Confused on creating meal plans

So, some of the problems inherent in this sort of thing: calorie estimates, even nutrient estimates, are NEVER 100% accurate. Ever. Mostly because we don't have a lab setting but more real life, where things tend to be less accurate, you know?

- Or to put it in other words: nature never makes things that are 100% identical to each other, and the nutritional and caloric make up of these foods reflects that.
So fruits and veggies, turns out their nutrient content, and sugars (and therefore calories) can vary from variety to variety (like red delicious apple vs. granny smith apple) and nutrient make up of the soil, and even due to ripeness. And this lack of homogeneity goes for any plant-based food, like nuts, seeds, grains - there is going to be some variety no matter what, you know?

And meat, any slight fat differences are going to effect it, eggs - the chicken's diet might impact the eggs nutritional content.

So if you have more than one source for calorie estimates, then you may be getting different estimates based on what exact foods THAT source tested, where they got it, how ripe it was, etc.


- Also, for processed foods, laws ensure that you do not get shorted on the amount of food promised in a container. companies can get some stiff penalties for shorting you. So to help prevent that, a LOT of companies will actually add a little extra food in packages, so any packaged goods you have? By the time you finish an entire package, you will usually have eaten a little more calories than estimated to be in the entire package. :-/


And don't forget, PEOPLE are individual to. So how many calories you burn is ALSO an estimate that will never be 100% accurate due to your own metabolism and so on.

Honestly, an estimate is all you are going to get, no matter what. Best thing to do, IMHO, is to do the diet you've found, and see how it works. Are you a little hungry but not starving? Are you losing like you would expect with this level? If yes to both...it's probably good.

If you are just not losing weight, then you may want to lower the calories. If you are feeling starving all the time, you may not be eating enough.

Good luck

Example: 1 frozen skinless breast of chicken, cooked however you want. 1 serving of a starch such as rice, potatoes, or pasta. 1 serving of pulses such as beans or lentils, 1 serving of bread, 5 servings of vegetables.

You can use those basic numbers for a very wide variety of meals, from soups to casseroles.

I've been in Keto for about 4 weeks. It's been easier than I thought. It's just we started with a good strong mindset. I bought a meal plan from ruled me. But haven't used it a lot. It's ok though.
There are a lot of fre recipes and meal planning if you Google Keto diets. It's a whole new way of eating. You are not as hungry as when you eat carbs, sugar and flours. We are liking it because we are seeing great results. Tracking meals now on fitness pal is making me see hiw the macros come into play.