Food diary, not eating enough, exercise regularly. Help?

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Hi all,

I was wondering. Would anyone care to look at my food diary just to point me in the right direction?

My weight fluctuates by 2lbs a week. Recently 84kg ish at the start of the week to 82ish at the end. Then repeat.

I drink loads of water. At least 10 glasses a day.

I think it's because I'm not eating enough. This isn't really out of choice, I feel like I'm eating loads. Any tips for bulking up my calories? Either simple things I can make at the start of the week and eat at work or snack-type items I can have in between my meals.

On a good week I'll work out four times. Two 30 min runs, one yoga sesh and one hour long session with my personal trainer. I really struggle to eat back my exercise calories too.

Any advice would be muchly appreciated!

Replies

  • japruzze
    japruzze Posts: 453 Member
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    I took a look at your food diary and I'd say up your calories. Some days you are very very low, others not so much. I'd also reset the breakdown and lower the carbs and increase the protein. Make choices that are higher calorie versions of what your already eating. Go to low-fat instead of non-fat choices. That's an easy way to add calories without having to rethink everything. Good luck!
  • cbarila
    cbarila Posts: 20 Member
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    I took a look, too over the past several days. Far too few calories. Not enough veggies (my problem, too!). I see at least a couple of servings of fruit a day, which is good, but do try to up those veggies.

    Up your portion sizes a bit, as someone else said, go low fat instead of non fat, and get those veggies in.

    Good luck! I lost 50 pounds very easily with WW a few years ago, and got very sloppy and lazy, regaining nearly 30 pounds since my divorce. Trying it this way this time.

    Chris
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
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    You don't seem to be eating much whole foods.

    Try more meat, fish, veg (lots more), eggs, milk.
  • DonnaRe2012
    DonnaRe2012 Posts: 298 Member
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    Several days you are really low on protien. Carry small bags of raw almonds or walnuts where ever you go to snack on during the day. More veggies. Something that helps my weight loss is to track my sugar along with fat/carbs/protein etc. Even sugar from fruit can impeed your loss if you are taking in to much. Good Luck:smile:
  • christina0089
    christina0089 Posts: 709 Member
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    I took a peak as well and I must agree you are definitley eating to few calories. And even more so on days you are excercising more and your body really needs the increase. I know it is hard to adjust to eating more calories, especially when healthier options are generally low in calories. But a few easy ways to up them are... Fruit. I know fruit also carries a higher sugar/carb count but they are complex carbs rather than simple ones and the effect your blood sugar differentley. 2. Nut butters. I like to use a lower sugar crunchy Peanut butter when I know I am to low in calories. I grab a spoon full and a small glass of 2 percent milk that alone is almost 300 calories. but its not overwhelming to eat because it is small. Nibble on some almonds or maybe some trail mix just paymind to the type some are better than other. A fruit smoothie or a small protein shake may also be quick ways to boost with out busting ur tummy, and feeling like a poofa!

    Good luck! Feel free to add me if you like! :)
  • jetlbomb
    jetlbomb Posts: 43 Member
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    I think I'm guilty of not adding in the veggies that go into meals into my food diary...

    But yes. More veg. I love veg.

    Thank you everyone. Very helpful.

    Last week I was having almonds with dried chilli as a snack but I was eating away at those and neglecting actual meals because they made me so full!
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 489 Member
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    I have the same issues as you, not enough calories in the tons of food I eat. Not enough protein (I eat very little meat)...one thing that helped me get more calories, (but it also increased fat content, not my goal at all).... was doing real butter, whole cheese and things like that! I also added some natural nut butters and raw nuts and increased the amount of honey and agave I used in tea on days I knew my calories would be low! Good luck!
  • ztaprincess81
    ztaprincess81 Posts: 12 Member
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    I took a look at your food diary and I'd say up your calories. Some days you are very very low, others not so much. I'd also reset the breakdown and lower the carbs and increase the protein. Make choices that are higher calorie versions of what your already eating. Go to low-fat instead of non-fat choices. That's an easy way to add calories without having to rethink everything. Good luck!

    How do you reset your breakdown and increase/decrease different categories?
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
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    I wouldn't worry about the fat in meat (plus the oils in fish)... it's good for you and will actually aid with your weight loss.

    Fat doesn't make you fat... excessive calories do.

    It's the transfat that's the worry, so the spreadable stuff that used to be oils made solid - real butter as you said is the way forward. :-)
  • seph_house
    seph_house Posts: 101 Member
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    I think I'm guilty of not adding in the veggies that go into meals into my food diary...

    log the veg!! if nothing else, i think it helps seeing the reality of what you are eating out there in front of you. i think you are missing logging milk too, unless you are having dry porridge oats :)
    Last week I was having almonds with dried chilli as a snack but I was eating away at those and neglecting actual meals because they made me so full!

    nuts do that to me too, they are nice but i feel so heavy and full after eating them :( seed mixes are a bit better for me, still higher in the good cals/fats etc but don't weigh me down so much. I get a graze box every week and find it's great having them pick out a bunch of different but still healthy snackettes usually around the 100-200cal mark. i tend to have one of those mid morning & a small apple mid-afternoon.

    if you like it, a glass of milk mid morning or afternoon might work for you, good cals (unless you are intolerent!) and not too filling.

    at least one dinner/week including an oily fish is realy good for you and never feels like it's a heavy meal (grilled salmon steak is the easy one, i grill the bottom then turn & add a teaspoon of pesto to the top before grilling again, served with brown rice, nom :)

    to be honest, i think lunch might be your achilles heal, if you can figure out to get a decent but higher cal lunch without eating crap then you'll probably crack your problem (if i have spare cals, the temptation to add a bag of crisps to lunch is strong. not the ideal way to approach it i know!!)
  • jetlbomb
    jetlbomb Posts: 43 Member
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    log the veg!! if nothing else, i think it helps seeing the reality of what you are eating out there in front of you. i think you are missing logging milk too, unless you are having dry porridge oats :)

    I have my oats with water!

    Thanks everyone for your advice. I need to work out a better meal plan for next week. Better snacks, more veggies!
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
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    Eat things that are higher in calories but still healthy- avocados, nuts, nut butters, eggs, etc. Then you don't have to eat a ton to get your calories in, because yes, I would say that you aren't eating enough.