I'm obsessed with food

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the helpful tips.

My portion size for the bagel is not the deli size, but the small size you get in a bag of 10 at the supermarket (120 calories each). For chicken dish it would be 2 and a half boneless chicken thighs plus 3/4 cup rice plus 3 or four cubes or potato and carrot each. Cereal portion is maybe 1.5 cups (being honest). I drink water and tea with Splenda. Half a soda once or twice a month.

It would be very hard for me survive on 1300 calories, that is just not enough food for what I am doing. I tried my fitness pal and I was over the recommendations by about 4 pm. So that's why I'm asking and trying to get some better options.

I am also trying to work on a diabetes prevention diet, as I am prediabetic. This is a reduction in carbs for me actually.

So I think my first plan is to switch out my snacks. And work on some options for more filling/nutritious lunches. I tend to make a dish on the weekend and bring it for my workout days. I always go twice but working on to three times this week and in the future.

[Anonymous]

OP, it sounds like you are making some awesome and really hard changes due to the prediabetic stuff. Congrats! I was in the same boat a year ago, with a doctor's visit where she said I needed to make changes. I had tried to reduce carbs before, and I found myself desperately hungry all the time, and with no weight loss. What I did this time was go drastic. No "reducing" processed carbs, but instead taking them out. So I went no sugar, no flour, no rice. BUT, I added full fat everything else - yogurt, cheese, half and half in my coffee, nuts. It is hard to feel hungry when you have the option to eat a hunk of good cheese, or some full fat yogurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the helpful tips.

My portion size for the bagel is not the deli size, but the small size you get in a bag of 10 at the supermarket (120 calories each). For chicken dish it would be 2 and a half boneless chicken thighs plus 3/4 cup rice plus 3 or four cubes or potato and carrot each. Cereal portion is maybe 1.5 cups (being honest). I drink water and tea with Splenda. Half a soda once or twice a month.

It would be very hard for me survive on 1300 calories, that is just not enough food for what I am doing. I tried my fitness pal and I was over the recommendations by about 4 pm. So that's why I'm asking and trying to get some better options.

I am also trying to work on a diabetes prevention diet, as I am prediabetic. This is a reduction in carbs for me actually.

So I think my first plan is to switch out my snacks. And work on some options for more filling/nutritious lunches. I tend to make a dish on the weekend and bring it for my workout days. I always go twice but working on to three times this week and in the future.

If you are over the recommended caloric intake on MyFitnessPal by 4pm then you are eating too many calories. The app let's you put in your current weight, your goal weight and how many pounds peer week you want to lose (1-2 lbs per week is best). Then it devises and caloric daily recommendation. You need to get a heart rate monitor and wear and activate it during your workouts. Then you can know how many calories you're burning during these workouts. You log those workout calories into the app, and on those particular days the app takes into account those burnt calories, allowing more for the day.

Don't try to guesstimate how many calories you burn or what your portion size is. It is very hard to do and most of the time the average person is wayyyyy off. Using tools to measure these puts you more in the driver seat of your own weight loss. I have a farm in HRM and I love it. I no longer run, but I use it as a pedometer and HRM. I then log my calories burned into MFP app so I have a clear picture as to how much I have already eaten that day and what is available for the rest of the day. Just throwing your hands il in the air and saying, well the app said I was over my limit by 4pm so I give up, isn't helping you reach your goal. It means you need to change your diet. Eat less calories. Eat more nutrient dense foods. Less carbs.

Before you say, that's not fair, but I'm working out SOOO hard, listen I know it sucks. I used to run marathons, and when I was in training mode I would be starving all day long. I thought, WTH, I'm running like 100 miles a week on average, I can eat what I want no big deal. But I was gaining weight. It's a big misconception and double edge sword in the marathon world, and a common problem. You workout an intense amount, hunger goes way up, so you think no big deal I can have seconds. But you aren't burning as many calories as you think to compensate for the added calories you're eating to satiate that increased hunger. Sounds like a similar thing is happening to you. Don't give up. Change your strategy and tools, good luck.

[Anonymous]

PP here, I typed I have a Garmin HRM and my spazzy autocorrect said I had a farm. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Your body is starving for vegetables!!! Include it in every snack and meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you eating, OP? If you give us a sample of what you eat during the day (including slip-ups) we might have additional insight for you.

