Gaining almost a lb a week- can't stop, not sure why?
eberkenblit17
Posts: 2 Member
Hi,
So I just started college this year. In highschool in sophomore year I was 150 lbs, had enough and went down to 120 over a 2-3 year period and generally stayed that way through high school. Now that college has started I've been gaining about a .5 lb to 1 lb a week in little bursts, which only seems like it's accelerated now that I'm trying to stop it. I admittedly don't exercise that much- though usually at least 2-4 times a week. I've been aiming for 1200 cals a day, but I seem to always find myself at 1500 to 1700 or 1800 on a bad day. Otherwise I feel hungry and neurotic- all I seem to think about even if my stomach isn't growling is my next meal- it's an obsession. It only seems to stop if I'm at 1400 or more calories- without exercise. I hit a weight high that I haven't been at in three years now- 129 ( I'm 5'4 female) I feel really out of control and I'm terrified this will keep going. I don't know what to do or how to reverse this. Please help
So I just started college this year. In highschool in sophomore year I was 150 lbs, had enough and went down to 120 over a 2-3 year period and generally stayed that way through high school. Now that college has started I've been gaining about a .5 lb to 1 lb a week in little bursts, which only seems like it's accelerated now that I'm trying to stop it. I admittedly don't exercise that much- though usually at least 2-4 times a week. I've been aiming for 1200 cals a day, but I seem to always find myself at 1500 to 1700 or 1800 on a bad day. Otherwise I feel hungry and neurotic- all I seem to think about even if my stomach isn't growling is my next meal- it's an obsession. It only seems to stop if I'm at 1400 or more calories- without exercise. I hit a weight high that I haven't been at in three years now- 129 ( I'm 5'4 female) I feel really out of control and I'm terrified this will keep going. I don't know what to do or how to reverse this. Please help
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Replies
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Have you been to the doctor to get blood testing ? it could be a thyroid issue that's causing you to gain weight. At least that is something to rule...0
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129lbs is a perfectly healthy weight.18
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At your age and height you would likely not be gaining weight at 1800 calories every day and certainly not at 1200 - 1500 per day unless you've developed a medical condition affecting weight.
But your post sounds more like you are overeating. How sure are you of your calories? Why do you feel so out of control?8 -
How do you know you're eating 1500-1700kcal per day? I mean, to be absolutely certain?
To gain 1lbs per week you'd only need to eat 500kcal per day extra. That could be a portion of fries, a bit more cooking oil and a candy bar, a serving in a restaurant that is bigger than ' a serving'.3 -
I put your stats into a TDEE calculator, which calculates the amount of calories you would need to maintain weight based on your activity level, and the results are below. I assumed you were 19 years old since you state you're in your first year of college. If you're SURE you're eating a max of 1800 calories a day I'd see a doctor, asap to get your thyroid or metabolism checked, because you shouldn't be gaining weight on that number. Here's what came up, and the link is underneath it.
Sedentary 1,614 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,850 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 2,085 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,320 calories per day
Athlete 2,556 calories per day
https://tdeecalculator.net/0 -
You are at a healthy weight for your height but if you are slowly gaining then you are taking in more calories than you think you are - possibly you are having an extra snack or two without counting them? its easy to forget to log something or forget a few hours later what we had to eat.3
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shannonprovenzano2812 wrote: »I put your stats into a TDEE calculator, which calculates the amount of calories you would need to maintain weight based on your activity level, and the results are below. I assumed you were 19 years old since you state you're in your first year of college. If you're SURE you're eating a max of 1800 calories a day I'd see a doctor, asap to get your thyroid or metabolism checked, because you shouldn't be gaining weight on that number. Here's what came up, and the link is underneath it.
