For breakfast i had 2 slices of toast with houmous (380 cals). I was in town with a friend today and they suggested we go for a meal, I'd had a salad there before and it was so nice so I decided to get it. When we went in, she told me they were doing carrot cake and asked if I wanted it for after, since the last time I'd been in and wanted it but it had sold out I decided to treat myself. But I made sure I listened to my stomach after I'd had my superfood pasta meal with a coffee (510 cals) and realised I wasn't actually in the mood for it anymore. I was very proud of myself at that moment because normally I would just get it anyway but I'd decided against it without too much thought. I know it's only day 3 but I'm feeling as though I'm truly able to listen to my stomach to know when I've eaten too much or need something else and learning when to say no if I really don't need it. I'm glad I didn't have the carrot cake as I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much so 388 cals of food would have been wasted and I'd have just felt guilty.
Finally for tea I had 2 quorn sausages, an egg and baked beans with sauce (410 cals) made sure I had 2 litres of water again but not fruit teas today
Impressed with myself and hopefully this will continue
Written by
Kat96
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That's is too high for a breakfast if your trying loss weight sadly. You need to eat small portions with less cals and again 510 cals is too high for a dinner if your losing weight. I lost weight about 7 years ago when my mum died and I would never have had 510 for dinner or carrot cake. Even 7 years after losing weight still would never eat things like cake and 510 is too high for a meal. You need to eat less cals mixed with small portions and exercise to loss weight. Toast with olive spread or low fat on brown or granny bread is better than what you had or have small bowl of porriage or bran flakes with these are less cals and would be better.
Also eating fruit in between meals when on a diet is what your body needs. without the important fruit and lots of water you cant really loss weight properly.
Lisa11. I don't know where you are coming from with your theory that those number of calories for meals are too high. That is total rubbish. If you are eating 3 meals a day and consuming 1500 calories (just an example). Taking out 200 calories for milk in teas and a piece of fruit as a snack there is still 1300 calories to split between 3 meals so 400 for breakfast 400 for lunch and 500 for dinner is not out of the way. As for the carrot cake, built into any diet the odd treat should be allowed.
This is a change of eating for life, the journey needs to be sustainable for life, not a quick sprint for weight loss.
Kat96 You sound as though you are doing brilliantly and have the right attitude to the journey you are on Good luck, enjoy the odd treat, keep to your calories and enjoy your healthy new way of eating
Not many people maintain weight after a diet and I got help to loss weight and told what to eat and not to eat. I have always been a size 8 or size 10 since I lost weight. Never been bigger than a extra small or a small depending on clothes sizes. I don't eat any junk of ay kind no un healthy treats swapped chocolates and cakes for healthier choices and have kept weight down with lots of exercise. Eating healthy mixed with exercise makes you sleep better and gives you more energy. I would never have 500 cals for my dinner way too much and would never have an unhealthy treat even once in a while. Eating fruit and water and healthy snacks helps you keep weight off and maintained. Junk just put weight on you and isn't good for you.
Lisa a size 8 to 10 is unrealistic for most people the majority of people would look dreadful if they were that thin and their health would be seriously effected trying to reach and maintain such an unrealistic target.
People need to enjoy their diet, and I use the word diet in its true sense, what we eat, not just something we do to lose weight.
I don't wish to appear rude Lisa11 but I think in view of your extreme and unrealistic views on diet you would be wiser to keep your advice to yourself
I am allowed to comment people aren't always going to agree you are going to get good and bad comments in everything not trying to be rude. Just saying I don't agree with junk after a weight loss or during a weight loss. By the way size 10 is the size most people loss weight to by the way. Size 10 Enjoying your diet and life isn't based on what food you eat its about what you do with your life and enjoying it more. Making better choices with what you eat. My views are not unrealistic as it does work and has done for me for as long as it has done. I cant eat junk anyway due to having IBS even if I didn't have it I still wouldent choice any junk.
