What's on your mind today?
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Three days of the challenge completed and I have one struggle going on and would love input. So I have been participating by using my calorie goal that does not include exercise calories (1430 cal) while my 20+ minutes daily exercise is averaging over 200 calories a day, and I should add that I am only counting "formal" exercise and not my typical daily activities. While I am down 1.6 pounds in 3 days (6.4 in 3 weeks), which is nice, I am now hungry ALL THE TIME, which was not the case the first 18 days of MFP tracking and 4.8 pounds.
What would you do?
Different things work for different people. I have found starting my day with protein eliminates much of my hunger throughout the day. I am a grazer and planning smaller, more frequent meals works for me. I also do not believe in fat-free or reduced-fat products. I find eating smaller amounts of full-fat foods is more satisfying and keeps me satisfied for much longer periods of time.
Good luck! Let's us know what ideas you incorporate and what works for you!
@SuziQ113 I am skewing pretty well towards lower carb but I did realize during my walk this morning, that yesterday was comparatively high (I crossed 100 carbs) so maybe that is a component. Today should be better on the fats (cream cheese is involved in my lunch). Do you have any thoughts in how you would handle the calories consumption? Would you continue to do the daily exercise of over 200 cal, stay under the 1430 daily total, and just shift macros? Or would you consider eating back a portion of the exercise? BTW I am 59 (almost), 146.2 and 5' 4.5". If that helps.
I am still in loss mode so I try not to eat exercise calories. Sometimes I plan on eating them back because I'm going out and eating away from home. I'm 56 and 5'9". My daily calorie goal is 1200 so a little lower than you.
I think all of us are a little different and have to experiment with what works best for us. I do not pay attention to macros. I am more the how my body feels type. I'm much more satisfied with a baked potato and vegetables than a steak and salad.0 -
Three days of the challenge completed and I have one struggle going on and would love input. So I have been participating by using my calorie goal that does not include exercise calories (1430 cal) while my 20+ minutes daily exercise is averaging over 200 calories a day, and I should add that I am only counting "formal" exercise and not my typical daily activities. While I am down 1.6 pounds in 3 days (6.4 in 3 weeks), which is nice, I am now hungry ALL THE TIME, which was not the case the first 18 days of MFP tracking and 4.8 pounds.
What would you do?
Different things work for different people. I have found starting my day with protein eliminates much of my hunger throughout the day. I am a grazer and planning smaller, more frequent meals works for me. I also do not believe in fat-free or reduced-fat products. I find eating smaller amounts of full-fat foods is more satisfying and keeps me satisfied for much longer periods of time.
Good luck! Let's us know what ideas you incorporate and what works for you!
@SuziQ113 I am skewing pretty well towards lower carb but I did realize during my walk this morning, that yesterday was comparatively high (I crossed 100 carbs) so maybe that is a component. Today should be better on the fats (cream cheese is involved in my lunch). Do you have any thoughts in how you would handle the calories consumption? Would you continue to do the daily exercise of over 200 cal, stay under the 1430 daily total, and just shift macros? Or would you consider eating back a portion of the exercise? BTW I am 59 (almost), 146.2 and 5' 4.5". If that helps.
I am still in loss mode so I try not to eat exercise calories. Sometimes I plan on eating them back because I'm going out and eating away from home. I'm 56 and 5'9". My daily calorie goal is 1200 so a little lower than you.
I think all of us are a little different and have to experiment with what works best for us. I do not pay attention to macros. I am more the how my body feels type. I'm much more satisfied with a baked potato and vegetables than a steak and salad.
Wow! You are taller and younger than me and eating fewer calories. I think I would be chewing my arm off at 1200.
BTW I saw in your intro post that you did WW at one time. I started with them in 2001, lost my "then" weight and began working for them in 2002. I worked for them until 2014 and continued as a member. Then the program drifted so much from what I needed, it no longer supported me. Since I was free lifetime, I attended for friendships. Then COVID, and my weight gain, so no more meetings for a while. Happy I am here!
