What does 1500 calories a day look like?

[lewber]

I'm trying to eat between 1400-1500 calories per day. I weigh a good bit:) so that's a decent deficit for me if I'm getting my walking in. But right now 1500 calories doesn't feel very satisfying. Granted, there's a few Hershey kisses and a glass of wine that's probably going to have to go. Sigh.

What do you eat every day, satisfying, for that amount. I try not to eat too much meat, and I have to have crunch of some sort every day. Chocolate can go, it's more a bad habit than actual craving.

Thanks!

[dirty ethel rackham]

It looks like  .... not enough food.  I seriously cannot get by on that few calories a day.  My metabolism slows down.  I get foggy thinking.  I don't have the energy for exercise. 

[ChocolateReignRemix]

I'm trying to eat between 1400-1500 calories per day. I weigh a good bit:) so that's a decent deficit for me if I'm getting my walking in. But right now 1500 calories doesn't feel very satisfying. Granted, there's a few Hershey kisses and a glass of wine that's probably going to have to go. Sigh.

What do you eat every day, satisfying, for that amount. I try not to eat too much meat, and I have to have crunch of some sort every day. Chocolate can go, it's more a bad habit than actual craving.

Thanks!

 

That number can be a b it on the low side.  It would need to be protein/fat heavy to seem like enough.  Carbs + that few calories = hungry.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

That level would cause me to gain weight.

[zoobie]

I can't do that cheerfully unless I'm eating low carb. Then it's easy. The MyFitnessPal app was pretty enlightening to me as well as getting a scale to actually measure food out.

[lewber]

Really?!? How many calories do you eat? Am I really just going to have to exercise more? At 10000 steps a day my Fitbit says I burn 2400-2500 calories a day. I was hoping eating 1500 calories would be a good general goal for days when I walked less or ate a bit more.

How many calories do you eat/burn a day?

[lewber]

That level would cause me to gain weight.

Gosh, everyone is so different! I would be sad to have to eat even less. I am tall and overweight right now so I naturally burn some. Plus I'm basing that calorie intake on walking my 10000 steps a day.

[itsheresomewhere]

Gosh, everyone is so different! I would be sad to have to eat even less. I am tall and overweight right now so I naturally burn some. Plus I'm basing that calorie intake on walking my 10000 steps a day.

Let's just say I wasn't happy.

[IfIOnly]

Breakfast:

2 meatloaf oatmeal muffins

Small apple

Coffee with 1/4 cup cream =400 calories

 

Lunch:

2 fried taco tacos with ground beef, no cheese or sour cream, but cilantro, salsa, avocado = 400 calories

 

Dinner:

A can of olives plus whatever I could find for 200 calories = 400 calories

 

Plus 300 more calories somehow.

 

I'm doing pretty full doing low carb/high fat with 1200 calories and am not sure how I could fit in 300 more calories a day. It's pretty filling.

Edited August 16, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[hornblower]

I eat about there. Between 1500 & 1750 most days. 

Not sure what you want to know? Like what we're eating? I usually weigh my food - esp anything that's new that I don't have a good sense of a serving size.

 

[dirty ethel rackham]

1000 calories deficit per day is somewhat unrealistic for sustained weight loss without messing with the metabolism. 500 - 700 calorie deficit per day would be a 1-2 lb loss per week with that caloric output.

 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Hyacinth]

My ideal eating plan (which I hit most, but not all, days of the week) looks something like this:

 

Breakfast: A fried egg or two with wilted spinach, a couple of avocado slices, and a handful or two of berries or a small peach.

 

Lunch: A big salad with whatever is on hand including spring mix, veggies, shredded cheese, a handful of walnuts, some garbanzo beans, black olives, another slice or two of avocado, and a tablespoon or two of Garlic Expressions dressing.

 

Dinner: Lean meat, more veggies.

 

A glass of wine or chamomile tea later in the day. Maybe another serving of fruit (we have a ton of frozen blueberries right now, so they're my go-to snack).

 

Oh, and sometimes I'll have a serving of Greek yogurt with a bit of honey and frozen raspberries.

 

I *think* that's under 1500 calories, but someone can fact check. 

