eating too many calories and going out to eat

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  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I plan out my food. In the beginning, it was the only way to make sure I stayed in my goals without being hungry all day.
  • Kslutsky83
    Kslutsky83 Posts: 10 Member
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    I think you really want to have to get in shape and loose the weight for your willpower to really kick in.

    A few years ago I was 220 pounds and my family told me they wanted to take a vacation and on a cruise none the less. So for me it really kicked in that I have to loose the weight. So I had to stop eating chicken nuggets and fries and soda and eating out was a major NO NO for me...

    Fast Forward 3 years and I had lost most of the weight (almost 100) and I was watching everything I ate and drank and I would NOT even touch Booze... But then I met my soon to be husband (2 weeks) and I started eating badly and drinking wine all the time and not watching what I was eating really hurt me I packed on 30lbs and just the past few weeks it dawned on me it's time to get back in shape and eating right.... So I stopped eating out and drinking wine and soda and fried food.. Because it's something I really really want and need...


    Goodluck :)
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
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    For increased satiety, higher protein intake, smaller more frequent meals/larger less frequent meals, higher fiber intake, more water intake may be things that can help
    [/quote]

    I hate the word willpower... That sounds like an invitation to failure. So my idea is to make sure I am never over hungry. I eat 6 times a day 300 calories every 3 hours. This does a couple of things for me. I am a type 2 diabetic so this keeps my blood sugar well under control. It also keeps me from feeling starved and shaky after 6 hours with out food.
  • melduf
    melduf Posts: 468 Member
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    Here is what I do. I eat what I want as long as I am willing to work it off later that day.

    That is a very good start. And not eating outside of meals. Light snacks are okay but not eating until you feel overstuffed. Meals exist for the purpose of eating what you need to function. If you do that outisde of meals, having a complete meal on top of it all is a bad idea.

    Also, you should take time to think why you eat so much. It might be physical but it might be psychological... I had to do some serious thinking and introspective work before I was able to take control of my appetite. Good luck!
  • RenfieldX
    RenfieldX Posts: 87 Member
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    Here's my deal. I'm 26, getting married next May, and have been battling this weight for years... I have always been a big girl (there's my brief intro hehe).

    My biggest problem is that I eat too many calories. More specifically, i seem to eat most of my calories before dinner, and when it comes time for dinner...I eat! which puts me over my calorie limit...which makes me feel like ecrap and just eat more because "i'm already o ver my calorie count anyway..." and that bad habit doesn't allow me to lose.

    How are you all staying within your calorie range? I know it sounds like a simple question, but I am looking for some tips. I just love food too much...

    Also, eating out. I LOVE TO GO OUT TO EAT!!! Something about unhealthy, fried food just makes my mouth water. It's so bad. I hate it. I wish my brain would switch to bad thoughts when I think about eating out. Do you guys have any tips on how to keep eating out under control?

    Thanks!

    When I first started trying to lose weight, I found eating smaller, more frequent meals, to be a big help. It felt like I was eating constantly, but it helped a lot with resisting the temptation to snack. I found the default settings that MFP gives you for protein to be far too low for me, so you might find that upping your protein intake helps.

    I agree with what a lot of people have been saying; it's all about willpower. It's hard at first, but gets easier as you form healthier eating habits. When I started on MFP I had every intention of planning the occasional 'cheat day', but 3.5 months in I simply no longer crave the unhealthy stuff that I used to eat.
  • sgaranzuay
    sgaranzuay Posts: 34 Member
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    I concur with these previous comments. IT's the combination of eating the RIGHT types of foods (to satisfy your hunger for longer than 30 minutes) and to eat smaller portions more frequently. Water intake is a HUGE factor in the management of weight, your hunger, and generally your health. How much water are you consuming every day? As a rule, a minimum of 8 cups is the starting point. I try for 10-12. My sister is a nurse and her advice to me was: "Unless you're in the hospital, hooked up to an IV, you're dehydrated!"

