Help with diet

[Lunawolf1991]

I would like some help with my food I need a meal plan for 1200 calories a day the problem is I am on a very small budget I only have £25 a week I find it difficult to find meals and snacks I also have a problem with junk food and find it difficult to be inspired by healthy food

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Where did you get 1200 calories from, Lunawolf? Unless you are very short and virtually inactive, that will not be enough for you and you won't be able to sustain it. Please use the NHS BMI calculator nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-we... to get the correct range for you and have confidence that you will lose weight eating within the upper end of that range. There are many, many of us here who can assure you of that.

As for good value food, go for lots of seasonal vegetables that you can have as they are, as curries, stews, salads: look for the offers that all the supermarkets have on a weekly basis. Buy full fat yoghurt and cheese: avoid anything low fat or diet or light/lite - they have all been heavily processed. Eggs are a great basis for a meal, and if you can afford some fish each week, particularly salmon (again, look out for what's on offer or reduced and keep it in the freezer).

Have a look at the recipes under Topics (look back at my welcome post to you for how to find your way around).

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to BridgeGirl]

I currently weigh 300lbs and need to lose 150 to get to my healthy weight

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Lunawolf1991]

So check your advised calorie range as I've suggested. It will be way above 1200, maybe double that.

Have you been on diets before and drastically cut your calories? It doesn't work. This will help explain why healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to BridgeGirl]

No never dieted yes I look it recommends 2200 but I don’t know how I would burn that much off

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Lunawolf1991]

Is that the top of the range? If so, aim for 2000 a day. If 2200 is the bottom of the range, aim for 2400. That range takes into account your age, gender, height and activity level so you don't have to start adding and taking away when you do a bit more exercise. You can check it again in 6 weeks or when you have lost 7lbs and it will gradually reduce as your weight reduces. It will work.

Start making changes to however you eat now and go step by step. Build up new habits week by week. You can do this. Don't be in a rush. You want every pound you lose to stay lost. The way to do that is to lose gradually, slow, steady and sure

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to BridgeGirl]

I’ve just always read that to lose weight you need to burn more than you eat which I wasn’t sure how to do

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Lunawolf1991]

Just eat what your body needs and, at present, it will need more than when you're down to 280lbs and 260 and so on. Lots of veg, healthy fats, no diet food, cut down the sugar and eating between meals. Just stick at it

[Tiggerr in reply to Lunawolf1991]

Even if you eat at the top of the range that the calculator supplies you, then you will still be 500 cals a day below your specific requirement. So don't fret about how you'll burn it.

By not limiting your intake too much you will be more likely to stick to your new healthy lifestyle.

As BridgeGirl mentions later, as you start losing weight, run the calculator again as your overall calorie requirement will go do down as you lose weight.

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to Tiggerr]

Thank you for the advice x

[Hidden]

1200 calories is far too low - as BridgeGirl has said. For calorie counting, find your calorie range then you can meal plan around that.

In terms of budget - how many people does that £25 a week budget cover?

Is it just for you or is there a family you have to feed for that amount?

You can have curry, chinese, fish and chips, pizza, southern fried chicken - all calorie counting - all take away style food but can make it yourself. Most of the time it tastes better, is way more healthier and is a lot let expensive as well!!!

I have gone from spending £100+ a month for just feeding myself to around £50 a month now. I eat better food, i have lost weight and feel a lot healthier and it's sustainable ... i've been doing it for over a year! If i can do it .... ANYONE CAN!

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to Hidden]

The £25 a week is just for me well done on losing weight 👍

[Hidden in reply to Lunawolf1991]

If the £25 is just for you - you should be able to eat well, save money and lose weight.

My advice is to sit and meal plan for the week and then do your shopping - so you only order what you are going to eat.

Start with the idea of a Sunday dinner - So you'd need a chicken and some veggies.

A medium chicken should serve 4 - so you've got enough chicken for Sunday dinner and 3 more days. If you've bought carrots, sweet potato, parsnips, peas and a cabbage ... you have plenty of veg for other meals too.

Just from that chicken and veg you could portion the chicken up as follows

Sunday - Roast Chicken dinner x1

Monday - Stir fried rice with chicken, carrot, cabbage and peas x1

Tuesday - Chicken curry (i'd make this with all the leftover chicken after the above) x2

You could then have the curry later in the week or freeze for another week

From some of the carrots or parsnips - make a soup for lunches. I'd make a big batch and have it a couple of times in the week and freeze some for another week.

This simple idea of a roast Sunday dinner has now actually fed you for almost half the week.

You don't have to do exactly this - i just wanted to give you an idea / inspiration of how planning can help

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to Hidden]

Wow thank you so much that was really helpful I will go work out a meal plan thank you

[Hidden in reply to Lunawolf1991]

Don't forget to think of breakfasts too in your plan.

Personally, i find things like porridge oats, mushrooms, eggs, tomatoes are all great breakfast items that are affordable and healthy.

A cooked breakfast of scrambled egg, mushrooms and tomatoes (even a little bacon) is healthier than a bowl of cereal - as long as you don't eat 4 slices of toast with it! (my downfall sometimes!)

[Lunawolf1991 3lbs in reply to Hidden]

I do intermittent fast as I found it suits me more I have more appetite in the afternoon

[Caroline62 6 stone in reply to Hidden]

Great idea there Steelad.

[Busybeelady in reply to Hidden]

Fab ideas there Steelad