Having a hard time to reach 1300 calories.
Is anyone else having a hard time reaching their calories. I feel like I am doing nothing all day but eating. I have never ate so much in a day. I almost feel guilty eating so much. I am having a hard time trying to decifer what is high in calories so it will take up some of my calorie count, but still good for me.
If you couldn't eat a large amount of calories, you probably wouldn't be trying to lose weight.
Healthy liquids like frutis and vegetable juices, smoothies, and broths are easy ways to consume calories even when you don't feel hungry; as are foods high in healthy fats, like avacadoes, nuts, nut butters, seeds, olives, etc.; cook in/with a healthy oil such as olive oil for 'hidden calories'; cut out any "diet food" from your daily diet, like fake sugars (splenda, equal, etc), fake yogurt, skim milk, (most) weight watchers products, low-fat cookies/cake/sweets/dairy/whatever and just eat the regular stuff. Food is pretty much always better than a "food product".
Next time, try using the "search posts" function up at the top of the page. We've dealt with quite a few of these threads, and there's pages and pages of archived information waiting for you.
What are you eating? You need a clean/balanced diet.
Complex carbs, proteins, fats, fruits and veggies, dairy.
Thanks littleshellys:
That's right, you hit it on the nose, I don't feel confident enough that I know what a clean/balanced diet is. It's been since October 14th and I have only lost what I have lost in the first 1 1/2 wk. Nothing since October 22. I am upping my calories to my total that I should be eating, but afraid that I am eating the wrong things to up my calories.
Hi Debra, There is a lot of information on the net. Do a search on clean eating, balanced, diet, good fats, protein. This should help get you started.
Clean Eating
I practice what is called clean eating. This is not a new “diet” it is a way of eating that gives your body the proper nutrition it needs to keep you healthy, active and feeling great. I believe that in America today it is so easy to get caught up in the “American” diet meaning fast foods, foods high in fat and sugar and processed foods. Most people are unaware or do not give any thought to the kinds of foods they are putting in their bodies or how many calories they consume a day. When you start to become aware of what you are putting in and the difference in how you feel when you nourish your body with good food you will see very positive results. Up until a few years ago I never gave it a thought when I ate. I ate pretty much anything I wanted. I slowly started making some changes in my life. I started working out and reducing my calories. In the beginning I thought it was all about the calories and still did not pay attention to the “type” of food I was eating. I thought that as long as I ate under a certain amount of calories a day I would lose weight and I did initially, but I was still not happy with how I looked and felt so I started reading and educating myself on the proper way to eat and what to eat to get the results I wanted. The more I learned about health and nutrition the more I realized that putting good, healthy food in your body will change not only the shape of your body and promote weight loss but you will also feel healthy, fit and have more energy.
There are different ideas about clean eating, different extremes I guess you could say but the philosophy behind it is pretty simple and it is just using common sense when eating.
It is about eating foods in a more natural state. Fresh foods whenever possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat and whole grain products, good fats, lean proteins, chicken, fish, beans, peas, nuts, seeds. When eating meat choose baked or broiled instead of fried. Drinking lots of water, avoiding high calorie foods with little nutritional value, and high calorie sugary drinks.
Some people believe that it costs more to eat clean. Most of the time it does not. Many times pre-packaged, processed foods are more expensive than fresh foods. I buy a lot of my food when it is on sale and most of it I prepare and freeze. If something I like does cost a little more I don’t mind paying extra for something that is important to me. I believe it works the other way around too. There are a lot of junk foods, pop, alcohol that can be quite expensive and people will pay for that so I think it is mostly an excuse when people say it costs more. Eating clean does take a commitment and it is not for everyone. I don’t talk to a lot of people about it unless they ask me and then I love to share information.
Clean eating does take a little more time since you are making most things fresh but after you have been doing it for a while you develop a system and it takes less time and thought.
Label reading is very important. In the beginning I spent a lot of time at the grocery store reading food labels, calorie content and so on. But after a while you know which foods to buy and you often buy the same foods each time you go to the grocery store so the time involved is really no different than anyone else shopping for groceries.
One key to clean eating success is to plan ahead. Cook ahead, think of what your will cook for the week. Cut up fresh fruits and vegetables to have in the refrigerator and freezer for easy access.
