first week and already been over calorie intake twice.

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Replies

  • felblossom
    felblossom Posts: 132 Member
    It takes a while getting used to it, you've done great so far! :)
    Your first week is a great trial and error period when you see what works, and what needs to be modified. What I did was learing to cut down my portions and eat the suggested serving size, and finding meals that were both filling and low on calories.

    Also, a "bad" day while eating good, for me it's still better than a normal day in the past. I'd easily be able to consume 3000-4000 calories in a day, and now even if I go over I'll be around 1500-2000, which is still just half as bad as before. Still eating less, still losing weight.

    Hang in there! :flowerforyou:
  • lrtoland
    lrtoland Posts: 41
    You should, just for kicks, log a day of what you WOULD have eaten before you joined MFP. Just a typical day of all the sutff (all of it: even condiments can be calorie-laden).

    Then compare that day to your "Bad days" this week. I am guessing you will find even though you were not perfect, you are doing better than you were. Progress is slow and you can't get hung up and obsess on the overages. Just do better tomorrow.

    This---^^ is a REALLY good idea!!! You are a genius:)
  • gguynes
    gguynes Posts: 20
    Everything comes in stages... make sure you're focused on what's most important.. that is, healthy weight loss.

    My first suggestion is to start looking for low calorie foods that fit your needs. For instance, I found low calorie/low carb tortillas that I use as a bread substitute. I eat them by themselves, or warm them in the microwave with cinnamon and splenda to create a "sweet cinnamon" breakfast.

    Eat steamed vegetables until you begin sprouting seeds.... Many of the veggies are complex carbs that don't spike your blood sugar and will fill you up. Either that, or you'll decide it's not worth eating one more bite if it's steamed vegetables!:laugh:

    Exercise can offset your calorie intake. Just be careful not to eat more than you offset with exercise.

    Last - Set non-weight goals for yourself. If you only judge your progress by the scale, you're not giving yourself enough credit. While the dress sizes may be your ultimate goal; feeling heathier, stronger, and having more energy are more important. If you accomplish those three, the dress sizes will come.

    Feel free to add me... I'll help in any way I can..

    Greg
  • dcat4563
    dcat4563 Posts: 33 Member
    You are still learning about healthy eating. DO NOT let this get you sidetracked. One of the best tricks I have learned about weight loss is that if you mess it up at one meal or one day, to not give up and just keep going. there are going to be struggles to losing, you just have to get past it. don't beat yourself up because as I said, you are still learning!
  • RadioactivePirate
    RadioactivePirate Posts: 212

    Try eating almonds between meals with a glass of water (it keeps you full).

    Nuts CAN be a healthy addition to a diet, but if someone is worried about going over on calories, I would say that adding almonds is probably not a good idea. The serving size for nuts is quite small, and the calorie content is high, so they can be a tricky thing for someone who is just starting out to try to work into their diet. They are good for you, yeah, but it's pretty easy to eat several hundred calories' worth of almonds in one sitting without thinking much of it.

    I agree with your other tips though, I just thought I'd mention this.

    My suggestion would be to just plain give yourself more calories early on. Don't try to rush things, make it easier on yourself.
  • AmberJo1984
    AmberJo1984 Posts: 1,067 Member
    It was hard for me at first too. The first week or so, I was constantly over. You'll get the hang of it, you just can't give up.

    As for advice. Eat lots of protein and fiber.... and drink lots of water. Protein for breakfast will keep you satisfied more than carbs from cereals will. Also... more water and fiber will keep you full longer.
  • mumtoadiva
    mumtoadiva Posts: 9 Member
    wow, thanks for being an inspiaration guys. I finally got serious.. took me till a few weeks ago though. would love a few friends on here to keep me on this straight and narrow path I have finally chose, please :-)
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    Its a huge learning experience. If you thought you ate well and logged it and then were over, well then you see how many calories are Really in something and you will adjust it the next time!

    Don't give up! Keep on doing it and you will figure out the right meals for you and the right calorie intake. Do what you can to plan meals in advance.

    Work out and burn some calories!

    WELCOME
  • kcasey155
    kcasey155 Posts: 968 Member
    Perhaps think of your calories on a weekly basis. If you're hungry one day then eat and if you go over by 200 calories make sure you're, say, 100 calories under for the next two days. Or say, if you're given a target of 2000 calories a day just make sure at the end of the week they all add up to 14000 calories. Doesn't matter if you go over a little, just try not to go over by too much otherwise you'll need to take a big deficit out of other days.

    Don't forget to eat back your exercise calories too!
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
    Perhaps think of your calories on a weekly basis. If you're hungry one day then eat and if you go over by 200 calories make sure you're, say, 100 calories under for the next two days. Or say, if you're given a target of 2000 calories a day just make sure at the end of the week they all add up to 14000 calories. Doesn't matter if you go over a little, just try not to go over by too much otherwise you'll need to take a big deficit out of other days.

    Don't forget to eat back your exercise calories too!

    I second the weekly calorie tracking rather than stressing out about it on a daily basis. One day won't make you gain weight, just as one day won't make you loose weight. It is unrealistic to think that for the rest of your life you will eat exactly the same number of calories on a daily basis, what is importance is balance. You can achieve that balance by looking at your food over a week. Same with the micronutrients and vitamins - you don't need to meet every goal every day but if you eat a varied diet over a week you'll hopefully come close to meeting the goals.

    And don't stress, I'm sure even though you've had a couple of 'bad' days you are still eating better than you did over the months or years it took you to gain the extra weight. It's a process, it requires a lot of learning and if you look around the forums you'll find people who have been doing this for months and are still trying to get it right!

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