Feeling conflicted about eating all my calories

bubaluboo

Firstly, my food diary is open so if anyone wants to take a look, feel free. I've been counting calories now for 11 days. The first day I ate fairly normally to get an idea of my base rate (although it was probably a better day because I was logging it :laugh: ) and then I started working to my goal the next day. Previously, I've always done slimming world with average success but always piled it back as soon as falling of the waggon because my appetite was not tamed. I've previously advocated SW as you can eat 'as much as you want' of pasta, potato etc all the things that I though filled me up and stopped me eating the biscuits and cakes. Anyhow, I'm now following the MFP healthy eating approach and trying to keep as clean as poss but my diary shows it's not perfect. The last few days my apetite has just dropped out and while at first I set my calorie level at around 1500 for 1lb a week loss, I've dropped it to 1.5lb a week ~1250 calorie limit as that's easy to attain. I'm trying to exercise most days so that adds even more spare calories. I now look at a plate of food (nice food) thinking that I could just have a few spoons and leave the rest. For example I've had a meal out at lunchtime and I can't be bothered to have an evening meal. This is so unlike me. My instinct says listen to my body and don't eat when not hungry. It's taken me a long time to lose the 'don't leave anything on your plate' attitude I learned when I was young. I wondered if it's common to lose appetite in a calorie restricted diet, is it likely to be something that will pass and do I need to change anything or should I just go with my instinct? I've never had an eating disorder (other than eating the wrong sort of foods at times that got me 20lb heavier than where I want tobe) so I'm not worred about getting out of control. At the same time, I don't want to end up with a lowered metabolism and a sudden swing to over eating!

WildBillR

Bubaluboo - Eating healthy and exercise - that's the ticket to healthy living. My only caution to you is to eat enough calories. It's okay to no longer be a member of the CPC (Clean Plate Club), but you shouldn't skip meals either. Remember that this isn't a fad to lose weight and then you stop and gain it back. Instead, it's a life choice decision. It means choosing pretzel sticks instead of potato chips/crisps, it means choosing to eat a piece of fruit instead of a packaged pastry, and it means getting to the gym, or working out at home, or going for a run. Also, I would encourage you to check your measurements in addition to weight, especially if you are beginning any strength training. You may not see changes in weight, but those old clothes will actually fit again. Good luck!

PlayerHatinDogooder

If you're instincts were right and you were 'listening to your body' you wouldn't be overweight to begin with.

No need to feel conflicted.

Just put it in your mouth and chew.

:flowerforyou:

silvergurl518

If your instincts were right and you were 'listening to your body' you wouldn't be overweight to begin with.

No need to feel conflicted.

Just put it in your mouth and chew.

:flowerforyou:

eat, drink water, lift heavy, exercise your heart, and be merry!!!

deksgrl

I wondered if it's common to lose appetite in a calorie restricted diet, is it likely to be something that will pass and do I need to change anything or should I just go with my instinct? I've never had an eating disorder (other than eating the wrong sort of foods at times that got me 20lb heavier than where I want tobe) so I'm not worred about getting out of control. At the same time, I don't want to end up with a lowered metabolism and a sudden swing to over eating!

Your appetite is controlled by hormones, leptin and ghrelin. One tells you that you are hungry and one tells you when you are full. Under-eating and over-eating will effect these hormones. Your body can be not receiving enough nutrition, yet it is not signalling that it is hungry. Or, you can be over-eating and your body is not signally that you are full and stop.

Try hitting your recommended calories. If you feel full, you might want to look to add some snacks that are not a lot of volume but are higher in calories. Nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, peanut butter, full fat dairy instead of low fat. For example, a handful of almonds is about 200 calories.

BeachIron

I don't eat all my calories.



I drink a few. :drinker:

TeaBea

It's not necessarily "losing your appetite"

When we make better food choices we are more satiated with fewer calories. Fiber is filling .... we choose non-processed whole foods which have more fiber. Protien is filling ..... we choose whole grains (as opposed to white flour) because they have more fiber & protien.

Sometimes we have to convince ourselves (I'm guilty of this) .... that calorie dense foods are OK. If you are full, you can add small portions of calorie dense foods .... that pack large calories. Nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocado, olive oil.

Sprinkle some nuts on your salad or roast your veggies in olive oil, spread avocado on your sandwich ..... healthy fats.

bubaluboo

Wow thank you everyone for your advice. I guess I do need to get my head around the fact that I'm not on a diet but on a lifestyle change. I have had a tendency to concentrate on getting the biggest volume of food for the lowest number of calories and it makes sense that if (and this has been going round in my head the today) I eat healthy high calorie foods rather than low calorie alternative (i.e. not having low fat alternatives) I could be eating my calories, enjoying the food more and keeping the volume of food to what I seem to require these days. I'll give that a go and see whether it works for me. It's hard to shake off that little voice that says 'but if you're feeling full and eating low calories that's got to be better' because that's just the quick fix approach isn't it!?

thisismeraw

With what you have left to lose (according to your ticker) your weight loss goal should be no higher than 1lb per week (preferably 0.5lbs). Too high of a deficit will cause a lot of your loss coming from muscle instead of more fat.

You should be eating all your calories and your exercise calories for the same reason. If you can't reach your calories, switch out any low fat/low cal items you eat with higher calorie versions. Add in oils when cooking or into dressings. Have things like nuts for snacks to up the calories without a lot of extra food.

Also, too high of a deficit will not only make it harder to take the weight off but also harder to keep the weight off.

bubaluboo

Thank you thisismeraw. just to clarifyI started here with a BMI just tipping 25 (171lbs, 5ft 10) and this is where my weight seems to sit mid yoyo. I set my goal to reach a BMI of 22 (with a loss of 21lb) as that was the best that I thought I could reach, but I'm now thinking that if I hit that goal, it would be great to get further and lose another 10lb to get to a BMI of 20. So that would be a total weightloss of 31lb. So should I only be losing 1lb a week in this case?