Having a hard time eating all the calories.....

BrainyBurro

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

RivenV

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

You don't have to avoid packaged goods as long as you can eat them in a manner that's consistent with your goals. Do feel free to look at my diary for some good and poor examples of this type of behavior. Most of the time, I try to eat between 1800 and 2000 calories each day, a great deal of which comes from packaged foods. There's even ice cream in there at least once a week, and chocolate almost every single day. You just need to be mindful of your goals and respect the idea that many different combinations of foods can help you reach those goals.

Several months ago, I used to pack a salad for lunch on work days. Every single day. ... But I don't even really like salad. I liked the stuff I put in the salad: cheese, eggs, lunch meats, etc. But I'm not really big on sitting down to eat a big plate of cold vegetables, even if the only vegetable is romaine. I wasn't enjoying my meals and that made trying to lose weight a miserable process. Eventually, you're going to run out of steam trying to eat the "right" things. Then you'll get off track and eat the "wrong" things, which will lead to guilt and complacency. (Of course, this isn't the path everyone goes down, but it is relatively common.) Finally, you'll give up altogether for a while, but inevitably, you're going to look at trying to lose weight again. Then the whole cycle will start anew.

It doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to feel like you're suffering while you're losing weight. For a better, more concise explanation, I would recommend reading through the first post of this thread, at least.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=sexypants
Sidesteel and Sarauk2sf run a very successful and helpful group; if you see posts from either of them while you're reading, I would recommend reading what they're writing because they do really know what they're talking about. Sidesteel posted the sexypants thread, and he included a lot of great links that explain and support his points.

eta: fix a couple typos

KANGOOJUMPS

then don't.
I don't

clambert1273

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

I said it and I am NO clean eater or paleo BS - so try and keep things in perspective. I said it for one reason... sodium and water weight - that is all.

If I cook my food then I know what is there and a lot less sodium (I am not a salt eater anyway)... I love me some lunch meat


ETA: I have NO food issues... I like it, Love it and eat it... what I want, when I want...

RivenV

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

I said it and I am NO clean eater or paleo BS - so try and keep things in perspective. I said it for one reason... sodium and water weight - that is all.

If I cook my food then I know what is there and a lot less sodium (I am not a salt eater anyway)... I love me some lunch meat


ETA: I have NO food issues... I like it, Love it and eat it... what I want, when I want...

Not to rain on your parade, but I got the same gist out of what you said that Brainy did. Maybe it wasn't meant that way, but that's the way I interpreted it, as well. Also, I believe you have some health related problems that make monitoring sodium intake and water weight relevant, no?

Dragonwolf

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

I said it and I am NO clean eater or paleo BS - so try and keep things in perspective. I said it for one reason... sodium and water weight - that is all.

If I cook my food then I know what is there and a lot less sodium (I am not a salt eater anyway)... I love me some lunch meat


ETA: I have NO food issues... I like it, Love it and eat it... what I want, when I want...

Not to rain on your parade, but I got the same gist out of what you said that Brainy did. Maybe it wasn't meant that way, but that's the way I interpreted it, as well. Also, I believe you have some health related problems that make monitoring sodium intake and water weight relevant, no?

Regarding interpretation, perhaps that's your and Brainy's problem, not hers? You don't have to be paleo or vegetarian or any other fringe diet to suggest that a new person would have an easier time overall, and for a number of reasons, if they didn't rely on packaged foods.

It's well-known that sodium intake can mask weight loss progress by retaining water, which discourages newbies. Additionally, a lot of people find that prepackaged foods are often not all that filling, which, again, can be discouraging to a newbie ("I feel like I'm starving and I'm not losing weight!").

mockchoc

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

So true.

cmira5ol

Totally makes sense.......To supplement i use protein bars or protein shakes to meet my macros

clambert1273

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

I said it and I am NO clean eater or paleo BS - so try and keep things in perspective. I said it for one reason... sodium and water weight - that is all.

If I cook my food then I know what is there and a lot less sodium (I am not a salt eater anyway)... I love me some lunch meat


ETA: I have NO food issues... I like it, Love it and eat it... what I want, when I want...

Not to rain on your parade, but I got the same gist out of what you said that Brainy did. Maybe it wasn't meant that way, but that's the way I interpreted it, as well. Also, I believe you have some health related problems that make monitoring sodium intake and water weight relevant, no?

