Help starting again

gelo33

Hi everyone!
I hope someone can help. Within the last 3 years, I lost 100lbs using mfp, running and exercising- . I have now gained back 14lbs within the last 12 months and I’ve been feeling so uncomfortable at this new weight.

I happily stayed on 1200 calories previously while losing but it seems impossible now to eat less than 2000 cals per day (this is without tracking sauces, veg and some fruit) . I average 10000 steps a day plus do 5 times of 60min hit/circuits style workouts or a jog where my polar f7 estimates between 350-500 Cals burn depending on the intensity of the jog/circuit.
I keep losing and gaining the same 3lbs back and forth 😭😭😭
I think I know what I need to do but it’s so hard this time. I am so hungry! Do you think the intensity of the workouts increases the hunger feeling?

kommodevaran

I think it's the memory of you starving yourself that makes you so hungry. What's your height and current weight?

gelo33

I am 5’4 and weigh 11st4lbs, I have lots of muscles on my triceps/biceps and thighs/calves which I don’t appreciate( makes me feel less feminine) but saying that I don’t care about other women who look like I do. I also want to lose some of this muscle bulk, I look like I’m flexing when I do simple things with my arms.

gelo33

kommodevaran wrote: »

I think it's the memory of you starving yourself that makes you so hungry. What's your height and current weight?

Thank you, I didn’t think of that. I ate 1200 consistently during weight loss phase and I never ate back exercise calories - lost the 100lbs in about 12-15 months.

kommodevaran

gelo33 wrote: »

I am 5’4 and weigh 11st4lbs, I have lots of muscles on my triceps/biceps and thighs/calves which I don’t appreciate( makes me feel less feminine) but saying that I don’t care about other women who look like I do. I also want to lose some of this muscle bulk, I look like I’m flexing when I do simple things with my arms.

I can't help you with you muscles, I just know that many women would kill for a muscular body like you're describing. Your lowest weight was 10 stone 4, is that right? I may have to retract my assumption of starvation, and instead suggest that you monitor your weight and your food intake for a while, and see if you can cut down on some "empty" calories (snack foods, candy, soda etc). I don't know if 2000 calories will make you lose weight, but at a BMI of 27, you "should" be able to lose weight comfortably, and eat 2000 calories without feeling terribly hungry.

sijomial

Type and intensity of exercise makes a big difference for me in terms of hunger out of proportion to calorie burns.

• Strength training - low burn / high hunger.
• Shortish duration but intense cardio - moderate burn / high hunger.
• Long duration moderate cardio - high to very high calorie burn / little impact on hunger.

FYI - using a basic HRM like a Polar FT7 to estimate calories for circuit training is on a par with sacrificing a chicken in terms of accuracy.
Should be OK for your running (if you happen to have an average exercise HR).

What happens to your weight when you consistently eat around 2000cal/day?
If you only gained 14lbs in a year that's a tiny average calorie surplus, you don't have to go to extremes to reverse the trend.

geltner1

Did you say 5'4 and how many pounds? Did you really mean 114?

sijomial

geltner1 wrote: »

Did you say 5'4 and how many pounds? Did you really mean 114?

@geltner1
OP said 11 stone 4lb not 114lbs

gelo33

kommodevaran wrote: »

gelo33 wrote: »

I am 5’4 and weigh 11st4lbs, I have lots of muscles on my triceps/biceps and thighs/calves which I don’t appreciate( makes me feel less feminine) but saying that I don’t care about other women who look like I do. I also want to lose some of this muscle bulk, I look like I’m flexing when I do simple things with my arms.

I can't help you with you muscles, I just know that many women would kill for a muscular body like you're describing. Your lowest weight was 10 stone 4, is that right? I may have to retract my assumption of starvation, and instead suggest that you monitor your weight and your food intake for a while, and see if you can cut down on some "empty" calories (snack foods, candy, soda etc). I don't know if 2000 calories will make you lose weight, but at a BMI of 27, you "should" be able to lose weight comfortably, and eat 2000 calories without feeling terribly hungry.

I suppose I will have to be vigilant again with everything! Maybe the untracked oil, sauces etc are adding up, thanks for your help

gelo33

sijomial wrote: »

Type and intensity of exercise makes a big difference for me in terms of hunger out of proportion to calorie burns.

• Strength training - low burn / high hunger.
• Shortish duration but intense cardio - moderate burn / high hunger.
• Long duration moderate cardio - high to very high calorie burn / little impact on hunger.

FYI - using a basic HRM like a Polar FT7 to estimate calories for circuit training is on a par with sacrificing a chicken in terms of accuracy.
Should be OK for your running (if you happen to have an average exercise HR).

