Exasperation with meal planning...can someone tell me how to fit 3 meals into 1200 calories?
Replies
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OP, like others, I'm not really sure what information/advice you're actually looking for.
With that said, I will echo the advice to adjust your expectations. 2 pounds/week is too aggressive for most people. That's where a lot of people start because it sounds good, of course we want to lose as much as possible as fast as possible. The reality is, the bigger deficit we have the more muscle mass we lose. I wish I had known that at the beginning when I chose 2lbs/wk. Maybe my body fat would be lower than it is now.
Once I learned, I adjusted my goal to 1 lb/wk. I am now within the healthy BMI for my height (5'8", low 140s) and aim for .5 lb/wk. It's slow going, but sustainable and allows for the development of maintenance habits. Time will pass anyway; you can be frustrated trying to meet goals that are unrealistic and perhaps fail to meet those goals due to giving up because you've made things too difficult, or you can adjust your expectations and reach your goal and, hopefully and more importantly, maintain your weight.
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Well, it's not the first time I've been told that my expectations are too high.........I can appreciate and respect that. Yes, I bounce around, but I was explaining that even with a 0 fat diet, I've only ever been able to lose at the rate of 6 pounds per month, maximum, and that was when I was 20 years younger!
I never said that I no longer eat fat, just that I was worried that my previous bouts with no-fat diets, had somehow wrecked my metabolism........because of what I considered very slowwww weight loss, which, as it turns out, if I am to believe the posts of other peoples experiences, is not a slow weight loss......harumpfh, learn something new everyday, hey?
I can also appreciate that that particular advice is real.....because I HAVE seen studies that show we are genetically indisposed to not be able to lose more then 2 lbs per week.
Having said that, I HAVE seen many people on here, without much more weight then I have, to lose, lose 10 pounds a month, and lose it somewhat easily (or at least, that's what they had reported). I have/had no idea if that's reasonable, sounds like from what you are all saying, it isn't.
I have already taken a lot of the advice in this thread, to heart. Especially the one on lowering my expectations. I changed my goal to .5 pound per week, and if I lose more, great, but if I don't, at least there'll be SOME movement in the right direction..........
I also never said I know better then the rest of you.......just that I've been in this particular body for 57 years, and practicing being as healthy as possible, for the last 30 of that time....(I did not grow up with regular exercise as a tool, didn't discover the benefits until my early 20's)....so yes, I know this body, pretty well.
The 'controlled' study, will be........well..........me..........
I would NEVER presume to know more then anybody whose been at this for awhile........or else I never would have asked for help.........
p.s. I consider it good fun to bounce around and go on different tangents.........you never know where that might lead.......already, one of the best things to come out of this thread, is my purchase (for only $3.50) of the Thug Cookbook, which gave me some much needed guffaws, and some great recipes, too! What I really was wanting from this thread, were some links to some easy, simple, meal plans, for vegans. I got them, +, which was really good.
And to answer the question on TDEE, no, I don't bring a high one to the table. I appreciate the advice about it, tho.
Hows this for some paragraphs?2 -
GAH. My eyes. I wish someone would give me cliffs. No, there are no paragraphs there.8
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MonaRaeHill wrote: »because i am hoping beyond hope, that CICO is a 'real' thing
CICO is a "real thing" otherwise you have to suspend the laws of physics, or somehow you've managed to evolve photosynthesis and are making your own energy from sunlight.
The question is what your CO balance actually is. MFP and others will hive you an estimate based upon a population study estimate of RMR along with your own assessment of activity levels. The issue here is that such an estimate may be out by 20-30% depending on factors such as age, body composition, weight, height. If you are carrying a lot of body fat that will be metabolically inactive, although hauling it around does increase your consumption, but not the same as if you were that weight with a normal range FFM.
If you are truly tracking your CI accurately and are able to see the long term trend in weight loss you should be able to estimate how much you need to adjust your CO estimate to achieve your individual goal. Most studies show that we overestimate our activity levels and underestimate our calorie consumption and then claim a depressed metabolism as a result, when it's actually perfectly possible to eat healthily, but still consume considerably more calories than we think, after all that fits better into our own view of ourselves than the truth. Information won't change this self image, only you can do that. Perhaps it's easier to deny CICO than to change your world view, but it doesn't make it any less true.2 -
Believe it or not......I know of some 'raw' fasting believing foodies that think that the body can make protein from oxygen. Even I know that can't be right, but it did crack me up!
I'm not sure I know what FFM means, in this context.....explanation, please.
p.s...........bbell1985...... I know where there are some pretty cool cliffs you could jump off. I even have some bungie cords I could loan you.........no guarantees they will work...........they are OLD.
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*oxygen and sunshine........2
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MonaRaeHill wrote: »Believe it or not......I know of some 'raw' fasting believing foodies that think that the body can make protein from oxygen. Even I know that can't be right, but it did crack me up!
