I am using the LoseIt application to track my calories. I have it set to lose 1.5 pounds a week. It is on mostly sedentary mode and gives me an allowance of 1265 calories a day. Ideally, I would like to lose 2 pounds a week, but that puts me in the 1000ish calorie range and I don't want to go that low, so I aim to eat slightly under the 1265 calories. I sit at a desk 8 hours a day, but I have three kids, housework, and three flights of stairs in my house, so I am not completely at a stand still. I follow the C25K program, 30 minutes every other day. For the past month, I have lost about a 1/2 pound a week. I am not whining about this. I am fairly happy with my progress, but I do feel with the amount of work I am putting into it, I should be getting closer to my 1.5 pounds a week. My calories are accurate. Every bite is accounted for. So, I am just looking for some suggestions on how to get me closer to my goal of a 1.5 weight loss average a week. If you have the time, I would appreciate any suggestions for improvements. P.S. I feel chocolate is the secret to success....I may be willing to eat a little less of it, but not completely cut it out.
SUNDAY TOTAL: 1065
BREAKFAST: 13 Almonds, string cheese stick.
LUNCH: English muffin pizza (100 calorie WW muffin, 2 T sauce, ¼ cup mozzarella), salad (lettuce, cucumber, RF honey mustard dressing).
DINNER: Chicken hash (1 tsp olive oil, 3 oz chicken breast, 1 T shredded cheddar, 1 cup shredded hashbrowns, onion), garden salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, FF French dressing).
SNACKS: KIND coconut almond bar.
MONDAY TOTAL: 1039
BREAKFAST: ½ cup FF Fage, 13 almonds, 5 strawberries, 1 tsp brown sugar.
LUNCH: Chicken hash, ½ large apple, Laughing cow light cheese wedge.
DINNER: BLC (English muffin, ½ slice American cheese, 2 slices bacon, lettuce), banana.
SNACKs: Orange, string cheese stick.
TUESDAY TOTAL: 1196
BREAKFAST: ½ cup FF Fage, 13 almonds, 5 strawberries, 1 tsp brown sugar.
LUNCH: 2 chicken fajitas (2 La Tortilla, 3 oz chicken breast, 1 tsp olive oil, ½ cup peppers and onions) 1 serving Popchips.
DINNER: Monterey chicken (4 oz chicken breast, ½ slice bacon, 1 T cheddar, mushrooms), asparagus, garden salad.
SNACKS: 1 piece Valentine chocolate, cheese stick, 1 cup grapes, 13 almonds.
WEDNESDAY TOTAL: 1278
BREAKFAST: Almonds, Fage, orange, brown sugar.
LUNCH: 2 chicken fajitas, banana, asparagus.
DINNER: 2 oz ham, garden salad, Lean Cuisine mushroom pizza.
SNACKS: Fiber One bar, 1 box conversation hearts.
THURSDAY TOTAL: 1228
BREAKFAST: Fiber one bar.
LUNCH: English muffin pizza, garden salad.
DINNER: 5 oz chicken breast, broccoli.
SNACKS: Mozzarella cheese stick, 1 serving Popchips, apple, laughing cow light cheese wedge, one piece valentine chocolate, dark chocolate bar (HALF my days calories in snacks throughout the day, munchy day).
FRIDAY TOTAL: 1261
BREAKFAST: Apple, LC cheese wedge, Fiber One bar.
LUNCH: Healthy Choice Orange Chicken.
DINNER: 5 oz chicken, 8 oz potato, LC cheese wedge, garden salad.
SNACKS: Dark chocolate candy bar.
SATURDAY TOTAL: 829 (Slept late, saved calories for dinner out, then didn’t use many)
BREAKFAST: Banana.
LUNCH: English muffin pizza, garden salad.
DINNER: Chili’s Carne Asada sirloin steak with broccoli and carrots.
SNACK: 1/2 dark chocolate bar.
SUNDAY TOTAL: 1163
BRUNCH: 2 homemade waffles, 1 tsp butter, 1 piece bacon, ¼ cup hashbrowns, 1 piece sausage.
DINNER: 4 oz salmon, 11 shrimp, 2/3 cup egg noodles, 1 LC cheese wedge, 1 T milk, broccoli, and a plum.
SNACK: Dark chocolate bar, Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich.
Oh my gosh, I would not survive on 1200 or less a day! (I've tried it btw, and not only did I see a stall, I was always moody b/c I wasn't eating enough and snapping at innocent people for no reason) I am 5'5" and my start weight this time around was 153, so right around where you are.
Although 1/2 pound is still GREAT (any loss at all is with your stats b/c you are really getting close to goal) my first instinct is to raise calories by at least 200-300 more a day and toss in one of these lower calorie days maybe once or twice (at most) a week.
