Eating well vs eating less, hard to get enough calories?

lysser

I'm on about round 1 million of trying to log my food, but this time of trying to focus on eating healthy instead of just limiting my portions of food I already eat. I wouldn't say I'm restricting everything I eat, but more trying to eat healthier foods so that I'm not as hungry for the foods I like. For the past couple days, I've been choosing apples over potato chips and veggies over a second helping of mashed potatoes and things like that.. But it's been difficult to get myself to net 1200 calories without forcing myself to eat. Today, the only reason I netted over 1200 was because I indulged in a slice of pizza (no regrets lol). If I'm feeling full, and eating lots throughout the day, does it matter that I'm eating far below I should be? I'm at a very large deficit from my BMR if I keep this up..

It doesn't help that I'm on a pretty low budget and have to stick to the cheaper fruits and vegetables, not to mention meals. I know I need to start eating breakfast AND lunch.. But my day sort of shifts because I'm a night owl. I don't want eating healthy to be this frustrating!

Any inexpensive but nutritious snack ideas?

Edit: I apologize for being vague, I would like snacks to be focused more in natural, low glycemic index foods. Thanks for any and all advice!

itsbasschick

mashed potatoe flakes, especially when made with non-fat milk, would last longer than the apple. it's one of my staples. i eat a single serving - 1/3 cup made with 2/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons of non-fat greek, yogurt 'cause i like it.

oatmeal made with non-fat milk has clean complex carbs, protein and fiber, and they're cheap, too. you can sweeten with stevia or a non-calorie sweetener of your choice.

pasta can be good - and cheap. the secret is to measure it dry and only make a single serving or 3/4 of a serving.

non-fat greek yogurt is packed with protein, low in calories. i eat a lot of it, and also make dip with it by mixing avocado and lemon and seasoning or paul newman light italian, pepper and dill - then i have it as a dip for .6 of an ounce of baked corn chips.

frozen shredded hash browns have 60 to 70 calories per serving. mist them with a hint of olive oil and bake. sometimes i actually use them in a scramble with red bell peppers and egg beaters plus a teaspoon of parmesan and some black pepper.

can you find the generic versions of egg beaters? price should be good, and 3 3-tablespoon servings is only 75 calories and packs a mean 15 grams of protein.

that reminds me, my diary is FULL of 1/2 servings and 3/4 servings. i eat amy's gluten free burritos (i'm allergic to wheat) in partial servings, single slices of bread (also wheat free).

it doesn't matter what time your breakfast is. i eat mine at 6:30 am weekdays, and somewhere between 11:30 am and 1 pm on weekends, 'cause i get up a lot later. then lunch is mid-afternoon or later, and so on.

personally at 1200 calories per day i eat only tiny portions of fruit as their sugars take up too much of my daily calories. i do eat a lot of broccoli and asparagus.

there's an awesome brownie recipe in the recipes section here. you can also make chocolate pudding with 1 cup non-fat milk, 2 tablespoons of corn starch, 1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa and the calorie-free sweetener of your choice. i often add half a square of sees sugar free chocolate or a teaspoon of xylitol. yum!

lysser

I like a lot of those ideas, but I have to make sure that I am eating as low GI and unrefined as possible. I'm also mostly having an issue with eating that much food. I'm used to small amounts of empty calories.. Now I'm having to eat much more to get the calories in. Never thought I'd say that!

brianpperkins

Are there any other self imposed restrictions the community needs to know about before offering help?

julie_emma1

Add in some healthier options that also have some calories to them. Examples: avocado, natural peanut or almond butter, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, nuts & seeds...

Even if you're eating lots of vegetables, it shouldn't be difficult to come up with 1200 cals! Good luck!

lysser

Are there any other self imposed restrictions the community needs to know about before offering help?

I feel like this is a very rude comment; I was obviously not clear enough, but I hardly think that makes me any less worthy of advice from the community. Also, I am unsure of what you mean by "self imposed restrictions". I apologize for lack of clarity. I have doctor recommendation to eat a diet similar to a diabetic (low GI) as I am insulin resistant/diagnosed with PCOS.

