Can I eat what I like?

lchansen1

Thanks for the replies,I'm not a big cake'oholic LOL and will probebly have a slice once a week or so it was just a example,I have a bigger problem with given up latte and toasted bagels =\,my goal is set at loosing 1.5lbs a week and I was suggested a 1200 calorie diet by mfp,I don't have difficulty sticking to this and am usually under slightly,what I have problems with mainly is I just can't fall in love with fruit,veg and whole grain foods,most food I eat is home cooked but as I have a family of 3 our main foods include rice,meat,potato,cheese, pasta ect...I'm finding it difficult to completely change to blander foods,I do like the 1200 cal limit because if I go over I won't have that big guilt,right now I'm not committing to life changes or anything I'm just taking one day at a time xxx

Don't give them up, change ur habit so its healthy that way you can maintain the change. Instead get a skinny latte with skim milk and 1 sugar only eat half of your bagel. Or get egg and cheese on the bagel but still only have half the bread (whole add is fine). If your hungry at 11, fine, have a snack, but it should be fruit like a banana or and apple with peanut butter.

As for the meals you are preparing, serve yourself the suggested serving size on the back of the box, don't overdo it with the carbs and fats, have them but they should not make up you're whole plate. stick to the serving sizes and u can't go wrong. if u must have second opt for meat and/or veggie. if you don't have veggies usually i suggest them to both you and ur family-- they have a lot of nutrients ur body needs.

Take the things you love and make them fit into what you're doing. It might mean half a bagel or saying no to cake sometimes but you won't regret saying no in the long run. Once you loose the weight if u want to maintain the new weight just stick with it.

amuhlou

You CAN eat what you like - but I think you will find that your diet has to change a bit to make it work long-term.

1200 calories of fruits, veggies, protein and fiber will make you feel a lot more full than 1200 calories of more processed/snack type foods.

I don't believe in 'cutting out' any foods, rather I just try to make room for them by exercising or watching the calories elsewhere. Some foods went from a 'frequent' to a 'once in a while' type thing. 1200 calories was pretty rough for me, and I found that some things were just not worth it.

Peanut butter is a good example - I LIKE it, it's not really bad for me, but it sure has a way of eating up my daily calorie allowance really fast. 2TBSP of peanut butter doesn't fill me up like a serving of oatmeal, which is actually 30 less calories.

MoveTheMountain

... I have a bigger problem with given up latte and toasted bagels =\,my goal is set at loosing 1.5lbs a week and I was suggested a 1200 calorie diet by mfp,I don't have difficulty sticking to this and am usually under slightly,what I have problems with mainly is I just can't fall in love with fruit,veg and whole grain foods,most food I eat is home cooked but as I have a family of 3 our main foods include rice,meat,potato,cheese, pasta ect...I'm finding it difficult to completely change to blander foods,I do like the 1200 cal limit because if I go over I won't have that big guilt,right now I'm not committing to life changes or anything I'm just taking one day at a time xxx

A slice of cake once a week is hardly an addiction. Go ahead and keep having it. Bagels, though? Bagels are killer - it's amazing how many calories in a bagel, and they're mostly high GI carbs. A bagel every day (just assuming) probably isn't helping you at all. A latte isn't that bad if it's skim milk and no sugar... any chance that's how you take it?

Also, you shouldn't have to change to 'blander' foods in order to eat healthy. There are great recipes out there that are really well balanced and healthy. There are some great fortified pastas that are good (not as tasty as home made, but still, pretty good). There's also a lot you can do with brown rice, instead of white rice. Brown rice is incredibly good for you.