I have no health issues with regards to sodium... so with that... I will say in summary.. I tried to help, offered my diary, and instill that it is OK to eat more than a bird... I also stated multiple times that you should eat what you want without restricting especially considering I have ice cream just about every day.. and because I said one thing on "packaged" items then I am apparently a zealot Clean Eater (makes total sense)... that is laughable

So with that... OP, I wish you the best in your venture... good luck

RivenV

I don't really think I had a lot of packaged goods. The only thing on yesterdays that was was the frozen pizza which I only had bc I had so many calories to spend and according to this thread it doesn't matter where the calories come from and I was encouraged to eat what I want. It's what I had in the fridge. '

If I have to stick to chicken, salad and green beans I'll starve. lol

don't worry about packaged goods. whoever told you that has food issues. forget all that clean/paleo/primal BS. it has NOTHING to do with weight loss. those are just fad diets aimed at people who fear their food. lots of those people end up with full blown eating disorders because they are deathly afraid of eating anything that's "not allowed". don't become one of them.

i personally would like to see all "clean" eaters banned from the public forums on this site. all they do is derail newbs with false information about food being "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy". don't get sucked into it. get started on real weight loss and logging and make some good habits. then later, if you want to investigate the claims made by the "clean" eaters, you can do so armed already with basic knowledge about what does and doesn't work for weight loss.

I said it and I am NO clean eater or paleo BS - so try and keep things in perspective. I said it for one reason... sodium and water weight - that is all.

If I cook my food then I know what is there and a lot less sodium (I am not a salt eater anyway)... I love me some lunch meat


ETA: I have NO food issues... I like it, Love it and eat it... what I want, when I want...

Not to rain on your parade, but I got the same gist out of what you said that Brainy did. Maybe it wasn't meant that way, but that's the way I interpreted it, as well. Also, I believe you have some health related problems that make monitoring sodium intake and water weight relevant, no?

Regarding interpretation, perhaps that's your and Brainy's problem, not hers? You don't have to be paleo or vegetarian or any other fringe diet to suggest that a new person would have an easier time overall, and for a number of reasons, if they didn't rely on packaged foods.

It's well-known that sodium intake can mask weight loss progress by retaining water, which discourages newbies. Additionally, a lot of people find that prepackaged foods are often not all that filling, which, again, can be discouraging to a newbie ("I feel like I'm starving and I'm not losing weight!").

Regarding some folks not finding prepackaged foods are often not all that filling, perhaps that's their problem, not hers? I could also argue that a new person might have an easier time overall with packaged foods since they often state directly what's in them regarding calories and macros, or for a number of other reasons (convenience, availability, etc.).

I will agree that sodium can mask weight loss progress, but it does not impede actual weight loss. While I can understand new folks getting discouraged, I fully think that it's more important to describe to them that their "stall" is just a result of higher sodium intake and water retention. These types of misunderstandings lead to crash diets and "cleanses" that do nothing more than shed excess water weight, etc.

Trying to make a 180-switch from packaged foods to whole foods that often need a large amount of preparation can be discouraging ("I feel like I spend all of my time in the kitchen and I'm obsessing about food in a way that doesn't feel healthy to me!")

sanfly

Thank you! Diary open......have at it. lol

Add some yoghurt and fruit to your cereal. I usually add some unsweetened Greek yoghurt and strawberries if in season, or banana or frozen berries

I also often have a yoghurt in the afternoon for a snack. Be careful, low fat yoghurt a are sometimes loaded up with sugar. In NZ I found yoplait particularly bad for this

Add some more fruit and veggies throughout your day, at meals and for snacks

dqbound

wow I REALLY appreciate EVERYONE'S input. I'm learning so much.

The past two days I've been eating things that appeal to me instead of things I think I should be eating and I have three conclusions:

1. This does not feel like a diet at all. I'm not hungry and I don't miss anything but I really haven't missed anything when I was holding back either but both of those points are good in my book.
2. I'm still working on dealing with the guilt of eating what I want while trying to lose weight.
3. After eating foods I've deemed as "not healthy" ie: packaged etc I did feel like I wanted to eat more so I can see why people try to discourage against it and those foods need to be eaten with caution (at least for me for right now) It also made eathing the healthier foods less appetizing and therefore even harder to eat.

What I'm learning is that everything has to be in moderation and I love the idea of a protein bar to fill in some of the gaps.