That being said, a lot of tthings can be swapped out for low GI variations, so I will take suggestions from any diet anyways. I appreciate every idea. I really should get into eating nuts. I feel like for small portions they pack a lot of punch, nutrient-wise.

AbbeyDove

For an inexpensive but nutritious snack, try avocados. Also, canned salmon is pretty cheap. If you mix it with olive oil and lemon to taste it's a nice healthy protein. Look for BPA-free cans if you can find them. Sometimes I eat the salmon salad in an avocado "boat." Olives are a nice snack, if you like savory things. A hard-boiled egg dipped in mustard is another snack you could consider.

brianpperkins

Are there any other self imposed restrictions the community needs to know about before offering help?

I feel like this is a very rude comment; I was obviously not clear enough, but I hardly think that makes me any less worthy of advice from the community. Also, I am unsure of what you mean by "self imposed restrictions". I apologize for lack of clarity. I have doctor recommendation to eat a diet similar to a diabetic (low GI) as I am insulin resistant/diagnosed with PCOS.

That being said, a lot of tthings can be swapped out for low GI variations, so I will take suggestions from any diet anyways. I appreciate every idea. I really should get into eating nuts. I feel like for small portions they pack a lot of punch, nutrient-wise.

Somebody went through the time and effort of typing out a long reply full of foods only to have you THEN mention the need for low GI. You can think my question is rude. I find people failing to give complete parameters when asking for help to be extremely inconsiderate to those willing to give advice.

Your diary reveals a few things. One, you are inconsistent with your logging. Two, your caloric goal is 1800 according to your goals so 1200 is exceeding your planned deficit by 600 calories off the bat. Three, your sugar is 18% or more above goal every logged day in the past week except one.

AmyRhubarb

Are there any other self imposed restrictions the community needs to know about before offering help?

I feel like this is a very rude comment; I was obviously not clear enough, but I hardly think that makes me any less worthy of advice from the community. Also, I am unsure of what you mean by "self imposed restrictions". I apologize for lack of clarity. I have doctor recommendation to eat a diet similar to a diabetic (low GI) as I am insulin resistant/diagnosed with PCOS.

That being said, a lot of tthings can be swapped out for low GI variations, so I will take suggestions from any diet anyways. I appreciate every idea. I really should get into eating nuts. I feel like for small portions they pack a lot of punch, nutrient-wise.

:noway:
I didn't find it rude at all as I was reading - a simple question asking for more info before posting a reply is hardly rude. it's the internet - misunderstandings run rampant - give a little grace before deciding someone was intentionally rude.

As to eating healthy and reaching your calorie goal - I eat around 2000 cals a day with no problem at all. As others have mentioned, avocados, nuts, nut butters, full fat dairy, use olive and coconut oils in cooking and dressings - they add up quickly in small portions and you'll reach your goal with no problems.

paulandrachelk

Your comments about the wonderful, helpful response on eating suggestions being rude is out of place. It makes a significant difference what suggestions you can get if we know any limits you have and whether they are ones you personally want to achieve or if they have been medically imposed.

lysser

I understand my mistake.. when typing out the post, I didn't think it well enough out, and I don't mind it being pointed out.. There are just nicer ways of saying it. I didn't intentionally leave information out. I didn't mean to inconvenience anyone, and I am thankful for the suggestions even if I realized afterward that I should have been more specific.

