What happens when/if you hit your goal?

mblair4185
mblair4185 Posts: 26 Member
So Im new to this and I will be honest...its miserable. Im starving all of the time. It came to me today (after going to three different restaurants looking for a breakfast that was edible and low calorie!) that IF I can make it through this long enough to lose the 35 pds Im wanting to..what happens next? Am I going to have to be miserable like this the rest of my life just to maintain that weight? Do you get to start eating a normal 2000 calories a day or what??

This is just so frustrating. Ive literally just spent 4 hours looking for low cal recipes that I would actually eat and its nearly impossible. I dont see how everyone does it.

In the end its not realistic if Im going to have to continue to be miserable in everything I eat...
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Replies

  • anothermop
    anothermop Posts: 187 Member
    Once I hit my goal, I was then able to eat my exercise calories back and still maintain my weight. My wife doesn't want me to lose not 1 more lb, so she busts my chops if I don't eat my 2,500 cals / day. In fact, I even have to eat ice cream a couple days / week to consume enough cals.

    There are lots of benefits once you hit your goal. (Assuming you continue to exercise.)

    Good luck!
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    For your question - once you meet your goal, you'd eat at maintenance. If you keep eating at a deficit, you'd keep losing weight.

    BUT if you're miserable, my question for you has 2 parts:
    1. What is your goal set at, in terms of how much weight to lose per week and how many calories to eat.
    2. What types of food do you eat?

    Personally, I have about 15 pounds left to lose and my goal is to have a 500 calorie deficit per day. I typically eat in the 1400-1600 calorie range. I eat a decent amount of lean protein (chicken is a staple product), plenty of dairy (some 2%, some regular), lots of fruits and veggies (I try, my 'lots' may be an exaggeration). I eat bread, but less than I used to & often a lower calorie/lower sugar variety. I enjoy sweets, treats. But in moderation. I eat out - fast food and sit down. Had steak and broccoli today for lunch. :)

    When I'm done, I'll eat 1900-2000 calories per day and need to keep focused to keep my activity level up. I don't want to reach my goal weight and then spend 5 hours every night sitting in front of the tv.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    ME:

    Go to the gym the next day. Try not to become a conceited a-hole. Remember to be polite to the guys who are NOW interested but not fall into that trap of "I'm good enough for you now, ok goodie!"

    I will keep it moving and go climb on my bike.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    You create and pursue another.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    When you're done losing weight you eat at maintenance. Ta-da!

    Maybe you should reconsider your intake if you're miserable all the time. What is your weight loss goal per week set at and what is your calorie intake? I'm set at 0.5 lb per week and eating 1950 calories a day.

    Also, if I limited myself to low calorie meals every day I'd probably kill myself. I eat Mc Donald's and pizza at least once a week, ice cream every night. You have to view this as a lifestyle change. Not a diet. Enjoy what you eat. Just eat a little less than before, hit your macros and calorie goal and be happy.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    after going to three different restaurants looking for a breakfast that was edible and low calorie

    Yeah, I'm sorry to be so brusque but you're just going to learn how to cook and MAKE your breakfast. Everything has a solution.

    Miserable, starving, those are really strong words. Try not to use exaggerated language and try to see a solution. If you have to pack your brekkie and lunches, then do it.

    If you don't know how to cook, then learn how.

    Think of something that could be worse. Think about NOT being able to climb onto that rock you are sitting in that picture (nice pic; is that the west?) Change your outlook about what your doing and you will feel better.

    Good luck and keep coming back.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    You create and pursue another.

    Good answer!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    You start another goal. I'm studying to be a Zumba instructor. Actually, I'm already certified as a Basic and Zumba Gold instructor, but I'm slogging away at my ACE group fitness instructor certification exam.

    You shouldn't be hungry. Are you eating enough? I eat about 1500 calories a day plus some of my exercise calories. My goal is to lose 1/2 pound a week. When I reach my new goal, which is to lose some body fat, I am going to approach maintenance differently than the first time. This time I will add 100 calories a week until I stabilize.
  • albionjen
    albionjen Posts: 86 Member
    Once you hit maintenance, you get to eat a few more calories, as long as you stay active. I still continue to log and work out, same as when I was focused on losing weight.