Edited August 16, 2016 by Hyacinth

[Upennmama]

Ideas:

B:

oatmeal with brown sugar (200-250)

OR 2 scrambled eggs with a piece of toast (300),

OR a yogurt with a little granola (250ish)

 

L: big salad with some chicken, a sprinkle of cheese, and a low cal. dressing.

D: protein, whatever isn't too many calories (chicken breast, tilapia, lean beef, pork chop, etc), plus a big serving of veggies with some butter/garlic. Almost any non-starchy veg. If calories allow, a little bit of carbs. Keep sauces sugar free or low cal. Higher fat is satiating.

 

Snacks- cheese stick, greek yogurt, hard boiled egg, apple, carrots and hummus, a small handful of pretzels, etc. 

 

I find that staying low carb helps a lot with keeping calories lower.

[displace]

B fast- coffee with creamer; egg sausage scramble (1 egg, 2 egg whites, onions or veg, 1-2 small turkey sausage), eaten late in the am to avoid am snack - 300-400 cal

 

Lunch - usually leftovers or frozen meal w extra veg 300-400 cal

 

Snack - 100 cal popcorn with seasoning or 150 cal worth of nuts

 

Dinner - egg drop soup x 2 bowls - 100 cal

Chicken stir fry -200- 300 cal

 

Dessert- cake in a mug - 150 cal

 

Plus lots of fluids and multivitamins.

[LucyStoner]

Well this is my day thus far:

 

Breakfast: Egg in 1 slice ww toast with veggie (collards, onion, mushrooms, garlic, peppers and a small amount of potato) hash

 

Lunch: cold left over chicken thigh and salad with romaine, peppers, red onion, diced apple and a little homemade mustard dressing.

 

Snack: small banana

 

Dinner: Vegetable (green beans, carrots, onions, potato, tomato , garlic, peas) & beef stew. Made from scratch from stew bones so more veggies than beef and zip in the way of dairy products. A small amount is very filling.

 

That's under 1500. I will probably eat something else before bed. Maybe some cashews.

Edited August 16, 2016 by LucyStoner

[Josh Blade]

The easiest thing to cut is any drink with calories. When I'm cutting, I want all of my calories available for food. I typically skip breakfast and can have 800 calories each for lunch and dinner. I prefer having two larger meals that get me full than 3 smaller ones that leave me hungry still.

 

I typically do two sandwiches for lunch with 3 oz of deli meat each on white bread with some kind of cheese plus some kind of fruit. Thats around 800. Dinners, we eat a wide variety, but its prety rate to have one more than 800 calories if its homecooked for us, so I usually have a little room for an additional snack.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Josh Blade

[IfIOnly]

Really?!? How many calories do you eat? Am I really just going to have to exercise more? At 10000 steps a day my Fitbit says I burn 2400-2500 calories a day. I was hoping eating 1500 calories would be a good general goal for days when I walked less or ate a bit more.

How many calories do you eat/burn a day?

 

 

Have you tried an online calorie counter to help you figure it out? The one I did showed I need to eat 1450 a day to maintain my weight when I get to my goal. It's low because I'm sedentary. So 1200 calories to lose weight for me is a good goal.

 

 

1000 calories deficit per day is somewhat unrealistic for sustained weight loss without messing with the metabolism. 500 - 700 calorie deficit per day would be a 1-2 lb loss per week with that caloric output.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Good point!

[lewber]

1000 calories deficit per day is somewhat unrealistic for sustained weight loss without messing with the metabolism. 500 - 700 calorie deficit per day would be a 1-2 lb loss per week with that caloric output.

 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Good point!

Well, most days I usually end up with around 8000 steps which is around 2200-2300 calories. I'd like to plan on 1500 calories, knowing I'll treat myself on days I get more exercise.

[lewber]

I have used my Fitbit and my fitness pal to see what I'm eating and what I'm burning on average. I usually eat 2000 calories or slightly more. I'm pretty sedentary if I don't purposely exercise, which is about 1500-1600 calories per Fitbit. Thus, weight gain so far;)

So, I'm trying to walk more and eat less. I just can't find the right combination of food to satisfy me yet.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[lewber]

Breakfast:

2 meatloaf oatmeal muffins

Small apple

Coffee with 1/4 cup cream =400 calories

 

Lunch:

2 fried taco tacos with ground beef, no cheese or sour cream, but cilantro, salsa, avocado = 400 calories

 

Dinner:

A can of olives plus whatever I could find for 200 calories = 400 calories

 

Plus 300 more calories somehow.

