To adjust or not to adjust calories

malavika413

Hey y'all. I posted yesterday about the fact that I haven't lost weight in several months, and that I think I've actually gained weight. I've been eating around 1700 calories a day, to lose 0.5 a week with light activity. I'm 5'3, 150 pounds, looking to lose 25 or 30 pounds. I've tried adjusting the calories to 1490, but I'm always so hungry with that restriction. Yet, at 1700, I'm not losing any weight. My diary is open and ready to be scrutinized. Any thoughts?

Chief_Rocka

If you want to lose weight, you're going to have to eat less.

You can adjust the kind of food you eat to try minimize the hunger, but at some point you just have to suck it up and live with it.

Springfield1970

Trying eating 1500 calories of higher volume higher fibre food. Sorry to be mean, but my 9 year old boy eats more grown up food than you do.

100g of protein a day, fill the rest with nice fats, sweet potatoes, loads and and loads of veg, and 1 kiddie treat.

malavika413

Trying eating 1500 calories of higher volume higher fibre food. Sorry to be mean, but my 9 year old boy eats more grown up food than you do.

100g of protein a day, fill the rest with nice fats, sweet potatoes, loads and and loads of veg, and 1 kiddie treat.

How the heck does anyone eat 100g of protein a day?! I rarely if ever meet my goal for protein. What do you eat??

Julieboolieaz

I'm no expert, but agree your calories are all coming from processed carbs-granola bars, cereal, bread...not the way to fuel your body. Protein, veggies, complex carbs...

100g of protein isn't that hard to hit. So you eat meat? Chicken, turkey, beef, fish...
If you don't eat meat try cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein powder to supplement...

Carbs in better forms like sweet potatoes, white potatoes, rice, oatmeal...they'll fill you up more and help you feel satisfied longer.

Read some threads on here and you'll get some ideas. You can do it! Good luck!

mmfilleman

You actually do eat small "quantity" but high calorie foods. I know calories matter but quality of foods matters too - especially if you are on a lower calorie diet. I used to think that the protein values were hard but I shoot for at least 100 g. Make a list of protein rich foods that you like: eggs, greek yogurt, chicken, turkey, a good protein powder, whatever and list how many grams of protein per serving so that you can build a meal around the protein. Then add veg. You can eat SO much more food if you fill up on vegetable and low calorie fruit. I also roast off a huge pan of sweet potatoes, bell pepper and onion on the weekend and then portion it out during the week. Good luck. Don't be discouraged. This was all new to me until I got information from a trainer a couple years ago. You have to find out what you like and build meals carefully at first but then it becomes easy habit

cavia

Trying eating 1500 calories of higher volume higher fibre food. Sorry to be mean, but my 9 year old boy eats more grown up food than you do.

100g of protein a day, fill the rest with nice fats, sweet potatoes, loads and and loads of veg, and 1 kiddie treat.

How the heck does anyone eat 100g of protein a day?! I rarely if ever meet my goal for protein. What do you eat??

If you look back in my diary to March, April, May of 2013 you can see how I ate that much protein. My goal back then was 1750 calories/day. Also, how are you logging your calories? Looking at your diary it doesn't look like you are weighing your food on a food scale. You could be eating more than you think you are.

Protein and fats are much more satiating than carbs. I think you'd have an easier time of it if you reduced your carbs a bit and bumped up the proteins and fats.

malavika413

I eat dining hall food and therefore can't weigh anything on a scale. I also only have estimates for the calorie content of food they make there, so I try to do my best. Yogurt and cottage cheese aren't available at my dining hall, and I can't have protein powder. I try to eat meat at most once per day, but even that doesn't sit well with me (my culture doesn't really promote meat eating, but I do it because there isn't much available otherwise).

