totally screwed myself today.. need advice on my diet.

i really thought my diet was going to be filling today, but now im at work starving for about 3 hours...
My goals are to lose weight and of course im on a calorie deficit diet.
My daily numbers im trying to hit are 1873 cals, 169g protein, 68g fat, 148g carbs.
Im pretty close to those numbers but i believe if i would of chose healthier snacks i would be able to eat bigger meals. plus the milk isnt helping either i think. but where can i get the proper amount of fat from eating healthy?


Any suggestions i can do to my diet to hit those numbers?

i'll make my diet public, and feel free to add me if you want! :smile:

btw look at yesterdays diet plz.. thats the same diet as today.

Replies

  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    What is your height and weight? 1480 is a very low goal for a 23 year old male. Your logged numbers look pretty good - 1710 calories, 150g protein, 59g fat. That's probably where you want to be. You're getting protein, fat, and vegetables. I think you're doing fine.

    As for sources of fat, dairy is good. Full fat milk instead of 2%, full fat yogurt, cheese. You're already eating peanut butter which is a very easy source of fat. Avocado is great too - it goes well with almost anything.
  • What is your height and weight? 1480 is a very low goal for a 23 year old male. Your logged numbers look pretty good - 1710 calories, 150g protein, 59g fat. That's probably where you want to be. You're getting protein, fat, and vegetables. I think you're doing fine.

    As for sources of fat, dairy is good. Full fat milk instead of 2%, full fat yogurt, cheese. You're already eating peanut butter which is a very easy source of fat. Avocado is great too - it goes well with almost anything.

    im not following what MFP has suggested because its just way to little..
    i have calculated my own using http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=156380183
    all rights go to OP...

    Im 5'3" lol 153lbs

    the problem im having tho is that im starving, and i think it because i wasted my cals on my snack choices?
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    Good sources of fat could be some nuts like almonds, walnuts etc (about 25-30g) is one serve. Chia seeds, flax seed, Coconut oil too.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    What is your height and weight? 1480 is a very low goal for a 23 year old male. Your logged numbers look pretty good - 1710 calories, 150g protein, 59g fat. That's probably where you want to be. You're getting protein, fat, and vegetables. I think you're doing fine.

    As for sources of fat, dairy is good. Full fat milk instead of 2%, full fat yogurt, cheese. You're already eating peanut butter which is a very easy source of fat. Avocado is great too - it goes well with almost anything.

    im not following what MFP has suggested because its just way to little..
    i have calculated my own using http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=156380183
    all rights go to OP...

    Im 5'3" lol 153lbs

    the problem im having tho is that im starving, and i think it because i wasted my cals on my snack choices?

    It varies. You ate a lot of peanut butter, which, while fatty, has little bulk and is not very filling. You also ate a lot of snacks.

    I suggest trying to concentrate your calories into fewer, bigger meals with more bulk in them.
  • aishmartin
    aishmartin Posts: 468 Member
    Everyone has always told me to go here:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • qfish
    qfish Posts: 16
    Hello bro,

    Your meals are way too small. You can hit the same targets, but you gotta make some changes. I think you have way too many calories set aside for your snacks. You can only get full from nice wholesome meals. I'd try to make each of your meals around 400 calories, giving your around 300 calories for snack, which I'd recommend be between your meals. In addition, main source of protein should be from your main meals, so chicken, fish, and beef. Eggs are a good supplement, as well as shakes. I personally use them to fill in remaining protein I need. If you are interested, check out my diary. My targets are similar to yours. And I feel very satisfied from all my meals (sometimes, too satisfied, lol). I hope this helps.
  • ok, so cut my current snacks out for better, bulkier foods. correct? any suggestions for better snacks but still being able to reach 68g of fats? mzbek24 suggests nuts... i do know theyre high in fat, but doesnt sound verry filling..
  • walkerkt00
    walkerkt00 Posts: 32 Member
    More variation would probably help. The same meal 2x a day plus protein shakes really is not going to keep you satisfied. Stay away from reduced fat products. I personally would swap milk for almond milk in shakes etc, you won't notice a difference and there is a significant difference in calories. You could also try green smoothies, very low calorie and very filling. Adding things like chia seeds to your oatmeal or shakes throws in some healthy fat and also packs protein to keep you satisfied. Keep your water intake up between meals too, helps you avoid snacking away your calories.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Fattier meat is a good place to get some extra fat. Chicken thighs instead of breast, or beef or pork. Cook with a little olive oil. Have some cheese on your veggies, etc. Try concentrating your food into 3 larger meals with one snack. You'll have to experiment to find what foods satisfy you best.
  • qfish
    qfish Posts: 16
    Absolutely, I'd recommend beef, cheese, and nutella. Plus, they are delicious.
  • qfish
    qfish Posts: 16
    Try to get your fats mostly from your meals, not snacks. Use snacks to fill in remaining areas you need. I'd plan the meals first, then think about what snacks to include. From there you'll know what type depending on if you are low on carb, protein, fat, or fiber. It should not be hard by then b/c you won't need much after you plan all your meals.
  • ok sweet guys! thanx for the help!!

