It is all about trial and error. The next time you have green beans and a green salad ... you'll think that's a heap of food compared to that corn!

It takes time, you may not get it perfect right away....so you look at the meal and you say how can I make it better?
The best way to start is to look at what you are eating and tweak away

Just looking at your list I would try less avocado, low carb tortillas (50 cal each), remove the corn and replace it with green veggies. Corn is a starch like the tortillas, not a vegetable. Lowfat cheese, and skip the ranch dressing or replace it with fat free or light ranch and use less.

Hot dog - if you have a craving there are some low calorie ones, put it on a slice of light whole wheat (40 cal)

Orange juice...have 2 tangerines instead - 60 cals

You can always print your log online, if that's easier than putting it all down twice. It depends on how your internet access is. I'm on my computer all day/night, so it's easier for me to do it all online.

Sounds like you have a good start. For me, I had to become a label reader. There are so many choices with so many different amounts of calories. Be careful however - don't assume that "light" or "free" versions are the best. In many cases, they have almost as many calories, more sugar and lots of ingredients you can't pronounce.

For breads, I like the Flatout breads (90 cals) instead of tortillas. They are huge (I usually cut them in half) and have a lot of fiber and protein in them. I also like Thomas multigrain light English muffins - same thing - lots of fiber and protein for only 100 calories.

I find that sticking to whole foods not only helps me feel full on fewer calories, they are much easier to enter int Fitday.

As you begin reading labels, you will see that you can make a few substitutions for higher calorie foods that will serve you well and allow you to have more meals and snacks and still stay under your limit.

I was on the run today, so I had to live on grab 'n go foods. The couscous was left over from supper on Tuesday.
My menu today:
Breakfast - English muffin with hummus and a banana. (250 cals)
Snack - string cheese and carrot sticks (80 cals)
Lunch - couscous prepared with veggie broth with mixed vegetables (300 cals)
Snack - Wasa cracker with hummus and an apple (150 cals)
Supper - Morningstar Farms black bean burger on half of a Flatout bread and stir-fried veggies (250 cals)
Evening snack - glass of dry red wine and .5 oz. of cashews (200 cals)

3 meals, 3 snacks for a total of 1230 cals

For Hot Dogs...I don't eat them that often but when I do, I buy Hebrew National 97% Fat free I think.. They have like 45 calories each.

For tortillas I like the La Tortilla Factory low carb/low fat ones...only 50 calories each! I eat wraps most days for lunch.

With calorie counting I think you'll find you spend more time shopping - because you are reading all the labels...but it gets easier!! You'll find a lot of staples that you know you can rely on.

Oh and if you check out my Fitday? You'll see someone who is far from perfect...(yesterday is a good example of what not to do). But I just pick myself up and keep going. It's the only way to fly.

When I decided I was going to do more than just watch my fat I looked at the back of a package that showed what was allowed for a 2000 calorie diet and broke it down to the 1200 to 1400 calories that I decided to allow myself. Was pretty darn happy when the doc and nutritionist both said those limits were exactly they would have set for me. After I had already been doing this for a few months lol

I generally eat 6 small meals a day and a snack. Fit day is a great site. Basically I eat the same things everyday just switched around a bit for the pre breakfast, breakfast, pre lunch and lunch. They are things I like, I enjoy and they fill the required amounts of the four basic food groups. Sure I have days that I am over or under those amounts. It all averages out. Pre dinner and dinner can just depend on what I am in the mood for.

Maybe spread out what you eat over the entire day. 2 chicken tacos doesn't sound bad but don't eat them at the same time. Have one now and one later. That is how you have enough to spread thru the day. Sometimes you get rid of one thing and choose something else. I agree on the two tortilla being a bit high in calories ( now of course this can depend on the brand I know there are a few brands that are very low in calories and fat ) I use the lower calorie ones when I make tacos. Maybe take everything in those tacos and put it into a salad. Makes more than one serving and give you lots of food to eat.

As far as hot dogs, which is something I only eat about once every 6 months lol. Hebrew 97% fat free are great. It is all we have in the house now.

I have little by little changed what I eat. It takes time to fine tune calorie counting. With a site like fit day it is very easy.

Just a thought, instead of a nutritionist, maybe try a registered dietitian...I know the difference may not seem HUGE, BUT I know dietitians make actual meal plans, have more education, and a bonus, must be registered (I just think that makes them more on top of things due to continuing education requirements). Maybe your nutritionist IS a registered dietitian? I would ask, and either way have her give you an actual meal plan for a week or two so you're not stuck only eating once or twice a day. I mean it seems kind of silly for her to think that that's all the info you need to get through a day healthfully...but hey that may just be me.

judojedi... Unfortunately, my situation requires me to stick with whatever I am given. The nutritionist is being paid for by the military. Military medical care is TERRIBLE. The first time that I met my nutritionist was at a group orientation. My one-on-one conversation with her won't even be until the 28th. So until then, it's up to me to take what i learned at the orientation and apply it until I speak to her again.

Well, PeekaJinx, welcome to the world of reality, where you find out exactly how it was that you gained weight in the first place.

Without even adding up the items, I could see that you were going way up in cals. Half an avocado AND cheese? Ooops. Two tortillas? Ooops.

So, get creative! Learn how to portion out your foods throughout the day. That's how all of us do it. If we want something like some avocado, we know what we're getting into and what we have to trade off to stay within our range.

You'll get the hang of it! I've had more food surprises than I care to remember, but I survived and am still losing weight.

Good luck! Hang in there!

Jay

Hey! Just thought of this! I have the ALLI diet book, even though I don't use ALLI...and the book is FILLED with 1200/1500/1800 cal meal plans and you choose between 15%, 20% and 30% fat. The menus are extensive and include brands when specific calorie counts are vital, recipes for cooking and convenience food substitutions for those that don't cook, no-cook options, eating out options....Don't know why I didn't think of it before!

Anyways if you have access to the book I am sure it would come in handy....there is also a site ***********.com that offers FREE meal plans with many options and substitutions as well. I haven't used this site, but I have checked it out before. Good if you are low on funds!

HUH won't show the website....

Certain website names don't get shown because of spamming from those websites.



Jay

I know I'm coming late to the party here, but I just wanted to echo what others have said: you will learn what tradeoffs you want to make and it DOES get easier.

My husband joined me as a calorie counter several months into my journey. We had gone out to breakfast somewhere and he ate a big bagel sandwich -- I think it was something like 750 calories. Well, by the end of the day he was really struggling to stay to his calorie limit and STARVING and I had to keep reminding him it was just the FIRST DAY and that his breakfast hadn't done him any favors. Well, he learned how to portion better during the day and has lost 60 pounds.

Oh, and he hasn't had one of those bagel sandwiches since. Not that he couldn't, but for the most part, it's just not worth it!

Hi, I totally know what you mean. I am a BIG fan of having actual meals, and not 200 calories here and there as snacks, (like we should do). Anyway, I LOVE orange juice, but really it is a cup full of calories, I know it is SUPER healthy, so I save it for the days that my calories are on the lower end.

vixjean.. I can't imagine life without Orange Juice! I'm limiting myself to the 8 oz a day and allowing myself to sacrifice something else just for that 1 luxury. I seem to be doing better now that I am a few days into this calorie counting diet. I'm taking more care in my choices and trying to plan my meals ahead of time.