I'm Really Struggling Eating Within Calorie Limit

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NO. Just NO.

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Goodmorning guys!!! i found some great drinks to help lose weight ALL NATURAL!!! ITS AMAZING and you feel like a new person after a week and you have so much more energy! and they give out a free trial !! check it out guys...https://aloha.com/?invite=iKGx1UurNR4

NO. Just NO.

It is against the TOS to try to sell your crap to people on the forums. So please take that elsewhere...

+ infinity

This is largely echoing what others have said, but I noticed a couple of things. First, that your calorie goals are too low for a youngish guy with as little left to lose as you have. You might want to think more about transititioning into maintenance, what will work long-term, even if the loss is slower. If you white knuckle your way to your goal it will be hard to maintain.

Second, I typically eat 1250 calories when I don't work out and am not hungry, and yet I'd be starving on what you eat, calories aside. We are all different, so this may not apply to you, but even though I also don't snack I need some protein and vegetables at breakfast and lunch and even though I also sometimes use protein powder to supplement I keep in mind that calories I drink will usually not be as filling to me. You are basically eating fruit, dairy, and shakes until dinner and saving a huge number of calories for dinner, and that particular combination and split would make me ravenous. And if I let myself get ravenous for dinner I tend to eat much more than if I'd just eaten more calories earlier in the day (learned from thinking it would be a good idea to skip lunch before dinner out).

Also, I feel better and am less hungry when I keep carbs around 100 g, but I don't personally think starches need to be eliminated. In fact, especially mixed with other foods, my experience is that foods like starchy vegetables, tubers, beans, etc. can be quite filling. And again, my experience is that vegetables in general are too, for little calorie cost.

A lot of you have been critical of my Shakeology meal replacements. I actually introduced them recently to my diet in order to help control my calories while getting macro and micro nutrients. I never "drink" it mixed with water. I always mix it with either young coconut, coconut water, non-fat milk or non-fat yogurt + frozen berries. It turns a potential 130 cal meal into something that is like 350 cal. Maybe that's my problem? The other thing I'm thinking about is since my dinners have been so huge, I should reconsider fasting all day and eat only at dinner. That way, it'll be much easier to stay within my calorie limit.

So basically you are going to do more of what is currently not working for you?

May I make a couple of suggestions of things that have helped me? I don't ignore hunger but address it right away.

I also keep nuts with me at all times. It's amazing how just a few nuts will not only curb your hunger but also make you feel better.
morning too.

Today I purchased some expensive macadamia nuts to leave at the office for when I'm most hungry in-between meals. They are so damn addicting and I ended up eating about 1/2 cup which doesn't seem like a lot since the nuts are large but that was more than 400 cal. Damn. I guess I like the taste too much. In the future, I'll limit myself to one individual nut as a "snack." Sigh.

A lot of you have been critical of my Shakeology meal replacements. I actually introduced them recently to my diet in order to help control my calories while getting macro and micro nutrients. I never "drink" it mixed with water. I always mix it with either young coconut, coconut water, non-fat milk or non-fat yogurt + frozen berries. It turns a potential 130 cal meal into something that is like 350 cal. Maybe that's my problem? The other thing I'm thinking about is since my dinners have been so huge, I should reconsider fasting all day and eat only at dinner. That way, it'll be much easier to stay within my calorie limit.

Listen to me when I tell you to eat your 2200 cals a day. grr.

Also: I question some of the calorie counts of your food. Are you creating these recipes yourself? 1 1/2 c vegetable chow mein at 550 cals? Unless they're pouring lard in there I wouldn't expect it to be more than 200 cals. I admit I make my own but still...

Are you able to cook for yourself? Do you have much experience in preparing meals for yourself? That can make a really big difference to how easily you can control your weight.

You are fighting 200,000 years of human evolution when you try to eat so little, and you're saying anorexic things. one nut? Come on!

you're bingeing because you're holding your body so far below its balance point. Don't be so brutal. Do you need help working out some filling and relatively low calorie meals?

Steak is only 200 cals for 150g! You can have a huge steak for 300 cals. you can have 2 baked potatoes for 300 cals. That's a 600 cal dinner, and still room for vegetables.

May I make a couple of suggestions of things that have helped me? I don't ignore hunger but address it right away.

I also keep nuts with me at all times. It's amazing how just a few nuts will not only curb your hunger but also make you feel better.
morning too.

Today I purchased some expensive macadamia nuts to leave at the office for when I'm most hungry in-between meals. They are so damn addicting and I ended up eating about 1/2 cup which doesn't seem like a lot since the nuts are large but that was more than 400 cal. Damn. I guess I like the taste too much. In the future, I'll limit myself to one individual nut as a "snack." Sigh.

A lot of you have been critical of my Shakeology meal replacements. I actually introduced them recently to my diet in order to help control my calories while getting macro and micro nutrients. I never "drink" it mixed with water. I always mix it with either young coconut, coconut water, non-fat milk or non-fat yogurt + frozen berries. It turns a potential 130 cal meal into something that is like 350 cal. Maybe that's my problem? The other thing I'm thinking about is since my dinners have been so huge, I should reconsider fasting all day and eat only at dinner. That way, it'll be much easier to stay within my calorie limit.

If you are eating "meal replacement shakes", they are supposed to be replacing meals. They are designed for people on VLCDs who can only eat 800-1000 calories a day. I'm sure you could get all your macros in if you used those calories as food, rather than these products. You would also feel more full. 130-150 is a few ounces of chicken, or two eggs. I ate an egg and a strip of bacon this morning -- that was around 160 calories, a 1/2 grapefruit, and an english muffin, total 365 calories. There's no need to starve yourself until supper, and if you do, you are setting yourself up to binge more. Eating small meals at regular intervals fuels your metabolism.

I have an issue with nuts myself. If I'm at home, I have a little measuring cup. I measure 1/4 cup, which is the serving size and put the can away. When taking them to work, I measure then into a baggie and pack with my lunch. That and an apple make a very filling snack. Some companies like Diamond or Emerald also have these little 100 calorie size nut snacks, too.

Increase your fiber intake.

I remember telling my nutritionist once that I was eating pretty well, but still hungry, and it was driving me crazy. She told me to increase my fiber, and that month I lost 12 pounds - my fiber shot up, and my sugar's plummeted.

I added Chocolite Protein Bars (www.healthsmartfoods.com) to my plan. You can usually find coupon codes for them at www.retailmenot.com under the name "Carbolite" (one of their product line names, I believe).