8:30 - 2 eggs 2 turkey sausage, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 turkey sausage, 1/2 grapefruit or small apple/orange
10:30 - mini bagel w cream cheese, mini bag chips switch to a smoothie made with whey isolate, leafy greens, and frozen fruit
1 - chicken curry w rice ( from home) and Greek yogurt switch out rice for cauliflower rice. If you're using yogurt in the curry, no need for extra. Add large leafy greens salad. If you're still hungry, have the rest of the 1/2 grapefruit you had for breakfast
4 - cheese and crackers and an apple use only skimmed milk cheese. Switch out time to time with nut butters. Keep the apple.
7:30 - whole wheat spaghetti w ground turkey and fruit measure pasta carefully - 1 cup has about 300 calories. 1/2 the volume you're using and top up with zucchini or squash noodles instead. Add a salad, even chopped tomatoes and cucumbers
9:30 - cereal like Special K w milk

The morning and afternoon snacks are the danger zones for junk. On bad days I will get a donut or cupcake or muffin. Lunch may also be Subway or Chipotle or chopped. Dinner could also be fish and vegetables which I try to do especially when I have a less healthy lunch. So it's not horrible but I know I could do better. I could switch out nuts for the bagel. Or cheese. haven't found a raw vegetable I like enough to snack on though. It's also hard to cut down the number of times I eat since I'm legitimately hungry at those times. Since I have been working out this is pretty typical. My trainer suggested a protein shake.

Thanks for the tips. I think the key is keeping healthy snacks around which I am better at but not perfect.

What I see is a lot of carb and fat, without balance with veggies. If you don't like them to snack on, incorporate them into your meals. I've tweaked a little above, but it's still not super balanced.

Looking, you may be hungry because what you're eating is quite dense and your body clears it quickly. Even slow carbs digest pretty quickly.

It's not unusual to be hungry often when starting to work out. You body is breaking down and building itself back up again. The weight gain could be to the repair process, when you end up with a high volume of water in the muscle fibres. If you are super sore after a work out, chances are your weight will be up too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you eating, OP? If you give us a sample of what you eat during the day (including slip-ups) we might have additional insight for you.

8:30 - 2 eggs 2 turkey sausage, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 turkey sausage, 1/2 grapefruit or small apple/orange
10:30 - mini bagel w cream cheese, mini bag chips switch to a smoothie made with whey isolate, leafy greens, and frozen fruit
1 - chicken curry w rice ( from home) and Greek yogurt switch out rice for cauliflower rice. If you're using yogurt in the curry, no need for extra. Add large leafy greens salad. If you're still hungry, have the rest of the 1/2 grapefruit you had for breakfast
4 - cheese and crackers and an apple use only skimmed milk cheese. Switch out time to time with nut butters. Keep the apple.
7:30 - whole wheat spaghetti w ground turkey and fruit measure pasta carefully - 1 cup has about 300 calories. 1/2 the volume you're using and top up with zucchini or squash noodles instead. Add a salad, even chopped tomatoes and cucumbers
9:30 - cereal like Special K w milk

The morning and afternoon snacks are the danger zones for junk. On bad days I will get a donut or cupcake or muffin. Lunch may also be Subway or Chipotle or chopped. Dinner could also be fish and vegetables which I try to do especially when I have a less healthy lunch. So it's not horrible but I know I could do better. I could switch out nuts for the bagel. Or cheese. haven't found a raw vegetable I like enough to snack on though. It's also hard to cut down the number of times I eat since I'm legitimately hungry at those times. Since I have been working out this is pretty typical. My trainer suggested a protein shake.

Thanks for the tips. I think the key is keeping healthy snacks around which I am better at but not perfect.

What I see is a lot of carb and fat, without balance with veggies. If you don't like them to snack on, incorporate them into your meals. I've tweaked a little above, but it's still not super balanced.

Looking, you may be hungry because what you're eating is quite dense and your body clears it quickly. Even slow carbs digest pretty quickly.

It's not unusual to be hungry often when starting to work out. You body is breaking down and building itself back up again. The weight gain could be to the repair process, when you end up with a high volume of water in the muscle fibres. If you are super sore after a work out, chances are your weight will be up too.

This is really helpful, as is the comment about MORE VEGETABLES. I do eat a protein plus vegetable dinner on 2 or 3 nights of the week, not always pasta, but no salads.

Here's what I did based on the comments: Bought cheese sticks, almonds and trail mix for snacks. Ate fish or chicken plus vegetable and baked sweet potato Friday and Sunday (instead of pizza/takeout at least once, like I often do). The sweet potato helped with satiety. I found I did not need cereal after that.

I need to shop and meal plan a little better so I can start making salads and smoothies, but that's my next step. Today I have rice, beans and meat for lunch but I'll go with protein/vegetable dinner to try to balance it out. It's also a heavy workout day.

Thanks for all the advice, I am taking it to heart!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you eating, OP? If you give us a sample of what you eat during the day (including slip-ups) we might have additional insight for you.

