What is/was your plan?
NovusDies
Posts: 8,940 Member
This is a place to discuss your recipe for success. If your plan is still under construction this may be a place to get ideas or bounce what you might be thinking off of other people. You may also see something you want to try for yourself to see how it fits.
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I have found making small changes, leads to better results, I feel less restricted, I find them easier to stick to long term and in the words of Tesco - Every Little Helps.
This is something I posted in another thread today, which illustrates how you can eat pretty much the same meals and shave calories off and improve nutrition:
Getting a food scale and genuinely logging what your normal diet is for a couple of days can help you find ways to make small changes to your diet, for example if my calorie goal for 1lb weight loss per week is 1850 (putting my maintenance at 2350) and I've been gaining on what I normally eat over recent months/years:Normal Diet - 2585 calories
Breakfast
300ml Glass Orange Juice 140 cals
70g Cornflakes 265 cals
100ml Whole Milk 65 cals
470 calories
Lunch
Tuna Sandwich 530 cals
(2 Slices of Thick Sliced White Bread (100g)- 240 Cals)
(1 Tin Tuna (112g Drained) -110 cals)
(25g Real Mayonnaise - 180 cals)
35g Bag of Cheese & Onion Crisps - 180 cals
51g Mars Bar - 230 cals
940 calories
Dinner
200g Sirloin Steak 340 cals
20ml Olive Oil 165 cals
300g Deep Fried Chips 670 cals
1175 caloriesTweaked Lower Calorie Diet - 1844 cals
Breakfast
150ml Glass Orange Juice 70 cals - slightly smaller portion size
50g Cornflakes 190 cals - slightly smaller portion size
100ml Low Fat Milk 45 cals - reduces calories from milk
305 calories Saves 165 cals
Lunch
Tuna Sandwich - 383 cals
(2 Slices of Medium Sliced White Bread (80g)- 185 Cals) - thinner bread slices
(1 Tin Tuna (112g Drained) -110 cals)
(25g Light Mayonnaise - 65 cals) - reduced calories from mayo
(40g Red Onion - 15 cals) - more fibre and nutrients which can help with feeling fuller longer
(40g Cucumber - 8 cals) - more fibre and nutrients which can help with feeling fuller longer
16g Bag of Quavers- 86 cals - swap from higher calorie snack to lower calorie
18g Treat SizeMars Bar - 80 cals - smaller portion size
549 calories Saves 361 cals
Dinner
200g Sirloin Steak 340 cals
5 x 1 Cal Oil Spray to stop steak sticking to pan 5 cals - reduces amount of oil used for pan frying
190g Potato used to make baked chips 150 cals - baking rather than deep frying reduces amount of oil used.
10 x 1 cal spray to help stick seasoning/crisp up chips 10 cals
160g Broccoli 60 cals - more fibre and nutrients which can help with feeling fuller longer
100g Asparagus 20 cals - more fibre and nutrients which can help with feeling fuller longer
585 calories Saves 590 cals
Snacks
30g Cheddar - 125 cals
4 Crackers - 100 cals
50g Protein Bar 180 cals
405 cals
There's not a huge change to what I am eating but just enough small changes to make a difference to my calorie intake without making me hungry and I've even managed to include some extra snacks.5 -
I don't think most people would enjoy doing my food plan. I have kind of an odd set-up for myself because I don't eat breakfast, my biggest meal is lunch, and I eat a really light dinner. It is very high volume at lunch. I don't do it because I have to do it I do it because it makes everything easier for me. I also do not indulge in treat food as much from Mon-Thurs because I just don't care as much. I bank calories during those days for Fri-Sat when I actually do want more treat food and I eat my maintenance calories each Sunday.
My plan also consists of little things for myself like getting a hair cut more often because I really hate it long and getting pedicures. I don't need to feel frustrated with little things while I am losing weight anymore than absolutely necessary. I am all about making my life easier right now.
I do not force myself to lose weight each and every day of the year. I do not deal well with feeling deprived. I eat maintenance or more on diet breaks, vacations, holidays, special occasions, really bad days, and sometimes just for fun. I lose weight the overwhelming majority of time and that is enough for me. There is no point in being in a hurry because weight loss takes a long time. I went back and looked at it and I realized I could have lost about 8 more pounds my first year if I had stayed in a deficit the whole time but I seriously doubt I would have made it an entire year so the 158 pounds I did lose is plenty good enough.6 -
I cut out sweets and calorie dense junk food. I typically eat around 1800 calories per day, and it seems to be working for me so far.
I've also pushed myself to be more active. Started just walking more, parking further and further from work. Recently I've added bicycling, and have worked my way up from 3 mile rides to 11-12 mile rides over the past couple weeks.2 -
I cut out sweets and calorie dense junk food. I typically eat around 1800 calories per day, and it seems to be working for me so far.
I've also pushed myself to be more active. Started just walking more, parking further and further from work. Recently I've added bicycling, and have worked my way up from 3 mile rides to 11-12 mile rides over the past couple weeks.
I am very envious of you riding. I am unable to do it at the moment because of a physical limitation but it may not be much longer!
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I hear ya. I tried to start the Couch to 5K program about a month and a half ago, but I was sore for a week. Decided to take smaller steps toward it, doing lower impact biking instead until I lose a bit more weight.2
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I hear ya. I tried to start the Couch to 5K program about a month and a half ago, but I was sore for a week. Decided to take smaller steps toward it, doing lower impact biking instead until I lose a bit more weight.
