What to Eat????

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sweetiekey86
sweetiekey86 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello all! I am new to this site and have a goal weight loss of about 10 pounds. Currently 5ft 2in and 120.

I tried other systems (tracking points via WW) and have not been able to lose a single pound. I'm trying really hard to amp up my exercise.

After looking through the food guides available on here (My calorie goal is 1200) I realized I have NO idea what to eat/not to eat. Seems like everything I choose is way too high in carbs or calories and hardly any protein/fiber.

Any suggestions on meal plans/low calorie foods that are filling while still maintaining 1200 calories a day would be appreciated!

Replies

  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,443 Member
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    Do you eat out a lot or do you cook most your meals? For the most part, eating out will kill your goals. Not saying it can't be done, you just need to make better choices when you do.
  • Circle12
    Circle12 Posts: 22
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    Stay off the carbs best you can.....eat plenty of chicken and veggies. I like rice wraps with low fat (75% fat free kind) cheese. Yogurt is a good choice for am with small amount of gluten free chex.

    Soups are also a great choice, make up your own, have plenty of recipes if you need any.

    WATER, WATER and WATER…..keeps your feeling full !!!

    Kaleen :)
  • TheElect2005
    TheElect2005 Posts: 2
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    I try to eat more protein and less crabs because I have a low blood sugar problem and have to eat 6 small meals a day. I just recently started to wear a watch that monitors my heart for fitness and strength training and I consume around 200 calories an hour. I also live at an elevation for 7000 feet which makes my heart working harder for oxygen. At sea level my heart does not have to work so hard . I have never had a problem with weigh gain until I moved here about 12 years ago. When I started to gain weight I ate less and have now found out that I am not eating enough which is putting my body in starvation mode. I now eat more but eating to keep my calories up is really a hard task for me. About 6 years ago I put myself on the Suzanna Somers diet plan and really lost but I did not realize that I was losing because I was eating richer and still working out which was allowing me to put back in the calories I was burning minus 400-500 less. I am now back on the right track and eating enough to replace what I am burning. My fitness pal is helping me with that. However, my problem now is that this program, after putting in my exercise, does not take in to account the amount of calories I burn therefore it is tell me to eat less than I really need to be eating. Not sure how to fix that.
  • paulsmisses
    paulsmisses Posts: 178
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    Hello all! I am new to this site and have a goal weight loss of about 10 pounds. Currently 5ft 2in and 120.

    I tried other systems (tracking points via WW) and have not been able to lose a single pound. I'm trying really hard to amp up my exercise.

    After looking through the food guides available on here (My calorie goal is 1200) I realized I have NO idea what to eat/not to eat. Seems like everything I choose is way too high in carbs or calories and hardly any protein/fiber.

    Any suggestions on meal plans/low calorie foods that are filling while still maintaining 1200 calories a day would be appreciated!

    my calorie limit is 1200 too and i am managing well for now - you could add me and check out my diary if it would help?x
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Check out skinnytaste.com. Awesome recipes! I love her crockpot recipes!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    with only 10lbs to lose you should set your weekly weight loss goal to 0.5lbs/week, this should give you more calories then 1200. The less you have to lose the smaller you should aim to lose to avoid losing lean muscle as you lose the fat.
  • kimchi84
    kimchi84 Posts: 56
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    my calorie limit is at 1200 too, i eat a lot of fruits and veggies, feel free to add me and check out what i eat on my diary to keep it at 1200 :)
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    why?
    Stay off the carbs best you can.....

    Kaleen :)
  • VeganPanda
    VeganPanda Posts: 582 Member
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    Try to drink only water.

    Mainly fruits and veggies.

    Make carbs whole wheat, or have brown rice.

    Eat clean, unprocessed foods.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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    I try to eat more protein and less crabs because I have a low blood sugar problem and have to eat 6 small meals a day. I just recently started to wear a watch that monitors my heart for fitness and strength training and I consume around 200 calories an hour. I also live at an elevation for 7000 feet which makes my heart working harder for oxygen. At sea level my heart does not have to work so hard . I have never had a problem with weigh gain until I moved here about 12 years ago. When I started to gain weight I ate less and have now found out that I am not eating enough which is putting my body in starvation mode. I now eat more but eating to keep my calories up is really a hard task for me. About 6 years ago I put myself on the Suzanna Somers diet plan and really lost but I did not realize that I was losing because I was eating richer and still working out which was allowing me to put back in the calories I was burning minus 400-500 less. I am now back on the right track and eating enough to replace what I am burning. My fitness pal is helping me with that. However, my problem now is that this program, after putting in my exercise, does not take in to account the amount of calories I burn therefore it is tell me to eat less than I really need to be eating. Not sure how to fix that.