Sedentary 1,614 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,850 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 2,085 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,320 calories per day
Athlete 2,556 calories per day
https://tdeecalculator.net/
You don't gain masses of weight from thyroid problems. You gain weight with thyroid problems due to overeating, due to moving less because you don't feel well, due to overeating and moving less because you're not happy with yourself. There might be waterweight gain. And there might be a decrease of BMI of about 5% max. The latter would not account for a larger gain, and water weight gain should be visible. It's still worth getting blood tests. I do agree wiht the rest.6 -
shannonprovenzano2812 wrote: »I put your stats into a TDEE calculator, which calculates the amount of calories you would need to maintain weight based on your activity level, and the results are below. I assumed you were 19 years old since you state you're in your first year of college. If you're SURE you're eating a max of 1800 calories a day I'd see a doctor, asap to get your thyroid or metabolism checked, because you shouldn't be gaining weight on that number. Here's what came up, and the link is underneath it.
Sedentary 1,614 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,850 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 2,085 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,320 calories per day
Athlete 2,556 calories per day
https://tdeecalculator.net/
You don't gain masses of weight from thyroid problems. You gain weight with thyroid problems due to overeating, due to moving less because you don't feel well, due to overeating and moving less because you're not happy with yourself. There might be waterweight gain. And there might be a decrease of BMI of about 5% max. The latter would not account for a larger gain, and water weight gain should be visible. It's still worth getting blood tests. I do agree wiht the rest.
You can certainly gain that amount of water weight that the OP has gained from uncontrolled hypo, though. I'm the OP's current height and weight, and have been dealing with the same thing -- to the point that I've told my endocrinologist that we need to fix this *now*. I have gained 10 percent of my body weight since May. My TSH has been slowly creeping up as well since May (I've been hypo for 30 years), and I finally snapped yesterday and told him that no, we needed to fix this now.
I can give you detailed logs showing how no, I *haven't* been overeating. I meticulously weigh and log everything that I eat or drink, and I can give you detailed records outlining my athletic training (I run half marathons), and had RMR testing done, as well as body composition testing. My TDEE is calculated to be in the ballpark of 2275-2300 calories. The reality? I consider that level of eating to be a binge, never do it (actual intake ranges from 1500-1700, now sharply cutting back because Kitten This, obviously my body doesn't think it needs calories), and still gained weight.
What people fail to understand is that just because a weight may fall within a healthy range doesn't mean that sharp weight gains are normal. Would it be OK if someone who was overweight gained 10 percent? If it wouldn't be OK for them, why are people who are normal weight and gain told that they just need to accept it? No wonder the United States is a nation of fat people if we accept that it's "OK" to gain sharp amounts of weight with no discernible reason.16 -
Also, keep in mind MANY calorie labels LIE. If you follow labels only, you could be off 200 - 300 calories every day.
For example, I took 2 slices of bread, it said 200 calories for both, but then i check the grams, and the 2 slices were over that.
I am starting to weigh my food more now, instead of only trusting serving size pieces.1 -
It's certainly possible that a new environment and different eating choices/opportunities is impacting your diet and satiety.
You may need to play with macro balance Carbs/fat/protein and fiber to figure out what fills you up and satisfies your calorie and micro needs.
If you're now out on your own, you may have different resources for food prep/storage than you had been accustomed to as well as having more responsibilities for choosing meal plans.2 -
Speaking for myself, I gained a lot of weight after graduating from high school because I kept the same food habits without the mandatory, 3x a week physical education.
You're at a healthy weight, but less active than when you were in high school. Either get more active or eat less or a combo of both.8 -
I am with the others about getting a checkup. Sometimes there there are hidden issuws that can causeyou to feel hungry all the time. Also, stress itself can cause that. I personally feel like I am starving when my my stomach is actually mildly upset, even though I know I literally just ate, and am not really hungry. So my tricks are more aimed at that.
I always keep fiber one bars and saltines on hand. Saltines settle the stomach, and aren't too high calorie by themselves. Fiber one bars will often do the trick with just a third or half a bar. I think of it as reassuring my tummy that we are eating, lol. Ginger candies and chamomile tea also help with that.
