Portion Control is a killer!

2

Replies

  • Megabot
    Megabot Posts: 173 Member
    I agree: try adding more proteins.

    Example breakfast: I don't eat cereal anymore if I can avoid it, because I want 2 cups of cereal and 1.5 cups of milk to even feel full. I am trying to eat an egg at breakfast (90cals) or two, and a slice of bread, or bagel thin (to make an egg sandwich.) (90-110 calories) that = a ~200 calorie breakfast, and it'll go way further than just cereal and milk (which would be for me like a 400+ calorie breakfast!!)
  • DebbieMc3
    DebbieMc3 Posts: 289 Member
    Hunger is a feeling that you probably gave into your entire life.
    If you can, allow yourself to be "hungry" for 5 hours. I can pretty much assure you that after 5 hours, the hungry feeling will get easier. If you ate at noon, your body does not need more food at 3:00.

    Instead of popcorn, try a hard boiled egg.....
    Instead of bran flakes, try some chicken breast.....


    After 2 weeks of a high protein diet, I am seldom hungry. You can do this. We are all here for you!

    Debbie
  • wolfi622
    wolfi622 Posts: 206
    On the cereal side, I eat 1 serving of Kashi Go Lean each morning - it's my entire breakfast. High protein, high fiber, low GI = I feel satisfied for quite a long time on that 140 calories. On popcorn, as long as you are not putting something high calorie on it like butter or cheese it's the perfect snack. Whole grain, low GI, high fiber. Even an entire microwave bag of it can be as little as 220 calories, and it is high volume/low calorie like salad is.
  • pamfm
    pamfm Posts: 93 Member
    There are some really interesting comments here and I can see that people have lots of assumptions so let me clarify.
    For breakfast I eat a whole grain hot cereal concoction that includes oatmeal and textured vegetable protein. I also use sugar free coffeemate (Diabetic)
    I have an apple for a snack either morning or afternoon. I have a small chef salad without dressing for lunch.
    I have lean meat and veggie for supper.
    That covers my calorie allowance for the day.

    At least 5 times a week, I exercise. Today it was pushing the mower for a good hour. It's usually 30 minutes to an hour of cardio, maybe yard work or my treadmill. That allows me extra calories. I exercise for fitness but since I started MFP in September, I exercise so I can eat more. Back to the original complaint ~ I'm hungry!

    For extras I have popcorn a couple times a week and sometimes a bowl of bran flakes with or without raisins.
    I checked my diary for the past week or so and saw the following cheats: bag of Cape Cod chips, a couple of Detour protein bars, some raisin bread, a cookie, a slice of coffee cake.

    A few folks commented about adding more protein and I hear you. It does seem to give me longer satisfaction. That's why I add it to my breakfast and have meat on my salad instead of simply the greens. My real hunger shows up after 3:00.

    It sounds like you are eating satisfying, nutritious things. If you're still hungry, you may just have to allow yourself more calories, then. Maybe trying going up 100-150 calories? One thing about your snack, though: I love apples, but they ALWAYS make me hungry. And apparently it's not just me, because I have read recommendations to pair apples with something with protein and a little fat, to help keep you satisfied. Now if I have an apple as a midday snack, I also eat a little cube of cheese, or a handful of nuts. Try that?
  • Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim
    Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim Posts: 267 Member
    bump
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
    To stay full i try and load my diet up with high protein and high fiber foods.

    Look at what you are eating the cereal and fruit breakfast is bowl full of quick release energy. Although fruit is good for you the higher sugar content will mean that you feel hungry sooner after eating it in comparison to, say, spinach.

    Also when you start a diet it will take your body a few weeks to get used to the change, either go straight into it and accept that you will feel hungry or alternatively start off on a calorie allowance nearer your pre-diet number and drop it down 250-500/week until you are at your weight loss calorie target.
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 195 Member
    I checked my diary for the past week or so and saw the following cheats: bag of Cape Cod chips, a couple of Detour protein bars, some raisin bread, a cookie, a slice of coffee cake.

    In the past week?! Umm... I don't think portion control is your main problem! Focus on cutting this stuff out first!
  • Melampus
    Melampus Posts: 95 Member
    With a really tight allowance you can not afford to eat much food that contains plenty of calories and little other nutrition. Ideally most of the food you eat will also contain protein to keep your hunger at bay or fibre to make you feel like you've eaten a meal rather than a snack.

    Chips/crisps are a perfect example of what not to eat. These have plenty of carbohydrate and plenty of fat with little fibre and little protein. They contain plenty of calories and thus take up a valuable part of your calorie allowance without giving your body the things other than simple calories that it needs.

    Try swapping these foods for lean meat and fish and plenty of fruit and vegetables. The meat and fish gives you protein as well as calories and the fruit and vegetables gives you vitamins, minerals and fibre as well as calories. Eating these food you are much more likely to be able to avoid hunger without eating too many calories.

