So I can eat as much salad as I like,
Discussion
Wait a sec. It started off as salad but now you're throwing in dressing and meat??
Yes, you can eat as much salad as you like. The key bit being "as you like" because if I gave you 2000 kcals of leaves, your "like" will end at 100 kcals. Throw in dressing and one spoon can be 200 kcals. A small portion (or what food packets describe as normal) of meat will come in at 150-200 kcals. You'll still end up eating the desk. Fortunately, wood pulp doesn't digest so you won't gain weight from eating your desk. Just don't cover your desk in salad dressing.
Yes, you can eat as much salad as you like. The key bit being "as you like" because if I gave you 2000 kcals of leaves, your "like" will end at 100 kcals. Throw in dressing and one spoon can be 200 kcals. A small portion (or what food packets describe as normal) of meat will come in at 150-200 kcals. You'll still end up eating the desk. Fortunately, wood pulp doesn't digest so you won't gain weight from eating your desk. Just don't cover your desk in salad dressing.
No. As per usual, use myfitnesspal, calorie count etc to gain more awareness of calories.
olive oil is high in calories 100 calories for a tablespoon (boiled eggs are 70-80cals), dressing could be even worse (egg, cream, nuts, oils than that so as huffy said is the dressing etc that you need to watch, I add lemon juice, olives, lots of tomatoes, balsamic vinegar to my salads for taste but am very careful about the calorie element of the salad ie the oil, meats, dairy.
With any diet moderation is key, a good first step is to start by simply - cutting out alcohol, reducing your portion size, if your still hungry you can always eat something else but you cant un-eat something & cut out sweets/crisps , substitute with unsalted nuts (not peanuts, I like cashew but mix in almonds), fruit or a yoghurt.
olive oil is high in calories 100 calories for a tablespoon (boiled eggs are 70-80cals), dressing could be even worse (egg, cream, nuts, oils than that so as huffy said is the dressing etc that you need to watch, I add lemon juice, olives, lots of tomatoes, balsamic vinegar to my salads for taste but am very careful about the calorie element of the salad ie the oil, meats, dairy.
With any diet moderation is key, a good first step is to start by simply - cutting out alcohol, reducing your portion size, if your still hungry you can always eat something else but you cant un-eat something & cut out sweets/crisps , substitute with unsalted nuts (not peanuts, I like cashew but mix in almonds), fruit or a yoghurt.
My practical experience is as hoofy says - whilst technically you will eventually go over you calories limit, you will have surrendered the will to live way before you consume 2300 kcals of leaf material.
So in that respect, you can eat as much as you like, because you will stop liking way before you use up your calories
So in that respect, you can eat as much as you like, because you will stop liking way before you use up your calories
Foliage said:
olive oil is high in calories 100 calories for a tablespoon (boiled eggs are 70-80cals), dressing could be even worse (egg, cream, nuts, oils than that so as huffy said is the dressing etc that you need to watch, I add lemon juice, olives, lots of tomatoes, balsamic vinegar to my salads for taste but am very careful about the calorie element of the salad ie the oil, meats, dairy.
Apols for selective quoting.You're aware olives are very calorie dense? They're what the oil's made from after all.
LordGrover said:
Apols for selective quoting.
You're aware olives are very calorie dense? They're what the oil's made from after all.
Well yeah 10 calories an olive (ish) so I wouldn't call them 'very calorie dense' but 10 olives is about the same as a tablespoon of olive oil, so your correct that you do need to be aware that they have calories and you cant eat a whole jar of them in a sitting with said salad, I usually add about 5-6.You're aware olives are very calorie dense? They're what the oil's made from after all.
If you where to have salad as a main meal (500-600 calories), if your sensible you can have a rather hearty & diverse meal, we have a salad bar at work and I live on salad pretty much during summer.
Okay I probably should've been clearer with my question.