I am trying to learn how to properly eat, I didn't think I had to be perfect to ask people for advice. I would have appreciated a "next time, please be more specific" rather than an insinuation that I don't deserve advice because I was somehow (unintentionally) inconsiderate. If the MFP community is that picky, maybe I shouldn't bother trying to ask for help.. Even though I clearly need it, based on my inconsistent logging and not being perfect with food choices yet.

gmallan

I don't think anyone has suggested that using oils/fats to cook your foods will add calories without bulk or adding olive oil as a salad dressing. Also nuts and seeds are always good options (can be expensive but are nutrient dense so a pack will last a while if portioned properly). Dark chocolate is always good and has a lower sugar content than milk choc. Full fat dairy is higher in calories and usually lower in carbs than skim versions

littefish2018

Things that have worked for me when I have a little time to keep my calories filled with the most nutritious options: Beans and brown rice of all variations (black or pinto hot, or cold like garbanzos and navy as salads with celery, radishes, whatever you like, all chopped up, seasoned and chilled...fits well in containers). Hummus (homemade is better obviously) and cucumber slices with vinegar, peanut butter (or almond butter) and greek yogurt mixed together to dip apple slices in, tofu friend in olive oil in ww pitas with veganaise, poached eggs and toast with olive oil and spinach. On the go, Nuts!

AmyRhubarb

I understand my mistake.. when typing out the post, I didn't think it well enough out, and I don't mind it being pointed out.. There are just nicer ways of saying it. I didn't intentionally leave information out. I didn't mean to inconvenience anyone, and I am thankful for the suggestions even if I realized afterward that I should have been more specific.

I am trying to learn how to properly eat, I didn't think I had to be perfect to ask people for advice. I would have appreciated a "next time, please be more specific" rather than an insinuation that I don't deserve advice because I was somehow (unintentionally) inconsiderate. If the MFP community is that picky, maybe I shouldn't bother trying to ask for help.. Even though I clearly need it, based on my inconsistent logging and not being perfect with food choices yet.

You don't have to be perfect to ask for advice, and neither do those giving the advice. There's a wealth of great information here at MFP, and a lot of great people who give it. If someone rubs you the wrong way, ignore it, but focus on the info given and move on. I've learned a TON of great stuff from people here (and in school, work, life) who aren't always all warm and fuzzy, ready to spoon-feed me what I want to know or hear. Doesn't mean it's not good info and a great place to learn some great stuff on how to lose the fat, keep the muscle, and get the body you're after.

Good luck! :bigsmile:

FatFreeFrolicking

I understand my mistake.. when typing out the post, I didn't think it well enough out, and I don't mind it being pointed out.. There are just nicer ways of saying it. I didn't intentionally leave information out. I didn't mean to inconvenience anyone, and I am thankful for the suggestions even if I realized afterward that I should have been more specific.

I am trying to learn how to properly eat, I didn't think I had to be perfect to ask people for advice. I would have appreciated a "next time, please be more specific" rather than an insinuation that I don't deserve advice because I was somehow (unintentionally) inconsiderate. If the MFP community is that picky, maybe I shouldn't bother trying to ask for help.. Even though I clearly need it, based on my inconsistent logging and not being perfect with food choices yet.

There are many individuals on here who feel the need to be rude/snarky in their replies. Just ignore them. You can do that by clicking the downward triangle next to the their username.

I am insulin resistant myself and also follow a low carb diet.

Things to try:
Nuts
Seeds
Nut butters (peanut, cashew, macadamia, almond, etc.)
Avocados
Sweet potatoes (SMALL)
Non-starchy veggies (spaghetti squash, spinach, kale, broccoli, cucumbers, peppers, etc.)
Low GI fruits (berries)
Lentils
White beans
Black beans
Kidney beans
Chick peas
Cheese sticks
Laughing Cow spreadable cheese
Olive oil
Coconut oil

lysser

So many great ideas, thanks so much! I love the idea adding dressings.. I keep forgetting that salad doesn't always have to be lettuce based.. And dark chocolate does sound pretty wonderful! I just bought brown rice for the first time.. I am guilty of being super picky, I don't venture out very much to find new foods. I am really trying to expand into nuts and beans (slowly..) and whole grains. I also didn't know almond butter was a thing.. I really want to try that!

