Struggling with the calories

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daney1970
daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
in Getting Started
Hi. My name is Dana. I am trying to get use to counting calories and not going over...find myself going over some. It's a struggle..i know I can do this...that is what I keep telling myself.

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  • jessicatombari
    jessicatombari Posts: 159 Member
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    Hi Dana! I'm Jess :) For me it was very difficult at first. I felt hungry all the time and went over often. When this kept happening I tried to find lower calorie options to fit into my day and create smaller portion sizes for myself. By allowing myself to adjust to this it became a habit and now I rarely go over my limit! try and find some new food options within the first two weeks and you'll adjust soon enough :) If you are eating properly and staying under your cal limit yet still feeling hungry it could just take a while to adapt to. Try decreasing the amount of cals you go over daily. ex. if you go over by 300 on monday try to only go over by 200 on tuesday etc until your body starts to feel sustained on the smaller cal intake :) hope this helps.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thank you..your advice is very encouraging and I will try this. I do struggle alot with being hungry and not feeling I had enough to eat..so I will snack and that's when I mess up. I will try this way. Thanks again.
  • Jengoing2015
    Jengoing2015 Posts: 28 Member
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    Yes, I agree with jesicatombari. Give it a few weeks and don't beat yourself up. It does take time and I'm one that is over sometimes but, I'm getting closer to my goal.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks. It's great to know that I can find support and knowing I am not along on this. I have been disappointed with myself this week for not doing what I feel I can do. I just have to take baby steps.
  • Lola142012
    Lola142012 Posts: 20 Member
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    I know it can be hard at first but eventually, your body will get used to it. For me, the best way to go about it is eating as clean as possible which means LOTS of veggies and protien. I also eat 5-6x/day. If I get hungry at any time I go grab a small salad obviously, no dressing. Fill up with green veggies (brocolli, cabbage, squash etc.) and lean protien. If, I have a sweeth tooth which is normally at the end of the day for me I have an apple with alomond butter. Tons of water as well. I think my diary is open, if not, you are more than welcome to add me.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thank you. My downfall is snacking during the day and eating late at night. I am going to stock up on veggies and try to snack on that..it's really hard to say no to junk food..i need a change in my life style and this it's my step to the right direction on making my weight goal. Thanks again for the encouragement.
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
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    Remember that MFP is setting you at a deficit, so as long as you're not eating above your maintenance, you should still be losing, just more slowly... I always try to remind myself of this when I go over, because I hate seeing the red.

    For instance, I have mine set at about a 500 calorie deficit, so if I go over by 200, rather than beating myself up, I just think... well hey, that's still a deficit of 300. It takes time though, because that glaring red is hard to take.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
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    mbcieslak87 wrote: »
    Remember that MFP is setting you at a deficit, so as long as you're not eating above your maintenance, you should still be losing, just more slowly... I always try to remind myself of this when I go over, because I hate seeing the red.

    For instance, I have mine set at about a 500 calorie deficit, so if I go over by 200, rather than beating myself up, I just think... well hey, that's still a deficit of 300. It takes time though, because that glaring red is hard to take.

    Great point!!
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
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    I use MFP more as a meal planner than counting calories after the fact: every night I input what I plan on eating the next day, so I KNOW I have a good plan with healthy, balanced meals and snacks. Do I sometimes stray a little or eat more than I planned? Yes, of course, I'm human! But the more I plan, the more likely I am to stick to it. I add in something "fun" like chocolate every day.

    I've also become a creature of habit. I know that my favorite oatmeal breakfast will always keep me full til lunch (at 300 calories), so most days I just have that. I also know that eating a salad for lunch will keep me full AND it takes a long time to eat it all, so I really feel like I'm not missing out (it's usually a big mix of raw veggies, 1/3 avocado, 1 tb of salsa (occasionally dressing), and about 100-150 calories of nuts or seeds or other protein. Plus a small amount of fruit and a 50 calories light string cheese. It ends up between 300-400 calories and it's perfect. Then I bring the same afternoon snack everyday: banana and 100 calorie almond pack. I've gotten in the habit of no longer buying any food at work. Dinner varies a little and is sometimes where I splurge a little, but almost everyday I manager to stay in the green and not feel hungry.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thank you all for the great tips and motivation. I will try these..anything to keep me on track. These were great ideas.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    mbcieslak87 wrote: »
    Remember that MFP is setting you at a deficit, so as long as you're not eating above your maintenance, you should still be losing, just more slowly... I always try to remind myself of this when I go over, because I hate seeing the red.

    For instance, I have mine set at about a 500 calorie deficit, so if I go over by 200, rather than beating myself up, I just think... well hey, that's still a deficit of 300. It takes time though, because that glaring red is hard to take.
    Thank u for this.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    jaga13 wrote: »
    mbcieslak87 wrote: »
    Remember that MFP is setting you at a deficit, so as long as you're not eating above your maintenance, you should still be losing, just more slowly... I always try to remind myself of this when I go over, because I hate seeing the red.

    For instance, I have mine set at about a 500 calorie deficit, so if I go over by 200, rather than beating myself up, I just think... well hey, that's still a deficit of 300. It takes time though, because that glaring red is hard to take.

