Trouble keeping calorie target

slimdownspicey

I'm relatively new to the site (about 2 weeks) - before I joined I ate about 2,000 calories a day and was at the gym 3x a week for hard workouts (on average 800 cal/hr according to my HRM). I have a desk job but I'm out visiting clients at least a few times a week and unless it's raining I walk up to 1 mile to their offices and then back so I chose the sedentary lifestyle. To lose 1 lb/week myfitnesspal gave me 1330 calories/day and I am finding it impossible to stick to.

I have egg whites with veggies on a light English muffin w 2 slices of ff cheese and ketchup (about 250-300 cal) every morning but can't keep the rest of my day around 1,000 - especially on the weekends when I'm out with my friends.

Just wondering what everyone else does to stay within a restrictive range they aren't used to!

Atlantique

If you are set at sedentary, then you need to log all exercise, including those one mile walks. As a Manhattanite, I'm sure you do a good bit of walking each day and take dozens of flights of stairs just going in and out of subways and buildings. If you don't want to track all of your walking, you may want to change your Activity Level to "Lightly Active".

As you're finding, the composition of your diet makes a big difference in how full you feel. Emphasize protein, fiber and healthy fats to help you feel fuller. Limit simple, starchy carbs like your light English muffin and other processed flour products, white rice, white pasta, etc. and try to get the majority of your carbs from veggies and fruit.

And why aren't you eating at least some of your exercise calories back?

Dropshot

When you enter your exercise it should increase your net calories for the day. If I over eat, I exercise more!

slimdownspicey

Hmm, I seem to have trouble remembering to log the walking but that's a good point - plus I take the stairs between floors at work (our elevators only stop every few floors, we have escalators but I opt for the stairs so it's 2 flights up every time I go to the pantry or need to leave the building) but I can't figure out how to record that.

I do eat back some exercise calories but on days I don't make it to the gym I don't get them - I think I will change to lightly active then!

GalaxyDuck

Besides making sure to log all your activity, such as your walks, and eating back your exercise calories, one thing that being on a lower cal restriction (MFP put me on 1200 when I started) made me realize was how off my portion sizes were. I could still eat everything I would regularly for the most part, if I just changed the AMOUNT of them I was eating.

For example, in the sample breakfast you provided, instead of using 2 slices of cheese, use 1. Cheese (my weakness!) is usually pretty heavy on the calories. Try grating it instead of slicing it, I find less goes more that way.

Try eating things that will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish), whole grains (switch white rice to whole grain brown rice, white bread to whole grain breads, etc), and fruits and veggies will all make you feel fuller longer. Whole grains especially make a big difference. Your body breaks them down slower so you feel fuller longer.

Also make sure you're drinking plenty of water! A lot of the times you may think you feel hungry when really you're just thirsty! Try drinking a glass of water and waiting 30 minutes to see if you're still hungry then!

I've been on here for a few months and have managed to do quite well. I'm full of suggestions and tips so feel free to add me if you'd like!

lil_pulp

I definitely relate to what you're saying. MFP originally gave me 1200 calories but then I changed a setting or two (maybe i just switched to a .5 loss/week) and now have 1390. When I workout, I earn at least 200 more and can generally stay within my calories then (sometimes with up to 200 left over--but not usually!), but if I don't have exercise calories to eat back, I haven't yet figured out (self-control-wise, not hunger-wise) how to not go over. Fortunately, I can at least maintain eating like I am...

stephiehampshire

I cycle to work every day which earns me roughly 800 calories extra a day,

This means on the days I dont cycle like if I have an offsite meeting I find it near on impossible to stay in my limit of 1200

I usually do some steps in the evening using a heart rate monitor and burn about 200 calories in 45 minutes using a home made 7inch stepping block this helps me keep within my limits,

I sometimes have low fat yoghurt and fruit for breakfast which is usually about 200 cal, lunch is whole wheat cracker bread with light spreadable cheese and low fat pate with some vegetables this is about 200 - 300 calories, this leaves me with 700 for my afternoon snacks and dinner which is managable if I avoid my latte

I prefer to exercise and earn some calories rather than stick to 1200 a day, but thats just me I like food too much!

morganadk2_deleted

Hi i can't see your diary Are you eating to enough?

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

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


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



Good luck on your journey

lil_pulp

I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this already, but one way that I can relatively comfortable stick to my calorie target is by pre-planning my whole day in advance. That way I can go back and change from two pieces to one piece of toast at breakfast, for example, so that I don't go over my calories when I have the banana as an afternoon snack. Also, I add between 150 and 250 "quick calories" to the end of the day (in advance) and try to forget about them, but I know they're there if I want to go a bit over what I planned.

(Sorry if this doesn't make sense. I'm a little distracted.)