Can anyone point me in the direction of calorie deficit plans?

sckris

My doctor gave me a goal of 1800 calories a day. I should take in 90g of protein, 90g of fiber, carbs are limited to 15g for snacks and 30-45g per meal. I want to meal prep to make things easier for me.

NikkiVY06

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291554/30-day-low-carb-meal-plan-1200-calories/#toc-day-11

Gisel2015

90 grams of fiber a day?????

AnnPT77

Yeah, I'd check on that 90g fiber thing: The normal recommendation is 25-30-ish grams, and I'm atypically high at 40-60 on maintenance calories. Unless you have a truly unusual health condition, that sounds weird.

I'd also suggest asking the doctor about a fats minimum, since fats contain essential nutrients (that our bodies can't manufacture out of any other food intake), too.

If you get 90g protein, that's 360 calories of pure protein. If you do 3 meals of 45g carbs plus 2 snacks of 15g carbs (just as an example), that's 165g of carbs total, which would be 660 calories. That protein and those carbs total to 1020 calories, so with 1800 calories in play, you'd have 780 calories left to spend on fats, which would be about 86-87g of fats. That doesn't sound crazy to me.

Depending on where you live, the accounting can get weird, but fiber is a carb that theoretically has calories, but we don't mostly absorb those calories. That's why I didn't account for them in the paragraph above. If a person chooses primarily foods that are less processed, such as veggies, fruits, and whole grains (alongside meats, fish, dairy for protein/fats), my experience is that a sensible mix will provide adequate fiber . . . not 90g, which isn't normal, but the normally-recommended 25-30g or so.

There are various apps that will give specific, detailed meal plans, such as this one:

https://www.eatthismuch.com/

I've been told that if you sign up for a free account there, you can tailor the macros in detail. (I've only played with the free/no account options. It's kind of slick. No, I don't work for that site, or get compensated in any way for suggesting it. I don't even use it, since for myself I don't want anyone telling me what to eat! )

Personally, instead of an externally-dictated diet plan, I'd suggest starting by logging what you eat now, then look at what you can most easily cut to reach your calorie goal; then make the next easiest cuts to free up some calories; then spend those calories on things you enjoy eating that move you closer to your goals. If you do this analysis/adjustment process repeatedly and routinely, it won't take long to reach your intended eating pattern, and it will be tailored to you. IMO, that's better than any externally-imposed eating plan.

Also, don't feel that you need to be exactly exact on your target macros every single day. That's frustratingly difficult. Pretty close on average over a few days will be fine: Up on some one day, down on those and up on others another day, averaging out close to your target over a few days to a week.

Best wishes!

sckris

Yes, I was advised to have 90g of fiber. I have type 2 diabetes with high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. I am also severely overweight at the moment. I have lost almost 30 lbs so far. I have read some articles that say that 70 or more grams of fiber may cause issues. I am not as concerned with the amount of fiber as I am with staying within the calorie and protein intake.

claireychn074

Can I just suggest you increase that fibre gradually? I eat c30-40g most days but I know that over 40 will cause gastric issues. Like bad pain, wind and reflux. Maybe just increase gradually until you reach that? It seems high to me but I’m not an expert!

Corina1143

Please say no!
Not 90 grams of fiber! At least not now. Log what you eat now to get an idea how much fiber you're eating now. Add a few grams a day for a few weeks, then a few more.
My sugar is fine. Blood pressure was high (150-160 over 80), cholesterol high. Lost 50 pounds. Was 5'8", 220ish. Got rid of some chronic pain. Blood pressure now 115-125 over 60 with no medication. Haven't done Blood tests. Aim for 30 grams fiber a day. It's still hard for me to hit that goal. Can't imagine 90!

AnnPT77

Definitely increase fiber gradually from where you are now, no matter how high you feel you need to get! Going up in large increments has the potential to cause multiple different kinds of digestive tract distress, and which one(s) may happen is somewhat individual. You might get lucky, and tolerate a bigger jump, but I wouldn't recommend that.

The calorie and protein intake should be achievable, especially if you're an omnivore. (I can get over 100g on 1850 calories even as a vegetarian.) It may take some food diary analysis and tweaking of routine habits to get there, but it's a realistic goal IMO.

Like Corina, I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol (also high triglycerides) and everything normalized with weight loss - part way through weight loss, for me - plus my joint pain (from osteoarthritis and a torn meniscus) went from routine and fairly unpleasant to much less frequent and fairly minor. Like her, I also lost 50 pounds, which for me was the difference between class 1 obese and a healthy weight. I was lucky enough not to have high blood sugar, but I've seen others here say they brought that under control through some combination of weight loss, improved overall diet quality, and manageable exercise.

I'm cheering for you to succeed: The results are worth the effort!

sckris

Thank you everyone! I agree that the 90g of fiber seems excessive. I have enough to deal with without adding more issues to my health. I believe I will try to stay withing the recommended daily allowance for fiber. I do okay with protein as I mostly eat lean meat with fruit and vegetables. Very limited dairy. I definitely need to up my water intake and stay away from sweets. I appreciate all of your helpful advice.