How do you handle your eating?
stroutman81
Posts: 2,474 Member
Are you calorie counter? IIFYM? Do you have particular guidelines that you adhere to most of the time? Do you follow a particular diet?
As an addendum... I've not spend a lot of time on the main boards lately. I've been hanging out in the newcomers forum and it's amazing to me how many people are doing ketogenic diets.
As an addendum... I've not spend a lot of time on the main boards lately. I've been hanging out in the newcomers forum and it's amazing to me how many people are doing ketogenic diets.
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Calorie counter. IIFYM to the extent that I strive to hit my protein and fat macros. I don't follow any particular diet plan, nor do I exclude any foods or food groups. I have my macros set at 40C/30P/30F and find it's my "sweet spot" in terms of satiety and adherence (I don't sweat it down to the gram, just try to be somewhere in the ballpark of those figures.)1
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Calorie counter. IIFYM to the extent that I strive to hit my protein and fat macros. I don't follow any particular diet plan, nor do I exclude any foods or food groups. I have my macros set at 40C/30P/30F and find it's my "sweet spot" in terms of satiety and adherence (I don't sweat it down to the gram, just try to be somewhere in the ballpark of those figures.)
Sounds very reasonable and sustainable. Do you count calories on the fly as the day goes on? Or do you tally things up at the end?0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Calorie counter. IIFYM to the extent that I strive to hit my protein and fat macros. I don't follow any particular diet plan, nor do I exclude any foods or food groups. I have my macros set at 40C/30P/30F and find it's my "sweet spot" in terms of satiety and adherence (I don't sweat it down to the gram, just try to be somewhere in the ballpark of those figures.)
Sounds very reasonable and sustainable. Do you count calories on the fly as the day goes on? Or do you tally things up at the end?
I enter them into MFP as I go, and have a pretty good idea of where I am calorie-wise (and macro-wise) at any given point during the day. If I know I'm low on protein, I'll tailor my next meal toward that goal, and so on.0 -
I enter them into MFP as I go, and have a pretty good idea of where I am calorie-wise (and macro-wise) at any given point during the day. If I know I'm low on protein, I'll tailor my next meal toward that goal, and so on.
Gotcha, sounds good.
Do you ever feel a sense of anxiety or anything as your calorie allotment shrinks as the day wears on?0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »I enter them into MFP as I go, and have a pretty good idea of where I am calorie-wise (and macro-wise) at any given point during the day. If I know I'm low on protein, I'll tailor my next meal toward that goal, and so on.
Gotcha, sounds good.
Do you ever feel a sense of anxiety or anything as your calorie allotment shrinks as the day wears on?
Not really, unless I splurge and eat a calorie-dense meal early and know I'm going to be hungry later on with limited calories left. But on the other hand, I have no fear/anxiety about going over my calorie limits once in a while either, as I know that the occasional day doesn't hurt anything within the context of the big picture.
Overall, I have a pretty relaxed attitude toward weight loss. I understand that it's not a fast process, and often trying to "hurry it along" is counterproductive in many different ways. I weigh daily (I like numbers and data points!) and see constant fluctuations due to water levels, workouts, etc., but I understand them and use Trendweight to track the overall trend. As long as the trend is downward in the long term, it's all good.0 -
Calorie counter. IIFYM to the extent that I strive to hit my protein and fat macros. I don't follow any particular diet plan, nor do I exclude any foods or food groups. I have my macros set at 40C/30P/30F and find it's my "sweet spot" in terms of satiety and adherence (I don't sweat it down to the gram, just try to be somewhere in the ballpark of those figures.)
This is me too, including the macro percentages. I'm pretty small, and running a cut right now--hoping to lose another 5-8 to be in my most comfortable spot, so my goals are to keep protein over 100 and carbs under 150. Fat is what is left. I need to have blood work done to check cholesterol, etc, as mine tends to be high (although with much "good" cholesterol) because often my fat % ends up higher than I would like! It is a catch twenty-two--more protein can mean more fat if you are not careful! I love to snack on nuts and cheese, so. . . . .
Anyway, I log as I go most days, although I've done this for so long that I mostly know how to stay within my budget, unless eating out.
Recently started IF-using 14:10, which seems to be best recommendation for women "of a certain age"! I love getting to have two larger more satisfying meals, plus a moderate snack, while still hitting my goals! And often there is even room for a couple of glasses of wine! Life is good!
I will cut through the end of the summer (minus vacation) and start building muscle again in the fall.
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I'm not generally a calorie counter. I try to limit refined carbs. I eat protein/veg for most meals. I lost doing it. And I've maintained +-5 for 15 years doing it. For me it just seems easier. If I don't eat junk food, I don't fight myself to keep weight off or cravings at bay.0
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Not really, unless I splurge and eat a calorie-dense meal early and know I'm going to be hungry later on with limited calories left. But on the other hand, I have no fear/anxiety about going over my calorie limits once in a while either, as I know that the occasional day doesn't hurt anything within the context of the big picture.
You rock. That whole "one day isn't doesn't' matter in the grand scheme" is so powerful. It's the difference between hopping right back into the pursuit of your best you and beating yourself up with guilt and shame (which are typically accompanied by more eating).
Good stuff!
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Calorie counter. IIFYM to the extent that I strive to hit my protein and fat macros. I don't follow any particular diet plan, nor do I exclude any foods or food groups. I have my macros set at 40C/30P/30F and find it's my "sweet spot" in terms of satiety and adherence (I don't sweat it down to the gram, just try to be somewhere in the ballpark of those figures.)