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@SModa61 I saw your post about feeling hungry and wondering about eating exercise calories back. I try and start my day with mostly protein. This fills me up longer. I also eat plenty of veggies like cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, etc..that I can quickly munch through the day. Sometimes I eat them plain and other times with peanutbutter or hummus. I am 143 pounds and 5'2, 52 years old. My calorie total for day is 1200. I usually burn 500 calories a day on my treadmill. I will eat calories back if needed, but I usually at end of day have around 400 left after exercise. I think once you feel like you are starving it gets hard to stay on track. I find days I feel that way I usually didnt eat enough protein or veggies. Don't get hard on yourself if you are hungry and need to eat some of those exercise calories back. Hopefully you can get some new ideas on here that will help. Good luck!1
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ginadomaszewicz wrote: »@SModa61 I saw your post about feeling hungry and wondering about eating exercise calories back. I try and start my day with mostly protein. This fills me up longer. I also eat plenty of veggies like cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, etc..that I can quickly munch through the day. Sometimes I eat them plain and other times with peanutbutter or hummus. I am 143 pounds and 5'2, 52 years old. My calorie total for day is 1200. I usually burn 500 calories a day on my treadmill. I will eat calories back if needed, but I usually at end of day have around 400 left after exercise. I think once you feel like you are starving it gets hard to stay on track. I find days I feel that way I usually didnt eat enough protein or veggies. Don't get hard on yourself if you are hungry and need to eat some of those exercise calories back. Hopefully you can get some new ideas on here that will help. Good luck!
Thanks for your response. At the end of today, I am feeling more sane and yes my macros today were lower in carb protein at 126g and 62g fat if I recall. Slightly hungry right now, but appropriately so. I don't know how you and suziQ are doing these 1200 cal/day and exercising. The day that set off this whole hunger cycle was Thursday when I ate something like 1198 plus upper 200 in exercise. I was ok that day. Then friday morning, i could not get unhungry, then Sat the same, and then my post this morning, Sunday. If I had crossed my 1340 on friday and used exercise points, I think i could have stopped it. But then I would have crossed my target calories for the challenge. Anyhow, thank you again! 3 -
@alligatorob Congratulations on the great catch!!
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Three days of the challenge completed and I have one struggle going on and would love input. So I have been participating by using my calorie goal that does not include exercise calories (1430 cal) while my 20+ minutes daily exercise is averaging over 200 calories a day, and I should add that I am only counting "formal" exercise and not my typical daily activities. While I am down 1.6 pounds in 3 days (6.4 in 3 weeks), which is nice, I am now hungry ALL THE TIME, which was not the case the first 18 days of MFP tracking and 4.8 pounds.
What would you do?
Everyone is different and it takes time to get into the rhythm of things. I'm 74, 5"2' and am currently in maintenance around 150. I normally eat about 1600 calories a day. (TDEE = 1560 approx) I log intentional exercise Usually around 300 a day, but don't often eat them back. When I want to lose weight I stick to the 1600. I usually prelog my basic intake with carbs/protein/Fat of 50%/20%/30%. And then add in a few indulgences. I do extra exercise if I want to really indulge.
If I feel hungry, I drink a glass of water, and wait 15 minutes. Sometimes we can confuse being thirsty with being hungry.
If you are hungry, try and eat a small amount of carbs + protein. A cracker with cheese or peanut butter. A few nuts. Celery with houmous, etc. Eat them slowly and savour the flavour.
I keep a supply of fresh fruit and veg
Being prepared with healthy snacks and strategies for when the nibblies bite.
Use HALT Questions
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I'm in a mental tiz at the moment. I have decided to try to get back to my local gym after a period away. I feel quite embaresed because I used to be fit but I had a lot of stuff happen which knocked me off track and now I am far from being fit. I know for me if I get back into it I will be able to hit my goals faster but I'm getting a bit paranoid in case someone I used to know sees me who doesn't know my life story. I know this is mainly crap thinking and I do need to go. I'm going to go whatever. I have an appoityment with the PT at 10 to get a programme together so I think after that I'll hide away on a machine in the darkest courner of the gym.6
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I am starting late in October, but I am ready to start again.
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For those who know me from previous months, I am pleased to report that the work-related stress has diminished - even though the volume has continued to rise, my new processes are managing to keep me both on track and able to manage.
(I have been computer-working from home since mid-March - the one element of my work responsibilities that plays to my weakest combination of skills started escalating in July - practically broke me by end of August (was already at low end of maintenance, but started to LOSE weight - not great!)
- started to identify key problem-factors and find more efficient ways to task-manage though September - weight back where it should be now. And I have even MORE active micro-project tasks running simultaneously right now than ever, yet feeling far less stressed about them. Not relaxed by any means - just not frentic-frantic)
My new system is working.5 -
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this is the common ground place for "find again" stuff such as recipes ... so copying and adding to something from the daily thread for myself and incase others can chip in ....
