Having a hard time finding the calorie balance
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GravyDumpster
Posts: 7 Member
I started out in Feb at 210 and lost 30 pounds over 7 months to end up at 180 in early Sept. I've fluctuated between 178 and 180 for two months now, which is great. My doctor said I should stop losing and it wouldn't kill me to gain a few pounds back. I'm not modifying my diet at all (not much), just eating less. Mainly eating less sugar and fat and trying to eat more healthy protein like lean meat and fish.
When I'm looking for extra calories at the end of the day to keep my count up, it's really hard to find stuff that isn't fatty and/or sugary and/or loaded with carbs. Like Ice Cream or Cereal or whatever. That's the stuff that got me to gain 30 pounds in the first place! Maybe I'm good with those choices, just not eat as much as I did before.
Thoughts?
When I'm looking for extra calories at the end of the day to keep my count up, it's really hard to find stuff that isn't fatty and/or sugary and/or loaded with carbs. Like Ice Cream or Cereal or whatever. That's the stuff that got me to gain 30 pounds in the first place! Maybe I'm good with those choices, just not eat as much as I did before.
Thoughts?
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Replies
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fat is healthy and essential... i vote peanut butter5
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Enjoy the ice cream, cereal or whatever you like, I know I would if I had the spare calories
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Enjoy the ice cream, cereal or whatever you like, I know I would if I had the spare calories
It's one advantage of being tall. I get a 2400 calorie allowance. A lot of short women get waaaay less than that. I would die! My weight loss amount was 1900 and that was a little hard to do.1 -
I have found that the "treats" are a gateway to hell's kitchen for me in maintenance so I make my adders small things - like edemame added to salad or maybe an extra teaspoon of dressing. An extra squirt of coffee flavoring. A few nuts sprinkled. etc. I tried opening the door with the extra snacks at work - like say a candy bar etc and found that it was just not possible for me to stop there. Also there are some great lower cal ice cream choices in pints or pops (enlighten or yasso) which is a quick 100 cal add during the day for a snack. I try to stay as far away from chips and cookies and candy as possible..... 13
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@SummerSkier. “Hell’s Kitchen” is a good description lol. I know what you mean about candy, cookies, and chips. Avoidance seems to be the best for me, too. I just can’t eat them in moderation!9
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Think about all the foods you like and try out a few as options. Some of the things I enjoy but still provide some useful nutrients are:
Greek yogurt + blueberries
Greek yogurt + half serving of crunchy cereal or granola
Apple + peanut butter
Pear + hummus
Carrots, celery, etc + hummus
Small sweet potato + Greek yogurt or hummus
(Yeah, I love hummus)
Smoothies made with lots of fruit and/or veggies - add enough frozen food/ice and they can be eaten with a spoon
I also eat small candy bars and other sweets with a goal to keep them at 100 calories or less (except for once a month when I eat a big dessert).
Caveat, I'm petite. Right now, to lose .5 lb/week, I can eat around 1350 calories inclusive of activity/exercise that's approximately 10,000 steps daily. Maintenance for me will only be 1500-1600 calories total.3 -
Nuts2
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nuts, peanut butter, granola, cottage cheese and yogurt1
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I figure that once the nutritional boxes are checked - i.e., I've hit my protein & fat minimums, and gotten in my minimum 5+ (10+ preferred) daily servings of veg/fruit - it's fine to eat less nutrient-dense foods, not just "treats", but even alcohol in moderation, to hit near my calorie goal.
Obviously, if there are things I can't moderate, I'm not going to keep those in the house. But there are lots of calorie-dense things I can moderate, including some of the ones listed above (nuts, grains), but also ice cream, dried fruit, beer or wine, potato chips, cheese, etc. Portion control is key. Also, for foods I have trouble moderating, like rich desserts, going out and getting a single serve at a restaurant is an option.
Extra calories can be a daily thing, or "banked" for an indulgent meal or treat now and then, within reason.6 -
@SummerSkier. “Hell’s Kitchen” is a good description lol. I know what you mean about candy, cookies, and chips. Avoidance seems to be the best for me, too. I just can’t eat them in moderation!
I have to avoid a lot of stuff too. I brought some lighter treats in the house once I started upping calories thinking I could learn to moderate and ate them all right away! I'm all good as long as I keep it out of the house and stick to my grocery list.6 -
I do always envy the folks who CAN moderate. I have to find that thread somewhere which discussed the different types and abilities of people to do that esp in maintenance. I think living alone also contributes to the no moderation thing but then again when I was sharing a house, I just would sneak the stuff (yeah I know that sounds ugly but it's true) so maybe not. Probably just my personality. It's sort of like pandora's box also. It's why I don't have that one donut at work either. Plus just too many calories for the bang.6
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It's unclear to me whether the problem here is believing that certain macros need to be avoided, or if it's difficulty moderating certain foods. Folks seem to be assuming that it's about struggling to eat those foods in moderation, but I didn't see anything in OP's post to suggest that's their concern. It seems to me that it's more about assuming one cannot/should not be eating much fat/sugar/carb.
