Going Over and Frustrated

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2

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  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
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    I'm going to be honest here and tell you that you are making terrible food choices and wasting calories on pure junk. If you really want to lose weight and get healthy you are going to have to commit to educating yourself and making better choices. Foods such as you are eating are very high in calories and not all that filling. Chicken (not breaded), eggs, baked fish, healthy fats such as in nuts as almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, veggies and fruits are lower in calories and will fill you up. I see one day with two entries for quick add calories totaling over 800 calories, salad dressing at 300 calories, chips and candy bars. You need to figure out how badly you want to lose weight and how to get the most out of your calories. Make a list of food, go to the grocery store, prep it ahead of time and stick to it then the weight will come off.
  • batgreen
    batgreen Posts: 66
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    OK....Thank you all for your input. I know I dont eat that great...I am on a fixed income and cant always afford to buy "healthy" foods. I do my best and if you look at my food log from when I first started, it isnt as bad as its been the last few days. I am on vacation and feel a little frustrated at being home more and having food around me at all times. As far as cocktails go, I do enjoy a few, especially during a long weekend such as Memorial Day. I admit my food log looks like crap the last few days but I am commited and I want to lose a solid ten pounds. Honestly, I am not trying to do a complete 180. I am not going to give up yummy foods or alcohol. I am pretty disciplined during the work week. I just wanted some extra support. Thanks
  • batgreen
    batgreen Posts: 66
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    To me your food log doesn't add up. You eat 2 cups of salad but pu 12 tablespoons of dressing( 3/4 cup). Are you sure you are adding the proper foods? This is not always easy but the more you do it the easier it is.

    Things that helped me.

    cook my own food
    Weigh everything that is guessed at before
    Measure other items that can't be weighed instead of guessing
    Cut lots of unnecessary calories you don't need

    LOL...I meant to put 2 tablespoons
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Try planning out a day's meals ahead of time....then it is easy to see how many calories are in each meal and you can make changes to balance out the numbers. I do this just about every day and it doesn't mean my meals are set in stone, but it give me a good guide as to how much of each food to eat. If things change, I can easily see where I can cut something out if I want a piece of birthday cake in the office (or example).

    Don't stress if you calories are a little bit over each day - MFP has set you up with a calorie deficit. If you chose to "lose 1 pound a week" you have a 500 cal deficit. That means that even if you eat 250 cals extra every day, you still have a calorie deficit, you've just made it smaller. You will still lose weight, it just takes a bit longer.

    You might even find it better to start out with a smaller deficit (ie. reset your goals choosing "lose 1/2 pound a week") while you are adjusting to new ways of eating. This means you can develop good eating habits and learn new recipes etc but you aren't panicking so much about going over cals. You will lose weight more slowly with a smaller calorie deficit, but I think that finding something you can stick to for the long term is much more important than dropping a huge amount of weight really fast.
  • batgreen
    batgreen Posts: 66
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    Try planning out a day's meals ahead of time....then it is easy to see how many calories are in each meal and you can make changes to balance out the numbers. I do this just about every day and it doesn't mean my meals are set in stone, but it give me a good guide as to how much of each food to eat. If things change, I can easily see where I can cut something out if I want a piece of birthday cake in the office (or example).

    Don't stress if you calories are a little bit over each day - MFP has set you up with a calorie deficit. If you chose to "lose 1 pound a week" you have a 500 cal deficit. That means that even if you eat 250 cals extra every day, you still have a calorie deficit, you've just made it smaller. You will still lose weight, it just takes a bit longer.

    You might even find it better to start out with a smaller deficit (ie. reset your goals choosing "lose 1/2 pound a week") while you are adjusting to new ways of eating. This means you can develop good eating habits and learn new recipes etc but you aren't panicking so much about going over cals. You will lose weight more slowly with a smaller calorie deficit, but I think that finding something you can stick to for the long term is much more important than dropping a huge amount of weight really fast.


    Yeah...I actually did that today. I think .5 pounds a week for me is better right now. Thank you
  • chynadaone
    chynadaone Posts: 8
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    If you don't mind could you share some choices of healthy meal choices?? I struggle with this as well. Thanks
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
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    If you don't mind could you share some choices of healthy meal choices?? I struggle with this as well. Thanks

