My Diet Dilemma

jaymadfour
jaymadfour Posts: 10 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've been using this MFP app for almost a week now, still working out how to log everything correctly. I also started working out last week. So I am a complete fitness newbie here. May need some "explain like I'm 5" help.

I've found that even though it seems like I am eating huge meals at times, I am still routinely 500+ calories away from my calorie goal.

Thing is, I am a Vegetarian, well I have been one for the past 2 months or so. Not for any ethical reason, I am not attached to it like that. My reason for not eating meat is gallstones. I used to have a ridiculously painful flare up every few weeks, then I stopped eating meat in an attempt to lower my cholesterol intake. The only flare-up I have had since is when I accidentally ate some meat at Taco Bell(stupid people put meat in my food even though I always order it with no meat). This may be a case of confirmation bias, but the results speak for themselves.

My diet is the typical "new vegetarian" type of deal, meaning lots of Veggie Burgers, faux meats, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, etc. I also eat a lot of those microwave platters, the cheap pasta ones. But I am rambling.

Like I said, it seems like I eat a TON, and I get full from it, but I am still not getting anywhere close to my Calorie Goals, especially since MFP adds more calories when I exercise, and I spend all my work shift walking and lifting stuff (I work in a retail store).

Is this a function of my chosen diet? What can I do here? I would not be opposed to adding Fish and Seafood to my diet if needed, but I am worried that it will aggravate my gallbladder again. I can't afford to have it removed.

But at the same time, I want to lose weight and get stronger/faster and it seems like I am not eating enough, even though I feel like I eat HUGE lunches and dinners. I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place here.

Any advice?

Replies

  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
    Try adding calorie dense food. Nuts, but butters, cheese, avocado, olive oil, etc...
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    MFP adds a ridiculous number of calories for exercise. If I were an Olympic athlete I could understand 639 calories burned for 45 minutes on an ellipitical but I'm doubting I burn that much. Can you eat back 1/2 of your calories?

    I don't do well with eating back calories so I've set mine at the minimum number of calories I can take in without starving and binging, then I stick to that and I do better.
  • __butterfly
    __butterfly Posts: 10 Member
    What do you eat on a typical day and what is your daily calorie intake?
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Many successful users of mfp eat back 1/2 of their exercise calories, no more.
  • jaymadfour
    jaymadfour Posts: 10 Member
    edited April 2016
    __butterfly wrote: »
    What do you eat on a typical day and what is your daily calorie intake?

    I have been able to get to 1800 regularly so far, but that's with some fairly large dinners(i think). I normally finish the day with about 450-600 calories remaining.

    My diary should be set to public if you want to look at it. I have some other issues with what I eat that I noticed(waaaaaay too much salt and sugar), but thats another topic for another day. Nothing to do about it until I work through the food I have and go to buy some more.
  • jaymadfour
    jaymadfour Posts: 10 Member
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    Many successful users of mfp eat back 1/2 of their exercise calories, no more.

    Is it possible that I am worrying for no reason here?
  • jaymadfour
    jaymadfour Posts: 10 Member
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    You're likely going way low fat. How badly do fats affect your galbladder? Some mainly respond to meats but might be ok with nuts or avocados.

    I am more aiming for low cholesterol. I think that is what causes my flareups.
  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
    I personally found that red meat caused flare ups, fish, chicken breast and seafood were fine for me. Dairy wasnt good. Any mince and steak would see me rolling around the shower floor in agony.

    How aggressive is your goal? I would personally wait and see what your actual losses come out at before getting overly concerned. Unless you are tired, grumpy have brain fog you seem to be on track.
  • jaymadfour
    jaymadfour Posts: 10 Member
    edited April 2016
    thunder1982 wrote: »
    I personally found that red meat caused flare ups, fish, chicken breast and seafood were fine for me. Dairy wasnt good. Any mince and steak would see me rolling around the shower floor in agony.

    How aggressive is your goal? I would personally wait and see what your actual losses come out at before getting overly concerned. Unless you are tired, grumpy have brain fog you seem to be on track.

    Like I said, I am not terribly opposed to adding Fish/Seafood to my diet if I need to. I am just being overly wary cause like you said, rolling on the floor in agony.
  • jaymadfour
    jaymadfour Posts: 10 Member
    Gotta say that this app has opened my eyes to a few things also. Like how I eat an absurd amount of Salt without even thinking about it.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    It may be too late for your Gall Bladder if it is already full of stones. It is usually caused by a low fat diet. It appears now you are stuck now with low fat because of the stones. Make sure you are taking plenty of magnesium. Good luck. :)
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