    Good luck to you! And BTW - I love fried food too. That's why I'm on this site - encouragement from and solidarity with others in the same quest - that's a very helpful tool. Please keep coming back and keep us posted.

    Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

    For increased satiety, higher protein intake, smaller more frequent meals/larger less frequent meals, higher fiber intake, more water intake may be things that can help
  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
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    Willpower

    For increased satiety, higher protein intake, smaller more frequent meals/larger less frequent meals, higher fiber intake, more water intake may be things that can help

    Agreed!
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
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    First off..how many calories are you supposed to consume a day? Your intake may be too low. Are you eating cause you are hungry..or cause you are bored?

    Are you eating too much processed foods? Are you getting your water intake in? But I do agree..its all discipline. Its a learned trait. If it was easy..we would not be on this website...

    What works for me is pre-planning. I pack all my food the night before. I do not buy anything extra..even when walking to the kitchen for water..I see the vending machines..but I pay no mind...
  • SheilaN1976
    SheilaN1976 Posts: 266 Member
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    deja vu...i was a fast food addict...........but what did it for me was my gallbladder attacks and then having to have surgery to have it removed.....to avoid an attack i had to eat no fat-low fat foods and be super careful........my last attack i had burger king whopper meal large size for dinner!!!!! i had surgery 6.5 months ago...........now i hardly crave fast food anymore. but as far as something you could do...is go out to eat but get healthier options........even a mcchicken or fish filet , yogurt parfait, a salad. etc.
  • MVY_
    MVY_ Posts: 253 Member
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    Girl, I feel the same wayyy! I love love food but you just have to control your appetite. If you are hungry find something healthy to chew on. Soonnn, you'll feel that you get full quickly and you don't eat as much any more. It's just you needing to adjust.
  • EndlessSacrifice
    EndlessSacrifice Posts: 325
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    First off, what is your calorie goal? Maybe it's too low for you. Personally, I am set at 1500 calories, and I eat my exercise calories back a majority of the time. I usually wake up around noon and have breakfast. Then, I have a snack such as a piece of fruit or a protein shake around two or three. Then, I have dinner around five or six. Then, I have more fruit or some other light dessert around seven or eight. Then, I'll have another light meal around ten or eleven at night. I normally go to sleep between 12am and 3am. It's been working fine for me. I also definitely suggest eating oatmeal as your first meal. It's really filling!

    As for eating out, treat yourself to that once a week and order anything you want ONLY if you ate healthily all week long and stayed within your calorie range each day that week.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    Willpower

    For increased satiety, higher protein intake, smaller more frequent meals/larger less frequent meals, higher fiber intake, more water intake may be things that can help

    ^^ Ditto

    You have to say NO over and over and eventually it becomes a habit
  • PersephoneInBlue
    PersephoneInBlue Posts: 1
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    I wouldn't recommend this daily, but here's a quick fix (and something I like to follow to make sure I keep my calories in check).

    If you know you're going out to eat later in the day, eat breakfast...and skip lunch. There are so few ways to eat under 400 calories out, so if I know I'm going out to dinner, I hold those calories in reserve. I'm always hungry when I wake up, so I eat breakfast, but then as I get hungry throughout the day, I tell myself to tough it out if I want to reward myself with going out later.

    If the hunger becomes too much for you, stave it off with an apple or a protein shake.

    This will not only encourage you to eat out less, but help you when you do eat out to stay under your calorie goal (because you've reserved two meals' worth of calories for one) and keep you from feeling guilty about enjoying it.
  • beckyb0724
    beckyb0724 Posts: 15 Member
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    Meal plan! I menu plan for an entire month, and then grocery shop accordingly. When i realized it wasn't hard, I started meal planning lunches for my husband to take to work, and my son to take to school. Most cook book now have portion size and calories just under the recipe.

    I had a hard time staying under my calories too until I started using MFP. Seeing how much everything was really put food into perspective for me. It allowed me to see that I wasn't eating many raw fruits and veggies. I can put away an entire box of Cheez-Its! After inputting them into my calorie counter, I stopped buying them for several weeks until I knew that I could portion manage.

