Shocking first day of food tracking

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  • robingmurphy
    robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
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    That's probably the biggest benefit of logging for me. It makes me constantly ask myself if the food I'm eating is tasty and filling enough to warrant the calories it's costing me, and whether there's anything lower calories that would be more tasty or filling. There often is. It makes cake/candy/cookies/brownies not worth it to me unless they are REALLY amazing or it's a special occasion. I walked right past a plate of chocolates left in the breakroom because they were just Hershey's or something and if I'm going to use calories on chocolate it's going to be HIGH QUALITY, baby.
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,900 Member
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    For me I am so taken aback when I see that I only have 500 cal left for dinner :'(
  • Wingsont84
    Wingsont84 Posts: 335 Member
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    Been living off eggs or chicken and veggies.
    Made a sweet chilli chicken tonight though
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    You can eat a lot of food for 1400 cals if you plan properly. For starters, pack every meal with vegetables.
  • geordynkirsch
    geordynkirsch Posts: 18 Member
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    It's crazy isn't it!?! I've been on and off MFP for a few years and I've always thought I eat pretty decent. Never fast food, no pop or candy or sweets etc, but my 1400 cal goal is HARD sometimes! I always think "oh this can't be so bad" but even though it seems healthier it's still lots of calories... makes me sad Haha I love food!

    It also doesn't help that I work out in the morning so I am CONSTANTLY hungry all throughout the day, anyone else have that problem???
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    Ditto on this scale. Been using several years. Batteries last amazingly long for something in use multiple times every meal, multiple meals per day. It came with batteries that lasted >2 years.
  • SilverRose89
    SilverRose89 Posts: 447 Member
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    Yeah it's eye opening for sure.

    For me it's the things I just wouldn't even consider before, like how much pesto I'm mixing into my pasta dish. That really adds up! And you know what, I discovered that halving the amount of pesto in the meal doesn't even make a difference to how much I enjoy it. So I get the same meal and something extra for the same calories.
  • TMcChamp
    TMcChamp Posts: 165 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Are you using a food scale yet? If not, wait until the first time you see how small a "serving" of peanut butter actually is.

    I'm still not recovered from this one
  • slimbyjune18
    slimbyjune18 Posts: 101 Member
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    Mostly used to portion sizes now, however, today 60g of cooked rice looked tiny! Surprised how filling it was in the end.
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
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    Whenever I fall off the wagon I lose all sense of how my little snacks and bites add up. A 6 pack of 80 calories yogurt in a day, plus meals and other bites of whatever? Easily 500 to 1000 over budget.

    My first calorie counting experience was with books, pen, and paper for nutrition class in college. Over 3000 calories worth of Chinese food, Hagen Daaz, cheese crackers, Little Debbie. Much needed wake up call.
  • koslowkj
    koslowkj Posts: 188 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Are you using a food scale yet? If not, wait until the first time you see how small a "serving" of peanut butter actually is.

    Or an ounce of cheese. :sad:

    I use shredded cheese when possible instead of sliced cheese. Even in things like sandwiches sometimes. 1 oz of shredded cheese seems to go a lot further than 1 oz of sliced cheese so it's easier for me to put less on.

    Of course that could just be all in my head.
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    edited January 2018
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    srclark89 wrote: »
    My rubbish bin mentality got to me yesterday. I have been doing really well, then, my older son left a piece of pizza on his plate. As it glistened and shone at me I thought what a waste. Then it was in my mouth. I have decided the best course of action is to ask him to through his leftovers in the bin.

    If you look at it as "a waste" to eat it when you do not need it - that may help you overcome that. It is a waste to consume excess calories - it is a waste because it counters the work you've done to become healthy and creates more work for you to get rid of those excess calories and fat. It serves no nutritional purpose if it puts you over your daily calories - unless you plan on eating less the next day. :)

    This is how I think of it. It's just as wasteful to eat something I don't need as it is to throw it away. Whether energy is put into the trash or stored as excess fat on my body, it's equally wasteful.

    I'm used to cooking for a lot of people but now it's just me and my adult son. Needless to say, re-learning portions has been a long, slow process. My five dogs happily eat whatever leftovers they can safely consume (they're a healthy weight and quite active) and sometimes my cats will assist, as well.

    OP, I don't know where you live, but if you travel to other countries and eat in places not geared towards those of us in the "supersized" US, you notice that portions do not seem very large at all. They are using correct portions, we're just used to 20 oz steaks and entire chickens made for one meal/one person(meat the size of a deck of cards? C'MON, I'll starve!)

    It's so bad that we actually have TV shows geared towards watching supersized men eat heart-stopping amounts of food. That's considered entertainment in the US! I live in Las Vegas, we have the Heart Attack Grill. If you don't know what that is, look it up. Or don't . . . it's disgusting!!
  • Fitnessmom82
    Fitnessmom82 Posts: 376 Member
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    whitpauly wrote: »
    Very eye opening! There's a shredded chicken salad I adore at Cafe Rio,I was eyeballing it at around 400-500 calories cuz lean chicken,lettuce,pico,etc,,after I started tracking and realized it actually has 1200-1400 I was floored! Still eat it but have 1/2 for lunch then 1/2 for dinner

    That salad killed me when I saw how many calories!! For years I ate it thinking it was all good. Now I realize it can use up my entire calories for the day. So disappointing haha!!
  • dadsafrantic
    dadsafrantic Posts: 183 Member
    edited January 2018
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    mlh2018 wrote: »
    I have never tracked food in any way. No calorie counting or macros. So today I started tracking and let me tell you. I set up my account and the app recommends me on a 1400 calorie diet. I think alright that’s do able for now. I grab my breakfast sandwich and bam 700 calories!

    hahahahahahahahaha. we've all been there. welcome to the club. now get to work. try intermittent fasting too. some people love it.
  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
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    working fish or shrimp into the daily plan helps the total
  • 69HealthyMe
    69HealthyMe Posts: 24 Member
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    I think the most shocking is when dining out. The calories can be crazy.
  • CMS_3049
    CMS_3049 Posts: 20 Member
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    It’s very eye opening when you take that 500 calorie item, such a hot chocolate that doesn’t even count as a meal, and then you realize it’ll take Running a 10K to counterbalance it.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Jimmy Dean has some light breakfast sandwiches. Little changes add up!

    Or, you can eat breakfast at home.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
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    TonyB0588 wrote: »
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Jimmy Dean has some light breakfast sandwiches. Little changes add up!

    Or, you can eat breakfast at home.

    Jimmy Dean are from the freezer at home are they not?

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