staying within calories

Ellst85
Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm taking in about 1500 cals a day and I find it so difficult to stick to! I know it's about choices/priorities etc but it does feel bloody hard! Is it just me that finds this really difficult?
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Replies

  • JakeBrownVB
    JakeBrownVB Posts: 399 Member
    Ha yeah it's hard. I find everything hard tbh just because my appetite in general is bottomless and insane, that's why I used to be fat. I found it hard when I used to cut on 2k cals and bulk 3k... 2 years later I still find it hard when I cut on 3k and bulk on 4.5k. Honestly lol :smiley:
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Are you exercising? Are you eating some of the exercise calories back? Maybe that would help...
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    I am eating a lot more than you on a 1300 calories.

    Its up to you of course but i would make my meals more with vegetables to add some more volume.
    I am a volume eater but i cook from scratch so a lot of my meals have different kind of vegetables a protein and some carb In the evening i have a huge bowl of popcorn So 3 meals a day and a afternoon snack and bowl of popcorn keeps me going.

    But everybody is different. You have to find your way to be satisfied over the day. Try things out.
    And maybe you train also, so do you eat a part of your burned calories back?
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    You spend a lot of calories on candy. If you ate 100 calories of veggies vs 100 calories of candy you'll be fuller longer. Maybe instead of 2 or 3 candy bars a day limit it to 1 and spend the rest of those calories on more filling foods. I find that if I eat better candy I can eat less of it and still be satisfied. Because seriously - chocolate is important in life.
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    Haha - I'm glad you feel my pain too!! I think I'm just a bit hormonal and ranty but I'm so annoyed at my appetite! It's like I'm never full and always wanting to eat. My weight has gone up and down a bit but I'm always around the 154 mark- it's like my appetite won't let me get any thinner! I'm trying at the moment to not concentrate on weight so much as going to the gym and lifting. But ffs- life is so unfair!
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    :D
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    Yeah- stupid chocolate and sweets- that's the thing. I love em I go through phases where I'm ok with not eating that much crap and other times when I want it all the time- there's no excuse I just want all of the food ever! :D
  • JakeBrownVB
    JakeBrownVB Posts: 399 Member
    Cardio and veggies... ain't nobody got time for dat lel. I'd rather spend my days day dreaming at hourly intervals about my next meal haha. That's the life
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    Indeed :D my issue is I love everything- chocolate, Veggies, fruit, yogurt and I can eat anything and in huge portions all the time- I'm just annoyed today that I can't just be happy with just a bit of something and not a load!
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    It is hard and takes discipline. So easy to go over.
  • vinerie
    vinerie Posts: 234 Member
    TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »
    I am eating a lot more than you on a 1300 calories.

    Its up to you of course but i would make my meals more with vegetables to add some more volume.
    I am a volume eater but i cook from scratch so a lot of my meals have different kind of vegetables a protein and some carb In the evening i have a huge bowl of popcorn So 3 meals a day and a afternoon snack and bowl of popcorn keeps me going.

    I second "volume eating." I've been eating an enormous salad for lunch, (with edamame and soy nuts for protein) along with other veggies, avocado and two T of my homemade ranch dressing. I find that it is quite filling and satisfying to eat--it literally takes a long time to eat.

    That all being said, I hardly ever stick to the 1350 I'm supposed to be eating. It is impossible! I exercise every day, so that gives me som wriggle room, but I suspect if I could stick to the calorie limit I would lose faster.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Are you by chance insulin resistant? Endless appetites after the sweets reminds me of when I eat sweets on an empty stomach. I will feel 10 times more hungry after I eat the sweets or strictly carbs on an empty stomach. Insulin resistance will do this to me (I'm pre-diabetic). The dips in your blood sugar sends the brain hunger signals.

    Try to cut the carbs and sweets and your hunger will even out. Good Luck! :smiley:
  • JakeBrownVB
    JakeBrownVB Posts: 399 Member
    edited May 2015
    Nothing wrong with a girl with an appetite lol, it's the best IMO. My girlfriend maintains her weight on 2500 cals a day at 116lbs but that's because shes been lifting for some years. She used to be one of these 1200 cal cardio chickens you see clucking about these forums. Moral of the story, want to eat forever and not gain lbs? Lift them weights! :)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    It may not be a reasonable calorie goal for you. Two ways around it: adjust your expectations to lose weight slower, so you can eat more per day. Or make a commitment to moving more so you can eat more and remain at the same deficit. A 30 minute walk can add ~75-125 calories depending on how aggressively you move. (And depending on your size now of course.)
    SageIsla1985 wrote: »
    I'm taking in about 1500 cals a day and I find it so difficult to stick to! I know it's about choices/priorities etc but it does feel bloody hard! Is it just me that finds this really difficult?

