How in fresh h*ll does anyone stay within their calorie budget?!!!

24

Replies

  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Once you get your weekly weight loss goal & activity sorted out (as per the previous posts), then you can start the process of learning what food choices make the most of your calorie allowance. At anything less than 1500 calories, I really can't afford liquid calories. Focus on your proteins & fiber first. As has been mentioned, peanut butter is actually a pitiful source of protein. Try Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, eggs, & lean meats. It's a learning process and it helps to view it that way- i.e., what can I improve on this week? But be aware, since you are relatively small, the weight loss will occur more slowly and you probably won't have much room for error, so accurate logging is essential.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited December 2016
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    How many calories in your Lean Cuisine?

    For breakfast this morning I had 1tbl of peanut butter, 1/2 banana and 2 slices of bread for 250 calories plus a glass of V8 juice for 50 calories.

    I have already logged lunch, dinner and a dessert and am only slightly above 1300 hundred for the day.

    Maybe try a lower calorie bread in the morning. It sounds as if your Lean Cuisine had quite a few calories.

    I eat between 1200 and 1600 calories depending on the day. I try to keep breakfast at around 300 calories...lunch at 450, afternoon/nighttime snack 150 and dinner close to 600. If I am having a lower calorie day I take take some off of each meal.

    Today I'm also a little above 1,300-

    -2 'sandwich skinnys' (which is four pieces), toasted
    -2 two servings of light cheese spread (those triangle pkgs)
    -beef stick
    -2 servings of white rice
    -2 servings California Blend veggies
    -4 ounces of chicken
    -serving of sweet n sour sauce
    -1.5 servings of sour cream and onion potato chips
    -serving of light hot cocoa
    -1.5 servings of whipped cream
    -2 servings (whole can) of tomato soup
    =1,378 calories

    plus diet soda, water and black tea, and then Davinci 0 calorie raspberry syrup in the hot cocoa

    I'll go to bed totally full tonight and really could have done without the beef stick (it did taste good alongside the toast and cheese though lol).
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Annie_01 wrote: »

    I eat between 1200 and 1600 calories depending on the day. I try to keep breakfast at around 300 calories...lunch at 450, afternoon/nighttime snack 150 and dinner close to 600. If I am having a lower calorie day I take take some off of each meal.

    Agree. When I am successful at 1500 calories (and notice I say *when*), the breakdown is typically 400 for breakfast, 500 for lunch, & 600 for dinner. If I was at 1300, it would probably be 300, 400, & 600 (or smaller dinner & afternoon snack).

  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    OP-can you make your food diary public so we can take a look at it, I'm still not sure how you hit 1,000 calories eating what you listed in your original post. There's some incorrect food entries listed in the data base so maybe you accidentally chose a wrong, higher calorie option?

    And what happens to your calorie number when you chose .5lb instead of the 1lb option, for weekly goal?

    I think something is wrong too. I looked at Lean Cuisines website. The meals that I looked at ranged between 250 and 310. Surely her 1 slice of bread with a smear of peanut butter wasn't 700 calories.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    OP-can you make your food diary public so we can take a look at it, I'm still not sure how you hit 1,000 calories eating what you listed in your original post. There's some incorrect food entries listed in the data base so maybe you accidentally chose a wrong, higher calorie option?

    And what happens to your calorie number when you chose .5lb instead of the 1lb option, for weekly goal?

    I think something is wrong too. I looked at Lean Cuisines website. The meals that I looked at ranged between 250 and 310. Surely her 1 slice of bread with a smear of peanut butter wasn't 700 calories.

    Yep, I eat LCs quite a bit and they're pretty low calorie. Maybe she's adding things to her coffee?
  • ShammersPink
    ShammersPink Posts: 215 Member
    You might find, as I do, that you lose at a different rate than MFP and other calculators say for a given intake.

    If 1300 feels too little (as a female of the same height and age group, and less active, I would find it unsustainable), massage your inputs (activity level / rate of loss) until you find something that IS sustainable for you. Then monitor your loss, for a while. You will find out, as you go along, what foods fill you up for very few calories, and what foods torch your calorie limit but leave you wanting more. It's different for different people. As a cook, you probably have loads of ideas of things to eat.

