hello from AZ

tayner

Hello, my name is Dana. I found this site yesterday after starting my lifestyle changes saturday. I am a week in, and have lost 4 pounds. I know, and fully expect, this to slow down, but I think my body was in shock at all the good food and exercise it started getting.

Anyway, the main issue i have been having is not being able to eat all my calories. I know I need to, prevent starvation mode, etc, but here is my dilema... I have alot to lose, so i have alot of daily calories right now. Before I ate junk alot, candy, cookies, stuff not really filling, loaded with calories, etc... not surprising I now have alot to lose... I didnt eat that much in terms of quantity, just very high fat, high calorie choices.

but now, I have switched to a more healthy balanced diet but because the caloric intake from these foods is less I cant seem to make myself eat that much in a day. I have a hard time eating the basic calories I am allowed, not to mention the exercise calories too!

I dont really want to supplement my diet with junk just to get calories though... any ideas?

tayner

Hello, my name is Dana. I found this site yesterday after starting my lifestyle changes saturday. I am a week in, and have lost 4 pounds. I know, and fully expect, this to slow down, but I think my body was in shock at all the good food and exercise it started getting.

Anyway, the main issue i have been having is not being able to eat all my calories. I know I need to, prevent starvation mode, etc, but here is my dilema... I have alot to lose, so i have alot of daily calories right now. Before I ate junk alot, candy, cookies, stuff not really filling, loaded with calories, etc... not surprising I now have alot to lose... I didnt eat that much in terms of quantity, just very high fat, high calorie choices.

but now, I have switched to a more healthy balanced diet but because the caloric intake from these foods is less I cant seem to make myself eat that much in a day. I have a hard time eating the basic calories I am allowed, not to mention the exercise calories too!

I dont really want to supplement my diet with junk just to get calories though... any ideas?

MOMOFTWO29

Hello and welcome to MFP. I just know you will love this site if you don't already, I love it here. It is so motivational, supportive, helpful, and everyone here is so nice, and friendly. I just wanted to tell you good luck on your weight loss journey. You can do this. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

ttoombs

Welcome to MFP!! If you go to the Message boards and look under the topics, you should be able to pick out some good tips, that's where I go for information. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:

smadag1

Welcome to the site. What part of AZ are you from. I lived there for 20 years. Am in AL now :drinker:

kaylou

I had the same problem at first....I still am under each day by 100 or so...but I try to eat them all.
I have been just eating little small HEALTHY snacks through out the day.

I love the Green Giant Healthy weight vegetables. small little box....the whole thing is 100 calories.

I eat those before I make dinner....so I would "taste". I also will eat a banana around 9-10pm if I still have to many calories left at the end of the day....about 150 calories.

tayner

great, thanks for all the input. I do love this site already, only 24 hours in and I am finding it so helpful. Before, I tried to count calories and it was so hard, and now I can get up in the morning, plan out my dinner, and then work other stuff in the rest of the day. I cant believe how much food I get to eat. I know with weight loss that will change, but this has been very enlightening thus far!

I guess I need to go to the grocery store this weekend and stock up on some low fat/healthy snacks I can have during the day to fill in the gaps, and calories. At this rate it wont feel like a diet at all!

For ther person that asked, I was born in Chandler but live in Apache Junction now.

I look forward to reading up on the site this weekend and joining in more as I get "up to speed" so to speak!

purrrr

Welcome to MFP, Dana!

I joined at the beginning of February and the site has been a very helpful tool and motivation booster all the way. I had started my journey a bit earlier and by the time I was on here I had already lost 9 pounds, then just like you realized I had been undereating (and I'm talking as much as 500 less calories) because I didn't really have an idea how much I need to eat. I know it's a bit frustrating that MFP tells you to eat more than what you intended to because we all initially have the wrong idea that the less you eat, the more you'll lose. The body doesn't quite work this way and you are happy to have found it here before you have damaged your metabolism and health, just like I found it in time. It didn't affect my weight loss at all when I upped the calories and I have been losing steadily since, so please go ahead and fuel your body what it needs.

As for not being able to catch on the calories... There are so many HEALTHY foods that add up so fine - pop a couple olives or nuts, or drink some fresh juice. Another good way to make it is avoid all the low fat/low calorie products and go for the REAL products. I almost don't use reduced calorie substitutes except some sweetener in my tea - reduced calorie means the product has been processed and deprived of its natural nutrition for something artificial, which your body doesn't really need. Instead, eat whole foods (watching the portions of course) and you will see that the missing calories for the day will occur naturally and your body will never be malnutritioned!

Good luck on your journey and see you around the forums! :flowerforyou: