Struggling with the amount of food allowed to be eaten !!!

I had the same question, but didn't want to ask, because everyone I've ever known 'on a diet' has complained about being hungry, or too many foods being 'off limits'.

I have no appetite, so I'm pretty much forcing myself to eat 3 proper meals a day, before, I was just grazing, I'm almost a month in, and sure the pattern will stick with repetition. The issue I have is coming to the evening, not being hungry, and realising I still have 500 calories left to use up, a heavy meal in the evening doesn't suit me, need to sort out my planning, possibly prep some meals in advance so I know what my range is.

My macro balance is out of whack, I'm sensitive to processed carbs, but still have lots of complex carbs from vegetables- I'm going to look at my Low FODMAP book again, and see how that sits with calorie counting.

There must be a better way than loading tortilla chips and mayo onto my evening meal, to 'make up' calories!

jolecr wrote: »

yes...... I am trying to lose weight ,I am an extra 10kg since last June having had my thryoid taken out - with the information asked and entered into my fitness pal I was given daily calorie intake as 1,200. I am weighing my food out and following the calorie charts, controlling that I don't go over the carbs, fats , proteins etc.
Could be that ,before , I ate less but certainly more pasta and cheese and less vegetables

Many people treat the fat and protein numbers as MINIMUMS. If you're trying to lose weight, that is determined by your calorie intake. The macros are for nutrition and if you find it easier to eat more fat or protein, then you can do that (unless you've received medical guidance to the contrary).

jolecr wrote: »

yes...... I am trying to lose weight ,I am an extra 10kg since last June having had my thryoid taken out - with the information asked and entered into my fitness pal I was given daily calorie intake as 1,200. I am weighing my food out and following the calorie charts, controlling that I don't go over the carbs, fats , proteins etc.
Could be that ,before , I ate less but certainly more pasta and cheese and less vegetables

It's fine to go over any of the macros, although at 1200 you will want to eat at least the minimum protein.

With only 10 kg to lose, 1 kg/week would be an overly aggressive goal, also, as others have said.

Have you changed your diet dramatically? Are you cutting out foods or being very restrictive in what you can eat?

@jolecr We are close in age:-). Looking at your posts, I wonder if you have enough variety to keep your food intake interesting enough for you. Sometimes-especially as we get older, 'food boredom' equals appetite loss. Eating foods, rather than drinking them, provide us with some nutritional benefits we cannot get from juicing. My suggestion would be to not add 'junk, processed foods' back in your diet. We aim to eat healthfully- no matter our size. Maybe start seeing if you can get out of the rut by concentrating on whole, clean foods and eating variety for at least one of your meals.

As an example: you say you enjoyed more pasta 'before'. Pasta can be part of a healthy diet for those of us who do not have gluten-issues. Adding good proteins and fats and veg to your pasta can certainly give you a good start to getting enough calories while eating well. A recipe with 558 cal per serving is here- https://www.sargento.com/recipes/dinner/chicken-and-vegetable-parmesan-pasta/ It uses skim milk, that you could sub heavy cream for to get additional calories. There are other veg that you can add for visual and taste interest. Chopped egg and/or nuts can almost always be added for more nutrient value and interest. There are lots of different nuts to choose from.

If you wanted a cold pasta salad, you can do tuna, chicken, steak, ham, or shrimp for protein. Add pasta, grated cheese of your choice and colorful, crisp ray veg of your choice. Chopped boiled egg and nuts, and a fruit- like grapes, pineapple, chopped apple can add interest, too. With mayo (or olive oil and lemon for those who don't 'like' mayo or do not know what it is made from:-) ) as a binder, some salt and pepper or other seasonings, you will find it very hard to get under 400 cal per serving. Topping with avocado will give you more healthy fat and increase calories.

Try a protein whip, fluff, or smoothie for a meal -or dessert . It can be made with protein powder and fresh or frozen fruits. There are some recipes on MFP. Apple slices with a natural nut butter can be rolled in chopped nuts or seeds for a treat. This will be an almost 400 calorie treat, depending on amounts and types.

-Another thought: Sometimes lack of appetite is caused by other things-like medications and/or depression. This has been a tough year. You have had thyroid surgery and been working at losing weight on top of all of the world issues we have faced. Tell your doctor about your lack of appetite, please. We are both still on the young side of life! Wishing you the best:-)

What helps me is variety and flavor. I like trying new recipes and flavors.