Can you look at what I ate today?

[mytwoblackandwhitecats]

I'm trying really hard to eat "normally" :) I am a bit overweight but not hugely significantly (would like to lose a stone.)

Breakfast - cup of tea with semi skimmed milk

Lunch - one banana (was out and got stuck in traffic, I would normally have something a bit more substantial.)

Evening meal - one rainbow trout fillet. Half a yellow pepper, half an orange pepper. Salad (just leaves!) the peppers and trout were cooked with a small amount of butter - just a scraping. I also had a tiny blob of reduced fat mayonnaise with salad.

One tub of strawberries with one tablespoon of clotted cream.

Harley's orange jelly - one of those individual pots.

I've just had water and a can of diet coke to drink.

Am I on the right lines ... My fitness pal says I am on 850 calories but I think it's underestimated the strawberries.

[tak1ngchances]

That is not eating normally, that is starving yourself.
Where was your breakfast, snack and lunch??

[MaloryArcher]

That is basically starving your body.

Why are you eating such a stupidly small amount of food?

[mytwoblackandwhitecats]

Do you really think so? I thought I'd eaten well!

Normally I would have had something a bit more substantial for lunch, but I was out from 10-1, and then got stuck in traffic. We stopped at a garage but other than chocolate and crisps there were just a few tired looking apples and bananas on offer so I had a banana. Then when we got in it was half 3, and I decided to hang on until 6 :)

I had a LOT of strawberries!

[mytwoblackandwhitecats]

Okay Malory - no need to be rude

I don't think it's that small an amount, I really don't? I'm surprised both of you do.

[tak1ngchances]

God Lord. Eating well does not mean eating nothing.

You will not lose weight because you are starving. You need 3 meals and 2 snacks every single day, protein at every meal and good fats.

[Branleuse]

its too little.

[MaloryArcher]

But it is stupid.

Nothing for breakfast. Nothing but a banana for the rest of the day until a paltry evening meal. Diet jelly that is full of crap. Strawberries that are mostly sugar.

Eating like that is doing your body no favours.

[Cluelessat30]

Try some yoghurt and spoon of granola at breakfast if you need something quick, and yes to proper lunch too. You're on the right track with dinner.

[NorksEnormous]

I ate like this for ages when dieting and couldn't lose weight- would lose 1lb one week then put on 2lb the next week! Joined slimming world and eat 3 meals a day now and an evening snack and have lost 1 and a half stone in 8 weeks- speaks for itself really!!

[Glitterkitten24]

Hmmm, a bit light on food I'd say, you must be starving - I doubt you'd be able to maintain eating that little over a week/ month.

Have you considered low carbing? There is a whole board on here about it, but I find it a really easy way to controls diet without feeling deprived or hungry. Just a thought!

[mytwoblackandwhitecats]

Malory - okay

I never eat breakfast and it's pointless pretending I will, I have to be up very early and I just cannot face food at 5:45 in the morning.

I've explained about the lunch.

I don't think one pot of jelly and some strawberries are that terrible.

It's really hard for me not to binge eat/starve. Yes, some of you claim I've "starved" today but I clearly haven't. I might not have eaten what some deem enough but I certainly haven't starved.

I'm just working on some healthy-ish meals - if this is something you always do then I suppose today wouldn't seem much of a big deal to you but to me it is, so

Anyway, I'll hide the thread as I know it's very silly but I am actually quite upset with how "blunt" the comments are.

[callamia]

You've eaten virtually no protein, or much that's useful.
A cup of tea isn't a breakfast is it? What vitamins and energy are you getting from that? It sounds like you're running on sugar; strawberries, banana and jelly.

Where are your carbs? Your fibre and protein? I don't think today's eating is 'normal', I just don't think it's enough to sustain you in any decent way.

[mytwoblackandwhitecats]

Norks eating very little does help me lose weight; strange that

Yes, I like the idea of low carbing :)

[PunchHouse]

Tea is not breakfast. A banana is not a meal.

You stand a far better chance of losing weight for the long term if you start eating three proper, healthy meals a day, and nothing else.

Eat a decent meal, give your body the time to digest and use that energy. Wait until the next mealtime. Then eat another meal.

A meal = protein + carbs + fruit/veg.

Watch your portion sizes. And don't snack.

