Needing to lose 136 pounds, any tips?

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xBrookex2
xBrookex2 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Im 25, 5'0, and needing to lose 136 pounds. My Dr told me to stay within 1500-2000 calories per day with lots of water. However, she also told me I needed to aim for around 126 grams of protein so I wouldnt lose a lot of muscle. I am having issues figuring out what to eat and issues on how to make it taste good so I don't cave in for the goodies instead. I try to think of stuff to cook and pack for lunch at work, but my mind goes completely blank.

What are y'alls tips and tricks on choosing what to eat while staying within calorie and protein budget? All help is appreciated. :smile:
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Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Your calorie budget is pretty generous, so you can fit in alot of things (congratulations on your Dr's good sense, by the way. You wouldn't believe what people tell us their doctors say). The best thing to do is look at how you're eating now--breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Some people just modify what they're eating now--start tracking it, that means a digital food scale, and weighing and measuring everything you eat and drink. There are alot of good threads on here for ideas and what you can take to work. Just do a search. You will find yourself slowly branching out and trying new things. Your Dr is correct about protein--watch that in your food diary (it's below the columns next to carbs, fat, sodium and sugar. Protein will help you save muscle and curb hunger. Lean proteins are the best at first. Chicken breast, lean pork, or other cuts of meat are great choices. Eggs and greek yogurt, or protein powder can help you hit your goals. MFP is full of information. Watch the boards at first and learn. Also try to move more. Walking is great at first. Best of luck and welcome.
  • Libellue23
    Libellue23 Posts: 76 Member
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    Little goals.
    I have over 150 to move.
    10 more to my first goal.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    2000 calories is huge. Stay out of restaurants, use smaller plates, don't go back for seconds, don't snack between meals and you're there. As for what to pack for lunch, I used to take a bologna sandwich to work every day.
  • ZephieC
    ZephieC Posts: 162 Member
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    I think it is important to enjoy what you eat so you could look at modifying how you cook and eat meals at home. Since I started (just a couple weeks ago) I absolutely ensure I prepare my breakfast and lunch for work the night before. One lunch I have been loving is a chef's salad. A large bed of lettuce, cooked egg whites, chopped ham, cheese, chopped apple, whatever veggies I have like cucumber and a couple Tbsp of dressing. I can barely finish it and with the egg and ham I get lots of protein so it doesn't feel like rabbit food. I do measure and weigh everything to meet my goals. If you plan a bit you can absolutely make it happen. Sometimes I also cook up a tray of chicken breasts (if on sale) or boneless pork on the weekend and it is ready to use during the week. Frozen stir fry veggies make meals easy too and they are just as healthy as fresh. Also, don't think you have to stick to stereotypical meals, if you want eggs for supper go for it, if you want leftovers for breakfast, have at it. You can enjoy this and make it a lifestyle change. Oh, and I wasn't much of a water drinker. I put an app on my phone "water drink reminder." You input when you get up and when you go to bed and every hour you get a little reminder asking you if you've had anything to drink. I am managing about 100 ounces a day now.
    Good luck!
  • ottacat
    ottacat Posts: 10 Member
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    Great advice from your doctor and great for you to come here and post. Start out by tracking your calorie consumption using MyFitnessPal (MFP). If you eat out, there is still a good chance MFP has the dish so you can log it. If it isn't in MFP, look up the calories on the restaurant's website and add them.

    It will take a while for you to discover all the sources of calories in your diet. My doctor started me out with the simple advice - don't out, don't eat things made with white flour or white sugar. I don't make it 100% but I try.

    Next as you have said you need to discover things you like when you cook yourself. If you are committed to losing the weight then this will be the biggest part of your journey and will take the most work. You will need to learn how to cook and you will need to search, try and discover recipes for things you like.

    A few tips... Breakfast - start with toast, butter and an egg. Most people like that. I personally have that on some days and on others I have steel cut oatmeal cooked in a rice cooker and mixed with homemade unsweetened apple sauce, 1/2 scoop of protein powder and cinnamon. For lunch - a sandwich and a piece of fruit. I eat more roasts with the aim of leftover meat for my lunch sandwiches. However make whatever you like, just make sure you log it properly in MFP. For dinner, a good starter is the basic three part meal - a meat (try to stick to 4-5 oz. serving), a starch (I love brown rice made with chicken stock - but potatoes or sweet potatoes are good too) and a vegetable. Snacks between meals can be nuts, fruits or vegetables.

    Eat before you get too hungry, once hunger sets in you will either not be satisfied or you will eat too much trying to get full. I find in order to last between lunch and dinner I need a good snack including protein around 3:00pm. For protein I've used either nuts, shrimp or leftover meats.

    Finally, losing that much weight will take time. Aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week. The key is consistency. Every day I start the day with the mantra - 'eat breakfast, pack lunch, take out dinner'.

    Some here make their food diaries public. Take a look at them for ideas.

