MFP made me realize what I actually eat

KELM0710

So I have been on here for a couple days now and I am really starting to see what I do eat during the day and the amount of calories I consume. Just today its 430 in the after noon and i have like 400 cals left over for the day...so I know I am going to go over. But it is a learning process so I know to be better tomorrow and from now on.

I am supposed to have about 1510 calories a day to lose a pound a week. I didnt think about this when i ate some pizza and a salad for lunch..ughh

I am looking for ideas for Bfast, Lunch and dinner that are low in calories but are something that I can eat with my husband and my 3 yr old. They arent and dont need to do this with me so no point to them suffering becuase i have to eat so little.

If anyone can help that would be awesome!!! Thanks :happy:

MB_Positif

I'm at work right now so I can't reply with more info, but please add me as a friend and I can tell you about some of the things that have been working for me to get my calories down in the past few weeks since I joined!

emchamberlain

My diary is open and I'm at about the same calories that you are. Feel free to poke around and ask me for recipes if you want them!

JenBrown0210

My favorite thing for dinner is steamed chicken ( 4oz is 100 calories) a red pototoe (1 potatoe is 110 calories) and baby carrots (14 is 35 calories). I put everything in my steamer cook it for 30 minutes and ji have a yummy dinner for the family. My daughter 2 and 3 both love it and eat it up! You can also add a salad if you need more! I usually have 2 potatoes to make it around 300 calories

cjfoster

Nothing wrong with pizza (chicken, thin crust with veggies) 1 slice and eat large salad first. My family keeps asking me what can I eat and I tell them to eat like they want (which is still pretty healthy) and I will work around it. Like you I don't want my family to suffer--but......I've noticed they really don't mind most of the chances in the food that has changed in the house.

midgetjoness

porridge is a godsend! you can make it with peanut butter and jam which will give you the energy and protein that you need for a workout. or you can just do it with sugar, or jam, or raisins, or honey! you get the jist! otherwise poached eggs/scrambled eggs on toast is another, or boiled eggs (i loved boiled eggs when i was a kid!) hope that helps x

nichola_watters

I was shocked when I started using MFP and I checked my nutrients that there was so much fat, or sugar or whatever in things. Like you say, its a lesson in changing our lifestyle, its not easy but we will be better for it.

reneelee

400 calories is plenty and you dont have to go over.

4 ounce chicken breast. 120 cal
1 c. green beans 40 cal
1 zuccini micro waved with 1 tsp. real butter 50 cal
3/4c brown rice 150 cal
1 tsp. evoo for chicken 40 cal
________________
400 calories

anamelina

porridge! its low in fat, filling and delicious. make it with skimmed milk or water and stir in some fruit yoghurt if you want to sweeten it.

cardbucfan

Eye opening isn't it?!? I always knew it was my diet that caused me to weigh more than I wanted but I thought I ate pretty heatlhy until I started logging it. Doesn't matter how healthy it is if you eat 4 servings of it! Feel free to check out my diary, it is open and you might get some ideas. The past couple of days haven't been great, but overall it's not too bad and I'm cooking dinners for my husband and 2 teenage boys as well. I generally eat the same thing for breakfast (1/2 cup egg whites, 1 slice double fiber wheat bread with 1 T almond butter and either 2 pieces Oscar Meyer turkey bacon, 4 slices canadian bacon or 2 pre-cooked JImmy Dean sausage patties plus coffee.) Lunch varies a little more and I will eat leftovers a lot. Message me if you would like more info. Good luck!

