Am I doing this right?

daniellewhiteliving
daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm only on day 6 of 1200 cals a day. I'm female 5'7 and weigh 12 stone. I'm looking to lose a stone and half and mostly tone up since having my baby. So I'm running 3 times a week and doing sit ups a couple of timed(I eat back my earned exercise cals mostly) I'm eating protein..lots of veg and salad and not getting hungry attall. My diet before was so bad..at least 3000 cals a day with the fizzy drinks, and takeaways. Do you think if I carry on this way I'll lose the weight? I'm in no massive rush just want to feel better about myself. Thanks

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    If you stick to a calorie deficit for real, and for a long time, you lose weight.
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    I am definitely sticking to it and logging everything in
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    To be honest when I put my stats in I'd not planned to go running so I did put in sedetary. I'm not struggling with the 1200 but I know what you mean...I might slightly increase them. This is a lifestyle change for me not a quick fix so I want to be able to stick to it. Only think I will have problems with is eating out..I go once a week but the meals are my full daily allowance!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Stay in a deficit and make sure you don't feel deprived and give it some time. If you don't have one a food scale does help confirm you are only eating the calories you think you are eating. Also, remember that your body weight will fluctuate because of water retention and other factors so the scale can go up even when you are doing things correctly. Given time and the deficit it will eventually show your fat losses though.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,147 Member
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    To be honest when I put my stats in I'd not planned to go running so I did put in sedetary. I'm not struggling with the 1200 but I know what you mean...I might slightly increase them. This is a lifestyle change for me not a quick fix so I want to be able to stick to it. Only think I will have problems with is eating out..I go once a week but the meals are my full daily allowance!

    Your activity level has nothing to do with your exercise, it's your normal day-to-day life - work, home, school. Exercise is accounted for when you log it.

    There are easy ways to accommodate eating out:
    • Banking calories during the week - For example -if you were set at 1400 calories, you could eat 1300 Monday - Friday and then you've an additional 500 calories to play with for the weekend.
    • Mixing up meal frequencies - this is what I do usually if I know I have a social activity coming up on a weekend - I'll eat a light brunch Saturday & Sunday (around 400-500 cals) rather than separate breakfast & lunch and then use the rest of the calories for dinner/drinks.
    • Get an extra couple of walks in
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Stay in a deficit and make sure you don't feel deprived and give it some time. If you don't have one a food scale does help confirm you are only eating the calories you think you are eating. Also, remember that your body weight will fluctuate because of water retention and other factors so the scale can go up even when you are doing things correctly. Given time and the deficit it will eventually show your fat losses though.

    Thanks..I know it's going to take time. I don't have a food scale but the things I eat are quite easy to count in. Does anyone save the cals they earn working out for a treat weekend or does it not work that way?
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    To be honest when I put my stats in I'd not planned to go running so I did put in sedetary. I'm not struggling with the 1200 but I know what you mean...I might slightly increase them. This is a lifestyle change for me not a quick fix so I want to be able to stick to it. Only think I will have problems with is eating out..I go once a week but the meals are my full daily allowance!

    Once you raise your calories you can decide to eat a little less and bank the extra for your weekly restaurant visits. 100 calories saved per day gives you an extra 600 once a week.

  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    To be honest when I put my stats in I'd not planned to go running so I did put in sedetary. I'm not struggling with the 1200 but I know what you mean...I might slightly increase them. This is a lifestyle change for me not a quick fix so I want to be able to stick to it. Only think I will have problems with is eating out..I go once a week but the meals are my full daily allowance!

    Once you raise your calories you can decide to eat a little less and bank the extra for your weekly restaurant visits. 100 calories saved per day gives you an extra 600 once a week.

    Ahh right you just answered my question! I'll definitely be doing That!
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,147 Member
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Stay in a deficit and make sure you don't feel deprived and give it some time. If you don't have one a food scale does help confirm you are only eating the calories you think you are eating. Also, remember that your body weight will fluctuate because of water retention and other factors so the scale can go up even when you are doing things correctly. Given time and the deficit it will eventually show your fat losses though.

    Thanks..I know it's going to take time. I don't have a food scale but the things I eat are quite easy to count in. Does anyone save the cals they earn working out for a treat weekend or does it not work that way?