  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    Thanks guys!! I'm hoping this insatiable sweet tooth I have at the moment will calm down a bit! I've started taking a few precautions like- buying snacks - keeping them at home and only taking ONE into work
  • Jasmunr
    Jasmunr Posts: 147 Member
    I'm opposite, I find it hard to eat enough.

    Perhaps focus on lower calorie items that hold bigger portions. 300 calories of salad with a protein is going to be a lot more filling than 300 calories of cake or chips.
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    SageIsla1985 wrote: »
    Indeed :D my issue is I love everything- chocolate, Veggies, fruit, yogurt and I can eat anything and in huge portions all the time- I'm just annoyed today that I can't just be happy with just a bit of something and not a load!

    It sounds like, similar to me, it's not that you can eat anything in huge portion, but that you've got a special spot in your stomach for carbs. I have a really hard time getting full for any amount of time on carbs, but when I don't log they're what I go to: yogurt, fruit, candy, bread, etc. Carbs aren't the enemy, but it's worth making a conscious effort to add more protein and fat into your diet. Protein and fat will help you to stay fuller for longer. It can be through straight up meat and eggs, or (my favorite) dairy products, or nuts and healthy oils, but it's worth it to try to incorporate more.

    When I started I also felt like I was eating a lot of meat, but when I really looked at it I just ate a big piece of meat in the evening. Which is fine, but it left me hungry for pretty much the rest of the day. Adding protein into breakfast basically cured me of the "hungry ALL the time" feeling I'd had throughout the day.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    If losing weight was a piece of cake (pun intended), no one would have a weight problem. Yeah, it can be difficult to lose weight. Hunger is pretty normal while eating at a deficit. However, if you're extremely hungry all the time, you're either not eating enough calories in general or you're not getting enough volume.

    When I'm cutting, I like to stick to low calorie, high volume foods. Fruits and vegetables clearly fall into that category. It's also important to find things that are filling to you. Some people find nuts filling - I don't, and I generally think they're a waste of calories unless they're in butter form (I rarely go a day without peanut butter, even when cutting).

    As mentioned, you should be eating back exercise calories if you're exercising. Either that or you can use the TDEE method and not log exercise because those calories are already accounted for. TDEE is great if you have a set workout schedule. If you go some days/weeks without exercising or just do it when you feel like it, it's best to just add the calories you burn as long as you're using accurate estimates of calorie burns.

    For me, it's important to find a balance between foods I like and foods that keep me satisfied between meals. I could eat a HUGE salad filled with vegetables for very few calories, but 1) salads do nothing for my hunger, and 2) I'm not a big fan of salads unless they're filled with things that are higher in calories like meat and cheese. I could munch on a big bag of carrot sticks for my afternoon snack, but I'd be miserable, so I choose snacks that are macro friendly, but that I actually enjoy eating. Don't be too restrictive, but don't waste all of your calories on candy bars unless you're prepared to be hungry all day.
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    Ooo I lost most of my post!
    Yeah so I don't snack in the evening or anything - just during the day. I've just been on the eating crap train lately! It was a bank holiday weekend just gone and you know....life :-/ maybe tomorrow I will have my head in gear to avoid m&s at lunch time!
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    I walk around 12000 steps every day and lift weights 3x a day- I really don't think that the issue is my exercise or what my calories are set at its my massive gob :'(
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »
    If losing weight was a piece of cake (pun intended), no one would have a weight problem. Yeah, it can be difficult to lose weight. Hunger is pretty normal while eating at a deficit. However, if you're extremely hungry all the time, you're either not eating enough calories in general or you're not getting enough volume.

    When I'm cutting, I like to stick to low calorie, high volume foods. Fruits and vegetables clearly fall into that category. It's also important to find things that are filling to you. Some people find nuts filling - I don't, and I generally think they're a waste of calories unless they're in butter form (I rarely go a day without peanut butter, even when cutting).

    As mentioned, you should be eating back exercise calories if you're exercising. Either that or you can use the TDEE method and not log exercise because those calories are already accounted for. TDEE is great if you have a set workout schedule. If you go some days/weeks without exercising or just do it when you feel like it, it's best to just add the calories you burn as long as you're using accurate estimates of calorie burns.

