healthy eating and calories

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I am going to begin eating healthy. I have had people tell me when you eat healthy you don't have to worry so much about your calories you tend to get full eating healthier food. you most need to worry about your calorie intake if you are eating a lot of crap food and junk food. my question is when I begin to eat healthy food and measure my proper portions of the food will that help me not to worry about getting good calories and healthy calories or worry about going to much under calorie.

I have raised my calories by 500 calories I was eating only 900 of them before. I was also eating 1400 calories of crap food. this time in shopping I bought all healthy food no sweets or junk food in the house.

is it also true that drinking a lot of water can help curb my appetite and help me stay full longer? I am working on changing my eating habits properly as my first focus is eating healthy.

Replies

  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    It depends on what you're eating I think. Lots of non-starchy veggies can be eaten for very few calories. It was a mistake I made when I first started weight loss with WW. I'd eat huge green salads with veggies, a tiny bit of cheese, and maybe an ounce or two of meat and end up with loads of extra points/calories. I think if you're going strictly clean eating track carefully and make sure you're meeting your calorie goal including eating your exercise calories.
  • lvsglass
    lvsglass Posts: 90 Member
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    Choosing healthy foods are a better choice because of their nutritional value and their ability to fill you more. However, a calorie is a calorie whether it is a calorie of chocolate cake or a calorie of broccoli. So, if your sole focus is in losing weight, it doesn't matter if you have 1200 calories a day of healthy food or of crap. If you stay under your TDEE you will lose, if you eat over that, you will gain. There are lots of pretty useful free calculators on the Internet to help you determine your TDEE (how many calories a day you need to either maintain or to lose weight). :happy:
  • juicednjuicy7
    juicednjuicy7 Posts: 26 Member
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    helo and definitley one trick of the trade is to stick to fruits and veggies, lean meat, and whole heat pasta. If you follow the correct serving sizes as well it really makes results better. i learned that these sources of food are low calorie only if u make it. Which results u to having more meals in a day. My calorie intake is about 1400, indeed sometimes i go over but i put a mental note in my head to do better and train harder. i follow this guideline

    Breakfast
    Snack
    Lunch
    Snack
    Dinner

    Snack if possible.

    By following this guideline i choose a low cal breakfst like oatmeal with fruit, a snack would be a yogurt and fruit,
    lunch will be tons of greens with 1 serving of chicken and a fruit on the side, another snack would be a gnc protein bar with highj fiber and protein, and dinner will be pretty much something thatconsist of protein and veggies that helps in recovery for the gym. When i follow this i notice that im not really hungry as much as i use to! I have more energy and working out givs that extra boost to the weight lost ESPECIALLY the reason being your not over eating but your not under eating.;

    WATER is key! yes it does curb your apetite and another way to cosume more water is atleast a bottle before your meal. Also during the day. it definitley plays a major part in the gym toooo i noticed when i drink more water through my work days by the time i get to the gym i dont have to stop in the middle of my running routine or etc to drink because my body is hydrated. you will pea a ton lol but yes water is EVERYTHING!!!!
  • brigoodwin
    brigoodwin Posts: 15 Member
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    I think eventually you will get to a point where you won't have to worry so much about tracking your calories, but I think in the beginning it's a good idea to stay consistent with it just to see how many you are getting and where they are coming from. I know personally, since I've started clean eating, I've become a creature of habit. I still track daily, but if I don't I know about how many calories I'm getting because I eat the same types of things each day. I think you want to set yourself up for success and in order to make healthy eating a lifestyle change you'll want to find healthy foods you enjoy. '

    And yes I encourage you to drink 64oz. if not a little more of water each day. As far as filling you up and making you not hungry, you could always drink 8oz. when you're having a junk food craving attack and see how you feel, but if you're eating healthy/clean foods and staying in your calorie range then I don't see the need to drink water other than for the simple fact that it's darn good for you :) But I'm sure you will get lots of good ideas from the people on here :)