Need Diary Critique Please

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wannabpiper
wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Started this weight-loss, health overhaul in April and have been pretty "stalled" for quite a while. Not gaining - that's the good news - but not really losing, either. Would someone kindly take a look at my diary and give me some ideas on how to step it up? I'm 53 y/o, am moderately active, i.e., I work from home behind a computer several hours a day. I have a 3-mile course for walking, and I do my regular "chores" in a three-story home.

*Note - There's no way on earth that I can maintain an under-1300-cal-a-day life, and I'm not naturally a high-energy girl, but I'm starting to add in some light weight-lifting and body-resistance work. I perused the older forums for good book titles and have two on the way from Amazon on how to do both. I wear a fitbit and eat back my calories. Thank you for any solid advice.

Replies

  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    The only things I see is that on some days your either over by 300 calories and on others you're not even breaking 1200. No matter what, you need to eat a minimum of 1200 calories.

    My recommendation would be to go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 and figure out your TDEE-20% and follow that religiously.

    Good luck!
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
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    Thank you so much, Ninkyou. I'm reviewing information found in the link you provided me. It's full of great information and I'm listening to the Fat 2 Fit Radio right now. I've seen so much in the threads about what to eat, how much to eat, what reacts which way on the human body, when to eat, etc., that I'm getting confused. The overarching theme for me is calories in need to be less than calories out, and of course, there are tons of stuff on this site that refute even that. I've just recalculated my BMR and TDEE and will try to get my cal intake under that. Also, now that the weather is breaking here I'll be able to workout a bit more. This heat has me lethargic - I don't even want to go to the air conditioned gym right now.

    Again, thank you so much and best of luck on your own journey!
  • wannabhealthy50
    wannabhealthy50 Posts: 67 Member
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    You are welcome to add me, if you'd like. I log everyday. Please keep in mind that I just had VSG on May 8th of this year so my calorie intake is only 400 to 600 calories a day. I weigh and measure everything and get my protein in first and always get 48 to 64 fluid ounces in a day. I hope that helps
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    You're often over on calories, you waste a lot of calories on foods with little value like ice cream and cake. I know treats can make life bearable but 450 calories on ice cream could have been a whole meal. I also wouldn't get excited about a FitBit being accurate enough to consider eating all of those calories back.
  • runninghealthy
    runninghealthy Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi there, first of all congratulations on your choice to be here and the weight you've lost so far! Awesome job!

    I just took a quick look at your diary for the past couple of weeks, and have a few small thoughts. Let me be clear that I am by no means an expert, but my husband is a nutritionist and fitness trainer, so I have learned quite a bit from that.

    First of all, you should make sure that you're eating enough breakfast. Some days you're getting up around 300 calories, and on others only around 70-80. Breakfast is the meal that gets your metabolism going for the day, and also is the one you have the most time to digest and get energy and fuel from, so it's really important! (Interestingly one of the things that most overweight people have in common is skipping breakfast). Don't be afraid to really give yourself a good breakfast! Look for complex carbs, and fiber, foods that will digest slowly and give you energy, also fresh fruits are great! Apples are really good at waking you up!

    The other thing I noticed is that you seem to like a lot of dairy, which is not unhealthy, but does take up a lot of calories in a small amount of food. Typical cheddar cheese has 200 calories in just 2 slices, as compared to a whole plate of grilled veggies, for example, which would be just about as many calories, and will make you much more full and satisfied. Things like milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. will all add a lot of calories, but not give you a whole lot of nutritional value. So, maybe notice on days when you've already had some dairy as part of breakfast or lunch, to avoid it in other meals and try subbing in something that has more of the nutrients that dairy won't give you: like a leafy greens salad, or some whole grains like quinoa or wild rice. This just helps you to eat a bit more balanced, which will, in turn, give your body more energy and make you feel happier and healthier.

