How in fresh h*ll does anyone stay within their calorie budget?!!!

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  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Reset your goal to .5 lb a week. You should be able to eat at least 1500 calories I would think... maybe more if you are pretty active.
    Your food logging seems off. Check the accuracy on that. Use a food scale to weigh your food. Check the entry you choose from the database is correct.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Annie_01 wrote: »
    How many calories in your Lean Cuisine?

    For breakfast this morning I had 1tbl of peanut butter, 1/2 banana and 2 slices of bread for 250 calories plus a glass of V8 juice for 50 calories.

    I have already logged lunch, dinner and a dessert and am only slightly above 1300 hundred for the day.

    Maybe try a lower calorie bread in the morning. It sounds as if your Lean Cuisine had quite a few calories.

    I eat between 1200 and 1600 calories depending on the day. I try to keep breakfast at around 300 calories...lunch at 450, afternoon/nighttime snack 150 and dinner close to 600. If I am having a lower calorie day I take take some off of each meal.

    This^

    It takes some trial and error. Protein, fat and fiber are all filling, but in different combinations for different people.

    My low calorie breakfast is a Greek yogurt "parfait." Flavored Greek yogurt (Dannon Light & Fit if you aren't adverse to fake sweetener) then sprinkle with Fiber One or Kashi Go Lean cereal, 1/4 C of berries, and some chopped nuts. This is high protein, high fiber a dose of healthy fat and under 250 calories.

    Healthy Choice Steamers have a few high(er) protein meals for under 300 calories. I add some steamed veggies to bump up the serving size.

    Salads with added protein can give you a lot of food. You can do a lot with grilled chicken breast. But you will need to manage the amount dressing. Light dressing can be a lifesaver here. I don't bother with most fat free dressings, they taste weird to me.

    Your activity level may be higher than you think. An investment in an activity tracker would help you find this out.
  • LilacLion
    LilacLion Posts: 579 Member
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    I do lots and lots of Carbs and eat vegan style. It's never difficult to eat at or under my calorie plan (I admit, that I had a little trouble making it up to the calorie limit for the last two days--Stressful situation sort of messed with my appetite, but I'm back) Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle is the least expensive way to eat. For me. It turned out to be the healthiest way as well. I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not. I barely eat any processed food or chemicals--just some seasonings and milk substitutes since I haven't ventured into making my own yet. I don't have any cravings and that's a first for an emotional eater/food addict like me. :wink: I really don't count calories actually but want to log food as an ongoing record. I'm enjoying my new found energy and joy of getting fit. I went from couch potato to eating potatoes and it's working.

    The biggest contribution to saving money for food came from YouTube videos. I learned to slice, dice, mince. plan and cook.
  • FernGitt
    FernGitt Posts: 10 Member
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    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    Replace the sugar in your coffee with non-calorie sweetener.

    Also, that cream will go a lot further if you use either a milk frother or a blender to mix it. I use a T. of cream in 4 cups of coffee, and it is creamier in the blender with 1 T. than 4 T. without a blender.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
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    FernGitt wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

    Wondered if it was the coffee -now your numbers make more sense :) You're on the right path, you just need to tweak a few things to make things easier for you!
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    midwesterner85 wrote: »
    Replace the sugar in your coffee with non-calorie sweetener.

    Also, that cream will go a lot further if you use either a milk frother or a blender to mix it. I use a T. of cream in 4 cups of coffee, and it is creamier in the blender with 1 T. than 4 T. without a blender.


    I'm not the OP but I was never able to make the transition from using sugar in my tea/coffee to artificial sweetener. I've tried them all and I am just too sensitive to the taste. Yuck. The OP sounds like she's particular about taste. It could be that she may not enjoy her coffee at all without the sugar. I have managed to cut back some, but even with purging most sugars out of my regular diet, I've never acclimated to the changes in my coffee/tea. Sad fact. :'( Wish I could. But I just make it part of my life and try to do better in other areas.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    OP I think others have already given you good advice that MFP is a system that derives the targets it provides you on the information YOU enter. If you underestimate your activity level, choose too aggressive of a goal rate of loss, etc - it will give you a relatively low NEAT (exercise not included) calorie target.

    You might want to take a step back and read some of the stickied "Most Helpful Forum Posts" at the top of each section to better understand how the tool works and some good advice on how to maximize your success with MFP. There are also threads about some of the most common questions like why you should be eating back exercise calories, how to accurately log your food using a food scale, what to do if you hit a plateau, etc.

    Here's one of my favorites:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1

    And here is a great collection of a number of topics:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260499/i-like-old-posts-and-i-cannot-lie/p1
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    FernGitt wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

    One of the first changes I made was to 1) get rid of sugared soda, and 2) learn to appreciate black coffee. I rarely drink calories anymore except in a protein shake. You may not have to go to that extreme. Just sharing my experience.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    FernGitt wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I have to go to work so I can't post more till late tonight. I know the app hates my coffee habit (2 cups a day). I enjoy my coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cream (I sometimes used the powdered stuff as well but noticed it only saves me 10 calories.) Again, being a cook, my tastebuds are accustomed to the good stuff but I will try to buy some fat free cream (can't use skim or 2% milk it's just yuck.) Not being a pain in the butt - I know I need to make many dietary changes but Rome wasn't built in a day. ;)

    I fit a massive latte in my day, just have a cup of milk in my coffee and a kashi bar as a sort of standard breakfast. I do like the 2% milk in coffee much better than cream, but that's not my point - My coffee has 200 calories I'm sure between milk and sugar, and still the diet works.

    You just gotta find the squish somewhere in the diet and take it out - you need a sustainable lifestyle, otherwise you just gain it back.
  • LizzyPops2
    LizzyPops2 Posts: 27 Member
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    My goal is 1,200 and I do not log fruit and veg. It has been working very well for me and have lost a stone in just over 2 months
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
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    My goal is at 1,400 and somedays I have to try really hard to get over 1,000. It almost feels like work some days. Then I also have some days where I feel like 1,400 is just a lick and a promise and I want to stuff my face with everything I can reach. I think what you eat matters in this regard. I also think if you weekly goal for weight loss is set too high you will not have enough calories to keep you happy.
  • Kristi26
    Kristi26 Posts: 184 Member
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    It sounds to me like something is wrong. I'm only 5'3" and 122. I get 1300 calories at lightly active for 1lb/week loss. I don't eat at that deficit at this point, but when I did, I ate lots of fruits, vegetables, and meats. I skipped bread, peanut butter, juice, etc because they were too calorie dense.

    Also, I only read through the first several posts so not sure how relevant this is now...
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Be sure to read the sticky posts at the top of each forum. They tell you exactly how yo get the most from this site and the weight loss exercise process.

    You're already in a healthy weight range for your height, maybe your expectations are not realistic. I'm 2 inches shorter than you and would be emaciated at 140! Just sayin.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
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    I find that taking each element I am eating and looking at the alternative choices for each item really adds up over a day.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    I love intermittent fasting...I've lost 130lb so far, and a large part of that has been waiting as late in the day as I can to eat..I stay busy and honestly don't think much of food till 3 or 4pm..then my 1300 calories [I eat only 1300 often] would be this:

    5 servings of egg whites from a carton
    2 servings of oatmeal and 2 splenda packets
    = 425 calories

    200g of sweet potato fries
    1 serving ketchup
    = 200 calories

    1 bag of microwave veggies
    1 serving of Thai sweet Peanut sauce
    6oz baked chicken thigh
    100g avocado
    155g 90second rice
    = 725 calories

    So there's a good example of my diet days food. Hope it helps!

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