 

I'm doing pretty full doing low carb/high fat with 1200 calories and am not sure how I could fit in 300 more calories a day. It's pretty filling.

Good point on fat. I'm usually under on fat and protein.

 

What is a meatloaf oatmeal muffin? Is that meatloaf made with oatmeal?

[lewber]

The easiest thing to cut is any drink with calories. When I'm cutting, I want all of my calories available for food. I typically skip breakfast and can have 800 calories each for lunch and breakfast. I prefer having two larger meals that get me full than 3 smaller ones that leave me hungry still.

 

I typically do two sandwiches for lunch with 3 oz of deli meat each on white bread with some kind of cheese plus some kind of fruit. Thats around 800. Dinners, we eat a wide variety, but its prety rate to have one more than 800 calories if its homecooked for us, so I usually have a little room for an additional snack.

This is a good thought. That might work for me. I've had luck with the fasting before and a lot of days I'm not that hungry in the morning.

[Pawz4me]

If you're tall and/or have a lot to lose then 1500 calories a day may not be enough for you. Especially if you're active. Better to consume a bit more and lose a bit slower than to set an unrealistic calorie goal that may be very difficult for you to stick to for long. 1500 to 1600 calories a day is about my maintenance amount. But I'm most definitely not tall. ;)

[lewber]

If you're tall and/or have a lot to lose then 1500 calories a day may not be enough for you. Especially if you're active. Better to consume a bit more and lose a bit slower than to set an unrealistic calorie goal that may be very difficult for you to stick to for long. 1500 to 1600 calories a day is about my maintenance amount. But I'm most definitely not tall. ;)

I'm 5'8 and I would be very happy to lose 30 pounds. You're right I shouldn't be in a hurry. Gah! Losing weight is hard.

Edited August 16, 2016 by lewber

[Carrie12345]

Weighing less is worthless if you feel like crap.

Do it slower and more satisfied.  :cheers2:

[IfIOnly]

Good point on fat. I'm usually under on fat and protein.

 

What is a meatloaf oatmeal muffin? Is that meatloaf made with oatmeal?

I think it's so important to try to meet those goals! I feel so much better getting adequate protein and would guess it would be especially important if I was active. I'm learning about how amino acids and cholesterol are the building blocks of our hormones!

 

Yes, I love this meatloaf recipe! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/quaker-oatmeal-prize-winning-meat-loaf-1233712

 

ETA: I don't use the ketchup in the meatloaf but tomato sauce or salsa.

Edited August 16, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Melissa in Australia]

I thought that 1500 calories was the correct amount to eat for a not so active female. I try to eat slightly less because if I eat 1500 calories everyday I slowly gain weight.

[Guest]

I can only do it on low carb, I get too hungry if I'm not in ketosis AND fasting for part of the day. It's very doable if I'm in 'the zone' though :)

[hornblower]

I think your ideal protein carb fat ratio really depends. I eat pretty high carb vegan and it works for me. I also work out hard 5 times a week.

 

Your body makes its own cholesterol btw so you don't need to consume it.

Edited August 16, 2016 by hornblower

[nd293]

That's a generous number of calories to lose weight on (not too generous, just a good amount). I usually bank on about 1200 calories for weightloss.

 

Breakfast:

Slice of french toast and berries with a blob of yogurts and a drizzle of maple syrup

Slice of toast with a scrambled egg, 1/4 avo and a slice or so of smoked salmon

Buttermilk flapjacks with strawberries and banana

 

Lunch:

Salad with legumes - chickpeas, beans etc

Open sandwich of roast beef, beetroot and leaves (with 2 small slices of bread)

A wrap with chicken and veg

Soup (with or without a slice of bread)

 

Dinner:

We don't snack much, and eat early, so usually have more calories at dinner. It is always on a large side plate or in a small bowl.