Sorry Lisa11 but I think the statements you make could be dangerous. Not all people are nutritionally aware and to come on to a site like this and see someone saying 500calories is too much for a main meal could cause them to eat far too little. Yes, you are entitle to your own views but I really think that sharing them ins group that is about promoting healthy weight loss is irresponsible
I got proper help to loss weight about what to eat and not eat and its not dangerous. Its only dangerous if I had never got help and didn't know what I was talking about and said what I did then I would understand but I got proper help to loss weight and diet from some one that knows what they were doing. Its about eating small portions and controlling what you eat in a diet and to maintain weight too.
Presumably this was a specific diet plan designed for you, taking into account your age, height, weight and activity levels. Advice that is person specific is not nescesarilly suitable for others. I have studied obesity and human nutrition and I run a Healthy Living Group and the sort of advice you are handing out would probably make most of my members ill
It would not make most ill if you eat the right things. its not eating or skipping meals that would make you ill. Eating small portions regularly of less carls is not making people ill. Its not eating or skipping meals that will make people ill. Skipping breakfast for saying isn;t a smart choice having even one slice of toast is better than nothing and is better than having a fry up or a high cal meal.
This will be my last posting to you Lisa but I really have to say you talk complete rubbish. You obviously have no nutritional knowledge or any concept of how the human body metabolises food. You do not take into account the differences of age, height or specific needs. What works for you may not work for others and to suggest that 500 calories is too much for a dinner is crazy.
its not crazy at all in anyway it might work for great but don't knock what works for a lot. I know a lot of people that eat low cal healthy food and keep weight off better than some one that eats high cal fatty food. If I eat a high cal fatty meal I would pill on the pounds straight away and find it very hard to get it off. I can maintain weight and keep weight down but only by healthy eating.
Lisa you are not listening to what I am saying. I quite agree that to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight that it is important to reduce calories and to be aware of the fat content of meals Also important, some may say even more so, is the sugar content of meals. What I am saying is that you are being totally unrealistic about the number of calories people can eat to both lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
You say you are a size 8 - 10, the majority of people could and should not be that thin. Fine if you are about 5' tall but most people are not.
You appear to have very little true knowledge about nutrition. There are several different types of fat, some more healthy than others. We need fat in our diets, four of the major vitamins are fat soluble and without the necessary fats in our diet our body would be starved of those vitamins (A, D. E and K).
I eat healthily, I am 69 years old, 5'2" tall and a size 12 My BMI is in the Healthy Range but this does not mean that on occasions I do not enjoy a bit of cake or a bar of chocolate. I eat a balanced diet and do not obsess about it.
I know what BMI ratings are Lisa, and, having scanned through postings I have seen how tiny you are and can appreciate that for you the calorie consumption would need to be comparatively low. However, I would still suggest that for you to be telling people to eat such small meals is totally irresponsible. You do not know how much they currently weigh, how tall they are, their ages or their activity levels.
It's like cars, a Mini will need a lot less fuel to keep it going than a Rolls Royce, so a person who is less than 5' tall will need less calories than someone 5' 6" or 6' tall.
I can appreciate that you are proud of the weight you have achieved, though you give no indication of what your previous size was, I also have no idea of your age group but would hazard a guess that you are comparatively young. Be very careful before thrusting your ideas down the throats of other people, you do not know their circumstances or their health needs, both physical and mental. For some being told that they should be a size 8 or 10 could be a trigger to getting them to strive to achieve the impossible leading to all sorts of problems. Weight is not just a physical thing it is a mental thing and many people have lived with the mental hangups of being obese or overweight for many years, be very careful what pressure you put on others.
I am not as young as you think but I have been very lucky that I have never been big again . My bmi was a 30 when I decided to loss weight which was classed as obese. Losing weight or maintaining weight isn't a easy thing I know. I know people are finding it hard and most people will power to change eating habits are hard. Eating less mixed with plenty of exercise is what is needed to loss or maintain weight. You need to eat small portions its about portion control.
