Week 1 and terrified of every food ! Help

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laurac48
laurac48 Posts: 13 Member
in Getting Started
hi all , started on Tuesday , just watching every bite and counting calories , I just feel afraid of every food as I've never done a calorie watch before , I've done ww and sw so it's so confusing , I just keep buying ww ready meals for dinner and adding extra veg and boiled chicken , really could do with some simple ideas for breakfasts and dinner , any help much appreciated
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Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    You can eat what you like, as long as you stay in your deficit. Food isn't bad, scary, or guilt causing. It fuels you. It keeps you alive and functioning.

    Make nutritious choices most of the time, eat enough protein and good Fats (don't cut these - fat doesn't make you fat. You need them for good health!) and fresh vegies and fruit, and fit in your less nutritious options when you want/can
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    Food is nutrition. It is neither good nor bad. it just is. what we do with it makes it beneficial or not. Keep an eye on your calories and try to eat in a deficit. If you fail one day, try to do better the next

    for dinner, I find spices are what make it interesting. so I went and bought different spice mixes. so meat and vegetable most every night. easy and straightforward. slow cookers are my friend

    breakfast is nice. oatmeal, greek yogurt, eggs, whole grain waffles or English muffins, fruit. high fiber/protein cereals. smoothies.
    today was multigrain English muffin with egg and muenster cheese. followed by a banana. Now I am full.
  • MikeLeTwigg
    MikeLeTwigg Posts: 162 Member
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    Relax, you got this.

    I use the food diary to plan ahead which takes the pressure off.

    Good luck
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    Look at what is in the ready made meals you like and make them yourself (saves on sodium).
    Check out sites for low cal. recipes.
    cut up some veggies and steam/roast them.
    Try logging some meals you enjoy to see the calorie count, then modify or portion out.
    I usually have veggies, grilled marinated chicken brsts, salads with a protein, fish, and what I make for my husband I just take a smaller portion.
    Start trying some foods and don't stress it. Log it honestly and make adjustments as needed. Jump In.
    Example dinner: Grilled marinated chicken breast, wild rice, steamed broccoli.
    Lunch. Salad with tuna and cheese.
    Breakfast. yogurt/ banana
    Check out other mfp food diaries to get some ideals.
    Good Luck.
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
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    I don't know if others will agree with me on this, but I'd sort of count the first couple of weeks of calorie logging as 'practice' and not be too hard on yourself.

    If you're not used to this method, it will take some time to figure out which meals are satisfying enough to keep you full/functional, what's worth the time to prepare etc. It took me a couple of weeks to find a balance before I stopped finishing the day either over budget or way under because I hadn't worked out how to spread out my calories and get the right volume of food to be satisfied.

    So relax, accept that you will not be hitting your goal perfectly from day 1, and work on it. It gets so much easier. Now all my favourite foods are quick to find, my go-to recipes are all stored, and I'm used to planning. I also have a mental list of meals that are quick, or filling, or lighter, or heavier, so I can play meal tetris and fill up my day properly. Heavy dinner tomorrow? No problem because I know what light lunches work for me now.
  • buffveganme
    buffveganme Posts: 73 Member
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    There's lots of meal plans (choose the calories you wish to consume for the day/week) to follow on line. They involve making lots of recipes to follow-portions-calories, etc.; however if your not into that, just keep it simple for yourself.

    Portion size is important and I find a balance of protein, carbs and fats into every meal/snack is the key. Here's an example of portion sizing of food choices:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/558300-the-womans-meal-plan-for-getting-lean/

    Once you get a few favorites under your belt (so to speak) 'whipping' up meals/snacks won't seem so scary.

    Good luck:)
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I eat exactly the same things I used to eat but in smaller quantities. I also did NOT use MFP's numbers - went to Scooby Workshop and figured out my TDEE minus 15% for a manageable and healthy (keeping my muscles) goal. Ate that just about every day but was forgiving if I went over once in a while (as I tend to also go over once in a while). MFP gave me a goal of 1200 calories (plus eating back 1/2 of my exercise calories) and that just wasn't enough. If you want to go this way, you eat the same amount every day (ignoring workout calories)...which makes life easier.
  • tomofnj
    tomofnj Posts: 88 Member
    edited June 2015
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    athenasurrenders wrote: »
    I don't know if others will agree with me on this, but I'd sort of count the first couple of weeks of calorie logging as 'practice' and not be too hard on yourself.

    Don't be scared or hard on yourself, be excited that your eyes are open and your seeing what fuels you in a new light :)
    good luck !

  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
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    may i suggest why don't you prepare like a weekly meal plan just for start, think what you would like to eat, prepare different daily menu, pre log it and see then if it meets your calorie allowance, forget about losing weight just for the first couple of weeks, and just focus on logging , learning and of course lots of trial and error.

    it really gets really easy i promise, i don't even log too often or at all, but i mix and match many meals that i know even if i don't log it will not put me over my calorie goal .

    good luck!
  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
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    athenasurrenders wrote: »
    I don't know if others will agree with me on this, but I'd sort of count the first couple of weeks of calorie logging as 'practice' and not be too hard on yourself.

    If you're not used to this method, it will take some time to figure out which meals are satisfying enough to keep you full/functional, what's worth the time to prepare etc. It took me a couple of weeks to find a balance before I stopped finishing the day either over budget or way under because I hadn't worked out how to spread out my calories and get the right volume of food to be satisfied.

    So relax, accept that you will not be hitting your goal perfectly from day 1, and work on it. It gets so much easier. Now all my favourite foods are quick to find, my go-to recipes are all stored, and I'm used to planning. I also have a mental list of meals that are quick, or filling, or lighter, or heavier, so I can play meal tetris and fill up my day properly. Heavy dinner tomorrow? No problem because I know what light lunches work for me now.

    B) this! 100% ^
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    Please lighten up - being stressed over this will not be helpful to you. Food is good. You need food. If you go a little over, don't worry about it. It is trial and error!
  • dewsmom78
    dewsmom78 Posts: 498 Member
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    I plan ahead too. I fill in my diary and then I have all the yummy food to look forward to and I really eat it when I want. Whether I eat my lunch for dinner or vice versa. I am also doing low carb, high protein and fat, and it keeps me full longer. Might be an option for you? My macros are 10% carbs, 60% fat, and 30% protein.
  • kingnarsis
    kingnarsis Posts: 14 Member
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    LOG FIRST and then eat! it really helps with knowing what you are eating before you eat it AND the food becomes guilt free since you have accounted for it and have made a wise decision before consuming it.
  • exstromn
    exstromn Posts: 168 Member
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    Stay calm, like anything else that's worth it, this too takes work and dedication. I takes time and patience to figure out what works and what doesn't and your preferences will also change over time as you open yourself up to try new foods. You won't always be stuck with the prepackaged foods because they are already calorie counted, in fact you may move away from them all together as you research and learn more and more about nutrition which you most certainly will as you go along.

    Here are some tips from me to you:

    1. HONESTY - If you haven't already, get honest with yourself and the process.
    2. WATER & FIBER - Make water and fiber your new best friends:)
    3. MEASURE - Portion control and using the scale are my best tools.
    4. SLEEP - Get enough sleep and figure out how to destress in a healthy way for you.
    5. MOVE - Move at least 30 minutes per day in a measurable way with room for improvement.
    6. FRIENDS - Find people on here that are POSITIVE and SUPPORTIVE and make some friends.
    7. POSITIVITY - Don't listen to the haters or react to the snarky sarcastic comments, they are miserable people.
    8. CONSIDER - Take everyone's advice with a grain of salt, you are gonna have to figure it out for yourself anyway.
    9. FORGIVENESS - When you slip up acknowledge it, forgive yourself, and MOVE ON.
    10. HOPE - Remember, everyone is unique and travels their own path, but they don't have to do it alone:)

    Good luck! -Nancy
  • AbsolutelyAnnie
    AbsolutelyAnnie Posts: 2,695 Member
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    Don't be afraid. If you are genuinely freaked out about this you need to talk to your doctor. If you are just being dramatic, you are not helping yourself. Settle down a little.

    I would encourage you to be eating around 1500 calories for starters. Do not go with the 1200 baseline that MFP will often give you if you set your goal at 2lbs per week and your activity level at sedentary. That is simply not enough food.