    Eggs with salsa (I do two full eggs and 4-5 egg whites, scrambled with salsa). I do a crockpot of boneless chicken a week and use it on salads, with veggies, in roll ups. Broccoli, roasted cauliflower, peppers, onions, mushrooms, green beans (steamed), peanut butter (good fat), nuts such as sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, greek yogurt, apples, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries. My diary is public (just excuse Saturday "earned exercise calorie day" lol
  • batgreen
    batgreen Posts: 66
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    Yes..I could just Google healthy meals ( and I do) but I like to see specific recipes from people on this site. I feel like I will get a good variation of meals and choices.
  • chynadaone
    chynadaone Posts: 8
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    Thanks so much....I will take a look!
  • fitmama2e
    fitmama2e Posts: 19
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    I think the first big step would be to log everything you put into your mouth, whether you want to see it or not. You can't reevaluate your life or choices until you see exactly what you are currently doing.
  • jayayach
    jayayach Posts: 178 Member
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    I've had that issue in the past. I found it helpful to keep logging, log everything, everyday. This allowed me to see the trends in my eating habits and allowed me to find ways to get it under control. Just logging made me more accountable for the food choices I was making and helped me to make better choices moving forward. Just seeing everything in print made me want even more to change.
  • dovesgate
    dovesgate Posts: 894 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

    I do this.
  • lovelee79
    lovelee79 Posts: 362
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    Not sure your stats, caloric intake, but I believe you shouldn't eat below your BMR. Here is a great calculator to see how many calories you should be eating. :)
    I love my booze too ! cheers ! :drinker:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
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    Skinnytaste.com has great recipes, and a lot of people blog their own recipes. Check out the forum
  • ammatzner
    ammatzner Posts: 11
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    Hey, just an observation... I looked at your diary and noticed that you are eating no vegetables or fruits! I think they could really help you out. Try some recipies for vegetable dishes from epicurious.com, and snack on fruits instead of crackers. Cheese and crackers are my vice, they have been hard to give up. And I understand about the alcohol. I have been a heavy drinker for a while now, and am just now realizing that alcohol has no place in my diet if I want to lose weight. Even if I am mixing with diet beverages. Good luck!
  • debhix
    debhix Posts: 1 Member
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    I am right there with ya! My calorie goal as set by MFP is 1340....doesn't take much to get there! I feel like I've done a good job through breakfast and lunch and then look at how many calories I have left and it's depressing.

    I also don't care for egg whites and lots of the whole or natural type foods that a lot of people eat. I keep trying different things and if I get lucky and develop a taste for something super nutritious, great! If not, I cross it off the list and vow to try something else in a few days. Some of it is developing new habits I'm sure. I hope that not getting discouraged and giving up will eventually pay off.

    RIght now my plan is to log every bite I put in my mouth no matter what the total for the day is. Then go back and look at it in a month and see where I can make some changes.
    Good luck and keep plugging away. Its a marathon not a sprint. And you are competing against no one but yourself! :drinker:
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    Yeah...I actually did that today. I think .5 pounds a week for me is better right now. Thank you

    I have my goal set to .5 pounds/week too, and I've lost about 8.5 lbs in the last 5 weeks just doing that. You may lose more... but it gives you more wiggle room.

    Having said that, you have to be super diligent I think. The .5 lbs/week option is only a 250 cal/day deficit... poor math or measuring can make the difference between losing and gaining.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Stop eating fast food, at restaurants, and junk food. Prepare your meals yourself. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, and lean meats. Drink lots of water. If you eat whole foods instead of processed junk it will be a lot easier to stay within your calorie goal.
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    I looked at your diary, you eat like crap.

    Start researching ways to make the foods you love at home with less calories, plan your meals in advance, cook and freeze portions in advance if your food choices come from limited time to eat.
  • SEishen
    SEishen Posts: 35 Member
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    I never complete my daily food diary becaise it seems that I go over my caloric intake everyday and it annoys me. I have only eaten twice today and Ive pretty much reached the limit. Its only 5 pm and I know I will eat again and probably have a few cocktails, so am I going to lose weight with such a pattern? I am working out but only about twice a week, which I know is not enough. But as far as my caloric intake...I need more!!!!! Thoughts?
    Do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? Yes, eating salads and fresh whole foods is more expensive than eating Del Taco but in the long run, you'll end up paying one way or another!

    I've just completed my third full week of MFP. Started out just counting calories, starving myself, really. When I actually examined the overall nutrition data, I was floored! So deficient in so many areas! Now, thanks to Google info and then shopping at Trader Joe's, I'm rockin'! Many days I'm adding here and there to get to my 1200 (today didn't count--special event). If you're able to view my diary, have a look at what I'm eating now vs. what it was around May 8th. I'm eating ALL DAY LONG! And I'm meeting my body's needs without vitamin supplements!

    In a nutshell, try to get away from processed things and look for unprocessed things: fruits, nuts, and veggies! Before, I was having a quesadilla for lunch. Done with it in a couple of minutes. Still hungry. Now: I have a steamed potato with soy cheese (and salsa), which takes a much longer time to eat, is much more satisfying, and is much better for me!

    My tips: frozen grapes, blueberries, or yogurt drops. Can't mow through them like chips. Hand-to-mouth satisfied. Appetite satisfied. Also, regarding salad dressing, you need less than you think you do. Take your lettuce and put it in a large mixing bowl and then mix in only 1 TBSP instead of 2. You'll be surprised. Be well!

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