Basically a small portion of meat (100-150g red meat), salad or other lightly cooked veg and some carbs. Wiser choices around amount of oil or dairy products added to dinner.

 

Snacks:

Only coffees for me (lattes) and maybe half an apple and cheese after dinner. Or one square of Lindt dark chocolate.

Another good snack is rice cake and salsa and avo.

 

I'm usually hungry and headachey for the first few days to one week - that's pretty normal with any sort of diet change. After that it's fine. The problem is only really if you eat for 'entertainment' between meals, I think.

[Hunter's Moon]

I practice intermittent fasting. If I didn't, I wouldn't be satisfied on my 1,450/cal per day.

 

For me, this means I skip breakfast and have a late lunch and dinner.

 

My eating window is usually between 2pm - 8pm, but I try to stay flexible depending on my hunger levels and plans for the day.

 

So, for lunch, I usually have a ground turkey wrap with mayonnaise and feta. Sometimes I'll have a sandwich, or I'll grab a grinder from the grocery store. If I'm not really hungry, I'll boil some eggs or maybe just eat some deli meat and cheese without the bread and fixings.

 

Dinner is usually protein and fat heavy so as to keep me full longer. Chicken and veggies. Steak and veggies. Etc. I use oil and butter to add some fat.

 

I try to split my calories evenly between the two meals (which really boosts the level of satisfaction I feel), but I'll sometimes save 200 or 300 calories for a snack.

 

Once I eat for the first time, I become ravenously hungry. This is why intermittent fasting has been the only way I can manage to lose weight (25 lbs so far). But, I know it's not for everyone. Just some food for though (no pUn intended!).

[lewber]

I think your ideal protein carb fat ratio really depends. I eat prey high carb vegan and it works for me. I also work out hard 5 times a week.

 

Your body makes its own cholesterol btw so you don't need to consume it.

I would like to be a 95 per cent vegan:) I believe in the health properties of it. But I just can't get full without eating beans and nuts and then my calories are way too high. I think my blood sugar is higher than it should be and I tend toward carb heavy veggies and fruit when I try to eat like this.

When you're cutting calories it's hard to compete with 4 ounces of turkey for 120 calories!

[Hunter's Moon]

I thought that 1500 calories was the correct amount to eat for a not so active female. I try to eat slightly less because if I eat 1500 calories everyday I slowly gain weight.

It really depends on height, starting weight, activity level, and other such things.

 

For example, on a daily basis, I burn 2150 calories. At my current weight, to lose 1.5 lbs/wk, I eat 1450. As I continue to lose but remain at the same 1450 calores amount, the amount of weight I'll lose per week will slowly lessen.

 

It can be helpful to use a TDEE calculator (which takes into account all of the above mentioned factors) to see how much you burn per day on average.

[Ali in OR]

I'm not using MFP regularly this summer (and I've thus gained a few pounds...) but I aim for between 1500 and 1600 calories when I'm trying to lose. I take Sundays off and eat a bit more then, so this is for slow weight loss--I'm okay with 1-2 pounds per month.

 

To not be hungry, I make sure I eat at least 25 gm fiber per day (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes), try to hit the protein mark MFP gives me (60 gm per day), and don't worry if I go over their fat total a little. The early part of my day is pretty consistent, but I plan the rest based on what's for dinner, what MFP says I need more of, etc. But maybe something like the following (if this is really too high or too low for calories, add or subtract something!)

 

Breakfast: my own baked oatmeal 6 days a week. It's 269 calories, has 9 gm protein, 7 gm fiber. Lots of blueberries and apple, no oil, fairly low sugar.

 

am snack: usually an apple during school year. Could be peanuts, popcorn, string cheese, other fruit, almonds

 

Lunch: often a ham sandwich with 2 slices lower sodium deli ham, 1 piece whole wheat bread cut in half, real mayo. Served with Trader Joe's tortilla chips (1 oz--I always weigh out a serving) and a Good Foods single serve guacamole. This lunch is about 400 calories

 

pm snack: what works well is a defined-portion protein/fiber/granola bar thing. Fiber One oats and chocolate is good if I'm short on fiber (I think 10 gm per bar?). They also have a protein bar that is a little higher in protein but a little lower in fiber--maybe 6 gm each. I like Tiger Milk protein bars too. These are all about 150 calories. If I can afford a few more calories (depends on lunch/dinner choices), I might have a Chobani yogurt--this helps hit the protein goal. It's great if my calorie count is around 1000 calories before dinner.