I am in my thirty's and was a bmi of 30 before I lost weight which was classed as obese. To loss or maintain weight you need to eat a lot less and its about small portions and portion control. Its not about stuffing your face or eating fatty food. Its about changing your food for better choices that are health ones. The reason most people are over weight is because so many unhealthy choices out there mixed with lack of exercise. If people did some exercise and eat better it would a much better place. Why would you want to be so big and eat rubbish.
yes but there is better choices you could make than eat an unhealthy bar of chocolate as a treat you could eat a healthy choice instead. There is healthy fats out there that our body needs not the rubbish fats from cakes and chocolates etc. Nuts for starters are a better choice. If you eat junk after a weight loss you do pill it all back on. I was told to remain eating healthy after my weight loss other wise it will all go back on.
I agree with Annde that one size doesn't fit all, generalising can be dangerous advice. I'm female, 6'1 and to tell me that 500 cals at a meal isn't appropriate would be completely wrong advice. Right now, even if I ate 3 meals a day at 500 cals each it still isn't enough calories for my height and weight, and that's with a sedentary lifestyle! It's a simple fact that a larger body needs more calories to function, even at rest.
I regularly revisit the BMI calculator as I lose weight to check that I am still eating the right amount, as I know my calorie allowance will decrease as I lose weight, but once one gets into the zone of maintenance the calories may go up again to prevent you getting TOO thin! I'm sure some of the "maintainers" in this forum will be able to shed more light on whether this is the case or not, but logically, I'm fairly sure it is.
Please do check the BMI calc, Kat, for your health.
I thought it was dependent on your height too, like you said a bigger body needs more calories when I was losing weight before (about 1lb loss per week) i was roughly eating 1,600 calories per day but I shall keep checking the BMI calculator to make sure I am eating enough for my height and weight
Thanks again
in reply to
I am only 4ft 11 but being a size 8 is too skinny for me even though averages say that is what I should be !
I think you need to take into account people's height and also their ages to work out their calorie intake for weight loss or maintaining that healthy weight . Also be the size you look fit and well and also feel comfortable with.
What you feel is good for you is not necessarily good for another person. the "one size" does not fit all
Also some people burn off calories quicker than others which has nothing to do with exercise and more to do with DNA.
So there are a lot of factors to take into account for each person when they decide to get fit and healthy
in reply to
I am four feet 10 if I was anything bigger than a size 10 I would be classed as overweight. So I don't know where you get a size 8 would be too skinny if your not much taller than me.
in reply to
lol - that is because you don't know my body shape or me Lisa11 !!!!!
Whether you choose to believe me or not is irrelevant to me
Everybody is different and as I said before what is good for you isn't necessarily good for other people.
BUT I am moving on now as this conversation is getting too toxic for me
Clothes size isn't a very useful guide anyway as they vary so much from shop to shop. Everyone has a reccommended healthy weight range for their height, and mine at 4 ft 10 is the same as Lisa which according to the NHS chart is between 6 stone 5lb and 8 stone 8lb so that would cover at least 2 dress sizes.
Lisa I'm not sure why you are being so critical of others, you've lost your own weight and achieved a healthy bmi but you are not being very supportive of others.
Kat - please don't think posts on this forum are normally like this, folks here are almost always friendly and supportive whatever eating plan you are following. Your post shows you have made some healthy choices and I'm glad that's made you feel positive to continue. All the best! ☀️
I just don't agree with some of your choices. At end of day a weight loss is about changing your eating habits for good and doing more with life. Its not about stuffing faces with fatty choices. More to life. Eating healthy small portions with exercise is what you should do to loss weight or maintain weight. Eating junk after a weight loss just makes you pill weight back on and some times even more than before. I know people that have lost weight but never keep it off because they go back to junk or exercise not enough. A lot of people favour junk eating over healthy that's why most are over weight or have health problems from being big etc.
If you don't need to lose any more weight yourself and aren't prepared to give positive support to others, is your sole reason for posting to be judgemental and argumentative? Had enough of this now.
