My Downfall is Dinner

AngieEmJay
AngieEmJay Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
Sigh...I'm looking at the calories I have left over today (200+) and I know my dinner is gonna be slim...or I'm gonna say the heck with it and eat whatever I want. What do I do???

Replies

  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    I'd say you won't be satisfied with a 200 calorie meal. Going over by an additional 200 might be a good choice. Lean meat, like chicken breast or tuna and some raw veggies. That's what I'd do :)
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Try and plan out your whole day ahead of time so you don't get caught in this situation
  • AngieEmJay
    AngieEmJay Posts: 13
    I am so not a planner which is probably why I yo-yo diet so much! I'm going to have to learn if I'm going to be successful.
  • climbamnt
    climbamnt Posts: 190 Member
    Did you have high calories choices through the day, or is your intake set too low?
  • AngieEmJay
    AngieEmJay Posts: 13
    Thanks for the meal idea!!! I'm definitely going to try that.
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    Get a workout in to earn some calories for dinner. :-)
  • AngieEmJay
    AngieEmJay Posts: 13
    Unfortunately, I picked a meal that I thought would be ok, but alas...it wasn't. I had a grilled chicken wrap with Provolone cheese and honey mustard dressing. I probably should've left one or the other off because it ended up being 800 calories!!!
  • NewCaddy
    NewCaddy Posts: 845 Member
    Other people have said it, but...

    What is your calorie goal for the day? Make sure it's not too low.

    Add a work out...if you can attend a zumba class, you could earn a lot of extra calories.
  • climbamnt
    climbamnt Posts: 190 Member
    Im not a planner either and to help with lunch I always do a lean cuisine. I know some people will say the sodium is high for one meal, but its better then not planning and getting something worse.
  • ca11herAlaska
    ca11herAlaska Posts: 8 Member
    I used to have that problem, and then I started planning my meals the night before. This way I can see how my calories are being used before I actually ingest them, which helps me ensure that I'm not starving at 9 p.m. desperately wishing I had been able to eat a decent dinner.

    Put it in your diary the night before, and stick to it.
  • jsickman12
    jsickman12 Posts: 139 Member
    Go for a run, create extra calories, then eat them back.......
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
    Best way I've found, when you've only got 200 calories left for dinner, is to grab a meal replacement (aka, carefully counted calories, slim fast, a meal bar, a lean cuisine) then go for a long walk! After your walk, shower, brush your teeth, your normal bed rituals, then go. to. sleep. The longer you stay up, the more apt you are to go hunting for extra calories. Besides, most people don't get enough sleep as it is.

    Sleep is a good turn-off switch for hunger.
  • MaepleT95
    MaepleT95 Posts: 46 Member
    Funny I have the same problem today because I was up all night and ate a big (400 calorie) sandwich at 5 in the morning went out and watched a movie and ate 1,000 calories worth of snack foods, so I'm gonna go with a HUGE salad tonight topped with 100 calorie salmon fillet. I would suggest that you set aside a large portion of your calories ahead of time, under quick tools in your diary put in say 600-700 ( I don't know your calorie limit) calories and don't touch them until dinner. Hope this helps.
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
    I fall down for dinner too....

    mostly because of the vodka....

    soooo muchhh vodka.
  • kw85296
    kw85296 Posts: 265 Member
    If you like fish, Tilapia or Swai fish is low in calories and high in protein (to help keep you full). I broil mine with some lemon pepper seasoning. Add a lettuce salad and maybe some fruit for dessert and you won't be over by too much. If you are using MFP for your calorie allotment there is a 500 calorie deficit built into it. So as long as you don't go over your allotment by more than 500, you will still have a deficit for the day.:smile:
  • duckiec
    duckiec Posts: 241 Member
    Some people are planners, some aren't, and sometimes calories sneak in when you least expect it. Hey, but you learned for next time!

    I'd try to get a workout in, and even if not, go over by a bit. Get some extra exercise in another day soon, and/or cut 100 calories off the next couple of days (assuming your level is appropriate). One day won't make/break your progress, and it can probably be balanced out the rest of the week. In fact, have you recently had extra calories? "Borrow" those! I know I like to see I have extra every day, but freak if I'm over, but looking at it weekly helps.
  • jchrisman717
    jchrisman717 Posts: 780 Member
    Have you thought about doing a form of IF - eat all your calories in an 8 hour or 10 hour window. I have trouble at nights too because my husband like to eat late and like higher carb meals so I started eating my calories between 8:00 a.m. and ending at 6:00 p.m. I still fix him dinner and if he's not ready to eat at 6:00 then I will go ahead and eat and then I'm done for the night. I did the 5:2 for a while and I did good on it until I had a medical issue and now that its cleared up I thought I would try the 14:10 IF.

    Personally I think if your calories are set ok and you had a pretty high calorie lunch then its ok to have only 200 calories for dinner to stay within your calorie range - try a big salad with some lean protein - you can easiily keep that down to 200 and still enjoy eating.
  • grdaze
    grdaze Posts: 195 Member
    have steamed or grilled shrimp for dinner - high protein, low cal. Add roasted veggies, like zucchini, or salad with red wine vinegar as your dressing. Low cal, high nutrient, delicious and easy!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    Having a 200 calories dinner or "having whatever I want" are not the only choices you have.

    All or nothing is what got you to overweight. Make a different choice.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I fall down for dinner too....

    mostly because of the vodka....

    soooo muchhh vodka.

    ^^ this. liquid dinner gets me every time.
  • AngieEmJay
    AngieEmJay Posts: 13
    I'm so glad I posted! Thanks for all the great ideas. I've written a grocery list for this evening that includes veggies and chicken breast. I know it is a learning process. And lunch seems to be the meal I always use the most calories at. I should plan more, though, so I know where my calories are going.

    I think my caloric goal is ok. It is 1450 or something similar. And I know that's a lot less than what I was eating which is probably a reason I'm struggling (and my stomach is rebelling).

    Thanks again!

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