New to calorie counting

[katoof]

Hi everyone.

I started slimming world last January and stuck to it until this week when I left. I have been doing lots of exercise and have been advices that calorie counting may suit me better now as some days I don't think I was eating enough calories for the workout I did.
I have never done calorie counting before, gave got my fitness pal on my phone and am aiming for 1600-1700 per day, does this sound good?

 

[Bostik]

Wow amazing loss already! Really well done!

I am loving calorie counting. Find it so easy, especially with my fitness pal making it so easy to log.

As for amount of calories, depends on how much you wanna lose per week. We're the same height, and to lose 1.5lbs a week I think I was on around 1400 at 210lbs. You will definitely lose on 1600-1700 though. Especially with exercise.

Did you have a diary before on here? I only ask cos I'd be interested to read it. I started dieting last May at 17 stones, but was over 22 stones November 2010, so would be interesting

Good luck!

 

[katoof]

No I haven't ever done a diary. Finding calories very daunting at the moment! What low calorie food is good for easy snacks as I'm often too busy to stop x

 

[Bostik]

What are you finding daunting about it?

Do you mean snacks as in just to munch on or lunch on the go or what? I used to get mini reduced fat hoummous pots with a load of carrot batons and a couple of breadsticks. That was yummy and kept me satisfied for a while for just over 100cals (depends which hoummous you get really).

If you are indoors, them pasta and noodle mug shots are good. 200 and something calories and done in a few minutes.

 

[Legomom]

Wotsits apples, dairylee Dunkers, iced gems, those little pots of mandarins, mini milks and baby bells. All easy to chuck in your handbag (except mini milks..... They would melt haha!!) for on the go munching. Not all of them are very healthy but at the beginning it's ok to go for an easy option if it keeps on plan.

If it's seeming very scary then why not grab a few ready meals while you get your head around things? That's what I do when I'm struggling for time etc. obviously cooling your own is better but personally I'd rather cheat a bit than give it up !!

 

[katoof]

Thanks for all the ideas. Just daunting as I've been following slimming world and it has worked for me so its scary to change and also I'm used to having unlimited amounts of some good where as nod I count everything so its really different, I can also eat things I have been unable to for a year

 

[Bostik]

Portion sizes must be hard coming from have loads of unlimited food hey! Just give it a go. I promise it gets easier and stuff like weighing food and that becomes second nature.

 

[Squeezyweezy]

Firstly WOW!! You are an inspiration, well done on your fantatsic weight loss. I started at 350lbs, so would also be interested to hear about your journey.

I can imagine how daunting it must be to come from slimming world to calorie counting, but it really is a breeze to count once you get used to it.

Myfitnesspal is vital to me, and handy that there is a vast data base already waiting for you.

Snacks I have are:

Dairylea dunkers
Quavers
2 finger kitkats
ready prepared fruit pots
sugar free jelly
Cuppa soup
Ryvita
rice crackers and primula

Have you heard of Graze boxes? A few of us on here have them. Calorie controlled snack pots. Check them out online.

I also have ready meals when I'm not able to cook from scratch, they are also good because everything counted for you. Morrisons eat smart are fab. WW not too bad. Tesco light choices are pants in my opinion, but the chicken and broccoli pie is passable.

 

[Legomom]

Mmmm graze boxes!! They come in the post and look like this.....

 

[WelshJojo]

Mmmm graze boxes!! They come in the post and look like this.....

Yumm!! I get a graze box every fortnight, and am addicted to the fire dragon mix x

 

[Legomom]

Yumm!! I get a graze box every fortnight, and am addicted to the fire dragon mix x

It's my fave so far too!! That and the fig roll one the nori crackers are really good too.

 

[wirralmum]

First of all welcome, and well done on your amazing losses!

Just reiterating what everyone else has said re: snacks (I too am a Dairylea Dunker-fan!)

As for meals, I often buy ready meals from Asda, they're gorgeous. They come in a pouch and you just pop them in the microwave for about 4-5 mins. I choose ones which are 450 cals or less and which have at least 1-2 portions of veg in them.

If you're not used to calorie counting they are great as it's all done for you. They're also good if, like me, you need to control your portion sizes. I used to eat enough for about four people when I cooked pasta, cottage pie etc from scratch. These meals have really helped me realise how big (small!) my portions should actually be.

I can highly recommend the ham hock one, and the haddock/potato one is yummy, and just under 300 cals

 

[katoof]

Thanks everyone. Bit dishartened as only lost half a pound this week, maybe it will take a while for my body to adjust?. I have looked at the graze boxes, how do they work. Fk you choose your snacks ?

 

[Bostik]

Maybe it is to do with the changeover from the diets.

But actually, you are the same height as me. Just checked my calories at 210. I was on 1440 to lose 1.5lbs a week. Exercise usually pushed it up to around 2lbs as I didn't eat back my exercise calories. So I think on 1600-1700, the losses will be a little slower anyway.

 

[katoof]

Yeah, I guess, I burn between 650- 1300 calories a day (average at about 6500) per week in exercise classes so was advices not to lower calories below 1600, now I'm not sure

 

[Bostik]

Oh if your burns are that big, then I would agree. Keep at it, might just be the change over. Give it a couple of weeks and if it is still slow, maybe take it down 200 or so.

 

[katoof]

Thanks bostick, its good to hear from someone that's been where I am now. I will give it a few more weeks but can't see being able to drop much lower than 1500 and still have energy for working out. I have a heart rate monitor ( gadget gift from my husband) so I can be pretty precise on calories burned in exercise so at leat I can monitor that . Ordered some houmous and innocent veg pots for my shop thus week, feels so naughty, not used to all food being ok as long as I count it

 

[Bostik]

Yeah with burns that big I wouldn't recommend dropping under that either. Hopefully it'll sort itself out