    If you're feeling miserable, you should take a look at your calorie target and types of food you eat. Are you set for 2lb per week? That is a bit steep if you only need to lose 35lb. Also, make sure you eat back your exercise cals if you are using the standard MFP set up. I ate at least 1500kcal per day while losing. The last 5kg I probably averaged close to 2000kcal per day and still lost slowly. Try eating more protein and fibre rich food. E.g. A massive chicken salad has same calories as a relatively small amount of fried chicken, and keeps me fuller.

    Losing weight and getting healthy doesn't have to get a stressful unhappy experience.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    You shouldn't be miserable and starving now! If you are, then I'm guessing your current calorie goal is too low (is it the all-too-common 1200?).

    Going by your ticker on your profile, you have about 35lbs to lose? If so, and if you set your weekly loss goal to 2lbs a week, go into your settings and change it to 1 or .5 lbs a week. You will still be in a calorie deficit and lose, but you'll be eating a better and more sustainable number of cals. You don't want to over eat, but you don't want to under eat, either - first of all, because it SUCKS, and second because food is fuel, and your body needs fuel to function well.

    As the weight comes off, you adjust the goals, tweak the calories along the way as needed, until you get to goal.
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I make a plan way ahead of time and set new goals. I will hit my goal in about a month. Then I will set my calories to maintainance level and work towards different goals. For me that means, after I hit my goal next month I am entering a powerlifting contest, a couple of races, and then training for my APFT in October as for my near term goals.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    I saw your other posts - and it looks like you have a goal of 2 pounds per week with 35 pounds to lose. This is not very realistic, and is likely the source of your frustration and misery. Try updating it to 1.5 or even 1 pound per week - you'll have more calories per day, and a goal that is more realistic.


    And work to increase your activity. Little bits here & there.
  • bobbyguns
    bobbyguns Posts: 33
    Most restaurants will make an egg-white omelet. Even McDonalds has egg whites now. You make it work however you can. I used to take the kids to McDonald's (I've since weaned them off of it), and order 2 grilled chicken sandwiches, double up the chicken, throw away one bun, and have a diet Coke.
    Nonetheless, I think you're putting the cart before the horse, if you're worrying about when and/or IF you reach your goal. Your mindset reeks of doubt, skepticism and uncertainty. That's surely a formula for failure. If you do it properly (ie: not trying to lose 20 lbs in 3 weeks) and slowly, dieting is not a horrble experience at all. As a matter of fact, when you're losing weight consistently while still eating foods you love, it's quite rewarding. So stop starving yourself, and don't worry about what you're going to do when you reach your goal. Focus on today.
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I saw your other posts - and it looks like you have a goal of 2 pounds per week with 35 pounds to lose. This is not very realistic, and is likely the source of your frustration and misery. Try updating it to 1.5 or even 1 pound per week - you'll have more calories per day, and a goal that is more realistic.


    And work to increase your activity. Little bits here & there.
    That's how I do it too. 1 lbs / week
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    You mentioned that you're new at this. I remember being SUPER miserable when I started watching what I ate too (1200 calories a day is crazy low!). I'd say it took me about 3 weeks before I wasn't any more. My friend who also started at the same time only noticed it for a week so it varies. I cried a lot in those 3 weeks. I was exhausted (since I kept staying up late to cook as I'd never cooked for myself before and I was having difficulty doing it quickly). I think you will make it through, just keep at it a while longer. It definitely takes getting used to! But once you're there, you eat at maintenance (so for a woman that would be around 1500 - 1600 or maybe higher depending on your height).

    I have some tips or ideas. They might not be great haha but I'm brainstorming here.

    1) Try cooking big batches in a slow cooker (or oven) so you don't have to worry about cooking every day. I actually ended up making lasagna since you can fit your carbs, protein, veggies, and dairy all in one piece (plus Italian is my comfort food). It's actually a fairly complete meal (and you can use whole wheat noodles and the texture, if you don't like it, isn't noticeable)! And I'd take a huge slice (like 1/6th of it) as my meal. I usually used a low calorie jarred sauce, extra lean ground beef or chicken, I cut back on the cheese a bit, usually a max of 1.5 cups shredded per lasagna (just enough to stick it together). I usually find slow cooker soups don't keep me feeling full though... unless it's basically solid ground beef and beans.