    Finally, just remember that when some of your calories are coming from alcohol and sweets, those are kind of useless calories for your body's overall health. If you take in 1400 calories in a day, but 200 came from beer, and 200 from an ice cream, for example, then only about 2/3 of your calories were really fuel your body could use. So, you're asking your body to perform for you: want to go to the gym, get outside, etc., on calories that are already limited (because of the MFP deficit), and then only some of which actually give it useful, healthy energy. You don't need to totally cut these things out (don't go crazy!), but just be aware of having them in moderation, and making sure that when this is part of your calories, that you're really hitting all your other nutritional needs through your other meals in the day.

    Hope this helps! Good luck to you and congratulations!
  • katejkelley
    katejkelley Posts: 841 Member
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    Hi there, first of all congratulations on your choice to be here and the weight you've lost so far! Awesome job!

    I just took a quick look at your diary for the past couple of weeks, and have a few small thoughts. Let me be clear that I am by no means an expert, but my husband is a nutritionist and fitness trainer, so I have learned quite a bit from that.

    First of all, you should make sure that you're eating enough breakfast. Some days you're getting up around 300 calories, and on others only around 70-80. Breakfast is the meal that gets your metabolism going for the day, and also is the one you have the most time to digest and get energy and fuel from, so it's really important! (Interestingly one of the things that most overweight people have in common is skipping breakfast). Don't be afraid to really give yourself a good breakfast! Look for complex carbs, and fiber, foods that will digest slowly and give you energy, also fresh fruits are great! Apples are really good at waking you up!

    The other thing I noticed is that you seem to like a lot of dairy, which is not unhealthy, but does take up a lot of calories in a small amount of food. Typical cheddar cheese has 200 calories in just 2 slices, as compared to a whole plate of grilled veggies, for example, which would be just about as many calories, and will make you much more full and satisfied. Things like milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. will all add a lot of calories, but not give you a whole lot of nutritional value. So, maybe notice on days when you've already had some dairy as part of breakfast or lunch, to avoid it in other meals and try subbing in something that has more of the nutrients that dairy won't give you: like a leafy greens salad, or some whole grains like quinoa or wild rice. This just helps you to eat a bit more balanced, which will, in turn, give your body more energy and make you feel happier and healthier.

    Finally, just remember that when some of your calories are coming from alcohol and sweets, those are kind of useless calories for your body's overall health. If you take in 1400 calories in a day, but 200 came from beer, and 200 from an ice cream, for example, then only about 2/3 of your calories were really fuel your body could use. So, you're asking your body to perform for you: want to go to the gym, get outside, etc., on calories that are already limited (because of the MFP deficit), and then only some of which actually give it useful, healthy energy. You don't need to totally cut these things out (don't go crazy!), but just be aware of having them in moderation, and making sure that when this is part of your calories, that you're really hitting all your other nutritional needs through your other meals in the day.

    Hope this helps! Good luck to you and congratulations!

    I noticed the same things. This is what has helped me: NO alcohol during the week (although during the summer, I golf on Tuesday nights and allow myself two lite beers). NO processed sugar - that means cookies, brownies, ice cream, scones, fritters, etc. I realize that's pretty extreme, but after a life of yo-yo weight loss/gain, I've realized I have a sugar addiction and just need to avoid eating any of it. Not everyone has to be that extreme, I'm just saying it worked for me.
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
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    You are welcome to add me, if you'd like. I log everyday. Please keep in mind that I just had VSG on May 8th of this year so my calorie intake is only 400 to 600 calories a day. I weigh and measure everything and get my protein in first and always get 48 to 64 fluid ounces in a day. I hope that helps

    Congratulations on your decision to have the VSG; I'm sure you're working hard to get healthy. Thank you also for the friend offer; I'll add you and look forward to seeing your diary. It really helps to see what others are eating as it gives me ideas.
  • mwooderson
    mwooderson Posts: 254 Member
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    I still consider myself a "work in progress." Through my self-education I have decided to focus my calories on whole foods (lean proteins, loads of veggies and fresh fruit). The processed / refined stuff is high calorically and nutritionally lacking. Feel free to friend me. I have and am still finding it helpful to have that ongoing support.
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
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    You're often over on calories, you waste a lot of calories on foods with little value like ice cream and cake. I know treats can make life bearable but 450 calories on ice cream could have been a whole meal. I also wouldn't get excited about a FitBit being accurate enough to consider eating all of those calories back.

