having a hard time with 1200 calories in 6 portions a day

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  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    You can also do three larger meals and 2 small snacks

    275-325 breakfast
    75-120 snack
    325-375 lunch
    75-120 snack
    325-375 Dinner

    Plan ahead and you can get within the right calories
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Why don't you do three meals and three snacks? Or two meals and four snacks?
  • cindyb6045
    cindyb6045 Posts: 16 Member
    Bump for later. Lots of good idea's.
  • mizhuff
    mizhuff Posts: 6
    Sorry about the typos but I was using my android pad with a blue tooth keyboard that you have to hit the keys really hard to make them work. It was also the end of a really frustrating day. I literally melted down at the grocery store because I was having a hard time finding things that I could make work without spending the day assembling food in the kitchen plus I also have a husband that works really hard and deserves decent meals, too. He's being a sweetheart about the whole thing but I feel like my diet has taken over both our lives.

    We're supposed to go to Savannah to an Emmie Lou Harris concert Wednesday and spend the night. How do I do that? I'll figure it out but I'm starting to feel WAY food obsessed. I've gained all this weight and honestly, I would eat an omlett, or a cup of yogurt, or a piece of cheese toast for breakfast, usually I would eat left overs from dinner the night before for lunch, and for dinner I would make either sauteed chicken, broil fish, or Gary would grill steaks or pork chop and I'd make baked potatoes, pasta, or brown rice and steam some kind of vegetable. I was bad about snacking on cookies and I never drank water, but about 4 mountain dews a day.

    I had back surgery about 10 years ago and until then was a real athlete. I played basketball all the way through high school and college and worked at high energy restaurants for 15 years as a manager (60 hour weeks) but when Gary and I started dating (about 38), I got my teaching credentials reinstated and started teaching again. I was an elementary school teacher and I didn't even have a desk in my room. I taught on my feet, moving around the room from the minute the first bell rang until dismissal. Exercise has been tough with my back but I can ride a back without too much backlash.

    What really scares me is the threat of diabetes so I try to stay away from eating too many carbs in my 1200 calories. I have been really good about drinking water since I found Mia (stuff you add to water to give it a little flavor with no calories). I've been drinking over 64 ounces of water a day with no problem (except spending a lot of time in the bathroom). I also don't really like artiicial sweeteners as almost all of them, except splenda, give me a headache almost immediately.

    Thanks for listening. I'm really a wreck. I've GOT to lose this weight so I can be healthy again. I also think it will make my back problems better and I KNOW it will make me feel better all over, but I just need to get a handle on how to meet these objectives without obsessing over them.
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    to me it sounds like you're struggling with a few things but most of it just your mental approach to things

    move your obsession with food to a healthy need for logging, try not worry yourself with this 6 meals a day BS and eat when is right for you, at 1200 calories imo it's low... but if that is what you're going to have split it in 3 there's no need to make this more difficult than necessary you open up your options for food and types massively by allowing yourself 400 calories instead of 200 per meal

    sounds like your back issues have caused you alot of problems, what condition would you say you are physically now? are you able to excersize without causing problems?

    as a teacher the best way to treat this is it's a numbers game, if you have 1200 calories and need 0.8g of protein per lean lb of body mass what does that leave you with for 30% fat and what does that leave you with for carbs? :)

    not to make an assumption but i'm sure your husband wants nothing more than to see you back to who you see yourself as again, so while you may feel you're causing him a burden to him it's probably nothing less than necessary

    with regard to water that's a perfect amount for you to be drinking most would be very jealous you can drink 64 ounces so keep up the good work there

    the thing is it's easy to become obsessed over something so important to you, but this is no time to be irrational if you take that away you're just passionate and there's nothing wrong with that

    my advice would be to add some friends on here the same height/weight/age and get some ideas for meals, see what others are doing and use their knowledge to your advantage

    after all that is what this site is about, sharing support, good techniques and ideas
  • FitSuga
    FitSuga Posts: 259 Member
    From the sounds of it you ate pretty healthy before, your problem was soda and treats (cookies). You said something like 4 Mountain Dews in a day, well that's nearly 700 calories right there! Homemade cookies could be anywhere from 70-200+ for just one. Honestly if I were you, I would eat normally but would be taking out the junk food. Chances are, you'll lose weight. There's nothing wrong with cooking in a little Evoo, those are healthy fats. Just go by actual servings for foods, like only 1/2 cup cooked brown rice instead of spooning out however much.

