Help Me Figure This Out

VanessaGS
VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok. So my calorie goal per day is 1200. I've made it a habit for the past two week to eat either a small bowl of cereal or one toaster strudel along with a coffee for breakfast. Usually I get around 300 calories for breakfast. Is this too little. My boyfriend says I should eat more for breakfast since it's the most important meal, but if I do eat a bigger breakfast that means I'll have to cut low at dinner time and I'm already eating small portions.

Also, since I am a coffee drinking I know that does help you gain weight. Should I switch to decaff or just take coffee out of my eating habits in general? Take a look at my diary and tell me what you suggest. I really want to eat healthy but just cuz I'm eating low calorie frozen foods does not mean it's going to help me lose weight. HELP!

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Coffee isn't an issue in itself, if you sweeten it or take cream with it that may very but caffeine's OK.

    Calories should be about right per day over a week, no point in stressing over 1 meal especially breakfast as it'll make the rest of the day restrictive.
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    Also, I forgot to mention I work in an office as well so if I ate a bigger breakfast I prolly wouldn't burn it off right away.
  • roander
    roander Posts: 191 Member
    Your issue may be with the Toaster Strudel or the cereal you are eating. The Strudel is full of sugar and neither has any protein which is a good way to start the day. It's better to eat more in the daytime because you have all day to use up those calories. Do you like eggs or oatmeal? If you like coffee, have it and enjoy it.

    Are you doing any exercise? That will allow you to eat a little more too.

    The frozen foods are FULL of sodium. Get rid of them! I know they're fast and convenient, but they're really bad for you.

    Today I had 2 eggs and a piece of toast and of course coffee for breakfast
    For lunch I will have leftover grilled chicken and broccoli with a Chobani yogurt
    I haven't figured out dinner yet...
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    Your issue may be with the Toaster Strudel or the cereal you are eating. The Strudel is full of sugar and neither has any protein which is a good way to start the day. It's better to eat more in the daytime because you have all day to use up those calories. Do you like eggs or oatmeal? If you like coffee, have it and enjoy it.

    Are you doing any exercise? That will allow you to eat a little more too.

    The frozen foods are FULL of sodium. Get rid of them! I know they're fast and convenient, but they're really bad for you.

    Today I had 2 eggs and a piece of toast and of course coffee for breakfast
    For lunch I will have leftover grilled chicken and broccoli with a Chobani yogurt
    I haven't figured out dinner yet...

    Well actually I do eat eggs but hardly have time to make them in the morning. I really need to wake up earlier. Also, I do eat healthy choice meals for lunch cuz around my job there is nothing but fast food places. There's a subway but even their stuff can be loaded with sodium. The healthy choice meals have around 500 grams of sodium and with the eating habits I've had lately I still seem to stay under 2500 grams a day. That's what I read on the internet that is recommended sodium grams for the day. I'll try to work on eating eggs.
  • js370
    js370 Posts: 140
    You could boil a few eggs and refrigerate them. Peel and eat a couple in the morning, without worring about the oil from frying. 300 calories to start out in the morning isn't bad. Have a snack between breakfast and lunch and then again between lunch and dinner.
  • opus649
    opus649 Posts: 633 Member
    "My boyfriend says I should eat more for breakfast since it's the most important meal..."

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110116214608.htm

    When in doubt, Google is your friend. Breakfast being "the most important meal of the day" is right up there with the whole "8 glasses of water a day" myth. If you really want to get your head spinning, look up intermittent fasting :noway:

    Bottom line, everyone on the internet has an opinion on the best method for losing weight. All things being equal, if you expend more energy than you ingest, you will lose weight.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    You could boil a few eggs and refrigerate them. Peel and eat a couple in the morning, without worring about the oil from frying. 300 calories to start out in the morning isn't bad. Have a snack between breakfast and lunch and then again between lunch and dinner.

    ^^^^ Boiled eggs are a great breakfast! Lots of lovely proteins to keep you going for the morning, very low in sugary carbs that will let you down around mid-morning and leave you hungry.

    "Strudel" anything sounds like you're eating sugar that will only get you through a couple of hours, then your blood sugar drops and you feel hungry. Eat something more substantial and you'll feel less hungry at lunchtime.

    Breakfast is not "the most important meal of the day", but going into your mealtimes hungry is a really bad idea. It deprives you of the chance to make a rational choice about what you want to eat. A sugary or nonexistent breakfast sets you up for poor food choices later.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I generally eat greek yogurt, a piece of fruit, and a couple of cheese sticks for weekday breakfast, that is about the same number of calories, has lots of protein, keeps me full longer and is healthier than your strudel.
  • spoons81
    spoons81 Posts: 51 Member
    I hard boil eggs on Sunday night and eat a couple every other day during the week with fruit for breakfast. Yummy, quick and easy!
  • April0010
    April0010 Posts: 178 Member
    I'm going to have to agree with everyone that you need more protein for breakfast. I HATE eggs with a passion. I just grab a quick simple protein shake and am out the door. Then when I get to work I make a bowl of oatmeal.
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    Everyone keeps saying strudels are loaded with sugar, but according to the nutritional facts, only one strudel equals 8 grams of sugar. Eating the way I am is not leaving me hungry at all, but thanks for your opinions. I will try to lay off the strudels as soon as I finish the box I have. Boiled eggs is a good idea. It will leave me room for snacking on something healthy between breakfast and lunch and I do have healthy snacks such as Dannon low fat yogurt, fruit cups, and jello. Thanks for your help.
  • lorigreg
    lorigreg Posts: 61
    Whole wheat toast with a little peanut butter is good too. Gives you the protein.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    What nutrition do you get from strudel? It's high fat, high carbs and high calories, with very little nutritional value. For that amount of calories you can eat a lot of things that are better for you that contain more vitamins and minerals. At only 1,200 calories a day, unless you are eating a lot of *fresh* fruits and veggies, you are likely not getting the nutrition you need.
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    What nutrition do you get from strudel? It's high fat, high carbs and high calories, with very little nutritional value. For that amount of calories you can eat a lot of things that are better for you that contain more vitamins and minerals. At only 1,200 calories a day, unless you are eating a lot of *fresh* fruits and veggies, you are likely not getting the nutrition you need.

    This is a GREAT point!

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