Finding the right meal plan.

karensh1
karensh1 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'3" and I weight 227 lbs. I was advised to eat about 1500 calories a day. I'm not sure if that's 100% correct but I plan on starting with it.

I have decided to change my eating habits instead of going with a weight loss program.

What are a few meal plans that some of you are currently use? What is on your grocery list?

Replies

  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    edited January 2017
    I eat what i want....fine tuned it to make it healthier/lower calorie wherever i could and still be satisfied. Threw in some low calorie veggies to keep me full and satisfied.

    Meal i eat almost daily is a tofu burger (no need to have tofu i just like them) with hot peppers and ketchup on it, with a big plate of green/yellow beans and carrots (frozen veggies mix). If i want sometimes i only eat half the burger bun. That way i can fit in a snack later ;D

    Best meal plan is whatever youll follow happily. Dont overcomplicate it. Just experiment for yourself, Take the time to LEARN how to eat for YOUR body. Do your research and play with macros. I love carbs others thrive off fat.
    Dont cut things you love out. Just learn to have them in the proper portions for your body. Learn to eat something because its worth the calories to you, And is yummy and satisfying. Not just because its there.

    If you try to follow someone elses meal plan youll probably fail pretty fast. Or be very unhappy. Or both.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,750 Member
    My meal plan is one ive made myself, including foods I want and like to eat. My grocery list is foods I want and like to eat..

    Most meals are based around a protein, loads of vegies and some fat. I don't do a lot of bread/pasta/rice/grains but thats personal preference. I usually have something sweet after dinner (normally Yoghurt, fruit, nuts during the week.)
  • generallyme2
    generallyme2 Posts: 403 Member
    edited January 2017
    I eat regular food, no meal plan per say. I eat the same things I make my family but I fit it into my goals. I've been crazy sick since Dec 9th so I'm only just getting back on track (slowly) but pre-sickness, a regular day for me was something like:

    Breakfast: a coconut Greek yogurt with PB stirred in OR a whole grain english muffin with egg, cheese, and a bit of turkey
    Lunch: a couple hard boiled eggs, some turkey, some fruit OR a salad with TONS of veggies, black beans, chicken and Italian dressing (I actually really like salads but I have a hard time with protein so I add beans or eggs or greek yogurt to everything lol)
    Dinner: italian chicken with romas and artichokes on spaghetti with a side salad OR chicken tortilla soup with cut veggies and dip
    Dessert: Depending on how many cals I have left, I do something small like a couple Ferrer Rocher chocolates or something bigger like oatmeal carmelitas... yummm. Mangoes in greek yogurt or strawberries on vanilla ice cream are good too if I have them but I'm big on dessert.

    Obviously those are just examples. I make up a dinner menu every 2 weeks for shopping reasons and try to make new things as often as possible but dinner is almost always a meat, starchy side, 1-2 veggies, and a salad
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    i typically pick a protein for the week (chicken, turkey, pork) and base my meals around it; lunch is normally leftovers from dinner (but a smaller serving)
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
    While I agree with most of what's being said here, so far, here's my opinion:

    1) Calories In, Calories Out is the key to weight loss.
    2) The balance of Carbs/Fats/Proteins can aid or hinder the weight loss, depending on individual circumstances. Each of us is different and you'll need to find the right balance for you.
    3) Although "eating what you want" or "like" is fine, and will work if you stay in caloric deficit, some of us prefer structured "meal plans" or - DARE I say it?? - "DIETS"!!
    4) Having been at this a long time, the "meal plan" I have found that seems to work best for me is the Whole30 protocol. Using their 'meal template' has enabled me to create daily menus that give the right macro balance (C/F/P) and a rich and varied array of micronutrients, i.e., fruits and vegetables.

    Just throwing my 2 cents in. Take it or leave it. Snark on me if you like. Don't care.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    I've tried different "meal plans" on and off over 40 years of failed diet attempts.

    They all failed because the structure of them left me wanting things they eliminated. None of them taught me anything about sustainable weight loss. Some of them gave me interesting recipes, though.

    A calorie deficit is all that is needed for weight loss, and that is liberating knowledge. Like you, OP, I started out with a lot of weight to lose. I found at various times during my weight loss that I was hungrier than others, and quickly learned which foods I personally liked most satisfied that hunger. I learned from these boards that playing around with macro ratios could help with that hunger and that the macro splits which help one individual in that regard might not help another. However, that macro balance in no way affects the weight loss itself. It just matters for satiety, which in turn will affect compliance.

    I'm an ovo lacto vegetarian. I feel satisfied getting in a good amount of protein and fiber. My diet consists of cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs and egg whites, lentils, vegetables, tubers, and whole grains like popcorn, corn tortillas, and oatmeal. I also like bean pastas. I also have a piece of chocolate almost every day and occasionally eat ice cream, cookies, and a Snickers bar.

    I'm doing a cut right now, and I have a maintenance day coming up this weekend. I think I'm going to have a big bowl of frosted flakes for my treat meal.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    karensh1 wrote: »
    I am 5'3" and I weight 227 lbs. I was advised to eat about 1500 calories a day. I'm not sure if that's 100% correct but I plan on starting with it.

    I have decided to change my eating habits instead of going with a weight loss program.

    What are a few meal plans that some of you are currently use? What is on your grocery list?

    The only thing you need to do, to lose weight, is to be eating at the correct calorie intake for your goals. Eat the foods you enjoy-just learn how to fit them into your calories :)

    Start being accurate with portion sizes (a food scale is a great help for this), start consistently tracking your food intake and then aim to hit your calorie target. I also recommend pre-planning your food for the day because you can play around with the numbers to fit in what you want to eat.

    As you go along you'll start to figure out that some foods have a higher satiety level than others (this is an individual thing and will vary between people), you'll also learn what things you can easily substitute with lower calorie options (for me it's diet soda instead of regular, low calorie condiments etc). And then you'll start playing around with different food combinations to make meals more filling-for example I've learned that by adding frozen veggies and canned chicken to low calorie frozen entrees I create very filling meals for under 500 calories.

    Take things slow and keep it simple-focus on your calorie intake and then everything else will sort itself out as you move forward.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories