Since I started tracking my food I have learned...

seasonalvoodoo

And I can eat a helluva lot more for breakfast for the same 400 calories than two nasty little tarts.

This made me laugh...nasty little tarts.

You know what, though...I love brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts! I don't eat them anymore, because 400 cals, wtf!

tracivee

That the FDA needs to rethink their food pyramid IMMEDIATELY. That is why America is obese.

I don't think fat people are fat because they are strictly adhering to FDA food pyramid guidelines...just sayin'. LOL

jermag27

That the FDA needs to rethink their food pyramid IMMEDIATELY. That is why America is obese.

I don't think fat people are fat because they are strictly adhering to FDA food pyramid guidelines...just sayin'. LOL

Yes, I was generalizing, but telling a grown man to eat 300+ grams of carbs and only 50 grams of protein each day is ridiculous. There should be a balance of both to effectively lose weight.

paradog

I've learned that yogurt with a little granola is a great afternoon snack or breakfast!

Jenscan

I've learned that calories add up QUICK!

jamja

It shocked me to see how much sodium I consumed each day....all this time I thought I was eating low salt

LMorrison1009

I've learned that staying within my calories does not = hunger. I can go through a whole day under calories and still never feel hungry just by making better choices. Before starting I would live on coffee and diet coke all day long, starving myself, then have a gigantic dinner and a big ole icecream sundae to reward myself for being so "good" all day. I was eating one meal and a desert and eating more calories than I do now with 3 meals and snacks.

flutterbee3

Coffee (with cream and sugar) has so many calories and fat in it. I'm a coffee addict and drink several cups a day. It wasn't until I joined MFP that I realized I can reach 1200 cals a day in coffee alone.

I found this out too and switched to fat free half and half and splenda. At this point I am starting to drop the splenda and just going with half and half. 20 cals for 2 tablespoons!

I learned this one too. Now I switched to 1/4 cup of vanilla coconut milk and a packet of Stevia in my coffee. It's not as sweet as my french vanilla creamer days but it is still yummy!

k2quiere

Salads from restaurants are not always the best choice. In Red Robin there is a salad with more than a 1,000 calories yikes.

I know right! I used to think I was doing well by choosing a salad with grilled chicken at Chili's until I logged on here and found out it has almost 1400 calories as served. Ugh!

cheesesandwich

Jeez! I feel like I've learned the opposite from a lot of you. Cheese, avocado, butter and olive oil are totally worth the calories because they make fairly boring foods (grilled or plain lean proteins? blech) so much more delicious! I skip the bread or rolls at dinner and pile on the veggies, and sometimes I have to really work to make it to my calorie goal. Low fat versions of things are generally gross and not worth the money, plus with things like cheese they tend to have more sodium! Yikes.

bbbbb33333

Coffee (with cream and sugar) has so many calories and fat in it. I'm a coffee addict and drink several cups a day. It wasn't until I joined MFP that I realized I can reach 1200 cals a day in coffee alone.

You must put a lot of cream and sugar in your coffee

dancer77

that mindless snacking makes me think I've barely eaten anything all day, and somehow I've consumed 2,000calories. HMMMMMM

Atthea

I have learned that SODIUM IS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ......:grumble:
And now, unless the once in a while tortillas and salsa, I am an 'almost' sodium free woman !!! :bigsmile:

It does feel good, even at very hot summer temperature there is no swollen legs and ankles===>only big and muscular...:blushing: !!!
Oh well, one goal at a time !

Cheers !

k121777

I have learned that I'm very happy that in California, they make restaurants (like Out Back Steak House and Chilies) post the calories on each meal............made me TOTALLY change what I would normally order.

