Boy when I think back to how much and what I used to eat!

OAS5

Now that I have lost 72 pounds over the past 13 months or so and I think back to how much and what I used to eat I almost get sick. Mindless eating, over eating, and just plain eating horribly. When I got home from work it was like bonkers time with eating. Didn't think about calories or how much fat, didn't even know what marcos were. Boy I wonder just how many calories, fat, sugar, carbs I was taking in back then. If I had to guess, 4,000 a day? Maybe more? Just glad I got the message and changed all that. 10 more pounds to my goal and feeling great! God I love dressing like a normal person again in clothes that fit and look good. Sorry, just rambling now.

nighthawk584

I'm right there with you. I simply didn't care. I stuffed junk food down like there was no tomorrow. I easily ate 3500-4000 calories a day and basically sat on my butt and didn't move.

OAS5

nighthawk584 wrote: »

I'm right there with you. I simply didn't care. I stuffed junk food down like there was no tomorrow. I easily ate 3500-4000 calories a day and basically sat on my butt and didn't move.

Yes like cakes and pastries without a care. Like what the heck was I doing? Now I think about everything I eat, I make actual decisions, better decisions now of course.

LyndaBSS

Well done. It's exciting reading success stories. Thanks for sharing your insight.

corinasue1143

I didn’t eat so much, but boy could I drink Coke! And coke floats! And Coke and milk!

OAS5

corinasue1143 wrote: »

I didn’t eat so much, but boy could I drink Coke! And coke floats! And Coke and milk!

Soda will do it for sure. The sugar in those drinks as we know is sky high. I only drink water now as I think most people who have lost weight. Once in a while I'll leave a zero calorie flavored drink but that's not very often. Kirkland organic unsweetened vanilla almond milk is the only milk I drink too now. Decisions, decisions, decisions right.

seltzermint555

I was one of those who really didn't think I was eating that much or that badly...but I made the worst choices a lot of times w/o even realizing it at all!

Learning what calories & nutrition info is in food has been the biggest eye opener for me! Before I started using MFP, I lost about 40 lb to start with but it took me six years to do that. I lost a lot more once I got clued in to what I was doing wrong.

A few examples of what I was doing wrong, some things that seemed relatively "innocent"...

~ drinking a lot of 1% and 2% milk, typically a 12 or 16 oz serving, thinking "it's healthy, what could be bad about this?"
~opting for cereal (double serving because I didn't measure it) with milk and a small cup of oj thinking it was a healthy breakfast...it killed me later to realize I could have been choosing an egg & toast or Greek yogurt for less than 1/2 the calories
~ getting a Starbucks latte or mocha thinking it was a better option than a chocolate bar (while some of them have twice the calories & sugar of a chocolate bar)
~ eating 2 frozen burritos on top of Spanish rice made from a box. Not a huge meal and not that satisfying...but it was over 1,200 calories
~ getting salads and/or desserts in chain restaurants that were as "bad" calorie-wise as some of the indulgent entrees
~ gulping down grape juice or grapefruit juice if I felt thirsty in the middle of the night

MNNiceForLife

Awareness is the key...I don't think the majority of the population has any idea of what they are consuming and how much, portions sizes are out of control. So happy for you and your success! Feel free to friend me if you'd like! Good luck on your journey!!

heatherschnitzler

I was almost the same way. I had no idea how many calories I was eating and I didn’t care because I thought I was eating healthy. I didn’t eat sugar, bread, soda, or junk food, ate plenty of veggies, but couldn’t lose weight. Turns out I was just eating too much. I’ve lost 14lbs in 12 weeks with MFP...oh, and did I mention I’ve had Mac and cheese twice this week? Lol. That’s something I would have NEVER done before counting calories! Boy does it taste good!

gallicinvasion

I was awful: truly addicted to fast food for a while there. I would use it as a mid-work-day de-stress ritual. I would get two or three different burgers or chicken sandwiches, plus large fries, dipping sauces, maybe even chicken nuggets too.