I'm not sure I know what FFM means, in this context.....explanation, please.
p.s...........bbell1985...... I know where there are some pretty cool cliffs you could jump off. I even have some bungie cords I could loan you.........no guarantees they will work...........they are OLD.
Are you okay?1 -
p.p.s. I am not denying that CiCo works and is real, just that it may not work for all, and that it hasn't worked for me, just about as often as it has, in the past. Because, like you say, 20-30% of an error is a pretty high number. (Most people would get fired, if they had that for an error rate, in their job). I have no long term trends of weight loss, to look at. I am hoping this, time, that will change. I won't hold my breath.5
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MonaRaeHill wrote: »Believe it or not......I know of some 'raw' fasting believing foodies that think that the body can make protein from oxygen. Even I know that can't be right, but it did crack me up!
I'm not sure I know what FFM means, in this context.....explanation, please.
p.s...........bbell1985...... I know where there are some pretty cool cliffs you could jump off. I even have some bungie cords I could loan you.........no guarantees they will work...........they are OLD.
Some people will believe the oddest thing.
FFM - fat free mass. So it's not as simple as RMR = X Kcal/lbs/h body weight as that assumes all body weight is metabolically equal, and it's not.1 -
WinoGelato wrote: »
If you are in maintenance why are you still eating at 1200 calories?I’ve been doing 1200 a day for over a year. It’s not that difficult, it just takes some planning and effort. It can be done, it’s not impossible. I’m not miserable and can live on 1200 a day just fine. I’m down 30lb and in maintenance.
I'm easing into it, upping my calories a bit each week to see how it goes. So I'm eating a bit more than 1200 these days.0 -
MonaRaeHill wrote: »p.p.s. I am not denying that CiCo works and is real, just that it may not work for all, and that it hasn't worked for me, just about as often as it has, in the past. Because, like you say, 20-30% of an error is a pretty high number. (Most people would get fired, if they had that for an error rate, in their job). I have no long term trends of weight loss, to look at. I am hoping this, time, that will change. I won't hold my breath.
CICO is not something you use, or something that works or doesn't work. It's something that happens in our bodies.
Every body consumes calories: CI
Every body expends calories: CO
CICO is just a representation of the math involved, depending on whether you eat more or fewer calories than you burn.
What may or may not work for every body is using the estimations of calories (either in or out) provided by tools such as MFP.
(ETA)
Which is why so many people here advise to someone who is not losing:
1) be meticulous with your logging, use a food scale and check entries for accuracy.
And
2) start with MFP's calorie recommendation, but tweak with your own actual data if you're losing too fast, too slow or not at all.4 -
MonaRaeHill wrote: »p.p.s. I am not denying that CiCo works and is real, just that it may not work for all, and that it hasn't worked for me, just about as often as it has, in the past. Because, like you say, 20-30% of an error is a pretty high number. (Most people would get fired, if they had that for an error rate, in their job). I have no long term trends of weight loss, to look at. I am hoping this, time, that will change. I won't hold my breath.
CICO doesn't "work" or "not work". It just is. That's like saying gravity doesn't apply to some people. It is a fundamental energy balance, and it applies to all of us, regardless of whether we are losing, maintaining, or gaining weight.
It isn't a diet plan, it doesn't mean counting calories, it doesn't mean eat whatever you want and still lose, it doesn't even tell you the specific number that applies to each individual. It just means that you take in energy in the form of calories, and you burn energy in the form of calories.
CI = CO maintain weight
CI<CO lose weight
CI>CO gain weight
When people don't understand this basic concept, that is when they fail to implement what's needed to influence the equation to achieve their desired goals.6 -
OP, what is your expectation of a reasonable loss rate? I think that is really the root of this, when you don't get these astronomical losses you throw up your hands? I'm thrilled if I lose 1 pound a week!4
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OP, what is your expectation of a reasonable loss rate? I think that is really the root of this, when you don't get these astronomical losses you throw up your hands? I'm thrilled if I lose 1 pound a week!
I suspect that, along with a few other misconceptions, is at the root of much of her frustration.
I too am thrilled with 1 pound a week. At 15 pounds to goal weight, I'm currently in the dreaded 1/2 pound per week stage!
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karahm78:
I do not know what would be a reasonable rate loss for where I am at, with my current age/medical challenges/weight, frustrations, etc..........it's why I asked about it, and presented my history..........
I have lost 10 pounds in a month, b4, when I was really heavy (235 lbs was my heaviest post pregnancy weight)......I was young then, however, and working like a dog, as I mentioned; and eating 0 fat, 0 sugars. I also think body composition changes a LOT, over time. I succeeded at that partly because I had never exercised regularly b4, so my body was like: "What is this fresh new hell?" but cooperated anyhow (I didn't really give it much choice). I realize now, that maybe that was too aggressive for where I am at currently, health-wise.