    2) Calculate the calories of things before you cook them. Adjust the calculations if you make changes (i.e. need more or less butter and such).

    3) Eat lots of veggies steamed - they're really low calorie and you don't add calories since you're not using oil. Potatoes and corn have more. I would bring chopped broccoli or carrots along as snacks. Broccoli tastes great steamed and then with seasonings on it like seasoned salt or tex mex mixes...

    4) Apples are really good too. I buy the biggest ones I can find (about 80 calories) but they take a while to eat so it's good for snacking.

    5) Ah! If you're really having trouble maybe try slowly decreasing your calories every day until you get down to where you want to be. Or eat as many fruits and veggies as you want (not if they're accompanied with oil or butter though) - every time you're hungry (before you eat a meal and between meals). Snack on them as you're cooking, or on the ride home from work, late at night, etc. Worry about those calories later - like start counting them once you're a couple of weeks in but for now use them as filler foods.

    5) Plan for snacks - I like Fibre 1 Oats and Chocolate chewy bars. They're 140 calories but since they have fibre, they are a bit more filling and are sweet. They make me pretty happy.

    6) Don't be afraid of calories. Not everything you eat has to have few calories! I usually eat around 600 calories just at lunch. It keeps me going the rest of the day until dinner.

    7) Try to go to bed early. There are a couple of reasons... a) it reduces stress and can help you lose more weight than you would with the same amount of calories; b) You probably won't get as hungry while you're sleeping; c) Unless you sleep walk and eat, you can't even eat anything while asleep. You may find you can go to bed a bit hungry and wake up not hungry.

    I hope some of these ideas may help you. Finally... maybe you just need to take an objective look - do you actually need or want to lose weight? I don't know your situation, mind. This is my problem now. I got most of the way down and kinda just feel like "Meh, what does it matter any more?" - because if I were a doctor looking at me, I'd say good enough. Not very motivational.
  • mblair4185
    mblair4185 Posts: 26 Member
    Wow! Okay, So I just got home (from my first try at walking with the hubs doing 5 miles...we did 2.5 so not bad for our first whack at it!) I am so amazed by all the comments I received!! Thank you everyone for the feedback and alot of you are just plain funny. This helps a lot too because I was a bit overwhelmed with the whole diet thing this morning so laughing makes it better!

    My husband and I are doing this together. Trying to be more active, eat less and in turn get back to where we were 5 years ago when we got married. We are both wanting to lose around 35 pds. I personally am almost 5'7 180pds. I would like to be back at 145

    I have never in my life had any sort of weight that I needed to lose until now. My whole family is thin and Ive always been that way too. However, about 6 years ago I was put on Celexa (have recently been switched to another drug but thats a whole other story!) So I know those drugs cause weight gain in and of themselves. Then we started a wedding photography business that no doubt keeps us busy busy busy BUT we are only activity shooting 2 days a week. The rest of the time is sitting on the couch editing/taking care of business. We eat out 3 times a day sometimes 4 or 5 and its been like that since we got married. We have went through spurts of trying cooking at home, healthy eating, clean eating etc. In the end we both LOVE to eat, try new places to eat and hate working out.

    I know all of the factors above have without a doubt caused the weight gain and Im in a sort of depression about it. Im not used to being this size (even though I feel I carry it well and Im not morbidly obese or anything) I am flat out disgusted with what I look like right now. The hubs feels the same way about himself (maybe a little or a lot less emotional about it though haha!)

    So we bought the fitbit bracelets and decided that maybe using those to motivate us and show us where we need to be as far as activity, and using myfitnesspal to do the calorie tracking...maybe it wouldnt be as bad as we thought!

    Well, The fitbit is difficult for us to understand and really so is a lot of myfitnesspal. We are really not familiar with how your body takes in, loses etc. Also, there is a HUGE difference in what our fitbits are telling us. For example, today we walked 2.5 miles. His said we were active for 39 min. Mine said 7 min. Mine updated my myfitnesspal with 51 calories and his updated with 421!! He is also allowed a few hundred more calories every day than I am even though we are set to lose the same amount, the same way?

    It does have me at only 1200 calories a day. Its very hard right now because like I said we are used to eating out..freely. By the time I eat two meals (sometimes even just 1) I cant eat anymore according to myfitnesspal.