Then I would order takeout when I got home. Just way way way too much. I bet I was in the 5000 calorie range for many weekdays. And weekends were excuses to go out to eat multiple times.

deeamahiadzi

I had no idea just how much calories I was doing until I started USING MFP a month ago.
Looking back I was doing 3500-4000 calories a day and sitting on my butt for most of the day.
I can most certainly see the different now.... My clothes are less tight.

OAS5

Awesome replies guys, awesome information. The key we can say is education and awareness. Understand what all those numbers on the back of food packages mean, what they tell you.
Is it not, what, 3500 calories over your maintenance calories equals 1 pound. When I think of that way it seems insane how many calories I was taking in then. I mean what the heck was I doing. I have a pretty physical job too.

RastaLousGirl

Yes! The same with me! When I started CICO, I thought no wonder I had gained so much weight so fast. Especially during pregnancy. I would sit and watch my shows while eating milk and cookies without giving any thought to finishing off the bag. I don't feel full or satisfied easily, so I could easily consume over 4000 calories a day.

OAS5

RastaLousGirl wrote: »

Yes! The same with me! When I started CICO, I thought no wonder I had gained so much weight so fast. Especially during pregnancy. I would sit and watch my shows while eating milk and cookies without giving any thought to finishing off the bag. I don't feel full or satisfied easily, so I could easily consume over 4000 calories a day.

Exactly, I think about it and it's almost like I woke up from a coma. Like I was in a food fog just eating without a thought.
The contrast to now, today is astounding. I'm at a birthday party today in which I have no control dinner. I just had to make the best of it and make good, the tight decisions. Had some salad which had a pretty healthy dressing, not the greatest on Earth but not too bad either. Had a bit of pasta with meat sauce. Now it's desert time and I see pineapple and other fruit. I also see cake and pastries. Guess what I'm having, fruit. I will have half a cupcake because my wife made them. In the past I would have had 3 cupcakes plus pastries and the fruit too. It's just a different world now, it's my world and I'm in control.

yayamom3

And this is why I get so confused when people complain about how much more expensive it is to eat healthy. What? I eat so much less food now. My grocery bill has gone down tremendously.

LillyStar24

Totally relateable! When I started logging my food, I was in SHOCK at my calorie counts. I couldn't comprehend that number, didn't understand how or why I was eating so much. I was so embarassed. I've managed to lose 28lbs so far, with another 28 to go.

ETA: Congrats to the OP! Thats an awesome loss!

sweetbe44

I used to eat out for almost every meal and supersize everything. AND I'd still be hungry not long after and get the shakes constantly. I used to eat in anticipation of feeling hungry or shaky. How bad it that, smh. I feel so amazing now.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

Cavallaro65 wrote: »

Now that I have lost 72 pounds over the past 13 months or so and I think back to how much and what I used to eat I almost get sick. Mindless eating, over eating, and just plain eating horribly. When I got home from work it was like bonkers time with eating. Didn't think about calories or how much fat, didn't even know what marcos were. Boy I wonder just how many calories, fat, sugar, carbs I was taking in back then. If I had to guess, 4,000 a day? Maybe more? Just glad I got the message and changed all that. 10 more pounds to my goal and feeling great! God I love dressing like a normal person again in clothes that fit and look good. Sorry, just rambling now.

{{{{ HUGS }}}} You are sooooooo NOT alone, I was right there with you, especially the area I bolded. I'm SURE I was downing 4000+ cals per day, because I ate all kinds of stuff, from the time I woke up until the time I went to sleep--I was constantly eating and "snacking" all the blasted time. I just as you say, "mindlessly" ate all day and night...I'm so GLAD those days are over. I now eat yummy stuff, including LOTS of so called "junk-foods", but the difference is now, I eat much smaller portions and less frequently through-out the day.

OAS5

Ya know what is really funny about all this, eating healthy tastes great! Its not bland yucky food, its freaking delicious. I never eat "healthy" that tastes bad, it tastes great. Chicken and fish, veggies, all good, tastes great!