Starting again, and again, and again... plateau problems

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skydiverterri
skydiverterri Posts: 6 Member
in Getting Started
I feel like I'm starving at night! I am 47y/o, 5'4" and weigh about 157 lbs. I want to lose about 20 pounds but have been stuck for months eating a 1200 calorie diet! I tend to be so hungry at night. I am a therapist so not very active during the day but have three small kids at home and run on the elliptical an hour each morning.. any suggestions for getting out of the rut?? I tend to break the food plan at night.. it seems impossible to stay on it.. I'm great all day then, BAMMM.. all bets are off!

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  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    Are you logging your 1hr on the elliptical and eating back at least 50% of the calories burned?
  • skydiverterri
    skydiverterri Posts: 6 Member
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    Sorry Shadow. I did not see your reply before. Yes, I have been logging my hour but I have not been eating back half the calories. I stay around 1200 calories a day but exercise about 650 to 850 calories per day..
  • Maries_wine_calories
    Maries_wine_calories Posts: 152 Member
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    If you open your Diary maybe I can help give you some ideas? I'm a carb craver at night when I haven't had enough protein or fiber to fill me in the day.
    What is your lifestyle activity level and loss goal per week set to?
    I have a feeling if you up your (protein and) calories at breakfast by 100, add 100 more at lunch and add a snack with fiber after lunch you will last longer after dinnertime. Try it in the workweek and you will be able to bust your hunger for about 300 calories. You definitely are undereating with your activity level, your deficit is too high if you're craving carbs
  • sanfly
    sanfly Posts: 207 Member
    edited January 2015
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    The reason you're breaking at night is because you're too hungry! 1200cals is hard to keep up, particularly when exercising that much.

    My advice would be to either start eating back a portion of of your exercise calories, or upping your target to 1400cal (or both!). Have some low cal snacks around that you can have after dinner if you need to hit your cals or you're hungry (and save 150-200 cals for just that purpose)

    My favourites are a slice of grain bread with a bit of peanut butter (~130cal) or a frozen yoghurt (~85cal).
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    1200 is likely too little. I'd be starving too! Try raising your goal a bit and try to save some extra calories for the night time. I save 300 give or take every night for my snack and have had no problems.

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