Sued0nim

Take a packed lunch

cw106

hmmm.
have many thoughts but suffice to say it seems to be everybody else's fault except yours.
your certainly underestimating calories in with no loss.
you could
1 buy a portable food scale
2 speak to dining hall food providers re requirements/ calorific values etc.
failing that, speak to student body/ counsellor or all the way up to the dean to address your" cultural " challenges in the worlds most multi- cultural society.
3 buy your own yoghurt and cottage cheese.
hope this helps.

onefortyone

A quick fix might simply be to add in exercise to burn off those 1-200 calories - then you won't have to lower your calories at all!

malavika413

I understand everyone saying I'm blaming others, but these are barriers I can't overcome. I'm just looking for alternatives. I have no transportation and therefore can't leave campus to buy my own food. I rely exclusively on the dining hall unless I'm home. It's difficult to find time to exercise, I'm working on that. I just cannot weigh my food in the dining hall, my friends and family will probably assume I have an eating disorder and try to 'help' me. I do try to measure consistently when I am alone, but that isn't often.

gemmamummy

What exercise do you do?

malavika413

What exercise do you do?

None really, as of now. If I find the time, which is once a week or so, I go on the elliptical for half an hour. But that's about it.

tjohnoconnor

If you eat foods that are higher in fiber you will feel satisfied a lot longer. Look for foods with 2 or more grams of fiber for every 100 calories. Those are complex carbohydrates. Brown rice, beans and lentils just to name a few. Fiber is a carb. but unlike other carbs they wont digest. The body will try to digest it and burn 7 calories for every gram consumed. If you are worried about carbs. just subtract your fiber grams from carb. grams to know your net carbohydrates. Fiber will clean up your digestive track so your body can better absorb your macro and micro nutrients as well. My diary is open to public if you want some ideas. So try eating at the same number of calories you are at now but add complex carbs.

gemmamummy

I just cant believe that all the dining hall has on offer is poptarts and chocolate. No porridge, no chicken and rice? If you are serious about weight loss you need to get a proper exercise regime in place and start eating some proper food. I'm 4'11 and I'm losing on 1650 kcals during the week and 2000 on the weekends.

slvrsrfr

You're in a tough spot. I think it's gonna be hard to pinpoint the calories in the
foods you're eating. But I'd continue to do the best that you can.

Here's what I'd recommend as my son is on campus and eating at the dining
hall.

For breakfast choose oatmeal or healthy cereals like All Bran Flakes with
1% or soy milk.

The rest of your meals, I'd choose vegan options if they have them. The reason
I say this, is that they will generally be lower in calories. Too often, vegetarian
options have cheese or cream or butter as part of the ingredients and so the
calorie density goes up.

Snack on fruits and enjoy salads as you can.

cavia

I understand everyone saying I'm blaming others, but these are barriers I can't overcome. I'm just looking for alternatives. I have no transportation and therefore can't leave campus to buy my own food. I rely exclusively on the dining hall unless I'm home. It's difficult to find time to exercise, I'm working on that. I just cannot weigh my food in the dining hall, my friends and family will probably assume I have an eating disorder and try to 'help' me. I do try to measure consistently when I am alone, but that isn't often.

Then whatever you're eating now in the dining hall, eat less of it. For example, if you're clearing your plate, then leave some food from now on or ask whoever is serving to give you less than the normal serving size. It still won't be accurate but if you can't change any other variable then this will have to make do.

malavika413

No vegan options, other than some sad lentils they have every couple of days. But yes, I'll probably try eating more of the dining hall entrees. None of it tastes very good, but it's only a couple more years. I can deal.

Francl27

Yes I'd be starving with what you are eating too.. pop tarts, granola bars, chocolate... that's never going to fill you up.

icrushit

If your calorie goal is reasonable, and you're having problems sticking to it or are excessively hungry, swapping out some of the carbs for protein and fat will ensure what you eat is generally more filling. In terms of the 'fulness' factor of food, it generally tends to follow the lines of protein > fat > complex carbs > simple carbs.

Also, adding in more exercise will allow you to eat more, and even for example something like a 30 min walk, will allow you eat 150 more calories every day.