    Good luck!
  • cpurpero
    cpurpero Posts: 9 Member
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    Advocare. Not only does it have products to help you a long the way, it also teaches the lifestyle change.
  • rylache
    rylache Posts: 8 Member
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    I am also on a high protein/low carb diet. It can be difficult to find all your protein sources throughout the day. In the morning I try to eat eggs, cheese and turkey sausage, all are a great protein source. Whole wheat bread if you need a carb. If you are on the go like me, Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches on flatbread are my go to breakfast. Lunch is usually grilled meat, cottage cheese, cucumber slices and greek yogurt for dessert. Dinner is always a meat and vegetable, or salad with grilled meat, lots of fish and turkey in my house, stay away from starchy root vegetables, go for dark green or cauliflower (my favorite). Snack on almonds, (recommend the individual packs as not to over eat) and cheese sticks. Still that can be short of your goal, I also use Muscle Milk powder mixed with unsweetened soy milk and protein bars to supplement. I have lost 40lbs in 5 months and exercise 3 times a week. You can do this, you have a lot going for you. I wish I had started taking better care of myself at 25. Good for you!
  • hale03071
    hale03071 Posts: 63 Member
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    The key to keeping yourself within the 1500-2000 calories (which is a VERY do-able amount of calories) and not feel hungry or deprived is to maximize your protein intake by having protein rich snacks like plain Greek yogurt, cheese, nuts. With your meals the same, a good serving of protein, lots of vegetables and a small serving of healthy carbs like sweet potato, quinoa, etc. The goal is limit the amount of simple carbs to keep you feeling satisfied. Budget yourself a treat during the day, like a 1/2 cup of light ice cream or small serving of whatever snack food you like. Most importantly, this is not a diet, this has to be a change in lifestyle/eating habits in order for you to be successful in the long term.

    On the weight loss, break it down into mini-goals so the total doesn't seem so impossible. Start with losing 20 lbs, then reward yourself with non-food like a manicure, new book, new outfit, etc. If you ever get discouraged, google what 5 lbs of fat looks like, you may feel like it isn't much, but is significant.
  • whirlyruns
    whirlyruns Posts: 23 Member
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    Budgetbytes.com has some good, fairly simple recipes
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    I started out with Lean Cuisine for lunch. Not maybe the healthiest choice but it was within my calorie allotment for the day and weaned me off of takeout chinese food. Eventually I started creating my own with more protein and less starch, substituting veggie strands for the pasta and increasing the protein. I bring a couple pieces of fruit and use a rye cracker with low fat cream cheese for breakfast or alternatively I like a slice of whole grain toast with low fat peanut butter. Dinner is usually lean meat or fish (4 ounces), rice or potato (1/2 cup) and some type of veggie (1 or 2 cups). This leaves me room a few treats in the evening. I'm on 1200 to 1400 calories so you have a bit more room. I also don't probably get as much protein as I should. You could add in a snack of low sugar greek yogurt or alternatively some low fat string cheese or a small handful of almonds or some other healthy nut. If you like smoothies a nice protein powder smoothie works (whey isolate is the least revolting in my opinion). I make one with chocolate whey isolate, 1/2 banana, ice, and cashew milk with PB2 powder. It rocks. For amazing meal recipes try skinnytaste.com and inspiralized.com. Good luck.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    To make counting and logging easier, I've standardized my breakfasts. I picked something easy to measure that gets me easy protein and fat in the mornings - I have a set serving of full-fat cottage cheese and my morning coffee. That's 25 grams of protein before I walk out the door.

    When I'm working harder to maintain a deficit, I try to standardize my lunches too. I shop once a week so I standardize by the week.

    Last week I bought a pack of small flour tortillas, some baby spinach, and thin-sliced deli ham. A smear of butter or boursin cheese on the tortilla, line it with baby spinach and 2-3 ounces of ham, roll it up, and its a 200-calorie lunch sandwich. Add a cup of soup or an apple or a 1-ounce serving of nuts for your larger calorie budget.

    This week I'm having chicken salad - I poached a chicken breast, chopped it, mixed it with greek yogurt and a little bit of mayo. Stuff that into a half pita with some lettuce and tomato and its about 250 calories and 25 grams of protein.

    WIth stuff like that, after I make it, I sometimes divide it into individual mason jars before it goes in the fridge. ALl I have to do in the morning is pull out a jar of whatever the protein is, throw some greens into another container, and grab whatever starch I'm choosing. Really quick and easy.
  • hellobaconplease
    hellobaconplease Posts: 108 Member
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    Lots of eggs and meat. God I love protein!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    2000 calories is huge. Stay out of restaurants, use smaller plates, don't go back for seconds, don't snack between meals and you're there. As for what to pack for lunch, I used to take a bologna sandwich to work every day.

    Why to the bolded? One can fit restaurant meals, seconding helpings and snacks into their daily calorie allowance easily.

    You are correct. It wasn't my intention to say that one must do that but to point out that if one were to do that then they would fall below the 2,000 calorie mark without even trying. Generally, people aren't going to do those things but choose to track calories instead.
  • katiepoo22
    katiepoo22 Posts: 58 Member
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    Slimzone meals if ur in the uk also Healthy cereals and cereal bars fruit Greek you don't starve yourself that's my tip make sure you eat enough to feel full but hose the right things
  • cpurpero
    cpurpero Posts: 9 Member
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    My dr told me you will fail if you don't meal plan. I go to Pinterest to get ideas and have been making myself pack for the week. I wasn't very good at it at first because I don't like the repetitive eating but I am getting use to it.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
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    I wish more doctors had sense yours does!

    My biggest recommendation is make changes you can live with, so they will stick. It HAS to be forever or you'll be doing it again.

    For protein I like the usual sources, like chicken, fish, and turkey. I also eat greek yogurt and cheese daily, hard boiled eggs frequently, nut butter daily, and black beans every week. I used to eat protein bars, but found myself burned out on them after a short time.

    Make one change a week. Week one, maybe start weighing your food. No changes, just weighing so you see how much you're really eating and where you can improve. Week two, smaller portions. Week three, add an after dinner walk. Week four, drop the soda. Etc etc. Whatever small change you can work into your life will help you make this a habit, and get the ball rolling. Slow and steady with a weight loss like this. You'll likely put up some big numbers the first month but remember it took time to put it on, it comes off with time. Feel free to add me - I've been at this about 3 years, with a break from Feb of last year until recently to have a healthy pregnancy. I'm 55lbs into a 117lb goal.

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