    Thank you; I tend to start small and move into larger and larger quantities of the sweeties. I tend to sit down every night to a bowl of ice cream, and I've convinced myself that if it's frozen yogurt, or low fat, I should have it.

    So thanks for the wake-up and out the door it goes. What do you eat when you're looking for a mindless snack?
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    What do you eat when you're looking for a mindless snack?

    Veggies like baby carrots or sugar snap peas and small snack-y fruits like berries or grapes.
  • Dort68
    Dort68 Posts: 36 Member
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    You're often over on calories, you waste a lot of calories on foods with little value like ice cream and cake. I know treats can make life bearable but 450 calories on ice cream could have been a whole meal. I also wouldn't get excited about a FitBit being accurate enough to consider eating all of those calories back.

    Thank you; I tend to start small and move into larger and larger quantities of the sweeties. I tend to sit down every night to a bowl of ice cream, and I've convinced myself that if it's frozen yogurt, or low fat, I should have it.

    So thanks for the wake-up and out the door it goes. What do you eat when you're looking for a mindless snack?

    My solution for wanting to mindlessly eat at night? I go to bed. =)
  • akp4Him
    akp4Him Posts: 227
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    It is great that you want to change. You mentioned that depression runs in your family. Alcohol will make that worse. I would lay off the alcohol. I would up your fruits and veggies...it will make you feel fuller longer. I would also up your protein, this also will help make you feel full. As women get older they lose muscle....adding strength training and protein will help keep the muscles you have. Also, I agree that you should at least "net" 1200 calories on any given day. Good luck! You are welcome to add me as a friend.
  • ALittleBitLess1
    ALittleBitLess1 Posts: 119 Member
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    Hi there

    some days you are under and some days over so you could try meal matching a bit better?

    plan your meals before you start, so if you know what you are having for lunch you can choose what you NEED to have for dinner -
    a lower cal lunch and higher cal dinner and vise versa.

    Also all the boring stuff like switching to low fat mayo, spread etc or finding an alternative - something I made lately which is not cal free but lower that coleslaw if grated carrot, sultanas, little bit of orange juice and some morrocan spices - i make a big bowl up and keep it in the fridge - gives the flavours time to mingle and i can have some of it with my pizza for tea and might have 3/4 of it instead of all of it. Its coming up with new things like this that keep me going or it can get really dull.
  • ALittleBitLess1
    ALittleBitLess1 Posts: 119 Member
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    You're often over on calories, you waste a lot of calories on foods with little value like ice cream and cake. I know treats can make life bearable but 450 calories on ice cream could have been a whole meal. I also wouldn't get excited about a FitBit being accurate enough to consider eating all of those calories back.

    Thank you; I tend to start small and move into larger and larger quantities of the sweeties. I tend to sit down every night to a bowl of ice cream, and I've convinced myself that if it's frozen yogurt, or low fat, I should have it.

    So thanks for the wake-up and out the door it goes. What do you eat when you're looking for a mindless snack?

    My solution for wanting to mindlessly eat at night? I go to bed. =)

    My evening snack is an ice lolly - there are plenty of low cal ones (between 50-100 cal), that way I know how much I am getting. you can get yoghurt lollies too. I would not be able to restrict myself to just one scoop if i had ice cream in the freezer.
    Take a bit of time to have a look at all the boxes and cals next time you are in the supermarket (makes me feel slightly smug when I resist temptation & leave the high cal ice cream in the shop and leave with my tasty low cal lollies - I don't miss it once I am home)
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
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    I see some awesome ideas; thank you all!
  • wlaura88
    wlaura88 Posts: 69 Member
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    If you are an ice cream fan. check out Arctic Zero. A whole pint is only 150 calories. While it doesn't taste exactly like ice cream, I think it is a pretty good alternative. Its ingredients are pretty reasonable too.
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
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    If you are an ice cream fan. check out Arctic Zero. A whole pint is only 150 calories. While it doesn't taste exactly like ice cream, I think it is a pretty good alternative. Its ingredients are pretty reasonable too.

    Thx! I'm going to look for it tomorrow in the grocery store. At this point I'll chew ice if I have to :smile:

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