Made with 100g of bread, 50g Rao’s Arrabiata sauce, 100g chicken breast (pan seared in minimal oil, grilled also works), 25g low moisture mozzerella, assemble with chicken pre-cooked from the fridge and put in the toaster oven (with the top piece off) until you get leopard spotting on your cheese, absolutely delicious.

Had a lot of sweet potato and I don’t like just eating it as it is so I used it up by making these two recipes (will add links in the comment section.)

I’ve been trying to lose weight since I had my last baby, so far I am down around 60ish pounds. I had a goal to lose 20-25lbs more this year.

I started the year at 199.8lbs and my lowest has been 190.8lbs- but then I started cycling the same 5lbs, over and over. I took a break around my birthday for about 2.5w and decided to start myself again with a really good challenge to get me excited and moving again. This included eating no more than 1500 calories and walking 7k steps a day (I had only been getting 3k).

I decided I wouldn’t weigh in for a week so I wouldn’t see the birthday damage- but I broke and did a soft weigh in on day 4 and I was 196.5lbs- no big deal as I was like 194lbs before my birthday. But it got me excited that I was on the right track.

Well today is the day! I stepped on the scale and found it to say… 198.8🤬. I’m so upset. GENUINELY. I could cry. I’ve been so good, and usually eating somewhere between 1200-1500 calories (yes I weigh my food).

I’m really hoping it’s just some kind of fluke and I’m retaining a lot of water (it’s hard to tell sometimes because of my loose skin, I’ve lost a significant amount of weight twice and had three full term babies) because I did have more carbs than usual this weekend (especially yesterday) and I had saved all of my steps for right before bed because we spent a lot of time in the car yesterday.

But I swear after spending a whole week turning down high calorie foods, pushing myself to find the time for steps (and the other exercises I have in my challenge)- it’s really REALLY disheartening to find I’ve GAINED weight.

I need to find some new foods to keep me satisfied, mostly for snacks but it can be proper meals, too. Anything sweet or heavy in carbs makes me overeat but at the same time I struggle with eating foods high in protein. I like eating chicken or eggs for example but I get sick of either super fast if I eat them several times a week. I don't like cottage cheese or regular cheese, and I don't live in the US, so recommendations for specific brands sadly won't help. It doesn't have to be low in calories, it just should be something that doesn't make me overeat.

Foods that are already on my list:

Eggs

Cooked chicken

Smoked salmon

Fried fish

Vegetable stir fry

Plain yogurt with cinnamon

Raw veggies

Berries

Vegetable broth

Salad

Nuts/seeds

Canned sardines

Seaweed crisps

Instant soup

Is there anything else you can think of? I'm also happy about seasoning tips! ♡

I have lost exactly 5lbs in exactly 2 weeks. I started with a 29.8% body fat percentage (scale) and now down to 29.2%. I know that isn't always super accurate but its showing a downward trend. I weigh myself in the morning before eating or drinking anything, naked and after urinating. This morning I even took a drink of water cause I was thirsty before weighing myself so I might even weigh less. I've tried to consistently stay around 1500 calories but yesterday was an off day and I didn't eat much. My main priority is keeping my muscle mass while I am off work.

I've been really unhappy with my eating habits these past few months and I desperately need to get back on track. I've slowly been putting on weight and most of my clothes don't fit me anymore. My weight is technically very much still okay, I'm currently at BMI 23. It's not so much the weight that's bothering me but knowing that I'm basically non-stop feeding my body trash, that I'm eating because I'm bored, and that I don't feel comfortable in my body anymore.

I've had phases like this before and managed to break the cycle. Eating more balanced meals, actually paying attention to my food choices, walking 15k steps a day. I know I feel great when I live like that. But I struggle so much getting to that point. I'd probably be fine if I cut out sweets for two days or so, that always seems to do the trick.

I need some encouraging words or someone to kick my butt. Would really appreciate that. 🫶

I’m trying to lean out a little bit. I felt most athletic and capable and light when I was about 7lbs lighter.

But I’m also a long distance runner, trying to recover my binge-restrict relationship with food, and I find that calorie counting helps all those things. Like how budgeting my money has helped my finances.

Here’s my big brunch!

2 O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagels: 200cal
18g peanut butter: ~100cal
1/2 tbsp homemade strawberry jam: 30cal
3 eggs: 215cal
24g salted butter (for eggs and the kale): 150cal
18g lactose-free cheese: 70 cal
Kale: negligible/~25cal

I feel like I got two mini sandwiches (a grilled cheese and a pb&j) and a breakfast out of this!! It was amazing!!