For snacking, Sargento's balanced breaks and similar prepackaged snacks are handy, because aone of thise can go a surprisingly lobg way in making you feel not hungry, but they are easy to grab and go.0 -
eberkenblit17 wrote: »Hi,
So I just started college this year. In highschool in sophomore year I was 150 lbs, had enough and went down to 120 over a 2-3 year period and generally stayed that way through high school. Now that college has started I've been gaining about a .5 lb to 1 lb a week in little bursts, which only seems like it's accelerated now that I'm trying to stop it. I admittedly don't exercise that much- though usually at least 2-4 times a week. I've been aiming for 1200 cals a day, but I seem to always find myself at 1500 to 1700 or 1800 on a bad day. Otherwise I feel hungry and neurotic- all I seem to think about even if my stomach isn't growling is my next meal- it's an obsession. It only seems to stop if I'm at 1400 or more calories- without exercise. I hit a weight high that I haven't been at in three years now- 129 ( I'm 5'4 female) I feel really out of control and I'm terrified this will keep going. I don't know what to do or how to reverse this. Please help
If you are trying to restrict to 1200 cals and see you desire for your next meal as an "obsession" rather than a normal indication that you may just be hungry I honestly have alarm bells going off here. If you feel hungry and neurotic on a calorie restricted diet you may not be getting what you need, and the answer is NOT to repress those feelings and beat yourself into submission, it's to work on answering your body's needs in a healthy way. I get that ravenous feeling when I'm avoiding eating and then I wait so long I am desperate for an enormous greasy calorie bomb dinner. Have more vegetables and look at whether you get enough protein and good fats in your diet, work on keeping your blood sugar steady throughout the day, be kind to your body and respect its signals. You can't find a healthy balance if you're fighting against your body instead of working with it to nurture is genuine needs.9 -
Hello, Ask your doctor to check your average blood sugar levels when you have your blood work done. I am 57, postmenopausal and I was finding it impossible to lose weight. Like you, I was adding .5 to 1 lb. a week. When we realized my blood sugars were spiking and plunging and I am finally beginning to get a control on my carbs, I am starting to lose. Your insulin should "trickle" throughout the day, never spike. Good luck. I hope you figure out what works for you.0
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First of all if you feel out of control you might want to take a look at WHAT you are eating. Weight gain is truly about calories ingested versus calories burned but sometimes eating too much of one thing or the other leaves us feeling deprived and hungry. I don't believe in cutting out any food but I have learned for my body I do better if I get a good balance of carb, protein and fat. When I find my carbs (particularly refined ones like bread, chips etc.) getting too high I tend to snack more. You might try making sure you get a bit more protein and fat in your diet and see if you feel more satisfied.
Find some way to increase your exercise even if it's just taking a walk daily.
Also at your age I would think 1400 calories if that's where you feel satisfied should be good.
I'm not a doctor but I've heard in the past that some young people continue to grow until their early 20's. You may not be getting fatter but rather maturing. 129 sounds like a reasonable weight for your height.
Try not to stress yourself out. Last of all watch the calories in alcohol. Beer is notorious for weight gain. If you drink be sure you are counting those calories too. Hang in there kiddo, you have a whole life ahead of you. Make the most of it.5 -
Ever hear of the "Freshmen 15"? It is typical to gain weight at college if you are eating in the dining hall. Nowadays it could be even worse because there are more junk/fast food options served. (In my college days we did not have "stations" and fast food restaurants in the college dining hall).2
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lucerorojo wrote: »Ever hear of the "Freshmen 15"? It is typical to gain weight at college if you are eating in the dining hall. Nowadays it could be even worse because there are more junk/fast food options served. (In my college days we did not have "stations" and fast food restaurants in the college dining hall).
I actually find that college food offerings are significantly better than they were when I was in college (mid 2000s). Vegetarian and vegan options besides "salad bar...oh, and rice" and much more of it is being served in smaller portions - providing plates instead of trays to students.
My fiance works at a state university and can also vouch for the vast improvement in quality and slight reduction in quantity of food available to students. They are scratch-cooking more, and in fact his office gets a lot of their food catered now from dining services instead of using area restaurants because of the quality jump.
