Analyze my food choices please?

Natrasha

I use the Lose It! app to track my calories, and I shoot for about 1500 calories, which is supposed to allow me to lose 1.5lbs per week. Most days I'm right at that mark, but on occasion I'm more like 1200-1300. Am I hurting myself with that?

Also, I have tried to cut out snacking. My typical breakfast is a hard boiled egg. Then I have lunch that's between 500-600 calories. And I have a dinner that averages around 700-900 calories.

If I'm super hungry, I'll eat a piece of fruit or cheese as a snack, but most days lately, I don't need to. I'm still slowly losing weight, but I'm wondering if my higher calorie meals are a bad choice, even if they total around my calorie goal?

raynes

I'd say maybe work a few more calories in towards the start of the day, but exactly how you break your calories up through the day is really up to you and how you feel.

If you prefer to eat a big meal for dinner, then go nuts.  I personally like to have a fairly substantial breakfast, so that's what I do.

As for going below your calorie goal, well, it won't hurt you immediately, but it could in the long run if it's a habit (and you go really low).  Are you also exercising?

MilitaryBride2Be

I would reccomend maybe adding a little more at breakfast? But I'm a big breakfast person

feinicstine

I try to keep my meals fairly consistently sized, but work in snacks.  How you get your calories in is really a matter of preference for you.  Personally, I get really hungry if I don't eat something every few hours, so the thought of going on just one egg until lunch would be impossible.

Going that low on calories in the short term probably won't hurt you as long as those are your NET calories.  By that I mean (calories you ate) - (Calories you burned) = 1300.  If you're only eating 1300 total and working out on top of it, then you're probably not giving yourself enough for your body to feel comfortable.  Your body will start to think it's starving and it won't be as willing to let go of its resources (ie. fat stores).

Natrasha

I do exercise, but only for about 15-20 minutes on my lunch usually. I run a mile or do the elliptical. And yes, the calories I listed are after I factor in exercise. I like eating a big dinner, because it keeps me full enough that I don't get tempted to eat more before bed. The egg keeps me surprisingly full, but maybe adding a low fat yogurt would make me even happier.

hummingbird26

When you have a big dinner, it generally will keep your body awake even when you're sleeping. And perhaps the reason why you don't need anything more than an egg in the morning is because you're still full from dinner?

Food needs to go in and out as quickly as possible, while your body breaks everything down and absorbes as much of the nutrients as it possibly can.

If I were you I would try to eat less tonight for dinner, maybe try to go to bed a little early as well and then have a BIG breakfast in the morning. I suggest going to bed early so that you don't stay awake thinking about how hungry you are getting or wanting to munch on things.

Maybe try that for 4-5 days, see how you feel. If you're still worried about your calorie intake then add something with lunch. But whatever you do, instead of looking at the numbers so much, I would just keep track of how you're feeling.

No one eats the same amount every day because no one works or does the same stuff every day. Our stress levels, things we work on, people we interact with have a huge effect on our appetite and what we might actually physically need to eat.

You know yourself best. How do you feel? What feels right to you?

Kate61487

I agree with PPs that you're probably not hurting yourself; I personally would increase the breakfast intake and probably cut out the yoke of the HB egg (b/c that's like your entire days worth of cholesterol - and I think yolks are yucky, haha)

I've been using the 17 day diet, and in the book the dr that wrote it basically says you should never let yourself get REALLY hungry.  b/c when you're REALLY hungry you're way more likely to make poor choices on what you eat.  Snacks aren't a bad thing as long as the snacks are healthy ones (like you said, a piece of fruit, low fat cheese, yogurt, carrots, etc.)

As long as you're not feeling hungry/deprived and you're keeping an eye on balanced food groups/vitamins, etc.  I think you'll be just fine!

raynes

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_analyze-food-choices-please?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:68a34699-7a5f-4784-b92f-07badcbe8fc0Post:ba685889-cb76-4a80-89ac-6a86f24c5542">Re: Analyze my food choices please?</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree with PPs that you're probably not hurting yourself; I personally would increase the breakfast intake and probably cut out the yoke of the HB egg (b/c that's like your entire days worth of cholesterol - and I think yolks are yucky, haha) I've been using the 17 day diet, and in the book the dr that wrote it basically says you should never let yourself get REALLY hungry.  b/c when you're REALLY hungry you're way more likely to make poor choices on what you eat.  Snacks aren't a bad thing as long as the snacks are healthy ones (like you said, a piece of fruit, low fat cheese, yogurt, carrots, etc.) As long as you're not feeling hungry/deprived and you're keeping an eye on balanced food groups/vitamins, etc.  I think you'll be just fine!
Posted by Kate61487[/QUOTE]

Don't be hatin' on yolks!  As long as a person is following a relatively healthy diet there's nothing wrong with consuming egg yolks.  They full of protein and good fat.  If your doctor tells you to avoid them, do it, otherwise, eat 'em!

BeachBride514

In the long run, you are crash dieting. It may not seem like that significant number of calories but there is a minimum for everyone. Yes, you may lose the weight quicker by restricting calories but you are almost certain to gain that weight back as soon as your eating habits return to normal...

aatkinson982

I'd definetly beef up the breakfast..... not necessarily with beef.  someone once told me this (at the time I was not a big breakfast eater):

If you go out and you have 55 errands to run, you make sure there is gas in your car, right?  when you get home and park in your garage do you go out there at 10:00 at night and put gas in it?  No, you can do that tomorrow, before you start your errands.

This gets to the point, fuel your body in the morning (I swear you will be less hungry throughout the day).  Rather than dinner being your biggest meal, make it light to keep your metabolism up, but do not totally induldge, usually by dinner your car is already in the garage.

angelsong21

I agree with PPs that while the low calorie count won't hurt you in the short term, it absolutely has that potential in the long term.  I would add more in to make a more balanced breakfast and usually its recommended to eat something small every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar stable and to prevent spikes/dips.  Try to stay as close to the calorie count provided -- that's the minimum amount you need for daily functioning, exercising the amount you say you are, muscle repair, etc.  WIthout enough of the proper nutrients (protein, fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins) your body will not be able to repair itself and function adequately, and you won't get the long-term results you want.  Good luck!

sdose13

There's nothing wrong with snacking. In fact, most nutritionists agree that having five or six small meals a day is better than three bigger ones. The theory is that it keeps your metabolism up so your body doesn't have time to go to "starvation mode," and will continue to burn calories more effectively. Fruit as a snack is great -- it's natural sugar and fiber. I would say spread out your meals  so that you're having 400-calorie meals and a couple 100-calorie snacks.