EEK! I thought my breakfast was healthy?!

antlergirl

This morning I tried to be really well behaved with my breakfast. I am sitting infront of a bowl of fat free natural yoghurt (150g), topped with 5 chopped dates, 1 small chopped apple and some maple pecan cluster cereal (50g).
I just logged it into my food diary to fin it came to almost 500 calories!!

Is this a really bad breakfast choice? How could I improve on this?? Help- I am trying to desperately bring down my calorie count as close to 1000 as possible.

Sidesteal

For starters, look at your food log and figure out where all the calories are coming from.

Additionally, and this is none of my business but sometimes that doesn't stop me:

1000 cals/day is very low and in most cases not very wise.

I would guess that the cereal addition is ramping up the calories pretty heavily.


Does this breakfast keep you full for a long time?

seekingstrengthX2

Most experts recommend a breakfast of 300-500 calories... so, that wouldn't really be that bad except that you are trying to stay under 1000.

Everyone needs more than 1000 calories. I would up your total calories for starters.

Next.... there's already a lot of sugar in the yogurt and you're adding 2 fruits to it, not really necessary in my opinion. Just stick with yogurt and cereal on top.

legittuszynski

I don't think that a 500 calorie breakfast is terrible by any means. If you are worried about it, cut the amount of yogurt to half.

I must agree with the other posters 1k calories is too little for almost everyone. You should probably set a more realistic daily calorie goal.

Pebble321

Portion size is the key... eat 1/2 the apple, 2/3 of that amount of yoghurt and muesli and you will bring the cals down.
Trying to stay under 1000 sounds pretty unrealistic though - unless you are only 4 feet tall.

determinedbutlazy

I aim for 500cal for breakfast every day...

antlergirl

I've been doing 1500 for around a month now and my weight have actually gone up a bit so I'm trying to give myself a push to get it started. The only other way I have successfully lost weight before is a high protein zero carb zero sugar diet- and while I loved teh results it was expensive and unsustainable.

I aim to get fruit in to help with my 5 a day as I'm not a big fan of vegetables.

Would there be a good oaty thing to use instead of cereal?
P.s i dont like oat bran unless cooked!

lindawayne11

Sounds healthy enough. I almost always eat some yogurt for bfast...greek yogurt topped with a pinch of raisens and some kashi cereal. That is around 255 to 300 calories.
However, I do think it's a good idea to get a bulk of your daily calories for breakfast, that sets you up for the day - keeps your engine revved.

Food for thought (no pun intended )...I would adjust your intake to be no less than 1200 calories a day. if your fairly acitve during the day, I would adjust to around 1500 calories a day. Otherwise you'll be setting yourself up for failure.

Sidesteal

I've been doing 1500 for around a month now and my weight have actually gone up a bit so I'm trying to give myself a push to get it started. The only other way I have successfully lost weight before is a high protein zero carb zero sugar diet- and while I loved teh results it was expensive and unsustainable.

I aim to get fruit in to help with my 5 a day as I'm not a big fan of vegetables.

Would there be a good oaty thing to use instead of cereal?
P.s i dont like oat bran unless cooked!

Do you use a food scale and measuring devices and have you had a fasting blood glucose test done to check for diabetes? I'm specifically going here because it would be very, very unusual to gain weight on 1500 calories.


EDIT: And to be clear, the issue is likely estimation error with your intake. Only posting this because my initial post above was rather alarmist of me.

maddiedog22

Ur breakfast is healthy.. There is a diff between high calories and healthy. Like did u no 2 kiwi's is 100cals. I could eat a dozen. It's all about knowing ur potions ahead. I log my food right befor I make it, that way I can make changes befor it's eaten. Appls ate very high (healthy) calories try grapes, watermelon, or strawberries. They are a lil lower for a bigger amount. Find a lower calorie yogurt also. I have lite and fit. 1cup is 110cal. So u get alot. But do t stress about it. As long as ur eating healthy foods a extra apple isn't goin to make u gain weight.

cherryolac

check that gronala! I was looking at it the other day in the store and even the low fat low cal was pretty high. Also while it may have been high for you, you also need to see if it was empty calories or chalked full of the good stuff! I do agree with everyone else though 1000 calories is not enough. If you want to cut calories at the minium try 1200, anything less then that and unless suprivised by a MD you are looking at starvation mode and gaining. Also with that 1500 calories where you eating 3 meals a day or were you eating 6. Eating less more often tends to get the metabolism up and going and keep you from feeling starving so that you don't binge on the next meal! Stay focused you can do this!

Sidesteal

Eating less more often tends to get the metabolism up and going and keep you from feeling starving so that you don't binge on the next meal! Stay focused you can do this!

I agree with your granola comments! But, the above is actually a myth. I wrote a very detailed and referenced explanation of this here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/529002-a-compliation-on-meal-frequency

A_Fit_Mom

Definitely portion size. Maybe not the cereal. You could eat a bowl of that cereal the next day for breakfast.

LabRat529

I've been doing 1500 for around a month now and my weight have actually gone up a bit so I'm trying to give myself a push to get it started. The only other way I have successfully lost weight before is a high protein zero carb zero sugar diet- and while I loved teh results it was expensive and unsustainable.

