help! please...really I need it

loving2loose

so I am new to here and really don't understand how I am supposed to eat...I mean I only get 1290 cals and I already think I blew it today. we had pizza at work and I never realized HOW MANY CALORIES it was until just now when I looked it up....i am discouraged already...

EncoreUneAutreFois

That's why you're here. When you learn the real nutritional value (or lack thereof) of foods, you'll learn how to mitigate risk to your healthy diet. Pizza is always a huge surprise, especially for those of us who think we're doing a good job loading up on veggies. Read through the recipes here on this site, and make sure you track everything. Also, get used to measuring in some way. Some people use weight, others use volume, but at least begin to get some idea of what your serving sizes should be. This ensures you can still eat what you like, but in portion-controlled amounts. The key to your success will be maximizing nutrition levels and limiting empty calories. And don't get discouraged, most of us on here have the same lessons to learn, we're just here to support each other!

UsedToBeHusky

Okay. I like to plan ahead what I am going to eat. That way I go into my meals with no surprises.

loving2loose

Okay. I like to plan ahead what I am going to eat. That way I go into my meals with no surprises.

that is a really good idea!

prism6

If you think it's bad for you...check the calories first. I was surprised early on when I found out a breakfast burrito at McDonalds is over 300 cal. when I walked on a treadmill and saw how long it took to burn 300 cal. well, needless to say no more of them! I love Pizza,it is the food of the Gods. I haven't had any,except 1 pc of home made, since I started. I am trying to lose weight,once I get down and can increase my Calories, I will savor A piece. You ate it for lunch. just cut back the rest of the day and even things out

finchest

if you're not sure about the calorie content of something, look it up in the database (from your cel phone, for example) before eating it!

aim for more fresh veggies in your diet you'll be able to eat a LOT more and the calorie count is very low.

Chagama

Don't get discouraged. Every day is a new learning experience that helps the next day. I have definitely found that entering things before I eat them has been tremendously helpful. Sometimes I will skip a particular food, sometimes just pay attention to the quantity I eat.

MandaJean83

If I have access to it, I check everything before it goes into my mouth! Part of this lifestyle change is learning what the nutritional value of food really is, and learning what a portion size is! Once you've mastered that, the rest is just common sense and math!

PS: If I want greasy pizza, I just log another 30 minutes at the gym to "earn" that pizza without destroying my day!

mbilling

I think getting into cooking and used to preparing most of the foods you'll eat yourself is really helpful with weight loss. Definitely browse the recipes and look for foods that sound yummy to you. You can start of as simple as you need to. You also should be aiming to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. When I first started eating for weight loss I made a goal to get at least 5 servings of fresh fruit/veggies a day. Planning ahead is also SUPER helpful. Once you get into the swing of it, it will be easier! Good luck!

sjebert

Here is what I do, if I know they are going to be serving Pizza or something like that at work for a function, I go to the Database before I go eat, I find the pizza and I figure out what the calories are, that way I know what each piece is costing me in Calories beforehand.

marbit

I would just traack everything for a few days. You will start to see for yourself how many calories you are eating. I discovered for example, that I wasnt exercising, and I was eating 3000+ calories a day of junk. Then when you start to exercise you realise how hard you have to work to just work off 200 calories, you kinda wonder every time you want to eat "why am I eating that, am i hungry? Bored? depressed?". Tracking is step one to understanding why you eat what you eat, and I think a natural progression of tracking, exercising and educating is that you will just want to eat differently.

now after 100 days, i can honestly say that whereas before I would have felt deprived without my cheesesteak once a week, now I dont even really want it.

marekdds

You just had the rude awakening that most of here get, when we realize how many calories we have been stuffing down. My best advice is to plan your meals. If you are going out, google it and plan what to eat at the restaurant. Drink lots of water. Exercise and eat those calories back with nutritious stuff. Good luck. We are here for you.

taunto

Well, I like to think that I'm making a lifestyle change rather than a diet, which means that in order for me to make it a habit, i will have alot of mistakes in the way. Dont be discouraged, enter everything you do into MFP diary and if you go over a bit, no problem. Grab them shoes and go outside and start walking/jogging/running/biking. Whatever tickles your fancy really.

