Food choices & calorie intake help

rhibhi
rhibhi Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Would anyone mind checking out my diary and giving me feedback?
I've only really logged over the last week or two and have tried to update as honestly as possible - I've been using a digital scale some of the time at home and at others going by cups/teaspoons etc. I try not to estimate as much as possible.
I went to see a nutritionist almost two weeks ago who has advised me to try a 1300 cal food limit, with some examples as to what I should be eating (300 cal breakfast, 100 cal snack, 350 lunch 100 snack 350 dinner 100 snack). I found I was ravenous eating like this, I'd be going to bed starving. My drive home from work (and I work in a sedentary job, 3 - 4 days per week - I do try to go for walks on my breaks) my stomach would be growling.
I've also recently stopped smoking which has prompted my visit to the dietitian. I didn't really have too much of a problem with snacks until I stopped, and I found myself gorging myself on any treats I could get my hands on. Luckily I had only gained approx. 1.8kg. I do however have a problem with over-eating at meals, and sometimes I have binges on food.
I've lost a small amount of weight earlier in the year but became discouraged as I felt my efforts were going nowhere (wasn't as strict as I should have been).
I currently weigh 92kg (202ish pounds) and am aiming to get to 70kg (150ish pounds).

Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    How tall are you? Do you do any sort of workout? Where did you find the nutritionist?

    Start using your digital scale for everything is something I would suggest.. And 1300 calories may seem a bit low I would try 1500 and see if that helps with the binges.. and the reason you are so hungry is because you probably ate way more than you are now, so your body is adjusting to lower calories but ya gotta fight some of those binge urges.. or pick veggies (carrots, celery) to help with it...
    I looked at your diary, try not to pick items that are take out or homemade.. just break it down by ingredient.. like your homemade burger.. list the meat, any seasoning, onions, bun, etc for dinner.. its easier. And if you use MFP for exercise do not eat back all those calories.... not at first as they are usually estimated really high (like your walking day for 1000 calories, that is probably off by 500 calories unless you were power walking)
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    You are logging and its looks like you are really truely logging so that is great!

    Your protein is low alot of days, that is a big key to feeling full.

    One thing I did notice was your exercise was huge some days, which is great if it is, but makes me think it might not be so accurate. Either way you don't seem to be eating it all back so I don't think that will trip you up much. On the other hand, if you are accurate on your exercise there are some days where you are wayyyy under becuase you didn't eat any of that back. That is something worth taking advantage of if you are still hungy, maybe not eat all of it back but most people try to do half.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    It doesn't matter what you eat as far as weight loss but it will make a difference in whether you feel hungry or not. Your budget of 1300 sounds a bit low for your size so I think I'd up that a bit but making good food choices of proteins, full fat dairy, nuts, lean meats, eggs can really help keep you satiated while carbs burn off quickly and leave you feeling hungry again.

    Also the first few weeks are hard until your body gets used to the idea of eating less. It's something you just have to power through and having a grumbling tummy isn't a food emergency. Drink a glass of water and tell it to shut up!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member

    One thing I did notice was your exercise was huge some days, which is great if it is, but makes me think it might not be so accurate. Either way you don't seem to be eating it all back so I don't think that will trip you up much. On the other hand, if you are accurate on your exercise there are some days where you are wayyyy under becuase you didn't eat any of that back. That is something worth taking advantage of if you are still hungy, maybe not eat all of it back but most people try to do half.

    I noticed that too. Those burns seem way out of line from what I know I burn. I definitely wouldn't be eating all of those back although I see you don't usually.
  • rhibhi
    rhibhi Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks for your comments everyone. I'm 169cms so I think I'm right between 5'6 and 5'7.
    Exercise wise I swim with a squad twice a week, one hour per session. I put it in at one hour leisurely swimming, I figure that accounts for any breaks etc. I still don't tend to eat all of those calories back though just in case it is still out. Its hard to determine how much I'd burn in a session as some sessions are tougher than others.
    My walking would have shown quite a huge increase over the weekend - I took part in a fun run on Sunday and runkeeper automatically sent the details to MFP - I was planning on having a few beers that day anyways so knew I'd be at or over.
    And Friday - I went to a fair and was walking around for 6 hours.
    My usual week consists of attempting some extra incidental exercise, a walk on the weekend maybe, but swimming twice a week every week.
  • rhibhi
    rhibhi Posts: 22 Member
    Oh - and the homemade items are 90% recipes I've added myself so I know how big serves are and exactly what went in. But thanks for your concern - I was wary of this :-)
  • rhibhi
    rhibhi Posts: 22 Member
    Could anyone else please take some time to give me some feedback? I'm new to this! :-)
  • pinkcandies
    pinkcandies Posts: 6
    You are definitely not eating enough at your current weight. I weigh less than 145 for sure (haven't gone on the scale in months) and eat 1500 calories per day to lose weight plus exercise calories which average around 2000 per day. You should never eat below your BMR which is what your body burns to function (i.e. digestion, heart beats, kidneys, etc). These number of calories would be burnt if you were in a bed all day in comatose. So going below that for a long period is not good ! Calculate what your BMR is and start with that. Also, eat back exercise calories!

