[Gippaloo]

Could you guys give me some advice for this diet? I am just starting out (started on Monday actually) and so far I am doing very good.

My usual daily eating routine goes like this:

Breakfast: Slim Fast or Yogurt, or sometimes I skip breakfast

Lunch: Soup that is 190 calories per serving (usually 2 servings) or chicken breast with a small salad.

Dinner: 2 veggie burgers with wheat buns/1 slice of cheese, and a vegetable like spinach or carrots.

All in all I think I get around 1,000 calories a day.

I am 5'8 and weigh 250 lbs. Should I be getting more calories? Less? And can you guys give me some tips on how to stick to this diet?

Thanks! ^^

[GonnaLooseitagain]

Welcome to the Calorie Counters. Well your calories look low, but I am concerned with the types of foods. It isnt just "cutting calories", but making BETTER food choices. The veggi burgers with wheat buns are a good choice. Let me tell you. I just started using a program called "Diet Pro" do a goodle search on it and you can try it for 2 weeks free. I am on my 4th day using it and to me it is by far the best program I have tried. There are others that have FREE services long term like fitday.com.

I stay around 1200 cals per day, but this program also tracks nutrients and adjusts your calories based on your habits of eating, it will tell you what you need to get more of and adjust your daily calories based on your height/weight/losses/exercise.

As far as sticking to the "diet" you should not be focusing on "dieting" but like I said making healthy choices that you can LIVE with long term.

I am also concerned about your breakfast. A slim fast in a hurry sounds ok once in a while, but you should NEVER EVER skip a meal. I would opt for oatmeal for breakfast it is VERY good for you and easy to make, and quick to boot. Are you getting any FRESH fruits/vegis daily? Are you looking for long term success or a quick fix? Because if you want long term then I would shoot for about 1-2lbs per week, no more, since more than that is almost unatainable for the long run. To get 1lb loss per week you only need to cut 500 cals/day. So 2lbs would be 1000 per day cut. So you need to track what you are doing.

Please feel free to add me to messenger if you use it. I started Aug 1, 2005 at 215lbs and I am at 179 today just by being very diligent and tracking everything that I eat. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!

[lucky]

1000 calories is much too low, especially at your current weight. Of course, we are all different but at 214 pounds I lost about 2 pounds a week eating an average of 1800 calories a day - and that was before I really started exercising. There is no sense eating so little when you could eat much more and still lose weight. You will have to gradually reduce your calories as you go to continue losing weight each week but you should never go below 1200 or so (consistently, anyway - a day or two here and there isn't going to hurt).

You may also find it helps to break your meals into several smaller ones over the course of the day. I have always been a "three squares" type and lost weight early on by eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with eating three bigger meals each day. However, I have found that I feel better, have a more postive attitude, and much more energy if I "graze" throughout the day. Aside from the biological reasons for doing it (blood sugar, metabolism) eating several smaller meals makes it seem as if you are eating much more than you really are because you never give yourself a chance to feel hungry.

I agree with gonnaloseitagain that the quality of your food choices makes a difference. But, when it is all said and done, it is calories in vs. calories out that determines whether or not you lose weight. I would suggest focusing on that for now. Get comfortable eating reduced portions of your usual foods and try new things as you feel ready. Don't feel like you need to change everything right at once. Of course, if you are one of those people who fares better by just biting the bullet and changing everything at once then by all means, jump right in. Just keep in mind that losing weight isn't an all or nothing game. Give yourself room to make mistakes and learn from them as you go along.

As for sticking to a diet, it is important to chose a program that you can live with. Set realistic goals. Don't get in a hurry - it will foul up your efforts every single time. Keep track of every single bite you eat, especially in the beginning. You will begin to see patterns emerge and will be able to identify trouble spots, times, situations, etc. Measure and weigh your portions so that there is no question as to how much you are eating. Learn to make mistakes and move on. We all have days that we eat more than we need or exercise less than we should. It happens. When it happens to you, forgive yourself and jump right back on plan. One meal is a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands that we'll consume over the rest of our lives. So, a poor choice here or there isn't going to make or break your weight loss efforts - unless you let it. Pat yourself on the back often. Every on plan meal is a reason to congratulate yourself for a job well done. Don't focus JUST on weight loss. There are lots and lots of positve changes that will take place as you progress. Make a point to notice them. It will help you realize that there is much more to this lifestyle than just a number on the scale. The scale is only one tool for measuring your sucess and it isn't always accurate so don't let yourself become a slave to it. There is no doubt that watching those numbers go down is the fun part but it certainly isn't all there is to celebrate.

Good Luck!