    Great point!!
    Agree. Thank u
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
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    jaga13 wrote: »
    I use MFP more as a meal planner than counting calories after the fact: every night I input what I plan on eating the next day, so I KNOW I have a good plan with healthy, balanced meals and snacks. Do I sometimes stray a little or eat more than I planned? Yes, of course, I'm human! But the more I plan, the more likely I am to stick to it. I add in something "fun" like chocolate every day."

    I do this too! I plan days or even the whole week in advance!
  • lorelikun
    lorelikun Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi Dana, I don't usually do this but I saw your post and I wanted to try an encourage you a bit. I have recently gave myself this choice. would I rather have a little tiny bit of the food that I'm used to having, (like chips, cereal, noodles, milk, cheese.) or would I rather have a LOT of food from the healthier versions(Fresh foods, oatmeal, egg whites ect..) honestly for me I'd rather be full, because I can't stand to feel hungry. I'd rather cut out the food that kills my calories, than go through the day hungry because I was only allowed to have 4oz of pasta with my dinner. lol. anyways hope it helps. don't give up you only live once and God only gives us one shot to take care of ourselves.

    Take care
  • PostExamsHealthBinge
    PostExamsHealthBinge Posts: 26 Member
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    My best advice would be pre-log the day before so you can spread out your food and still stay under your calories. I can usually get, breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert and 2x snacks out of my calorie allowance which means I feel like I'm eating all day. Also try to make the majority of your calories come from vegetables and fruit, this way you can fill up on very little calories and eat all day
  • FaithAbdelmagid
    FaithAbdelmagid Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi!
    I find that I can curb the urge to snack by splitting my caleries up over the day. I eat 5 small meals instead of 3. I treat mysel one time a day to a healthier alternative. 10-15 whole grain tortilla chips with salsa, cherry tomatoes with just a hint of low fat feta cheese and balsamic vinegar. And here is motivation to dump the junk. I have spent the last 3 years in terrible body wide pain. Then horrible gastritis attacks. I didn't think I ate THAT badly. But I recently saw a rheumatologist. She said that sugar and fats cause inflammation. I have cut out ALL sugar and most fats. No butter in our home, no ketchup. A week later I don't feel the pain!!! My rings are loose and that's not weight loss. It was a lot of inflammation. Now I look at junk and tell myself it's not worth my life, my ability to be pain free. Keep reminding yourself WHY you are doing this. I always keep go to foods for snack attacks and chew gum. Good luck on your journey!!
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    lorelikun wrote: »
    Hi Dana, I don't usually do this but I saw your post and I wanted to try an encourage you a bit. I have recently gave myself this choice. would I rather have a little tiny bit of the food that I'm used to having, (like chips, cereal, noodles, milk, cheese.) or would I rather have a LOT of food from the healthier versions(Fresh foods, oatmeal, egg whites ect..) honestly for me I'd rather be full, because I can't stand to feel hungry. I'd rather cut out the food that kills my calories, than go through the day hungry because I was only allowed to have 4oz of pasta with my dinner. lol. anyways hope it helps. don't give up you only live once and God only gives us one shot to take care of ourselves.

    Take care

    Thank you for the encouraging words. Yes..reading this does help me.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    FaithAbdelmagid wrote: »
    Hi!
    I find that I can curb the urge to snack by splitting my caleries up over the day. I eat 5 small meals instead of 3. I treat mysel one time a day to a healthier alternative. 10-15 whole grain tortilla chips with salsa, cherry tomatoes with just a hint of low fat feta cheese and balsamic vinegar. And here is motivation to dump the junk. I have spent the last 3 years in terrible body wide pain. Then horrible gastritis attacks. I didn't think I ate THAT badly. But I recently saw a rheumatologist. She said that sugar and fats cause inflammation. I have cut out ALL sugar and most fats. No butter in our home, no ketchup. A week later I don't feel the pain!!! My rings are loose and that's not weight loss. It was a lot of inflammation. Now I look at junk and tell myself it's not worth my life, my ability to be pain free. Keep reminding yourself WHY you are doing this. I always keep go to foods for snack attacks and chew gum. Good luck on your journey!!

    Thank you and good luck to you as well. I have diabetes..so I really have to learn to not eat alot of sugar and carbs..very hard to do..i am leaning more towards fruits when I crave.sweets or I have found sugar free hot chocolate helps with my.sweet.tooth. it a struggle everyday..with wonderful people on here to leave words of wisdom and the support. .that really helps me.move forward to a healthier way of eating.
  • daney1970
    daney1970 Posts: 15 Member
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    PostExamsHealthBinge wrote: »
    My best advice would be pre-log the day before so you can spread out your food and still stay under your calories. I can usually get, breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert and 2x snacks out of my calorie allowance which means I feel like I'm eating all day. Also try to make the majority of your calories come from vegetables and fruit, this way you can fill up on very little calories and eat all day

    Thank you. Very good advice and I will try this. I use to not be a big fan of fruit..i have discovered recently..it's not so bad.

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