Okay calorie counters, tell me what you eat everyday? I struggle with figuring out what to eat. Also how do I figure how many calories I should be eating?

Thanks,

Christie

o.o I think everyone eats at different #s depending on personal stats, activity level and weight

I've been eating around 1200-1250 for the past 5 weeks (in the middle of 6the week at the moment)

I eat about 3 main meals and 1-2 light snacks a day
I make sure to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water/green tea a day

I track my calories via "Lose It" an iphone app that I use but I know other people use fitday, sparkpeople.. etc

I posted my week 5 meal plan on my blog .. it's slightly long so I didnt want to copy/paste

best of luck to you. I read some people feeling "lightheaded" when they eat only 1600 calories so I think it really depends on the person.

I do lots of exercise, so I'm allowed 1300-1700 a day, but I don't usually go over 1500 calories. I always make sure to have 1-2 servings of yogurt a day (one with breakfast, one at lunch or as a snack later in the day), and I usually eat fruit as my snacks. Apples and bananas are easy because they are an on-the-go type of fruit.

I have a big salad ever day, change the lettuce, and toppings and dressings but it is always a base for lunch and or dinner.

I stock low cal english muffins, lately it has been the light thomas' becuse it is what they have at costco, teddy natural PB (salt added) sliced ham and chicken, also costco, costco real eggs (30 cals for 1/4 cup) steal cut oat meal, brown sugar. Apples, berries, laughing cow cheese, low carb tortillas, goat cheese...

I have been a little high on Cals for the last week because as life goes we have eaten out a lot, but I have also upped my activity so maybe I have ballanced it out.

I aim for 1700 calories a day, as I burn 2200 at rest daily. I try to fill up on a lot of fresh fruits and veggies. I have lost 20 pounds these last three months. Here is an example of what I may eat in a day:

Breakfast: 1 whole wheat waffle - 100 calories, sugar-free syrup - 15, one small apple - 70, 2 scrambled eggs - 140, tea with no sugar.
Total calories = 325

Snack: One yogurt cup, low fat = 90 calories

Lunch: Sandwich wrap - 210, tomato - 20, fat free mayo - 15, deli turkey meat - 60, 1 oz cheddar - 110, 1 banana - 110, Crystal Light drink or water or tea- 0
Total calories = 525

Snack: Granola bar - 90 calories

Dinner: Chicken breast, boneless/skinless 6oz - 165, 1 cup steamed broccoli salt but no butter - 50, large baby green salad (2 cups lettuce, 4 crumbled crackers, 1 oz walnuts, 1 oz cranberries, 2 tbls light italian dressing) - 370, bbq sauce for the chicken, lol - 40, Crystal Light drink or water or tea - 0
Total calories = 625

Total for the day - 1655

I hope this helps

If you go to one of the major calorie-tracking sites (fitday, thedailyplate, sparkpeople, etc) they'll estimate how many calories you should eat to lose weight. They base it on your age, height, weight, and activity level, and sometimes how quickly you want to lose, but that's still just an average - you might find that their number ends up being too high or too low for you. But it's a decent place to start.

Sparkpeople will even give you a food plan for each day that you could follow if you want... I'm not sure about the other sites.

I'm 5'2", 128 lb, exercise for 1 hour or more a day (6 days a week).. and I limit myself to 1500 calories a day. (I make sure to eat at least 1300... but even at 1500 I'm hungry a good portion of the day, so I would never go under that anyway.) I end up losing about a pound a week on this plan.

Every day for breakfast I eat bran flakes with a banana and skim milk. The rest varies. Today, my lunch is homemade vegetable soup with pasta, and leftover veggies from dinner (roasted cauliflower and green beans). I had a bagel for morning snack - it's a once-a-week indulgence. Afternoon snack is (overcooked) spaghetti squash mixed with applesauce. Dinner is still up in the air since my husband may be going out to eat - probably something quick and easy like omelettes or quesadillas made with low-carb tortillas. Usually I have fruit or yogurt for a snack after dinner.

I eat different things every day. I eat between 1200-1400 calories a day and I have a small notebook that I keep in my purse to track my calories etc. I am 5'0 and weigh 163 lbs. I usually will drink a slim fast for breakfast. I have a hard time eating in the morning so that curves my apetite and then usually will have about 10 almonds around 11. My lunches vary. Sometimes I'll have soup. Sometimes Salad. Sometimes I'll have tuna or salmon mixed w/ a tablespoon of lf mayo. Dinner varys too... here are some things that I always keep on hand..

