long waking hours

lbarrett74

I'm finding it hard to stay under my calorie goals on the days I work because I am up for 18 hours. I try to spread out my meals and have 6 small ones but I'm only allowed 1270 per day. That only allows me about 200 per meal which can be impossible and I'm always hungry. Any suggestions would be great!! Small meals that are very filling??

EDBENAGLIO

well here is the problem that we all have. the life we lead got us here. is there a easy quick answer no. but you might want to get a hrm with a chest strap and see just what you do burn a day and adjust your 1270 up. you can also try to spread the meals out a little or have 4 instead of 5 so the can be bigger.

hope this helps

elmct57

i have a job that seasonally switches to nights for four months or so and i had a hard time this year. i liked these:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/12-meals-under-200-calories/

cmriverside

If you only have 20 lbs to lose, you should set your Goal to either 1/2 pound or one pound loss per week.

You should be working with a small calorie deficit below your daily calorie expenditure. NO more than that..Don't set your activity level at sedentary unless you really are. You cannot set your goal at 2 pounds a week when you are that close to your ideal weight. Your body cannot afford a huge calorie deficit. Eat all your exercise calories. Don't try to force this to happen quickly, it will take months, not weeks, and you need to really pump up your exercise routine and change it up frequently. There just isn't enough fat reserve for your body to be comfortable and it will fight you all the way when you are this close to goal.

Here, read these:


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions?page=1

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/30898-bmr-vs-tdee-what-mfp-is-telling-you


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo


You need to be eating more!
Good luck. I have many more links from reputable sources if you are interested.


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peggybrant

wish i could help. the fact that your obviously not getting enough sleep is also going to hinder your weight loss. Good luck and God Bless.

jAdorelife

eating more cals on those days can be benificial to your weight loss because it's calorie cycling & will make your metabolism burn more at rest so it will continue to burn that many cals even when you don't eat them. it will also help you avoid pleatus in weight loss because by mixing it up you prevent your body for getting used to low calorie intake which will slow down your metabolism....general rule, if you're hungry, eat. it means your body doesn't have enough fule...

lbarrett74

i feel like 2 pounds per week is a healthy amount. I am walking at a brisk pace for 45 minutes and yes I am eating my exercise calories. I'm eating things like high fiber oatmeal, slimfast shakes, luna bars etc. If I eat fresh fruit it takes me over my sugar intake really fast. I suppose I need to drink more water throughout the day. Maybe that'll help. I guess it's just gonna take some time for me to adjust to not eating so much junk food.

cmriverside

i feel like 2 pounds per week is a healthy amount. I am walking at a brisk pace for 45 minutes and yes I am eating my exercise calories. I'm eating things like high fiber oatmeal, slimfast shakes, luna bars etc. If I eat fresh fruit it takes me over my sugar intake really fast. I suppose I need to drink more water throughout the day. Maybe that'll help. I guess it's just gonna take some time for me to adjust to not eating so much junk food.

Please read the links. Two pounds a week when you have 20 to lose ( and probably more like 10 pounds, to be realistic). Don't try to rush this! You will sabatogue your efforts. Seriously. If you are so busy that you aren't sleeping, then your cannot realistically expect to list "sedentary" and "two pounds weight loss"! It won't work.

Sasssy69

I'm the same as you. I'm up about 17 - 18 hours a day, and what I do is in the mornings and early afternoons, I'm not as hungry as I am in the late afternoons/evenings. So I eat lighter during the times I'm not as hungry. I have a reduced calorie cheese stick and 1/3 of a serving of almonds for breakfast. My lunch is generally under 300-400 calories. I have a light 100 calorie snack around 4:00, and then dinner is my main meal, because this is the meal that is hardest for me to feel full. Everyone's body is different. If you're hungrier earlier in the day, eat more of your calories then. This has worked for me, for the most part. It's not perfect, but I'm down some, and when I don't get to exercise, I maintain doing this.

cmriverside

Fruit is a necessary part of a healthy diet. Luna bars are not and neither are fake shakes. If you are resorting to those foods, then you need to eat more real food. Processed stuff is a fast path to defeat, they are designed for people who work out intensively - like 1000 calories at a time - and have to supplement! They aren't meant as a substitute for a natural food sources. Fruit and dairy sugars should not be counted as "sugars" - subtract them out of your sugar count. Just concentrate on eliminating processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and add whole fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, avocado, lots of fiber, and yes water :drinker:



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jAdorelife

slimfast shakes are also loaded with sugar...

lodro

I'd say your best bet is to reduce your meal frequency to three (or Gd forbid, two) meals a day. If you eat 1200 calories a day it will be very hard to eat a balanced 200 calories for 6 times a day. But if you eat three 400 calorie meals, or even 2 600 calorie meals, that suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. The other way i can think of is to make at least 3 of your small meals protein only.

cmriverside

I'd say your best bet is to reduce your meal frequency to three (or Gd forbid, two) meals a day. If you eat 1200 calories a day it will be very hard to eat a balanced 200 calories for 6 times a day. But if you eat three 400 calorie meals, or even 2 600 calorie meals, that suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. The other way i can think of is to make at least 3 of your small meals protein only.

What are you calling "balanced"? It's very possible to get balanced macro-nutrients in 200-300 calorie meals & snacks. I don't ever feel like I've eaten, though. :laugh:

lodro

I'd say your best bet is to reduce your meal frequency to three (or Gd forbid, two) meals a day. If you eat 1200 calories a day it will be very hard to eat a balanced 200 calories for 6 times a day. But if you eat three 400 calorie meals, or even 2 600 calorie meals, that suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. The other way i can think of is to make at least 3 of your small meals protein only.