MKEgal

it's been difficult to get myself to net 1200 calories without forcing myself to eat

Ignore net calories! (That's what my doctor told me to do.)
Just pay attention to overall calories - if your goal weight is 150, you should be eating no more than 1500 cal per day TOTAL.
Since you have your goal calories set at 1800, I'm guessing your goal weight is 180.
Once in a while if you're hungry at the end of the day, eat back 1/3 to 1/2 of your exercise calories for that day, but don't make a habit of it.

Any inexpensive but nutritious snack ideas?
I would like snacks to be focused more in natural, low glycemic index foods.

Everything Taste of Home does is delicious, and most of their recipes have nutrition info.
Here's their "healthy recipe" section: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/healthy-eating

avocado, natural peanut or almond butter, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, nuts & seeds

All those are good.
an apple with a couple T of peanut or almond butter
cheese, as long as you don't go overboard.
fruit
yogurt, esp. Greek nonfat
pudding - instant nonfat sugar-free made with skim milk
baked or nuked sweet potato with cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar
raw veggies dipped in hummus or ranch salad dressing

Not a snack, but a meal: beans with brown rice; sauerkraut with sausage; vegetable bean soup; a tortilla with chopped boiled chicken breast, a sprinkle of cheese, avocado, and salsa

And I make a summer salad that's a whole meal:
couscous: 1-2 cups dry; put it in a large bowl & pour that same amount of boiling water on it. Let it sit unstirred while you chop & add everything else to the bowl. (Could substitute another whole grain such as amaranth or quinoa; cook as usual, then put in bowl.)
1-2 T olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1 t garlic powder, or to taste
1/2 t salt, or to taste
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
2 tomatos, chopped
4-6 oz black olives, sliced or at least cut in half (kalamata olives are even better!)
1 small onion, minced fine
4-6 oz feta cheese, diced or crumbled
optional: 1 cup chopped red bell pepper, 1 cup chopped zucchini or summer squash (can sub for the cuke)
Mix it all up. It's best cold, so put it in the fridge for a couple hours at least.

I know I need to start eating breakfast AND lunch

Breakfast is the most important - have about half your calories for breakfast.

"Breakfast is associated with lower body weight ...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898236

This study compared eating a small breakfast, medium lunch, and large dinner, [200, 500, 700 cal]
with eating a large breakfast, medium lunch, and small dinner [700, 500, 200 cal].
"The [large breakfast] group showed greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction ... fasting glucose, insulin [&] triglycerides ... decreased significantly to a greater extent in the [large breakfast] group."
In addition, hunger was less and satiety was greater.
Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512957
Full text:
http://genetics.doctorsonly.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Jakubowicz-at-al-Obesity-2013-oby20460.pdf

"subjects assigned to high caloric intake during breakfast lost significantly more weight than those assigned to high caloric intake during the dinner"
Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467926
Full text: http://www.tradewindsports.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nutrient-Timing-and-Obesity-2014.pdf

"data suggest that a low-calorie Mediterranean diet with a higher amount of calories in the first part of the day could establish a greater reduction in fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity than a typical daily diet."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24809437

itsbasschick

oats are still a winner, and barley, which i love, is also very low GI. from every source i've read, brown rice is higher GI than white rice, although that has never made sense to me.

mike_ny

Add more fat to your diet (every kind except trans-fats) and you'll be less hungry and lose faster than on a low fat diet. It goes against what most people believe, but it works. When I started eating 50% of my calories from fat while still running the same calorie deficit as I had for a few months on a low fat diet, the weight dropped at a much faster rate. General health and energy also increased and blood work has consistently been great. Dietary cholesterol and fat don't have any negative effects on blood numbers if you stay active and burn all your calories.

Meerataila

Dry beans are super cheap. Be sure to soak them overnight and get rid of that water, rinse thoroughly, get rid of that water, and then cook thoroughly Because otherwise beans have some natural defenses against being eaten by us. Especially kidney beans.

I just got bananas on sale and nice and cheap. Might have gone a bit overboard, actually. So look for sales on fruits and vegetables. Seasonal is often on sale. If there is a farmer's market around you, check there, too.