So for the most part I try to eat clean but I do have a cheat meal once a week. It is usually takeout and I also have desert with my cheat meal. I look forward to this meal and it helps keep me on track. Knowing that every Friday night I can have some of my favorite foods helps me to eat right the rest of the time or most of the time. I will still try to be careful even with the cheat meal. For example one of my favorite cheat meals is a chicken grinder and sputniks which are cheese potatoes and desert which is usually a cookie and a brownie. I will get the grilled chicken instead of the fried. Ask for no mayonnaise or dressing and no cheese on the grinder. I get the cheese on the potatoes but ask for half.
Just by skipping the cheese, mayo and getting half of the cheese on the potatoes saves about 400 calories. If you figure it this way. 1 Tbs of mayo is 100 calories. 1 slice of cheddar cheese is about 113 calories so if they normally put 2 slices of cheese on the sandwich and say 3 slices on the potatoes you can eliminate quite a few calories by just cutting back on those 2 items.
If I order pizza I get the thin crust, whole wheat crust if they have it. Veggie pizza with no meat and I always ask for half the cheese. I also use a paper towel to pat some of the grease off of the pizza. Doing those things cuts down on calories and fat.
I think for successful weight loss and then maintaining a healthy weight you always have to think like that. Be aware of everything you are putting in your mouth. You don’t have to be obsessed but be “aware” of what you are putting in and how many calories are in the food you eat. I eat clean about 80-90% of the time. I am not as strict as some people but I am comfortable with the choices I make.
It helped me in the beginning to keep food log and lookup calorie information on the food I was eating. I still keep a food log online but since I have been doing this for so long and it is part of my lifestyle I have a very good idea how many calories are in the foods I eat. If I try something new I look it up and add it to my food log.
Be careful with your sodium intake. Most foods contain sodium so you should limit the additional salt you add to your food. It is recommended that adults should eat less than 2,300 MG of sodium daily. That is about 1 teaspoon of salt.
You want to avoid processed foods, foods with additives, salty and sugary foods, fried foods and most white products such as white rice, white bread, white flour and so on.
Avoid bad fats
Saturated fat
Saturated fats raise your total cholesterol levels as well as LDL cholesterol. It clogs your arteries with plaque, which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. Saturated fats are found in things like animal products, meat, dairy and also some plant products. Everyone gets some saturated fat and a small amount is needed but it is best to limit your intake of saturated fat.
Trans Fat
Trans fats are not natural. Trans fats come from hydrogenated liquid oils. Trans fats are found in products such as packaged foods, fried foods, margarine, some vegetable oils and fast foods.
Trans fats offer no health benefits at all and unlike other types of fats, our bodies do not require transfats. Transfats also raise your LDL cholesterol levels and decrease your HDL cholesterol levels which is the good cholesterol. Studies have been done that may also link transfats to diabetes, cancer, obesity, heart disease and stroke.
Incorporate good fat.
Monounsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated fats have been found to lower total blood cholesterol levels (LDL) while increasing good (HDL) cholesterol levels.
Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like nuts, canola and olive oil, avocados, pumpkin and sesame seeds and some other foods.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats have also been found to have positive effects on cholesterol. Sources of polyunsaturated fats are seafood, fish oil, soy products, corn products, safflower and sunflower oils and pumpkin seed.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
I am a huge fan of Omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that these fats have been beneficial in treating many types of diseases such as depression, anxiety disorders, ADD and OCD, helps to prevent clogging of the arteries, reduces bad cholesterol levels and many other things. Sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are most kinds of fish, tuna, herring, mackerel, trout and salmon. Also found in foods like walnuts and other nuts, tofu, flax seeds and canola oil.
You can buy supplements that contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Flax oil, fish oil and salmon oil are all good sources.
Clean eating basics
Eat whole, fresh food whenever possible
Eat Complex carbohydrates
Eat non-fat or low fat dairy products
Avoid foods high in saturated and transfats
Avoid sugary and high calorie drinks
Eat lean cuts of meat. Grill, broil or bake meat
Avoid fried foods and fast foods
Drink plenty of water
Skip the oil and butter when cooking. Use non-fat canola or olive oil cooking spray instead
Limit your salt and sugar intake
Buy whole grain products
Avoid white foods, white rice, white pasta and white bread
Watch the condiments. Some like mayonnaise and salad dressing are very high in fat and calories
Eat a balanced diet. The food pyramid is a good reference.