    I'll have to make due with what i have this week since i already spent my grocery money...:ohwell:

    i cant believe i didnt think of chicken thighs lol and i think its cheaper than breasts.
    i guess i just over thought everything and tried to eat what you hear is healthy. but im starting to realize its just not going to work for me and my goals. looks like i get to indulge in some better proteins than dry chicken breasts :devil:
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I do chicken leg quarters, they're delicious and much much cheaper than breasts. I do strain off the fat that drops into the pan but I use it for sauteeing vegetables.
  • Try to get your fats mostly from your meals, not snacks. Use snacks to fill in remaining areas you need. I'd plan the meals first, then think about what snacks to include. From there you'll know what type depending on if you are low on carb, protein, fat, or fiber. It should not be hard by then b/c you won't need much after you plan all your meals.

    yea i totally did it the other way around:embarassed:
    great advice bro!
  • qfish
    qfish Posts: 16
    NP man. Been where you've been and done that. After a few times, it gets better as you know your food. It's like fitting the pieces of a puzzle.
  • AyaRowan
    AyaRowan Posts: 80 Member
    I wouldn't say totally screwed, you just need to swap out some areas with more filling foods. And remember if you're working out at all or have a job with a lot of activity, to track your calorie expenditure so you don't eat too little for your activity level. That goal does seem a bit low for a male, but that depends on your height and weight as the other poster said. Other guys could offer more advice in that respect, I'm sure.

    Looking at your food diary, the main thing I would recommend changing is the peanut butter. When I eat peanut butter, I'm pretty much guaranteed to go over my calorie allotment for the day. I still love it as an occasional treat, and it does have some pretty good nutritional benefits. But there are lots of foods out there with equal or greater nutritional values. In any case, I wouldn't eat it twice a day for sure. It's also easier to pile on more than one serving on a sandwich, toast, or into oatmeal--not sure if that's how you're eating it.

    For protein, I prefer:
    Eggs - 17 calories and 4g protein in 1 large eggwhite, 70 calories and 6g protein in 1 large egg with yolk. I personally limit myself to one egg yolk a day since egg yolks have a good bit of cholesterol. If you don't like the taste of egg whites alone, use one whole egg and two egg whites for a scramble or omelette. You can also cook them with a healthy oil, my favorite is coconut oil scrambled egg whites. Or without any oil at all as boiled eggs.

    Plain greek yogurt - tastes almost identical to sour cream. I use Chobani but there are lots of brands. Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt, and many people like the consistency of it much better than the non-Greek variety. Yogurt also has live and active cultures, meaning you get a boost in balancing your body's good bacteria for digestion. Chobani Non-fat Plain Yogurt has 130 calories in a cup of yogurt (you probably won't ever eat a full cup, honestly since it's rich and filling), 0 fat, 11g carbs, and 22g of protein. If you're like me and prefer salty or savory foods, you can use it to top baked potatoes (I'm lazy and microwave potatoes in punctured ziplock bag). I also eat it on salads, mixing it with low sodium salsa for an amazingly delicious alternative to salad dressings (which I hate). You can use it on burritos, tacos, etc. Also in soups, stroganoff, creamy noodle or rice dishes. Not to mention you can mix in honey or fruit to make it sweet. I love its versatility.