What happens to your weight when you consistently eat around 2000cal/day?
If you only gained 14lbs in a year that's a tiny average calorie surplus, you don't have to go to extremes to reverse the trend.

I don’t eat 2000 consistently but Sometimes it’s slightly more or less by 100-200 . But what I meant was staying below 2000 is a struggle. I happily ate 1200 gross for a year without the hunger pangs I feel now.
Shall I open my diary and then post my daily weights from happy scale? If you could please have a look for me i’d appreciate.
Yes I’ve read on here that the polar isn’t accurate for weights or circuits. I add the polar results into my Fitbit and let that do it’s adjustments on here(mfp). Maybe that could be overestimating my calorie burn and leading to me thinking I can eat more

gelo33

geltner1 wrote: »

Did you say 5'4 and how many pounds? Did you really mean 114?

I’m 5’4 and approx 158lbs

gelo33

sijomial

gelo33 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Type and intensity of exercise makes a big difference for me in terms of hunger out of proportion to calorie burns.

• Strength training - low burn / high hunger.
• Shortish duration but intense cardio - moderate burn / high hunger.
• Long duration moderate cardio - high to very high calorie burn / little impact on hunger.

FYI - using a basic HRM like a Polar FT7 to estimate calories for circuit training is on a par with sacrificing a chicken in terms of accuracy.
Should be OK for your running (if you happen to have an average exercise HR).

What happens to your weight when you consistently eat around 2000cal/day?
If you only gained 14lbs in a year that's a tiny average calorie surplus, you don't have to go to extremes to reverse the trend.

I don’t eat 2000 consistently but Sometimes it’s slightly more or less by 100-200 . But what I meant was staying below 2000 is a struggle. I happily ate 1200 gross for a year without the hunger pangs I feel now.
Shall I open my diary and then post my daily weights from happy scale? If you could please have a look for me i’d appreciate.
Yes I’ve read on here that the polar isn’t accurate for weights or circuits. I add the polar results into my Fitbit and let that do it’s adjustments on here(mfp). Maybe that could be overestimating my calorie burn and leading to me thinking I can eat more

If you can lose weight at an average of 2000 (it's irrelevant if that's daily) then your problem goes away.
If 2000 on average is your maintenance then you will need to find a sustainable way to eat less or move more - again that doesn't have to be every day and it doesn't have to be a massive deficit.

For example my wife is currently correcting an upward drift by having a couple of low eating days a week which is resulting in a slow but steady trend back downwards.

Have you thought of experimenting with changing the types of food you eat to manage your hunger better? Or changing your eating pattern? I can easily skip breakfast without getting any more (or less) hungry by lunchtime for example which gives me more calories to play with later in the day when I'm more hungry.

fiddletime

I also eat 1200 cal and maintained for a year but now want to lose the last 5#. I’m 5’2” and 129. I was eating half my best guess exercise calories back and was a little sloppy with logging and the scale didn’t move. Once I tightened up my logging and got rid of all but one a month overage days, the scale has started to move. I think the sauces can make a big difference at 1200 and 5’4” and so can the occasional over days.

gelo33

sijomial wrote: »

gelo33 wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

Type and intensity of exercise makes a big difference for me in terms of hunger out of proportion to calorie burns.

• Strength training - low burn / high hunger.
• Shortish duration but intense cardio - moderate burn / high hunger.
• Long duration moderate cardio - high to very high calorie burn / little impact on hunger.

FYI - using a basic HRM like a Polar FT7 to estimate calories for circuit training is on a par with sacrificing a chicken in terms of accuracy.
Should be OK for your running (if you happen to have an average exercise HR).

What happens to your weight when you consistently eat around 2000cal/day?
If you only gained 14lbs in a year that's a tiny average calorie surplus, you don't have to go to extremes to reverse the trend.

I don’t eat 2000 consistently but Sometimes it’s slightly more or less by 100-200 . But what I meant was staying below 2000 is a struggle. I happily ate 1200 gross for a year without the hunger pangs I feel now.
Shall I open my diary and then post my daily weights from happy scale? If you could please have a look for me i’d appreciate.
Yes I’ve read on here that the polar isn’t accurate for weights or circuits. I add the polar results into my Fitbit and let that do it’s adjustments on here(mfp). Maybe that could be overestimating my calorie burn and leading to me thinking I can eat more

If you can lose weight at an average of 2000 (it's irrelevant if that's daily) then your problem goes away.
If 2000 on average is your maintenance then you will need to find a sustainable way to eat less or move more - again that doesn't have to be every day and it doesn't have to be a massive deficit.

