Food diary help.....protein!

jadeyq1
jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello guys and gals,

So yesterday, after doing lots of reading and research, I upped my calories from MFP's recommended 1200 to 1680. I came to this figure by calculating my BMR and my TDEE and subtracted 20% from my TDEE which was 2100. I set my activity level as sedentary when calculating my TDEE as I still want to use MFP to track my exercise and then eat those calories back.

First question......have I calculated my TDEE correctly? I assumed that if I chose a different level of activity then really I wouldn't be able to track my exercise and subsequent extra calories correctly with MFP.

Second question/request...........I would really really appreciate it if you guys could take a look at my diary for today and give me your thoughts. I'm finding it difficult to up my calories without eating fat and I'm finding it especially difficult to fit in enough protein. I've got my macros set as carbs at 40%, protein at 30% and fat at 30%. I'm barely hitting the 20% mark on protein at the moment. I've incorporated milk, chicken, nuts and greek yogurt in today to boost my protein level but it's still not enough.

Any helpful comments will be most appreciated, as always. Thank guys x

Replies

  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    You need to open your diary.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    What's your height, weight, and social security # (just kidding about the ss#). Your starting weight and goal weight as well.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    I don't log anything that I feel is pretty insignificant ie. sometimes I'll go to the fridge and eat a single crab stick but don't log it. Sometimes I'll have a teaspoon of peanut butter straight out of the jar but don't log it.

    I sometimes won't log things that I know have a Weight Watchers point value of 0 such as most fruit and veg and marmite.

    That being said, I also aim not to eat any calories I earn through exercise so if I do nibble the odd thing, I'm happy in my mind that it's coming off of my exercise cals.

    And lastly, I don't log anything I feel extremely guilty about eating. I know that's complete denial but it doesn't happen often and I hate to ruin my diary!! Hence the reason it doesn't happen often anyway :)

    You need to open your diary so we can see it. Also, we need to know height and weight in order to know if your BMR/TDEE are correctly calculated. Make sure you log everything, even the crab stick.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    Apologies, didn't realise it was set to friends only. Diary now open!

    Current weight = 215lbs
    Height = 60 inches or 5 feet
    Ideal weight = 130lbs

    x
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    Apologies, didn't realise it was set to friends only. Diary now open!

    Current weight = 215lbs
    Height = 60 inches or 5 feet
    Ideal weight = 130lbs

    x

    I'm ASSuming it's Desk job with little exercise. From the Scooby Calc I'm getting 1792. From Fat2fit with no exercise I'm getting 1662. From fitness frog I'm getting 1680.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    No, I set my exercise as minimal because I know that TDEE takes into account your exercise when recommending calories eaten per day and I still want to log my exercise using my fitness pal. So if I had said light activity and was still logging and eating my exercise calories from the other app I use I would have been eating too many. Am I correct in thinking that?

    I actually walk almost every day for around 45 minutes per day.
  • LLilith77
    LLilith77 Posts: 4
    Your breakfast hardly contains any protein at all. As a rule of thumb I try to get protein rich foods in breakfast, lunch and dinner, sometimes in snacks aswell.

    How about oatmeal, perhaps made with almond milk instead of nut milk, or with a spoonful of peanutbutter stirred in? I know peanutbutter (or any other nutbutter) has a lot of fat, but it's not bad for you. Just watch the calories.

    You can also have eggs for breakfast in many different forms, cooked, baked, ommelette, healthy homemade breakfast muffins and whatnot.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    No, I set my exercise as minimal because I know that TDEE takes into account your exercise when recommending calories eaten per day and I still want to log my exercise using my fitness pal. So if I had said light activity and was still logging and eating my exercise calories from the other app I use I would have been eating too many. Am I correct in thinking that?

    I actually walk almost every day for around 45 minutes per day.

    TDEE takes into account the calories if you choose the non-sedentary TDEE. If you use the mfp exercise calories do not eat all your exercise calories back because it is not very accurate. But make sure you log everything. I just realized the calories in balsamic vinegar and was surprised!
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    Thank you. I've noticed looking at other peoples diaries that my breakfast is minimal compared to a lot of others. I'm definitely going to eat a bigger breakfast and eggs are a great idea! Many thanks!
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member

    Second question/request...........I would really really appreciate it if you guys could take a look at my diary for today and give me your thoughts. I'm finding it difficult to up my calories without eating fat and I'm finding it especially difficult to fit in enough protein. I've got my macros set as carbs at 40%, protein at 30% and fat at 30%. I'm barely hitting the 20% mark on protein at the moment. I've incorporated milk, chicken, nuts and greek yogurt in today to boost my protein level but it's still not enough.

