Okay, so I got into this 2100 calorie meal plan thing. Don’t ask me why exactly, just one of those phases, you know? Maybe I saw something online, or a buddy was doing it. Anyway, I figured, why not give it a whirl. Seemed straightforward enough. Boy, was I wrong on that one.
First thing, 2100 calories. Sounds like a decent amount, right? But then you start looking at what you actually eat. My morning coffee with all the fixings? Boom, chunk of calories gone. That “healthy” granola bar? Packed with sugar and more calories than I thought. It was a real wake-up call, that part. I was probably chowing down way more without even realizing it.
Trying to Make it Work
So, I tried to get organized. Sunday meal prep, the whole shebang. Cooked a mountain of chicken breast – so much chicken breast. Roasted veggies until my oven smelled permanently of broccoli. Made vats of quinoa. My kitchen on a Sunday? Looked like a warzone. Pots and pans everywhere. And the Tupperware! Don’t even get me started on the Tupperware situation. It was a complete mess trying to find lids.
Breakfast, I kept it boring. Oatmeal. Day in, day out. Sometimes an apple if I was feeling fancy. Lunch was usually those prepped chicken and veggies. Felt like I was eating the same thing constantly. Dinner, I’d try to mix it up, but honestly, after a long day, counting every single olive and shred of cheese? It was a pain. Sometimes I’d just throw a bunch of stuff that fit the numbers into a bowl. Looked awful, tasted… well, it was fuel.
The Real Deal of Sticking to It
And let me tell you, sticking to it? That was the real challenge. Some days, I was golden. Hit my numbers, felt good. Other days? I’d be starving by 3 PM. Or I’d see a donut and it was like an internal battle. Social life took a hit too. “Oh, can’t eat that, doesn’t fit my macros.” Yeah, real fun at parties. Forget spontaneous food outings. Everything had to be planned, or I’d just order a sad side salad.
- The good part? I did feel a bit lighter. Maybe more energy some days. Hard to tell if it was the calories or just me trying to convince myself.
- Shopping for groceries became an ordeal. Reading every label. “Is this low-fat version actually better or just full of weird stuff?”
- My fridge was packed with healthy stuff, which looked impressive, but then I’d have moments of just wanting a greasy burger.
I even tried using one of those tracking apps. Punching in everything I ate. It was obsessive. “Oh no, I’m 50 calories over!” Who lives like that? It helped for a bit, made me aware, but man, it also made food feel like homework. It wasn’t just eating anymore; it was data entry.
So, what’s the takeaway from my little 2100 calorie adventure? It’s not some magic fix. It’s a tool, sure. Made me understand portions better, that’s for sure. But it was also kinda soul-crushing at times. I don’t follow it religiously now. I try to be mindful, use what I learned, but I also learned that life’s too short to stress over every single calorie. You gotta find a balance. Some folks thrive on that structure, I guess. For me, it was an experiment, and like many experiments, it had its messy parts and its “aha!” moments, but mostly it was just… an experience. One I’m kinda glad is mostly in the rearview mirror, if I’m being honest.