    It is set to lose 2lb a week (Im ready for it to come off already and our 5 year anniversary is the beginning of December in a tropical place lol!) So I would LOVE to have my old self back! I didnt realize 2lb a week was really intense? Again, new to this!

    We went grocery shopping this afternoon and tried to pick things that would fill us up but be lower calories. As I type this the hubs is making a sort of veggie soup. (We keep reading soups are great for this type of thing lol) We are both picky eaters in our own ways so eating healthy options is a big challenge lol.

    It is so encouraging to get feedback from all of you on here though, people that are doing this and feeling great about it!! Seeing some of your info and the weight lost is such a positive reinforcement. I will try to post more positive things in the future...this morning like I said...it was a rough morning and I was feeling really down.

    Thank you thank you thank you again to everyone for all the advice!!!!
  • mblair4185
    mblair4185 Posts: 26 Member
    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?
  • mblair4185
    mblair4185 Posts: 26 Member
    Once you hit maintenance, you get to eat a few more calories, as long as you stay active. I still continue to log and work out, same as when I was focused on losing weight.

    If you're feeling miserable, you should take a look at your calorie target and types of food you eat. Are you set for 2lb per week? That is a bit steep if you only need to lose 35lb. Also, make sure you eat back your exercise cals if you are using the standard MFP set up. I ate at least 1500kcal per day while losing. The last 5kg I probably averaged close to 2000kcal per day and still lost slowly. Try eating more protein and fibre rich food. E.g. A massive chicken salad has same calories as a relatively small amount of fried chicken, and keeps me fuller.

    Losing weight and getting healthy doesn't have to get a stressful unhappy experience.


    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?

    MFP has your deficit already built in to your calorie goal.
    1,200 is far too low for your current goals. You should be aiming for around 1lb/week at your range. Within 15 pounds of your goal, you should transition to .5lb/week.

    You will get more calories to eat. And as long as you are accurately logging your food (down to the ounce/gram), and accurately logging your exercise burns, you will lose. You need to eat back your exercise cals because if you don't, you're not netting a good amount for the day, and most likely under 1,200 at your rate.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    So Im new to this and I will be honest...its miserable. Im starving all of the time.

    SNIP

    In the end its not realistic if Im going to have to continue to be miserable in everything I eat...

    I've done this for a long time, I love food and hate being hungry, and I have some suggestions ..

    USE YOUR DIARY to help yourself be less hungry. I found that when I had logged for a week or so there were a couple of things that used a LOT of calories that I didn't care about at all. For me, it was bread, big glasses of milk, and cheese. I substituted in water and tortillas and stopped snacking on cheese and VIOLA! big calorie deficit.

    I could eat everything else - including small portions of ice cream for desert and a little chocolate every day. No hunger.

    For you it might be something else. Look at your diary and see what's putting in the big numbers. Then substitute in something else.

    I also found that if every time I was hungry I ate something satisfying - four or five cashews or a spoonful of ice cream - I stopped being hungry. And I got less and less hungry over time. Protein really helped me - and it didn't have to be a lot of protein. Roast beef rollup for lunch. Eggs or yogurt for breakfast. Ice cream after dinner.

    I also found that if I went for a walk every day I got back 350 or so calories that I could eat back. Again, less hungry.

    Finally, I was a lot less hungry and lost a lot more weight if my carbs were under 40%. This will happen naturally if you eat more protein. Easy to digest carbs spike your insulin, take the sugar out of your system, and then leave you hungry. More complex carbs or other types of food don't do that.

    Good luck! It really does get better.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Once you hit maintenance, you get to eat a few more calories, as long as you stay active. I still continue to log and work out, same as when I was focused on losing weight.

    If you're feeling miserable, you should take a look at your calorie target and types of food you eat. Are you set for 2lb per week? That is a bit steep if you only need to lose 35lb. Also, make sure you eat back your exercise cals if you are using the standard MFP set up. I ate at least 1500kcal per day while losing. The last 5kg I probably averaged close to 2000kcal per day and still lost slowly. Try eating more protein and fibre rich food. E.g. A massive chicken salad has same calories as a relatively small amount of fried chicken, and keeps me fuller.

    Losing weight and getting healthy doesn't have to get a stressful unhappy experience.


