New and not starting out so well : /

Don't fret it does get easier. You just need to work your way in to a routine and you will get much better at "budgeting" your calories. That, I find, is the best way to look at it that your calories per day is a budget you have to spend and like in all things in life you have to find the best way to make your budget stretch.

Sure you will be hitting your calorie target very soon. Feel free to add me as a friend

Better days will follow as long as you try to discipline yourself.

Agree, it does get easier..

As you get more into the journey, you'll start to change your life style and way of thinking about food.

Don't stress, it's all about learning and understanding .... a good idea is to check out other peoples food diaries for ideas.

It helps me to log my food BEFORE I eat it! it does require some work to plan ahead like that, but that makes a huge difference for me! Don't beat yourself up....keep going, it does get easier! Good luck!!

i went over my calorie intake on my first 3-days. i used those 3-days as my baseline to see exactly how much i was eating normally, without watching calories closely. Once i logged for 3-days i went back and saw where i needed to swap out foods to healther choices and smaller portions and even eliminate foods to make it work for my goals.
it'll get easier......especially when you start to feel the results!! good luck to you!

Hi Celeste, and welcome to MFP! Don't worry, you'll get there - everyone has days when they go over. If I am over, I either do more exercise to burn off the calories, or just tell myself that tomorrow is a new day, then make sure I stick within my calorie range! Do you have your calories set too low? I keep my goal at 1 pound a week. Sometimes I lose more, sometimes less, but it tends to balance out for me. i have tried setting my goal higher, but just can't stay within the recommended calories. Another way to stay motivated on MFP is to make friends with people - the support here is awesome - add me if you want (we are close in age). Also, it's fun and motivating to join different challenges - just go on the community tab and search challenges for one that appeals to you. Good luck!

i plan all my dinners ahead of time. then i enter them in my diary in the am or the day before. that way i can plan my breakfast and lucnch around my most calorie filled meal.

For my entire first week, I just logged what I ate, not really trying to make any changes. I wanted to get an accurate picture of what I was eating before I could come up with a game plan. Then after I could see the trends, I started to change what I was eating -- choosing healthier options, smaller portions, more protein, more fiber. It's not going to happen overnight, and honestly, it's better if it's a gradual change because then it's not such a shock to you. I've found it easier to keep up the healthier eating because I've changed my diet slowly instead of all at once.

So don't sweat your first day. Don't sweat your first week. And when you get into the groove and start doing well with your eating regularly, don't sweat it if you have an off day then either. It's a learning process, and you'll get there. Don't beat yourself up, especially not right now when you're just starting out.

It does get easier. You learn what you can and can't eat. You also learn to exercise more on days when your calories are getting high. I went over the first few days as wel. This is a life style change and change doesn't happen over night!!!! Welcome to the MFP family!!!

It's a journey, not a destination. What I mean is... if you want to get fit and stay fit, it has to be a lifestyle change... one in which you are always teaching yourself healthier habits and occasionally making mistakes (or intentionally - having a cheat dinner). It takes time and discipline but if you continue to be focused on eating well, you will find yourself staying under cals soon. Don't let going over 387 cals discourage you. Give it another solid try today... and tomorrow and the next.