This is me too, including the macro percentages. I'm pretty small, and running a cut right now--hoping to lose another 5-8 to be in my most comfortable spot, so my goals are to keep protein over 100 and carbs under 150. Fat is what is left. I need to have blood work done to check cholesterol, etc, as mine tends to be high (although with much "good" cholesterol) because often my fat % ends up higher than I would like! It is a catch twenty-two--more protein can mean more fat if you are not careful! I love to snack on nuts and cheese, so. . . . .
Anyway, I log as I go most days, although I've done this for so long that I mostly know how to stay within my budget, unless eating out.
Recently started IF-using 14:10, which seems to be best recommendation for women "of a certain age"! I love getting to have two larger more satisfying meals, plus a moderate snack, while still hitting my goals! And often there is even room for a couple of glasses of wine! Life is good!
I will cut through the end of the summer (minus vacation) and start building muscle again in the fall.
Nice! Will you continue IFing after your cut?0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I'm not generally a calorie counter. I try to limit refined carbs. I eat protein/veg for most meals. I lost doing it. And I've maintained +-5 for 15 years doing it. For me it just seems easier. If I don't eat junk food, I don't fight myself to keep weight off or cravings at bay.
Was there a time where you did eat a lot of junk food? And if so, how did you transition to eating hardly any?0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Calorie counter. IIFYM to the extent that I strive to hit my protein and fat macros. I don't follow any particular diet plan, nor do I exclude any foods or food groups. I have my macros set at 40C/30P/30F and find it's my "sweet spot" in terms of satiety and adherence (I don't sweat it down to the gram, just try to be somewhere in the ballpark of those figures.)
This is me too, including the macro percentages. I'm pretty small, and running a cut right now--hoping to lose another 5-8 to be in my most comfortable spot, so my goals are to keep protein over 100 and carbs under 150. Fat is what is left. I need to have blood work done to check cholesterol, etc, as mine tends to be high (although with much "good" cholesterol) because often my fat % ends up higher than I would like! It is a catch twenty-two--more protein can mean more fat if you are not careful! I love to snack on nuts and cheese, so. . . . .
Anyway, I log as I go most days, although I've done this for so long that I mostly know how to stay within my budget, unless eating out.
Recently started IF-using 14:10, which seems to be best recommendation for women "of a certain age"! I love getting to have two larger more satisfying meals, plus a moderate snack, while still hitting my goals! And often there is even room for a couple of glasses of wine! Life is good!
I will cut through the end of the summer (minus vacation) and start building muscle again in the fall.
Nice! Will you continue IFing after your cut?
As of right now, I think so. My entire calorie allowance even without a cut is not huge. Especially when I focus more on lifting and don't do as much cardio, or in the winter when I can't get out as much to run. I definitely like having meals that actually satisfy me. Today, because I skipped breakfast, per my IF schedule, I was able to fit a small-town cafe homemade burger and fries AND a fried pie into my allowance! That is totally not my everyday fare, but it sure was tasty!
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I don't currently log and haven't for a while now.
I do the following things:
- With my AM coffee I have whey protein, typically 1.5 to 2 scoops, with skim milk and a little water.
- I train in the AM 4 days per week and on training days I will also have 1 to 2 servings of oatmeal pre workout along with the whey/coffee. On rest days I omit the oats.
- I get home from the gym and within about an hour I eat a large mixed meal. When I'm in a fat loss phase this meal is typically low in fat. This meal is always high in protein.
- I tend to eat a large mixed meal for dinner. When I'm in a fat loss phase this meal also tends to be low in fat but typically a bit more than the lunch meal.
- I tend to have a moderate snack/small meal just before bed.
-I manage my food environment in such a way that I'm less likely to make unfavorable food decisions based on environmental cues.
Some things to note:
- During maintenance phases I snack more and I allow slightly more leeway with food selection. There's a bit more room for some junk food although it's never too far out of control.
- During maintenance phases I will eat out at restaurants a bit more often.
-During fat loss phases I snack less often.
-During fat loss phases I consume a high volume of vegetables and I tend to snack on fruit if I have sweet cravings.
-During fat loss phases I minimize junk food, but I do not have a mindset of it being off limits. I occasionally enjoy chips and ice cream and cake or a big greasy cheeseburger from Culvers but it's far less frequent when the goal is to lose fat.
So in other words, I moderate with frequency.
I'm able to lose fat at a reasonable pace, I'm able to maintain, and I'm also able to bulk using this method although the bulk tends to be a bit harder to manage in terms of proper pacing -- I typically bulk a bit too fast when doing it using non tracking methods.
But, it's well worth it to me only because I really don't like logging in the long term.0 -
I LIVED primarily on junk food.stroutman81 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I'm not generally a calorie counter. I try to limit refined carbs. I eat protein/veg for most meals. I lost doing it. And I've maintained +-5 for 15 years doing it. For me it just seems easier. If I don't eat junk food, I don't fight myself to keep weight off or cravings at bay.
Was there a time where you did eat a lot of junk food? And if so, how did you transition to eating hardly any?
I was raised on bologna and white bread sandwiches with a twinkie for dessert and a coke to wash it all down.
As an adult I ate fast food at least once a day. And had a candy bar once a day or so, and Dr. Pepper.
I wrote my dissertation eating red vines.
I thought vegetables were optional.
I was never "fat". At my heaviest I was at the upper end of a normal BMI, but I was gaining.
I did the transition by going cold turkey.
Did something resembling an "induction" phase.
The great thing is, I don't crave most of that stuff at all. A snickers would be horrible to my palate now.
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