Laughing cow cheese
crakers (such as wheat thins or triscuits)
Popcorn
brummel and brown butter spread
eggs
variety of veggies
beans- such as black, garbanzo
hummus (I make it myself usually)
string cheese
brown rice
chicken breasts
yogurt

I eat different things every day. I can't eat the same thing too often or I get burnt out.

I'm still trying to get this down, but here's an idea of how I figure out what to eat:

1. I am trying to incorporate the SuperFoods as much as possible (My rough version: beans, berries, cruciferous veggies, oats/whole grains, citrus fruits, pumpkin/carrots, fish, soy, green leafy veggies, tea, tomatoes, nuts, yogurt... also apple/pears, olives/olive oil, avocados, banana, garlic/onions, honey, kiwi, dark chocolate, pomegranate) Honestly, if I just plan my meals around getting at least one of each category in each day, it's hard to go over on calories.

2. A remnant of my strict South Beach days: aim for 4.5 CUPS of veggies/day, minimum

3. I just read somewhere that it is OK to have the same breakfast every day, so I'm sticking with that for now.

4. For now, I am averaging 1400 calories/day.


A *good* day: (just noticed that this is a vegetarian day as well)
Breakfast: Black tea. Plain oatmeal (100) with 1 oz soy protein powder (100 - the one I'm using now is chocolate flavored and is kinda sweet) and 1 teaspoon flax seed oil (40)
TOTAL: 240

Lunch: Pizza made on 1 whole grain pita bread (60 or 90 with a Flat Out wrap), with 1/2 c. tomato sauce (50) and 1 oz shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese (120) AND veggie pepperoni (70) with peppers/mushrooms/spinach and 1 clove fresh garlic
100g (a handful) of grapes (70)
TOTAL: ~380

Snack #1: 1 small honeycrisp apple (55) with 1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter (100)
TOTAL: 155

Dinner: 1 cup vegetable chili (230) which contains beans, tomatoes, onions and carrots
Green salad made with ~2 c. lettuce (16) and ~1 c. cabbage (22) with some green onions and radishes and chopped hard boiled egg (70)
balsamic vinaigrette made with 1 teaspoon olive oil (40)
Dessert: 1 square dark chocolate (42) and one kiwi fruit (46)
TOTAL: ~500

I work out in the evening, so I have a snack when I get home:

Snack #2: 1/2 cup plain yogurt (70) with 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (29), pumpkin pie spices and a splash of DaVinci sugar free caramel syrup
TOTAL: ~100 cal

According to FitDay, this ends up @ 1401 calories for the day - 33g fiber and 47% carbs:27% protein:26% fat. And when I actually manage to eat like this, it is PLENTY of calories. Everything is very filling.

On the other hand, when I don't eat like this, it's easy to get up to 1800/1900 calories and still be hungry...

Thanks everyone! Great ideas and very helpful. How do you know how many calories you burn?

Christie

3 meals a day (four meals if i feel like it) - i don't snack (i feel like it's a bad habit) and i drink mostly water and tea

breakfast
4 boiled egg whites 100 kcal
1 yoghurt 90 kcal
3 tomatos 60 kcal
total - 250 kcal

lunch
1 litre of vegetable soup 150 kcal
pound of fried mushrooms 100 kcal
total - 250 kcal

dinner

apple (~ 1 pound) - 100 kcal
bag of carrots (~ half pound) - 70 kcal
two cucumbers - 30 kcal
1 yoghurt - 90 kcal
total - 290 kcal

daily intake - 790 kcal

I have maintained at 1900 calories for almost 5 years, and I am now at 2200 because of pregnancy. I was about 122lbs at 5'5 before I got pregnant (I'm now 127lbs but that is mostly baby and boobs!). I strongly believe in eating the proper amount of calories for your height, weight, and activity level, will make it much easier to maintain in the long run.

Here's my daily plan:

Breakfast:
Protein pancakes + sugar free rasberry jam, 1 black tea

Snack:
1 large whole wheat wrap with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 whole apple

*Protein shake post workout

Lunch:
1 chicken breast, 4 cups spinach salad, 1-2tbsp oil dressing, 1 cup brown rice

Snack:
Raw veggies assortment

Dinner:
A lean meat (tonight, ahi tuna), 1 cup brown rice, 1-2 cups steamed veggies

Snack:
175g greek yogurt (coconut for now), 1/2 cup berries (tonight, blackberries)

If anyone who uses fitday.com chooses, they can link it here.
In their profile box (on the left there) you should see a link. You'll be able to see exactly what they eat.