Not sure I will meet my calore intake goal...any tricks?

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MrsCurtisinTX
MrsCurtisinTX Posts: 88 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, here is my question. My calorie intake each day is supposed to be 1600. Today is my 1st real day of eating right. I bought foods that are whole grains and are light in fat. I'm not sure how I"m going to get 1600 calories in a day. Are there any tricks that you could share?

Thanks!
Mary

Replies

  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
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    Are you afraid that you will go over, or not be able to eat enough?
  • Kolohe71
    Kolohe71 Posts: 613 Member
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    If you are honest and log EVERYTHING you eat, you'll be suprised how easy it is to get to 1600.
  • ktren24
    ktren24 Posts: 1
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    Are you worried about eating enough to get to 1600? Or tricks for getting under your goal?
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
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    When I have extra calories to eat....nuts are good way to use up calories & are healthy.....not peaunts : )
  • RoxMyWorld
    RoxMyWorld Posts: 127 Member
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    I always try and pick which meal I know I really want or have no choice about (like eating out or going to a party or something) and then I add that in right away so that I can plan the rest of my day around it.

    For example I promised my kids we could have chicken fajitas tonight so this morning I put in my dinner so I knew I would use those calories, that helped me stay in reach of my goal so I knew what I had left to work with.

    I also have to eat within 1600 calories so you can look at my diary if you like or ad dme as a friend if you wan tthe help and support!
  • msleelaj
    msleelaj Posts: 1
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    If you break your eating time into 6 meals instead of three, you can get what you need, enjoy munching, and lose weight all at the same time. I usually plan what I am going to eat for the night before.

    I hope this helps.

    Leela
  • dalzinho
    dalzinho Posts: 52
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    I often find that having a reserve of Mars Bars in the cupboard helps me build up when I'm under.
  • bethrs
    bethrs Posts: 664 Member
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    plan ahead. That's the best trick.

    Go ahead and plan for your meals in one day until you learn what most things you eat consist of and then you can make more last minute decisions.
  • Lucky79z28
    Lucky79z28 Posts: 31
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    I thy to stay with chicken and green vegies. You can eat enough to fill you up and still not alot of Cals.
  • trish2011
    trish2011 Posts: 31 Member
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    I never have trouble getting in enough calories. I just have to make sure I do enough exercise to burn enough.
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
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    Personally, if you are trying to lose weight and are anywhere between 1200 and 1600 that would be perfectly fine with me! Our recommended calorie intake is just a number, that none of us hit exactly. You can certainly add some protein (eggs, lean meat, peanut butter is 190 calories per tablespoon), but I would not focus on the number as much as the quality of your food choices (as long as you are above 1200 every day!!!). That is my 2 cents worth.
  • buhller
    buhller Posts: 28 Member
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    If it's looking like I might be way under for the day, I'll snack on something high calorie like whole grain bread and olive oil. Just a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil is 220 calories, and the bread is another hundred or so on top of that. It's especially fine if you're eating lots of low fat/fat free products, since EVOO is fairly high in fat (though mostly unsaturated).

    I've also started eating lots of black beans -- super high in fiber, good carbs, and a good source of protein too.
  • Cristy_AZ
    Cristy_AZ Posts: 986
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    If you are worried about not getting enough, try adding some almonds or almond butter. Good for you and adds on calories without being too filing. Checking out friends diaries is a great idea too!
  • iverayna
    iverayna Posts: 48 Member
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    EDEMAME..... Its a green soy bean. You can get it in the pod or out. Either way, YUMMMM!! A little bit of Garlic powder, pepper, parsley, Microwave for a few. Its so so good. You get a LOT of them per serving, the calories are just right and really good for you. Oh and, they are addicting.. Cottage cheese is another good one... Make sure you watch out for Sodium and sugar content.. BEST of luck to you..
  • amandamyers228
    amandamyers228 Posts: 23
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    i eat small meals and snack on healthy foods throughout the day. i dont like to be hungry, so i munch on fruits and veggies in between meals. and drink lots of water so i feel fuller longer!
  • brendalyne
    brendalyne Posts: 497
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    When I first started on MFP I found it very helpful to input ALL of my planned meals first thing in the morning, so that I could make sure I was eating the correct amount of calories. By doing that I was able to plan for some higher calorie snacks during the day. Some of the "good fats" - like almonds and avacados, and hummus - are higher calorie foods, but are very good for you and are a great addition to a healthy diet. I'm still have a tendency to be under when exercise strenuously - so I don't have it all figured out by any means - but I am getting there, and you will too!
  • iverayna
    iverayna Posts: 48 Member
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    Personally, if you are trying to lose weight and are anywhere between 1200 and 1600 that would be perfectly fine with me! Our recommended calorie intake is just a number, that none of us hit exactly. You can certainly add some protein (eggs, lean meat, peanut butter is 190 calories per tablespoon), but I would not focus on the number as much as the quality of your food choices (as long as you are above 1200 every day!!!). That is my 2 cents worth.



    Peanut butter is 190 per 2 tbsp. Yummy..
  • MrsCurtisinTX
    MrsCurtisinTX Posts: 88 Member
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    Wow all of these fast and great responses! Thank you everyone. I just look at that number and see that it would be hard to get to 1600 calories when my breakfast was barely over 200 calories. I might need to eat more at breakfast time.
  • ButterflyKristen
    ButterflyKristen Posts: 109 Member
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    When I first started on MFP I found it very helpful to input ALL of my planned meals first thing in the morning, so that I could make sure I was eating the correct amount of calories. By doing that I was able to plan for some higher calorie snacks during the day. Some of the "good fats" - like almonds and avacados, and hummus - are higher calorie foods, but are very good for you and are a great addition to a healthy diet. I'm still have a tendency to be under when exercise strenuously - so I don't have it all figured out by any means - but I am getting there, and you will too!

    That sounds like a great idea. I think I'll try that. For MaryinOK, just know that it's okay to be under 1600, just don't go under 1200. 200 Calories for breakfast is a bit small, but if you have a mid morning healthy snack, you'll stay on target. As another said earlier, focus more on healthy foods. Try to focus more on what foods you're adding to your lifestyle rather than the foods you're omitting from your diet. Good luck and GOOD FOR YOU that you decided to start on your road to a healthy new you!

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