food logging

MichelleCallahan5886

So I logged for the first time today and I'm double the suggested calories. I'm new, names Michelle from Pennsylvania, and I've chosen the fasting 14:10 plan. I'm crossing my fingers. Anyone have any suggestions?

Alatariel75

Impossible to say without knowing what you're logging. Any chance of getting a screencap of what you logged?

MichelleCallahan5886

Screen shot

lynn_glenmont

Could you clarify whether the problem is that you've simply eaten more than your goal amount or that you're experiencing logging issues?

AstralCrazy

Personally when I first started logging I could not do the calories MFP told me to eat. I'm 5'3 and was sedentary at the time. I was also 175-ish pounds (mostly fat, little muscle, BMI over 30) and I got that way eating around 2200-2500 calories a day. Axing it straight away to 1300 calories per day was NOT in the cards for me.

What was way easier was setting a goal of 1700 calories per day. It was a lot less aggressive, I still lost a little bit of weight, and I was able to get used to feeling hungry (the key is, I had NO tolerance for hunger and had to get used to it lol). This was also a time where I was swapping quite a few food choices for healthier and more filling options (think fiber and protein), so having more wiggle room to experiment helped in the long run. Over time I also got used to being hungry in the evenings, which helped a lot of my snacking habits.

Over time 1700 calories got close to being maintenance calories, and I stopped losing the little that I was. I started lifting weights at the gym and, after some initial water weight bloating from my muscles being in absolute shock, I started losing again. That method lost me 15lbs over a few months, which was worth it because now I'm more comfortable with 1500 calories per day while I try to lose about 15lbs more. This is the slow way, but it was the only sustainable way for me.

I suppose this is all to say that I am working towards my 1200-1300 maintenance calories very slowly. If you're like me, halving your intake is torture. Maybe you could try seeing where you land for a week or so with food logging, then set yourself a mini goal to cut out 300-500 calories per day. After that it will just be watching for trends and making adjustments that align with your goals (and sanity lol). Good luck!

totameafox

You can try looking adding low calorie foods to your meals. lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini are my go tos. My boyfriend swears I eat too much food and I eat 1200 to 1300 calories a day. You just have to adjust what your meal composition is. It is possible to feel satisfied and lose weight.

avatiach

I love that you logged honestly. Being honest with ourselves is HARD! I would suggest logging for a week, even if you are well over—it will give you an idea of where to start. And you can look at things you could eat less of or none of (e.g. sweets or chips) and things you could try lower-cal versions of, or more protein, etc. There is a group of old-timers here who will make suggestions and look at your diary—IF you want them to.

LisaDilley7707

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48534837#Comment_48534837

This is my approach ^^ - just log what you're eating for now, without worrying about making big changes. Just logging accurately is a skill that will help you learn about your nutritional needs, and just seeing the numbers staring you in the face will help you trim a little here and there. The next step would be to find places you can make easy cuts - can you add a few grams less cheese to your salad? 10% fewer croutons on your salad? 1/2 a candy-bar for snack time rather than the whole? Tiny little changes to high-cost foods will make a big difference. Little by little you'll learn by experience how you feel best and how to balance your nutritional needs. And, bonus - every tiny change you make to your normal will be an improvement and could reap health benefits, "almost" effortlessly, and success breeds motivation, and more success. One step at a time - hang in there!

PurplePenguinnn

It's it's crazy that we're talking about honesty with logging because sometimes I look and I see that lower calorie amount for the same thing and I just want to click it even if it's not right. But then we're only lying to ourselves

barabaradem

Hi Michelle! First off, don't get discouraged about being over calories. When I first started logging, I was shocked to see how much I was actually eating. Actually seeing the totals puts everything into perspective. It's easy to think 'why bother' after going over, but logging helps you understand your eating habits. For the 14:10 fasting plan, consistency is key. Try pre-logging your meals to help stay within your calorie goals, and remember that every log is a learning opportunity, not a punishment. You've already taken the first important step by tracking!

rms62003

Congrats on logging your food, that is the first step! If we log accurately, ALL of us will be over the suggested calories on our usual food consumption (that's why we are here!)

Instead of trying to cut all the way down to what you should be on, try to make one or two substitutions a week for better eating. This way you can slowly work into a healthier diet that is more sustainable.

Cutting your usual calories by 300 a day (not really a lot, if you think about what your daily amount is) can help, even if it is still over what MFP says you should have.