Potatoes are often cheap. Buy, wash, and bake. I know they're not technically glycemic index approved, but they're an anomaly in two studies I've read about because they fill many people up very well. Sweet potatoes might be cheap enough for you as well.

Rice if it doesn't make you overly hungry is generally cheap.

littefish2018

I love the food recommendations on here, thanks everyone!

SherryTeach

But you don't need to eat half your calories at breakfast. If I did that, I would overeat every day. Eat when you feel like. It makes no difference.

MKEgal

But you don't need to eat half your calories at breakfast. If I did that, I would overeat every day. Eat when you feel like. It makes no difference.

So you're ignoring the published scientific studies which say it _does_ make a difference (which I gave multiple links to in my post), because you think you can't control yourself in order to eat that way & think other people couldn't either?
(Despite the evidence that it's been done.) :ohwell:

I don't pull these things out of my butt, it's not my opinion.
I'm passing on advice from people who have researched weight loss.

It's one more tool to use to improve a person's chance of success losing weight, and several of those studies said that other measures of health also improved markedly using that eating pattern.

MKEgal

This study compared eating a small breakfast, medium lunch, and large dinner, [200, 500, 700 cal]
with eating a large breakfast, medium lunch, and small dinner [700, 500, 200 cal].

"The [large breakfast] group showed greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction ... fasting glucose, insulin [&] triglycerides ... decreased significantly to a greater extent in the [large breakfast] group."

In addition, hunger was less and satiety was greater.

Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512957

Full text:
http://genetics.doctorsonly.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Jakubowicz-at-al-Obesity-2013-oby20460.pdf

MKEgal

"subjects assigned to high caloric intake during breakfast lost significantly more weight than those assigned to high caloric intake during the dinner"

Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467926

Full text: http://www.tradewindsports.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nutrient-Timing-and-Obesity-2014.pdf

MKEgal

"data suggest that a low-calorie Mediterranean diet with a higher amount of calories in the first part of the day could establish a greater reduction in fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity than a typical daily diet."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24809437

dopeysmelly

You can check out my diary or friend me. My diary's public and I eat pretty much everything made from scratch (it's just easier to know what's in there and it's a personal preference), lots of vegetables and whole grains, plus lean meats and fish, healthy fats, beans and lentils. Some of it wouldn't classify as not expensive, but it might give you some ideas. I don't deliberately eat low-GI, but it just seems how I naturally prefer to eat.

My calories are 1400, protein around 95g, total fat 51g, fiber around 35g.

nicsflyingcircus

I don't think anyone has suggested that using oils/fats to cook your foods will add calories without bulk or adding olive oil as a salad dressing. Also nuts and seeds are always good options (can be expensive but are nutrient dense so a pack will last a while if portioned properly). Dark chocolate is always good and has a lower sugar content than milk choc. Full fat dairy is higher in calories and usually lower in carbs than skim versions

I eat dark chocolate practically every day! A little fat, a little sugar, a heckuva lot of enjoyment, lol

stealthq

"data suggest that a low-calorie Mediterranean diet with a higher amount of calories in the first part of the day could establish a greater reduction in fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity than a typical daily diet."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24809437

These are nice, but I suggest you do a more thorough review of the literature, like these people did - they included all of the sources you're referencing, BTW:

Taken from Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Weighing the Evidence of Common Beliefs in Obesity Research
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2014.922044#tabModule