 

dinner--whatever I'm serving the family. I aim for 5 servings of fruits/veggies per day (oatmeal has 1, apple and guac are each 1, so this day would need a dinner with 2). Maybe grilled chicken with a salad that has enough tomatoes/cukes/carrot/red pepper to count as two veggies. Maybe 2 beef tacos. Pizza should be limited to 2 slices (I can do homemade for about 400 calories, more for restaurant pizza) and should be served with salad. If I have to eat fast food due to kids' activities, I go with a small hamburger and just a few of my kids' fries. 

 

I try to remember that I don't want to feel full or stuffed. Feeling like I could eat just a little more is a good thing! If I get all of that fiber and protein, I'm not really hungry.

[Anacharsis]

I had the most luck switching from condensed foods. Oatmeal instead of granola. Noodle soup instead of spaghetti. Stew instead of jerky. Also, going for the whole-grain version of something when available.

 

Tea instead of soda seems to help -- not sure why, as it's not really any less sweet the way I drink it, but I seem to end up drinking less of it.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Anacharsis

[whitestavern]

If I am counting calories, I just divide total my total daily calories by 3 (ie 500 calories per meal) or if I want a couple of snacks I'll give myself 150 calories for each of those and then 400 per meal. I prefer no snacks though because I enjoy a somewhat substantial meal. In the beginning it helps to keep a food log. I used to just Google calories for whatever I wanted to eat and see how it came out.

 

As far as what to eat, for me personally, I choose higher protein and fat and lower carb (very little bread, pasta, those types of carbs). So a serving of protein and very heavy on veggies.

 

So breakfasts could be things like eggs and veggies, plain whole milk Greek yogurt and fruit, avocado and tomato salad.

Lunch and dinner could be a turkey burger (no bun) or a chicken breast with lots of sauteed veggies, hummus and veggies wrapped in lettuce, hard boiled eggs and veggies, a sweet potato with feta, a can of tuna mixed with white beans and lemon juice, and any kind of salad with protein (chicken, beans, steak), veggies, and a homemade vinaigrette. I like to add nuts sometimes, too, for a good crunch. I'm not afraid of using grass fed butter and/or EVOO or avocado oil when cooking my proteins or veggies. It helps keep me satisfied longer.

 

ETA: a square of dark chocolate is just fine in the evenings, if you have a sweet tooth. Also, a glass of wine once in a while is fine too. The more restrictive the less apt you are to keep at it. Little rewards here and there are okay!

 

 

Edited August 16, 2016 by whitestavern

[Carrie12345]

I know it doesn't answer the original question, but I always feel compelled to push weight training!

 

I lost a ton of fat and gained awesome strength at 1800 calories for off days, more (but only in protein) on training days.  I did lose weight, overall.

 

For the past few (more than a few?) months, I haven't been training or watching my diet.  I haven't gained any weight in the past few months, but I have lost a ton of muscle and gained noticeable fat.  Quite noticeable.  :cursing:

 

Numbers aren't everything, and I hate to see people starve themselves.

 

Which isn't to say that some people aren't happy and satisfied on low calories.  But most aren't.

[SebastianCat]

I'm 5'8" and earlier this year I lost 25 pounds by cutting back to 1500 calories.   These were the important things for me:

 

-Cut out any beverage with calories, except for coffee (coffee creamer, to be exact, which is now measured)

 

-Until you know what a certain # of calories looks like, MEASURE EVERYTHING.   I had no idea how many calories I used to consume in coffee creamer alone until I started measuring.  And I figured out that I could survive by measuring 2 Tbsp of creamer + 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk in my coffee.   Total breakfast was about 400 calories

 

-Lunch eaten at lunchtime became just a snack, about 250 calories.  I found that this was enough, as long as I had enough protein in that snack, to get me through until late afternoon.   Late afternoon I drank a protein shake, which carried me through until supper time.    Total lunch + late afternoon snack was about 400-500 calories.

