Looking for some advice

misti777

For a few days I gave up on MFP because it seemed like I could not avoid high calorie meals like pasta or tacos/burritos. I even tried making a taco salad with lettuce, some ground beef plus the taco seasoning and beans, but the calorie content was still very high. I felt like there was nothing I could do. I thought, screw it, I can't keep up with this even when I get exercise. I was having salads for a couple weeks straight, but that gets boring really fast. And my mom buys fruit and veggies but for some reason store bought stuff just doesn't taste that good to me. My mom can't buy the greatest stuff because we struggle with money and I am trying to get a job, but I have had no luck the past couple of months or so. I am looking for some advice from teens or young adults on MFP who have struggled with trying to avoid what their families eat or buy regularly in order to stay under their calorie limit.

LaraMc71

Chances are your family could use some meal makeovers too, what a great inspiration you might be for them! I am sure you have learned a lot about calorie intake thru MFP.

My best suggestion would be to sit with your mom and make a list of the family stand-bys or favorites and them start googling the meal's makeovers.

Here's an example:

http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-weight-loss/blogs/season-one-recipes/staci-recipe-2

Also, I know that soy products are unappealing to many but you might try TVP, you can season this just as you would ground beef - you can also mix both together to reduce fat and calories. AND its not that expensive.

Good Luck - Stick with it

MoreBean13

What is your calorie limit? I'm guessing it's too low and that's why you're having so much trouble. The right calorie limit shouldn't be that limiting. A taco salad with lettuce should reasonably fit. Don't give up- change your calorie goal.

whierd

What is your calorie limit? I'm guessing it's too low and that's why you're having so much trouble. The right calorie limit shouldn't be that limiting. A taco salad with lettuce should reasonably fit. Don't give up- change your calorie goal.

Yeah, that taco salad should only be a few hundred calories at most.

Let us know what your calorie limit is, your age, height, and weight please.

misti777

Well, with my taco salad I had about a measuring cup and a half worth of ground beef cooked with taco seasoning and refried beans over lettuce. It's possible that I over logged the ground beef because I never measured it. It could have been just a cup of ground beef or less, but i'll never know for sure since it was over a week ago. Maybe next time I will make sure I measure it out.
Also, my calorie goal is 1400, but I know it's okay if I go over as long as I get exercise.

misti777

Right now my scale at home says I am 230 lbs and I am 5'2, 18 yrs old.

bowbeforethoraxis

Chances are your family could use some meal makeovers too, what a great inspiration you might be for them! I am sure you have learned a lot about calorie intake thru MFP.

My best suggestion would be to sit with your mom and make a list of the family stand-bys or favorites and them start googling the meal's makeovers.

Here's an example:

http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-weight-loss/blogs/season-one-recipes/staci-recipe-2

Also, I know that soy products are unappealing to many but you might try TVP, you can season this just as you would ground beef - you can also mix both together to reduce fat and calories. AND its not that expensive.

Good Luck - Stick with it

This.

Also, getting your family involved can be a great thing.
And, what I do for typically high calorie meals like pasta and tacos is throw in extra veggies. Like, if I'm making tacos, I try to use ground turkey instead of ground beef (sometimes it's cheaper too) then cook it with at least one onion per pound. If I have extra carrots or red peppers I shred them and throw those in too. Onion is always great choice though because onions are super cheap. Also, I put frozen peas or broccoli in pretty much every pasta dish I make. They bulk up the meal, so a serving includes more veggies and less pasta, even though it's the same amount of food, and the frozen vegetables are cheaper than fresh and often still contain more of their nutrients. Doing little things like adding shredded carrots to red sauce, extra broccoli to creamy pasta sauces, and making sure you have more vegetables than noodles will reduce the total calorie count of the meal. And, when my family is having pasta and I just can't fit it into my day, I will sometimes put the sauce they're using on vegetables and completely skip the noodles.

If you can find some fruits or vegetables you love, try eating a serving about 20 minutes before you eat. I tend to eat a banana before I go out to eat, so I will be full more quickly and eat less at the restaurant. If we're having ribs or something I love that is high in calories for dinner, I make myself eat the vegetable side dish before I eat any of the meat. It takes some getting used to, but eventually it is all second nature.