    Water, water, water! It's a natural appetite suppressant!
  • Aj722
    Aj722 Posts: 12
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    When I started with MFP i did my best to plan my eating a day ahead of time. I'd look up calories of the things I was probably going to eat, then I knew ahead of time if I was planning for too many calories. Sometimes seeing how many calories food has before you eat it can help you make smarter choices, and if there's something you really want (like a bit of fried food) then have a healthier lunch to balance it out.
  • nc90
    nc90 Posts: 83 Member
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    Like others have mentioned, small steps, small changes. Rather than trying to cut everything out completely, start by cutting back, and finding healthier alternatives. For example, setting a goal to have an apple or carrots with your sandwich at lunch instead of a bag of chips or side of fries.

    A starting point might be to look at trends in your diet..where are the most of your calories coming from? What points/meals in the day do you seem to have trouble with having willpower? Figure out these, and start the changes there. Eventually, meeting small goals makes you feel good, and want to keep doing more, and over time you can change the way you eat.

    I also found that watching Forks over Knives helped me really change my perception of food, and definitely encouraged me to get more veggies in.

    I know it's not easy, and it's something I still struggle with, too. I haven't cut anything out, I still get take out, have alcohol on the weekends, and go over my calories here and there, but it's much more in moderation now, and I am so much more mindful about portion sizes, and keeping track of things on a weekly basis. At the end of the day, what keeps me motivated is how much better I feel, and seeing the weight come off. One of my favorite motivational quotes is "A year from now, you'll wish you had started today"

    Good luck to you on reaching your goals!
  • ktbollman
    ktbollman Posts: 32 Member
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    Here is what I do. I eat what I want as long as I am willing to work it off later that day.

    So if I want to grab a five guys burger I have to be willing to work out additional hour that day.If I don't want to, then I can't have that burger. When I look at certain foods, I see it in calories and how long it would take to burn that off. Someone hands me a donut. Hmmm..I see 430 calories which for me is about 30 minutes on the treadmill. If I am OK with that, I get to eat that donut.

    So you want to eat out and go over your calorie limit. Fine. Just understand how long you are going to have to work off to burn that off and ask yourself if you WILL work that off.

    Very smart thinking...sound so simple. haha! thanks for input!!!
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
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    I pre-plan my meals. Even when I go out to eat. I pack my breakfast and lunch and snacks and take to work and plan my dinner in advance.You are in control. Not the food. If you stick with it and see results, that will help motivate you to keep going. You have willpower you just need to access it. It will become a way of life and you will feel so much better that it won't be worth it to you binge. You can do it!
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
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    On eating out - look things up online before you go! Most places have nutritional info online now. I never go out to eat anywhere without first looking up their menu and nutritional information! I then pick something that allows me to stay within my calorie limit BEFORE I go to the restaurant and many times don't even look at the rest of the menu! It's really helped me, since my boyfriend and I end up eating out a lot. I'm so obsessed about doing it, he'll text me in the morning of the day of our "date night" and ask me what I'm getting to eat at dinner, because he know's I've already looked it up ;)
  • Mcmilligen
    Mcmilligen Posts: 332 Member
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    Figure out which recipes you are going to make for the week (I usually make two to three in bulk on Sunday: Breakfast (big batch of oatmeal, healthy pancakes, tofu scramble etc), a dinner (which can double as lunch at work), and sometimes a backup meal when I get home and am starrvinnggg).

    Cut up and wash fruit/veggies after buying them and put them in to containers for easy snacking and cooking. Put treats like chocolate, muffins, homemade granola/energy bars in the freezer. (You don't normally open the freezer and browse for snacking food, do you?)

    Pre-pack lunches, dinners and snacks.
    Pre-log and stick to it.
    Allow wiggle room, some days are harder than others.

    Rinse and repeat!

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