    I know that's not the answer you're looking for, but why dramatically change the way you live/eat unless its absolutely necessary? Take small steps first and go from there. No reason to completely overwhelm yourself, you'll end up frustrated and give up.
  • pennydreadful270
    pennydreadful270 Posts: 266 Member
    I think you're on a good track to start, but if you make this too strict and too hard on yourself you are more likely to throw in the towel. That would be a real shame.

    Although it is good not to leave yourself to get really hungry - I have been given very similar advice at some weight loss classes I am going to right now - I would agree you don't need to make all those meals exactly even. It is quite easy to have snacks available for around 100 cals. Carrots and hummus, nuts, fruit, jelly cups, eggs, yoghurt are all a good start. :)

    Then you can save up some extra calories for your evening meal so you can share with your husband. 400-500 for the evening is not a huge portion but it is enough to fit in a "real" meal.

    I think a big part of it is not worrying so much about seeing meat, veg and potatoes on the plate. One "meal" can be a hard boiled egg and some grapes. Nothing wrong with that.

    Best of luck.xx
  • maegmez
    maegmez Posts: 341 Member
    Could you set an alarm to remind you to eat breakfast and lunch? Then have 2 small snacks in between. That way, it's not as stressful trying to eat all day and figure out what is 200 calories.

    Also, have you thought about swimming?

    All the best
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    It is frustating to begin with, but you will get it!

    For me it was easier to make one meal and break it up. Especially sandwiches. I LOVE them so that was easy peasy for me. I'd have my egg white veggie omelet for breakfast with 1 pc of low cal whole grain toast, 10 am 1/2 sandwich, 12:20 other half of sandwich plus a small salad, carrots and maybe something crunchy. Afternoon was low fat cheese and triscuits, dinner was 300-400 calories because I ate it with my family and no way I could do 200!

    All and all I was never hungry and my blood sugar stabalized rather quickly!

    Good luck. You've GOT this! (Oh and for Savannah? A cooler and premade baggies of veggies, dips, and sandwiches!)
  • JaimeMWS
    JaimeMWS Posts: 36
    First, if I look at my day so far I am on track to eat 6 times without planning to - if you think of three meals plus three snacks it makes more sense.

    Second, changing habits is hard and takes a lot of attention - hence feeling your diet is taking over your life:) It will get easier and take less attention as you get used to it, and your health is worth it!

    I find it helpful to make lists of foods that I CAN eat so I don't think as much about the ones I can't. And I don't break my calories into equal amounts - I save about a third of them for dinner, and try to make meals of normal food but eat less of some of the things. For example, roasted chicken, green beans and pureed cauliflower makes a meal I and my husband can enjoy. If I serve rolls with it, he can add a roll. And if I drink water and he drinks milk or wine or juice, he gets more calories than me that way. Fish is also a good protein for building a dinner around.

    I also try to cook something like a roast or a meatloaf every week so it works for multiple meals, including my lunches (added to salads).

    Research has shown that when we eat makes a difference in how we metabolize food, and I find that the most important thing I can do when trying to lose weight is to eat an adequate-protein breakfast within an hour of waking up. It takes a while to get my body used to it, but it gives me more energy and limits evening grazing.

    Good luck! Avoiding diabetes is a really worthwhile goal - it is one I share, because I am watching my father struggling with it.