    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?

    MFP is designed so that it has a 500 calorie/day deficit if you chose to lose a pound a week. When you exercise, you log it and get to eat those calories back. Eat all those calories and you'll STILL lose a pound a week. It's very motivational.
  • prettyfitchick
    prettyfitchick Posts: 502 Member
    Eat back exercise cals and u will still lose weight eating them back u can find healthy foods u like and u won't feel like missing out and if go over a few cals jus remember u are still eating healthier then u were before make sure u are eating healthy because u will stay full longer and feel good eating a low amount of empty cals will make anyone feel miserable
  • telesio
    telesio Posts: 1 Member
    I was very hungry at first too, but then I think your stomach shrinks and you learn what you can eat that won't put so many calories on. You stop being quite so hungry and start to lose weight. I have lost almost 35 lbs. so far and have about 25 lbs. left to go. It does work if it is followed. A nurse also told me that this is what she tells her patients to go on because it is a healthy way to lose weight. Keep going, you'll do it.
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
    Once I hit my goal, I was then able to eat my exercise calories back and still maintain my weight. My wife doesn't want me to lose not 1 more lb, so she busts my chops if I don't eat my 2,500 cals / day. In fact, I even have to eat ice cream a couple days / week to consume enough cals.

    There are lots of benefits once you hit your goal. (Assuming you continue to exercise.)

    Good luck!
    Wow this makes me so happy to hear!
  • mblair4185
    mblair4185 Posts: 26 Member
    Once you hit maintenance, you get to eat a few more calories, as long as you stay active. I still continue to log and work out, same as when I was focused on losing weight.

    If you're feeling miserable, you should take a look at your calorie target and types of food you eat. Are you set for 2lb per week? That is a bit steep if you only need to lose 35lb. Also, make sure you eat back your exercise cals if you are using the standard MFP set up. I ate at least 1500kcal per day while losing. The last 5kg I probably averaged close to 2000kcal per day and still lost slowly. Try eating more protein and fibre rich food. E.g. A massive chicken salad has same calories as a relatively small amount of fried chicken, and keeps me fuller.

    Losing weight and getting healthy doesn't have to get a stressful unhappy experience.


    Can you explain what you mean by eat back the amount you work off? Does that mean if you walk and burn 200 calories and it adds that to what you can eat..you should eat it? I thought I had read that you shouldnt eat it back because then you wont lose anything?

    MFP is designed so that it has a 500 calorie/day deficit if you chose to lose a pound a week. When you exercise, you log it and get to eat those calories back. Eat all those calories and you'll STILL lose a pound a week. It's very motivational.

    Umm yeah...this just totally made my night lol!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I'm going to try to explain something to you that I wish I had known when I started this weight loss thing.

    Everyone has a BMR (basal metabolic rate) - this is the base - the calories burned every day by having a beating heart and working lungs. This varies based on your weight, height and gender. For this example, mine is around 1650.

    Next you get your activity level and goals - when you input your information into MFP. I have my activity level set at sedentary. So MFP takes my sedentary lifestyle, and my BMR and assigns me my number - which is 2030 - I call this my base (this is my BMR and the calories I'm supposed to burn by walking around and stuff , mine is around 380 - the higher you put your activity level, the higher this number is).

    Now MFP is going to calculate my goals based on the above number, and how quickly I've said I want to lose weight. So - I get 1280 calories a day (1.5/week loss goal).

    2030-1280=750, so that means my goal is a 750 calorie deficit. I need to ingest 750 calories *less* than I'm using in order to lose weight on the schedule I input.

    Now, if I go for a jog and burn 150 calories, that number gets added to my 2030 - meaning for this day, I'm set to burn 2180 - so I can increase my calorie goal by 150 as well - which is what "eating it back" means. Since both your calorie goal and your base go up, it's not an inherently bad thing to eat them back (I only do so if I'm hungry). If you choose not to eat those back, or eat part of them back, you will increase your deficit (that 750 I mentioned above).

    How the FitBit ties into things - this can be tricky depending on how you choose to use it. I use it to track my steps and to make sure I'm hitting my "base" (2030, which I've adjusted on FitBit to match the number here on MFP). I don't use it to track exercise - I use MFP for that. At the end of most days, I have a calorie adjustment listed under my exercises - this means that my ACTUAL burn was higher than the 2030 base I have, and you get credit (in the form of exercise) for it. If you click on my name, and exercise diary, you can see what I'm talking about. These, again, are calories you can eat back if you choose.