    That seems a bit odd. Mostly MFP overestimates calorie burn - I aim to eat only half my "calories earned through exercise" for this reason...
  • tifcooper
    tifcooper Posts: 1
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    I try to follow Dr. Ian's 30 day meal plan and that can also give you some ideas of what you can eat. You also do not have to eat the exact same food everyday. You have options and you have to watch your portion controls.
  • endjl
    endjl Posts: 28
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    Foods to Eat:
    Quick Oats
    Sweet Potatoes
    Egg Whites
    Green Veggies
    Natural Nut Butters (no added sugar or sodium)
    Almonds
    Greek Yogurt
    Low Fat Cottage Cheese
    Avocado
    Chicken Breast
    Turkey Breast
    White Fish
    Very Lean Red Meat (limit)
    Black Beans (If canned, avoid added sodium)
    Salsas
    Ezekial Bread

    Eat balanced Meals - Protein, Carb, Veggies
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,267 Member
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    I try to eat more protein and less crabs because I have a low blood sugar problem and have to eat 6 small meals a day. I just recently started to wear a watch that monitors my heart for fitness and strength training and I consume around 200 calories an hour. I also live at an elevation for 7000 feet which makes my heart working harder for oxygen. At sea level my heart does not have to work so hard . I have never had a problem with weigh gain until I moved here about 12 years ago. When I started to gain weight I ate less and have now found out that I am not eating enough which is putting my body in starvation mode. I now eat more but eating to keep my calories up is really a hard task for me. About 6 years ago I put myself on the Suzanna Somers diet plan and really lost but I did not realize that I was losing because I was eating richer and still working out which was allowing me to put back in the calories I was burning minus 400-500 less. I am now back on the right track and eating enough to replace what I am burning. My fitness pal is helping me with that. However, my problem now is that this program, after putting in my exercise, does not take in to account the amount of calories I burn therefore it is tell me to eat less than I really need to be eating. Not sure how to fix that.

    STAY away from CRABS...they hurt
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    One of my Fav low calorie fast food meals is:

    (2) Chicken Fresco Soft Tacos from Taco Bell = 300 calories in total!

    Yum! :)
  • lilcupcake213
    lilcupcake213 Posts: 545 Member
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    i eat 1200 calories a day too ... i try not to overly look at anything ...if you pick the right foods they shouldnt be too high in anything ... you cant look at fat, fiber, carbs, sugar, sodium, and calories in every little thing you are eating or it's gonna drive you insane..believe me i did it. i know alot of people dont agree with that, but for me it worked and made eating healthy a little less stressful. and as long as you are working out you'll lose lots of inches and some weight pretty fast .. feel free to add me and check out my diary...i went from 122 to 101 .. ( im very short and small framed) ...hope this helps a little bit :)
  • sweetiekey86
    sweetiekey86 Posts: 6 Member
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    JRM76: Breakfast and lunch I try to prepare myself but eating dinner out is harder for me to pass up- simply because I have many social things throughout the week where I'm meeting friends/coworkers/etc out for dinner.

    ALSO:

    Is it a bad thing to go into the negative (eating over the set amount) for the protein and fiber?
  • TheElect2005
    TheElect2005 Posts: 2
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    I have been going by professional trainers advice that if you burn 2400 calories in a day then you should eat 2000 or less that would be 400-500 less than you burn in order for your body to not consider you are trying to starve it and go into starvation mode. I used the Polar watch for several days and it recorded that I was burning 200 calories in an hour and less when I am sleep of course. When I put in my exercise for the day in MFP it came out the same as my watch that said I had burned 200 calories for my 30 min workout. I am 61 years old and not overweight but since I moved to a higher elevation I have gotten a few rolls around the middle. I am not concerned with weight as much as I am with inches because I know I will weight more as my muscles mass increase - which they have as I have burned more fat. I just want to do this right and lower my carbs but in a healthy way. I do not eat sugar at all only stevia and get my other sugars from fruit.
  • Clarimusic00
    Clarimusic00 Posts: 96 Member
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    I was going to mention the same thing that theelct2005 mentioned. Make SURE you aren't eating too little. I hit a plateau about a month ago because I was on the 1200 calorie diet. After much research and calculation I found out I was eating too little. If you aren't eating enough your body goes into that "starvation mode" - your body is not burning calories the same. Make sure you do some research before deciding on your calorie goal. The #1 thing I've learned during this whole experience is READ. Read about nutrition, food, exercise, how to boost your metabolism and how to figure your goal calories. Don't just rely on what MFP says to eat. It's not about trying to eat as few calories as possible to loose 2+ pounds a week. It's like the story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race. For me 1.5 pounds is the most I should lose a week and still be eating enough to keep my body healthy.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    What to eat? Why, everything! Nothing ought to be off limits...in planned and reasonable amounts!
  • nutandbutter
    nutandbutter Posts: 447
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    with only 10lbs to lose you should set your weekly weight loss goal to 0.5lbs/week, this should give you more calories then 1200. The less you have to lose the smaller you should aim to lose to avoid losing lean muscle as you lose the fat.

    Agreed.

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