[blues4miles]

Just adding my two cents, you DEFINITELY need to be eating more calories. But you won't know for sure how much you're eating until you start counting every calorie. I would start a journal (by hand, or online, doesn't matter) and either go by labels or an online service and count every single thing you consume. You should not be eating less than 1200, and at your weight I'd say no less than 1500. This needs to be a lifestyle change, and you'll need to get used to possibly eating 1500 calories a day for the rest of your life. I have trouble with breakfast too, but I wouldn't suggest a slimfast as they really are misleading and don't give you the nutrients you need, and personally I consider them an unfilling calorie waste. Anyways, you are already on the right track as you are here and asking these lovely ladies for advice! Good luck!

[jillybean720]

Broken record time--I think you should be eating more calories, too. 1200 is the magic number that everyone says you should not go below regularly unless under the supervision of a doctor. You're asking how you can stick to this...I'm guessing that is because you are feeling hungry and/or deprived. And at such a low calorie amount, that's not surprising. Also, are you exercising at all? If so, I would increase your calories even more to provide you the energy you need to work out. Good luck, and keep up the great work!

[aphil]

Originally Posted by Gippaloo

Could you guys give me some advice for this diet? I am just starting out (started on Monday actually) and so far I am doing very good.

My usual daily eating routine goes like this:

Breakfast: Slim Fast or Yogurt, or sometimes I skip breakfast

Lunch: Soup that is 190 calories per serving (usually 2 servings) or chicken breast with a small salad.

Dinner: 2 veggie burgers with wheat buns/1 slice of cheese, and a vegetable like spinach or carrots.

All in all I think I get around 1,000 calories a day.

I am 5'8 and weigh 250 lbs. Should I be getting more calories? Less? And can you guys give me some tips on how to stick to this diet?

Thanks! ^^

First off, I would like to say welcome.

Second, I would like to give some advice that I think would be helpful to you. The first thing is, at a starting weight of 200+, you definitely can eat more calories per day than 1000. Try eating about 1600-1800 calories a day (going day to day in that range-maybe 1710 one day, 1680 the next, 1750 the next, etc. to give yourself a little range.)

I also want to say that "diets" don't work in the long run. A diet has a beginning, and an end, and when you end it-you gain back what you lost on the diet. For long term weight loss and maintenance, you need to change your lifestyle. We want to be smaller and healthier people for life. This means healthier eating and exercise habits for the rest of our lives.

On your eating-here is my two cents. Never skip breakfast. Your body has gone through a fasting state for at least 8 hours, and needs fuel in the morning. Also-a Slim Fast or a yogurt is on average 100-210 calories each, depending on which you have, and what variety. 100 calories is a SNACK, not a meal.
Since we are all advising you to eat more calories, I will try to give healthy examples on how to add calories to what you are already doing. For breakfast, if you like what you are having now-then add some calories by adding a serving of fruit to breakfast-have a banana with that yogurt or Slim Fast. Better yet, at a 1600-1800 calorie eating plan, aim to have about 350-400 calories for breakfast each morning. You could have an egg and some fruit with that yogurt...or you could have a big serving of oatmeal with an egg or fruit on the side. Lots of possibilities here.
The key is to try to keep your calories in a certain range each day, but also spread them out through the day, and make those calories healthier choices.
An 1600-1800 eating plan could look like this:
Breakfast:400 cal.
Snack:100-200cal.
Lunch:400 cal.
Dinner:600 cal.
Snack:100-200 cal.
Total: 1600-1800 cal.

Your basic eating plan is okay, but too low in calories for your current weight. It would also be too hard to stick to over time, as well as hard to get in all of your basic nutrients. Add calories to your plan, but definitely add some dairy, and some fruit servings into your eating plan.
Also it is key to keep a small journal and write down your calories each day, instead of "estimating". Estimation can make a huge difference over time, even if the difference is only 50 calories or so a day.
Once you lose some weight, and start noticing that you are no longer losing at a healthy rate (meaning, you no longer see a minimum of 1/2 pound loss each week) then it is okay to drop your range down a bit (maybe 1500-1600 a day once you get under 200 pounds).
I also want to add, that exercise is KEY not only to better weight loss, but to a better BODY. We have all seen the difference between a thin woman who exercises regularly, and one who doesn't. Thin doesn't always mean FIT. You will also burn more calories, and have better results losing weight if you exercise. Good luck.
Aphil

[Gawdess]

I am similar in height and weight and just went to see a dietician. She told me 1800 calories is a good place to start. I was doing the 1000 calorie thing too, but I found that I felt sick and miserable with my food choices. Maybe seeing a nutritionist might help get you on the right path.

I wish you much happiness and success!