[s2theb]

Hi all. Hope your weeks are going well!

My loss has been stalled all week and I'm starting to think that my phase 1+ plan is not exactly working for me because I am not eating enough calories. I have been eating every few hours so I'm not fining myself hungry but I did a quick check and I'm probably eating only about 700 calories a day.

Since I'm doing 50 minutes of cardio 5 days a week, I'm pretty sure I need to start upping my portions and adding some low-fat but slightly higher calorie meals back in.

Previously, I've been successful losing when I'm taking in about double what I am now. I don't think the book addresses this "how many calories" question (I know it's not exactly a calorie counting diet).

What do you guys think?

[fatBgone07]

Hi,

I asked the same question a couple of days ago, but I can't remember on which thread I asked it -LOL! I know I am well under 1000 calories myself. Fruites and veggies just don't have that much! I am just finishing day 5 - yeah! OVer half way there.

[Suzanne 3FC]

Can you post a sample menu that you are following?

If you eat the plan as it is described in the book (2 cups brown rice, 1 cup oatmeal, 2 cups skim milk, 6 oz yogurt, 4 egg whites, a serving or two of beans, plenty of vegetables and some fruit) you will consume between 1300 and 1500 calories per day.

[fatBgone07]

1) 6 oz yogurt and 1/2 c low fat soy milk
2)oatmeal
3)lettuce salad/orange
4)veggie soup
5)grapes

I only tried to make the rice one time. I guess I cooked it too long - it didn't taste the greatest. Also, I don't like beans except green beans. I bought some lentils today and some chick peas to try.

[Suzanne 3FC]

That's not enough calories for your little dog If you cut back too much, you'll make it easier to regain the weight and harder to lose it next time. He says we don't need to count calories, but that's just a gimmick a lot of diet books use to make their diets sound better. It's very important to be aware, even if it's just a ballpark figure, of how many calories we consume not only so that we don't overeat, but also so we don't under-eat.

The rice is very important to the success of this diet. It will keep you full, provide very necessary fiber and protein and other important nutrients, and it really isn't too bad, lol.

I have to admit that I refused to eat brown rice before I decided to try Fat Smash. I didn't eat white rice either, though. I just wasn't a fan of rice. I forced myself to eat it because I wanted to stick to the plan as closely as possible. My opinion really changed! Even though I no longer follow the Fat Smash plan, I still eat brown rice almost every day! Not just brown rice, either, I eat other whole rices such as black rice and red rice.

I use a rice cooker now, but before I bought it, I followed the instructions in Cooks Illustrated to make perfect brown rice. It will make about 5 cups cooked, but you can portion it out into baggies and put it in the fridge or freezer.

Browse through this forum and the recipe forum and you'll find some great ideas for making the rice taste good. I love to make a Mediterranean style stir fried rice and veggie mixture. I saute onions and mushrooms, then toss in cooked brown rice, roasted red bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes, fresh chopped spinach, and a splash of good balsamic vinegar I also love to make a cold rice salad, by combining red pepper vinaigrette (or other dressing) with a little plain yogurt and tossing it with cold rice, chopped onions, tomatoes, chopped spinach, chopped lettuce, and anything else handy that might taste good in the mix. Looks horrible, but tastes great I also like to add a big spoon of rice to my vegetable soup to try to increase my whole grains.

Don't be afraid to play around with the rice. It's cheap, so it's easy to experiment with

Lentils and chickpeas are also delicious in a salad or added to soup

[fatBgone07]

Thansk Suzanne - great advice! I'll try cooking some more today. I guess I am so afraid of over eating tht I have swung to the opposite side.

[lem]

Hi,

I had the same problem when I first started smashing because I didn't eat Oatmeal, milk or any type of beans. I now love steel cut oats (1/4 c dry)w/ a smashed up boiled apple in the them. Thats about 200 calories. I still don't like regular oatmeal. I also use instant grits from time to time to switch it up. If you eat 2 c of brown rice per day, the calories will add up faster. My menus today was as follows:

B - 1/4 c dry steel cut oats w/ apple 200 cal
S - 1 c red grapes 116 cal
L - 1 c brown rice (266 calories) w/ 2c steamed broccoli (88 cal) w/ I can't believe its not butter spray and Lawrys seasoned salt (just a little)
S - fruit smoothie w/ yogurt, fresh pineapple, frozen peaches & strawberries (140 total calories)
D- 1 c corn(160), 1 c steamed asparagus(43), 1 c brown rice (266)w/ butter spray above and seasoned salt
s - 1/4 c soy nuts(140)
I don't have a calculator handy but thats around 1400 calories. I also eat brown rice cakes at 70 cal each and Brown rice crackers (they are just brown rice and a touch of salt) for 60 cal for 7 of them. You could add milk to your smoothie to up those calories and often I eat oatmeal not only for breakfast but also for a snack or dinner. Try adding chopped veggies (I like yellow squash, zucchini, onion, baby corns, water chesnuts to make fried rice. I saute them in veggie broth w/ some minced garlic until it is all tender then I add an egg white and then add in a few shakes of low sodium soy sauce and add the cooked brown rice just at the end. It gives it so much flavor. I buy the quick cook boil in bag brown rice. It is so much easier and less likely it will become sticky. Good luck to all of you and welcome! Lem

[fatBgone07]

Thanks Lem- today I cooked up some lentils and brown rice. I tried the receipe Suzanne - it was ok, but I'll need to doctor them up. I have cooked up quite a bit. At least it was edible this time! Lem- where do you find brown rice cke/ crackers / rice in a bag? I added the lentils and some brown rice to my veggie soup. It was great! I'll try to increase the calorie intake.

[s2theb]

Thanks everybody! I'm happy to report that I've upped my calories and saw a pound and a half loss this weekend!

I never believed that not eating enough would slow weight loss. I never managed to control my appetite long enough to find out!

Oh - a new food discovery. I'm obsessed with kiefer and bananas. It's a yummy cultured milk/yogurt. Love Trader Joes!

Also on the TJ tip - they have great microwave brown rice.

[lem]

Hi -

Not sure if they have Krogers groceries in St Louis? Anyway, that is where I get the Kroger brand boil in bag brown rice. I would think most stores would have it. I think Minute Rice makes them in brown as well but I always buy the generic version to save some money. I found the brown rice cakes at Whole Grains - surely there is one of those in St Louis? They are all over the country I thought. My local Co-op grocery also has them. I think any healthy/organic grocery would probably have them. That is also where I buy brown rice soy crisps. I don't eat a lot of them but I allow myself a serving or two a week when i need something crunchy and I don't have my brown rice cakes. Good luck! Lem

[lem]

Also look for a Whole Foods Market or a Wild Oats - also chains that would have these types of foods. Lem

[fatBgone07]

Sounds good- I need convenient for a diet to work for me. I work full time and am a single mother of 2 kids who play sports. I am trying to up my calories. So, since tomorrow is day 9 for me, should I stay in Phase I a little longer?

[lem]

FatBgone07 - I guess it is up to you. I went to P2, well sort of because I added fish or chicken maybe 3 times per week and didn't change anything else about the way I ate. That still worked for me at a loss of about 2 lbs per week but then I went back and detoxed again. I think I am on my 3rd or 4th detox now because I am close to my goal and I want to get there before some big events I am attending next month. The 2 times I extended my detox by a few days, I didn't lose anymore and my body craved the protein Do what makes you feel best. Good luck. Lem