    You could try cutting back on the processed foods and doing a little bit of home cooking. Breakfast, for example, you could ditch the cereal and make an omelette. Put some ham and a bit of cheese in and that's another protein boost. I also guarantee it will fill you up for longer than your cereal too.

    For lunch, rather than have the soup, you could try making a chicken breast with some salad or some cous cous. An average chicken breast has around 35g of protein. An average serving of cous cous is about 8.

    For dinner, again, ditch the package meal and have something home cooked. Any meat is obviously good for protein. You could make a curry, or a casserole, or a chilli, or shepherds pie, etc. my dinners are normally over 35g of protein.

    You are doing well on the snacks, almonds and greek yogurt are good choices. It's just your main meals.I used to live on microwave meals because they were convenient, but in reality, most are full of salt and very little else.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    What is absent from your meals are fruits and vegetables! Eat a fresh lettuce salad and add a can of tuna or hard boiled eggs. Add at least one fresh fruit a day, may be an apple or banana. Try fresh carrots as a snack with hummus or ranch dressing.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    Thanks lauren3101. I desperately need to change my convenience eating. It's a work in progress for me! Thank you for the suggestions. I will definitely try to incorporate eggs into my diet more. I really don't like cooking which is mostly to blame for my 'convenient' diet but I definitely know that it's something I need to do as a lifelong change! :)
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    You can make small changes, for example get frozen corn and just add a cup in your store bought soup. Cook a dozen hard boiled eggs and keep in the fridge and eat as a snack. Bananas are an easy fruit to start and used to.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    You can make small changes, for example get frozen corn and just add a cup in your store bought soup. Cook a dozen hard boiled eggs and keep in the fridge and eat as a snack. Bananas are an easy fruit to start and used to.

    I HATE bananas! Hahaha Thank you though. I like the eggs idea :) Eggs are a winning idea I think! :)
  • littlewitch1973
    littlewitch1973 Posts: 139
    I have recently had to up my protein levels too ... higher than what most people eat.

    Beakfast for me is a protein shake - simply because I leave the house by 6:30am with two kids in tow to drop off to schools before I get to the office at 7:30 to start my day. When I am home, I will usually have a couple devilled eggs (the only way I can eat them) for breakfast. Lunch - salad with tuna or chicken, or just chicken or tuna. Dinner - meat, veggies... snacks for me are chicken (I cook up a couple of pounds every Sunday evening now, and dice it up - quick, handy on the go snack that will cure my hunger and give me protein), greek yogurt, or nuts. I love nuts.
    I also use Trader Joes organic PB - it has little sugar, and a lot of protein, which, added to my chocolate shake in the AM is YUMMY! A reeces pb cup shake early in the day to kill the sweet tooth all day long!
    Good luck in your journey.
  • Ivanvivian
    Ivanvivian Posts: 2
    When attempting to establish you BMR, I hope you used your goal weight, and not your current weight!

    We tend to have a way of feeding the addicting beast with every kind of trickery.

    I am a male, and will not lose weight eating over 1440 calories. Maybe I have a slow metabolism.

    But for a short woman eating more than 1400 calories sounds nuts to me!
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    When attempting to establish you BMR, I hope you used your goal weight, and not your current weight!

    We tend to have a way of feeding the addicting beast with every kind of trickery.

    I am a male, and will not lose weight eating over 1440 calories. Maybe I have a slow metabolism.

    But for a short woman eating more than 1400 calories sounds nuts to me!

    When I use the MFP BMR calculator I'm given a figure of 1,644. That's with MFP knowing my current weight and my goal weight! Most other calculators give me a figure about 100 more than that.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Thanks lauren3101. I desperately need to change my convenience eating. It's a work in progress for me! Thank you for the suggestions. I will definitely try to incorporate eggs into my diet more. I really don't like cooking which is mostly to blame for my 'convenient' diet but I definitely know that it's something I need to do as a lifelong change! :)

    Haha, I don't hate cooking but I don't always have the time, so I understand it can be a pain. You could try cooking a batch of meals on a Sunday, for example, portioning them out, putting them in tubs, freezing them and then eating them throughout the week. Then, you have a homemade 'microwave' meal to hand when you want it.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    I have recently had to up my protein levels too ... higher than what most people eat.