For example my wife is currently correcting an upward drift by having a couple of low eating days a week which is resulting in a slow but steady trend back downwards.

Have you thought of experimenting with changing the types of food you eat to manage your hunger better? Or changing your eating pattern? I can easily skip breakfast without getting any more (or less) hungry by lunchtime for example which gives me more calories to play with later in the day when I'm more hungry.

I’ve thought of intentionally eating more protein and fat because at the moment I don’t pay any attention to the composition of my meals.

If I skip breakfast or stay too long between meals I find I eat more at night( i work some nightshifts).

I think I’ll commit to what your wife is doing by having specific low cal days because I’m fed up of being stuck at this weight. Thank you so much for your help

gelo33

fiddletime wrote: »

I also eat 1200 cal and maintained for a year but now want to lose the last 5#. I’m 5’2” and 129. I was eating half my best guess exercise calories back and was a little sloppy with logging and the scale didn’t move. Once I tightened up my logging and got rid of all but one a month overage days, the scale has started to move. I think the sauces can make a big difference at 1200 and 5’4” and so can the occasional over days.

Yeah over the last few days I’ve started logging sauces again because I’m at my wits end with going around in circles.
You’re so close to goal, well done.
I’ve moved my own goal higher because I’ve felt I cant attain it with all this going around in circles. I’m glad I asked for help on here because I now feel so much more motivated .

kommodevaran

100 pounds sounds like a lot, but over 3 years, it's only a daily deficit of 290 calories. So if you're hungry at 2000 calories, maybe it will at least be reassuring to know that you didn't eat 1200 calories on average for 3 years.

gelo33

kommodevaran wrote: »

100 pounds sounds like a lot, but over 3 years, it's only a daily deficit of 290 calories. So if you're hungry at 2000 calories, maybe it will at least be reassuring to know that you didn't eat 1200 calories on average for 3 years.

I lost the bulk of my 100lbs in 2015 before I knew about happy scale . Started happy scale to track maintenance. but I stayed pretty much at 1200 to loose the 100lbs!
Wonder whether the excess fat stores then also helped with not feeling too hungry? Anyways My tracking is currently sloppy which going forward I have to address.plus I will trial the low cal days some days.
Thanks again.

kommodevaran

gelo33 wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

100 pounds sounds like a lot, but over 3 years, it's only a daily deficit of 290 calories. So if you're hungry at 2000 calories, maybe it will at least be reassuring to know that you didn't eat 1200 calories on average for 3 years.

I lost the bulk of my 100lbs in 2015 before I knew about happy scale . Started happy scale to track maintenance. but I stayed pretty much at 1200 to loose the 100lbs!
Wonder whether the excess fat stores then also helped with not feeling too hungry? Anyways My tracking is currently sloppy which going forward I have to address.plus I will trial the low cal days some days.
Thanks again.

Aha, this complicates things a little, but also clear things up, I think. Yes, when you eat at a calorie deficit, you're still burning the same amount of calories, so your fat stores is what makes up that deficit. Plenty of fat should make sure you're not too hungry. But now, maybe subconsciously, maybe combined with knowing that you regained, you fear eating so little, so even the mere thought of reducing your intake, makes you feel hungry? Just throwing out ideas here, pardon my speculations!

gelo33

kommodevaran wrote: »

gelo33 wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

100 pounds sounds like a lot, but over 3 years, it's only a daily deficit of 290 calories. So if you're hungry at 2000 calories, maybe it will at least be reassuring to know that you didn't eat 1200 calories on average for 3 years.

I lost the bulk of my 100lbs in 2015 before I knew about happy scale . Started happy scale to track maintenance. but I stayed pretty much at 1200 to loose the 100lbs!
Wonder whether the excess fat stores then also helped with not feeling too hungry? Anyways My tracking is currently sloppy which going forward I have to address.plus I will trial the low cal days some days.
Thanks again.

Aha, this complicates things a little, but also clear things up, I think. Yes, when you eat at a calorie deficit, you're still burning the same amount of calories, so your fat stores is what makes up that deficit. Plenty of fat should make sure you're not too hungry. But now, maybe subconsciously, maybe combined with knowing that you regained, you fear eating so little, so even the mere thought of reducing your intake, makes you feel hungry? Just throwing out ideas here, pardon my speculations!

I think you are right most of it is my mind- perceptions. This post has given me a new leash of motivation.
See attached pictures of my starting weight approx 18st 4 wearing the blue/stripped dress, my lowest 10st 4 wearing the skirt and mustard top and at my current weight wearing my exercise stuff with the muscles I hate so much.