Good Luck and Have fun!

EncoreUneAutreFois

What's AMR and how does it compare to what MFP calculates?

Zichu

I think this is the first step of MFP. When I first joined I put in everything that I ate and to my surprise there was quite a lot of junk. You will overcome these urges if there are any for foods that you would normally eat.

I really love Golden Bears by Haribo, but I haven't had any since I first started. You do have off days where you eat something that is a little on the bad side, but were all human, we all do it and were all here for the same reason and that's really for support on this journey to better health.

vichm

when your new to it its hrd as your unsure on nutrition in the food and what you class as healthy you may find secretly is'nt. You soon fall into it and find which foods are best to give you more for your calories. Keep up the good work.

P.s pizza is bad- I had a treat day on friday and my son wanted to share a pizza, In one meal ate my days calories!- Luckly a good gym session that day. :-)

Bikini_Bound150

Maybe 1,290 is a little low to start off with. I started with 2,000 because I hadn't counted calories before (and I was eating probably 3,000 before joining), then gradually reduced it to 1,730. I'm still working my way down.

Once you become more used to living this way, it gets easier. I PROMISE!

Until then:
1. Measure EVERYTHING!
2. Find good SUBSTITUTIONS (I have an awesome recipe for homemade pizza with a cauliflower crust)
3. Exercise to EARN your splurges
4. Most importantly, DON'T GIVE UP! You can make it up to yourself if you over eat, but not if you give up.

Best of luck to you!

sommerskins

You are just getting acclamated to your new lifestyle, so don't be discouraged. It is changing the way we once knew to a whole new way of thinking. Now it is just like many of the people mentioned, planning ahead and leanring what things you need to cut out or work to have. I recently just made many adjustments to my current diet and if you want some ideas, message me and I will tell you what I have figured out and still am figuring out. Asking questions and utilizing this space is so helpful and I have made some great contacts on here who are very helpful. If you want pizza, I make my own using a whole wheat pita bread, low calorie mozzarella cheese, reduced fat pizza sauce and load on the veggies ( if you have a toaster oven, throw it all in there) All of these items I purchase at Trader Joes and it is a litle under 200 calories for the whole thing and add a nice salad with red wine vinegar and some lemon and you got yourself a yummy lunch or dinner. :happy:

aprilbjulian

I have a really good recipe for "skinny" pizza if you would like it! its 260 calories

LoraF83

when your new to it its hrd as your unsure on nutrition in the food and what you class as healthy you may find secretly is'nt. You soon fall into it and find which foods are best to give you more for your calories. Keep up the good work.

P.s pizza is bad- I had a treat day on friday and my son wanted to share a pizza, In one meal ate my days calories!- Luckly a good gym session that day. :-)

Pizza is not bad! Gorging yourself on too much pizza, too often is bad. I have a slice or two of pizza every Friday night and I am always within my calories. It's all about how it fits in the scope of all of your other choices.

JMarigold

Maybe 1,290 is a little low to start off with. I started with 2,000 because I hadn't counted calories before (and I was eating probably 3,000 before joining), then gradually reduced it to 1,730. I'm still working my way down.

Once you become more used to living this way, it gets easier. I PROMISE!

Until then:
1. Measure EVERYTHING!
2. Find good SUBSTITUTIONS (I have an awesome recipe for homemade pizza with a cauliflower crust)
3. Exercise to EARN your splurges
4. Most importantly, DON'T GIVE UP! You can make it up to yourself if you over eat, but not if you give up.

Best of luck to you!

^^^^^This!!!

This is a learning process. You need to be able to keep it up in the long term so work your way into and don't get SO upset when you makes mistakes that you give up all together. Chalk it up to experience and try again!

Edited to Add: Plus drink a lot of water. It really helps. I promise.

mfp_1

Bikini_Bound1 wrote:
1. Measure EVERYTHING!

Yes. Measure solids as weight, not volume.

Who here hasn't got kitchen scales yet?