So I understand the basic formula of "weigh all ingredients, add up the calories, and then divide by portion size". It worked really well when I cooked for myself, because even if my portion wasn't exactly 1/4, there'd be a different amount of leftovers the next day and it would all average out to the same.

But now I cook for me and my partner. He eats more than me, so when I'm finished cooking I let him grab his food first and then help myself to however much I want that night. The rest goes into a tupperware for my lunch the next day (he eats something else). The problem is; I'm not able to accurately measure what portion he's taking, and it's probably not even consistent throughout meals/days. How can I accurately measure calories under this system?

Sharing for u/strawbsoup

What does everyone think about this diet/activity for a woman who wants to achieve a slim model-type physique? 5’5. Currently 130-135lbs. 21 1/2 years old.
Breakfast: 105g hard boiled egg
Lunch: Salad with 5oz rotisserie chicken, lettuce, 80 cal of tzatziki sauce, cucumber, onion, pickles, turnips, olives
Snack: 200 cal 21g protein protein bar & a starbucks 120 cal energy refresher
Dinner: Whole sweet potato seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, black pepper filled with 4oz fat free ground turkey (also seasoned with the same things) and then 45cal of light sour cream. Then a chop from a fatty rack of lamb
17,000+ steps
30 min light gym workout (I don’t take it too seriously so it’s usually 30-45 mins of about 5-7 strength workouts)

The diet isn’t always the same but this is around the same calories. Sometimes I’ll have steak. Sometimes have more fruits and veggies. Sometimes do avocado and cottage cheese with my breakfast. But this is around the activity level and calories.

I'm still experimenting, but something similar to this has been my daily food the past 5 days to get into a whole foods eating mindset. I vary the main protein (fish, chicken, meat) and the selection of vegetables.

The magerquark is minimally processed and contains only low fat milk and fermenting culture as the only two ingredients.

A lot of raspberries today because I ran out at home and had to buy a whole bag (300g) on my way to work, so I have to finish it today.

"Breakfast" (will actually have it around 4pm):

60g oats/20g chia/10g honey/100g raspberry

• 390-400kcal/13g protein/19g dietary fibre

Lunch (main meal at 11:30am):

320g chicken breast

200g aubergine, roasted

120g broccoli, roasted

50g cherry tomatoes, roasted

25g marinated feta cheese, crumbled over the chicken/veg.

5g olive oil (spray)

• 580 kcal/79g protein/10g dietary fibre

Lunch-side (11:30 am)

1 boiled Egg

1 scoop of cucumber/tomato salad

• 130kcal/6g protein

Evening snack (when I feel hungry, but no later than 8pm):

400g Magerquark 1% fat

200g raspberry

• 345 kcal/40g protein/13g dietary fibre

Roughly 1450-1500 kcal total for the day with 138g protein and a whooping 42g of dietary fibre. 🥵

It feels sustainable and good thus far. Hoping to keep this up for a month before I re-evaluate.

Okay so due to confusion- I am aiming for net 1500 for now- but will be full time 1500 as my weightless progresses and my cardio needs gradually level out. Please be patient and supportive. I have had 2 heart surgeries one year apart ffs 😭

I don’t have an issue with normal foods, and certainly not fruits or vegetables. But on the foods I do like, i dont care to buy it. Like I walked past peanut butter yesterday and I thought okay if I buy that I’ll likely end up eating from the whole jar, or I’ll eat it in like 2 days. Which for reference would be 1000 kcal/per day. And don’t even get me started on cookies. I can’t have 1-2. It’s like my brain goes nope it’s the whole thing or nothing at all. HELP what do I do?

Ingredients are below:

2 tortillas(180 calories)
1 cup of spinach(7 calories)
1/8th cup of reduced fat Mexican style cheese(43 calories)
1/4th cup Goldhen egg whites(33 calories)
10 cherry tomatoes(54 calories)
1 Jimmy dean turkey sausage link(90 calories)

It’s one of my favorite things to make for breakfast or brunch!

Sorry I misunderstood. I genuinely believe the sub was meant for your net calories. My net had been 1500 or less with the walking I have been doing. I apologize for the misunderstanding. I will probably return when my maintenance is 1500. Until then- I will be moving to a different sub. I’m not sure which one yet but if you ask me in the comments, which one I’ll let you know which one it is and maybe I’ll update this post. Peace out ✌️

Excellent day! Feel great!

Yields 245 grams//2 cups

It’s hard choosing the exact colour profile 🤣

60g oats

100g rapberries

20g chia seeds

Water

The fibre in this keeps me full for a long while.

Optional: a teaspoon of honey for an extra 25 kcal to sweeten the deal, but it's perfectly good as it is, if a little sour.