    It's the calorie deficit over time that matters so you can do that, or you could just factor treats in during the week which can help psychologically because then it doesn't feel like things are "off limits" and you're less inclined to have an all out binge.
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    I don't deprive myself...I have 1 glass of wine with my dinner but I think it would work for me to save so I could go tgis on a saturday:)
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    @tinkerbellang83 is right. Keeping yourself mentally happy has to be a priority which is what I meant by not feeling deprived. You may not figure that part out right away so be prepared for some bumps in the road as you adjust your plan to your specific needs.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    I don't deprive myself...I have 1 glass of wine with my dinner but I think it would work for me to save so I could go tgis on a saturday:)

    Sounds like you have the right mindset to me.
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    I don't deprive myself...I have 1 glass of wine with my dinner but I think it would work for me to save so I could go tgis on a saturday:)

    Sounds like you have the right mindset to me.

    I just know to go from what I was drinking/eating to nothing just won't work. I've never lasted more than 3 days on anything. This is the first time I feel like I've changed how i think about food. Now when I feel like crap I go for a run...then I'm too tired to even think about it haha. My baby doesn't sleep much so I don't either and haven't for nearly a year..That makes me crave junk food but so far I've refrained.
  • angelsja
    angelsja Posts: 859 Member
    Get a food scale you could easily be eating more than you think. Weigh everything that goes in your mouth and good luck :)
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    I eat "junk" food pretty regularly because it fits in my calories. The only thing off-limits to me are the very rare things that I can't control myself around. I use portion control for everything so I don't label things as good, bad, or junk.
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    angelsja wrote: »
    Get a food scale you could easily be eating more than you think. Weigh everything that goes in your mouth and good luck :)

    Thank you:)
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I eat "junk" food pretty regularly because it fits in my calories. The only thing off-limits to me are the very rare things that I can't control myself around. I use portion control for everything so I don't label things as good, bad, or junk.

    I mean like I'd eat about 4 bags of crisp together haha.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,147 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I eat "junk" food pretty regularly because it fits in my calories. The only thing off-limits to me are the very rare things that I can't control myself around. I use portion control for everything so I don't label things as good, bad, or junk.

    Ditto! I have loads of tupperware type tubs from Tesco for things like popcorn, cheese savouries, nuts, m&ms, etc or single portion protein bars/snacks rather than eating a packet I'll weigh out portions into tubs once a week and keep them in a basket in the cupboard.


  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I eat "junk" food pretty regularly because it fits in my calories. The only thing off-limits to me are the very rare things that I can't control myself around. I use portion control for everything so I don't label things as good, bad, or junk.

    Ditto! I have loads of tupperware type tubs from Tesco for things like popcorn, cheese savouries, nuts, m&ms, etc or single portion protein bars/snacks rather than eating a packet I'll weigh out portions into tubs once a week and keep them in a basket in the cupboard.


    I wouldn't trust myself to just eat a portion but maybe as time goes on I will.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    edited May 2018
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »



    I wouldn't trust myself to just eat a portion but maybe as time goes on I will.

    That is fair. You are very early into this diet. To be honest if I left an entire bag near me in the evening I would probably eat them on auto-pilot and that is one of the ways I gained weight. That is why I portion it out. Making mistakes, learning, adapting, and developing strategies are part of life and so naturally they are a part of dieting.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,147 Member
    daniellewhiteliving wrote: »
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I eat "junk" food pretty regularly because it fits in my calories. The only thing off-limits to me are the very rare things that I can't control myself around. I use portion control for everything so I don't label things as good, bad, or junk.

    Ditto! I have loads of tupperware type tubs from Tesco for things like popcorn, cheese savouries, nuts, m&ms, etc or single portion protein bars/snacks rather than eating a packet I'll weigh out portions into tubs once a week and keep them in a basket in the cupboard.


    I wouldn't trust myself to just eat a portion but maybe as time goes on I will.

    You tend to learn over time the things that you can control yourself around and those you can't, I tend not to buy block cheese or fresh bread into the house, because these are things I know I can't control my intake of, I'd quite happily sit and eat a whole block of cheese with fresh bread and lashings of butter and think nothing of it, so I will try to only eat those things if I am eating out or at a friends. Instead I keep a bag of grated cheese in the freezer and if I need to add a little to a meal can just sprinkle a little on top and melt it.
  • daniellewhiteliving
    daniellewhiteliving Posts: 67 Member
    It's good you are both so self aware. I didn't even realise how much I was eating it was automatic. I'm obsessed with cheese too so no cheese in this house for a while!
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