Lisa you do not have to agree with Kat96 choices, or mine. You have made your own choices and that's fine but please don't try to force your choices on to everyone else. I know there are healthier choices than a bar of chocolate but I eat a bit of chocolate once in a while because I enjoy it. Life is made up of choices and as long as they are informed ones they are Ours to make . Sorry I so misjudged your age but your responses are those of someone less mature. Please give it a rest now, you are beginning to sound like a cracked record repeating the same mantra time after time. You sound like someone who has been brain washed and unable to think for yourself. I agree that many of your beliefs are fine but others are sadly lacking in an understanding of individuality and personal needs
Yes but even a simple thing like cutting out chocolate can help you maintain weight after a weight loss. Not telling you what to do but after a weight loss your meant to not eat junk other wise you put it all back on. You meant to change eating habits for good. Its not just bout what you eat its about doing enough exercise to fit what you eat to help you maintain the weight.
OMG you're on again. I really thought you had put your cracked record back in the rack. I have changed my eating habits to include the occasional treat, which for me is chocolate sometimes. I have studied human nutrition and obesity at university so Lias11 would you please stop ramming your limited knowledge down my throat. If you have nothing new to say on the subject please stop saying anything at all to me. I apologise to other group users if this sounds rude but I am sick of hearing the same mantra from this particular source
Just because you have studied something doesn't mean you know it all. If you don't like my comments don't read them or reply to them. At end of day I am allowed to comment if you agree or not has nothing to do with it. How I lost weight works because 7 to 8 years on I am still maintain weight I lost so help / advice I got does work. So don't knock something you know nothing about.
Lisa11 I responded because you commented on my posting about eating chocolates And I agree that just because I have studied human nutrition and obesity that I don't know everything about it. I would however suggest I probably know more than you. I also agree that if you don't eat rubbish and don't eat more calories than your body needs you will not put the weight back on. You though appear to take no account of the differing needs of the individual as was blatantly obvious from your first posting on this thread when you were telling Kat96 that she should eat such small calorific meals without knowing anything about her current weight, height, health. Neither do you take into account the psychology of weight loss and maintenance (which is something my education has shown to be a major influence). What I am saying To you is that you just keep repeating yourself, you have churned out the same old words over and over and I think that everyone knows now how well you have done both losing your weight and maintaining it by eating so healthily. Unfortunately not everyone has your desire to live such a rigid regime and most of us are mere mortals with human failings and a love of the odd 'bad' treat. And thank god for that
I understand where you're coming from but to be honest with you I lost weight before and didn't have to eat anywhere near as little as I am now to lose it. The only reason I am is because I know my IBS can't take a lot of food at one time so I'm trying to avoid upsetting my stomach
I got down to 11 stone 4 before without having to eat so little and still enjoyed treats of icecream, chocolate bars etc
This is just weight from Christmas and eating a little too many treats but I'm back on track now
I am not trying to be rude in anything you get good and bad comments and regardless if it upsets some one or not you are still allowed to view what you think. People aren't always going to agree or like sadly that's the way it is in life. You aren't always going to get nice comment 100 percent of the time that's life. I understand what its like having IBS I have it have had my struggles with it over the years that's why I don't eat junk of any kind not even as a treat once in a while. Eat healthy and exercise and have kept weight down. Its hard I hope that things go well for you.
Well done if that's working for you and I'm glad it is, I just wanted to let you know that I haven't had to eat so little to lose weight before but thank you for your comments all the same
well done Kat, it sounds like you are eating within the daily calorie gudelines and declining the carrot cake was just the thing to do as it is these things that add up to put the weight on. I think we have all been gulty of saying "just one small piece will not hurt" but they all add up so well done. Also carry on as you are going and monitor the weight loss, you can always cut down on calories if you need to but this is not a starvation diet, it is a change in lifestyle as far as the type of foods you consume and it is for weight loss over the long term. Well done on 2 litres of water as well, i struggle to hit that everyday Keep up the good work ! John
I really struggle with drinking the amount of water suggested too, John but I persevere because apparently it helps with the elasticity of skin reduction when losing weight! Great on you Kat - especially for turning down the cake !! !
