Back to Basics - 1500 - 1700 cals per day

When you think about the time of day that you feed your body, and when you get hungry, and when you take a drink, and nourish your body, you soon realize that we just need to go back to the basics.  Think about it.  When our kids are at school (I've got 3 of them) they have a certain time of day that they eat...  I've taken that basic concept and put it into my own plan...  Thought this was a good place to share it...

 

A child's basic diet schedule is just like this: Why should mine be much different?  Except instead of juice or milk, I'll have a cup of coffee.

Breakfast (before 8:00) upto 400 cals

Snack (around 10:30) about 125 cals

Lunch (12:30 - 1:00) between 200 - 400 cals

Snack (3:00) 100 cals

Dinner (about 6:00 p.m.) between 400 and 600 cals...

If there are any remaining calories (my daily goal is between 1500 and 1700) then I allow myself a glass of wine, or something like a granola and yogurt snack in the evening...  

This back to basic philiosophy has worked for me... and allows me to function happily throughout the day.

 

I'd love to hear what works for you.... 

 

 

I do something very similar.  I've worked out that I can go about 3 hours before feeling hungry so I break my day into small-ish meals interspersed with snacks with the aim of not letting myself get to that point.   Same as you, I particularly appreciate a decent breakfast - this morning scrambled eggs on toast.

In the past, grabbing food on the run and other disorganised eating habits often meant I was making quite poor food choices just to keep my energy levels up.... chocolate bars here, supermarket sandwich there...  Getting better organised was key in trimming my weight down.

I have been thinking the same thing and have actually started doing that and I realise I am less hungry and much happier and getting results. Sometimes we worry way too much and get distorted on the way and then we wonder what is going on.

Thanks for sharing that!  

I went back and analyzed my past few weeks of my food journal...  I noticed that the days that I had an "A" or "B" score, were the ones with higher calories (closer to 1700) and more protein than the other days.  It also shows that the days I increased my calories because I knew I was working out, and thus those were the days (following) that I saw the scale move in the right direction....

 

I agree as well. It is nice to span my food out through the day. That way I am not hoarding down 800 cal at dinner because I haven't eaten since noon. I find I am less hungry, and enjoy my food more.

I'm just starting this routine.  Its Day 1... Wow - I have a long way to go.  It was nice to know that I could snack and it would be ok... Instead of feeling guilty.  But I had to plan the snacks.  I brought apples for this morning and pretzels for lunch - 1 serving a piece of course.  I realized my Healthy Choice lunch I brought wasnt the greatest for me.  The calorie counter gave it a C.  hmmmm... That was quite interesting to me.  Guess I wont be buying that one anymore! 

Today wasnt bad - but its only day 1.  I am goign to stay on this journey till I know how to eat right.  and/or till i get to my goal weight.

Thanks for listening ...  Jami

Hi Jami...

The prepackaged foods are ok, if you read what is in them.  Balance them out with the rest of your day, and you eventually will understand that a "c" is only a "c" for the reasons stated, high fat, high sodium...  balance that with the proteins and other items you consume in a day and you will realize that a Healthy Choice is not that bad...  (occasionally)....  Prepackaged foods everyday would be bad. 

I do think thats a great idea.  Before I started my plan, I ate whenever.  I would get bored, and head to the kitchen and have a snack that was really around 200 cals ( I didn't realize how much was in everything at the time).  Now, I have something similar.

Breakfast 7am: either oatmeal with raisins (around 215 cals), or cereals with milk(250)

Snack 11am: any fruit (100 cal)

Lunch 2pm: anything I want, usually a sandwich, or a pizza on a tortillas, with a side of vegetables (cooked or raw, depends) (400 cals)

Snack 3pm: this is usually my afternoon treat, as I usually need something sugary to get me going till dinner, like 2 cookies, or a pudding cup (150-200 cal)

Dinner before 7pm: this leaves about 400 calories.  I have whatever I want, but eat a smaller portion if its higher in calories.

 After-dinner: I often have a cup of green tea around 8pm, to give me a little boost in my homework and readings.  I sometimes add a tsp of honey.

My plan is around 1600 calories, I'm trying to lose around a lbs per week. I do realize it's quite similar to yours.

 So its really a breakfast, lunch, and dinner plan with two snacks. And I agree with you, it IS the basics.  I realized I had completely lost that.  I ate whenever, whatever.  I'm not surprised I gained weight looking back.

 

Its so much easier with prepackaged food.  But holy cow is there a lot of sodium. 

I get a lot of my ideas from the "semi-homemade" program (Sandra Lee)....  I combine homemade and prepackaged to expand and improve... and save time.

Last night the kids and I made pizzas using Pillsbury biscuits, rolled thin,  topped with fresh tomato sauce which I mixed a little brown sugar (to balance the acid) and a sprinkle of Pizza Herbs (ground, premixed) 

The kids had 3 cheese, my hubby and I added some spinach and chicken onto ours.

 

9:00am Breakfast  300 calories

1:00pm Lunch 400 calories

5:00pm Dinner 500 calories

10pm Snack 300 calories

TOTAL: 1500 calories  (55% carbs, high-fiber, low fat.)

MOLLY

Gibson -

Whats with the brown sugar?  It balances the acid in the sauce?

Your recipe sounds delicious!  I may have to try it soon!

Yes, it's a trick my M-I-L taught me... to counter the acid in tomato sauce (especially home made) add at least a tablespoon of brown sugar.  molasses makes it too "burnt" tasting, and regular granulated sugar is too sweet...

obviously for a smaller batch I use a teaspoon at a time and mix it to taste.  It needs to go in and cook for at least 15 minutes to blend well...

You'll love it.

9AM Breakfast: 200 Calories
11AM Snack: 1-200 Calories
1PM Snack: 1-200 Calories
3PM Lunch: 300-400 Calories
6PM Snack: 1-200 Calories
9PM Dinner: 400-500 Calories

Anyone have good ideas for FISH?  I need to jazz up what I normally do.... vary the types of fish I cook, and what I serve with.  I'm open to suggestions... and if it's kid friendly, even better.

 

 

Here Gibson, this is very kid friendly (except the peas)



gi-janes' fish and chips http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/7370.html