I aim to get fruit in to help with my 5 a day as I'm not a big fan of vegetables.

Would there be a good oaty thing to use instead of cereal?
P.s i dont like oat bran unless cooked!

I also disagree with the less than 1000 calories a day approach. It's really not smart. While it won't kill you, it could drop your metabolism by as much as 15% (if you sustain it long enough), and it will make it hard for you to get adequate nutrition. Your diet will have to be near perfect, and most people don't know enough about nutrition to make sure they're really getting all the protein, fats, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and so forth that they need each day when they only have 1000 calories to eat.

May I suggest instead you begin lifting weights? Or perhaps you might find another strength building routine if you don't like weight lifting? Yoga is a favorite of mine. Exercise will improve your over-all health and well-being, burn calories, and allow you to eat more while still losing weight.

vjrose

Your breakfast is pretty healthy but check out the dates, they may be a good choice for Vitamin A but not really good for the sugar load. Your breakfast overall is pretty heavy I suspect on sugar, if it was me I would cut back on the dates a bit and keep most of the other stuff. And I agree, 1,000 seems really low if you are an average active young lady.

Sidesteal

it will make it hard for you to get adequate nutrition. Your diet will have to be near perfect, and most people don't know enough about nutrition to make sure they're really getting all the protein, fats, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and so forth that they need each day when they only have 1000 calories to eat.

^ For the record, this is exactly why I'd be concerned with eating at that small of an intake.

LabRat529

I've been doing 1500 for around a month now and my weight have actually gone up a bit so I'm trying to give myself a push to get it started. The only other way I have successfully lost weight before is a high protein zero carb zero sugar diet- and while I loved teh results it was expensive and unsustainable.

I aim to get fruit in to help with my 5 a day as I'm not a big fan of vegetables.

Would there be a good oaty thing to use instead of cereal?
P.s i dont like oat bran unless cooked!

Do you use a food scale and measuring devices and have you had a fasting blood glucose test done to check for diabetes? I'm specifically going here because it would be very, very unusual to gain weight on 1500 calories.


EDIT: And to be clear, the issue is likely estimation error with your intake. Only posting this because my initial post above was rather alarmist of me.

I agree with this as well and suggest that if you're NOT overestimating how many calories you burn and/or underestimating how many calories you're eating, and if you really are gaining weight on 1500 calories... well then, a trip to the doctors is a very wise next step. I'd recommend the blood work for diabetes, as well as blood work to test you thyroid hormone levels... and anything else the doctor recommends.

HotBodUnderConstruction

1. Please stay above 1000 calories a day.
2. Granola tends to be high in calories...as of right now given what you've stated your breakfast to be, it seems to be very high in carbs and low in protein. Carbs aren't bad, but if you want to stay full for longer I'd switch the yogurt (unless you used greek yogurt, which in that case that's adequate protein) out for some fat free cottage cheese and half a fruit and that should be about 200-300 calories depending on how many servings of cottage cheese (or yogurt). You can sprinkle some granola on top if you want, but not a lot.

TheYankeeBelle

All I read was "yogurt, SUGAR, SUGAR, apple, and a ton of SUGAR." that's why it's high in calories.

susannamarie

I agree with the others. If you're not using a scale for solids/measuring cups for liquids, start now. If you HAVE been, and you've gained weight on 1500, I would see a doctor to have other health issues ruled out.

My1985Freckles

Eating less more often tends to get the metabolism up and going and keep you from feeling starving so that you don't binge on the next meal! Stay focused you can do this!

I agree with your granola comments! But, the above is actually a myth. I wrote a very detailed and referenced explanation of this here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/529002-a-compliation-on-meal-frequency

I completely agree that the eating 6 meals is a myth. BUT, for me personally, I have to have my between meal snacks (well, not every time, but I gotta have access to them lol). If I get too hungry, I am more likely to binge on unhealthy food. I have a scheduled mid-morning snack (but lately I've been skipping that), and a afternoon snack (I almost always have this one after my workout). If dinner is going to be especially late, I throw in a second snack so I don't go overboard at dinner. So while it isn't "necessary" and doesn't really do anything for your metabolism, for some peeps, it is a good idea.

To OP 1,000 seems dangerously low. Be careful.

antlergirl

Hi I am using scales to measure my food, and my portions have been smaller since using scales. I had no idea how much i was piling on my plate before. I chose dates as I have a really sweet tooth. The yoghurt is extra low at greek style and high in protein.

I dont have diabetes, but I do have polycystic ovaries so my metabolism is very low. I had blood work done a couple of years ago to show this.

I may switch out granola for porridge and find another replacement for the dates. I though 5 dates would be okay, but I guess not. Maybe I can put in 2 dates and chop them up more finely.

I will take another trip to the doctor and see what they think, as everyone at work is puzzled by my weight ( I work at a sportswear shop so my I have 2 colleagues that are fitness teachers.) being so static when I'm exercising everyday and watching what I eat.
I've even cut out diet soda and replaced it with water.

rml_16

This morning I tried to be really well behaved with my breakfast. I am sitting infront of a bowl of fat free natural yoghurt (150g), topped with 5 chopped dates, 1 small chopped apple and some maple pecan cluster cereal (50g).
I just logged it into my food diary to fin it came to almost 500 calories!!