    For me, it's important to find a balance between foods I like and foods that keep me satisfied between meals. I could eat a HUGE salad filled with vegetables for very few calories, but 1) salads do nothing for my hunger, and 2) I'm not a big fan of salads unless they're filled with things that are higher in calories like meat and cheese. I could munch on a big bag of carrot sticks for my afternoon snack, but I'd be miserable, so I choose snacks that are macro friendly, but that I actually enjoy eating. Don't be too restrictive, but don't waste all of your calories on candy bars unless you're prepared to be hungry all day.

    Yep this- thanks for the dose of reality :-)
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    edited May 2015
    SageIsla1985 wrote: »
    Ooo I lost most of my post!
    Yeah so I don't snack in the evening or anything - just during the day. I've just been on the eating crap train lately! It was a bank holiday weekend just gone and you know....life :-/ maybe tomorrow I will have my head in gear to avoid m&s at lunch time!

    People seem to take offense when I say this, but hear me out. Cut out the excuses. Yeah, yesterday was a holiday and we all have lives, but I had no issue staying within my calories yesterday because I didn't make up excuses for why it would be "okay" for me to make poor food choices. I indulge quite a bit, and that's totally fine, but own it instead of making excuses for it. Once you let go of the excuses and take full responsibility for what you eat, it'll get easier to do what you need to do to reach your goals. Excuses are the reason it took me 8 years of yo-yo dieting to finally do what it took to get the results I wanted.
    SageIsla1985 wrote: »
    I walk around 12000 steps every day and lift weights 3x a day- I really don't think that the issue is my exercise or what my calories are set at its my massive gob :'(

    You lift three times a DAY? I'm going to assume you mean three times a week.
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    Ha yeah a week! No I totally get where you're coming from- like I said just having a bit of an internal struggle at the moment. I'm sure tomorrow is a new day etc. It's not that I don't know what needs to be done it's just the doing bit :-)
  • quiltingducky
    quiltingducky Posts: 103 Member
    I find my appetite is controlled a lot by how much sugar or bad carbs I eat (such as bread, rolls, rice, pasta, etc). Now I am not saying to stop eating them altogether, but finding a reasonable limit for yourself may be the answer and maybe it will calm down your appetite.
  • JakeBrownVB
    JakeBrownVB Posts: 399 Member
    edited May 2015
    Bad carbs... oh sweet jebus I just cringed so hard, are people still saying this kind of stuff? No such thing. Really. Unless bleach has carbs in it, in which case I retract my statement.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Do you want to eat bread and cheese for dinner every night? I'd be hungry too if that's all I had!
  • Ellst85
    Ellst85 Posts: 30 Member
    JakeBrownVB wrote: »
    Bad carbs... oh sweet jebus I just cringed so hard, are people still saying this kind of stuff? No such thing. Really. Unless bleach has carbs in it, in which case I retract my statement.
    :D
  • Merrysix
    Merrysix Posts: 336 Member
    For me, pure carbs in any form (sugars in pastries or fruits, breads, pasta, etc.) leads to craving. For some types of metabolism, there is pretty persuasive science to back this up -- see summary in well.blogs.nytimes.com today titled "How Carbs Can Trigger Food Cravings by Anahad O'Connor, describing research published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and research published in 2010 in the New England Journal of Medicine that shows that sugary foods and other processed carbs cause abrupt spikes and falls in blood sugar and appear to stimulate parts of the brain involved in hunger, craving and reward. In other words if you eat these foods you want more. It isn't so much that in terms of actual energy/ calories there is a difference, but that these foods affect the neurotransmitters in the brain in a way that sets off craving and leads to overeating. That is why those who say "a calorie is a calorie" do disservice to those of us who are brain carb sensitive with resulting stronger cravings. The solution for those of us with this neurochemistry: a lower carb/higher protein/fat food plan to sustain a healthy way of eating that allows us to lose weight. Speaking only for myself, when I eat high carb foods of any variety (from ice cream to brown rice), it sets off cravings that make it harder to stick to my food plan. Bottom line -- easier not to eat them!


  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    It takes hard work to figure out a way of eating which works for you within your calories, practice at eating that way every day so it becomes a habit and then forgiveness when you don't follow it every now and then.
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    It takes hard work to figure out a way of eating which works for you within your calories, practice at eating that way every day so it becomes a habit and then forgiveness when you don't follow it every now and then.

    This is perfect advice! For me, high volume, whole foods with lots of protein and moderate fats (not low-fat) help keep me full on 1200 calories. Good luck!
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