    Finally do make sure your weight loss goal is realistic. People don't become fat overnight and it is making hard work of it to try to become thin again overnight as well as in extreme cases risking being ill.
  • caiialily
    caiialily Posts: 28
    While I love salads at lunch time in the summer, I've often found that having a bowl of (homemade) vegetable soup is much more filling. The broth adds volume without a ton of calories and something about eating a warm dish makes me feel like I'm getting in a "real" meal. Salad is often a go-to food for those of us on a weight loss mission, and it can be a great way to get in veggies, but consider switching it up if you're not feeling satisfied after lunch.

    Also, make sure you are well hydrated. Lots of people confuse thirst for hunger. So maybe you could try sipping a glass of water before heading for the snacks. It takes a while to recalibrate, but it is so worth it.

    I really feel your pain. I only get 1200 calories a day and I admit, it is a challenge sticking to that. I also accept that if I am truly hungry, like tummy-rumbling, hands-quivering hungry, I should most definitely eat something else. But I know that I'm used to eating a lot more food than I really need, so sometimes sitting with my hunger for a little while isn't such a bad plan. I don't wait so long that I am completely ravenous and ready to go off the rails, but as an adult with a little extra cushion 'round my middle, I sure know I can wait an hour and not starve to death.

    Best of luck to you!
  • poulingail
    poulingail Posts: 110
    Definitely not drinking enough water these days. Thanks for the reminder.
  • poulingail
    poulingail Posts: 110
    I have a friend who gave me a couple dozen eggs from her hens and some spinach. That meant it was time to make quiche so I did just that, made 4. I'd say it looks like high protein diet is on for at least a while. At the end of the day, I had 114 carbs remaining, I was over fats by 21, and over protein by 56.
    Sometimes when I break a routine I see some weight come off. We'll see if this breaks the plateau.
  • itsjustdawn
    itsjustdawn Posts: 1,073 Member
    Why are your calories so low?!!?
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
    Why are your calories so low?!!?

    Dawn, this isn't the first time I have seen you post this question. The answer will always be this: Based on height, weight, age, degree of activity on a daily basis, and BMR, MyFitnessPal will calculate your caloric needs manually. For many, MANY people, this comes out to 1200 calories, which is the lowest recommended intake.
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
    OP, make sure you're getting plenty of water, and all of the vitamins and nutrients you should be getting. Lean proteins and leafy greens could be really helpful to you.
  • sunnyval
    sunnyval Posts: 6 Member
    My calorie requirement is 1270---i have been on this since memorial day ( about one month) and although it was tricky at first it forced me to learn what calories are "worth' eating...I pretty much dropped bagels in the morning--it wreaked havoc on me for the rest of the day....hungry and went over cals. I never liked cereal and use it as a snack,,,breakfast is usually eggs or ww waffle w/ pbutter and banana...I need more breakfast ideas.

    I found that if i start w/ the rgt breakfast I do better for the rest of the day (new fav is egg whites and mushrooms)

    I also try to plan my meals ahead the day before---it helps and have found lately that i dont eat all my snacks as im not hungry

    So i would try to change your breakfast to a egg based meal,,,sounds like the other meals are pretty good. Portions are hard to deal with so i started to eat all my meals in a smaller plates...it feels like im eating more. when i eat out i always take 1/2 the food home.

    Oh an i do eat my excerise cals,,,some people dont
  • lissaann22479
    lissaann22479 Posts: 163
    1250 sounds too low. Even mine is 1350 to lose 1.5lbs a week. Also, one thing I like about this site is that when you work out, it adds more caloreis for you to eat. That way you feel like it's a little reward. Plus, for some reason I feel a little less hungry when I work out then when I don't. But yeah, what you eat determines if you are hungry or full. whole wheat, grains, protein, all those keep you fuller longer.


    I agree.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Hi, try making your diary public so we can make more informed comment :flowerforyou:

    What's your BMR? MFP has a calculator under tools.
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
    I'm 5 foot exactly and have set my activity level to sedentary and at losing 1 pound a week, MFP gave me 1390 calories a day (although I struggle to stick to even this!). It could be that I have a lot more weight to lose than you do though?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I agree with you there and its a pain measuring quantities but its a good practice to get into - I love cereals too and found that I could eat almost twice the amount of rice crispies as Special k! so that's what I choose now!
    Also an MFP friend said for amounts to eat a good guideline for dinner is potato = size of tennis ball and the meat/fish portion the size of a deck of cards and then unlimited vegs. Its the veg that fill you up and they're good for us :)
    If you measure for the first week or so you'll get a handle on how much rice etc you should be having and you will soon know by how much of a bowl it fills etc :)

