2,700 on average over the past 15 years

sebedina

I have tried to "diet" and within a day or two I feel starving hungry so end up over eating. I realise that for the last 15 years my daily intake on average has been 2,700, or 2,800. On my "good" days I have 2,400.

No surprises that I now weight 14 stone 8 pounds. I am a woman of 5 foot 4. I am now 49 years old and I have always "failed" at dieting.

I know to lose weight I should eat around 1,700 (and when I did manage to stick to it, I did lose I t quickly) but this doesn't last long as my body is used to eating the larger amount and it "rebels". I become psychologically negative telling myself I won't ever be able to stick to any diets.

I am now thinking to gradually reduce my calorie intake so that my body gets "used to" eating less?? that is the only thing I haven't tried. I have tried WW, slimming world, rosemary conley, but I get so hungry....

Psychologically I tell myself I can't do it. I have become so negative....

Any advice would be appreciated. I read about Low Carb/High protein etc but I am just a mess...

Any advice at all would be great.

EvgeniZyntx

Clearly you know how to lose. The issue is the voices in your head and the negativity that affects consistency. Trying specific diets like low car/high protein (which can be a way of eating, but not going to recommend it for you) won't change those specific psychological issues.

You need to work on the mental aspects of weightloss, self image and habits.

When I was going through a rough patch I basically gave up on tracking calories and regained weight - it is difficult to focus on healthy habits when you don't care about yourself, when the negative internal dialog overcomes all effort and you have no energy to stick to things.

The network of people on here can be a great support system, use them. But I also feel that one needs to have real life support. This can be family or friends or hiring a coach or seeing a counsellor to help develop coping techniques about habit, mindfulness and self attitude.

I'd also suggest - and what I personally found most useful were life goals where weight matters. It might be a fitting a dress or a style but for me it was the capacity to do things. Weight impacts a variety of healthy activities I like to do and therefore I work on it because - well, I can't ride or run or climb as well when I'm overweight. Find something you like and use it as motivation.

Although their food and eating advice is often off - you might listen to podcast Psychology of Eating to help identify your own attitudes about food, your self image, weight attitudes in general and use that as a basis of self awareness and things to work on. (Don't listen to most of their food advice - it is just all over the place).

KorvapuustiPossu

Harsh truth: there is no easy way out of this! There is no magical solution!
Good news: Calories in vs. Calories out really works. No need for low carbs, or high protein or no sugar unless you have medical reason behind it. If you eat at a deficit you will lose weight!

You need to stop thinking of this ad 'diet' it is not... It is life change, you can start with smaller deficit to get used to eating less. Body will adapt! you seem to have more of a psychological barrier to overcome. You want to lose weight but you don't want to eat less. Well, you will have to eat a bit less unless you plan to move a whole lot more. Good news is that with calorie counting you still get to eat everything you like, but you will learn portion control. Once you get a hold of it it feels amazing because you realize losing weight isn't that hard, and it's completely up to you. You either want it enough or you don't. Check out success stories subforum for some inspiration. Give yourself time, take it slow, and think of it as a new start. Get a kitchen scale - weigh everything, get a pedometer - walk 10 k steps daily. You will feel so much better and weight is going to drop. It works, it is simple math really. Good luck...and don't be so hard on yourself!

StealthHealth

Although I am very active and have successfully lost weight in the past (and now work hard to gain muscle and minimize fat) I can relate to your problem. I had periods where my eating was excellent: On target and macros as intended, but I would then ruin it with a three day binge, eating massive quantities of the foods that I myself deemed "bad".

This behavior was an early indication of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and a little research into that disorder told me that if I didn't attempt to rectify the problem then I was in danger of slipping into fully blown BED.

The major turning point for me was reading Kathryn Hansen's Brain Over Binge which took the approach that some people's binges or negative food habits are related to our own survival instinct's reaction to calorie and food type restriction, rather than some emotional trigger. If that sounds like you then I would suggest giving the book a read.

Generally, after years of being on these forums I would say that the people who tend to be most successful long term are those that:

• Take a slow and steady approach aiming to lose a small amount
• Do not restrict whole food groups or label foods as "good" and "bad" but recognize that their eating must be balanced and that balanced can include treats
• Don't beat themselves up when they make a mistake but get back in the saddles ASAP
• Do not put in place short term eating strategies (do specific "diets") with the intention of getting to a specific point and then returning to their old eating habits.
• Never say "oh I can't have X, I'm on a diet"
• Avoid the all or nothing mentality or mind set

best wishes

ThunderZtorm

I used to eat large portions of pasta - what worked for me was slowly, gradually lowering the size of the portions.

In a year, I went from 160/170g pasta for a dinner meal to my current 100g pasta. I am planning on staying at 100g for the time being. I lowered the portion sizes so slowly that I never actually noticed it.

sebedina

Many thanks for all your posts. I have read them all. I will save them and re-read them again. I am planning today to try and gradually reduce my calorie consumption. I will get that book by Katheryn Hansen. I think that would be helpful for me. I am considering setting myself a new "weekly" reduction plan.... may be aim for 2,000 in a day... then 1,900, then 1,800, then 1,700. Maybe my body will gradually get used to eating less....

many thanks for the calorie heads up ... "In" versus "Out"

StealthHealth

That weekly plan sounds like a good idea.

Something that I found useful was pre-logging my food in the morning and planning in a favourite snack for at the end of the day. If I overate in the day the snack had to go, but if I hit my cals during the day my reward was planned in. I love chocolate, so my evening snack (supper) was often some chocolate. I found that I could manage that even when I was on relatively low calories.

