New and looking for meal advice

mimmish

Hi! I'm new to myfitness and also new to exercise. My problem with trying to lose weight in the past is that the more I think about losing weight, the more I think about food, the more I want to eat.

So here's my question: can anyone advice a way to consume 1200 calories a day (which seems like NOTHING) without thinking about calories all the time? The very act of adding up calories means being obsessed with (thinking about) food, which makes me want to eat!

So what I think I need would be a menu that is automatic, that doesn't require a lot of thinking or adding. Just knowing: this is what I can eat, it's going to magically be 1200 calories, and I'll be fine.

Actually, I guess I get to add 200-400 calories for exercise (40 min. of Zumba, not sure what that's worth), so it will really be 1400 calories a day. Advice very welcome!
Thanks

Lindsayrob

Why don't you check out other people's diaries? Many MFP members have open diaries, so you can find inspiration in what they eat. I find that the less processed food you eat, the lower you can keep your cals.
Lindsay

musicmanomar

Hi! I'm new to myfitness and also new to exercise. My problem with trying to lose weight in the past is that the more I think about losing weight, the more I think about food, the more I want to eat.

So here's my question: can anyone advice a way to consume 1200 calories a day (which seems like NOTHING) without thinking about calories all the time? The very act of adding up calories means being obsessed with (thinking about) food, which makes me want to eat!

So what I think I need would be a menu that is automatic, that doesn't require a lot of thinking or adding. Just knowing: this is what I can eat, it's going to magically be 1200 calories, and I'll be fine.

Actually, I guess I get to add 200-400 calories for exercise (40 min. of Zumba, not sure what that's worth), so it will really be 1400 calories a day. Advice very welcome!
Thanks

You should spread food into 5 meal. Have some skim milk and Kashi cereall in the morning just make sure to measure your portions. It'll make you feel full all day. 2 or 3 hours later snack on a Galla apple or some other fruit. For meal 3 have some black bean bean tacos with corn tortillas. You can even add some deli meat or chicken. For meal 4 snack on a protien shake or a protien bar. Anything really like yogurt with nuts or banana in it. Meal 5 you can have a turkey burger with Sarah Lee bread (45 cal per slice). There is a mayo that is 10 cal for a tablespoon! You can always look at my diary too! If you spread your meals I promise you won't be as hungry. Best of luck!

froggy1057

You are so right, when I started this journey, 06/10/2011 all I thought about was food. Measuring, weighing, counting. But, now it comes second nature to me. One big thing is that my husband will eat what I eat, maybe a larger portion but, I don't have children's palets to satisfy. That's a biggie with anyone with small children, my daughter has 2. I find that counting calories allows you more freedom with your choices. I also love the show on Food Network Hungry Girl she shows you how to make everyday goodies more healthy, the other day she even made onion rings. I love to cook, I like to take recipes and make them healthier. I do try and use fresh ingredients over anything processed, if I can, I'm not going to try and make cream of mush. soup. I also use our grill ALOT I don't know what I'm going to do when it gets colder outside.

mimmish

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have two small kids and part of the problem is that I am ALWAYS IN THE KITCHEN making food for them, surrounded by food!

I've heard that eating many small meals is better than fasting and binging on a big dinner, but I'm worried that I won't have the discipline to keep all those meals small. Wish I could lock the door to my kitchen, but it doesn't even have a door...

Anyway, here's hoping I get used to calorie-counting, too.

musicmanomar

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have two small kids and part of the problem is that I am ALWAYS IN THE KITCHEN making food for them, surrounded by food!

I've heard that eating many small meals is better than fasting and binging on a big dinner, but I'm worried that I won't have the discipline to keep all those meals small. Wish I could lock the door to my kitchen, but it doesn't even have a door...

Anyway, here's hoping I get used to calorie-counting, too.

Perhaps you should have your children eat healthy too. It can be a healthy family lifestyle. Throw away all the junk food and have healthy food. There is a preserves that is kind of like jelly for 10 cal a table spoon. If they or you must have some chocolate have ghiradelli dark chocolate the chocolate chips. It's 16 chocolate chips for 80 cal and they are pretty big. Have nuts such as almonds for the kids to have. I promise that if you do 5 meals you will be fine. By the time your hungry it'll be time for your next meal. If you're always in the kitchen perhaps you should put a poster or your goals or even a picture of yourself and a picture of what you want to look like! Oh yeah, eat on smaller plates so that it looks like your eating a lot because if you have a large plate but not a lot of food on it, it won't seem as much.