EmilyGetsSkinny95

...That home-cooked meals in the south are extremely high in calories! With a chicken casserole and two side items (i.e. corn and green beans for example), and then a dinner roll or slice of bread, you can EASILY eat 1,000 calories in a meal! And then you add some of my Grandmother's blueberry cobbler... whoo. Just as an example of a typical home-cooked southern meal: FRIED potatoes, FRIED chicken, FRIED squash, heavily buttered cornbread, some type of beans, and then maybe apple pie or some sort of cake or cobbler for dessert. I'm not kidding, you'll rack up 30 fat grams and 1,000 calories easily!
xoxo,
Chloe

theflyingartist

Portion sizes, in general, need to be more effectively advertised.
Seriously. Once I saw a serving size of chips, nuts, fish, ect... I was horribly disturbed by how misled we are in most cases.
ALWAYS, always eat a serving size of something before you go for more.

lorianamarie

holy leg muscle bat-man lol

pearlymae

I agree, Babybel and laughing cow lite swiss are my life savers, or whould I say calorie savers.:flowerforyou:

pauljsolie

I learned that I was way OVERestimating how much butter I was using. A tablespoon is ALOT of butter and can easily butter both slices of toast. I always thought I was putting 2 TBS's on each slice. WOOHOO, having a food scale is so awesome. My realizations don't usually go that way, unfortunately.:ohwell:

Liz_White

I am seriously amazed by some of these posts! Who knew there was so many calories in "healthy food"? It's my first day, and I gotta say, even though I've done WW and other plans, nothing has worked, and I am beginning to understand why!!!
I think what I need to do (it may seem obvious to some) if cut back on fat calories, and pump up the activity level!
I am ready to roll!!

helenzback

Ooh bumpng for a read later. How interesting!

Thanks.

javablondie

That I can eat the foods I love frequently, and eat a lot of food, and be full. Nothing is off limits -- I can work it all into my calories in moderation.

Exactly.

It makes me sad when I read some people's comments about how they can't wait until they can eat this or that. Or that they can't do without <insert fav item here> forever. I'm with you. The real trick is to still have food you love, but keep it under control.

Cheers!

AI1108

I've learned how quickly 1200 calories can add up! Food is fuel for the body. We need the proper nutrients, not just 1200 - 1500 calories of mindless chewing all day. I also learned that it's okay to have an "uh oh" day every once in a while because the human body is not a machine and eating the right foods can make the 1200 calories work for me, without getting ravenously hungry throughout the day, or throwing away the foods that I enjoy but need to portion control.

javablondie

I've learned there is absolutely nothing I want to waste my time with at Taco Mac.

javablondie

That the FDA needs to rethink their food pyramid IMMEDIATELY. That is why America is obese.

It's gone. It's been replaced by "My Plate". Might not be quite as terrible. (But I'm not placing any bets.)

natersmama

i've learned i can eat a WHOLE LOT MORE eating good for me foods and stay full rather than eat my favorite junky snacks and be out of calories by noon. =/ oh and this......

1 beef bubba burger = 400 cals
1 turkey bubba burger + slice cheese + wheat bun = 320 cals

love the beef burger, but its soooo NOT worth the calories!

totustuusmaria

i used to love cooking with olive oil, but seriously- about 130 cals per TBSP? crazy! It's been PAM for me ever since I realized that. Oh, I also used to LOVE eating mangos- until I realized they've got 30-some grams of sugar in them! good lord. I know it's natural surgars and all, but even that's too many for me. I've been sticking to berries.

I realized both of those things too!!

ESVABelle

2 Words: Peanut. Butter. :-(

tameko2

I have learned that I'm very happy that in California, they make restaurants (like Out Back Steak House and Chilies) post the calories on each meal............made me TOTALLY change what I would normally order.

Ditto, this helps me AND I dont' usually feel that deprived because I feel good about the choice I made (based on calories) whereas before I might have picked whatever SOUNDED the healthiest -- now I look at the 5 lowest options and pick the one that fits my day and appeals to me the most.

Also the olive oil kinda freaked me out but the other day I used it to make pasta (just olive oil and spices for the sauce) and I actually MEASURED it - turns out what I had been thinking was 2 tablespoons was more like one....so I used a full 2 tablespoons (For 2 portions) and it was waaaayyy too much, my pasta was noticeably oily (...yummy yummy olive oil, I would drink you if I could).

I prefer to eat LESS of a 'good' food like olive oil than eat processed food like nonstick cooking spray. Ditto for "low fat" "low carb" "sugar free" - I'll just have one slice of bread instead of 2 icky slices.

divalovely

I've learned that my normal 3-4 margaritas I enjoyed at a happy hour can pack a whopping 3,000 calories & a buttload of sugar!!!OMG! No wonder I got so fat(and very UNHAPPY)!!!! LOL