I had the extra time today after cleaning out the garage so I figured I’d just go ahead and post again today. I don’t know when I’ll get another moment where everyone is entertained and I can write without a baby on my hip. I realize that I could schedule this to post tomorrow but I’d like to just get it out there.
I eat 1300 calories a day. I am breastfeeding a one year old full time and have a ton of milk. I am not starving. And I am extremely active. I do not workout. I would love to have time for that but as a single stay at home work from home mom with 5 kids, I find I have little extra time to do things except breastfeed, cook, clean, mom, work, and breakup fights. Eventually I will work working out into my schedule. At that point, I will need to eat more calories though. I realize that 1300 calories a day is a very low calorie diet. It is very doable though. And as far as dieting goes, it’s easy and maintainable. Anywho – let’s get to the point of the post.
Here is a list of menu options that I eat;
BREAKFAST
Kashi Go Lean Cereal 1 1/4 cups 180 cal with 1 cup of cashew milk 25 cal = 205 cal
1 Cup Southwestern Style Egg Beaters REAL EGGS equals 4 eggs 80 cal, a piece of Saralee Delightful bread 45 cal, and 2 pieces vegetarian bacon 60 cal = 185 cal (Lots of times I’ll add a sprinkle of broccoli to my eggs while cooking which adds about 10 calories)
Egg salad sandwich made with; 1/4 cup egg beaters 20 cal, 1 tsp avocado mayo 25 cal, 2 slices Saralee Delightful bread 45 calories each, a sprinkle of shredded cheese 60 cal, and calorie free spices = 195 cal
You see a pattern here? I always have protein for breakfast and I keep breakfast around 200 calories. Unless if you’re going to count calories of cooking oil, buy 0 calorie cooking spray. There are a lot of calories in cooking oil so this can really help to use the calories you have for food that is going to keep you full.
SNACKS
Apple 75 calories
100 calorie nuts pack
Stone ground whole wheat fig bars 110 calories
Rice roller 50 calories
A cup of uncooked veggies around 45 calories
Anything HEALTHY as long as you stay in calories for that day!
I recommend not eating 100 calorie cookie snacks because they’re still packed with sugar and are unhealthy and turn into fat in your body. I tried eating one or two a day for a week still staying within my 1300 calorie a day intake and I DID NOT lose any weight that week. That is the only week that I didn’t lose weight.
LUNCH
Quesadilla with 2 tortillas 280 cal, 1/4 cup of cheese 110 cal, 2 tbsp salsa 20 cal = 410 cal (protein from cheese)
Frozen dinner Veggie Bowl Super Foods = 370 cal (protein from beans)
2 servings Couscous and 1 serving lentils = 410 calories (protein from beans)
The pattern here is that they each have quite a lot of carbs, they each have veggies, protein, and they’re around 400 calories. I have a higher calorie and higher carb lunch every day. You need carbs. If you don’t get enough carbs, you’ll have a hard time functioning. Carbs are not bad. The wrong kind of carbs are bad. The bread that I use is really low in carbs so I’m not really having much for carbs at breakfast. Your body has a hard time breaking down carbs first thing in the morning. It turns into sugar a lot quicker. Try to eat the bulk of your carbs at lunch time or for snacks throughout the day.
DINNER
Veggie stir fry 80 cal and a roll 160 cal = 240 cal
1 serving uncooked broccoli 45 cal, and 2 tbsp ranch 140 cal = 185 cal
Whatever I have to that’s healthy to make up for rest of the 1300 calories.
The pattern here is vegetables. I don’t have a set calorie intake for dinner because I don’t know what snacks I’ll be eating throughout the day. I try to make it less than 300 calories though. So that I am not eating a lot as the last meal I have before I go to bed. If I have enough calories for dinner, I always make sure to eat a bit more protein as well. Protein gives you more energy, burns calories, and makes you feel full longer. This is the last time you can eat for the day. Make sure to eat dinner by 6 pm. I only eat carbs for dinner if I am really low on calories. Being really low on calories can actually make you retain or gain weight. You have to make sure to eat enough calories. If you do lose weight from starving, you’ll gain it back. Starving is not the proper way to lose weight.
Let’s recap. 200 calories for breakfast, 400 calories for lunch, 300 calories for dinner = 900 calories. You still have 400 calories for healthy snacks throughout the day. That is quite a lot of food if you’re choosing healthy options. I never feel like I’m starving. One secret to my success is that I have one cheat day a week. One day a week I eat whatever I feel like eating. This is actually good for your diet because it keeps your body from getting used to your eating routine and it helps you to continue to lose weight. It also helps manage cravings. I know that I can control myself from eating unhealthy because in a few days, I’ll be able to have something sweet. I have never eaten very much but I am totally addicted to sugar. Whether it was soda, candy, or whatever. There are tons of calories in soda and candy. I totally stopped drinking soda but I can still have candy on Sundays. You can have soda on your free day but I am so addicted to it that I just want to stay away from it completely. I chose Sunday for my free day because it’s the day that The Walking Dead comes on (haha). Choose a day that makes sense for you. If your family is eating sweets throughout the week that you really want, save one for you for your free day. You can only have one free day a week or else you won’t be changing your lifestyle. I have lost 28 lbs in almost two months by sticking to this.
I have one more thing to add that you’ll read in every one of my weight loss posts. Drink two liters of water a day. You won’t lose weight if you’re dehydrated. Don’t drink any soda, alcohol, or juice. Soda and alcohol are super high in calories. Juice is not healthy. It is packed with sugar. Have milk in your cereal but don’t drink it otherwise unless if you’re going to count it in your calories. Plain green tea has no calories but it does contain caffeine if you’re someone who needs caffeine. Green tea is also a metabolism booster and can help you to lose weight. I drink two liters of water and some green tea every day. You can actually buy green tea pouches to add to water bottles for ice green tea. They contain no calories and no sugar. You can find them at most any grocery store with the hot teas and coffee.
P.S. – by the middle of this post, I had the baby on my hip.
This Do It All Mom 