    Good luck with your journey
  • nancykhayes
    nancykhayes Posts: 20 Member
    I know portions can be hard to control because I have the same problem. You could try buying the small serving bag of popcorn and then it would be okay to eat the whole bag. I also love baked potatos. I have stopped using butter and use Butter Buds instead. They are found in the seasoning aisle and once you sprinkle them on your vegetables you have butter flavor. They are only 10 calories a serving. Good luck and rest assured there are others here to support you and who are also experiencing the same problems!
  • beccag28
    beccag28 Posts: 43 Member
    I get hungry at 3pm too, Ive started trying to eat my biggest meal at lunch time, and then my smaller lunch sized meal at dinner time. Time will tell if this help!
  • awisegirl84
    awisegirl84 Posts: 82 Member
    bump
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    Do yourself a favor and get a food scale and a measuring cup...and then use them.!!! Like you, I love to have a "bowl" of something...But most times the stuff that we are eating by the bowl is being measured by the cup for caloric and nutritional value. Once I started using my food scale and measuring cup....MY EYES WERE OPENED! I quickly came to the realization that A CUP OF CEREAL IS NOT THE SAME THING AS A BOWL OF CEREAL!!! . The same goes for meat serving sizes. The average chicken breast weights a whole lot more than 4ozs! A GLASS OF SOMETHING (water, milk etc)) IS NOT always THE SAME AS A CUP OF SOMETHING.

    There is nothing wrong with eating a bowl/glass/ serving of something as long as you know exactly how much food is going into your bowl/glass/ serving size..
  • jacynda6817
    jacynda6817 Posts: 4
    Using a food scale is so important, you do not realize how small the portions are listed on everything. My scale measures grams and ounces it is always on my counter and i have begun measuring everything. In the beginning if i wanted two portions i measured out two portions and was honest with myself when putting it in MFP.

    My problem is potion control and knowing that you have to take a serious approach to your lifestyle change. Do I want to remain fat or do I want to get and stay healthy? Well my family and I are all trying to get and stay healthy. Which after 6 months I still find it frustrating grocery shopping, reading label, after label, after label. Then going home and measure everything so that my portions are in line. Still a struggle but the weight is coming off.
  • gecho
    gecho Posts: 426 Member
    bump
    interested in reading more into this later:smile:
  • stephanie_pephanie
    stephanie_pephanie Posts: 24
    At least 5 times a week, I exercise. Today it was pushing the mower for a good hour. It's usually 30 minutes to an hour of cardio, maybe yard work or my treadmill. That allows me extra calories. I exercise for fitness but since I started MFP in September, I exercise so I can eat more. Back to the original complaint ~ I'm hungry!

    Oh my god. Please eat more! Seriously. Others might disagree and say eat more of this or more of that but who cares - you are hungry woman, it's not what you're eating, it's the fact that you're not eating enough! And you won't stick to the plan if you are hungry and feel deprived because being hungry SUCKS S****. You are exercising so you should still be able to create a deficit and lose weight.

    I'm so passionate about this - people simply cannot stick to diets where they feel hungry all the time - also it seems like 1250 calories is below your basal metabolic rate. I know there is much confusion floating round about BMR but take it from someone who studies biochemistry - you SHOULD NOT, I repeat, SHOULD NOT go under your BMR - this is the minimum level of calories that your body needs to perform basic day to day functioning. The more you weigh the more your BMR will be so if you are anywhere upwards of 140 pounds then 1250 calories a day is simply not enough (no matter what MFP says) and that is why you feel hungry!

    I use this calculator:

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

    and then just use MFP to get the amount of calories in the food I eat.

    OK, I've finished preaching - do what you will but I say eat more! :smile:
  • imaj79
    imaj79 Posts: 8 Member
    Saving for later. :)
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    For me, if I am eating too many cabs and not enough protein/fiber/fat, its almost impossible to control portions. What are your ratios? I'm not suggesting a low carb diet or anything. But, your diet should be balanced. For me it works best if I have some of each macronutrient each time I eat.
  • paulmdepoy
    paulmdepoy Posts: 20
    Just stick with it! I measure and weigh almost all of my food now to stay on my diet. At first it was hard to eat a serving size of something because I was used to eating 3 or 4 times the amount. Now a serving size is plenty and I don't find myself wanting more after Im done
  • poulingail
    poulingail Posts: 110

    I use this calculator:

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced and then just use MFP to get the amount of calories in the food I eat.

    Using that calculator it says my BMR is 1735. If I ate that much I'd really pack on the pounds. And that's without any extra exercise!
    MFP says "Your estimated BMR is: 1,385 calories/day*"

    That's a huge difference. I must be reading it wrong. Folks, can you try out this calculator and see if your results are similar? How does it compare to the MFP calculator?

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

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