How can I make best use of my calorie allowance

[Dallimore]

What do you usually use your calories on? And how do you spread them over the day? I've done a few calculators that have suggested a range of targets. James Smith recommended 1900, others around 1650/1700. I'm currently eating around 1600 but I'm really hungry all the time and I'm wondering how I can make better use of them. Today I've used 149 for breakfast with a yoghurt, lunch was chicken pasta salad with cucumber sticks, a banana and an apple for 574 calories and I am so hungry right now. It leaves me 800 for tea and possibly something after. Am I better having a bigger breakfast and spreading them out more evenly through the day? Will that help stop the hunger. I've eaten 18g of fat, 72g of carbs and 66g of protein so far today and drunk nearly 2L of water

You'll have to experiment and see what suits you. I don't eat breakfast as it makes me hungrier for the rest of the day. I am least hungry on a high protein and fat diet with less in the way of carbs. Lots of salad/veg with lunch and dinner adds bulk.

If you are hungry all the time you are less likely to stick to your regime. You need to find something that is do-able for the long term. This may well mean increasing calories a little and accepting a slower rate of weight loss.

I don't eat breakfast but 2 boiled eggs might be more filling for you.

I agree that 2 boiled eggs might be more filling. Or you could poach a couple of eggs and have them with cooked tomatoes and mushrooms.

Could you make porridge the night before and re-heat it in the microwave at breakfast time ?

Could you make your own salad with salad leaves, chopped avocado, chicken, cucumber etc ?

Make your own coleslaw with sliced onion, grated carrot and shredded white cabbage, two tablespoons of mayonnaise and two tablespoons of full fat yoghurt. Mix in some chopped celery and chopped spring onions for extra crunch. Grate 50g of full fat strong cheddar in and mix it up to make cheesy coleslaw.

Have full fat Greek yoghurt after lunch with some berries of your choice mixed in. Crush the berries a little bit as you mix them in to release their juice and flavour your yoghurt even more.

Be flexible about your calories. I wonder if 1600 calories per day is enough ? Have 2000 calories one day. 1950 calories the next day. 1900 calories the next day until you get to 1600 calories.

If your daily calories are to low your body could hit the, 'starvation response' i.e. your body thinks there's a famine on and will not let go of a single calorie.

You might get fed up with being hungry and chuck the diet in altogether.

I aim for 1600 calories a day spread out like this:

Breakfast- 300 (eg yogurt & seeds & nuts)

Morning Snack- 100 (eg a banana)

Lunch - 400 (eg a cheese sandwich and apple)

Afternoon Snack -100 (eg a yogurt and a clementine)

Dinner - 600 (eg spag Bol)

Evening choc - 100 (😳 to make it sustainable)

Losing 1-2 pounds steadily like this

Get as much protein in as you can! This helps massively! I prefer small meals more often

I find that eating during a smaller window of time makes me less hungry in the morning. For example I can easily go without breakfast and not eat until 12 or later.

Not having a breakfast and having a proper lunch (jacket potato and cottage cheese with full fat yoghurt for example) will keep me fuller for longer.

Personally I would start with the highest estimate, and work down from there if you need to.

Hitting at least 100g of protein (some would say 125) and 30g of fibre will do a lot to keep you full. Also drink plenty.

I eat breakfast but later which I find helps, but I usually do have to have a snack at teatime.

Lots of protein, fat free yoghurt, chicken, cottage cheese mixed up with salad and veggies, a little fruit. I’ve been dieting for six weeks and now have 2 “meals” and the 3rd is more of a snack to tide me over. I limit myself as much as possible with carbs such as pasta, rice and potatoes. I do still have carbs but from fruit and treats mainly. I aim for no more than 1800 calories a day, normally 1100 on 2 meals, 200 on skimmed milk for coffees and the rest goes on snacks if I’m honest :/

Should also add I lost 19 pounds in 6 weeks, but I’ve another 35 to go ideally.

Thank you everyone, think I will try some of these ideas. I do also find that the earlier I eat the hungrier I seem to get so maybe later breakfast is a good way forward

@NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy this sounds easily doable and sustainable, but I have insulin resistance so I'm never sure if eating frequently is a good idea or not. Will give it a go and see how I get on

@Scalessayeek that's amazing well done! I've got about the same to lose in total

Have a look at a low GI diet -- this will also do wonders for your insulin resistance.

This is an Australian site (because that's where I am and that's where the original research was done) www.healthdirect.gov.au/glycaemic-index-gi

I lost 20kg really easily by following a low GI diet. I wasn't hungry and my cholesterol levels dropped phenomenally. (Probably in part because I ate a small serve of porridge every day).

I also echo pps in saying it's important to eat enough so you don't go into starvation mode. Essentially you want to make changes that are sustainable in the long term.

Might also be worth looking at 16:8 if you're insulin resistant.