MagsC yes, i am trying to have a 400ml glass when i wake up and another after breakfast, seem to forget about it then until before dinner and then of course the problem of drinking too much water before bedtime arises !
Thank you very much, I'm glad I said no too, like I said I'd have felt so guilty and I wouldn't have helped myself out with weight loss
Im realising that I can have these treats whenever so not to feel so pressured to have it at the time
Drinking water had always been a struggle for me but because when your stomach rumbles it means that you might be thirsty instead of hungry it really helps you know when you're truly hungry
Thank you again and good luck with your weight loss
I too struggle with the water intake but did read on a BBC magazine article that water intake can include squashes, tea etc (i.e. any drink you make that contains water). I don't want to appear controversial but this link to the article (written by a doctor) is very interesting and made me feel more comfortable with my daily liquid intake. Hope you find it useful too
I think you did a great job Kat96. So you're total intake was around 1,300. That's well below the daily average, I think you will lose weight if you carry on like that. You made good, nutritional choices, whilst still enjoying your day. Life is for living not for dieting. There are many different opinions on what to eat and ways to diet. Well done on not having the carrot cake!
Well done Kat96 - if I could do what you did with the carrot cake - it would make all the difference. In fact, I am inspired! Today I will say No! - when I'm full!! You were well within your daily calorie intake. And you ate food that satisfies you. That's got to be key to being able to sustain it long term
Thank you I'm glad I helped you say no it is difficult but I know in the long run it will help and you only feel guilty knowing you had something when you didn't fully want it anymore
Hi, in my experience, being in control of what you eat takes practice: the more you make thoughtful choices about what you want to eat soon becomes habit. One day a time.
Hi Kat, you did really well with your meals for the day! I find that planning ahead really works! Your calorie intake sounds fine for a steady loss and if you eat too little your body will go into starvation mode and you won't lose anything - like I did for two weeks! Well done on not having the carrot cake! Remember life is for living and although we are on a weight loss plan we have to enjoy our lives too! good luck for the rest of the week!
I'm hoping the weight shall come off slowly so I can get to my desired weight. I'm sure it must be the right amounts as I'm not ever starving so I think it must be working well
Thank you, just do your own thing, your doing well! We don't usually get negative responses on the forum! Join in whenever you can! We're a luvvly bunch! Good luck 😊
Well done kat. You are doing great and being able to say no is a great start. I am starting day 3 today with no bread past 2 days and am feeling good. Was hungry yesterday, picked prepared wrap in shop then put it down again, went off and had a banana and bottle of water, I know how good it feels. Keep going. I am a day behind you so am keeping an eye on how your doing. Good choices today....
And we'll done! Id really struggle saying no to prepared wraps/sandwiches. I'd only be able to say no to wraps because I've found they flare up my IBS and only no to sandwiches if I reminded myseld of the little choice there is for a veggie aha
You're also saying no by not picking up that wrap and cutting out bread so that's really good and I'm glad you feel good for that
Great that you enjoyed day 3, and that you enjoyed the lunch and didn't feel you needed to have the added carrot cake afterwards. You obviously ate sufficient and like you say the extra would have been something you didn't really want or need at the time.
Glad you're feeling impressed and good about yourself, as those are great feelings, and I hope you enjoy the next few days too.
Having read all the comments about portion size I will add what I think! Firstly calories in and calories out if they balance you stay the same . Medication can cause a gain by fluid retention. However if you exercise you will use up extra calories. So input and output gives you the difference that you need to cut down on. How much you reduce the number will affect the rate of loss. Below about 1200- 1400 cal is probably too low for most people if they are reasonably active, above 1500 and loss will be slow. So you work out where you are with the numbers, take off milk allowance and divide the rest by number of meals you plan to have. Then you start from scratch putting in the essential bits protein low gi carbs tiny bit of fat for vitamin absorbtion and enzyme metabolism and lots of veg one 2 pieces of fruit per day. this takes planning you cant just look in fridge and think what shall I eat now! If you eat out you have to think very carefully ,carrot cake in some shops can be 850 calories, that's when I stopped having it!! If you keep free of added sugar you will not get cravings . I am 1lb off my 3 st target sticking to this plan since middle of Nov. I feel great, It can be done but not without the thought research encouragement and determination. I hope this is helpful it is not intended to upset anyone just to encourage so good luck.
