EDIT: actually ate 1273 calories, 73 calories over but not too bad
I feel pretty full too. This seems like something i could stick to but I'm unsure how many calories was in the steamed rice and chicken I had at lunch. I think 300 is a good guesstimate.
The best part about this diet is that I can have treats whenever I crave them as long as it goes under my calorie range. Of course I'm still eating as healthy as possible because that means I can eat more food and not feel hungry. This plan is almost freelance and its almost like I am playing a game, like I'm given a certain amount of money and have to decide whether to spend it at TJMAXX or Saks 5th Avenue. One place gives you more bang for your buck, while the other gives you more pricey items (that may seem worthed it) but less of it (same with calories)
How do you guys go about guesstimating calories?
Last edited by sweetlovin; 03-28-2008 at 11:20 AM.
I don't really guestimate...at this point I am trying to be really right on. I would really like to get to the point where I don't have to write everything down, and can just make good choices and know when I'm full. But...it is kind of like a game. I said on another thread that it has become my hobby...I'm actually having fun Good luck!!!!
sweet
I don't think without fit day I would have ever counted calories. The site has been a great tool for me. I don't guesstimate either. I put all the foods in I eat and use the amounts right off the packages or go on line and find many sources before I give an amount. I don't use fit days amounts because I have found they are very seldom accurate. It is a game to me. What am I going to eat tomorrow. I set up tonight what I am having tomorrow. If there is something I am really wanting, meat loaf for example. I put that in and then build the whole day around it. Making sure I get the required amounts of the four basic food groups in but not going over the general amounts of calories fats and carbs I allow myself. I find it great fun and I feel satisfaction that I am committed to what I am doing.
I'd be concerned that your diet doesn't seem sustainable. This time, I'm trying to eat like I will for the rest of my life. I've dieted several times in the past by starving myself. I think I was probably even under 1000 calories, maybe much under. (Seasoned chicken breast for lunch, nothing else, no snacks. Three breadsticks with marinara sauce for lunch, nothing else.) It worked initially. At one point, I was 124 pounds which, for my height, is almost underweight. Then, the pounds came back - with friends - because I couldn't eat like that forever. It was a diet, not a way of life. I also ate NO fruits and veggies (except occasional pasta sauce). I don't see a lot of fruits and veggies in your day either. It's amazing the amount of veggies you can eat. I think an entire bag of frozen mixed veggies that I buy is like 200 calories. If you ate 1/2 bag instead of, say, the Sun Chips, you'd even consume fewer calories, but be healthier. We're supposed to get 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies in a day for proper nourishment. I'm not trying to be too critical, but I see you on a path that I was. I got fatter and fatter and didn't do my health any favors, either. I feel much better now and I've only been dieting for a couple of months.
As for tracking my calories, I do my best to be accurate, but I'm not uptight about it. My initial target calories was 2066 (I'm nursing) and I've had trouble getting my daily average over 1700! I've regularly had days in the 1400 range (but I stopped losing then!). So, I've got some play. And, my personality would want me to keep exact count, then I'd get too lazy and stop altogether after a week ago. So, it's better to guesstimate with the help of Google. Sometimes, if I feel like it, I'll completely calculate a recipe I use regularly, but not often.
Last edited by LessEveryDay; 03-28-2008 at 03:09 PM.
How about some vegetable soup or a salad with that yogurt for dinner? If you don't like making your own soup, Progresso has passable lower calorie soups. The other night, I had an entire can of noodle soup and it only came to 120 calories. I had that with a piece of whole grain bread and was satisfied. Most of the time, I make my own soups, but I keep the Progresso around for those ultra busy nights when I just don't have time to cook.
I'd be concerned that your diet doesn't seem sustainable. This time, I'm trying to eat like I will for the rest of my life. I've dieted several times in the past by starving myself. I think I was probably even under 1000 calories, maybe much under. (Seasoned chicken breast for lunch, nothing else, no snacks. Three breadsticks with marinara sauce for lunch, nothing else.) It worked initially. At one point, I was 124 pounds which, for my height, is almost underweight. Then, the pounds came back - with friends - because I couldn't eat like that forever. It was a diet, not a way of life. I also ate NO fruits and veggies (except occasional pasta sauce). I don't see a lot of fruits and veggies in your day either. It's amazing the amount of veggies you can eat. I think an entire bag of frozen mixed veggies that I buy is like 200 calories. If you ate 1/2 bag instead of, say, the Sun Chips, you'd even consume fewer calories, but be healthier. We're supposed to get 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies in a day for proper nourishment. I'm not trying to be too critical, but I see you on a path that I was. I got fatter and fatter and didn't do my health any favors, either. I feel much better now and I've only been dieting for a couple of months.
As for tracking my calories, I do my best to be accurate, but I'm not uptight about it. My initial target calories was 2066 (I'm nursing) and I've had trouble getting my daily average over 1700! I've regularly had days in the 1400 range (but I stopped losing then!). So, I've got some play. And, my personality would want me to keep exact count, then I'd get too lazy and stop altogether after a week ago. So, it's better to guesstimate with the help of Google. Sometimes, if I feel like it, I'll completely calculate a recipe I use regularly, but not often.
Maybe. Idk that was my first day. I think today was a bit better
Breakfast- 2 slices of whole grain bread -220 calories
egg whites- 60 calories (can u believe this lol)
2 ham slices (mixed in)- 20 calories
tspoon of olive oil- 120? still deciding weather to count this because I used it to cook the chicken.
2 cheesesticks (to add to chicken)- 100 calories
578 w/ olive oil
Dinner-
Slimfast- 180 calories
Snack
Yogurt- 170
1/2 serving of sunchips- 70
celery- 25
265 calories
1373? geez I wrote it down and it didn't come out so wrong. If I took out the olive oil, it would be 1253 but idk. eh whatever.
I understand what you're saying with the veggie advice. I guess I would try incorporating that more into my diet. i tend to focus a lot on whole grain, and protein but I try to munch on veggies that are easy to eat raw like carrots and celery.
I think the things that I am eating that I could definitely omit is the yogurt (wayy too many calories) and the sunchips (wayy too many calories). Without eating those things, I would have been able to come at 1200 a lot better.
Thanks for the advice. I'm your height except my goal is to be around 130 pounds. Idk if I'm eating enough calories considering my height but I checked my BMR and its 1500 so if I eat 1200, thats a 300 calorie deficit. I exercise an hour to two hours every day but i don't eat those back at all.
We will see my results. I just keep thinking I'm missing something lol.
How about some vegetable soup or a salad with that yogurt for dinner? If you don't like making your own soup, Progresso has passable lower calorie soups. The other night, I had an entire can of noodle soup and it only came to 120 calories. I had that with a piece of whole grain bread and was satisfied. Most of the time, I make my own soups, but I keep the Progresso around for those ultra busy nights when I just don't have time to cook.
Thats a good idea. Now I'm craving some right now. I am going to buy some the next time I'm at the store. Maybe I can make my own too. Have any good recipes for a good soup?
Your 2nd day diet def looks better than the first, but the Slimfast for dinner is still not entirely great!
Also at your height and weight and with the exercise that you're doing, I would think that sticking right at 1200 would really be too low for you. 1400 would be a much more sustainable number.
Counting calories not so bad
Good luck!!!!
