Food ideas-HELP

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Short1985
Short1985 Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
Hello Everyone,

I'm struggling to stay underneath my calorie intake, and the few pounds I've lost, I've gained back...whawha...

Lately I've had a hard time 1. making my calories last all day and balancing them out, 2. resisting those bad foods especially on the weekends.

I've done weight loss programs before, but I've never had to straight out counted calories and it's becoming a challenge for me.

Anyone have any suggestions of food or meal plans that they've found to help keep calories last all day and not get bored from eating the same thing every day, and things that help keep on track. I've tried to buy only healthy food, and limit my portion sizes, but I'm still going over.

Thank all!

Replies

  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Hey, I started this facebook page when dozens of people came to me for help with healthy meals and food choices. Feel free to check it out.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheSassyGourmet
  • needles85365
    needles85365 Posts: 491 Member
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    Need more information and open your diary before we can help.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Need more information and open your diary before we can help.

    She is asking for ideas of foods to eat, not for someone to look at her diary to tell her what she is doing wrong.
  • Short1985
    Short1985 Posts: 7
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    Thanks for the suggestion! I will check out your facebook page for sure! Appreciate it!
    :happy:
  • km202
    km202 Posts: 112
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    Feel free to add my and/or look at my diary. I have had a hard time reaching 1200 calories the last couple of days.
    I am currently on no wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy (and a few other things) so my diary may not fit you well, but you can get some ideas.
    Feel free to comment or whatever you like.

    Good luck!
  • Brendajo510
    Brendajo510 Posts: 153
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    I just try to mix things up and keep in mind foods that will stay with me longer. Healthy is good but it can get old to eat carrots every day for breakfast. I think its best to switch it up before it gets old. I choose my favorite meals for certain days out of the week. I plan meals for the week. Make sure you enter everything you eat into my fitness pal. I found that in the beginning, I felt guilty and just didn't list what made me go over. Then I realized how ridiculous that was because I was the only one who could see my diary, why was I lying to myself? That has helped a lot at keeping me from snacking. I found that I was hungry in the beginning(and even still now), but that's because my stomach needed to shrink. I like to try and get the most bang for my buck. Instead of eating a regular taco shell, I'll get low cal. Instead of snacking during the day, I'll drink some green tea.
  • la_faerie
    la_faerie Posts: 53
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    Try to make it so the bulk of your foods are perishable. Lean meats, veggies, fruits, yogurts, eggs, bread (but whole grain) yadda yadda yadda, with some brown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, peanut butter, etc. on the side. When you shop with that mentality, you have a whole world of foods to eat, since they all have nutritional value. I would also suggest looking into vegetarian and vegan meals when you're getting bored, chances are they will be healthy, delicious, and relatively simple. :)
  • AmberShinn1
    AmberShinn1 Posts: 5 Member
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    So I have a chocolate problem where I will randomly crave chocolate brownies.. SO BAD. Well, I found Clif chocolate brownie bar. They're $1 at stores around here. It's a protein type bar, but it is so much better than me just eating plain chocolate. Or even I will eat the chocolate special k cereal.

    With the meals, I try to make dinner less than 500 calories. I normally eat a 200-300 calorie breakfast and a 300-400 calorie lunch. My limit on here is 1380. The extra I eat some snacks through out the day or I have some left over. My whole family made the change to a healthier lifestyle. I plan out our dinners days in advance so that I know what I am having so I know if I can eat a higher calorie lunch or not. I know my family is very afraid of the whole "going healthy" thing. So I try to find recipes online or in cook books as much a possible. Or I even do foods that they used to eat before, but slightly different and healthier.

    I know I'm a BIG pasta person.. So I do light sauces, or home-made, with smart taste pasta. Or the vegetable steamer packs work great! I hope this helps. :)
  • adietron
    adietron Posts: 155
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    Whole foods. A whole-food diet totally kills two birds with one stone: low on calories, high on nutrients and minerals that your body and brain actually need. Don't trust Weight Watchers or Michelina's to provide you with low-calorie meals... make them yourself.

    Plan your meals out for the week, and buy the vast majority of your groceries from the produce section. Eat as many green veggies as you can in a day. When you get bored with apples, switch to grapes or pears. When you get bored with salad, switch to stir-fried Kale or Chinese veggies like Bok Choy. Buy a new fruit or veg every time you go to the grocery store.

