Please tell me if this is what I should be shooting for?!
 

I agree that you are eating very processed foods, and where are your VEGETABLES????

I've been accused of being way too hard-core for some folks taste, but here are my comments:

I'd go for plain oatmeal with a 1/2 and apple and a half cup low fat cottage cheese here, or a home made protein muffin if you need a portable breakfast

Yum, but totally empty calories. Fruit and some string cheese or a protein shake and some fruit would be a better choice

Leave out the bacon and add more vegies!

Again, empty calories. Add some protein.

Corn and potato are both starches, and don't count as green vegetables. Have one or the other and add a green vegetable. Broccoli, string beans, a mixed green or spinach salad with a squeeze of lemon juice or salsa for dressing....

Lots of sugar here.... How about some carrot sticks and hummus? an apple a a tablesoon of natural peanut butter?

Mel

Morgan -- Don't feel you have to make all the changes at once, either! Start with the things you feel would be the easiest to change and the foods you know you like and go from there.

Also, you may be able to lose weight effectively eating those 1600 cals/day, especially if you're exercising. You might want to try it out and see! Eating more calories makes it a little easier to get all the nutrition in that you need.

Morgan, I completely agree with MEL, your calorie consumption is fine, but your food choices are lacking...I would take Mels suggestions to heart...she really seems to put a lot of time into giving you better ideas....you have seen a loss so far, so now it is time to fine tune your plan. I know what you mean about hubby not being interested, but you need to maybe just find a wal to implement some healthier choices into the families regular meals, and eat smaller servings and enjoy eating, just dont "live to eat". Good Luck

Mel made some great suggestions to you! I second the idea of ditching the granola bar for breakfast. Check out the nutrition facts on it, I bet there are very close to cookies! All calories are not equal!!! String cheese and sliced turkey breast with a can of V8 is my favorite portable breakfast.

A suggestion for yogurt is to buy low fat plain yogurt and add sugar free jello powder to flavor. Yogurt does have a lot of sugar, but it's "natural" sugar, same as fruit so it is still a healthy choice.

And yes it is going to have to be a complete lifestyle change!

It's not really that hard to feed yourself more leanly and cleanly than the rest of your family. (when I'm being good) I make meat, a starch and two vegetables but I only eat the meat and vegetables. Or if I'm making nice fish and lighter fare ... the construction workers can have a couple slices of nice wholegrain bread.

I totally LOVE granola bars. If you can't not buy them, I suggest All Bran bars. I eat them a lot for breakfast, usually with yogurt for protein and maybe a piece of fruit as well. Maybe it's not ideal but it's still pretty healthy and tasty.

Overall you'd definitely be better off by including more whole grains, vegetables and fruits and also trying to eat protein at pretty much every meal and snack to keep your metabolism up. You might want to check out a web site with info about the glycemic index, cause it really shows how processed foods can affect you negatively compared to unprocessed ones.

It's always better to make more nutritious choices, like whole foods instead of processed foods and complex carbs instead of refined carbs. And vegetables, real vegetables.

That said, you also need to have a plan that you can follow, one that fits with your life. If all you can manage is a granola bar (and it should always be a healthy-type bar), then do that. It's not ideal but it's better than not eating 'cause you didn't have time to cook oatmeal, and then succumbing to a donut . . .