SHOCKING 2500 plus calories

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Lotus1980
Lotus1980 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have calculated a typical day for me (before i started MFP) in calories and am horified that i was consuming over 2500 calories a day most days no wonder i was gaining weight, 1000 typically just at lunch being a pre-packed sandwich crisps and a chocolate bar.
Because i never understood calories i stayed away, this site has really helped me, i just hope that i can carry on being more healthy so it just comes naturally, just knowing what goes into your body can tell you a lot about how you feel, why do we convince ourselves its not our fault or we dont know how its happening, we say 'this one bag of crisps wont hurt' or 'this chocolate bar wont make much difference' but when were saying it 5 times a day IT DOES. Now i know if i fancy a treat its ok, just know what i have already put into my body that day and be more picky about my treat, instead of dipping half a pack of biscuits into my sugary tea then feel bloated/sluggish i am excited to treat myself to 3 biscuits.
I have also noticed that if i start my day off without sugar in my tea i have less of a sweet tooth for the rest of the day.

Replies

  • sophieshaped
    sophieshaped Posts: 228 Member
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    Well said! Agree with that for sure. Calorie counting is the only thing that has 'clicked' with me.
  • kathrynthomas5
    kathrynthomas5 Posts: 24
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    Well said. MFP is so helpful when it comes to calories. So many people are unaware of how many calories they are eating. Another issue is serving sizes, just another way MFP can help. Best wishes for your journey.
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    I log it, but I don't really care what my calories are....if I want to maintain my weight, I need 2400 calories a day. I'm trying to lose 2lbs a week so it cuts it to 1500 a day +exercise if I want to eat some back.

    It really helps in letting you know how fast things can add up though.
  • ifeelsqueaky
    ifeelsqueaky Posts: 193
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    Yes it is so easy for us to overeat and blame it on someone else. I think a lot of people do it and until you have the revelation that you have described, it's so simple just to say "It isn't me!" But I think once you have had this realisation it's so much easier to keep on track because you realise that only YOU are responsible for what's going in and you're the only one who can change it.

    It sounds like you are well on the way to a slimmer you - whoo! :smile:
  • anevels
    anevels Posts: 16 Member
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    This site really has helped me understand portion control too. Just this past holiday, I took a "break" from MFP, but I still decided to note everything I ate over the holiday weekend. I was HORRIFIED to see just how many calories I really did eat a meal just grazing & tasting. It was over 2500 calories a meal, not a day. So just being actively engaged and tracking my intake, I now understand just how much mindless & random eating negatively impacted my weight, my health and my day to day focus. hang in there and just remember, people are there online to help, we just need to reach out and ask.
  • Diana35bha
    Diana35bha Posts: 292 Member
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    Congratulations on taking that first step to a healthier you!!

    I also was shocked once I started using the diary and it has made a huge difference to what I eat.

    Good luck on your journey!

    Di
    :flowerforyou:
  • hosment
    hosment Posts: 12
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    It can be so shocking to realise how many calories you're putting into your body every day without thinking. Just the act of tracking your food and realising what's in it is really empowering because it enables you to make choices about what you're eating. I have been shocked by the colossal amounts of calories in some things, and some other things that I thought were bad turned out not to be so bad after all. It's certainly a real eye-opener. Good luck!
  • katepolden
    katepolden Posts: 38
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    Absolutely!!
    The best thing I found was being able to spot the things that piled on the weight on and think - are they worth it. E.G. the 2 chocolate bickies at work - not worth it but the glass of wine on a friday night definatley worth it!
  • CharlotteAnneUK
    CharlotteAnneUK Posts: 186 Member
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    I found litte changes helped me, things like going to Quorn Sausages rather than Pork or Quorn mince in spagetti. My husband has been very supportive in this although I have said ik would still do him Pork whilst I have Quorn, but he has joined in in eating them with me. As long as I promise not to turn Veggi he is happy to continue supporting.

    It was also suggested freezing Grapes, I thought this a little odd until I tried it. doing this I eat less of them and they fill me up more. One thing I would say is if you do try it, dont take lots out of the freezer at a time, as they are a little too squiggy for me once they defrost.
  • Lotus1980
    Lotus1980 Posts: 18 Member
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    Thank you all so much for your support
  • candistyx
    candistyx Posts: 547 Member
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    I am pretty sure I was eating over 3500 calories a day before this. And some days WAY above that...
  • Givemewings
    Givemewings Posts: 864 Member
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    I agree!! This site has helped me so much....and realising how many calories I am consuming certainly encourages me to stay away from the bad stuff!!
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
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    I also calculated how calories I used to eat in a recipe function, so that I can always look back and see how far I've come.

    I used to eat an average of 3912 calories, 561 grams of carbs, 135 grams of fat, 98 grams of protein and 4523 mg of sodium.

    Myfitnesspal wasn't really the eye opener for me, but it definitely has helped in eating low-cal whole foods and not low-cal "healthy" snack foods that are low in nutrition and high in sodium and sugars.

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