    If you are very unhappy with your rate of loss, and have found foods that allow you to feel satisfied at a lower calorie intake, you can always reset your goals at a later date. But feeling constantly starving and unhappy is not sustainable.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    Hey Fern.

    I am your height, 48, plenty of kids, and maintaining under 140, MFP gives me 1600something before exercise, in practice i eat about 2k and stay under 140 so I think maybe you are too aggressive with the diet.

    What were you eating to maintain the weight you are now? Cut out 500 calories a day from that and you should lose weight.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
    Sounds like you just saw how much you had been eating .. you do get used to it somewhat .. hang in there it works


    Good luck
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    I'm confused how one slice of wheat toast, a little PB, and a Lean Cuisine added up so that you only have 300 cals left?? I'm guessing one slice of wheat toast is what, 120 cals? One tbs of PB is 100, and I eat Lean Cuisine's all the time and I know the absolute highest cal ones are maybe 350. True that PB is a diet-killer (for me) but unless you absolutely piled it on.... ?
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,644 Member
    Start making lower-calorie swaps and reduce portions. That's pretty much it, assuming your goals are set appropriately. It's a shock at first, but you adjust over time.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Reset your goal to .5 lb a week. You should be able to eat at least 1500 calories I would think... maybe more if you are pretty active.
    Your food logging seems off. Check the accuracy on that. Use a food scale to weigh your food. Check the entry you choose from the database is correct.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited December 2016
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    How many calories in your Lean Cuisine?

    For breakfast this morning I had 1tbl of peanut butter, 1/2 banana and 2 slices of bread for 250 calories plus a glass of V8 juice for 50 calories.

    I have already logged lunch, dinner and a dessert and am only slightly above 1300 hundred for the day.

    Maybe try a lower calorie bread in the morning. It sounds as if your Lean Cuisine had quite a few calories.

    I eat between 1200 and 1600 calories depending on the day. I try to keep breakfast at around 300 calories...lunch at 450, afternoon/nighttime snack 150 and dinner close to 600. If I am having a lower calorie day I take take some off of each meal.

    This^

    It takes some trial and error. Protein, fat and fiber are all filling, but in different combinations for different people.

    My low calorie breakfast is a Greek yogurt "parfait." Flavored Greek yogurt (Dannon Light & Fit if you aren't adverse to fake sweetener) then sprinkle with Fiber One or Kashi Go Lean cereal, 1/4 C of berries, and some chopped nuts. This is high protein, high fiber a dose of healthy fat and under 250 calories.

    Healthy Choice Steamers have a few high(er) protein meals for under 300 calories. I add some steamed veggies to bump up the serving size.

    Salads with added protein can give you a lot of food. You can do a lot with grilled chicken breast. But you will need to manage the amount dressing. Light dressing can be a lifesaver here. I don't bother with most fat free dressings, they taste weird to me.

    Your activity level may be higher than you think. An investment in an activity tracker would help you find this out.
  • LilacLion
    LilacLion Posts: 579 Member
    I do lots and lots of Carbs and eat vegan style. It's never difficult to eat at or under my calorie plan (I admit, that I had a little trouble making it up to the calorie limit for the last two days--Stressful situation sort of messed with my appetite, but I'm back) Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle is the least expensive way to eat. For me. It turned out to be the healthiest way as well. I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not. I barely eat any processed food or chemicals--just some seasonings and milk substitutes since I haven't ventured into making my own yet. I don't have any cravings and that's a first for an emotional eater/food addict like me. :wink: I really don't count calories actually but want to log food as an ongoing record. I'm enjoying my new found energy and joy of getting fit. I went from couch potato to eating potatoes and it's working.

    The biggest contribution to saving money for food came from YouTube videos. I learned to slice, dice, mince. plan and cook.
  • FernGitt
    FernGitt Posts: 10 Member
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Replace the sugar in your coffee with non-calorie sweetener.

    Also, that cream will go a lot further if you use either a milk frother or a blender to mix it. I use a T. of cream in 4 cups of coffee, and it is creamier in the blender with 1 T. than 4 T. without a blender.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    FernGitt wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

    Wondered if it was the coffee -now your numbers make more sense :) You're on the right path, you just need to tweak a few things to make things easier for you!
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
    midwesterner85 wrote: »
    Replace the sugar in your coffee with non-calorie sweetener.

