Anyone else get the "counting calories" blues??

lise1212

:noway: So, by the time I list everything ive eaten for breakfast snack and lunch. . . .IM almost out of calories for the day! which means I have to run for an hour just so I can afford to eat dinner, Yikes!! Anyone else struggle with this? IM trying to lose 1 lb. per week, which I thought was not alot, but at this rate I'll be lucky if I don't GAIN weight.

Achrya

I would start pre-logging your food, to give you a better idea of what you can fit in.


That aside, I sometimes get burnout. And then I stop counting and take a mental health break, but I feel like that's a separate issue from yours.

wolfsbayne

I would start pre-logging your food, to give you a better idea of what you can fit in.


That aside, I sometimes get burnout. And then I stop counting and take a mental health break, but I feel like that's a separate issue from yours.

I totally agree with this. Since I started pre-logging, I've found that I'm under my calorie goal and I'm not hungry.

Francl27

It gets better with habit. After a while you know how many calories are in pretty much everything, and you can plan you day better.

I don't prelog my whole day but I make sure to leave myself 200-300 calories for dinner.. It's usually plenty. And I log everything before I prepare it so I'm sure I have the calories for it.

About having to exercise so you can have more calories for dinner... well, that's the idea, lol. If I wasn't active, I would have to eat 1300 calories a day and I'd be very unhappy (and I'd be out of calories by 2pm most days).

kaypee65

You're probably in the same ballpark I am with the number of calories allowed. You might want to rethink what you're having for your meals.

For example, at lunch I had a salmon melt. Skinny salmon salad, cheddar singles, and orowheat sandwich thins. I added a side of steamed Brussels Sprouts. It was plenty of food and only about 400 calories. If I have a 300 calorie breakfast then I still have a solid 600 left.

I have room for an apple and orange snack and a nice dinner. I'm a big fan of Vietnamese salads and they are very low calorie. So I have a huge bowl of lettuce and herbs with some yummy quick pickles, grilled protein and nuoc cham dressing.

That is a lot of food, I'll be under my limit so any tredmill time is a bonus.

Other times I really want some specific food. I was craving sliders a few weeks ago; and they are a PERFECT diet food. I can have one with a couple of lean side dishes. I stay within my budget, satisfy a craving and keep on trucking!

lynn1982

As others have said - prelog!! For me, the key to losing weight has been planning everything in advance. And exercising every day. But mostly planning in advance.

_Zardoz_

Sounds like poor planning. Plan your meals better have the higher calorie ones on days you plan exercise.

McKenzieLeigh

When I first signed up for this site I was that way. I would log for a day, and forget to do it the next or think it wasn't worth my time.

This time this change is about me and taking control and now it is almost fun. Lets see what things I can stick in here without going over. Let's see how I handle a surprise trip to McDonald's for a birthday party or whatever and still stay under my limit. I pre-log my food a lot so I don't get shocked at the end of the day or I can prepare for a bigger meal by pre-logging. I think my hubby gets a little annoyed that my phone is out logging calories before I eat them, but it is working and I will not stop! LOL!

sarafischbach9

Your calories might be set too low. 1200 calories a day is certainly possible, but not healthy for everyone. It's really only for sedentary short women mainly. And I'm talking women who are like four foot eleven or five foot. Even if you are 5'3" or even 5'2" you can get by with a little more calories and still lose weight. I am in between 5'3 and 5'4 and I've been eating 1300-1500 and am losing 1-2 lbs per week. I only eat in the 1200's if I have a lazier day. And I eat more than 1500 if I am super active.

Others have listed good ideas, such as to prelog. That will help you a lot, but make sure your calories are not set too low first. I know a lot of people are not happy on 1200 calories and are better off on 1300 to 1600 per day. Yes, you will need to exercise, but I find that just a part of having a healthy lifestyle. I like to exercise though, as it helps me deal with stress. If I don't get it in, I get stressed out easier.

SoDamnHungry

Make sure you're eating enough calories, first off. And then plan your whole day ahead of time. Or if you can't plan dinner, leave a decent amount of calories for it. Planning is the easiest way to stay within your calorie goals without being surprised.

serindipte

Sounds like you're finding out why you gained 15 lbs. That's actually a good thing and now you can start making smarter choices and swap out your meals until you're eating enough to stay full without taking in as many calories. If you'd like any actual suggestions, opening your food diary would help and then others can point out ways you could save calories for later.

JessieNeutronGirlGenius

Maybe considering counting macros rather than calories, I mean observing calories is always good but making sure you have adequate carbs, proteins, and fats is what's really important. Check out iifym.com

MelodyandBarbells

I have a similar amount of weight to lose as you, OP. Feeling the crunch of not nearly enough calories , I did decide to lower my goal from 1 lb a week to 1/2 lb. since I'm already more or less happy with my body let me tell you I'll be turning cartwheels if I lose anywhere near 26 lbs in a year! I have calories left over some weeks but mostly I'm just glad to feel successful.

kshadows

What is your goal set to? 1200 calories (MFP's apparent default) is quite low for most people (unless you're like 5' or under). I'm 5'6 and I eat 1500-1600 a day and have been steadily losing.

I do agree with prelogging and advance planning. If i know I"m having a big dinner one night, I scale back breakfast and lunch so I can stay under. The only calories I work for are a nighttime snack!

jillyrobb

I wasn't able to exercise at all for a while, and the only way I made 1200 calories/day work was by pre-logging. I started with whatever my big meal for the day would be, and pre-logged it. So if I knew I'd be cooking dinner for the family, or going out for lunch, I started from there, working to adjust it to around 500 calories. I had a few standard breakfasts that I knew would run between 150 and 200 calories, and then I'd try to keep lunch around 350 calories--always leaving about 150 for my evening beer/glass of wine!

After a week or so, I'd worked things out and was rarely hungry or tired. But I always tried to leave room for my evening treat--whether it was wine, or something sweet--knowing that without it I'd feel mentally deprived.

I learned that lowfat protein in the morning got me through until lunch, even if it was just a big milky skim latte or a cup of yogurt or a piece of string cheese, along with a piece of fruit for fiber. And drinking lots of water in between meals 1) kept me from feeling hungry, and 2) kept me from that mindless snacking just to have something to do with my hands/mouth.

Now that I'm able to exercise, it's much easier, and I've added more snacks to the mix. But it turned out to be a good thing in yhe end, because I identified a few go-to breakfasts, lunches, and snacks that won't break the bank on days I can't exercise. I still pre-log whenever I can, keeping each meal around 500 calories, with fewer for breakfast unless I'm getting up early to exercise.

HOPEPATRICK74

I have to agree with most everyone else. I prelog the early part of my day, and decide what I can have for dinner based on how many calories I have left. Usually if we are having burgers or something like for dinner I'll do it without the bread so I don't use it all up there, and I can usually have a side. I have been going towards the steamable packs of veggies I can pop in the microwave.

I have noticed I have been drinking alot of my calories during the day. I don't know if that is good or not. I've been a chicken and not stepping on the scale in about 2 weks now.

cwolfman13

I agree with pre-logging....and just get on a regular exercise schedule and enjoy eating a bit more. Regular exercise is very good for you and it's pretty crucial to long term maintenance.

Mr_Knight

Another vote for pre-logging.