I’m trying to lose weight and was told that hwo I eat about 800-1000 calories a day is too low and lowers my metobolism which will prevent weight loss. I’ve looked up some meal plans and can’t really afford stuff like chicken breast, steak, or salmon every week. So that is why I’m wondering how I can eat 1500 calories a day. Are there some alternatives that I can do?

Also I’d like to ask, say I exercise and burn say 500 calories would I have to eat those calories back or no? I ask cuz I’ve been told yes and told no.

  • NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    800-1000 calories a day is too low and lowers my metobolism which will prevent weight loss.

    If you do it for real for a while, nothing can prevent weight loss.

    I’ve looked up some meal plans and can’t really afford stuff like chicken breast, steak, or salmon every week.

    Eat real vegetables and fruits. Fresh, where ever possible. You wouldn’t believe how cheap you can feed yourself if you do your cooking yourself.

    Avoid all processed food. Avoid all sugar.

    • etchinghillside@reddthat.com
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      3 months ago

      Frozen fruits and vegetables are also fine. Canned fruits in heavy syrups – not fine.

      If Chicken breasts are out of budget then Eggs, Egg Whites, or Beans are probably going to be needed to hit some kind of protein macros.

    • Kaboom@reddthat.com
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      3 months ago

      If he’s undereating, maybe some sugar in moderation. Humans need calories, maybe a granola bar or something

    • TehWorld@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I’ve long said that the best place to loose weight is at the grocery store. You pretty much only ever go to the outside edge. Buy potatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, squash and zucchini, radishes, carrots and any other vegetables you like. Bulk is what works here. Then go buy what protein you can afford. Skip anything that has been processed beyond meat and milk.

    • chrischryse@lemmy.worldOP
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      3 months ago

      Yeah I usually do my best to eat vegetables and fruits whenever I can at least. And I’m trying my best to cut back on sugar it’s hard lol but I’m getting there.

      • angrystego@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        I feel you, sugar is hard. I find it easier to eat a tiny bit of something sweet like once a week than to cut it altogether. My cravings are too strong when there’s no vision of fulfilling them at least a bit :)

      • Rolando@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        cut back on sugar

        One type of snack/dessert I do: get a slice of high-fiber bread (toasted, or not), and put a bit of honey or jam on it. Much better than a pastry, bc I can control exactly how much sugar is there.

      • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
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        3 months ago

        what has worked for me is just trying to skip out on sugary stuff as often as possible and instead eating regular food that i really enjoy, eventually i just stop really craving sweets that much and now the only sweets i tend to want is stuff like cinnamon rolls and chips, which is more savoury than sweet honestly.

    • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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      3 months ago

      “Avoid all sugar”

      Right. Avoid fruits.

      But seriously. Fruits have very little benefit for health. They have health benefits vegetables have, but with sugars also in them. Fruits are sugared veggies.

      • angrystego@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Sugared veggies is good. As you say, fruits do have the health benefits vegetables have, which is not “very little”. They’re full of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and above all, fiber. Sugar is not all bad either. Evolutionalrily, we probably like sugar exactly because it is present in fruits and eating fruits is beneficial for us. If you ate only fruits all day, then it would be bad for you, but I’m pretty sure in reasonable amounts fruits are an important part of a healthy diet.

        • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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          3 months ago

          Your mostly correct, except there are no fruits that are an important part of a healthy diet. You can have some as a treat or whatever, but they are not important, and simply do what veggies do, but with a spike of sugar.

          • Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            Vegetables are just fancy nutrients, that’s why I only eat a flavourless calorie paste that contains all my essential vitamins.

      • Alienmonkey@lemm.ee
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        3 months ago

        Measuring and establishing some boundaries by plant, rather than type, could be useful to op.

        Peppers and carrots can be higher in sugar than expected. Relative to their positive flavor impact on a salad, a cutup strawberry or two adds only a small amount.

        Grouping plants into fruit or veg might not be effective for calorie monitoring. Would need to know what they want to eat, and search for nutrition info. Thus a plan.