# Calorie/ Budget challenge



## DKWunlimited (Sep 11, 2006)

Okay, I'm in a wheelchair and can't excercize more. In order to loose weight, I need to stay around 1000 calories a day. So my challenge is for everyone to come up with a 1 day menu staying within that limit. 

I'm looking for diversity!


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

I'm not in a wheel chair YET, but am headed that way. I have a degenerative disk disease. I cannot exersize. Go to, www.tops.org they have a place on there where you can print off cards that has what different foods are (like the diebetic exchange). It will give you how much of each thing you can have that will add up to your calorie limit. That way you can get a balanced diet.

I have lost 49 lbs. since July 16, 07. I keep my calories around 1000.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

DKWunlimited, perhaps it would be helpful to know what kinds of foods you like to eat.


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## farmgirlmama (May 8, 2006)

I just wanted to share that I lost 35 pounds and got to a good weight even when I could not excerise by eating meat, produce, and tradtional fats (butter, coconut olive oil). I did/do not count calories and eat as much as I need. I still follow this diet because I feel so good doing it (I have Lyme disease and it keeps me symptom-free). I gained at least 35 pounds this last pregnancy and now 8 weeks after gving birth I am about 7 pounds from my goal weight without tracking anything or excersing. I can tell you more if you are inerested 

Jen


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## draggahaus (Feb 3, 2008)

could you lift small weights with your arms..There is a lady in the "fit for life" book that is in a wheel chair and she built very nice upper body and was able to eat more calories because of the added muscle.

I would say have a serving of protein at each meal (these are usually high in calories so keep it at a serving which is 4oz of meat) and then as much veggies as you want...they have very low calories..also I would take out the white bred, and sugar, they are a waste of calories for you.
good luck 
Heather


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I'm happy to read that i"m not alone in my frustrations regarding diet and not being able to exercise! Everywhere I look, the big emphasis is on exercise, exercise, exercise and I'm in an electric scooter.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Ardie/WI said:


> I'm happy to read that i"m not alone in my frustrations regarding diet and not being able to exercise! Everywhere I look, the big emphasis is on exercise, exercise, exercise and I'm in an electric scooter.


Ardie, trust me, you are not alone. I went to a SMALL flea market today and did some walking, now I'm hurting. It does get frustrating.


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## MarleneS (Aug 21, 2003)

It was difficult for me to come to terms with the realization that the reason I had gained weight in the first place was that I was taking in more fuel then I was using = stored fat. Once this seemedly simple solution was a lightbulb moment - the next step was to accept that each and ever time I take in more then I use it will be stored as fat. AND the biggie -- if I want to lose weight I not only have to not take in more then I burn ... I have to take in even less so that my body will burn off the stored fat.

There are so many things I love to do and do not have time for that I honestly hate exercising just to build muscle/burn more calories -- so the next step was ... any and all exercising no matter how little is a good thing for health...but the above still holds turn - if I don't burn it -- I shouldn't be consuming it -- and if I want to lose weight I have to use up more then I take in.

After losing the same 65+ pounds over and over again...I get it ...all those people who keep making statements about it's not about diet it's about lifestyle are right.

If you really want an eye opener read up on how many calories you body burns from doing nothing to being athletic. Figure out how many carlories you are using with your day to day living today. For each pound you hope to lose you have to take in 3600 less calories then you burn....there is a reason this is not easy right  BUT it can be done - you just have to accept some really hard to take facts.

We CAN DO THIS

Marlene


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## PonderosaQ (Jan 12, 2004)

Odd that no-one seems to have read your post and come up with a menu for you!
Was the challenge just a menu or one within a limited $ budget?

PQ


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## MarleneS (Aug 21, 2003)

You're right PonderosaQ -- we didn't give DKWunlimited what she ased us for - a healthy weight-losing diet on a budget.  wr did ask for ideas on which foods - and did not get a response in wr's defense.

I was hoping I was using idea that it's better to teach a man to fish so that he can feed himself having better results then just giving him a fish for a single meal, would come though, I guess it didn't.

We also do not know what the budget is so that also makes it difficult - give us a dollar amount per day and we can likely all provide that one day of menus.

If it were me on a very limited budget:

Breakfast - 2 egg whites scrambled in a non-stick skillet. Or a skillet wiped with a tiny amount of oil. 1/2 cup of the wild blackberries from my freezer from last years berry season, 1 cup of goatsmilk, and one slice of homemade whole wheat toast. 
Calories: about 275
Cost: Less then 25 cents -- It requires that you have yard chickens, wild blackberries, and someone with excess goatsmilk they are happy to give you. If you had to buy it at the grocery story I think it would still be under $2.00

Lunch: 1/2 cup canned tuna/salmon, whatever greens are in the garden, or growing wild, 1 small tomato (fresh if growning - canned from last season if not), a handful of homemade crackers, unsweetened iced tea, and a goatsmilk yogart.
Calories: about 300
Cost - One teabag and the flour for the crackers. 
Store brought - about $1.75

Dinner: 1 baked potato, 1 cup of steamed asparagus, 4 oz. baked chicken, 1/2 cup of applesauce, glass of unsweetend iced tea
Calories: about 400
Cost - one teabag
Storebrought - $2.00

There you go under 1000 calories - cost if you have a garden, a few fruit trees, a milkgoat, and raise your own free range chickens -- counting feed for the animals - under $2.00 day if you have to purchase it from the store about $5-6.00/day.

Marlene


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## PonderosaQ (Jan 12, 2004)

Great menus Marlene.....Getting harder with increased costs for those on a limited budget to stay away from carbs.We'll be discussing that at the hospital's annual Diabetes Education committee meeting this week.Here are a few ideas from my menu:

Breakfast: Low carb yogurt(stores own brand) with 1/2 cup fruit.
Lower cal cereal with low fat milk and a fruit
Low cal toast with some fat free cream cheese and a piece of fruit

Lunch: Salad with protein such as tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad made with fat 
free mayo and any dressing on the side. Or a small sandwich on low cal bread
with veggies to crunch on on the side.

Dinner: A serving of any low cal meat or fish cooked without oil, small serving of any 
higher carb/cal veg such as potatoes, and as many low cal veggies as you want.
I often out a spoon or two of spaghetti sauce on the veggies for a change in 
flavor.Diet jello is great to fill up on and not expensive.

Snacks:If you need them...raw veg ..whatever is in season Plain popcorn, low cal yogurt

Sorry my listing isn't as good as Marlene's too early on a busy morning for me. Let us know how you are doing.It may take time so just hang in there with the rest of us.

PQ


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