, I can use my remaining calories for a treat.
~Lyssa
This is all good advice. I was going to suggest sugar-free Jello (including pudding) as a great low calorie snack.
I like the idea of dedicating a certain time to sweets. Thanks! Will try!
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I'm quite familiar with mindless snacking. What has helped me is to get rid of the "mindless" part. I've worked on developing a habit of logging everything that goes into my mouth before it goes into my mouth.
That time buffer gives me a chance to decide if I really want to eat what I'm getting ready to eat or not.
Maybe I'm just bored or thirsty? If I think it's thirst, I'll try water first.
Do I really want to spend this much of my calorie budget right now? If not, maybe a different snack or less of what I'm planning to eat.
That is what works for me too.0 -
For the mindless eating problem - how about sucking on a lozenge or chewing some gum to keep you from snacking while in the kitchen? Some sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol is what I rely on.
Also as @seska422 said, logging before eating really helps to realise how much even a seemingly small snack can affect your caloric intake of the day! It's a bit of a nuisance at the start, but so very much worth it on the long run.
You can do it! 0 -
vivmom2014 wrote: »macgurlnet wrote: »I would try to find some lower-calorie stuff for you to nibble on. Maybe some chopped up vegetables? I would usually do 100g of various things in containers and the total calories was ~50 or so if I ate everything, plus there's plenty of crunch to most veggies.
What also works for me when I'm in a deficit is to dedicate sweets to a certain time of the day - like after dinner. If I'm hungry at other points during the day, I have to go for something nutritious, and, at the end of the day, I can use my remaining calories for a treat.
~Lyssa
This is all good advice. I was going to suggest sugar-free Jello (including pudding) as a great low calorie snack.
I like the idea of dedicating a certain time to sweets. Thanks! Will try!
I'm less strict with sweets when I'm maintaining, but eating at a deficit is tough so I figure I deserve a reward
I try to have a couple dessert options in my house, some low cal, some higher cal, so I can have a treat no matter how few calories I have left.
Even if it's just 1 square of Ghirardelli chocolate....I can go for a walk and earn the calories I need if I don't have any left
~Lyssa
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Thanks for the tips...0
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Lots of us find it more a challenge to break old habits of mindless/boredom snacking. Try a new strategy and check in a week or so if your habit has changed. If it hasn't, why not? Then try something else.
I find it helpful while cooking to have a sink of soapy water ready. I wash as I go so I'm not licking spoons.0 -
How is your protein and fat intake? I am at 1800 calories for the day and I find when I eat more protein and fat, I am fuller longer.0
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macgurlnet wrote: »I would try to find some lower-calorie stuff for you to nibble on. Maybe some chopped up vegetables? I would usually do 100g of various things in containers and the total calories was ~50 or so if I ate everything, plus there's plenty of crunch to most veggies.
What also works for me when I'm in a deficit is to dedicate sweets to a certain time of the day - like after dinner. If I'm hungry at other points during the day, I have to go for something nutritious, and, at the end of the day, I can use my remaining calories for a treat.
~Lyssa
Ya, my day goes much better if I save treats for after dinner. Having an apple now (after lunch.)
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