What's On Your Mind Today?

Mrs_Hoffer
Mrs_Hoffer Posts: 5,194 Member
This is where you can share what's on your mind. Recipes, ideas, workouts, anything that you think might be helpful to others.

Maybe, you've tried something that has worked for you in the past and would like to share it with the group. Maybe, you have a NSV (Non Scale Victory) that you would like to share with the group. Anything that you feel comfortable sharing or anything that you feel comfortable asking the group for help....this is the place to come.

The GOOD!! What NSV did you have this week!!
The BAD!! So what....you ate the whole thing!!
The UGLY!! That darn scale went through the window this week....it deserved it too!!

So, what's on your mind today??
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Replies

  • Hi! I'm going to start off the discussion with a question. This is my second month doing the UAC, and I have learned so much. My question is to those of you who are experts at this - how do you track restaurant food? Or do you just not eat out? My method had been that if I ate out, I just didn't track that day because I couldn't track perfectly and so I just gave up. We get takeout about once a week - takeout Friday. Last month I saw (thanks to the wisdom of this group) that really wasn't serving me. But I still struggle with letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, maybe. We generally get from restaurants that do not post nutrition info, and have pretty creative and unusual food that isn't a good match to what is in the database. Any tips?

    My favorite restaurant just announced they are closing in 2 weeks (so sad!) so I have a feeling there will be more takeout on my menu for the next 2 weeks. They are one that usually has not resulted in weight gain if I eat their food moderately, so that's good, but the question is how to track it? I had 9 pass days last month, all because of this restaurant food problem, and I'd really like to have fewer this month.
  • donna25trinity
    donna25trinity Posts: 2,977 Member
    Hi there @Caroline_slowandsteady I am far from an expett but i do enjoy eating out around once a week.

    I just do research ahead of time to estimate the calories I will be eating and I always try to over estimate to be safe.

    Hope this helps.. All the best. Xo
  • @donna25trinity Thanks, Donna, yes that does really help. How exactly do you do the research to estimate? I think the fact that you have reached your goal weight actually does make you an expert :smile:
  • donna25trinity
    donna25trinity Posts: 2,977 Member
    I am sure there may be a more efficient way to do this but I honestly just Google it. I try to make my search as specific as possible so for e.g "calories cafe banana bread" xox

  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,747 Member
    A lot of restaurants post their menus and calories online here in the US. Some of the smaller ones probably don't. I think one thing to always remember is that a salad may SEEM lo cal but with all the adders to flavor it that are used it typically can add up to 500 cals to a meal. Same with bread and butter/oil. I haven't eaten out in a long time due to pandemic etc but when I was I would always plan exactly what I wanted and fit it in either to the day or a couple of days. Often times eating slowly or just having half worked. Agree with Donna that google is your friend and estimate high.
  • ashleycarole86
    ashleycarole86 Posts: 6,088 Member
    I'm not a maintainer (yet ;)) but I have lost over 80 pounds now with situations where I had to eat out without a posted calorie count.

    I agree with the comments so far. The biggest thing I do is always estimate high. I track with my husband and he's often surprised with what I'll count for an unknown meal out but I consider it my insurance policy... if I want to enjoy a bigger meal out, that's fine, but I'll pad the numbers a bit to ensure I continue to see success on the scale. It's worked great so far!
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    @Caroline_slowandsteady I skipped a reply here initially, but something I recalled after reading the replies (I've even done this) is looking up online recipes for the mysterious dish, adding all the ingredients to MFP as a recipe, and that will get you very close, if not spot on
  • TerriRichardson112
    TerriRichardson112 Posts: 17,929 Member
    @Caroline_slowandsteady

    As the others said, but be aware that restaurant and takeaway food often has hidden salt and fat that you wouldn’t do at home so always estimate high.

    I tend to order things plain without any dressings. Most restaurants are happy to do you a grilled chicken and salad without dressing, and if the helping it’s too big just eat half of it and ask for a take home box.

    I also do extra exercise on that particular day, and eat fairly light for my other meals.
  • bradkcrew
    bradkcrew Posts: 1,501 Member
    edited October 2021
    @Caroline_slowandsteady It is definitely an issue. Even with the few restaurants in my area that post calories you have no way of knowing what quality controls they have. Are they actually weighing the components? Precisely measuring the fats? Doubtful. And even items that seem innocent in the description like broiled fish and steamed veggies can be full of added oil/butter which can add hundreds of calories quickly.

    If you really want a reality check on the calories in restaurant meals, go to the Applebees website.

  • Thank you all so much for your insight! This is very helpful.
  • bradkcrew
    bradkcrew Posts: 1,501 Member
    I am curious how others determined their weight goals. I will just throw the topic out there because I have continued to move the goal post and realize that I don't have a clear idea where I am headed any more.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    @bradkcrew - Great question!

    My ideal BMI weight has always been 180 pounds as a 6'2" male but since I was never below 220 as an adult I convinced myself that was an impossibility and perhaps around 220 would be fine.

    In 2014 when I had class 3 obesity and rapidly deteriorating health it was just to get my weight down to healthy levels. I got down to 220 and was super happy about that. It also made me realize I looked like I could still lose more without looking gaunt. However I was comfortable enough at 220 to stop losing weight and do lots of running instead for a couple years, and after that some weight training and even gain a little weight back.

    This time it was similar at first, just get back to healthy. My Garmin profile still lists 220 as my goal. But MFP shows 180 as my goal. So which is it?

    At this point 180. I believe I can get there now that I am at 225. I can see there is more I can lose.

