asking for people to review my diary

cheergirl1993

Hi everyone I am on a 1200 cal plan. I have been doing mfp about a month and lost 12 lbs. I havent been to strict with my eating just cutting down on the portions and cutting out sodas. I have been trying to excercise more.. I have about 18 more lbs to go until my goal weight so I am asking for some help on what to change to see the fastest results. I havent been so strict because I dont plan on going without my fav food forever so want to incoroporate them in my diet. Any help appreciated!

audreygonzy

I think if it's been working for you just keep doing what you've been successful with! Do you usually have excess calories at the end of the day though? Great job on the weight loss by the way!!

OccupyFitness

I would suggest tracking your sugar intake and your sodium intake. Look online to find a reasonable amount to have each day and try to stick with it. If you add them to your diary macros, you will see your history and be able to see where you fall. I find too much sugar for me makes me hungry more and I have heard from lots of other people that high sodium intake can slow weight loss.

kimmieyr1

Not sure faster than 12 lbs a month is healthy (if even 12 pounds is).

NikkiLS28

You say you're on a 1200 plan, but you aren't going above 1000 on a regular basis. You should add in some lean protein and vegetables to get yourself to 1200. Good luck!

hbunting86

I was going to say, you're eating well under - particularly if you've been exercising.

It's important to let your body know you're not starving it, I wouldn't strive for any faster weightloss. As previously said I'd definitely look at getting some fresh fruits and vegetables in there and lean proteins, particularly as you're working out. They have a double advantage too as protein helps keep you fuller for longer.

Don't be scared to eat the 1200 and then some - it'll help prevent plateau.

cheergirl1993

thanks everyone! Should I not follow what mfp suggests and my sodium intake which is 2500? Do I need a smaller goal? I hardly ever dont go over on sugar!

cheergirl1993

and yes I almost always have excess cals at end of day ... I dont know what else to add

cmeade20

12 LBS in a month is a lot. The last 18 probably isnt going to come off as rapidly. Id be patient, eat healthy whole fods 80 percent of the time and dont starve yourself, its counterproductive in the long run.

jryan83

You say you're on a 1200 plan, but you aren't going above 1000 on a regular basis. You should add in some lean protein and vegetables to get yourself to 1200. Good luck!

This! I looked at your diary and your not eating even close to your 1200 calorie goal. My suggestion is to try and snack/eat small meals more throughout the day (sometimes you skip meals). Another thing to watch would be Carbs/Sugar/Sodium/Fiber.
Adding some protein powder to some sugar free/fat free pudding can be a great snack that will leave you satisfied with hunger and that sweet craving.

Just don't try and rush your weight loss. You've made a really serious start, but your eating habits might not be sustainable. This will cause you to gain your weight back and resume your old eating habits. Shoot for a healthy weight loss goal of 1-2lbs a week. Your body will thank you!

Feel free to check out my diary.

cheergirl1993

thanks everyone I really appreciate the help! What do you all suggest for sodium intake as well as carbs?

iwantahealthierme13

Eat fruit and vegetables. French Fries don't count as a vegetable!
Stop eating fried chicken!
Cut out diet soda! If you have soda have regular cause you need the calories. Or better yet, substitute sodas with skim milk if you can that will help with your protein
Up your protein! You're barely eating any!
Supplements! Like a Multivitamin, Vitamin D and Fish Oil.

KeishaK89

12 LBS in a month is a lot. The last 18 probably isnt going to come off as rapidly. Id be patient, eat healthy whole fods 80 percent of the time and dont starve yourself, its counterproductive in the long run.

this exactly!

tmauck4472

You should change it all up.....Eat more one day and less the next. change how many times a day you eat. These are things I think you should do.

tracyjoys

Hi there! You mentioned that you don't want to deviate too much from what you usually eat, and I get that.

Definitely cut back on the highly processed and starchy carbs (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice) and add in lots of healthy vegetables and lean protein. If you like eggs for breakfast sometimes, try cooking up some sauteed veggies (mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, etc) and then crack an egg or two over them and scramble. Top with a little bit of shredded natural (not processed) cheese - yum!

You could also get some more protein in there by making a protein shake smoothie for breakfast: I use Now Sports! whey protein because it doesn't contain any artificial flavors or additives. Blend 1 cup milk (try coconut or almond milk to mix things up), 1 scoop protein powder, some stevia in the raw crystals for sweetener a few shakes of cinnamon and 6 frozen strawberries. Or raspberries. Or any other fruit you like! Very filling, high protein/low sugar.

If you are working out especially, your body is craving protein. It just plain needs lots of healthy veggies and about 2 servings of fruit each day.

Do you like natural peanut butter or almond butter? Those are great smeared on a sliced apple (in moderation!) and will help get you to 1200 calories/day as well.

5 small meals/day will keep your metabolism burning efficiently, and you will lose weight that is sustainable for the long haul.

This is simply my opinion from my personal experience. When I limit starch to no more than 1 serving/day and cut out processed foods/refined sugars that's when I do best either losing or maintaining weight.

Good luck to you! You've gotten some great suggestions here!

cheergirl1993

these replies are so helpful! I just love having the support of everyone and knowing that I am not alone. I am going to try and incorporate more fruits and veggies!!

blasiansrus

my suggestion: go to the tools tab on mfp, click on 'bmr', put in your stats & calculate it, then try to eat at least that much every day.
If you eat below that like you're doing now you're pretty much starving your body although you might not know it! (maybe do some research on how many cals you should have for healthy weight loss (for most teens & adults it's above 1300 cals)
You might stall your weight loss a bit once you start eating enough, but it'll start back up in no time!
Good luck xx

Kcarroll01

If I repeat anything others have said, I apologize. My first thoughts after reviewing your diary are that you are not eating enough calories. Your body will go into "starvation" mode. Try adding some "carbmaster" yogurt (low in carbs) as a midmorning snack or even a protein bar like snackwells ceral bar. They are priced right and have about 8g of protein (pretty good for a grocery store brand). Also, try eating something every few hours. This keeps your metabolism up. Also, Nature's own does a great lowcal bread (only 40 calories per slice!)

josenichols

Lean meats and veggies girl. Reduce those grains drastically....

tracyjoys

Lean meats and veggies girl. Reduce those grains drastically....

Hallelujah! Starches just "stick around" too much and end up weighing down that scale! :laugh:

glennstoudt

Re: Your query on sodium and carbs
Personally I try to average 1500mg of Na a day or less. This is only possible if you cut most processed foods out of your diet, cut dairy quite a bit and only eat lean meats and fish for protein.
On carbs I go for 100-120g per day of net carbs (carbs minus insoluable fiber)
This is based on a 2000 calorie diet (without exercise calories considered), so
you will have to adjust for your situation.
Hope this helps.

Jbstuart3

A lion(ness) in the chase never looks back. Stay after it