KorvapuustiPossu

sebedina wrote: »

Many thanks for all your posts. I have read them all. I will save them and re-read them again. I am planning today to try and gradually reduce my calorie consumption. I will get that book by Katheryn Hansen. I think that would be helpful for me. I am considering setting myself a new "weekly" reduction plan.... may be aim for 2,000 in a day... then 1,900, then 1,800, then 1,700. Maybe my body will gradually get used to eating less....

many thanks for the calorie heads up ... "In" versus "Out"

@sebedina That's a great attitude you have! And that's a very important thing when it comes to being successful in weight loss. If you ever have any questions or need advice just reach out to people here on forum.. there are many many who are or have been where you're standing... they can help. You are not alone Best of luck!

LivingtheLeanDream

If I were you I would eat consistently at 2000 calories for now, you WILL get used to less food. Give it a few days/weeks to allow your body to adjust to that bit less....and drink plenty of water, it REALLY helps

When you begin to see weight loss you will feel more motivated to stick with it.

All the best

ALG775

Hi

I think just going down a bit-2000 or even more-and the gradually lowering it slowly is a great approach. There is no hurry. I find that when I feel restricted, I want to rebel-and eat damn it. Not sure who I'm damning!

I'm working on seeing the distinction between restraint and restricton. Restriction feels like it comes from outside-and it feels unfair.... Restraint is around making a choice myself. I can eat this if I want...it might make me feel this way. I will choose not to eat OR I will choose to eat.

It's sometimes a difficult distinction and I get it wrong at least half of the time and I'm working on it!

Hopes that's helpful...

Lounmoun

I think starting with reducing to 2,000 is a good plan. Get used to that and then drop to 1,700.
Also getting enough proteins, fats and fiber can help you feel more satisfied so try to get those goals met and that might help you a lot too as you reduce your calorie intake. You can fill your plate with a lot of lower calorie vegetables and smaller portions of the higher calorie stuff.

JenHuedy

sebedina wrote: »

Many thanks for all your posts. I have read them all. I will save them and re-read them again. I am planning today to try and gradually reduce my calorie consumption. I will get that book by Katheryn Hansen. I think that would be helpful for me. I am considering setting myself a new "weekly" reduction plan.... may be aim for 2,000 in a day... then 1,900, then 1,800, then 1,700. Maybe my body will gradually get used to eating less....

many thanks for the calorie heads up ... "In" versus "Out"

I think that gradually reducing your calories is a great plan. Make one or two changes at a time instead of trying to change everything at once. This will also give you the chance to learn how to log and think about which foods you think are worth "spending" your calories on, and which ones you can reduce or give up. After you get used to one new habit, add another, like a 20 minute walk or adding an extra serving of veggies. Next thing you know, you have more healthy habits than bad ones!

I started the same way and lost 90 pounds and now use the same technique to increase exercise. I went from never running an entire mile in my life to running 20+ miles a week! I think I need to try this technique for housework next

benevempress

I can't "diet" either. I'm a 48 year old mother of two.

When I started on MFP a little more than a year ago, I refused to use the word "diet". I've tried and failed at "diets" before too (WW, Nutrisystem, etc) because I felt so deprived that when I got to "goal" I started eating everything that I had been missing (and gained the weight back). I know myself and another "diet" wasn't going to work. So I told myself and my family I was NOT on a diet, but I was using a calorie restricted eating plan to get healthier. I also started walking, because part of my "get healthier" plan was moving more. I really hoped (and believed) that getting healthier was going to include losing weight and being able to wear smaller clothes, but I kept telling myself that my Goal was health, not a scale number. In that sense, I am always working toward my goal... there is no "I'll suffer for now and then when I'm done I can do what I want."

If you can change your mindset in this way, it might help. If this is another diet for you, it sounds like it won't work.

sebedina wrote: »

I have tried to "diet" and within a day or two I feel starving hungry so end up over eating.

I am now 49 years old and I have always "failed" at dieting.

I become psychologically negative telling myself I won't ever be able to stick to any diets.

Psychologically I tell myself I can't do it.

If, instead of starting another "diet", you instead decide to "change your life and be a thin person", you need to make choices to act like one... eat smaller portions, eat less calories, move your body more. Of course, you don't have to make all of these changes at once and you don't have to be "perfect", but one step at a time will lead to success long term. Notice I did NOT say "give up the foods you love" or don't eat "bad" foods. Your new life as a thin person can include any food you want, but if it is high calorie it usually needs to be in smaller portions. Some people suggest 80% nutritious/20% treats while others, like StealthHealth and me, plan their treat for the end of the day... whatever works for you.

Two other suggestions regarding the hunger experienced with reducing calories:

1) Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. It really does take up room in your stomach so you won't be as hungry.

2) Make sure you are eating nutritious foods for the majority of your choices. Eating protein and fat leads to feeling full longer than eating only carbs. Eating plants (fruits and veggies) provide many vitamins and minerals and provide fiber which helps you feel full as well as having other healthy benefits (regularity, cholesterol, etc). Vegetables also give a relatively large volume of food for few calories, so you'll feel fuller and also have more calories left to eat other things. For example, you can eat 1 cookie or you could eat about 10 ounces of carrots for similar calories. The carrots take up much more physical space in your stomach and they have healthy fiber and vitamins and minerals. If you choose most of your calories because of their bulk and nutritional value, chances are you'll be a lot less hungry.

enterdanger

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. One of my tactics is to log my snacks first and work my meals around them. I'm fine with eating a salad or a crap ton of veggies for dinner if that means I get a beer and two squares of chocolate afterwards....so I log the beer and chocolate and make the salad fit.

Most people probably pre-log their meals and used the left over for treats, but I have toddlers. I don't really get to sit down and enjoy the meal anyway. So, I'd much rather pre-log my treats and just eat lean meat and veggies for meals.