In response to the OP - you might also be growing a little? I graduated college 15 lbs heavier than when I started - and 1" taller, and I left with curves I didn't have at 18. I didn't have a chest to speak of until sometime in my freshman year of college. I was very active throughout college (lived a 15 minute walk from campus, did four years of marching band) so it wasn't a "junk food and booze" gain. Do work on your food intake and your exercise, but keep in mind that you might not graduate the same shape/size that you started, and that might be a good thing.
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How long since you've been at 120? 3 months or 3 years?0
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Thanks a lot you guys- maybe will check in with thyroid thing, my mom has that issue so maybe I do too. Honestly the fact that I'm just not logging correctly hadn't even occurred to me- a little bit of extra oil in every meal when I'm not actually cooking my own food and just guessing at sizes is probably where most of it is. Thank you a lot for the help! I think the neuroticism thing is just mental- when I get stressed or emotional I tend to feel like I have to eat or I'll go crazy, and the move to college as well as gaining weight has been a big change. Broke my ankle too, so I'm also just used to having a calorie allowance that I had being a runner. Thanks so much for the help and for not being scary!! Really means a lot to have positive responses and thank you all for being so supportive!7
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eberkenblit17 wrote: »Hi,
So I just started college this year. In highschool in sophomore year I was 150 lbs, had enough and went down to 120 over a 2-3 year period and generally stayed that way through high school. Now that college has started I've been gaining about a .5 lb to 1 lb a week in little bursts, which only seems like it's accelerated now that I'm trying to stop it. I admittedly don't exercise that much- though usually at least 2-4 times a week. I've been aiming for 1200 cals a day, but I seem to always find myself at 1500 to 1700 or 1800 on a bad day. Otherwise I feel hungry and neurotic- all I seem to think about even if my stomach isn't growling is my next meal- it's an obsession. It only seems to stop if I'm at 1400 or more calories- without exercise. I hit a weight high that I haven't been at in three years now- 129 ( I'm 5'4 female) I feel really out of control and I'm terrified this will keep going. I don't know what to do or how to reverse this. Please help
If you are trying to restrict to 1200 cals and see you desire for your next meal as an "obsession" rather than a normal indication that you may just be hungry I honestly have alarm bells going off here. If you feel hungry and neurotic on a calorie restricted diet you may not be getting what you need, and the answer is NOT to repress those feelings and beat yourself into submission, it's to work on answering your body's needs in a healthy way. I get that ravenous feeling when I'm avoiding eating and then I wait so long I am desperate for an enormous greasy calorie bomb dinner. Have more vegetables and look at whether you get enough protein and good fats in your diet, work on keeping your blood sugar steady throughout the day, be kind to your body and respect its signals. You can't find a healthy balance if you're fighting against your body instead of working with it to nurture is genuine needs.
THIS.
OP, just reading your post made me feel anxious; you must be so stressed out about this, and that's not going to help anything.
Before trying to lose weight, spend a little time and find your maintenance range. That's a tricky thing, because everyone's weight fluctuates constantly. The only way to know for sure whether you're losing, gaining or maintaining is to eat at a consistent calorie level for 4-6 weeks and track your weight over time. If you're within about a 3-pound range, give or take, that's your maintenance level.
After you find your maintenance intake, you can make small changes to put yourself in a small deficit. ONLY DO THAT if it doesn't cause you stress, though. Words like "neurotic, obsession, out of control, terrified" are GIANT red flags that you're not in a good mental place; trying to diet makes this worse, never better.4 -
eberkenblit17 wrote: »Thanks a lot you guys- maybe will check in with thyroid thing, my mom has that issue so maybe I do too. Honestly the fact that I'm just not logging correctly hadn't even occurred to me- a little bit of extra oil in every meal when I'm not actually cooking my own food and just guessing at sizes is probably where most of it is. Thank you a lot for the help! I think the neuroticism thing is just mental- when I get stressed or emotional I tend to feel like I have to eat or I'll go crazy, and the move to college as well as gaining weight has been a big change. Broke my ankle too, so I'm also just used to having a calorie allowance that I had being a runner. Thanks so much for the help and for not being scary!! Really means a lot to have positive responses and thank you all for being so supportive!