 

-I ate whatever I fixed my family for supper, focusing on reasonable portions - 1/2 plate veggies, 1/4 plate carbs, 1/4 plate protein.   I didn't obsess too much about this or measure, but ate until I was full.   Occasional dessert.   Supper would be about 600-700 calories.

 

-If it wasn't something I was PLANNING to eat, I didn't keep it in the house.   No candy, desserts, etc., except for what I planned to eat.

 

-If I got hungry at a time of day when I wasn't planning to eat, I drank a big cup of water and was surprised that it would oftentimes be enough to get me through to the next meal.   There were a few times I was hungry, but because I didn't keep any tempting treats in the house, I could resist for a few hours.

[wapiti]

Everyone is so different.  What works for me is low carb, but I can't go crazy on the protein either.  I have to add enough fat/protein not to get super hungry.  When I gradually increase carbs past a certain point, I will eventually gain; I call it carb creep.  I don't know my total calories though I'd guess 1800-2000, just from my vague recollection last time I tracked on myfitnesspal.

 

I recently noticed the same thing Carrie mentioned above - weight training makes a huge, huge difference for me.  And by weight training, I only mean working out for 25 minutes every other day or so, with dumbbells, doing some lunges, squats, various arm things and especially various pull-up/chinup stuff I do on a weird apparatus thing that dh has in the basement LOL.  I'm lazy about running lately - which makes me want to eat more carbs - but it's easier to convince myself to pop down to the basement for 25 minutes before I take a shower, for example, than it is to convince myself to go running out in the sunshine - go figure.

Edited August 16, 2016 by wapiti

[QueenCat]

If I eat less than 1500c on  a regular basis, I end up with pretty bad headaches. Doctor made it clear that it was from not eating enough. If I eat 1600-1700 and walk three hours per week, I lose about a pound a week. And I feel good. Just starting to get back to that. Ate poorly and lacked exercise while we were moving but we've been a couple of months now so that excuse is OVER.

[Laura Corin]

NM

Edited August 16, 2016 by Laura Corin

[lewber]

Thanks to you all for your input. I will try to stick with the 1600-1800 calories and get more exercise to keep a deficit. I think that is very doable if I just can at least walk every day. I'd like to start running a few days a week or find another actual aerobic exercise to get my heart rate up, I definitely need to weight train. But that has never been anything I got interested in. 

 

Today I am trying the fast with two meals. I walked this morning and wasn't hungry until lunch so it worked out. Today I had a huge salad and some turkey and a half a bag of pretzels. I'll eat the other half this afternoon at my desk at work to keep me out of the chocolate!

 

I've been entering everything into my fitness pal, and I need some more protein and fat I think. I try not to eat too much animal protein, and the calories in fat scare me, so that will take some trial and error.

 

Most of all - I need patience! To not give up and to realize I need to keep at it, slowly but surely. I get very discouraged. Need to keep the big picture in play.

 

[hornblower]

I think when you're eating that little, you really can't have empty cals and the pretzels are empty calorie, high sodium evil things.

 

Adding roast chickpeas or sunflower seeds or a bit of shaved almonds to the salad would be a better use for those calories IMO (which might be not insignificant depending on the size of the bag..l)

 

Fwiw, I love pretzels - they're my little vice but I only have them about once a month or less....

[kroe1]

I have been eating that amount my entire adult life. I have never become overweight.

 

People have this huge misconception of what an appropriate size meal is. Back in the sixties, eating a 500 calorie meal was the norm. It was not a stretch because portion sizes were appropriate. However, now, many women think 500 calorie meals place them in starvation mode. In reality, a 5' 3" female is most likely to become overweight if she does not stick to that regimen.

 

How does one do it? By realizing she is not going to starve. Over time, the portion sizes equating to three 500 calorie meals per day will seem normal and satisfying. Just never get caught up into today's idea of what an average meal should be.