Bottom line though, if you want to see results, you need to take responsibility for your own health and fitness goals. People here can give helpful advice, but its ultimately up to each of us to find good solutions to the problems that stand in the way of our goals. Lots of other students have done it, and so can you. Put your mind to it, and I have no doubt you won't look back!

malavika413

The dining hall does offer more than poptarts and chocolate. The trouble is, I'm usually on the go and have five minutes to eat or less. I have to have the granola bars every day or it's nothing until 1 pm. And then dinner's usually around 8 or 8:30. I get hungry, and poptarts are cheap and easy.

sodakat

Then whatever you're eating now in the dining hall, eat less of it. For example, if you're clearing your plate, then leave some food from now on or ask whoever is serving to give you less than the normal serving size. It still won't be accurate but if you can't change any other variable then this will have to make do.

That's what I was thinking too.

Plus, I've never seen a dining hall without fresh fruit available. Whole apples, oranges, bananas, etc. Nothing wrong with eating a couple apples a day. The old "apple a day keeps the doctor away" is based on the fiber content in apples if I remember correctly. May not be perfect choice but better than no fiber.

Last suggestion I have is to ask dining hall staff if you can look at bulk packaging some day when they are not too busy. I sometimes sub in the school cafeteria in my district and I know they are required to meet caloric and nutritional guidelines set by government. Most of the packaging on the processed food they purchase has detailed nutritional info on it. I'll bet they have a monthly sheet they produce that lists all the info you need in fact, because the paperwork now required to meet federal guidelines is super strict and really a PITA. Just ask for some info from the dining hall manager.

malavika413

Then whatever you're eating now in the dining hall, eat less of it. For example, if you're clearing your plate, then leave some food from now on or ask whoever is serving to give you less than the normal serving size. It still won't be accurate but if you can't change any other variable then this will have to make do.

That's what I was thinking too.

Plus, I've never seen a dining hall without fresh fruit available. Whole apples, oranges, bananas, etc. Nothing wrong with eating a couple apples a day. The old "apple a day keeps the doctor away" is based on the fiber content in apples if I remember correctly. May not be perfect choice but better than no fiber.

Last suggestion I have is to ask dining hall staff if you can look at bulk packaging some day when they are not too busy. I sometimes sub in the school cafeteria in my district and I know they are required to meet caloric and nutritional guidelines set by government. Most of the packaging on the processed food they purchase has detailed nutritional info on it. I'll bet they have a monthly sheet they produce that lists all the info you need in fact, because the paperwork now required to meet federal guidelines is super strict and really a PITA. Just ask for some info from the dining hall manager.

The nutritional info is available online, they just aren't really clear about what the serving sizes are.

I WISH we had fruit. We get some bruised apples and green bananas. All other fruit is reserved for the athletes on campus. Berries, juicy fruits, etc. It's all for our prized football team.

tara_means_star

I work full time and I'm a graduate student. I was the best proponent of "I don't have time to exercise" and it was easy to believe because I am ridiculously busy all day every day. BUT I decided to stop using that excuse and find places to add in a bit of exercise. Some times that literally means I'm waiting for class to start while doing some stretches or walking a few times around the school. Sometimes, a few minutes open up and I can actually take a real walk. At the very least, I can hold my legs up under my desk and contract my core muscles.

If I can find time to exercise anyone can.

lemonyradiomen

If you are on the go and don't have the time or resources to feed yourself healthfully or exercise (and I'm sure you know what this means -- not subsisting off high-sodium high-sugar processed foods but whole fruits and vegetables, fresh etc.) then you have no business trying to lose weight.

Weight loss is so hard on the body - a large percentage of weight loss is guaranteed to be from muscle unless you are strength training and eating enough protein - and if you are not eating a balanced diet I doubt you'll be able to lose anything at all without being driven to distraction by hunger, and losing energy, alertness, and the concentration and mental acuity you need for your classwork. Please, try to figure out how you can eat healthfully before you start restricting your calories. I'm sure the people here are more than happy to offer suggestions for how you can gain access to the kind of food you need or figure out exactly what's in your cafeteria food.

On the other hand, weight loss for many people will make you more hungry. It's okay to feel hunger on a daily basis. Grabbing a poptart at the first sign of hunger because you have no time for anything else is like stopping a workout and sitting down as soon as you get a little tired; you need to "push through" to an extent as long as you aren't overdoing it. I hope this helps!