Another big advantage to the modern college experience: counseling on campus. If you're having stress around food, and as @AliceDark points out, it sounds like you might be ("Words like "neurotic, obsession, out of control, terrified" are GIANT red flags that you're not in a good mental place; trying to diet makes this worse, never better."), then you can get in touch with counseling services on campus. They're there for more than just test stress. I know people who went for disordered eating, stress/peer pressure issues from their Greek life involvement, test/grade stress, unhealthy family of origin issues, relationship issues, adjusting to living independently, and more. I ended up using counseling services after a sudden death in the family - someone was recovering from cancer and then very suddenly, they didn't. I thought I was ok, but after a few months it was clear that I was stuck in the darkest part of grieving and wasn't moving forward. I was on the waiting list for a few weeks, but I'm so glad I made the call, put myself on the list, and went to talk to someone.
If you ever feel like your weight or your eating or your exercise is taking over your life, there's help on campus for you.
I hope your ankle heals well and that the rest of your school year (and college experience!) goes well!0 -
MarylandRose wrote: »lucerorojo wrote: »Ever hear of the "Freshmen 15"? It is typical to gain weight at college if you are eating in the dining hall. Nowadays it could be even worse because there are more junk/fast food options served. (In my college days we did not have "stations" and fast food restaurants in the college dining hall).
I actually find that college food offerings are significantly better than they were when I was in college (mid 2000s). Vegetarian and vegan options besides "salad bar...oh, and rice" and much more of it is being served in smaller portions - providing plates instead of trays to students.
My fiance works at a state university and can also vouch for the vast improvement in quality and slight reduction in quantity of food available to students. They are scratch-cooking more, and in fact his office gets a lot of their food catered now from dining services instead of using area restaurants because of the quality jump.
In response to the OP - you might also be growing a little? I graduated college 15 lbs heavier than when I started - and 1" taller, and I left with curves I didn't have at 18. I didn't have a chest to speak of until sometime in my freshman year of college. I was very active throughout college (lived a 15 minute walk from campus, did four years of marching band) so it wasn't a "junk food and booze" gain. Do work on your food intake and your exercise, but keep in mind that you might not graduate the same shape/size that you started, and that might be a good thing.
Just wanted to second the bolded, I think it's important to consider as well.0 -
shannonprovenzano2812 wrote: »I put your stats into a TDEE calculator, which calculates the amount of calories you would need to maintain weight based on your activity level, and the results are below. I assumed you were 19 years old since you state you're in your first year of college. If you're SURE you're eating a max of 1800 calories a day I'd see a doctor, asap to get your thyroid or metabolism checked, because you shouldn't be gaining weight on that number. Here's what came up, and the link is underneath it.
Sedentary 1,614 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,850 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 2,085 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,320 calories per day
Athlete 2,556 calories per day
https://tdeecalculator.net/
You don't gain masses of weight from thyroid problems. You gain weight with thyroid problems due to overeating, due to moving less because you don't feel well, due to overeating and moving less because you're not happy with yourself. There might be waterweight gain. And there might be a decrease of BMI of about 5% max. The latter would not account for a larger gain, and water weight gain should be visible. It's still worth getting blood tests. I do agree wiht the rest.
usually I would agree with that and that its caused from overeating. that was my issue. but my daughter is hypothyroid and she was even logging and weighing all her food and most days she was way under 1200 calories. to this day she doesnt eat much due to not having an appetite and many days she eats less than 800 calories. she has gained weight over the years eating this way. she is on meds and her weight has not changed since they upped the dose. she hasnt lost and she hasnt gained.