 

I cannot tell you, however, that I do not eat crap, eat only fresh vegetables, lean meats, or whatever. I basically eat fast food garbage at every meal. I just remember what food looked like in the sixties, and I stick to it. For example, a cheeseburger and small fries at Mickey D's is roughly 500 calories. Any of the meals one sees on the menu, i.e. Big Mac meal is jumping up into the 800-1200 calorie range. So it is a no brainier. Eat the cheeseburger and small fry that was served in 1969 as a meal.

 

Never drink calories if one is a woman. The exception is a small shake at Chick Filet that is roughly 500. But, that means one doesn't get anything else at lunch. Salads without dressing are usually about 400, etc. Just do the math and always think like you live a couple of decades behind.

 

By the way, I do take vitamin supplements, but my diet is not one to emulate. Healthy food is obviously better. I am sharing, however, the mentality behind my adorable figure even now that I am old.

 

In addition, I have to limit myself to 500 calorie meals even though I run 3 miles a day....well, more like a scoot, but it covers 3 miles. I am 5'3" and that low of a caloric intake is just what I have to have in order to keep my figure. I never want to be fat.

 

Hang in there. Over time, it will become your normal.

[hornblower]

Anyone who is curious about how many calories you need, check out is basal metabolic rate calculator. From there you can calculate your daily caloric needs in the next calculator.

 

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

 

 

Most people over estimate how many cals they need.

 

Also remember that as you lose weight, your daily caloric needs go down. Which sucks because the 'reward' for losing weight is that you have to eat less than before to maintain...

Edited August 16, 2016 by hornblower

[IfIOnly]

The fat calories are scary, but you can eat less carbs because they're so filling and last. That's my experience.

 

Some ways to get more fat:

 

Olive oil based salad dressings

Onions and other veggies sauteed in olive oil and added to soups, eggs, stirfry.

Avocados

Coconut milk added to Asian and other foods

Nuts and seeds

[kiana]

I've been entering everything into my fitness pal, and I need some more protein and fat I think. I try not to eat too much animal protein, and the calories in fat scare me, so that will take some trial and error.

 

Don't let the calories in fat psych you out -- test it and see how you feel. For me at least I feel ten times more full after a meal with a reasonable amount of fat than I do after a meal with a similar number of calories that is super low-fat. The only thing that helps me more is lots of fiber (broccoli and I are best buds). 

[fairfarmhand]

When I eat this way, I need to eat food that takes TIME to eat.

 

Corn Chips and salsa or hummus take longer to eat (500 calories of which is a full meal) and that's a full lunch for me.

 

Sliced apples and cheese or peanut butter...another lunch that you have to slow down to eat and feel satisfied.

 

Peppers or broccoli and hummus those take time to chew and eat.

 

nuts in the shell seem more satisfying because you have to work to eat them.

[IfIOnly]

Don't let the calories in fat psych you out -- test it and see how you feel. For me at least I feel ten times more full after a meal with a reasonable amount of fat than I do after a meal with a similar number of calories that is super low-fat. The only thing that helps me more is lots of fiber (broccoli and I are best buds).

This is my experience too.

[lewber]

I think when you're eating that little, you really can't have empty cals and the pretzels are empty calorie, high sodium evil things.

 

Adding roast chickpeas or sunflower seeds or a bit of shaved almonds to the salad would be a better use for those calories IMO (which might be not insignificant depending on the size of the bag..l)

 

Fwiw, I love pretzels - they're my little vice but I only have them about once a month or less....

 

You're probably right. I was excited to have extra calories to eat! I did have chickpeas on my salad too. And chia seeds. It was a really healthy salad  :laugh:

[lewber]

When I eat this way, I need to eat food that takes TIME to eat.

 

Corn Chips and salsa or hummus take longer to eat (500 calories of which is a full meal) and that's a full lunch for me.

 

Sliced apples and cheese or peanut butter...another lunch that you have to slow down to eat and feel satisfied.

 

Peppers or broccoli and hummus those take time to chew and eat.

 

nuts in the shell seem more satisfying because you have to work to eat them.

 

This is me! I need it to take time and I need it to have some crunch and flavor and spice. I love food. I like good food. I love to eat. And really I think I eat pretty well most of the time. I just need to cut out some empty calories and add in some exercise I think.