Fat, sugar, and/or carbs are not the problem unless your doctor told you to restrict your intake to treat a medical condition. The problem is staying within your calorie goal. So, if you are able to eat those things in moderation, stay within your calorie goal, and get your minimum protein and fat for the day, then there's no reason you can't have whatever snack you want to reach your calorie goal. Just weigh out the portion you want. You can have ice cream, cereal, whatever as long as it fits your goals.
If you have the calories for ice cream and want ice cream, but you don't feel that you can stop at one scoop, then maybe it's better to go out for one scoop of ice cream when you want it rather than having a tub of ice cream in the freezer.7 -
Personally, once my nutritional needs are meant I have no problem with having a "treat"...I had ice cream last night for desert and it was delicious. Those things didn't make me fat...eating too much in general made me fat.
If you don't want to opt for a treat, there are plenty of nutritionally sound high calorie foods to choose from...nuts, nut butters, avocados, sauteing or roasting veggies in quality oils, etc.6 -
Not to derail thread but there are obviously those who can moderate and those who can't.. like @SummerSkier says, it's probably a personality thing. But it's a whole other topic.3
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Try roasting some veggies with olive oil drizzled on. My faves are cauliflower carrots Brussel sprouts. They’re bulky so they’re low calorie, nutrient dense and the olive oil is great for you. Fills me up every time! Add on some grated Parmesan right before you pull them out of the oven to add a few more calories. Whatever you do stay away from cereals and anything with grains. That’s like putting sugar directly into your bloodstream! Will only set up your craving for more of the same. Fat is good for you. Don’t shy away from the good oils. I have easily lost weight on a 50% fat diet.2
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Try roasting some veggies with olive oil drizzled on. My faves are cauliflower carrots Brussel sprouts. They’re bulky so they’re low calorie, nutrient dense and the olive oil is great for you. Fills me up every time! Add on some grated Parmesan right before you pull them out of the oven to add a few more calories. Whatever you do stay away from cereals and anything with grains. That’s like putting sugar directly into your bloodstream! Will only set up your craving for more of the same. Fat is good for you. Don’t shy away from the good oils. I have easily lost weight on a 50% fat diet.
That's you, that's not everybody.
I have easily lost weight (and maintained) on a 50% carbs diet. That won't work for everyone, either.
Experimenting, within boundaries of adequate nutrition, is a pretty good plan for most individuals (absent medical constraints), I think.7 -
Isn’t eating any type of carb “putting sugar into yr bloodstream” they all break down into sugar in the end whether broccoli or table sugar4
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cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »Isn’t eating any type of carb “putting sugar into yr bloodstream” they all break down into sugar in the end whether broccoli or table sugar
PP mentioned carrots . . . 4.7g sugar per 100g of the innocent-looking orange things. Hidden sugars, by golly - not even on the ingredients list! And 9.6g carbs, which is over 93% of carrot calories from carbs. Tsk, tsk!
<== Note emoticon.
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cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »Isn’t eating any type of carb “putting sugar into yr bloodstream” they all break down into sugar in the end whether broccoli or table sugar
PP mentioned carrots . . . 4.7g sugar per 100g of the innocent-looking orange things. Hidden sugars, by golly - not even on the ingredients list! And 9.6g carbs, which is over 93% of carrot calories from carbs. Tsk, tsk! <== Note emoticon.
Yes when my horse foundered several years ago he was put on a low sugar/starch diet. I was totally surprised when the vet said no carrots and that if anything at all apples would be better. WOW. But still there remains the theory (ok kidding emoticon on) that carrots and celery burn more calories than they have because they are harder to digest. {end kidding emoticon off)3 -
My go to is frozen yogurt/skyr bars or fudgesicles. Almonds are also good. Low-fat cheese and low cal crackers0
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I eat 1/4 cup of very high quality ice cream with nuts and a spoon of yogurt around 9.
Nuts are VERY high in calories. Cheese is very high in calories. Lentils and other beans are very high calories. Oh my gosh! DATES and FIGS are very high calories.
Any staple of any regional diet is very high in calories.
When I was first losing I just dropped dairy, nuts, and bread out of my diet. You can add them back in.
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I eat 1/4 cup of very high quality ice cream with nuts and a spoon of yogurt around 9.
Nuts are VERY high in calories. Cheese is very high in calories. Lentils and other beans are very high calories. Oh my gosh! DATES and FIGS are very high calories.
Any staple of any regional diet is very high in calories.
When I was first losing I just dropped dairy, nuts, and bread out of my diet. You can add them back in.
Seriously. I love love love figs, but at ~55 calories for *one* fig, that’s sadder than the calorie density of peanut butter.2
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