Don’t assume because something is labeled diet or fat free that it is healthy. Many prepackaged and frozen foods are high in sugar, sodium and preservatives. Read the labels before you buy
Plan your meals ahead and always have fresh fruit and vegetables cut up for easy access. This prevents you from reaching for the not so good snack foods when you are hungry
Don’t let yourself get hungry. Some experts recommend 6 smaller meals a day instead of 3 larger meals. I think you have to find out what works for you but have a healthy snack in between meals if you are hungry. This keeps your glucose levels regulated in between meals and prevents overeating at mealtime
Allow yourself one or two cheat meals a week. That does not mean you have to go to the fast food drive through and get 2 big Mac’s and a large fry but eat a meal you enjoy and if it is a big mac find ways to cut down on the fat content such as skipping the mayo and cheese
Count your calories and activity level. At least in the beginning until you have an idea how many calories you are eating a day and how many you actually need
Calculate your BMR rate (Basal Metabolic Rate) to find out how many calories you need a day and focus on staying within that range.
Links on clean eating
http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/cle an_eating_basics
http://www.dailymuscle.com/2006/04/27/eating- clean-tips-for-overcoming-the-dilemma/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2049770_eat-clean.htm l
What to look for when buying whole grain products
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/nutrit ion/nutrition-whole-grain-jibrin-0106
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grain s-101/identifying-whole-grain-products
Shopping for healthy food/reading labels
http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietfaq/f/shopp ing.htm
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-livin g/food-nutrition/food-basics/essential-nutrie nts/fats-carbs-protein/protein
http://www.healthyeatingadvisor.com/food-labe ls.html
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/Fo odLabels.htm
Track your calories and activities
http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/
http://www.foodcount.com/Index.cfm?Method=Pri vacy.Home
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) calculators
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
http://health.discovery.com/tools/calculators /basal/basal.html
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php
Understanding Carbohydrates
People are confused with all of the low carb diets. We have been told that Carbohydrates are bad. This is not true. The human body needs carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for the body. We cannot live without them. Carbohydrates are digested by the body and converted to glucose (sugar) and used for energy. But there are different kinds of carbohydrates and understanding the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is what is important. You want to limit your intake of simple carbohydrates and get the recommended daily allowance of complex carbohydrates. It is best to get most of your complex carbohydrates from fresh vegetables and some fruit.
The big difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is how the body handles them during the digestion process. Complex carbohydrates are digested slowly. The body works harder to process complex carbohydrates and glucose is released more slowly into the system which is better for the body. Your glucose levels stay at a more even keel. Most complex carbohydrates are naturally high in fiber. Diets high in fiber keep you full and satisfied longer so it just makes sense that if you eat a diet that includes more complex carbohydrates you will maintain a healthy weight because you will not be hungry again so quickly.
Simple carbohydrates are digested very fast releasing glucose very quickly which can cause glucose levels in the body to spike, which is not good. When this happens you may get a sudden burst of energy but come crashing down quickly. You will also be hungry again in a short time. Sudden spikes in glucose levels also promote weight gain and cause our bodies to store fat.
Complex Carbohydrates
Spinach
Whole Barley
Grapefruit
Turnip Greens
Buckwheat
Apples
Lettuce
Prunes
Oat bran bread
Apricots
Zucchini
Oatmeal
Pears
Asparagus
Oat bran
Strawberries
Okra
Wild rice
Oranges
Cabbage
Brown rice
Yams and Sweet potatoes
Celery
Multi-grain bread
Carrots
Cucumbers
Beans
Dill Pickles
Yogurt
Soybeans
Skim milk
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Peas
Tomatoes
Simple Carbohydrates
Table sugar
Corn syrup
Fruit juice
Cake
White bread
White pasta
Pop
Candy
All white flour products
Some cereals
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_ viewer.php?mid=61
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate
http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Good- Carbohydrates-Vs-Bad-Carbohydrates-and-Choosi ng-Healthy-for-Weight-Loss&id=1130787
Lots of good info, littleshellys
I was just coming to say if you're not getting 1300 cals, YOU ARE NOT EVEN TRYING. Olive oil, nuts and nut butters are healthy ways to get you right up there without much effort at all.
Hi Spirochete, Yes, you're right. I don't have a hard time at all getting 1800-2000 calories a day. I workout a lot so eat more but I would starve on 1300.
Thank you so much you have been very helpful in helping me to understand all there is to know. Wow, it's a lot, but day by day I am sure I will catch on.
Thanks for your time and information.
You're welcome. Just start slow, don't go on any "diets" just change you diet and make sure it is something you can stick with forever. Workout, lift weights and keep moving. Good luck.
Good advice here.... thanks.
