I'm a little disappointed, and needed some advice. I feel like I've been eating healthy today, but according to the Daily Plate I am already 49 calories over limit and I still want to eat dinner!
I've had a banana, low-cal cinnamon swirl toast (1 slice), one of those cottage cheese snack size things, an egg sandwich (two eggs, two pieces of bread, provolone cheese), a large spoon of Jif peanut butter and 2 glasses of cranberry juice... all of which exceeded the recommended caloric limit that comes up for my weight and weight loss goals (155lb, want to lose 2lb per week).
I always choose low cal breads, because I hate whole grain... I also don't normally eat peanut butter but I got a craving for a pb & j so I decided to go for the spoonful. Also, I normally drink water and Diet Coke but I'm out of the soda and cranberry juice is yummy. Basically, it seems crazy to me that I can eat all relatively "healthy" things (compared to my former diet of sausage biscuits every morning and pizza / cheeseburgers / hot dogs for dinner) and still go over my limit. Talk about FRUSTRATING.
I'm not a big egg or tuna fan, as I said - whole wheat makes me gag, and I also don't really dig yogurt. Anyone have ideas for SIMPLE healthy things I could eat for breakfast and lunch so I still have room for dinner? I don't mind going all out for healthy extravagant dinners but I don't have the time or money to invest into preparation and the such just to be able to eat decent for breakfast / lunch / snacks. I feel confused. Help!
What is your calorie limit set at? It seems like it might be kind of low... Trying to lose 2lbs/ week at 155lbs is kind of a lot. It's recommended that you only try to lose 10% of your weight per week, so 1.5 lbs a week. You could try altering your goal to give you a bit more calories to work with.
BUT, if you are more interested in how you can make your menu more calorie concious, here are some tips I have:
-Low-cal cinnamon swirl toast probably has about 60-80 cals a slice? Try a normal low cal toast that is only 40 or 45 cals a slice.
-Try a 2% or non-fat cottage cheese. Could save 30-40 cals
-For the egg sandwich, use one full egg and one egg white. A full egg is about 80cals, a white is like 16. You could even use one full egg and 2 whites and still save 50 calories.
-MEASURE your Peanut Butter. It is SO calorie dense that you need to either use a tablespoon or (even better) a food scale. Know whether you are eating one tablespoon or two or more because it makes a huge difference in my calorie count.
-Drink Crystal Light mixed with your water (10 cals a pack) or LIGHT cranberry juice. Juice is a killer and has SO much sugar. Drinking your calories is probably the fastest and sneakiest way to add calories.
Making the changes above would have saved you about 300 calories, I'd bet.
Since you asked for other recommendations, I'll tell you my FAVORITE breakfast:
- 2 pieces of french toast made with low cal bread, 1/4 cup Egg Beaters, splash of milk and cinnamon: 120 calories
-1/8 cup of Sugar Free Maple Syrup: 15 calories
-1/2 cup Cottage Cheese: 90 calories
- Scrambled eggs made with 2 egg beaters, 1/2 oz of goat cheese, and some spinach: 100 calories
So I eat all that food for about 350 calories. And it keeps me full for a LONG time.
When I entered what you ate into FitDay I get 934 calories. So unless you have your calorie limit set way too low, there is plenty of room for dinner there.
Yeah, I am only seeing ~ 1000 calories. Not nearly enough for a whole day.
juice - I dont use artificial sweeteners at all so light juices and crystal light dont work for me, when I do want cranberry juice I dilute it heavily with water. You may need to start slowly, but I am now to the point I have about 5 parts water to 1 part juice.
lunch - huge salad - dinner plate size of lettuce, 1/2 cucumber, carrot, 1/2 red pepper, 4 oz lean meat, a few spritzes of salad dressing - somewhere in the 200-250 range depending on the exact veggie and protein choices.
Snacks - 1/2 apple with 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese - (a lot of those cottage cheese with fruit things have too much sugar. ) about 125 calories
1/2 apple & 2 oz lean turkey or ham. also about 140 calories
MTA: it can seem at first that omelettes are a lot of work but I chop up piles of veggies at one time and freeze them - toss them in the pan while I am separating the eggs, and the whole thing takes about 5 min to make. Same with salads. I chop huge piles of veggies. They are good in the fridge for 3 days easy so I try to cut at least that much.
As for the simple breakfast, I've been eating hot cereal with a spoonful of chopped nuts, a squirt of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Either the Hodgson Mills Oat Bran or the Bob's Red Mill 10 grain.
It's really easy: 1/4 cup of the grains, 3/4 - 1 cup of water, spoon of nuts, sprinkle of cinnamon -- stir it up, microwave for 1.5 min, stir it again, microwave for 1.5 min, let it sit for a bit, squirt in the honey, eat.
as i was reading your list (I've had a banana, low-cal cinnamon swirl toast (1 slice), one of those cottage cheese snack size things, an egg sandwich (two eggs, two pieces of bread, provolone cheese), a large spoon of Jif peanut butter and 2 glasses of cranberry juice... ) preccty much EVERYTHING has carbs (mostly bad carbs) and not enough protein. Protein is the part that makes you feel full for a long time. carbs (natural and added) makes you feel hungry soon.
My favorite lunch is cup-a-soup. It really fills me up, it's cheap and easy to make. I have fruit with it. If you want some bread you can go for plain bread and dip it in, for a bit of a carb "fix".
I have been shocked to find that a lot of foods I used to think were ok (carbs without fat) are terribly calorie dense.
I also have to second what has been said, it does sound like you have set your calorie goal a bit too low.
Over limit, and it's only lunch!