Okies, I replied earlier on something but basically one size doesn't fit all. I'm female, 6'1, obese unfortunately, and I am currently eating 1800 calories a day (give or take a few, NOT a few hundred lol!) and am losing weight on it. What I do is go to the NHS BMI calculator, and check back with it regularly as I am losing weight to make sure I haven't reached the point of loss where I need to reduce calories to continue losing weight. I eat at the lower end of my calorie range rather than the higher end, and it seems to give me between 1 and 2 pounds loss a week, which is a healthy rate of loss. 52 weeks at that rate can give you between 52 and 104 pounds' loss, not bad for a year's work eh?
I think, I could go lower and maybe lose weight more quickly. Then, would I hit a plateau and have no calories left to cut as I went too low too quickly? Or, would my body go into starvation mode and not lose weight anyway? I don't want to find out, I want to stick with what is working for me!
The way I'm currently eating, I know I can stick to for life, and that's what it's all about, ensuring that you can stick to the changes you have made to keep the weight under control long term. I do factor in a treat sometimes, because I know I won't ever NOT eat, for example, a piece of cake, for the rest of my life. Birthdays, Christmas and other celebrations will happen, that's part of life. it's about factoring it all in and compensating by being sensible for the rest of the day and the next day, packing in the veggies which are lower in cals and will fill you up so that you don't fill up on empty calories at the rest of your meals because you used a big chunk of your daily cals in the form of cake. It's about trial and error, to find what suits YOU personally, and that you know you personally can stick to long term. The smallest changes can, long term, have a bigger effect than we might have imagined, if we can just do a tiny bit of planning.
It sounds like you are doing great Kat, keep it up and good luck on your journey!
Yes height is a crucial indicator of the amount of calories you need to take in each day
1-2 lbs weight loss per week is amazing and obviously is working for you so yes definitely keep that up, you want to be able to make this a lifestyle change then treats should be allowed and you need to be enjoying the process and it sounds like you are
Of course if me and you ate the same diet then it would effect us differently so yes I understand what you mean, it does say on the 12 week plan that 1400 calories is recommended for women per day but obviously for you that would be near enough impossible, it shouldnt be expected that people who can range from 4 foot or smaller to over 6 foot should have the same amount but yes that's why, like you say they have the BMI calculator to fit you personally
I eat smaller amounts due to my IBS and it seems to be working but it is nice to know that because I'm eating around 1200-1300 calories per day that if I want a treat I won't feel too guilty
Good luck and I hope everything continues to go as well as they are for you
Ah, everyone is different...we all will eventually find and just know what works for us...like you with your IBS, you and your health care team know what is right for you, who am I to tell you to eat more (or less) lol. There's never a one size fits all, medical conditions, and also medication can play a role too can't they? You sound like you are in a very positive frame of mind and you are not letting your IBS get in the way of what you want to achieve - good on you, very well done!
No I understand I'm glad you're taking your time to try and help, I really appreciate it and am very grateful for the time everyone is taking to just read my posts or even respond too
Yes everything can effect what calories etc you need so it's always difficult to know exactly what's right for everyone
I too have been really of track for a while and have gained best part of a stone. Got a dreadful cold at the moment but determined to get back into it this weekend.
Hope your issues are now resolved Kat and wish you luck
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made sure I had 2 litres of water again but not fruit teas today 
Keep up the good work ! John 
Daily Diary Sunday 29th October 2017
Daily Diary for Wednesday 18th August 2021