she was never very active either still isnt.you would think she would lose weight eating so little. nope Im sure for her adaptive thermogenesis has set in after all this time(its been more than 2 years since she was first diagnosed.). when her dosage of meds were lower she was still gaining weight. her endocrinologist was baffled as to why she was gaining weight. she is also home 24/7 so I do know what she is eating and how much. if she leaves the house its with me or her dad. sometimes with her brothers girlfriend but thats rare. once in a blue moon she will eat over 1200 calories but its very very rarely that happens. she also gets full easily.when she was trying to exercise (she never ate back exercise calories) she still didnt lose anything. so it is possible,maybe shes an outlier or a special case I dont know. and no she doesnt blame her thyroid issue. she has tried different things and nothing works.2 -
You probably have a few things going on (besides possible health issues):
1) You're stressed and you stated you're an emotional eater. Even a few bites here and there make things worse. Try carrying some sparkling or flavored water with you, and maybe some low-sugar or low calorie hard candies or mints to suck on when you feel the need to put something in your mouth. I'm a "bored" eater, and this can often help me.
2) Your body is used to activity (you stated you were a runner previously). Chances are, your brain/stomach centers telling you when you've had "enough" aren't adjusting to your lack of activity. It's not going to be easy to convince them that you HAVE had enough. Lean, high protein and fiber will help you feel fuller, longer. Try to avoid or eat minimal simple carbs, or carbs in general. Veggies are great for filling you up, but even I find they don't have much "sticking" power.
As an aside, I'm having to lose a bunch of weight right now due to a broken leg last winter. After the initial month or so, my appetite came back, but my activity was still severely limited, and the stress of trying to save my leg had me not caring too much about food. While I'm okay with the choices I made, it does suck having to get rid of it now!
3) If you're not doing your own cooking, and not eating fresh, raw foods off the salad bar, there could be a LOT, and I mean a LOT of hidden calories in the foods you are choosing. You could easily be eating an extra 500+ calories a mean in things that offer no "substance" such as fats, butters, creams, etc. If the school doesn't label the ingredients, see if you can get your hands on a nutrition/ingredients guide (I'm sure they must keep that around for people with allergies or other restrictive diets).
4) Inaccurate measurements of what you are eating. I've measured and tracked on and off for years, and I STILL can be prone to underestimating how much I'm eating. Throw a set of measuring cups in your backpack and take a few moments to measure how much food you actually put on your plate. Weighing is better, but not very practical for you right now.
Not a bad idea to get checked out, but I wouldn't be surprised if the above is accounting for the weight gains.
3 -
If you were in the UK it would be down to socialising with new people. This would involve drinking more alcohol and eating more take aways.
Like other posters I think it is probably down to different eating habits and not weighing and measuring your foods for accurate calorie counts.
The important thing is you have spotted the trend before it is out of hand and are looking for the reason and solution. A lot of young people would not notice until it was much harder to deal with.
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eberkenblit17 wrote: »Thanks a lot you guys- maybe will check in with thyroid thing, my mom has that issue so maybe I do too. Honestly the fact that I'm just not logging correctly hadn't even occurred to me- a little bit of extra oil in every meal when I'm not actually cooking my own food and just guessing at sizes is probably where most of it is. Thank you a lot for the help! I think the neuroticism thing is just mental- when I get stressed or emotional I tend to feel like I have to eat or I'll go crazy, and the move to college as well as gaining weight has been a big change. Broke my ankle too, so I'm also just used to having a calorie allowance that I had being a runner. Thanks so much for the help and for not being scary!! Really means a lot to have positive responses and thank you all for being so supportive!
Ah, I wonder if the happy hormones you got from running provided stress relief that you are now trying to obtain from food?
