ADVICE ON THIS MEAL PLEASE

bikini1234

hello everyone i have just started calorie counting and was wondering if any of you wonderful and inspiring people could have a look at it to tell me if its going in the right direction or if i could improve it somehow so today's meals are as follows:

breakfast : 2 weetabix -137 cals and semi skimmed milk ( inc milk for tea throughout the day) - total- 300 cals

lunch: 1 small tortilla wrap-118 cals small mixed salad for inside wrap-30 cals 100g diced chicken-108 cals 3 tbsp weight watchers rocket and mozzarella sauce- 35 cals- total- 291

Dinner: tin of baby potatoes- 108 cals, 100g chicken-108 cals, mixed vegetables-90 cals-half jar of weight watchers rocket and mozzarella sauce-65 cals - total- 371

snacks: 2 slices of wheaten bread- 182 cals and glass of pepsi max -0 cals


is this ok ? i feel like i have ate quite a lot actually , also is it ok to use weight watchers frozen meals and tinned soup or shop bought light healthy sandwiches as long as they are within my calorie limit ??? its just i have a busy life and i find it hard to make time to cook. any advice on all this would be very very very helpful. thanku xxx

ninerbuff

Well you're eating under a 1000 calories, so add at least 200 hundred more and eat back exercise calories as well.


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Acg67

Looks kinda low on fats and protein, unless you are already on the petite side

vypeters

I don't see a lot of protein in there. Try adding protein in every meal, and don't be afraid of healthy fats!

mirgss

Agree with both of these.

You can eat store-bought stuff...just realize that the soup especially will be very high in sodium. If you drink a lot of water/don't have high BP, this may not be as much of a problem for you.

But FAT and PROTEIN are your friends!

AnninStPaul

Agree with both of these.

You can eat store-bought stuff...just realize that the soup especially will be very high in sodium. If you drink a lot of water/don't have high BP, this may not be as much of a problem for you.

But FAT and PROTEIN are your friends!

my first thought was you need more protein - perhaps add an egg to breakfast and some peanut butter on the toast at snack?

Aperture_Science

As others have said you are light on cals and protein.

I would drop the Weetabix at breakfast in favour of something egg based.
If I'm having chicken for lunch I'd have a different meat for evening meal. Maybe consider tinned tuna at lunch and keep the chicken for dinner?
Add in a snack or supper. Cottage Cheese or a yoghurt will give you a bit more protein.

stormieweather

You are close to 1200 (300 + 291 + 371 + 182), but there are a lot of carbs in there and not much veggies/protein. You may want to drop the bread snack and have an egg or almonds. I'd also try for 120g of chicken or 4 oz of lean beef for dinner. Add some fresh veggies to dinner to help fill you and get your nutritional needs met. Broccoli, asparagus, squash, swiss chard, green beans, etc. are great sides.Remember that good fats are ok to a point and help you feel satisified, and protein helps you feel full (takes longer to digest) and veggies take up room in your tummy for very little calories. Limited carbs are ok, but some people (like me) find that too many or processed carbs increase hunger and/or cravings.

Good luck!

auntiebabs

Seems like too little.

I second the protein and "happy" fats comments.

As for the store bought stuff... the question really is... "is it better than what you were eating before"
because you don;t have to change everything all at once. If you change a couple of little things every 3-4 weeks, it's not so disruptive and it the first changes have a chance to become habit before you go on to the next ones.

mikeyrp

All the above is good advice - but to me the most important thing you can do at this stage is to learn about how your body responds to the things you eat.

Generally speaking, for me:

Low energy = not enough carbs. Probably not enough calories total!
Energy peaks and then dies: Not enough slow burning carbs (Eat cereals not sugars)
Feeling empty / hungry all the time: Not enough Protein
Low immunity: Not enough fresh fruit & veg.
Wind: I ate onions.

I've never been low on fats so I'm not sure what the impact is on me.

Honestly - you are going to have to find what works best for you, but as people pointed out you're a bit low on protein, so try some low fat Greek yoghurt.

Most important in my opinion, try and get 30 minutes or more exercise 3-4 times a week.

BrendaLee

It looks like you're off to a good start. If you're going to rely partially on canned and/or frozen foods, consider tracking your sodium (My Home/Settings/Diary Settings).