KELM0710

If it was "good" pizza i wouldnt care so much but it was 3 slices of those totinos party pizzas..My 3yr old loves those for lunch and after my salad i was still hungry so i ate it and then regretted it later..oh well nothing I can do now.. Just need to figure out whats for dinner tonight...kinda glad hubby is working late so i dont have to make a bigger dinner for all 3 of us becuase then i would be way over my limit. lol

I should start buying more veggies as they dont have many calories and they are another fave of my 3 yr old..Hubby is pretty plain when it comes to eating tho..sucks but whatever..

amyindm

I hate when I run out of calories and it's not the end of the day! I feel your pain, sister. I have 3 little kids and a husband with an appetite but really, when our whole family eats healthfully it's easier on me as the cook too - and they are getting better nutrition to boot. I don't measure their portions like my own but at least I know they're getting some good stuff in them while they're at home. And nobody has to suffer! It can get tiresome to come up with healthy things that preschoolers will eat. A few changes that we've made that seem to be relatively painless:

1 - subbing in whole grain pasta for regular; they can't tell the difference

2 - things like "breakfast burritos" even for dinner. I put salsa on them for husband and me, and leave them plain for the kids. I throw in a few whole eggs scrambled wtih more egg whites to lighten it, and sometimes sprinkle a little cheese on too.

3 - broccoli with cheese sauce is a hit for everyone except my picky 2 year old. I just keep trying.

4 - smoothies for breakfast. Again, trickery. I throw in plain nonfat yogurt, fruit, nonfat milk, a splash of vanilla and some flax that they can't taste.

5 - plain yogurt with lowfat granola or a bit of cereal plus some honey or maple syrup (just a bit) for all of us for breakfast. Oatmeal is a big hit too with dried cranberries or raisins.

For sandwiches I'll just give the kids regular sandwich bread that is whole grain and my husband and I use the deli flats. The kids seem to tolerate whole grain tortillas too.

I make a lot of "healthified" versions of the stuff they like - grilled cheese with lower fat cheese, no butter (or less) and some tomato soup on the side. We grill a lot in the summer and roast root vegetables in the winter. They are really sweet that way so everyone will eat them.

For quickie meals I'll take a baked potato and pour on vegetables or vegetarian chili, lentil soup, etc. With a bit of lowfat sour cream or greek yogurt I can make it creamier and add a little cheese for the kids to fake them out when they get cranky about it.

Baked chicken fingers are a great alternative to nuggets and don't take much time to make if you buy the chicken cut into tenders at the supermarket. I coat them with some egg white and panko crumbs to make them crunchy.

Sorry this is so rambling - just a few ideas!

KELM0710

reneelee--wow thats a lot for 400 cals!! i will definitely keep that in mid..except the zucs lol..not a fan

I will definitely check out some of your diaries...I would love any ideas i can find. Pretty sure my page isnt private..Not sure still learning this site...so feel free to browse or add me as a friend...could use a few

reneelee

If it was "good" pizza i wouldnt care so much but it was 3 slices of those totinos party pizzas..My 3yr old loves those for lunch and after my salad i was still hungry so i ate it and then regretted it later..oh well nothing I can do now.. Just need to figure out whats for dinner tonight...kinda glad hubby is working late so i dont have to make a bigger dinner for all 3 of us becuase then i would be way over my limit. lol

I should start buying more veggies as they dont have many calories and they are another fave of my 3 yr old..Hubby is pretty plain when it comes to eating tho..sucks but whatever..

After eating a vegtable meal add some fat like 12 almonds or 1 ounce cheese it will hold you ove , so you dont feel starving hungry right away.

Limeinthecoconut

Whenever I made dinner for my family it's all in serving bowls and plates in the middle of the table and we all just help ourselves. Good for my younger siblings as they need to eat! I just stick to my portion and don't decide for the rest of the family. Just make lots of vegies to have with your dinner. I remember that my sisters used to love eating a sweet corn, carrot and brocollini medley of vegetables when they were little and that is in no way bad for them to have

KELM0710

I have read a lot about how good almonds are for you. they were an acquired taste for me but I really enjoy them now..

KELM0710

amyindm- awesome!!! Thanks soooo much!! No need to be sorry for rambling...the more the better

My hubby has even noticed how excited I am about this so hopefully that is a step in the right direction too

Janworkingitout

I am looking for ideas for Bfast, Lunch and dinner that are low in calories but are something that I can eat with my husband and my 3 yr old. They arent and dont need to do this with me so no point to them suffering becuase i have to eat so little.

If anyone can help that would be awesome!!! Thanks :happy:

I've found that there are no specific foods I can't eat, as long as I practice portion control. It's going to be hard for you to be successful if you consider yourself to be suffering, lol! Planning meals ahead of time is key, even when eating out. My husband and I go to Applebee's, Fridays, McDonalds...I just don't order what he orders. If you plan ahead you and your family should still be able to eat breakfast together. Good luck!

ajbeans

Feel free to look at my diary if you want some ideas. I'm on a lower-cal plan than you are and I eat some kind of "crap" almost every day -- a burger here, some pizza there, coffee with lots of creamer and sugar every day. I can't deprive myself completely or I'll never be able to stick it out. But I don't go over my calorie limit very often because I balance it out with other, healthier stuff. I eat 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks every day. And on the days that I want/need to go over on cals, I just make sure to exercise enough to make up the difference.

The trick is just seeing where your calories are going and making adjustments here and there. I've found that I have the most success when I plan out my meals and snacks the day before, when I'm not hungry, so that when it's time to eat I already know right then and there what I'm going to grab so I don't head for the high-cal, low-nutrition stuff so much.

kellymommy

Regarding the calories left for the day: considering the fact that we should eat the majority of our calories early in the day, so that we can burn them off while we are up and active, you are not in bad shape with 400 left for the evening. Also, if you snuck in a 30 minute workout, you could burn calories, giving you more to eat. For example, if you burn 100 calories, you have 500 left to eat for today!

There are PLENTY of things that you can fix that they would enjoy also, you will just slowly need to learn the different healthier options that work well for your family. Here are some replacements that I have made:

Arnold Bread Thins vs Hamburger Buns/Bread
Egg Substitute vs Whole Eggs
Applesauce vs Oil (when baking cakes, cupcakes)
1% Milk vs 2% or Whole Milk
Laughing Cow Lite Swiss Cheese Wedges vs Other Cheeses
Greek Yogurt vs Sour Cream
Banana Ice Cream vs Ice Cream (see below)
Mississippi Mug Pie vs Any Other Chocolate Dessert (see below)

Banana Ice Cream - any time you have a banana that is starting to get a little brown on the outside (softening), tear it into 8 or so pieces and put in a container and freeze. Once frozen, pull out, add 1 tbsp of lowfat milk, and leave on the counter for maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Once softened a bit, use a utensil to mash until consistency of ice cream. I love it and my kids (age 3 and 1) believe it to be ice cream! I cannot do without it. And it is a serving of daily fruit as opposed to a super fattening dessert.

Mississippi Mug Pie - Do a google search for this recipe. Hungry girl (www.hungrygirl.com) has a recipe for this (and many other delish items) that are easy to make, delicious, and guilt free. It is rich, chocolatey, and amazing.

These are just some of my latest favorites. You will slowly incorporate healthier options over time and before you know it, your eating habits will be transformed, but the food will still taste good if you do it right! Don't compromise the flavor, you don't have to!

God bless. I hope some of this excites you.
KellyMommy

reneelee

I have read a lot about how good almonds are for you. they were an acquired taste for me but I really enjoy them now..

Emerald Cinnamon Almonds are the BEST! Remeinds me of what you get at sporting events, and the calorie are the same as the plain ones.

reneelee

Regarding the calories left for the day: considering the fact that we should eat the majority of our calories early in the day, so that we can burn them off while we are up and active, you are not in bad shape with 400 left for the evening. Also, if you snuck in a 30 minute workout, you could burn calories, giving you more to eat. For example, if you burn 100 calories, you have 500 left to eat for today!