Are you far enough along in your recovery that there are other forms of exercise you can do? I am personally not satisfied with my base calories - I need those exercise calories.2 -
Are you getting enough sleep? If not, you need to work on finding ways to sleep.1
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eberkenblit17 wrote: »Hi,
So I just started college this year. In highschool in sophomore year I was 150 lbs, had enough and went down to 120 over a 2-3 year period and generally stayed that way through high school. Now that college has started I've been gaining about a .5 lb to 1 lb a week in little bursts, which only seems like it's accelerated now that I'm trying to stop it. I admittedly don't exercise that much- though usually at least 2-4 times a week. I've been aiming for 1200 cals a day, but I seem to always find myself at 1500 to 1700 or 1800 on a bad day. Otherwise I feel hungry and neurotic- all I seem to think about even if my stomach isn't growling is my next meal- it's an obsession. It only seems to stop if I'm at 1400 or more calories- without exercise. I hit a weight high that I haven't been at in three years now- 129 ( I'm 5'4 female) I feel really out of control and I'm terrified this will keep going. I don't know what to do or how to reverse this. Please help
If you are trying to restrict to 1200 cals and see you desire for your next meal as an "obsession" rather than a normal indication that you may just be hungry I honestly have alarm bells going off here. If you feel hungry and neurotic on a calorie restricted diet you may not be getting what you need, and the answer is NOT to repress those feelings and beat yourself into submission, it's to work on answering your body's needs in a healthy way. I get that ravenous feeling when I'm avoiding eating and then I wait so long I am desperate for an enormous greasy calorie bomb dinner. Have more vegetables and look at whether you get enough protein and good fats in your diet, work on keeping your blood sugar steady throughout the day, be kind to your body and respect its signals. You can't find a healthy balance if you're fighting against your body instead of working with it to nurture is genuine needs.
THIS.
OP, just reading your post made me feel anxious; you must be so stressed out about this, and that's not going to help anything.
Before trying to lose weight, spend a little time and find your maintenance range. That's a tricky thing, because everyone's weight fluctuates constantly. The only way to know for sure whether you're losing, gaining or maintaining is to eat at a consistent calorie level for 4-6 weeks and track your weight over time. If you're within about a 3-pound range, give or take, that's your maintenance level.
After you find your maintenance intake, you can make small changes to put yourself in a small deficit. ONLY DO THAT if it doesn't cause you stress, though. Words like "neurotic, obsession, out of control, terrified" are GIANT red flags that you're not in a good mental place; trying to diet makes this worse, never better.
Reading the op I'm certainly more concerned with how you're stressed by and perceiving all this than with your actual gain.
Also a multi week weight trend including at least a monthly cycle is often necessary before you can even know which way your underlying weight trend is really heading, and how fast
Discussing all this with some on campus student health resources now may well spare you years of future problems.
Stabilising and fully evaluating your situation before drastically reducing food is also definitely suggested....3 -
extreme hunger can be a sign of diabetes. talk to your doctor to rule that out.0
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MarylandRose wrote: »lucerorojo wrote: »Ever hear of the "Freshmen 15"? It is typical to gain weight at college if you are eating in the dining hall. Nowadays it could be even worse because there are more junk/fast food options served. (In my college days we did not have "stations" and fast food restaurants in the college dining hall).
I actually find that college food offerings are significantly better than they were when I was in college (mid 2000s). Vegetarian and vegan options besides "salad bar...oh, and rice" and much more of it is being served in smaller portions - providing plates instead of trays to students.
My fiance works at a state university and can also vouch for the vast improvement in quality and slight reduction in quantity of food available to students. They are scratch-cooking more, and in fact his office gets a lot of their food catered now from dining services instead of using area restaurants because of the quality jump.
In response to the OP - you might also be growing a little? I graduated college 15 lbs heavier than when I started - and 1" taller, and I left with curves I didn't have at 18. I didn't have a chest to speak of until sometime in my freshman year of college. I was very active throughout college (lived a 15 minute walk from campus, did four years of marching band) so it wasn't a "junk food and booze" gain. Do work on your food intake and your exercise, but keep in mind that you might not graduate the same shape/size that you started, and that might be a good thing.
I was in college in the 1980s and the food was much better than what they serve today. All the food was cooked from scratch when I was in college and it was good, not just edible. No comparison with any of the universities around here. It might have been terrible in mid 2000 and have gotten better from there. I'll take your word for that since it all is worse than it was when I was a student. I agree that growth may be happening with the OP.0
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