    Also, that cream will go a lot further if you use either a milk frother or a blender to mix it. I use a T. of cream in 4 cups of coffee, and it is creamier in the blender with 1 T. than 4 T. without a blender.


    I'm not the OP but I was never able to make the transition from using sugar in my tea/coffee to artificial sweetener. I've tried them all and I am just too sensitive to the taste. Yuck. The OP sounds like she's particular about taste. It could be that she may not enjoy her coffee at all without the sugar. I have managed to cut back some, but even with purging most sugars out of my regular diet, I've never acclimated to the changes in my coffee/tea. Sad fact. :'( Wish I could. But I just make it part of my life and try to do better in other areas.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    OP I think others have already given you good advice that MFP is a system that derives the targets it provides you on the information YOU enter. If you underestimate your activity level, choose too aggressive of a goal rate of loss, etc - it will give you a relatively low NEAT (exercise not included) calorie target.

    You might want to take a step back and read some of the stickied "Most Helpful Forum Posts" at the top of each section to better understand how the tool works and some good advice on how to maximize your success with MFP. There are also threads about some of the most common questions like why you should be eating back exercise calories, how to accurately log your food using a food scale, what to do if you hit a plateau, etc.

    Here's one of my favorites:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1

    And here is a great collection of a number of topics:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260499/i-like-old-posts-and-i-cannot-lie/p1
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,644 Member
    FernGitt wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

    One of the first changes I made was to 1) get rid of sugared soda, and 2) learn to appreciate black coffee. I rarely drink calories anymore except in a protein shake. You may not have to go to that extreme. Just sharing my experience.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    FernGitt wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

    I fit a massive latte in my day, just have a cup of milk in my coffee and a kashi bar as a sort of standard breakfast. I do like the 2% milk in coffee much better than cream, but that's not my point - My coffee has 200 calories I'm sure between milk and sugar, and still the diet works.

    You just gotta find the squish somewhere in the diet and take it out - you need a sustainable lifestyle, otherwise you just gain it back.
  • LizzyPops2
    LizzyPops2 Posts: 27 Member
    My goal is 1,200 and I do not log fruit and veg. It has been working very well for me and have lost a stone in just over 2 months
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    My goal is at 1,400 and somedays I have to try really hard to get over 1,000. It almost feels like work some days. Then I also have some days where I feel like 1,400 is just a lick and a promise and I want to stuff my face with everything I can reach. I think what you eat matters in this regard. I also think if you weekly goal for weight loss is set too high you will not have enough calories to keep you happy.
  • Kristi26
    Kristi26 Posts: 184 Member
    It sounds to me like something is wrong. I'm only 5'3" and 122. I get 1300 calories at lightly active for 1lb/week loss. I don't eat at that deficit at this point, but when I did, I ate lots of fruits, vegetables, and meats. I skipped bread, peanut butter, juice, etc because they were too calorie dense.

    Also, I only read through the first several posts so not sure how relevant this is now...
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Be sure to read the sticky posts at the top of each forum. They tell you exactly how yo get the most from this site and the weight loss exercise process.

    You're already in a healthy weight range for your height, maybe your expectations are not realistic. I'm 2 inches shorter than you and would be emaciated at 140! Just sayin.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I find that taking each element I am eating and looking at the alternative choices for each item really adds up over a day.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
    I love intermittent fasting...I've lost 130lb so far, and a large part of that has been waiting as late in the day as I can to eat..I stay busy and honestly don't think much of food till 3 or 4pm..then my 1300 calories [I eat only 1300 often] would be this:

    5 servings of egg whites from a carton
    2 servings of oatmeal and 2 splenda packets
    = 425 calories

    200g of sweet potato fries
    1 serving ketchup
    = 200 calories

    1 bag of microwave veggies
    1 serving of Thai sweet Peanut sauce
    6oz baked chicken thigh
    100g avocado
    155g 90second rice
    = 725 calories

    So there's a good example of my diet days food. Hope it helps!
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