What are you calling "balanced"? It's very possible to get balanced macro-nutrients in 200-300 calorie meals & snacks. I don't ever feel like I've eaten, though. :laugh:

Balanced in my book would be fairly low in carbohydrates, moderate fats, fairly high protein. I suspect, that with 200 calories to spend on a "meal", those will almost always have relatively high carb content. This causes insulin spikes, which cause a hunger response, hence the sensation of "always being hungry".

elmct57

deleted duplicate post

cmriverside

I'd say your best bet is to reduce your meal frequency to three (or Gd forbid, two) meals a day. If you eat 1200 calories a day it will be very hard to eat a balanced 200 calories for 6 times a day. But if you eat three 400 calorie meals, or even 2 600 calorie meals, that suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. The other way i can think of is to make at least 3 of your small meals protein only.

What are you calling "balanced"? It's very possible to get balanced macro-nutrients in 200-300 calorie meals & snacks. I don't ever feel like I've eaten, though. :laugh:

Balanced in my book would be fairly low in carbohydrates, moderate fats, fairly high protein. I suspect, that with 200 calories to spend on a "meal", those will almost always have relatively high carb content. This causes insulin spikes, which cause a hunger response, hence the sensation of "always being hungry".

Well, you said on another thread that you eat 1000 calories a day, on purpose. So you must know that it is very possible to get all your macronutrients in a 200-300 calorie meal. For instance, one egg, one half whole wheat muffin, 7g grated cheese, a half of an orange. Not necessarily high in simple carbs. A green salad, some tuna and a mist of olive oil with balsamic vinegar topped with pumpkin seeds, with half a whole wheat muffin. A handful of almonds, some plain yogurt and a few slices of fruit. Some cottage cheese or tofu, a couple slices of avocado, and two whole wheat crackers. A bowl of steamed clams, some steamed veggies and a half portion of butter. Etcetera. Many different combos can be well balanced with low carbs. Blanket statements rarely are entirely true.

mariasheehan

Fruit is a necessary part of a healthy diet. Luna bars are not and neither are fake shakes. If you are resorting to those foods, then you need to eat more real food. Processed stuff is a fast path to defeat, they are designed for people who work out intensively - like 1000 calories at a time - and have to supplement! They aren't meant as a substitute for a natural food sources. Fruit and dairy sugars should not be counted as "sugars" - subtract them out of your sugar count. Just concentrate on eliminating processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and add whole fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, avocado, lots of fiber, and yes water :drinker:



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You're good!!!!!

cmriverside

Fruit is a necessary part of a healthy diet. Luna bars are not and neither are fake shakes. If you are resorting to those foods, then you need to eat more real food. Processed stuff is a fast path to defeat, they are designed for people who work out intensively - like 1000 calories at a time - and have to supplement! They aren't meant as a substitute for a natural food sources. Fruit and dairy sugars should not be counted as "sugars" - subtract them out of your sugar count. Just concentrate on eliminating processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and add whole fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, avocado, lots of fiber, and yes water :drinker:



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You're good!!!!!

aw shucks

lodro

I'd say your best bet is to reduce your meal frequency to three (or Gd forbid, two) meals a day. If you eat 1200 calories a day it will be very hard to eat a balanced 200 calories for 6 times a day. But if you eat three 400 calorie meals, or even 2 600 calorie meals, that suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. The other way i can think of is to make at least 3 of your small meals protein only.

What are you calling "balanced"? It's very possible to get balanced macro-nutrients in 200-300 calorie meals & snacks. I don't ever feel like I've eaten, though. :laugh:

Balanced in my book would be fairly low in carbohydrates, moderate fats, fairly high protein. I suspect, that with 200 calories to spend on a "meal", those will almost always have relatively high carb content. This causes insulin spikes, which cause a hunger response, hence the sensation of "always being hungry".

Well, you said on another thread that you eat 1000 calories a day, on purpose. So you must know that it is very possible to get all your macronutrients in a 200-300 calorie meal. For instance, one egg, one half whole wheat muffin, 7g grated cheese, a half of an orange. Not necessarily high in simple carbs. A green salad, some tuna and a mist of olive oil with balsamic vinegar topped with pumpkin seeds, with half a whole wheat muffin. A handful of almonds, some plain yogurt and a few slices of fruit. Some cottage cheese or tofu, a couple slices of avocado, and two whole wheat crackers. A bowl of steamed clams, some steamed veggies and a half portion of butter. Etcetera. Many different combos can be well balanced with low carbs. Blanket statements rarely are entirely true.

I can only speak for myself, but I've found that to be quite hard actually, and have something of a "meal" instead of eating "things". For me there's a difference, also socially, so that's the reason why I started to reduce my meal frequency. Those examples are excellent, but for me, I'd rather not deal with the repeated insulin, low blood glucose spikes those smaller, frequent meals cause over the course of a day. I know that "eat smaller meals often" is somewhat of the received wisdom when it comes to controlling feelings of appetite, but for me I've found it's better to eat all my calories in one go. Being constantly busy with and obsessing over making small meals and their precise composition is another factor: that was just too much to concern myself with.

Also, I don't see it as a blanket statement: I do want to point out that eating like this you have to be very careful at every meal to get it right, and it's easy to go over the total number of allotted calories for a day in that manner. I suspect that "many small meals" may be a factor in people unwittingly consuming more calories than they intended or allowed for themselves. For me that's a factor, because I really need to be at about 1000/daily and it's something I need to do for a long time to come, hopefully. So being very concerned with food and meals during the day is going to be counterproductive for me.

lbarrett74

yes the not enough sleep is killing me cause when i'm tired it makes me wanna eat to stay alert

lbarrett74

lots of mixed feelings about this one but i have to say i disagree on the luna bars. they are an excellent grab n go item for me. i rarely have time to come up with something quick and if i'm hungry i'd rather not wait until my stomach starts to control what i eat.