Here is what I had today:

Breakfast:
Tomato Basil Bagel w/ Light Cream Cheese
30 oz. Water

Lunch:
Pita bread w/ Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Banana
12 oz. Diet Pepsi /w Lime

Dinner:
Baked Potato w/ Light Butter (made with Canola Oil) and small sprinkle of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Broccoli
1/2 cup Applesauce
20 oz. water

Total according to FitDay: 1215 calories

Normally for breakfast I have a bowl of oatmeal and piece of fruit w/ water, and dinner varies... but I usually have at least 2 servings of veggies w/ a protein source. Lunch is pretty much the same every day, except I might have yogurt instead of fruit. I am not hungry in between meals, but when I put in all of my info on FitDay, it says I am only getting about 1050 to 1250 calories a day. I know you aren't supposed to eat less than 1200 a day, but I don't know where else to fit in more food, especially if I am not hungry. I went to a food pyramid website where it gave me 1700 as a daily calorie intake, but an extra 500 to 700 calories seems like a lot.

What do you all think?

Kelly,
I had originally started with 1100-1300 cal a day and noted that when I upped my calories (originally by just eating what I thought was "too much" in a day) that the next few days I lost more weight.. I believe that you should have a calorie range.. (mine is 1100-1600 day) and not always stick to just one calorie count.. I think it really helps with your metabolism.. at least that has been my findings!

besides being too strict about a number is not a lifestyle.. it is too much like a "diet".. another thing that I love about eating on the sliding scale calorie count.. is that I write down calories as I eat through out the day (I have dieted so long I can tell you calories in just about anything!).. and when I get to my max (ocassionally I get up to 1600 around 4pm) I just don't eat dinner.. it's one day and it's easier than cutting to the bone the next day..

I love this feeling.. I know I can always stay on my program.. another great thing is realizing that what you thought was a "bad day" in the scope of the entire week's calories was not that bad..

lastly.. don't worry about "do I really need to eat more".. the truth is.. if you are not hungry..
no...

I think you need to eat some protein!

I eat around 1200 calories when I'm in "losing mode"- I've been maintaining for almost 6 years. But I'd be starving on what you eat, not necessarily the caloric level. All your meals are high starch, low fiber, and no protein.

Mel

even at your goal weight, 1700 calories sounds about right to just maintain with no exercise -- (and I think at your current weight, you need quite a bit more, even when trying to lose - otherwise you're shedding considerable lean tissue mass as well, which slows down your metabolism and makes weight harder to lose & easier to regain).

You didn't mention if you're a vegetarian (I just noticed your menu today is), but I agree with more proteins -- you can throw in some chicken or shredded cheese in your dip for hummus dip.

For breakfast, you can probably swap out for regular cream cheese and maybe even smoked salmon. Same with the butter in your baked potato.

I also agree that you need more protein in your diet-if you are a vegetarian, then try to look at alternate sources, such as nuts or soy.

I think that 1200 calories every day is a little on the low side for you given your current weight.

1200 is the low end of a low calorie diet (Most people eat between 1200-1800 depending on their age, weight, amount of exercise they do, genetics, etc.) and you usually end up having to drop your calorie levels as you lose-because the less you weigh, the less calories your body uses. If you consistently eat 1200 a day now, at over 200 pounds, then when you plateau 20 or 30 pounds down the line, you don't have much wiggle room to drop your calories to.

If you like to have a consistent calorie level, I would probably aim more for 1400-1500 a day right now...and then you can drop it to 1200-1300 later on when you weigh less and your weight loss stalls-as it often does partway through the game. However, eating 1200 some days is fine, if you tend to zig zag your calories-like having 1200 one day, and 1600 the next.

Thanks, ladies!

No, I'm not a vegetarian, though it does look that way. I just rarely eat meat except at dinner. I will incorporate more nuts and other protein sources during the day, though. I never really noticed that I wasn't getting enough until you ladies pointed it out. I will also sneak a few more calories in at breakfast and lunch. It just doesn't seem like much of a diet with all that food, though! But, if I can lose while still eating plenty, then I'm all for that, too!

Thanks for all of your tips! They are appreciated!

You don't want it to seem like a diet! Think of this as a new way of eating for the rest of your life. OK- at some point you'll probably stop logging everything into fitday- but what you are doing now should be establishing healthy eating patterns which will keep you at your goal weight. Starving yourself down to a goal usually results in rapid regain Make maintainable changes, eat foods that you like and are good for you, incorporate exercise that you can maintain.

Instead of adding more calories to your meals (though I'd still change the composition!), think about adding 2 small healthy snacks. Frequent feeding keeps you from getting that ravenous "eat anything" mentality, keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels stable, and ensures that your body doesn't use it's own muscle tissue for energy during the course of the day.

Mel

Mel had another great idea.. I really have noticed that I am shedding weight faster now that I eat 6 times a day.. (three low cal meals and 3 snacks)..
I have added 100 cal snack pack popcorn and yogurt and a fruit.. I also love Ryvita and laughing cow lite cheese... also sometimes for a snack I have 1/2 can tuna and chopped veggies like tomatoes and cucumber with a splash of balsamic vinegar (this is SO good to me)..

Humus is made with chick peas, it is a decent form of protein.. I make it pretty often (also good spread on the ryvita)..

how are you doing today?
Cary

Thanks again for all of your advice!
I am starting to incorporate snacks into my day, starting today.
So far this is what I have eaten:

7:15am- Banana (after exercising first thing this am...normally I don't eat anything until breakfast, but I do drink water)

9:30am- Breakfast:
Spinach bagel with Egg, Ham, and 1 slice of Cheddar cheese

12:15pm- Lunch:
1/2 pita with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and sliced chicken breast (I planned to eat the whole pita, but I just wasn't hungry after the 1st half)
Peach Yogurt

2:30pm- Snack:
1/2 Luna Bar

For dinner, we will either have chili beans or spaghetti.
And of course lots of water throughout the day

So, is this looking better than yesterday?

Definitely much better! I personally would prefer the chili for dinner (particularly if you're doing any toning/strength exercises), since your breakfast & lunch were a bit more carby ~ and chili seems to have more protein to help muscle building.

I agree with Mel, you need a lot more protein. Some whole grain would be better too. You should be eating at least 25 grams of fiber a day. I think you barely ate 20. Fiber is a weight loser's best friend. TRUST ME. I eat between 35 and 50 grams a day. If you are working out and burning a reasonable amount of calories, you need to fuel your body sufficiently or it will go into "safe mode" and stop burning fat, because it will think it's being starved. You may not feel hungry, but I think you need to be eating a fruit or veggie (or both), a protein and a whole grain with every meal. Low fat dairy or soy products are great too.