    Beakfast for me is a protein shake - simply because I leave the house by 6:30am with two kids in tow to drop off to schools before I get to the office at 7:30 to start my day. When I am home, I will usually have a couple devilled eggs (the only way I can eat them) for breakfast. Lunch - salad with tuna or chicken, or just chicken or tuna. Dinner - meat, veggies... snacks for me are chicken (I cook up a couple of pounds every Sunday evening now, and dice it up - quick, handy on the go snack that will cure my hunger and give me protein), greek yogurt, or nuts. I love nuts.
    I also use Trader Joes organic PB - it has little sugar, and a lot of protein, which, added to my chocolate shake in the AM is YUMMY! A reeces pb cup shake early in the day to kill the sweet tooth all day long!
    Good luck in your journey.

    Tuna and peanut butter.......love these ideas! :) Thank you x
  • raythrasher
    raythrasher Posts: 26 Member
    I use Whey Protein powder to increase my protein intake without significantly increasing Fat and Carbs. Just mix a scoop with 8 oz water and drink and you can add 25 - 30g of protein to your diet without even chewing. There are many brands and flavors to choose from. I personally prefer Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Isolate Vanilla Creme. Provides 30g protein and tastes great. My wife likes it too.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    Thanks lauren3101. I desperately need to change my convenience eating. It's a work in progress for me! Thank you for the suggestions. I will definitely try to incorporate eggs into my diet more. I really don't like cooking which is mostly to blame for my 'convenient' diet but I definitely know that it's something I need to do as a lifelong change! :)

    Haha, I don't hate cooking but I don't always have the time, so I understand it can be a pain. You could try cooking a batch of meals on a Sunday, for example, portioning them out, putting them in tubs, freezing them and then eating them throughout the week. Then, you have a homemade 'microwave' meal to hand when you want it.

    And this is why I love MFP. Loads of great people with great suggestions! Thank you :) Another one of my problems is that my job is as a house sitter which means I'm constantly in other peoples houses and a different house every week! Another reason why I eat conveniently, but I need to stop making excuses. I won't get results without effort will I! :)
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    I use Whey Protein powder to increase my protein intake without significantly increasing Fat and Carbs. Just mix a scoop with 8 oz water and drink and you can add 25 - 30g of protein to your diet without even chewing. There are many brands and flavors to choose from. I personally prefer Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Isolate Vanilla Creme. Provides 30g protein and tastes great. My wife likes it too.

    Great! Thank you, this is an option I definitely need to explore!
  • jennfranklin
    jennfranklin Posts: 434 Member
    Whey protein is great and you can cook with it also. If you like greek yogurt..I take low sodium cottage cheese and add to it. It doesn't change the flavor but really boosts the amount of protein! Chicken breast has 25 grams of protein for 4 ounces, and is low calorie and fat! I add plain greek yogurt to my chicken salad instead of mayo, it has the same consistency and taste a little like sour cream. Add boiled eggs, and there is even more protein! Add me for support and advice if you want! My diary is open to friends.
  • njfitnessgirl
    njfitnessgirl Posts: 281
    I'm very limited on time for cooking meals since I work 45 min from home and have kids to drop off and pick up from school. I work 8-4:30 and by the time I get home it's 5:15-5:30. I found a ton of great recipes on cookinglight.com that are complete menus under 40 minutes. I've made about 5 or 6 of these so far and every one of them have been tasty and not difficult to make. On Saturdays I sit down and make out my menus for the week so when I go food shopping I have what I need for the week. Last night's dinner was from Cooking Light and it was pork tenderloin with fig and onion relish, jasmine rice and garlic asparagus. So good and I have enough leftovers for my lunch and DH to take the pork and make a salad with it.
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    Whey protein is great and you can cook with it also. If you like greek yogurt..I take low sodium cottage cheese and add to it. It doesn't change the flavor but really boosts the amount of protein! Chicken breast has 25 grams of protein for 4 ounces, and is low calorie and fat! I add plain greek yogurt to my chicken salad instead of mayo, it has the same consistency and taste a little like sour cream. Add boiled eggs, and there is even more protein! Add me for support and advice if you want! My diary is open to friends.

    Great advice, thank you. Your salads sound yummy! Going to add you now :)
  • jadeyq1
    jadeyq1 Posts: 178 Member
    I'm very limited on time for cooking meals since I work 45 min from home and have kids to drop off and pick up from school. I work 8-4:30 and by the time I get home it's 5:15-5:30. I found a ton of great recipes on cookinglight.com that are complete menus under 40 minutes. I've made about 5 or 6 of these so far and every one of them have been tasty and not difficult to make. On Saturdays I sit down and make out my menus for the week so when I go food shopping I have what I need for the week. Last night's dinner was from Cooking Light and it was pork tenderloin with fig and onion relish, jasmine rice and garlic asparagus. So good and I have enough leftovers for my lunch and DH to take the pork and make a salad with it.

    Thank you, going to check this website out now :)

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