How do you eat?

[redmel]

Hi All

I am fairly new to the site and am currently following Slimfast. Once I have lost a fair bit, I do want to slowly come off it. I have decided that I will stick with calorie counting to lose any remaining weight, and then up my calorie intake a bit for a maintenance plan.

Is what I was wondering, is how do you split your calories up throughout the day? Do you just split into 3 meals and don't snack...or do you eat little low cal meals/snacks regularly throughout the day?
Has anybody tried it both ways and if so which way did you find was most effective at both losing weight and staving off hunger?

Thanks for your time.

Mel x

 

[Iris]

Hi Mel, I think everyone differs on what works best for them. Biochemistry may be broadly similar but psychology is a total rainbow! It seems to be generally accepted that several (5-6) small meals a day will keep you satisfied and curb the urge to snack, but personally I usually have two large meals a day and several snacks, and it's what has worked for me in taking off the weight so far. I think a good balanced breakfast is important, just because I know I feel exhausted and prone to unhealthy food choices about mid-afternoon if I don't eat well earlier in the day, but you have to find what feels right for you and helps you feel most in control and satisfied.

I think the key is never to allow yourself to get too hungry, and to figure out when your worst 'risk' times of the day or night are, and leave a little allowance (think of it as a contingency fund of calories!) to cover these times.

Best of luck!

 

[preetone]

i usually have breakfast at 7, oat so simple cookie at 11, lunch at 1, snack when i get home at 5 [today i had some pineapple] and then dinner at 8ish.
so 3 meals and a few snacks is the way for me

 

[redmel]

Thank you Iris and preetone

How many calories are you sticking to each day?

At the moment on Slimfast I have 1300cals, two shakes 220each, main meal 600 and 3 snacks under 100 each.....do you think this would be realistic to stick to with 'normal' food? Or would I need to split it differently?

Mel x

 

[Little Noo]

hi redmel, i was doing slimfast a while back and i would say stick with the basic principles of slimfast, with afew alterations. obviously its hard to find meals with only 220 cals or so, but it is alot easier to cut cals from your evening meal as 600 cals for one meal is quite alot IMO.

i would suggest having about 300-350 breakfast, then ur 100 cal morning snack, then a 300-350 lunch, then ur 100 cal afternoon snack, then a 400 cal dinner, then ur 100 cal evening snack. this would lead to around 1300-1400 cals a day.

however u decide to play it, i think the basic principles of slimfast are fine, and u have to find a balance that works for u. some people find they need to eat alot at breakfast to stop them snacking throughout the day, and others dont feel like much for breakfast and find it easier to 'save' their calories for later on in the day.

good luck with however u decide to play it x

 

[preetone]

Well breakfast today i had frosties [ i woke up late and didnt have time to make my usual of a boiled egg - 70cals] at work usually i have abanana [105] before i start with an activia low fat yoghurt [60]. so breakfast was 160 cals today.

Then for lunch i used some cold chicken in a wrap with some BBQ sauce 370 cals.

Dinner - I had chicken brocilly and couliflower 220 cals

Snacks - Oat So simple cookie 181, pineapple 62, milk 130, cornetto 175.

total 1300 cals and i was on the exercise bike and worked out 300 cals

saying that you have caught me on a very good day [first of many] as i have not lost much weight for about a month so am trying to kick start my loss

 

[siggy79]

I have 3 meals a day and only some coconut for snacks. Because I'm on a VLCD my calories are really low. A typical day would be:-

Breakfast 12pm:- 2 Prunes, 5 tbsp oat bran porridge, tsp sugar 160 cal

Lunch 4pm:-
7 oz strawberries, 6 tbsp natural yoghurt
170 cal

Dinner 7pm:-
Chicken salad 180 cal

Snacks, coconut 60 cal

Drinks: Water

My hubby eats late at around 7pm. So I have my breakfast really late so I can eat with him. The bonus is my kids eat about 4. So I'm not eating alone which is good.

 

[Lynsey]

Maybe I'm being too lenient with myself but I give myself 1500 calories a day, I eat 3 balanced meals and if I snack, it's usually on an apple or cereal (although a friend recently told me that apples make you hungrier.... true?). I try and exercise for at least 30 mins each day... I've only been doing it for 4 days but have lost 3lbs, hopefully this will keep up, if not then i'm sure it can be cut down to 1300 calories, in my head that just seems really little you know?

pudding weakness haha

 

[Iris]

Thank you Iris and preetone

How many calories are you sticking to each day?

At the moment on Slimfast I have 1300cals, two shakes 220each, main meal 600 and 3 snacks under 100 each.....do you think this would be realistic to stick to with 'normal' food? Or would I need to split it differently?

Mel x

Hi Mel, I'm on around 1300 a day at the moment, but not sticking to it rigidly. I count calories in bundles of 50 or 100 so I have a rough idea what I'm eating without getting too fascist with the numbers.

I think your new daily diet sounds great. Plenty of variety, lots of nibbles for hungry times. That's the key, really. Feed your body when you're hungry with good food. Never ignore hunger or you'll end up on the binge from hell!

I think Lynsey's approach above is great, too. Starting off comfortably means you're more likely to stick with it for the long haul, and it gives you room to cut down your calorie allowance if you eventually plateau. Starting too low isn't a good idea. If you're exercising, I think it's especially important that you give yourself a little extra.

Hope your eating plan is going well!

 

[redmel]

Thanks everyone

I could never eat as little as Siggy....how are you still walking around?!?

Lynsey - Sounds like a brilliant plan to me. When I wean off of slim-fast I am going to stay on 1300-1500, I think it is a great amount if you are including exercise too

Thanks Iris, I will stick to a similar format as it seems to be working...although this week I have had a few social events and have found it hard to get back on track. I am now though You have lost an amazing amount, over 100lb!!! and only 6lb away from target....I am impressed, you are proof it can be done

Mel x

 

[siggy79]

Lol, do you know what 5 oz of chicken and 8oz of salad looks like? Trust me I had more on my plate than anyone that day!

 

[redmel]

Lol, do you know what 5 oz of chicken and 8oz of salad looks like? Trust me I had more on my plate than anyone that day!

No I don't actually

I suppose once I start calorie counting I will become used to portion sizes...which is a bit of a downfall of mine actually

Mel x