How do you do it?

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Carakkm
Carakkm Posts: 28 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All

I have only been calorie counting properly (with the help of this site) for a few days, though I was counting prior to this. How do you manage to stay under or reach your calories everyday?

This site is fantastic in that it telols me I am eating too much, but how do you stop? Even on the days I think I have been 'good' I go over my calories. I really want to make this work this time, I am fed up of waiting for a miracle weight loss pill that will see me wake up a size 10!

I know I have to eat less and plan more, but so far it isn't going well.

I have lost 21lb so far before I started counting, but all I seem to do of late is bounce around the same few lb, off one week, on the next!

Any help gratefully received.

Cara.

Replies

  • sssrip
    sssrip Posts: 72
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    Log your food before eating. That way you know if you need to make changes to meet your intake goals.
  • ♥dawnwestbury♥
    ♥dawnwestbury♥ Posts: 104
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    i was bad at planning too, i still dont really plan as well as others! but i do at least THINK about what i have in the house and what i can make for dinner/lunch etc. that way you arent totally going at it with nothing in mind. i would say just start with planning slow, you dont have to plan your week or even the next day...just think about what you might for dinner etc...then record it and then after a few days if you are over or below you can look back and see what you were eating and how much and then ajust. thats what i did. well still do, i'm only into my 2nd week so i dont have it mastered either! just do one meal at a time at first and then you will get the planning down. i actually planned my day today last night...i never do that, so its getting to be habit!

    you are here and trying so thats a great start!
  • lizzleskizzle
    lizzleskizzle Posts: 1
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    How about adding more low-calorie food to your meals? Veggies and fruit are good in so many ways! I fill up on apples and pears while at school, and it really helps me stay away from temptation, besides giving me much needed kicks when my concentration fails..
  • sonjavon
    sonjavon Posts: 1,019 Member
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    It's probably not "how much" you're eating - but WHAT you're eating. I eat a LOT (I mean... seriously... a lot) of food every day.

    I usually start with 2 egg whites (sometimes 1 egg white and one whole egg) with some mayonnaise on 1/2 a sandwich thin or Wasa fiber crackers. I eat a piece of fruit with every meal.
    Mid morning I'll grab a snack... some cereal, another piece of fruit or a yogurt.
    I'll either make a sandwich at lunch (homemade chicken salad with apples and grapes in it) or make a hearty salad with some lettuce, spinach, tuna, carrots, celery, hard boiled egg whites and some oil and vinegar dressing.
    Mid afternoon I eat another snack - often an apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter.
    Then for dinner we eat well... I plan my dinners a week in advance so that on any given day I know how many calories I need to save for dinner. I don't like my day to be sabotaged at the end of the day. Tonight we're having lemon herb chicken breast, summer squash and brown rice with edamame.
    Then I always keep some skinny cow Ice cream sandwiches on hand in case I want desert.

    You can eat a LOT of veggies and fruits for minimal calories. Beef up everything you make with some veggies.

    You can do this - it's not hard, you just have to do what Grandma always said... eat your fruits and veggies!
  • fitinyoga14
    fitinyoga14 Posts: 448 Member
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    planning your day of food intake ahead of time definately makes things super easy. its all counted up for you before you begin eating and it gives you a visual that what you are about to eat is really going to benefit you. also, you know that if you eat anything extra that it could potenitally hurt you. if you know you are going to want to eat more than you have planned, make sure you get in a work out so that your allowance is never negative.
  • rvkirk
    rvkirk Posts: 37
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    I do plan my meals for the day and calculate the calories before hand some times to ensure what I have planned will be ok. I make sure I eat low calorie proteins and veggies that will keep me full and not hungry. The less hungry you feel the easier it is. Recognising what meals keep you full and what don't really helps.
    Your welcome to add me as a friend and view my food diary, may give you some ideas, also I find exercise helps when I want a sweet treat
    good luck
  • hollyroode
    hollyroode Posts: 76
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    What everyone is saying is really true...Planning ahead is best. If there is something that I REALLY want for dinner that night, then I enter it in first and plan the rest of my meals to fit in with it!
  • hsarling
    hsarling Posts: 1
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    Planning ahead is the only way to go. Then if I know I am going to be eating over my daily amount, I add in exercise to balance it out.
  • epoeraven
    epoeraven Posts: 458 Member
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    I log all my food I plan to eat for the day first thing in the morning. That way if I pick something for supper that puts me over I have time to change it.

    I also agree with the fruits and vegetables advice. Where I used to have a couple of pork chops and some corn for supper I now have one pork chop and a two servings of green beens.
  • Karna6e
    Karna6e Posts: 57
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    I also find eating well starts at the supermarket. If you don't buy junk, you can't eat junk.

    I don't do a lot of menu planning, but I have regular staples like brown rice and produce I always reach for.
  • Carakkm
    Carakkm Posts: 28 Member
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    Thank you all for the replies.

    I have just completed tomorrow's food diary and I have quite a bit to eat too! Shopping is being delivered tomorrow as well so will be much easier after that!

    Hopefully I will improve at this and show a loss next week.

    Thanks all again.

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