    Jaime:flowerforyou:
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Curious and you may have mentioned this...what is the reasoning for your diet prescription?
  • Rose_bee
    Rose_bee Posts: 226 Member
    Beef Jerky
    Applesauce
    Cantaloupe (a giant 12oz bowl of cubed cantaloup is only 120 cals)
    Good High-fiber bread (it's filling; my favorite is Great Harvest's Honey Whole Wheat)
    Cottage Cheese
    Oatmeal
    Greek Yogurt
    Carrots (with or without hummus)


    I tried 1200 cals/day for 2 days, then realized it wasn't enough for me. I eat 1400 calories, in 3 meals plus 2 or 3 snacks per day.
  • Audji84
    Audji84 Posts: 3
    Not sure if you are a big tea or coffee drinker but neither have calories(coffee might have 5 or something per cup) so you can drink this at night with cream and milk and just like the soup it will trick your stomach into thinking you are full. I always drink a big hot cup of chai tea(with cream and a little bit of sugar) in the evening to prevent myself from indulging in things I shouldn't be. My body is used to having lots of caffeine- but if this isn't the case for you then you could do decaf or drink these during the day.

    Also, check out flavored rice cakes, oatmeal, peanut butter, banannas, energy bars, and just smaller portions in general of any food. It really comes down to training yourseld into eating less so that it just becomes habit and the cravings will go away. Its just like the saying if you do anything for 21 days it becomes a habit:drinker:

    Good Luck!
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I just started a dr. supervised and she wants me to eat 1200 calories a day in 6 portions. That works out to 200 calories a meal. I'm having a really hard time finding things to eat that fit those perameters. Anybody got any ideas where I can look for ideas?

    This is one method that I fail at every time. The 200 cals per meal is not sufficient. Even though there are 6 of them, it's just enough food to make me want more. I always end up binging on this plan. However, steamed vegetables will hopefully see you through. for 200 cals you can have 1 egg, a side of broccoli, a side of cauliflower, and an apple. you will have 20 calories left over. Of course you could trade the egg for tuna, or a small amount of chicken or nuts.
  • daneiel
    daneiel Posts: 42 Member
    BUmp
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I just started a dr. supervised and she wants me to eat 1200 calories a day in 6 portions. That works out to 200 calories a meal. I'm having a really hard time finding things to eat that fit those perameters. Anybody got any ideas where I can look for ideas?

    Omelets or scrambles, using 1/2-3/4 c Egg Beaters, 1/8-1/4 cup fat free cheese, 2 oz of lean ham or turkey sausage, and bulk up with lots of veggies- spinach, mushrooms, onions, etc. 200-250 cals

    4 oz grilled chicken breast- 110 cals, add a large side salad with low cal dressing, or steamed veggies. total under 200 cals

    EAS premixed protein drink, blended with 1/2 c frozen strawberries- 150 cals

    small low carb tortilla (80c) with 2 oz chicken (55c) 1/4 avocado (50c) and shredded lettuce

    Orange and a serving of almonds

    Deli sliced ham, 4 slices (50c) slice of reduced fat cheese (60 cal) rolled around cucumber spears, carrot sticks, or rolled in a lettuce leaf. Add some avocado for another 50 cals of good fats.

    You don't have to eat whole huge meals, they are more of what you would probably consider a snack. Focus on getting in 1 gr of protein per pound of LBM, and .4 gr of healthy fat per LBM, and fill the rest with high fiber carbs in veggies and fruits, with moderate grains.

    I feel like I am eating all day long, and never get starving hungry.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I just started a dr. supervised and she wants me to eat 1200 calories a day in 6 portions. That works out to 200 calories a meal. I'm having a really hard time finding things to eat that fit those perameters. Anybody got any ideas where I can look for ideas?

    "It's not the poison, it's the dosage.", right? You know what foods you want to eat but you can't eat much of those foods without blowing over 1200 cals. Yup, that's the way things are here - we don't need a lot of food but food is plentiful and cheap. When you combine that, it's hard, at first, to figure out what to eat when you want to lose weight.

    Yup, join the club!

    My diary is open - go back to the entries from Spring of 2011 and you'll see what I was eating at about that calorie level. One thing that helped me was to up my percentage of protein - that doesn't help lose weight faster but protein takes longer to digest than carbs or fat so I rarely felt hungry, even at a low calorie level.

    Good luck with your weight loss!

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