Tired of dieting

NinaSharp

I've done the diet thing since I was 14. I've tried just about every diet. Special K, Slim Fast, Paleo, Atkins. Until recently, did i finally realize that it isn't about "diet" but rather about lifestyle changes. I realized that weight loss couldn't be a temp thing, just taking out "x", and losing weight. Because giving up bread, though i felt stronger, didn't feel like a balance diet for me. I want to have balance. Lately I've been attempting to make better food decisions, like watching portion sizes, including fruits and veggies in Lunch and Dinner as well as making sure I get some sort of exercise 5 days a week. For me, it can be anything such as walking, yoga, or running, so long as I move. I guess the issue I'm having, is CI/CO. I cannot bring myself to cut calories. I'm not eating cake over here by the pound, I just cannot bring myself to set my calories on MFP to anything less than 1500. It immediately feels restrictive and then it makes me feel depressed. I've done Weight Watchers in the past, but cannot bring myself to join them again. Has anyone else experienced this? Wanting to be healthy and committing to making lifestyle changes, but being completely unwilling to start a "diet" or cut calories?

Raynne413

There's no rule that says you HAVE to eat below 1500 calories. What weight loss goal are you trying to use in your initial set up? If it's 2lbs per week, that might be too much a deficit for you.

NinaSharp

It was originally 2 lbs a week. That was really too aggressive. Now I don't have a specific target. I'm hoping to just eat healthy and exercise.

Raynne413

In that case, why not try with a higher goal for awhile and just see how you do. If you gain, you know you need to lower it, if you lose, then there is no real need to lower it further if you are happy with the rate you are losing and the amount you are eating. I am the same way and have this mental block if I try to go below 1800 calories. LOL I then go in an "eat all the foodz" zone.

seska422

1500 sounds like a good calorie point to try. Cutting calories doesn't automatically mean 1200 calories for women. I find 1200 too low and unsustainable myself.

As long as you consume fewer calories than your body uses, you'll lose weight. That's true of every diet.

fionawimhurst441

Can so relate to this its horrible !!
The minute I start to " diet" I over eat !!!
What is that about ???

Raynne413

fionawimhurst441 wrote: »

Can so relate to this its horrible !!
The minute I start to " diet" I over eat !!!
What is that about ???

For me, I think it's a mental thing from my history of an eating disorder and over-restriction. It is like it makes my body fight me whenever I try to get everything in line.

chandanista

Try setting your goal to maintenance and just get in the habit of measuring and logging. In a few weeks you can cut 100-250 calories from maintenance and see how it goes. Nothing says you have to do it all at once.

michaeltermini

Well said @NinaSharp. I have agreed to this since 2013. I don't even mention diets anymore. It's all about decisions, timing, being good to yourself, deciding what's important and not. Great message!

arditarose

So do 1500. Do you know what your maintenance calories are? I would lose about .5lbs per week on 1500. It is the lowest I'm willing to go as well. The first step toward successful weight loss is adherence. 1500 seems like something you can stick with, so do it!

NinaSharp

Raynne413 wrote: »

fionawimhurst441 wrote: »

Can so relate to this its horrible !!
The minute I start to " diet" I over eat !!!
What is that about ???

For me, I think it's a mental thing from my history of an eating disorder and over-restriction. It is like it makes my body fight me whenever I try to get everything in line.

I feel like that is it. My body knows what I'm capable of, so I have a mental block now.

dubird

One thing to keep in mind: this isn't a diet, this is you relearning eating habits that will continue the rest of your life. Weight loss is usually the goal, but you need to develop tools and habits that will help stay where you need to be. So you don't have to cut things out, just cut down. Spend a week or so just logging without changing your diet. That not only gets you started on the habit of logging, it lets you see where problem times/foods are so you can make adjustments. Actually weigh out stated portions of foods and see what that looks like. Use this time as an opportunity to learn tools that will help you stay healthy the rest of your life.

And yes, it's slow! ^_^; But I personally think it's worthwhile.

fionawimhurst441

dubird wrote: »

One thing to keep in mind: this isn't a diet, this is you relearning eating habits that will continue the rest of your life. Weight loss is usually the goal, but you need to develop tools and habits that will help stay where you need to be. So you don't have to cut things out, just cut down. Spend a week or so just logging without changing your diet. That not only gets you started on the habit of logging, it lets you see where problem times/foods are so you can make adjustments. Actually weigh out stated portions of foods and see what that looks like. Use this time as an opportunity to learn tools that will help you stay healthy the rest of your life.

And yes, it's slow! ^_^; But I personally think it's worthwhile.

thats great advice !!

soulofgrace

I ate "clean," as some folks like to say, for many years thinking I could just exercise away the excess weight. I was wrong. So, I wasn't eating a lot of "bad" foods, I was just plain eating too much. The pounds virtually fell off when I started weighing my portions to monitor my intake. I am a 5'6", 48 YO woman, and after 9 months I am just getting to the 1500 cal limit. I have less to lose at this point, so I need less cals and stricter compliance. But at 1500 plus some exercise I am still losing. It doesn't feel very restrictive, but I look forward to maintenance. Change your self talk language. As others have said, this isn't a "diet" in the "die with a t" sense, as Garfield the cat would say. It is a new way of life. Best wishes!

sllm1

Set it at 1500 and add activity. Expect to lose slowly, but at least it's something you can live with.

kshama2001

NinaSharp wrote: »

It was originally 2 lbs a week. That was really too aggressive. Now I don't have a specific target. I'm hoping to just eat healthy and exercise.

Ya, I was set at 2 pounds a week for about a half a day. Now I'm at 1 pound. How much weight do you have to lose? 1/2 pound might work for you if you are at less than 25 pounds away from your goal.

scolaris

Take a 30 or 60 day controlled & loggedvmaintenance break with the eating & continue working out. You'll feel like a new woman!

Asher_Ethan

I would have never stuck with MFP if I started out with it set to lose 2 pounds a week. I set it to lose .5 pounds a week and it's really helped me not binge and stay fuller longer.

For a brief period I did have my diary set to lose 1 pound a week and I was STARVING. It sent me into a weekly binge at the end of each week and I felt I ruined an entire week of hard work because I tried to speed things up when I didn't have to.

TeaBea

Another slow approach - find your maintenance number at your FUTURE goal weight. If you are close to goal already, this is not going to be a huge difference. That "cut" won't be so intimidating.