(yogurt and PB fruit&veg dip first mentioned in passing by cjane917, and MaltedTea ask for the recipe details ... )
roasting pears?? How does one roast pears, please?? (and other roastable fruit suggestions welcome)
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First off: HAPPY BIRTHDAY @BMcC9!!this is the common ground place for "find again" stuff such as recipes ... so copying and adding to something from the daily thread for myself and incase others can chip in ....
(yogurt and PB fruit&veg dip first mentioned in passing by cjane917, and MaltedTea ask for the recipe details ... )
roasting pears?? How does one roast pears, please?? (and other roastable fruit suggestions welcome)
Chef I am not. I just wash then core pears (or apples) that I've cut in half and stick 'em under the oven broiler until bubbling and brown.
I leave the fruit's flesh on and you may want to lightly butter/oil/spray the roasting pan you use.
Great as a yogurt topping with homemade granola...and I'm sure it'll be as tasty with @cjane917's dip!
ETA: I've also roasted peaches and strawberries for yogurt toppings. Not sure there's any limit for this, really. The sky's the limit 😉2 -
BTW I saw in your intro post that you did WW at one time. I started with them in 2001, lost my "then" weight and began working for them in 2002. I worked for them until 2014 and continued as a member. Then the program drifted so much from what I needed, it no longer supported me. Since I was free lifetime, I attended for friendships. Then COVID, and my weight gain, so no more meetings for a while. Happy I am here!
It has been quite some time since I was a WW. The last go of it the plan was still on the Points System with the all you can eat foods until one was full, if one wanted to forgo counting points.
Back then 1 point roughly equaled 50 calories and based upon my weight and age at the time I had 20 daily points (1,000 calories) with the floating 35 points. I used to either not use or use those points depending upon what the week had in store for me. Most times I used up for Friday Night Happy Hour.
At the end of August 2019 I decided it was time to get back to healthy. When I checked out the plans and found out there were no longer in-person meetings available I decided to find other programs. Like you, I am very happy I found MFP and the groups I belong to.
Hopefully you are managing your hunger or your body is adjusting.1 -
Well...I am one positive person. However, I find myself trying to grasp that I might have an incurable ailment. (have to wait 10 days for some bloodwork) Then - on the 26th I'm going to an oncologist so they can run some tests. I do know that speculating doesn't do any good...however, being a human...I'm prone to trying to seek answers. Anyway...I'll wait for the test results...and then dig in to research either what I do have...and how best to deal with that...or I will be researching what it could be instead. I am doing the "mom" thing and worrying about how this could impact my sons. I'm very glad that I have been on a journey to better health for 265 days... and now - I have another reason to be even more focused.8
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I don't bring this up to be negative...but if you are struggling with appetite..and you have normally had a good appetite, I would get that checked out medically. I had my first bout of loss of appetite...and that combined with other symptoms now has me being tested for some issues.
If home cooked is what you prefer (which is so much better for you anyway, right? ;D)- I would suggest planning to cook a meal every day...and make it meal prep time. Make enough for several portions.
Wishing you all the best!
Love MadisonM's advice.0 -
this is the common ground place for "find again" stuff such as recipes ... so copying and adding to something from the daily thread for myself and incase others can chip in ....
(yogurt and PB fruit&veg dip first mentioned in passing by cjane917, and MaltedTea ask for the recipe details ... )
roasting pears?? How does one roast pears, please?? (and other roastable fruit suggestions welcome)
I bake cored apples and stuffed with raisins and cinnamon. Not too often now, though, as they are a bit high in calories.1 -
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@dsgoingtodoit - keeping you in thought and prayer! Hugzzzzz!!
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@dsgoingtodoit Warm thoughts to you and virtual hugs. I grew up with pastors who said if you're going to worry don't pray and if you're going to pray, don't worry. But sheesh, it's human to worry, no? Sending all the positive vibes your way!!
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Wild idea crew: do we want to do a zoom call at month's end? If you're interested, let me know and we can do a virtual wave. #isolationstruggles 3
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ForLangston wrote: »Wild idea crew: do we want to do a zoom call at month's end? If you're interested, let me know and we can do a virtual wave. #isolationstruggles
It may be the coffee talking and it being Friday, but...yeah, sure! Why not?
Of course, there are the time zone issues to deal with.2 -
@dsgoingtodoit - I am keeping you in my thoughts.1
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Last month I started going thru my cookbooks trying to find "healthy" recipes. My teenage son doesn't like some of them and just wants "normal" meals.
So I thought I would just find new recipes, stop eating out, and learn the correct portions of the "normal" meals and go from there.