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

    Plus, based on your diary I feel you're not eating enough protein. Try eating eggs for breakfast. When you have enough protein during breakfast you get a lot less hungry throughout the day. Also, if you eat too much salt you're going to retain water weight and even though you may be losing fat it won't show as well on the scale.
    Avoid simple carbs like white bread since they're not really filling and a waste of calories. Try eating more fats and proteins and you will be able to eat a lot more and feel a lot more satisfied with eating less (albeit more than 1300 in my opinion).

    A good breakfast would be a 2 egg omelette with spinach made using a teaspoon of coconut oil, a cup of coffee with less than half cup of milk, slice of avocado and an apple or slice of whole wheat bread. That would amount to less than 400 calories and you will feel less famished throughout the day. Too much? Omit the apple or bread. But seriously, enough protein at breakfast leads to less feelings of being famished throughout the day and reduces cravings :)
    Fruits, veggies, healthy fats and lean proteins are your friends!
    Simple sugars are not.
    Complex carbs in moderation :)
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Hey,

    Agree with comments above that your calorie allowance is too low (and who needs THAT in their lives?).

    I put your details into the Scooby calculator, with the activity level set to moderate, and according to that you can lose 50lb in a year on a daily calorie allowance of 2,107.

    That sounds much more realistic - you must be starving! If you research that method (TDEE - 20%) it will mean you don't have to log your exercise & eat back your calories.

    Hope that helps! :smile:
  • rhibhi
    rhibhi Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks very much for your input girls! So I need to consistently up my calories, and eat at least half of my exercise calories (unsure of how much I actually burn) - OK.
    In regards to eggs for breakfast - I'm not the world's biggest fan of eggs so not something I could eat every morning. Are there any other high protein options in the morning?
    Especially for work days as I'm usually in a hurry and don't have time to cook up breakfast (on a work day I will usually make my yoghurt up the night before).
    And I try not to eat white bread so often - in fact I prefer whole grain and whole meal - but I do my shopping weekly and hate going there inbetween so I just use the white bread if required. Same goes with milk, I use low fat milk but if I run out early I will use full fat for a day or two if need be.
    I do think I need to eat more in the mornings and hopefully that will help in the evenings. I will give 1300 a go until Saturday, I have my next appointment with the nutritionist so I will raise any issues with her. I am concerned that it is a bit low considering my age and activity level so I will hear her reasoning as to why she wants me on such a low amount.
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I agree with the others on your caloric intake being a little low. I believe, at your weight, you could transition much easier and more efficiently, by starting higher and tapering it back as you lose weight...say every 10-15 lbs., or so, or when you grow accustomed to eating at that level. You will also be less hungry this way. Drastic changes really mess with the success of my diet plan, so baby steps is the way to go, which doesn't mean get complacent, just try to break down your goal into stages. Other than that, it looks like you eat well-balanced meals, for the most part, which is really good for nutrition as well as satiety. Drinking water definitely helps, because they say that we often mistake thirst for hunger. It's a good habit to drink a glass of water prior to each meal, because of this idea. Also, with exercise, you'll need to replenish water lost. Other than that, you look like you're really on the right track!
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    "In regards to eggs for breakfast - I'm not the world's biggest fan of eggs so not something I could eat every morning. Are there any other high protein options in the morning?
    Especially for work days as I'm usually in a hurry and don't have time to cook up breakfast (on a work day I will usually make my yoghurt up the night before)."

    I eat 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt with a tsp of honey and plenty of cinnamon each morning...it looks like you do this, so you're good there. Often, I eat plain oatmeal (or with a tsp of sugar and a splash of cream), but it's not as filling as yogurt...still a good option. I don't think it's very high in protein, though. You might try a kefir cheese and cucumber (or olive) sandwich on 1/4 pita, for a change. My Lebanese friend says that's a regular breakfast at her house.
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    I looked at your diary, try not to pick items that are take out or homemade.. just break it down by ingredient.. like your homemade burger.. list the meat, any seasoning, onions, bun, etc for dinner.. its easier. And if you use MFP for exercise do not eat back all those calories.... not at first as they are usually estimated really high (like your walking day for 1000 calories, that is probably off by 500 calories unless you were power walking)

    I'd ignore most of this.

    If you're entering your own recipes into MFP's recipe builder and know exactly how much you're eating then you're doing exactly the right thing.

    And I would eat back all of your exercise calories as that's the way MFP works best. No need to binge on chocolate or beer if you're not hungry just to meet your calorie goal, but do try and get as close as you can to it over the course of each week.

    Sounds like you're doing all the right things re logging your food and excercising. Keep it up and be patient.

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