PS, I still eat my dark chocolate, just half a bar at a time for snack You don't have to stop enjoying the things you love to lose weight, I have NEVER paid attention to carbs/proteins or any other ratio, just count calories, eat the things I love in moderation and incorporate more whole foods in my diet. Granted I don't eat what I love on a daily basis, but a few times out of the week I will have something to keep me satisfied and not feel deprived.
Your life doesn't sound sedentary to me. Specially if you are doing a C25k. Change "sedentary" to light exercise and I'm sure you'll see that you should be eating more.
That being said I would NOT go below 1200 calories. Your body needs calories to burn fat, and if you aren't getting in enough nutrients it doesn't have the means to burn fat efficiently.
That being said you are also closer to goal so it is harder to lose but I think eating less than 1200 calories a day is not doing you a service. You also don't want your body to get used to such a low amount of calories.
If you can do some heavy weights on the weekends, at least, I think that would be great. I'm not familiar with the C25K program but I know that having more muscle means burning more calories at rest. You're doing great though.
oh i missed that. yes add weight training! muscle really makes a difference.
maybe she has a light breakfast, because she's not very hungry in the morning? could you have a snack before lunch? are you happy with your meals?
I don't own any weights or belong to a gym. In fact, I have never lifted a weight in my life. I wouldn't know where to begin. Please point me in the right direction, from home, inexpensive beginning weight program/set.
My "usual" breakfast is the yogurt, nuts, and fruit combo, unless I run out of it. I has about 250 calories, and the protein from the nuts and yogurt keep me satisfied. Actually, I eat the yogurt and fruit, then the nuts an hour or so later. I eat frequently, every 2 to 3 hours, and am never *hungry*. I feel quite satisfied when I eat 1200, but admittedly less so on the days where I eat less.
Your life doesn't sound sedentary to me. Specially if you are doing a C25k. Change "sedentary" to light exercise and I'm sure you'll see that you should be eating more.
That being said I would NOT go below 1200 calories.
Thanks for the suggestions. I looked closer at the activity setting for the program I use and it is sedentary to light. I guess I would be more in the light to moderate range, but there is not a way to change it, just to add calories. I will have to look at another program and see what they suggest for calories for someone with a moderate activity level.
Nearly everyone says I am eating too low, so I will have to take that into consideration and perhaps up the calories after this week to 1300 to 1400, adding 100 to my breakfast and lunch. I am eating on average 5 times a day, so I just never feel dissatisfied.
I also think you should up it to 1400. You seem to be eating a lot of good filling foods so you're doing great, but wouldn't it be nice to eat a little bit extra and still lose weight?
I don't calorie count (I track carbs instead) but I've read that it's better to start out as high as possible so you have room to lower if you need to later.
Oh my gosh, I would not survive on 1200 or less a day! (I've tried it btw, and not only did I see a stall, I was always moody b/c I wasn't eating enough and snapping at innocent people for no reason) I am 5'5" and my start weight this time around was 153, so right around where you are.
Although 1/2 pound is still GREAT (any loss at all is with your stats b/c you are really getting close to goal) my first instinct is to raise calories by at least 200-300 more a day and toss in one of these lower calorie days maybe once or twice (at most) a week.
How many calories do you eat? I think my problem is I like to make sure I have enough for dinner, and then end up with just too many left at the end of the day, which I usually fix with chocolate if you noticed LOL I do not feel deprived-at all- but if the slow weight loss continues, I am more than willing to experiment with adding a little more food.
could you do some exercises at work? can other people see you when you're working?
I work from home. I keep telling myself I should take 10 minute exercise breaks, but my pay is based on production, so I hate to stop LOL I do stop here and there to throw a load of laundry in (three flights of stairs up, three down), grab the mail, etc., throw dinner in the oven, but not nearly enough. Thanks for the suggestions.
I also think you should up it to 1400. You seem to be eating a lot of good filling foods so you're doing great, but wouldn't it be nice to eat a little bit extra and still lose weight?
If I am going to lose a half pound at 1100-1200 a day, I might as well lose a half pound at 1400 if I can. I am going to finish this week out on 1200 calories a day without slipping in the 1000-1100 range, and see what happens on Monday, then tweak it up and see what happens over the next several weeks.
I personally do heavy weights at the gym, but since you're not going to the gym, this could really help. You could also do squats. Start with say 10 or 15 and do 3 sets of that. Then, you can do some push ups and see how many you can do....do 3 sets and then try to do more over time. I highly recommend the plank position...you can probably see a youtube clip on it if you do a search. I try to do 30 seconds of the plank, 3 sets of course. My goal is to be able to eventually do it for 2 minutes. It's really hard for me though. I also have a weighted hoola hoop that I sometimes do while watching t.v.. I'm not really sure if it does much or not, but at least I"m doing something extra as well.
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You don't have to stop enjoying the things you love to lose weight, I have NEVER paid attention to carbs/proteins or any other ratio, just count calories, eat the things I love in moderation and incorporate more whole foods in my diet. Granted I don't eat what I love on a daily basis, but a few times out of the week I will have something to keep me satisfied and not feel deprived.