    Greek yogurt with fruit - there are tons of flavors of already sweetened Greek yogurt if you'd prefer to get it that way. I personally don't have much of a sweet tooth, but an individual serving cup of Chobani fruit on the bottom strawberry still packs 12g of protein.

    Canned tuna - one 5oz can of chunk light tuna in water contains two servings, each serving with 10g of protein. If you can find low sodium varieties, that's always the best, but it's good in moderation as long as you watch your overall sodium intake. Choose a well-known brand and eat in moderation to avoid having to worry about mercury content which is common in many seafoods.

    Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - I buy them frozen and cook them at medium-low heat in a pan. Put a little broth or stock in the pan to steam them, or a little extra virgin olive (a little goes a long way don't overdo it). My favorite is lemon pepper chicken with a little bit of chicken stock, the juice of half a lemon, and black pepper...you can use chopped onion and garlic or onion and garlic powder for more flavor).

    Hummus - hummus is usually made with cooked chickpeas. Now I've had chickpeas alone before and did not like them, hummus however I love. Hummus has a good combination of healthy fats, vegetable protein, the natural antibiotic garlic, etc depending on the recipe. You can get whole grain pita bread to eat it with or just have it on a salad or on multigrain tortilla chips.

    Vegetables, oatmeal, and brown rice have protein too, so if you get plenty of veggies and grains in good combinations you can complete their proteins' amino acid profiles. Don't forget nuts for snacks as well, as long as you properly portion them. They have protein, fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, etc.

    As for healthy fats, I find no problem getting those into my foods. Extra virgin olive oil, canola oil (debatable, look up the research to make your own decision), and my new favorite virgin coconut oil are the ones I use most often for cooking. This doesn't count the healthy fats you can get through foods themselves--shredded coconut, avocado, nuts, etc.

    Avoid trans fats and hydrogenated oils, which is another reason I avoid peanut butter. Many peanut butter brands, unless labeled as natural or hydrogenated oil free, include hydrogenated oils to make it thick enough that you don't have to stir it. The type with peanuts and salt alone requires stirring, something I never knew, but the taste is different than the typical peanut butter in that it doesn't have a hint of sweetness added. I like Jif Naturals on the rare occasions I eat peanut butter.

    Other than that, if you don't have a nut allergy, you could try almond milk to substitute the 2% milk. If you're mixing it into your protein shakes, the sweetness of the powder and the flavor will probably make you barely notice the difference. Plain, unflavored almond milk has 30 calories a cup vs about 120 calories in a cup of 2% milk. You can get the flavored varieties which have more calories, not sure how many, but it's still way less than 2% milk.

    Also it'd probably be a good thing to add additional fields to your food diary to track sodium and fiber. Fiber helps fill you up, so choose multigrain or whole grain options whenever possible including breads, tortilla chips, crackers, etc. And fiber rich veggies and fruits as well. If you're eating your calories and not staying full long enough, make sure you're getting enough fiber and whole grains to sustain you until your next meal or snack time. Too many foods that digest quickly or liquid foods such as protein shakes and you'll have nothing in your system to slow your digestion down so you can fully extract the nutrients you've eaten before they pass through. Sodium, it's obvious why that should be tracked. It's easy to never realize how much you're getting in canned, processed foods, granola bars, lots of things have hidden sodium that can add up fast.

    Anyway this post is huge...sorry for that. Hope something I've said can help you out. And remember not to deny yourself, it's okay to eat what you want occasionally. The quickest way to fail is to say "I'm on a diet" instead of "I'm making changes I'll be living with the rest of my life, it's a lifestyle change." Do it in a way you can see yourself maintaining for the rest of your life.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    i dunno wtf they're talking about eating fattier foods for.. that isnt gonna help fill you up.

    your body will get used to it.. you just started... it takes time to adapt to a deficit.

    this is why those morrons eating 1200 calories and weighting 200+ pounds shouldnt go off "I eat when im hungry".. if you starve yourself for a couple weeks you'll adapt to those severe deficits as well... this isnt a good adaption...

    stick with it.. eat more vegetables and lean meats... dont eat fatty stuff that theyre suggesting.. thats not the way to go...