Lets face it, tho, we've all heard (haven't we?) about competitive athletes who, when they got older and slowed down, put on weight because they could no longer keep up that pace. My body is used to exercising regularly, because I adopted the habit for 20 years, so when I couldn't the first 3 years, after my injury, it totally crapped out. I do not believe I was over-eating that much. Between the drugs suppressing my metabolism, (but also making me hungrier), and the chronic pain, throwing off my activity game, I just couldn't do what I had been doing, for years. I DO believe that my metabolism was trained to operate at a certain rate, and when it couldn't do that anymore, well, then, it's not unreasonable that I gained a bunch of weight..........it does happen, even if one does everything they can, to prevent it!
I am glad to hear that others are happy with what to me, (from my own experience, nothing else), seems a minimal weight loss per month. I am trying to get in that mode of thinking, which is another reason why I've posed the questions I have.
So, to end this thread, (hopefully), I will try and work towards being content with a weight loss of 4 pounds a month. And to not give up, when pain rears it's ugly head and I am forced to back off a bit. And to try not to despair when my weight loss stalls even though I have been doing everything right, for months..........I fully realize getting my head around all this, will not be easy. I tend not to shy away from hard work, but with all these challenges, I definitely need all the advice, support and cheering, that I can get!
So, once again, thank you all. See you on the rebound(er) <grin>, hopefully!3 -
You need Minimalist Baker. Regardless of how many calories you're eating, here are a bunch of simple and delicious vegan recipes for you.
https://minimalistbaker.com/recipes/vegan/
I would eat these sweet potatoes every day, if my husband wouldn't burn out on them.
https://minimalistbaker.com/mediterranean-baked-sweet-potatoes/1 -
You need Minimalist Baker. Regardless of how many calories you're eating, here are a bunch of simple and delicious vegan recipes for you.
https://minimalistbaker.com/recipes/vegan/
I would eat these sweet potatoes every day, if my husband wouldn't burn out on them.
https://minimalistbaker.com/mediterranean-baked-sweet-potatoes/
I have a love hate relationship with vegan recipe blogs... I'm not vegan but I'm especially fond of plant based foods, and most of these blogs love to use weird ingredients and things I don't have access to. Don't mind me. Just venting since it's Lent and I can't just substitute weird ingredients with animal based ones like I usually do. I will, however, be making those lentil stuffed eggplants this Sunday. They look like something I'm going to enjoy and the ingredients look approachable or substitutable. It just sucks having to weed through tons of recipes each time to find one with normal ingredients.2 -
amusedmonkey and Kadoober: THANK YOU. I will def. check into that! Sounds good.
For now, I am just trying to get my metabolism geared back up into the swing of things...so shakes and veggie soup for now, (short-term), but yea, when I get used to all the work, again, I will definitely be looking for more resources.
I also just found Eating Well(s) Vegan Page. That looks easy enough, but the minimalist is awesome.......some good fare, there!
I love sweet potatoes, too. White ones, not so much, as my mother used to make gallons of potato salad.....I guess cause she got the tater's free from the guy up the street.......she was the only one who would eat it, it would sit in the fridge and turn weird. Blek.0 -
you could make those raw oreos with coconut manna..........I still have some of that in my pantry, from my raw food diet attempts........... (TOO much fat on that diet, didn't budge my weight a bit). Some of those raw foodies were living on 25 grams of protein, but 100 grams of fat, daily. After doing it for 6 months, I decided it just wasn't for me. I need at least 65 gms of protein and certainly NOT 100 grams of fat, no matter how good the fat is.........seemed like a malnutrition venture to me..........lawdy.1
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@ms_havisham offers a nice suggestion.
I think I will try it too. Log your main meal early so you can see how to play with the remaining balance.
I feel your pain, though. I would like to do 1200 but always end up eating more like 1500/1600. Some days I go waaay over. That’s probably why I’m not losing any weight. Lol.
Yeah, 1200 is hard to do.0 -
I’m currently on 1300, and there’s no problem at all.
Breakfast: Small bowl of fruit, some Skyr yoghurt
Lunch: Veg-based soup with a small roll or slice of really nice bread, or some Quorn cocktail sausages with red pepper and fine beans and a little bit of peanut butter
Dinner: Chilli with cornbread, or a Quorn escalope with potato waffle and sweetcorn, or a baked potato with a little cheese and baked beans, or quite a lot of things, really!
Snacks: Banana, a couple of small oat biscuits, maybe quarter or half of a protein bar
And I exercise, so I quite often have enough wiggle room in my calories for a small chocolate or similar. I only increase my calories when I start feeling tired all the time.1 -
- Breakfast -
Yougurt granola and blueberries
Total 225 calories
- Lunch -
Prepackaged Caesar salad from Walmart
Total 230 calories
- Dinner -
Turkey sandwich with a small bag of chips and yellow mustard
Total calories around 300
*That should leave plenty of calories for snacks throughout the day. I've been eating this for 2 weeks and have lost 13 pounds. Not sure if it's the healthiest but all is very tasty and I dont even feel like I'm restricting myself!
Feel free to add me !
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Forgot to mention I use 40 calorie bread for my sandwich!0
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