    Also, keep in mind that a pound of lentils has fewer calories than a pound of ground beef... try reducing your meat consumption (not PROTEIN consumption) and I think you'll be surprised at how many calories you'll save.
  • HypnoticHaylee
    HypnoticHaylee Posts: 23
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    I find that cutting out non nutritious/junk food helps. Loading up on the veggies, fruits, whole grains, some seeds, nuts etc=more food throughout the day
  • LordBear
    LordBear Posts: 239 Member
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    diary would help alot. and that way we can see what ur idea calorie intake is as well ... i shoot for 1500 or less usually get about 1300.. today i only got 900 or so and im stuffed... did forget my breakfast but that would have only added 80 cals... so i had a half a peanutbutter and honey sandwhich, smally back of chips. then for dinner i had salad with a couple of hotdogs..meat only with a bit of bbq sauce.
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
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    I hate to say it but Dr. Oz recommends kind of eating the same things. At least for breakfast and lunch. I do eat the same breakfast pretty regularly. I don't have a lunch figured out yet. I'd say figure out a couple breakfasts and stick to them. You'll know the calories and they'll be easy to pull together and easy to have ingredients on hand.

    I also eat a salad nearly every day. I know the calories and it fills me up. I like it. I do it instead of simple carbs with dinner. I also use old Weight Watcher cookbooks. Go to a used book store and get a couple. They have some really good recipes with the calories figured out.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Whole foods. A whole-food diet totally kills two birds with one stone: low on calories, high on nutrients and minerals that your body and brain actually need. Don't trust Weight Watchers or Michelina's to provide you with low-calorie meals... make them yourself.

    Plan your meals out for the week, and buy the vast majority of your groceries from the produce section. Eat as many green veggies as you can in a day. When you get bored with apples, switch to grapes or pears. When you get bored with salad, switch to stir-fried Kale or Chinese veggies like Bok Choy. Buy a new fruit or veg every time you go to the grocery store.

    Also, keep in mind that a pound of lentils has fewer calories than a pound of ground beef... try reducing your meat consumption (not PROTEIN consumption) and I think you'll be surprised at how many calories you'll save.

    Yes, A pound of lentils has fewer calories than a pound of ground beef, lentils also have only a third of the protein of beef, and high carb.

    Beef - 680 calories, 0 grams of carbs, 92 grams of protein per pound
    Lentils - 470 calories, 72 grams of carbs, 35 grams of protein per pound.

    I mean, if you're going to tell someone not to reduce their protein consumption, you're making a very bad comparison that doesn't help your argument.
  • adietron
    adietron Posts: 155
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    Yes, A pound of lentils has fewer calories than a pound of ground beef, lentils also have only a third of the protein of beef, and high carb.

    Beef - 680 calories, 0 grams of carbs, 92 grams of protein per pound
    Lentils - 470 calories, 72 grams of carbs, 35 grams of protein per pound.

    I mean, if you're going to tell someone not to reduce their protein consumption, you're making a very bad comparison that doesn't help your argument.

    You make a great point. For me, on days that I eat a vegetarian dinner, I always supplement with a whey protein shake for breakfast or dessert. The OP is asking for healthy food ideas, and IMHO, legumes are a great option... as long as the macro ratios for the day/week look good.
  • Short1985
    Short1985 Posts: 7
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    Cliff Bars are delicious!
  • Short1985
    Short1985 Posts: 7
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    Thanks everyone! This helps! I've made it almost a month now recording my food, which I never would have done before, so that's a good signs.

    I'll look into expanding my perishable food intake and I think my main thing is to keep buying and filling my fridge with these foods so I have them on hand and ready to go and buying different ones each time.

    Thank you!
  • Short1985
    Short1985 Posts: 7
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    @ km202 that would be great if you don't mind. I'll add you.

    Thanks!
  • JLand918
    JLand918 Posts: 156
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    I am more worried about my carb intake then calories.. I would rather eat a whole package of Bacon! then eat a few baked potatoes..
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    I tend to always keep cottage cheese, hard bouled eggs, wild salmon/salmon, canned beans(in water), goats cheese, raw carrots, mushrooms, a variety of green vegetables, apples, bananas, plums(which I sometimes swap for pears, apricots and blackberries), tuna steak, seafood(mussels, calamari rings), quark or greek yoghurt and nuts and some dried fruit around. If I get hungry, I grab a hard boiled egg or some nuts, or some fruit. I mix my quark with peanut flour/pbs, some stevia and flax for a dessert that goes a long way if you add water, mix well and refrigerate... nightly ritual for me actually.

    I also sometimes have avocado, sweet potato with cottage cheese or a spanish potato frittata. But the key is to always have plenty of veggies and protein really. If I want some 'naughty' foods, I either try and just have something small each day, or have 1 day a week where I have a snack and a meal of whatever I choose. Getting a blender could prove very useful to you also, you can make your own soups and make desserts with a variety of ingredients including bananas frozen then blended with other things.

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