first week and already been over calorie intake twice.

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  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
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    drink 8 oz of water 30 min before you eat. you will less.
    ^^ Yes that's a great idea.

    Being over twice in one week isn't that horrible. I mean it depends how much you were over by. If it was 1-200 cals over, it's not that big a deal.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    i never used to have a problem with weight, i used to smoke and when i gave up, food became my addiction. before i knew it in a year and a half i had ballooned 4 dress sizes. i'm trying to cut down food but i am finding it very hard. any suggestions from people would be greatly appreciated, good luck to you all on here and have a good week.

    What is your TDEE? BMR?
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm calculate your TDEE here
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html calculate your BMR here
    How have you determined that you have gone over your cals, and, WHY is that bad?
  • Poods71
    Poods71 Posts: 502 Member
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    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.


    Excellent idea :smile:
  • Miss_dannii
    Miss_dannii Posts: 1,351 Member
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    You need to try harder, it's blunt I know but this weightloss thing doesn't come without having to put effort in! Once you get yourself into a routine, it will be easy to stick to. I promise
  • CindyMarie_
    CindyMarie_ Posts: 122 Member
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    Don't get discouraged! Here are a few tips:

    Try eating almonds between meals with a glass of water (it keeps you full).
    Eat in a bowl, it gives you the ilusion you're eating more than you actually are.
    Drink a cold glass of water before you eat.
    Chew slower, it gives your mind time to process what you're eating to avoid overeating.
    Eat smaller meals more frequently.
    If you're going ot have peanut butter, limit it and have it in the morning because it's a lot of carbs but peanut butter does help you keep full longer.
  • mrskmwatkins
    mrskmwatkins Posts: 3 Member
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    Try adding something lower calorie to any meal you normally enjoyed ... so instead of just pizza on Friday night, have one large slice and a large salad. Or instead of a 12 inch hoagie, have a 6 inch one with a whole sliced apple ... or add a soup made with chicken broth and veggies (but not a lot of starch) before eating a higher calorie casserole ... basically make half your intake (half your plate) a lower calorie fruit or veggie option.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Work your way down to smaller portions. Log the larger sized portions you need to be satisfied, and look for ways to make them smaller- work on sticking to 6 oz of meat/fish servings, 3 oz of pasta. Then once you can handle that, try cutting down a little to 4 oz and 2 oz.

    Also try to focus on getting the most bang for your calorie buck as it were- make proteins and fibers the focus of your meals and supplement them with veggies and then fruits. Let breads and pastas be more of a treat, rather than a staple.
  • workoutbarbie29
    workoutbarbie29 Posts: 39 Member
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    Eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. I know it sounds hard but it really works and it does wonders for you metabolism. It was hard for me at first, i set a reminder in my phone to remind to eat and I packed all of my food including snacks the day before. Now im starving at 2.5 hours and i know I HAVE TO EAT! Good luck!!!!
  • daringstoic
    daringstoic Posts: 43
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    The first week was the hardest for me. I'd been on a really, really bad roll since moving home from Florida--I was pretty much main lining Cherry Coke and making daily visits to the Coney Island for the chili fries I couldn't get during my year down south. I felt like I was starving, even though I was eating plenty of calories. It was a tough shock for my body. Just keep plodding along. I go over my calorie goal almost once a week. It's not a huge overage, mind you, but it still happens. I just shrug it off and remind myself how bad it would've been if I wasn't watching what I eat. I didn't start noticing real changes in my body until I'd lost 25 pounds. Once I finally hit that mark, my clothes started falling off of me. It's worth it. Just hang in there. It also helps to add people as friends on here. Even strangers can be really supportive.
  • PaveGurl
    PaveGurl Posts: 244 Member
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    I look at it like this: I got big by baby steps - a little more here, a little more after that over a period of time. Every time you made a better choice this week was a better choice than the time before. Give yourself some time. You're making progress - five days of being ON target! :)

    It helps me if I make incremental changes instead, too - water instead of soda or juice, lettuce wrap instead of bread, stairs instead of elevator.
  • felblossom
    felblossom Posts: 132 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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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