I'm Horrible at counting calories....please help

  • Monday Total Calories: 1501

    Gummie Vitamins- 30 ( should vitamins have calories in them...? )

    Breakfast:
    White Tea- 0
    Coco Puff w/ 2% milk- 231

    Snack:
    Steamed broccoli w/chs- 162

    Lunch:
    Small salad w/ ranch- 171

    Snack:
    Grapple- 80

    Dinner:
    Chicken Lasagna- 330 (Ugh.!!! is that alot ?...It was good though..lol)
    side salad w/ranch- 171
    Coke zero- 0..lol

    Snack:
    Gram crackers- 100 cal pak
    Fruit snack- 80

    FUDGE ROUND- 150 ( It wasn't me...lol, It was the GREMLIN in my tummy...)

    When I put this info into my fitday menu..it says that I only ate 1100 calories what's wrong with this picture... If the fitday is right then I really didn't eat enough right?
  • It looks okay to me!
  • Yeah it is a little low, you certainly have room at lunch to add some calories. You could add cheese or cottage cheese? Or a chicken breast?

    I would shoot for a breakdown close to
    B 350 cals
    S 100 cals
    L 400 cals
    S 150 cals
    D 500 cals
  • Maybe the serving sizes in FitDay were different from the ones listed on the packages you used, or possibly the calories could be different if you just used a generic entry for ranch dressing instead of the actual brand you used. Your count around 1500 is accurate if it came from the nutrition labels on the products, assuming you measured them correctly.

    As far as the vitamins go, most of the adult vitamins do not have calories (or they're negligible), but gummy vitamins do of course because they're made like candy. If you're worried about it, you might want to change over to Centrum or One-A-Day or something like that.

    I would also try to spread those calories out more evenly and try to eat foods that will keep you fuller longer so that at the end of the day you don't have a problem with the gremlin in your tummy . For example, those cocoa puffs probably aren't very filling. It might be better to choose a cereal with less sugar and more nutritional value, like shredded wheat or Kashi Go Lean. Look for high fiber (and protein if possible). I would also redistribute your calories so that you can have more at lunch than just a small salad with ranch dressing. Maybe add some chicken to that salad and have a piece of fruit with it? Dinner calories seem fine though, although I probably would cut down on the ranch dressing. Two servings of full fat dressing a day is a lot and those calories could be spent on bigger volume foods.
  • Okay. I just found this thread. I had already replied to your thread over in Support about your menu. So, I copied and pasted it:

    I agree. Those Cocoa Puffs are loaded with sugar. And not filling at all. You'd be much better off, IMO with a protein & or fiber based cereal. Like KAshi Go Lean or Fiber One. MUCH MORE SATISFYING - and it will keep you full, where as the sugar based cereal will just leave you clamoring for more and more sugar and leave your stomach empty in no time at all.

    Same thing with those 100 cal packs and the fruit snack. You need to get more nutrition and more FILLING power with your snacks and food in general. A no fat yogurt. Cottage cheese. An apple and a few almonds. Cut up veggies with some hummus. Some carefully measured out peanut butter with an apple. A 3 oz can of tuna with onions and celery in a bell pepper. A 100 calorie bag of popcorn.

    For lunch, have a HUGE salad. Maybe with some tuna or grilled chicken breast or thinly sliced deli turkey breast.

    You want to stick with this right? So you've got to find foods that are delicious - yet filling, nutritious, satisfying and lasting. If you get all of that from your food - you will be more apt to stick with your plan - thus losing the weight and keeping it off.

    It takes a while in the beginning to find the right combination of foods. You're doing great. Just keep on trying and experimenting to find what works for you.