I have heard good things about the couch 5k program.
I am almost light enough to have the surgery I need to unlock more activity. I have already started looking at different bike options because I am so excited to do it again.1 -
It's pretty great, I did the program in 2009 and it helped me lose the 100 lbs I lost back then. I didn't start running until I was maybe 275lbs back then... I was just being impatient now I guess
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I cant remember the last time I ran, I did go out this week buy a basketball and went to the park to shoot a little. I used to love basketball, it was nice to shoot around, I am gonna try to keep doing it2
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I cant remember the last time I ran, I did go out this week buy a basketball and went to the park to shoot a little. I used to love basketball, it was nice to shoot around, I am gonna try to keep doing it
That is funny because I was eyeballing the goal that came with the house just yesterday. Unfortunately, like many home basketball goals it is not in a great position and when I miss it will be kind of annoying to keep chasing the ball into the neighbor's yard. While that will create a lot of opportunity for movement it will get pretty old pretty fast. Still, like you, I once loved to play so maybe I need to find a different place.
I do think there is value in chipping away at things we want to do.0 -
I cant remember the last time I ran, I did go out this week buy a basketball and went to the park to shoot a little. I used to love basketball, it was nice to shoot around, I am gonna try to keep doing it
That is funny because I was eyeballing the goal that came with the house just yesterday. Unfortunately, like many home basketball goals it is not in a great position and when I miss it will be kind of annoying to keep chasing the ball into the neighbor's yard. While that will create a lot of opportunity for movement it will get pretty old pretty fast. Still, like you, I once loved to play so maybe I need to find a different place.
I do think there is value in chipping away at things we want to do.
I don't know if it is an option but they make those attachments that will guide the ball back to you.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Spalding-NBA-Ball-Return-Yellow/3874951?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228009674843&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=40837242512&wl4=aud-481962823846:pla-78214337727&wl5=9051602&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=3874951&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjw98rpBRAuEiwALmo-ykd_wZ91mS75RKxyABqyMnqOIbHvk1iU4zftRRqqq58jAWXtTN3G7BoCoCwQAvD_BwE
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Wow that is a long link lol0
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That is a long link. That would be helpful when I make a basket. I am assuming since I have not tried in a billion years I will be doing good to hit the backboard 30 percent of the time.0
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@TwinThompson
You mentioned struggling with protein as a vegetarian in "Getting Started". Here is a link to a thread with protein sources for all 3 categories:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/926789/protein-sources/p11 -
@NovusDies that’s champion!! Few surprises on the veggie list there1
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I've let myself get a bit more lax with my calories after I started running. Where I was aiming for 1800 for intake, I'm now landing around 2000 on average. My progress has slowed and I'm not super happy with it, so I'm going to try something else.
Starting today, I'm going to start 16:8 IF (intermittent fasting) with a calorie goal somewhere between 1700-1800 per day. I've been doing IF on the weekends for a few months now and that has helped me control my calories when I do it.
Essentially I'm cutting out one of my guilty pleasures -- my morning sausage egg and cheese on a bagel sandwich. I can do without it and hopefully it'll be what I need to see a better weight loss pace.2 -
I try to eat a very light breakfast unless I am extremely hungry....I like my bigger meals and snacks later in the day...let us know how it goes for you1
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I used to feel like I had to have breakfast, and snacks, and generally was eating whenever I felt a tiny bit hungry or bored.
this summer I started biking to work, and also tried out what I'll call lazy intermittent fasting. basically, I started sipping breakfast, because I found I wasn't actually hungry until 10a, 11a, or even noon. it also meant not having a large bagel with cream cheese every morning, so saved a bunch of energy points there. then I'd eat within an 8-9 hour window, which helped me cut off snacking after dinner.
that all helped me establish my weekly routine of a smallish lunch (450), a snack or two (150 per), then a big dinner, which is nice because I don't have to worry much about cutting back on that meal. weekends are often less rigorous, but it helps that Mondays start right back up again. I also stick to maintenance level as needed. it's been great, and best of all it hasn't been *difficult* since I'm mostly eating all the same things, just less
I don't worry about protein levels much, even as a vegetarian, because I figure my cells make what they need for the most part. average daily intake is 50/30/20 carb/fat/protein.
last thing: for me success has come down to keeping it simple. I eat my regular food types, while monitoring energy/cal intake. and biking has been amazing my because--if I'm honest--I'm pretty lazy about going somewhere to specifically work out (a gym), but my bike is always just right there for me to hop on and get outside!3 -
I think the difference in my "plan" this time around was making smaller changes. I still eat all the same things I always have I just eat less of them or eat them less often (looking at you Oreos).
But overall I think the biggest change in my "plan" was that I stopped caring how long it would take me. I didn't worry about if it would take 6 months or 1 year or 5 years. The time was going to pass anyways and putting it off was just delaying the inevitable.
Even now. I may not be actively seeking weightloss but I know that my strength goals are going to take me years to achieve. and there will always be another goal, another thing I want to achieve.6 -
After reading @NovusDies responses to my data I'm going to do a couple of things. 1. I'm putting away my scale (don't panic, not my food scale!) for a month and not weighing myself
2. Tightening up my my logging and double-checking all my entries
3. Focussing on how I'm feeling not what I weigh
Hopefully in a month I will have broken through this plateau. Also in a month life will be much less stressful work-wise and that may be having an impact.5 -
My plan short and long term is to keep doing what I am doing!...4