I'm trying to reduce body fat, and it's working but I've plateaued after 9kg lost so I'm going to have to up my game. Daily calorie intake is around 1,800. Lunch invariably involved a load of rice or noodles so I need a hearty lunch which is going to be higher in protein and less carby. If I'm going to have to eat salad it can't be plain as I just won't. Some soy sauce two eggs and a tin of tuna was more than enough accompaniment today, yesterday it was a tablespoon of olive oil and balsamic... But I want to be full so I might trade an egg and some fish for extra carrot, cucumber, capsicum and leaves.
I'm trying to reduce body fat, and it's working but I've plateaued after 9kg lost so I'm going to have to up my game. Daily calorie intake is around 1,800. Lunch invariably involved a load of rice or noodles so I need a hearty lunch which is going to be higher in protein and less carby. If I'm going to have to eat salad it can't be plain as I just won't. Some soy sauce two eggs and a tin of tuna was more than enough accompaniment today, yesterday it was a tablespoon of olive oil and balsamic... But I want to be full so I might trade an egg and some fish for extra carrot, cucumber, capsicum and leaves.
Speaking from experience, I lost 25% of my body mass last year and went down 8" from my waist, My advice is to stick with it for the moment, how long have you been stuck for? what I find is that you initially lose weight then will stop for a week or 2 then it will continue coming off, its better for it to come off slowly than for it to come off suddenly.
I've done the exact same diet as your doing (except I started at 1600 a day, but once I started running upped it to 1800) and cutting out the carbs and the rubbish foods.
You could have hit a plateau, I used to avoid this by having 1 binge (when I say binge I mean getting a takeaway and having some sweets) day a month, but don't go over the top, I found my stomach had shrank or something so found over eating uncomfortable & occasionally painful, ordering a massive Chinese meal and having cake/sweets saw a good portion of it wasted as I just couldn't eat it. Also worth noting that 1. the day after you might crave sugary foods if you had processed sugars you need to be strong and get past it again and 2. Your sense of taste may change and foods you liked may taste overly sweet or salty, ie not very nice.
I've done the exact same diet as your doing (except I started at 1600 a day, but once I started running upped it to 1800) and cutting out the carbs and the rubbish foods.
You could have hit a plateau, I used to avoid this by having 1 binge (when I say binge I mean getting a takeaway and having some sweets) day a month, but don't go over the top, I found my stomach had shrank or something so found over eating uncomfortable & occasionally painful, ordering a massive Chinese meal and having cake/sweets saw a good portion of it wasted as I just couldn't eat it. Also worth noting that 1. the day after you might crave sugary foods if you had processed sugars you need to be strong and get past it again and 2. Your sense of taste may change and foods you liked may taste overly sweet or salty, ie not very nice.
I got down from 95kg to 86kg in the first half of 2014 and stayed the same until Christmas, when I put 1.5kg on in 9 days at my Mum's place 
and then in January I quickly lost that weight again but reached the all too familiar plateau at 85.5-86kg. I don't think I've been below that weight at any point in my adulthood.
Would estimate body fat to be somewhere between 20 and 25% so it's not as if I don't have plenty to lose.
Chest and waist reduction progress seems to have stalled too so weight is not the only measurement I'm making.
and then in January I quickly lost that weight again but reached the all too familiar plateau at 85.5-86kg. I don't think I've been below that weight at any point in my adulthood. Would estimate body fat to be somewhere between 20 and 25% so it's not as if I don't have plenty to lose.
Chest and waist reduction progress seems to have stalled too so weight is not the only measurement I'm making.
Foliage said:
Speaking from experience, I lost 25% of my body mass last year and went down 8" from my waist, My advice is to stick with it for the moment, how long have you been stuck for? what I find is that you initially lose weight then will stop for a week or 2 then it will continue coming off, its better for it to come off slowly than for it to come off suddenly.
The scales do not lie 
if you're not losing weight then you're either overeating or under exercising!TX.
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