Lourdesong

If you're eyeballing your food, you're probably going over. Your deficit is so small it doesn't allow much room for imprecision. And it doesn't sound like you have much interest in being precise, so, perhaps you should aim for a bigger deficit to act as a buffer for all the eyeballing you do. Perhaps 1400 or so calories in your world where you eyeball everything is actually your current calorie goal.

Increase protein and fiber intake to help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Otherwise, there's not much other advice for you other than please don't use all your excuses as justifications to gorge and get fatter in college.

malavika413

If you're eyeballing your food, you're probably going over. Your deficit is so small it doesn't allow much room for imprecision. And it doesn't sound like you have much interest in being precise, so, perhaps you should aim for a bigger deficit to act as a buffer for all the eyeballing you do. Perhaps 1400 or so calories in your world where you eyeball everything is actually your current calorie goal.

Increase protein and fiber intake to help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Otherwise, there's not much other advice for you other than please don't use all your excuses as justifications to gorge and get fatter in college.

I measure almost everything I can. I just can't weigh my food. I'm sure a lot of people here can't weigh their food because they don't cook or prepare any of it. If I could, I would. I've tried larger deficits, I just hate feeling hungry all the time, as it distracts me from my schoolwork, my job, and everything else.

malavika413

If you are on the go and don't have the time or resources to feed yourself healthfully or exercise (and I'm sure you know what this means -- not subsisting off high-sodium high-sugar processed foods but whole fruits and vegetables, fresh etc.) then you have no business trying to lose weight.

Weight loss is so hard on the body - a large percentage of weight loss is guaranteed to be from muscle unless you are strength training and eating enough protein - and if you are not eating a balanced diet I doubt you'll be able to lose anything at all without being driven to distraction by hunger, and losing energy, alertness, and the concentration and mental acuity you need for your classwork. Please, try to figure out how you can eat healthfully before you start restricting your calories. I'm sure the people here are more than happy to offer suggestions for how you can gain access to the kind of food you need or figure out exactly what's in your cafeteria food.

On the other hand, weight loss for many people will make you more hungry. It's okay to feel hunger on a daily basis. Grabbing a poptart at the first sign of hunger because you have no time for anything else is like stopping a workout and sitting down as soon as you get a little tired; you need to "push through" to an extent as long as you aren't overdoing it. I hope this helps!

This is why I'm having difficulty dropping my calorie intake. I'm already tired all the time. I already lose focus. I get enough sleep and I don't drink any caffeine or alcohol. I'm just always hungry and the hunger makes me feel lethargic and incapable of going through my day.

cavia

If you're eyeballing your food, you're probably going over. Your deficit is so small it doesn't allow much room for imprecision. And it doesn't sound like you have much interest in being precise, so, perhaps you should aim for a bigger deficit to act as a buffer for all the eyeballing you do. Perhaps 1400 or so calories in your world where you eyeball everything is actually your current calorie goal.

Increase protein and fiber intake to help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Otherwise, there's not much other advice for you other than please don't use all your excuses as justifications to gorge and get fatter in college.

I measure almost everything I can. I just can't weigh my food. I'm sure a lot of people here can't weigh their food because they don't cook or prepare any of it. If I could, I would. I've tried larger deficits, I just hate feeling hungry all the time, as it distracts me from my schoolwork, my job, and everything else.

If you eat less than you burn, you're going to feel hunger at some point. That's how dieting works. You're claiming you can't eat more protein and are limited to higher carb food items which has been pointed out, is less filling than higher protein and healthy fat foods. So your choices are to accept that you can't change anything for the next two years until you leave this really bizarre sounding college or try incorporporating more protein and healthy fats into your diet to help with satiety(tins of sardines, tuna, jerky, nuts, nut butters which will keep in your room - surely someone you know has a vehicle and would be willing to drive you to a grocery store to stock up).

If you want different results, you need to make different choices.

Francl27

Well, something's got to give. You're hungry because you eat high carbs, low protein and low fat foods. If you're serious about it, you'll find a way to make it work and eat healthier foods. I don't believe that there isn't a shop where you can buy some fruit (or some of the stuff mentioned above), and I don't believe that your dining hall only serves junk. Do you have access to a fridge or microwave at all?