[callamia]

Eating very little will help you to lose weight. As a former anorexic, I can testify it's definitely effective. But it's not sustainable... Or healthy, or enjoyable.

It's worth thinking about what you want out of food, and how to achieve 'good' meals. I'm currently weaning my baby, and I'm really having to think about whether our meals provide enough iron, vitamins, energy etc. it's having a surprisingly positive effect on my diet! I might market this ;)

[allisgood1]

You can't skip meals. You won't lose weight this way. Your body will hold the calories you don't eat and also you are probably overeating all evening.

[alleypalley]

You don't need 3 meals a day, and you shouldn't snack. Some harsh comments on here.

mytwo if you happy eating that way then maybe you should check out the 5:2 threads.

[lettertoherms]

OP, I'm also the type that it's very hard for me to hit the right number. If I'm not careful, I will binge, but if I am watching, I struggle to eat more than 900 calories.

You do have to make yourself. It's ok to eat this little as a one-off, but if you sustain it, your metabolism adjusts to only need that amount of calories, and you hold or gain weight. And it's not underestimating the strawberries - berries have very few calories, even though it seems like more, since they're so sweet and substantial.

Your dinner sounds like a great meal, and I would try to repeat something like that for lunch. It's best if you can manage breakfast, even if it's just a banana or slice of whole grain toast, but if you just can't eat breakfast, do try to eat those calories elsewhere. If I find myself at 900 calories, I might eat a small amount of nuts and some cheese, or even a granola bar. Something that's manageable to eat, but can pack in that 300+ necessary calories quickly. Under 1,200 for women is medically starving. Depending on your frame you probably need more than that, especially as you don't have much to lose.

Finally - the diet coke and orange jelly are things I would avoid as a regular, and only have as a treat. The artificial sweeteners and flavorings simply aren't good for you, and have been linked to weight gain, as well as other health issues.

[SavoyCabbage]

There is nowhere near enough protein. Or much of anything other than sugar. You must have been starving by the time you had the fish.

You need to eat more normally and regularly. I think it's a bit of a trap to hardly have anything all day then allow yourself to 'make up for it' in the evenings.

[goodasitgets]

Can you cope with drinking something in the morning? Even a protein shake with almond milk is better than nothing
Try to have protein at every meal. Strawberries fine but to balance the sugar hit I would add some full fat Greek yoghurt. Don't be scared of eating fat
Fish and salad good but I would add more salad to that, and use full fat mayo, maybe sweet potato too if you like it or brown rice?

This is a typical day food for me low carb (and my PT still said I wasn't eating enough)

Breakfast - 3 eggs, usually scrambled with butter, bacon or ham or feta cheese
Lunch - huge salad with tuna/feta/protein, full fat mayo
Tea - chicken (with skin), veg, sweet potato
Protein shake after gym, snacks of cold meat/berries and cream/veg/handful nuts/pork belly rind

[goodasitgets]

Oh and try and keep something in car/bag when stuck in traffic - seeds/nuts anything like that
I would have eaten something at 3 and then again at 6 or maybe 7

[tobysmum77]

can't you see that starving yourself is one of the causes of bingeing because you are starving and can hold out no longer?

Personally I think you would be better joining ww or sw because they will educate you to actually eat properly and enough. Food is not the enemy your body needs it to be healthy.

[tobysmum77]

the problem with asking online is people have different ideas, for example full fat mayo is awful in terms of calories and unnecessary as long as you are eating healthy, filling food imo.

[allisgood1]

I personally find it much easier to do a diet where I don't have to count calories! Whenever I have counted calories I have lost very little. The second I changed to a paleo lifestyle and ignored calories I lost 2 stone.

[McBear]

Breakfast is a funny one for me. Generally, if I don't eat it I'm not hungry til later in the day. It's like eating awakens my hunger.

I've started eating 2 slices of peanut butter on toast and a banana for breakfast. This really sets me up for hours.

Lunch is a chicken breast with flavouring on (sachets available in herbs and spices aisle) and mixed veg

Tea is chicken (with a different flavour so I don't get bored) or gammon and salad.

It's doing well for me and I go to the gym three or four times a week. Those strawberries will have been estimated too low. They're full of sugar and quite calorific. Sometimes it's just better to have a chocolate bar.