Cutting out the eating-out and learning correct portions should make a big step in developing a healthy lifestyle again. Baby steps and small changes that are actually sustainable for the rest of my life (and for my son) is what I think I should be focusing on. Not like what I normally do in my yo-yo diets, where drastic changes occur, and then when I stop the diet, over time all the weight comes back.
Since it is just me and my son, I am planning on just making single individual servings in ramekins, and my meal mugs I recently bought to help teach us both what correct portions look like. I do have a food scale, but using the food scale at the dinner table sounds odd. I was curious if anyone has any other ideas to help teach correct portions to my teen (and myself as well).
I have a lot of cookbooks - almost a collection of the Big Red Plaids from Better Homes and Gardens. Love them!
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@RangerRickL I went back in the previous posts and found the new UAC Champions addition. This is a great idea! I struggle with posting after I become disqualified (I feel bad/guilty for posting after I become disqualified), and this will help me and others. So glad to see this in the UAC group. I look forward to working on my consistency in the UAC!! Thank you!! 8
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@KCJen I know when I used to be a lifetime member of WW they used to tell us the correct size portion of protein, such as your meat for dinner, should be the size of a deck of cards. When I don't have a scale to weigh my food I do this method. You can also look at the back of labels with your son and see what it says portion size is and if its 1/2 cup for example, measure out a 1/2 cup of something and look at size of it on your plate. Try practicing eyeballing the measurement by first putting it in the cup and then trying on your own on the plate. See if what you put on your plate without measuring actually was correct size and check it. I work with young kids and it can be a fun way to not only do math, but learn healthy eating as well. I also like to eat my meal on a small size plate. It tricks the mind into thinking you are actually eating a lot! Most plates these days are so huge! Good luck!4
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ForLangston wrote: »Wild idea crew: do we want to do a zoom call at month's end? If you're interested, let me know and we can do a virtual wave. #isolationstruggles
That’s a cool idea.1 -
Last month I started going thru my cookbooks trying to find "healthy" recipes. My teenage son doesn't like some of them and just wants "normal" meals. So I thought I would just find new recipes, stop eating out, and learn the correct portions of the "normal" meals and go from there.
Cutting out the eating-out and learning correct portions should make a big step in developing a healthy lifestyle again. Baby steps and small changes that are actually sustainable for the rest of my life (and for my son) is what I think I should be focusing on. Not like what I normally do in my yo-yo diets, where drastic changes occur, and then when I stop the diet, over time all the weight comes back.
Since it is just me and my son, I am planning on just making single individual servings in ramekins, and my meal mugs I recently bought to help teach us both what correct portions look like. I do have a food scale, but using the food scale at the dinner table sounds odd. I was curious if anyone has any other ideas to help teach correct portions to my teen (and myself as well).
I have a lot of cookbooks - almost a collection of the Big Red Plaids from Better Homes and Gardens. Love them!
This is basically what I did when I started on MFP. We largely eat similar food to what we did before. At the beginning DH ate the same as before portionwise, but over time he has joined me in reducing his portion sizes. I prelog for the day and adjust when we weigh portions in the kitchen as it’s served out.
We have no banned foods but some things we seldom have now as we found that after a while they don’t appeal anymore. It’s a matter of re-educating the tastebuds, especially where sodium is involved. I used to heavily salt food, but now I use very little and the taste of the different foods is amazing.4 -
Today I am grateful for:
- this wonderful group of positively supportive people
- The flu jab I got this morning. On less thing to worry about this winter.
- my continued good health.
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@SModa61 concerning eating back exercise calories, I did that and was still able to slowly lose and hit my maintenance goal. It took a while, so you might get faster results eating back fewer of this calories, but you can still get there with time.
I also like to think of it as this: if you set your mfp activity level to active then you will be given more than if sedentary. So if you're sedentary but have a day with lots of activity, you should also be eating back some of that. Activity burns calories so it's okay to eat some back. I think if you're feeling hungry try eating back some more. Then weigh yourself to notice a trend over time.
You can also try things like carrots and celery and a Greek yogurt dip (I like adding lemon juice, sambal oelek, salt, pepper, and herbs) which will fill you up.
@maltedtea and @BMcC9 thanks for sharing about the PB yogurt recipe and pears. Let me know if you try the yogurt and what you think!3 -
Nut butter in yogurt is amazing! Never tried adding salt though. My other go to for yogurt is to add some frozen berries, blueberries or raspberries are my favourites.
My housemate mixes cream cheese with yogurt for a very yummy dip as well.5