8:30 - 2 eggs 2 turkey sausage, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 turkey sausage, 1/2 grapefruit or small apple/orange
10:30 - mini bagel w cream cheese, mini bag chips switch to a smoothie made with whey isolate, leafy greens, and frozen fruit
1 - chicken curry w rice ( from home) and Greek yogurt switch out rice for cauliflower rice. If you're using yogurt in the curry, no need for extra. Add large leafy greens salad. If you're still hungry, have the rest of the 1/2 grapefruit you had for breakfast
4 - cheese and crackers and an apple use only skimmed milk cheese. Switch out time to time with nut butters. Keep the apple.
7:30 - whole wheat spaghetti w ground turkey and fruit measure pasta carefully - 1 cup has about 300 calories. 1/2 the volume you're using and top up with zucchini or squash noodles instead. Add a salad, even chopped tomatoes and cucumbers
9:30 - cereal like Special K w milk

The morning and afternoon snacks are the danger zones for junk. On bad days I will get a donut or cupcake or muffin. Lunch may also be Subway or Chipotle or chopped. Dinner could also be fish and vegetables which I try to do especially when I have a less healthy lunch. So it's not horrible but I know I could do better. I could switch out nuts for the bagel. Or cheese. haven't found a raw vegetable I like enough to snack on though. It's also hard to cut down the number of times I eat since I'm legitimately hungry at those times. Since I have been working out this is pretty typical. My trainer suggested a protein shake.

Thanks for the tips. I think the key is keeping healthy snacks around which I am better at but not perfect.

Good for you, those are great changes!!
What I see is a lot of carb and fat, without balance with veggies. If you don't like them to snack on, incorporate them into your meals. I've tweaked a little above, but it's still not super balanced.

Looking, you may be hungry because what you're eating is quite dense and your body clears it quickly. Even slow carbs digest pretty quickly.

It's not unusual to be hungry often when starting to work out. You body is breaking down and building itself back up again. The weight gain could be to the repair process, when you end up with a high volume of water in the muscle fibres. If you are super sore after a work out, chances are your weight will be up too.

This is really helpful, as is the comment about MORE VEGETABLES. I do eat a protein plus vegetable dinner on 2 or 3 nights of the week, not always pasta, but no salads.

Here's what I did based on the comments: Bought cheese sticks, almonds and trail mix for snacks. Ate fish or chicken plus vegetable and baked sweet potato Friday and Sunday (instead of pizza/takeout at least once, like I often do). The sweet potato helped with satiety. I found I did not need cereal after that.

I need to shop and meal plan a little better so I can start making salads and smoothies, but that's my next step. Today I have rice, beans and meat for lunch but I'll go with protein/vegetable dinner to try to balance it out. It's also a heavy workout day.

Thanks for all the advice, I am taking it to heart!

[Anonymous]

This is a helpful thread for me as i try to refresh my diet too. To OP, you have gotten some good advice here. Adding a salad and veggies to every meal is a great advice and one that i need to remember when i start getting lazy. Watch the nuts though. They are great protein, but if you are anything like me and have a problem with portion control (especially when famished) i too often overdo it on the nutss and end up eating several hundred extra calories that way. I do better when limiting nuts to chopped nuts mixed in greek yogurt or tossed in a salad.

[Anonymous]

Also, replace your special k with apple and peanut butter, or a greek yogurt.

[Anonymous]

Just watch with nuts, unless you are buying raw or dry roasted with no salt, they really aren't the best choice.
You also need to portion control very carefully. Yes,they are healthy, loaded with fibre and nutrition, but they are also full of fat and very calorie dense. Unless you weigh or measure out, it's very easy to over eat. That means with almonds, you need to count out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just watch with nuts, unless you are buying raw or dry roasted with no salt, they really aren't the best choice.
You also need to portion control very carefully. Yes,they are healthy, loaded with fibre and nutrition, but they are also full of fat and very calorie dense. Unless you weigh or measure out, it's very easy to over eat. That means with almonds, you need to count out.

I have the 100 calorie packs, don't worry. For trail mix, I will measure out.

[Anonymous]

I was working out hard and trying to stick to 1,300-1,400 calories per day. I was hungry and not losing any weight. I stopped counting calories, but cut carbs and upped fat and protein intake. The hunger problem was solved and I started dropping pounds. If I don't eat protein in the morning now, I actually feel sick, yet I'm a lot hungrier all day.

[Anonymous]

although im not on board with all of what the book has to say, wheat belly had some interesting discussion on blood sugar spikes and hunger from wheat based carbs (bagel, special k etc) ive taken wheat out this week and found im a lot less hungry. not sure if its causal, but its nice not to be rummaging in my purse looking for forgotten treats. maybe try that?