Need help eating right!! Post your suggestions...

BBryans07
BBryans07 Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there! I am soon to be a college graduate and I am finishing my student teaching now. I lost over 30 lbs two years ago (at the time when I was A LOT less stressed) but I have gained it all back. I am really struggling with figuring out how much to eat and when. Right now I usually start the day at 6am with cereal, oatmeal, or carnation instant breakfast. I eat lunch at 11:30am (at which point I'm starving) and that usually consists of a sandwich, string cheese, and a piece of fresh fruit. By the time I get home at 5pm, I'm even more starving and try to eat just a snack (usually yogurt or some wheat thins). What's worse, is that my boyfriend doesn't get off work until 9pm, so I generally eat dinner at that time which is often pizza. Throughout the day, I'm eating at least 2200 calories, but I wouldn't say I overeat....I'm just so hungry!

I've tried doing the "snacking every two hours" deal, but that seems to make me eat even more and I'm never truly satisfied. I need help eating right according to my schedule. I wake up at 5:30am and go to bed usually around 10pm. I have heard about skipping breakfast and how that can help...but so many people say that skipping breakfast will ruin your metabolism. I'm just trying to lose 1 lb per week, which I think is just fine since I have quite a bit to lose and have done it before.

As for working out, I really struggle with the student teaching. I'm on my feet throughout the whole day lifting and bending so I'm generally exhausted when I come home and just want to go to bed.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how I can lose the weight and eat right?

Replies

  • vegaspfmf
    vegaspfmf Posts: 40 Member
    well you should figure out your tdee. Since you gave no stats I cant figure it for you. take the tdee subtract 20% and eat that much daily. Track your calories through the day. If you are hungry often eat more vegetables, they are low in cals and fill you up. Cook for you and your bf instead of eating pizza.

    Skipping breakfast wont ruin your metabolism.
  • SnicciFit
    SnicciFit Posts: 967 Member
    Eat more fat to sustain yourself longer. The majority of your calories should come from healthy fat sources such as coconut (oil, milk, flakes...etc.), avocado, olives/olive oil, real butter, full-fat dairy (if you tolerate it well)..etc. You should get an adequate amount of protein and keep carbs (sugar) to a minimum. Carbs tend to be used up quickly, so if your breakfast is very carb-heavy without any fat/protein, you'll be hungry in an hour. Fat burns slower, sustaining you for longer. It also helps your body to absorb the nutrients & vitamins you consume.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    You could probably lose weight just by eating more veggies and less pizza. Pizza is fine once in a while, but it's usually a pretty high calorie meal. Trade that for a lean protein with a couple of veggies on the side and you may save several hundred calories per day.
  • FishFishEverywhere
    FishFishEverywhere Posts: 3
    It's not always about quantity, but the quality of what you eat. I would suggest substituting lunches with a large salad with some lean meat (if you aren't vegetarian) and having pieces of fruit throughout the day.

    I usually have fruit for breakfast, like orange or mango, and if I'm still hungry I have an egg. Lunch is a large mixed salad with some meat, and I'll have a banana and an apple in the afternoon before exercising and having another salad for dinner.
  • pennyimp
    pennyimp Posts: 1
    Hmmm! Sounds like the foods you are eating are not filling enough for you. Try adding beans (red, white, black eyed peas) or lentils to your diet. Legumes are vey filling, healthy and minimum calories. You can also try eating a Wendy's baked potato (no cheese, butter or sour cream) with a small chili (you can put on potato if you need it wet) and that is also filling. Eating pizza late at night is probably killing your caloric intake. If you need to eat with you BF and he has to have pizza than try eat one slice of thin crust pizza with veggies on it. I have found for me that eating too late seems to have an adverse effect on my body and I gain weight quicker. If I eat at 4:00 or 5:00 pm my body does not put on as much pounds. Also, what is your water intake? Try drinking at least 8 cups a day. Make sure the water is cold as your body's metabolism has to work harder to handle the cold. If you are hungry, drink a glass of water first, wait for about ten minutes and if you are still hungry have a small snack. Always good to drink a full glass before every meal too. Hope these tips help!
  • BBryans07
    BBryans07 Posts: 16 Member
    Thank-you for all of your suggestions! After looking at my diary (and the one I used on livestrong) I realized I was eating most of my protein at night and most of my carbs in the morning. No wonder I was starving! Since your suggestions, I have started my morning with a small bowl of cottage cheese and am AMAZED at how long I am full after eating. With 24g of protein I feel much more energized in the morning. I will keep it up and hopefully lose this stubborn weight once and for all! Thanks again!
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Hi there! I am soon to be a college graduate and I am finishing my student teaching now. I lost over 30 lbs two years ago (at the time when I was A LOT less stressed) but I have gained it all back. I am really struggling with figuring out how much to eat and when. Right now I usually start the day at 6am with cereal, oatmeal, or carnation instant breakfast. I eat lunch at 11:30am (at which point I'm starving) and that usually consists of a sandwich, string cheese, and a piece of fresh fruit. By the time I get home at 5pm, I'm even more starving and try to eat just a snack (usually yogurt or some wheat thins). What's worse, is that my boyfriend doesn't get off work until 9pm, so I generally eat dinner at that time which is often pizza. Throughout the day, I'm eating at least 2200 calories, but I wouldn't say I overeat....I'm just so hungry!

    I've tried doing the "snacking every two hours" deal, but that seems to make me eat even more and I'm never truly satisfied. I need help eating right according to my schedule. I wake up at 5:30am and go to bed usually around 10pm. I have heard about skipping breakfast and how that can help...but so many people say that skipping breakfast will ruin your metabolism. I'm just trying to lose 1 lb per week, which I think is just fine since I have quite a bit to lose and have done it before.

    As for working out, I really struggle with the student teaching. I'm on my feet throughout the whole day lifting and bending so I'm generally exhausted when I come home and just want to go to bed.

    Any thoughts or suggestions on how I can lose the weight and eat right?

    You need to mostly cut added sugar and processed food from your diet. Scientists say that sugar has an "anti-satiety" effect and you can't afford the empty calories on a calorie-restricted diet anyway. And processed food is full of salt, as well as some sugar and a lot of other chemical additives.

    Instead of an "instant breakfast" (high sugar) you could use a stevia sweetened protein powder mixed with a little yogurt, some water avocado and some fresh fruit. It will hold you a LONG time and it is very few calories. You need to up your fat calories as the satiety effect of fat is very high. It should be good fat like coconut oil, nuts, olives, full-fat dairy, etc. If you cut out added sugar and processed food, you will automatically reduce your carbs (I always make sure that mine are below 150 grams per day). Mostly, they average around 80 grams--more on heavy-exercise days, less on rest days. I get good appetite control at that level but it is not so little that it puts me into ketosis. Good luck. Friend me if you want to get a look at what I eat. :smile:

Categories