    I would also encourage you to leave the macros alone for now, and try not to worry about them at all for the time being. I respect folks who are finding success with super low carbs, but it isn't for everyone, and can cause problems for some.

    Plan ahead. Use the freshest food you can afford. If produce is too expensive, frozen is better than canned. Prepared meals are easy, but often loaded with sodium. Your idea of adding extra vegetables and chicken is a good one. But go ahead and broil the chicken, or cook it up in a pan with a little olive oil; boiling just seems so sad. If you are new to cooking, this site has some good recipes. http://www.skinnytaste.com/

    This MFP thread should be required reading for all new folks.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    Move more. Walking is good exercise. Drink plenty of water. Get enough sleep. Find some sane "friends" on MFP who will answer your questions. (I'd accept your friend request.) Be a little careful of the forums. Just saying.
  • truelight_photo_craig
    truelight_photo_craig Posts: 347 Member
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    exstromn wrote: »
    Stay calm, like anything else that's worth it, this too takes work and dedication. I takes time and patience to figure out what works and what doesn't and your preferences will also change over time as you open yourself up to try new foods. You won't always be stuck with the prepackaged foods because they are already calorie counted, in fact you may move away from them all together as you research and learn more and more about nutrition which you most certainly will as you go along.

    Here are some tips from me to you:

    1. HONESTY - If you haven't already, get honest with yourself and the process.
    2. WATER & FIBER - Make water and fiber your new best friends:)
    3. MEASURE - Portion control and using the scale are my best tools.
    4. SLEEP - Get enough sleep and figure out how to destress in a healthy way for you.
    5. MOVE - Move at least 30 minutes per day in a measurable way with room for improvement.
    6. FRIENDS - Find people on here that are POSITIVE and SUPPORTIVE and make some friends.
    7. POSITIVITY - Don't listen to the haters or react to the snarky sarcastic comments, they are miserable people.
    8. CONSIDER - Take everyone's advice with a grain of salt, you are gonna have to figure it out for yourself anyway.
    9. FORGIVENESS - When you slip up acknowledge it, forgive yourself, and MOVE ON.
    10. HOPE - Remember, everyone is unique and travels their own path, but they don't have to do it alone:)

    Good luck! -Nancy

    Best.Advice.Ever.
  • rachel19815
    rachel19815 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Nancy- Great post. I like the 10 suggestions you posted, I need to remember them :)
  • exstromn
    exstromn Posts: 168 Member
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    rachel19815 wrote: »
    Nancy- Great post. I like the 10 suggestions you posted, I need to remember them :)

    Hi Rachel, these are on my fridge. I read em when I need em. Have a great day! -Nancy
  • exstromn
    exstromn Posts: 168 Member
    Options
    toadhunter911 wrote: »
    exstromn wrote: »
    Stay calm, like anything else that's worth it, this too takes work and dedication. I takes time and patience to figure out what works and what doesn't and your preferences will also change over time as you open yourself up to try new foods. You won't always be stuck with the prepackaged foods because they are already calorie counted, in fact you may move away from them all together as you research and learn more and more about nutrition which you most certainly will as you go along.

    Here are some tips from me to you:

    1. HONESTY - If you haven't already, get honest with yourself and the process.
    2. WATER & FIBER - Make water and fiber your new best friends:)
    3. MEASURE - Portion control and using the scale are my best tools.
    4. SLEEP - Get enough sleep and figure out how to destress in a healthy way for you.
    5. MOVE - Move at least 30 minutes per day in a measurable way with room for improvement.
    6. FRIENDS - Find people on here that are POSITIVE and SUPPORTIVE and make some friends.
    7. POSITIVITY - Don't listen to the haters or react to the snarky sarcastic comments, they are miserable people.
    8. CONSIDER - Take everyone's advice with a grain of salt, you are gonna have to figure it out for yourself anyway.
    9. FORGIVENESS - When you slip up acknowledge it, forgive yourself, and MOVE ON.
    10. HOPE - Remember, everyone is unique and travels their own path, but they don't have to do it alone:)

    Good luck! -Nancy

    Best.Advice.Ever.

    Thanks, hang in there brother! -Nancy

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