There are PLENTY of things that you can fix that they would enjoy also, you will just slowly need to learn the different healthier options that work well for your family. Here are some replacements that I have made:

Arnold Bread Thins vs Hamburger Buns/Bread
Egg Substitute vs Whole Eggs
Applesauce vs Oil (when baking cakes, cupcakes)
1% Milk vs 2% or Whole Milk
Laughing Cow Lite Swiss Cheese Wedges vs Other Cheeses
Greek Yogurt vs Sour Cream
Banana Ice Cream vs Ice Cream (see below)
Mississippi Mug Pie vs Any Other Chocolate Dessert (see below)

Banana Ice Cream - any time you have a banana that is starting to get a little brown on the outside (softening), tear it into 8 or so pieces and put in a container and freeze. Once frozen, pull out, add 1 tbsp of lowfat milk, and leave on the counter for maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Once softened a bit, use a utensil to mash until consistency of ice cream. I love it and my kids (age 3 and 1) believe it to be ice cream! I cannot do without it. And it is a serving of daily fruit as opposed to a super fattening dessert.

Mississippi Mug Pie - Do a google search for this recipe. Hungry girl (www.hungrygirl.com) has a recipe for this (and many other delish items) that are easy to make, delicious, and guilt free. It is rich, chocolatey, and amazing.

These are just some of my latest favorites. You will slowly incorporate healthier options over time and before you know it, your eating habits will be transformed, but the food will still taste good if you do it right! Don't compromise the flavor, you don't have to!

God bless. I hope some of this excites you.
KellyMommy

I have heard of banana ice cream but never got the recipe. Thanks for sharring!

reneelee

6 egg whites 120 cal
.5 ounce cheese 50 cal
veggie
toast 140 cal
1 tsp. butter 72 cal
_________________________
382 total cal.

KELM0710

It's not that I consider myself to be "suffering", I just know that they have bigger appetites than myself..Always has been that way with my husband and my son should eat as much as he can since hes only 3.
The idea with the bananas to make ice cream sounds awesome..will try that.
I did a lot of house cleaning today so i acheived the 30 mins (i did about an hour actually) of exercise that I had listed for the day so that gave me more calories to work with..
I am a stay at home mom with LOTS of time on my hands lol...not a good thing..my 3 yr old is learning to be independent so he plays alot alone and my 10month old still takes 3 naps which leaves me bored and I eat when I am bored..
To add...most responses would be "i need a hobby" dont really have money for a hobby..I was a WAHM and my hours/work got cut big time. I do a quarter of the work i used to..SUCKS there too..
anyways, these are all super ideas!! I will write them down for when I go to the store next.
Thanks soooo much!! I am soo glad I got such an awesome response to this topic!!! Really helps me believe I can do this.

BigBoneSista

4 oz of veal pan fried in pam, a medium yellow squash sauteed in 1/4 cup of yellow onions w/a tablespoon of butter

301 calories

You can add a side salad or brown rice with this to get to your 400 hundred.

rlysrh

I try to eat about 1200 calories a day and haven't changed the meals I eat in the evening. They were pretty healthy before anyway, and I've found that they don't normally exceed 700 calories so I work the rest of my day around those meals. I try not to eat more than 500 calories for breakfast and lunch, and that leaves me to eat dinner as normal. (:

acjdfw10

I have only been a member for a month, lost 7 lbs and I am still learning. I do feel your dilemma from time to time. Let me share you what I ate today. For breakfast, I tried 2 scrambled eggs with an English muffin with no mayo - 280 calories. For lunch, I had a Protein drink - 190. I then 2 snacks grazing on fruits and even a couple cookies that equaled 400 calories. For dinner, I ate til I was full but mostly on vegetables and that was a total of 450. I ate a total of 1,320 calories. I then had light exercises of slow walking, Pilates and Yoga and burned 250 calories which kept me under my goal 1,100 net calories.

I take into account that I am sedentary. I mostly eat my heaviest meal during breakfast then have a very light lunch, snack and eat somewhere between 400-600 at night. This is because I do most of my exercises between 8-10 pm. If I eat less than 300 cals in the evening (which is around 6pm), I am hungry by 8 pm and it is not fun to exercise hungry or eat after you exercise. I try to drink water only before I go to bed. So it really depends on your routine.