Diary Help

Hi Skywalker My advice for you would be to try and incorporate more fresh foods into your eating regime. I noticed that your sugar and sodium intakes are a little on the high side. This is probably due to the packaged foods you are eating. I got into a routine a few years ago of eating a lot of packaged foods because it was easier. Once I started using fresh meats and veges in my cooking again I noticed the change in the way I felt. I was still eating the same calories but I felt as though I had so much more energy and my portions sizes were larger because I had control of what was in them.
That said, awesome work for taking control and aiming for a healthier lifestyle . Keep it up!

I agree with others. Slow your roll on the granola bars and maybe cut back the frozen dinners a tad. Honestly when I look at 5 granola bars, I think there must be something you are seeking with that...chocolate craving, sweet craving, etc. Maybe one "regular" sweet would satisfy you more than all of those granola bars, which really aren't THAT much better nutritionally.

It looks like you go to processed meals a lot and I assume you either don't like to cook or have a hectic lifestyle. You can still work around that. it is not like you have to totally cut that stuff out...just maybe throw more veggies and fruit into the mix.

Also, I'm confused...are you not logging all of your food? Because if you are really eating at such a low calorie level most days (so different from what MFP has "set" for you) that is generally not sustainable or truly helpful in weight loss. I don't mean "ohh starvation mode"...but yeah, there's no reason to eat 1200 calories a day if you're "supposed to" be eating a lot more.

I NEVER skip breakfast. I eat way more protein and rarely eat processed foods. Your diary is quite the opposite of mine. I would suggest you eat a protein breakfast. Say boiled egg, oatmeal, fruit. If the food has more than three ingredients think twice before purchasing it. Those processed foods you consume would destroy me.

I believe including foods that are high in water content will give you that full feeling and allow quantity eating without the calories. Such as watermelon, tomatoes, celery, carrots, green peppers and others.

Those bars your consuming are such a temporary quick fix. Can you find a substitute? Your not consuming your calorie limit and that might be causing the hunger for all the bars and processed foods.

I am so far from being a nutritionist. Just suggesting what works for me.

Best to you and your journey.
Shirley in Oregon

Well, I can see you like granola bars and snacking a lot. I would suggest replacing some of those snacks with some healthier fruits and vegetables, and stop skipping those meals.

Well honestly, I'm new to all of this dieting stuff. A friend of mine had told me about Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice dinners, so I started eating those. Everything I put in my diary is what I have ate for the last week when I started MFP. And honestly, I don't know how to cook. I know how to cook eggs and simple things like hot dogs. Not really sure what I need to buy as fresh food like I've been hearing lately.

We all have to start somewhere . Are there any vegetables you prefer? Personally I love mushrooms, capsicum, carrot and zucchini. Start by trying to add some veges like that to your lean cuisine (steam them/pan fry them with a little water and mix them in). If you look how many calories are in veges compared to how much you can eat of them you will be amazed.

Seeing as you don't really know how to cook start off with attempting a homemade meal once or twice a week. Go to a website like this: http://www.taste.com.au/ and have a look around for something you like to eat. One way to make a dinner healthier if you are cooking it from scratch is to make sure you aren't having too much meat and not enough veg. When I make a spaghetti bolognese for example (this makes 4 servings) I use 250g lean mince, 2 carrots, 2 zucchinis, lots of mushrooms, onion all diced up instead of just mince 500g of mince.

Try not to skip breakfast as well. It is really important to help you with cravings and controlling what you eat. When I feel like a sweet breakfast I make my own porridge. I use 70g of rolled oats and 1.5 cups of water. Bring it to the boil and then lightly simmer and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. When it is done I grate 70g of a red apple (around 1/2 to 3/4 of a normal sized apple) into it and add a little cinnamon and voila! A nice warm sweet breakfast. Not everyone's cup of tea but just giving you some examples here . You say you know how to cook eggs? Well try to not fry them. Learn to poach them? Make an omelette out of a whole egg and a few egg whites, boil an egg and have it with some bread and spinach. Eggs are so versatile. Look up different ways to prepare them. Just try not too add things like butter and heavy oils.

Ok enough of a rant from me Hope something I said has helped.

Again, you can ignore all this crap about breakfast.

This thing says 31 pounds. I have lost over 100 pounds since I started my diet.

I skip breakfast daily. Your weight loss will not hinge on your ability to eat breakfast. Just switch up your menu. Try to experiment with cooking and intake more fresh foods.

Too many hippies on this site ( Love you all anyways...but you are hippies

Again, you can ignore all this crap about breakfast.

Completely agree! You don't NEED to eat breakfast, as long as your calorie intake is at a deficit, you should be losing weight, regardless of if you eat your first meal at 8am or 2pm.

Regarding the granola bars (which I'm totally fine with, if it fits your macros, why not eat it) are you craving sweets? When I get a really strong craving for chocolate, or something, I have some cheese, and the craving goes away. Admittedly, most cheese is not much better than chocolate fat-wise, but I try to avoid sugar mostly.

I agree with others' advice, too!

As for the limited income and food stamps: I completely understand that your hands may be tied for the time being, but next time you are able to grocery shop, follow some of the advice you've been given at that time.

My husband and I are VERY frugal. We eat well on under $200 per month. You can do it on even less being a single person. Honestly I am not sure I could afford all of those Lean Cuisines and granola bars. That stuff isn't cheap. Fresh food is actually cheaper if you select the right items, although not by going to Whole Foods and getting organic everything. Do you have Aldi? That is, in my opinion, a wonderful place to buy cheap fresh food on a tight budget. They do not have the biggest selection but the produce quality is good for the low price paid (at least in my area).

Also, I do understand about being new to this. I am still somewhat new to it myself. I have SO been there as far as "but this is way better than I used to eat!" and I know you're making real progress. Don't feel too pressured by all of these posts. I used to eat fast food breakfast and then switched to Frosted Mini Wheats with 1% milk and a cup of oj...and I wondered why I didn't lose any weight. Wasn't I eating healthier? Now I have a cup of coffee and an egg taco with bell pepper, onions, mushrooms and/or sprouts and a tiny bit of southwest ranch dressing (less than 1/2 TBSP). I feel like what I eat now is actually closer to my old fast food breakfast but it is much healthier.