Is this a really bad breakfast choice? How could I improve on this?? Help- I am trying to desperately bring down my calorie count as close to 1000 as possible.

Something with a lot of calories can still be healthy and something with few calories can be unhealthy.

Whether this is good or bad depends on YOU. Do you want or need to eat a larger dinner? How do those calories fit into your entire day? Does it keep you satisfied longer than something else, so you eat less later? That's really all that matters.

What you ate was healthy.

antlergirl

I'll try stick to 1200 and see how that goes for about a month.

bionicrooster

I would cut out that breakfast and go to something else if you are shooting for 1000. My typical breakfast is 2 hardboiled egg whites (34 cal), 1 medium banana (110 cal) and a multivitamen. Sometimes I add a Sargento string cheese (50 cal).

Either way you start the day feeling good and only down about 150-200 calories.

My1985Freckles

Hi I am using scales to measure my food, and my portions have been smaller since using scales. I had no idea how much i was piling on my plate before. I chose dates as I have a really sweet tooth. The yoghurt is extra low at greek style and high in protein.

I dont have diabetes, but I do have polycystic ovaries so my metabolism is very low. I had blood work done a couple of years ago to show this.

I may switch out granola for porridge and find another replacement for the dates. I though 5 dates would be okay, but I guess not. Maybe I can put in 2 dates and chop them up more finely.

I will take another trip to the doctor and see what they think, as everyone at work is puzzled by my weight ( I work at a sportswear shop so my I have 2 colleagues that are fitness teachers.) being so static when I'm exercising everyday and watching what I eat.
I've even cut out diet soda and replaced it with water.

It's the sugar... Start tracking that. Try to lower it. I was on a five month plateau. I was always under my calories and exercised like a mad woman. The scale just fluctuated back and forth over 3 pounds. Then I peeked at my sugar. OMG! It was crazy off the charts! I started tracking my sugar and the weight started coming off. I stopped tracking it for one week and the scale went up a tad, but I've been tracking again now and it keeps going down.

A woman is supposed to have 24-30g's of added sugar a day. I guarantee your breakfast had more than your daily allowance. The easiest way is to go cold turkey. It'll suck and you'll be cranky for a few days, but I promise it goes away.

badgerbadger1

Hi I am using scales to measure my food, and my portions have been smaller since using scales. I had no idea how much i was piling on my plate before. I chose dates as I have a really sweet tooth. The yoghurt is extra low at greek style and high in protein.

I dont have diabetes, but I do have polycystic ovaries so my metabolism is very low. I had blood work done a couple of years ago to show this.

I may switch out granola for porridge and find another replacement for the dates. I though 5 dates would be okay, but I guess not. Maybe I can put in 2 dates and chop them up more finely.

I will take another trip to the doctor and see what they think, as everyone at work is puzzled by my weight ( I work at a sportswear shop so my I have 2 colleagues that are fitness teachers.) being so static when I'm exercising everyday and watching what I eat.
I've even cut out diet soda and replaced it with water.

It's the sugar... Start tracking that. Try to lower it. I was on a five month plateau. I was always under my calories and exercised like a mad woman. The scale just fluctuated back and forth over 3 pounds. Then I peeked at my sugar. OMG! It was crazy off the charts! I started tracking my sugar and the weight started coming off. I stopped tracking it for one week and the scale went up a tad, but I've been tracking again now and it keeps going down.

A woman is supposed to have 24-30g's of added sugar a day. I guarantee your breakfast had more than your daily allowance. The easiest way is to go cold turkey. It'll suck and you'll be cranky for a few days, but I promise it goes away.

No, just no.

Sidesteal

So while it isn't "necessary" and doesn't really do anything for your metabolism, for some peeps, it is a good idea.

^ Absolutely. The only point that I was refuting, as addressed in the link, is the whole "stoking of the metabolism" part. It is absolutely personal preference and this is one of those areas where "do what works for you" is all that matters.

Lesa_Sass

Your breakfast was wonderful!

1000 calories per day is too low, sorry dear.

I was at a stand still and did not start losing until I upped my calories to 1400 and eating back most of my exercise calories.

Here is the deal, I saw your profile and you say you wanna look hot in a bathing suit. Trust me, fueling your body and losing fat instead of muscle mass is going to make you look hot, not starving yourself.

Sidesteal

I dont have diabetes, but I do have polycystic ovaries so my metabolism is very low. I had blood work done a couple of years ago to show this.

I believe insulin resistance is a common situation with PCOS. This might make you a candidate for low-carb (not zero carb). I would consult your physician to see if they have dietary information specifically for your condition.

antlergirl

I wish I could go low carb but with my income I'm having to buy bulk on pasta, rica and bread because its cheapest. It really sucks and I need to find a way to cut this out without starving myself but its very difficult. Me and my partner spend about 25-30 a week on food for both of us- London is a very expensive place to live.