    Have the goalposts moved? Yep. But that's how I picked 180. It is realistic per BMI and I can even imagine it in the mirror. If I later find some other number is ideal, I reserve the right to change to that number.
  • jamcnewman
    jamcnewman Posts: 3,973 Member
    Excellent question @bradkcrew — I am so far away from what could be considered a final resting place (no, not that one 🤪) that I haven’t set my sights on goals more ambitious than some bigger interim steps. I am intrigued to know how people do choose though, as the last time I had a lot of weight to lose, WW pretty much set the goal. I will consult with my doctor and nutritionist at some point.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 10,875 Member
    bradkcrew wrote: »
    I am curious how others determined their weight goals. I will just throw the topic out there because I have continued to move the goal post and realize that I don't have a clear idea where I am headed any more.

    Hi @bradkcrew !

    A great question!
    I initially set my goal so my BMI would be 25 for a 5’9” woman or 169lbs

    I got there & learned we’re supposed to have BMI under or equal 24.9, which I think was 166. As tough to figure put I had to keep going esp since weight came off more slowly close to goal.

    Then I figured put I was 5’8.5” LOL

    So I asked my doctor when i weighted 160. Told him I wanted to lose more. He said ok, maybe 5lbs & no more than 10, and then we can discuss again.

    I got to 150.1 but was hungry all the time.

    Decided on maintenance range 155-160.

    Just figured out I’m 5’8, so I’m inching those numbers down.

    It’s a process. You can decide step by step. A balance of healthy BMI (esp with increased COViD risks of being overweight), what is do-able for you, and in my case not being too hungry.

    Hope this helps!
    🌸Maddie

    I worried Wayyyy Toooo much about this which is why I asked my doc to decide. In fact my two specialist dr’s said “anything in normal BMI range is Great!”
  • ashleycarole86
    ashleycarole86 Posts: 6,088 Member
    I started at 293 and set a goal weight of 168 (125 lbs to lose). I am currently just under 210.

    I chose the weight I did because it's the highest weight in the normal BMI range for my height. I haven't been under 200 for the longest time. Once I get to my goal I suspect I'll want to lose another small chunk so that my maintenance range won't push me back into the overweight category, but I'll assess that once I get there.
  • KCJen
    KCJen Posts: 1,089 Member
    I have a question that I have been wanting to post, but the past few days have been crazy. I haven't really got "ready" with makeup and hair done for a while - covid hit, and then 2 months later I had nightmare issues with my ex. However, the positive news is that is finally over and I am feeling like I can finally move forward with my life! Yay :) On September 24th, I dug out my makeup bag. Because Mother Nature is a hussie, I also started using an OTC Retinol night cream due to my fine lines and wrinkles.

    The next morning I woke up to a red-eye, which has been red ever since. Today I am actually seeing the eye doctor. So I have been trying to figure out what caused it, replaced all eye makeup, and 12 days later it's time to go to the doctor.

    With all that said, since I am at the very beginning of my weight loss journey (again) - I am trying to look back on how I did it before and use what worked in the past and learn from what didn't work in the past. Last time I was ONE pound away from my healthy goal weight which I have never been at a healthy weight, I have always been a chubby/few extra pounds person. What I did in the past was I had a strict 1200 calories a day. For breakfast and lunch I ate the same exact thing everyday which was a bagel and coffee, and a caesar salad and a yogurt for lunch.

    The problem is that I was starting to get burnt out on salads when I was close to my goal weight a couple of years ago. Recently I have ate a week's worth of salads and I am burnt out on salads and I need to find a different salad or find something entirely different.

    Because I really don't know how to break up the calories per meal every day - what I did before was take 1200 divide by 3 meals which was 400 per meal. I wanted more calories for dinner, so I made breakfast and lunch calories smaller. I am going to do the same thing this time, but with more calories (1300 to 1450). But it made me question myself if I am doing this correctly since I have the mindset of "a salad every day for lunch" as my diet plan, since this is what I always do, along with a list of foods not to eat (drive-thrus, restaurants, junk food etc). I have a list of "forbidden foods" and "allowed foods" when I am on my diet. And yes, once the diet stops, I eat the forbidden foods again, and the circle continues. I feel like a roller coaster yo-yo dieter.

    I have been thinking about just using leftovers for lunch and an occasional salad and learning to be more flexible. However, having breakfast and lunch always the same foods helps with meal planning. I wanted to post this, and ask how everyone else handles this.


    I will follow up later, and I want to read everyone's post on the other great topic going on, but I am out of time and need to get ready for the eye appointment!
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    @KCJen - Hope your eye clears up quickly! As for calories per meal, it sounds like you had a working method. Each person is different though, and may need a different number of meals and sizing based on times of day, etc. For me personally, I tend to do best with a (very) slightly larger breakfast and lunch (particularly lunch) getting more calories in each of those than at dinner. But only by a bit because if dinner is not enough I will find myself back in the kitchen later. I also find I do better with higher protein counts in my lunch and dinner meals, seems to keep me full. I'm less concerned about that with breakfast because usually the next meal creeps up on me pretty quickly. On weekends or days with a large calorie burn which tends to afford an extra meal, I get that as a late morning meal, having breakfast, late-morning meal and lunch, and usually carries me over fine until dinner. Not sure if this helps at all, but that's how I generally do it.
  • KCJen
    KCJen Posts: 1,089 Member
    @WhatMeRunning Thanks! I have eyedrops with a follow up in a week, so the eye issue will be getting better. I will be trying to adjust how I do calories over the next week, and hopefully have a set plan by then. Its good to hear how you do, I feel like I am at least in the right direction. I think a key point you made is each person is different. Thanks for your response!