Presumption 1 - Regularly eating (versus skipping) breakfast is protective against obesity.
Exposition of belief and support that the belief is widely held or stated. The consumption of breakfast is thought to result in fewer total calories consumed in a day. By causing satiety earlier in the day, the desire to consume food later would be sufficiently lower, possibly because of changes in hunger-related hormones such as ghrelin, leptin, and insulin.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is a widely touted maxim both in general and in relation to weight loss. A WebMD Feature titled “Lose Weight: Eat Breakfast” declares that “making breakfast a daily habit can help you lose weight – and keep it off,” citing opinions from dietitians, medical doctors, researchers, and a couple of observational studies 237. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics also has several pages on Eatright.org with phrases such as “[Breakfast] can also help to promote a healthy weight and good behavior” 238; “Want to trim your waist? Try eating breakfast!” 239; and “With two thirds of Americans overweight, a morning meal may just be the best kept waist-trimming secret” 239. The Mayo Clinic also states the belief, with an article titled, “Why does eating a healthy breakfast help control weight?” 240. The Mayo Clinic article was in turn cited by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, claiming, “If you skip breakfast while trying to cut calories and lose weight, you may actually be setting your weight loss back.” 241. In response to a paper investigating the scientific merit of the presumed effect of breakfast and obesity, an article on WebMD responded, “Hogwash, I say… Do we really need to have people question if they should eat breakfast?… Perhaps the scientific evidence on breakfast and weight is mixed. I don't care 242.”
Reasons to support the conjecture that the belief might be true. The “breaking the fast” concept is thought to move an individual from a hypometabolic, fasted state toward one of energy dependence. According to the hypothesis, eating shortly after waking and hypothetically early in the day is thought to give an individual all day to metabolize the energy, as opposed to consuming calories later (e.g., before sleep) when energy utilization may be low. Numerous observational studies have shown associations between breakfast consumption and lower BMI. For example, a review of 58 studies and 88 study groups found that the OR of being overweight or obese among those skipping breakfast compared to those consuming breakfast was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.46, 1.65; p<10−42) 243.
Further, in one-day studies, subjective and hormonal measurements of appetite differed between individuals who skipped breakfast and those who consumed breakfast, thus indicating an acute link between breakfast and appetite, and by extrapolation that this change in appetite may influence body weight 244,245. Moreover, two studies that redistributed an isocaloric diet so calories were consumed predominantly in the morning or evening resulted in improved weight loss in the group whose calories were predominantly consumed at breakfast 246,247. However, these studies did not look specifically at the influence of breakfast alone.
Evidence directly supporting or refuting the belief. Beyond observational and single-meal studies, very little evidence directly supports or refutes the belief that breakfast eating affects weight. Shorter, single-meal, controlled studies have investigated the links between breakfast consumption and factors related to weight. Some evidence indicates that skipping breakfast results in partial compensation during subsequent meals 244,245,248, although this is not necessarily associated with an increase in total energy intake 245,249 and in some cases results in decreased total energy intake 248,250,251. Importantly, in an observational analysis of absolute versus relative breakfast calories, Schusdziarra et al. observed 252 that increasing the amount of calories consumed at breakfast was associated with greater overall caloric intake in normal weight and obese subjects.
Evidence from randomized trials. Few randomized studies have directly investigated the effects of breakfast consumption on weight loss. In a randomized study of 791 Jamaican grade school children (mean age, 9.0 ± 1.2 years), half of whom were ≤ -1 SD of weight-for-age, children who were assigned to consume breakfast for one school year gained more weight than did those who were not assigned to consume breakfast, pooled across weight-for-age status 253. In another randomized study of obese women, regular breakfast eaters lost more weight when they did not eat breakfast, but those who regularly skipped breakfast lost more weight when they did eat breakfast 254. There was no main effect of breakfast consumption. In studies in which energy was consumed in single daily meals over 1 or 3 weeks, individuals lost more weight consuming only breakfast relative to those consuming only dinner 255. In a comparison of ready-to-eat cereals versus ready-to-eat cereals plus nutritional advice versus no breakfast, only the ready-to-eat cereals plus nutritional advice group showed greater weight loss compared with the no breakfast group; thus, the weight loss could not be attributed solely to the consumption of breakfast 256. In summary, although there is fairly consistent observational evidence that breakfast consumption versus breakfast skipping is associated with a lower BMI, the available evidence from RCTs is insufficient to make causal claims about skipping breakfast itself independently affecting obesity.

tl;dr; Evidence is insufficient to make a causal claim about the consumption or skipping of breakfast affecting obesity.

weightliftingdiva

In, because people are rude and now we're having the breakfast debate.