    Men can generally eat more and burn more efficiently (jerks!), so try not to compare your success with his.

    You don't need to stop eating the foods you love (seriously, look at my dinner) - you just have to eat less, or work harder to make them fit into your goals.

    Weight loss shouldn't be miserable - and you shouldn't always feel hungry or frustrated. Once you get a handle on what your body is doing and how things work, it'll be easier. I hope I didn't overwhelm you with all the info above.
  • ghosthackexe
    ghosthackexe Posts: 181 Member
    1) once you lose all that weight your appetite should be vastly different than what it is now.
    2) its worth it
  • Desifreckle
    Desifreckle Posts: 110 Member
    Subway has egg whites, flatbread, and english muffins.. I love the egg white and steak sandwich.

    Denny's has healthy options, egg whites, turkey bacon, fruit, etc... (so does ihop)

    Mcdonalds has the egg white delight and I love their oatmeal...

    Special K, Jimmy Dean and others have low calorie breakfast sandwiches. Smart ones and atkins and lean cuisine have low calorie breakfasts in the freezer section.

    Low fat whole wheat waffles (eggo) with ihop sugar free syrup is great tasting for a treat, add some fruit on top or a egg on the side. Very low calorie.

    Lean pockets are fast and easy, and under 300 calories.

    Sugar free oatmeal is great, quick, filling, and add some raisins or apples. I like to add 'breakfast on the go' packs to mine (cranberry yogurt one), its very filling almost can't eat the whole bowl-- I add some sweet n low or my own splenda if it isn't sweet enough. Brown sugar and maple is my favorite flavor.

    Luna bars, quest bars, and crunch bars are all quick and easy options if you don't have much time. You can get them at any grocery store and most gas stations and convenience stores.

    Fruit...Apples, bananas, oranges.. add some yogurt or cheese or granola or all three..

    Make your breakfast in a crockpot the night before, use turkey sausage, egg whites, low fat cheese and even some potato if you like..

    I make low calorie breakfast burritos using the small fajita sized tortillias, or josephs lavash (Flatbread)... if you don't like egg whites then crack one whole egg and mix it with a couple egg whites -- you will not be able to tell much of a difference.

    Also, I discovered making french toast using a josephs lavash cut into strips dipped into a single scrabled egg (add egg whites if its not enough) and then a little butter and sugar free syrup... another one of those 'treat' breakfasts that is low calorie.

    egg mugs are easy and quick, put an egg scrambled and whatever ingredients you want in a mug and microwave...


    oatmeal muffins can be made ahead and are easy to grab while running out of the door.. in fact Quaker makes some that you can buy if you don't even have time to make them on your own.. they are pretty good too, they are found by the snack cakes and breads.

    My go to breakfast is one egg, two egg whites, scrambled with spinach and a little salsa and cheese and a couple slices of turkey bacon. Usually less than 300 calories and keeps me full until lunch no problems.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Am I going to have to be miserable like this the rest of my life just to maintain that weight?

    A LOT of people struggle to maintain their weight loss. It ain't no joke - it's hard work for most.

    Prepare for the long haul....
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    You shouldn't be miserable at all! A lot of people gave you great advice and I'll just add my .02. Don't be miserable. Don't dread losing weight. If you do then you won't stick to it or you'll overeat in retaliation. You will find your balance and you will find foods that fit into your lifestyle. It just takes time.

    Read the forums and pay attention to those people who have been here a long time and have lost lots of weight or have been in maintenance for awhile. They know what they're talking about. That's how I learned.

    I think the biggest shocker to me when I first started (and I first got my Fitbit) was that some exercises don't burn nearly the calories that you think they would. It can be very discouraging at first.

    Remember the weight didn't come on in a few months and its not going to come off in a few months. This isn't an overnight fix at all. You'll be doing this for quite some time and your eating habits will have to be a permanent change--not a temporary change. If you think of it in those terms then you won't beat yourself up too much if you fall off the wagon for a day.

    Good luck and think of this as an adventure not a chore. :flowerforyou: