I need help and advice!!!

loopybec2002

I have been now dieting for 3 weeks I am 25 height 5"9 and 16 stone my recommended weight for my BMI is 10.9lb & in the first week i lost 3lb in the second and third week I put it back on.
I struggle at the weekend to keep within my recommend calorie intake because all my friends seem to be having partys around about now but I do watch what I eat and drink and do extra exercise so I can treat myself.
I never used to exercise and I am now doing it every other day on the Wii Fit for at least 1hr 30mins burning around 400 calories.
I am not sure if you can see my food diary but during the week while I am at work I am not consuming my 1200 cals A normal day will consist of:

Breakfast - Some Kind of breakfast bar and A piece of fruit (Apple or Grapes)
Lunch - A lettuce tomato and cucumber salad - Normally Tuna or Salmon
Afternoon Snack - A pack of snack a jacks
Evening - A meal normally consisting of chicken or salmon with veg - Sometimes with Noodles or rice..

This falls below 1200 do I need to up my portion sizes because what I am eating at the moment Actually Fills me up. Do people recommend having a protein shake I see these mentioned alot but unsure how they help with weight loss.

My other problem is I am no longer Regular with going to the toilet I drink 2 litres of water a day and have been trying to eat things high in Fibre and still I can't seem to get my body to need to go. I used to be regular and go at least once a day.

Any advice will be appreciated I'm unsure of what I am doing wrong and its driving me mad!

ltlemermaid

You don't have your food diary public so I couldn't see it but based on what you wrote, you need to eat more to get a minimum of 1200 calories a day total. If you work out make sure you are at a net calorie of 1200 so you may need to eat some of those extra calories back-your body needs those evxtra calories to replenish it and your muscles. If you consistantly go under 1200 calories your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto everything you put into it so you will gain weight instead of losing it. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water as well to keep hydrated ( I know this is hard for me I am usually at 5-7 cups of water a day-which is less than the recommended 8 cups a day).

Try eating a bigger breakfast--more protein (eggs ect) will make you fuller longer too. I know a breakfast bar and fruit don't hold me over and is not enough for me to eat. You want to eat a bigger breakfast to kickstart your metabolism.

Sounds like you are doing fine for the weekends--just make sure you track everything you eat and your work outs to make sure you are not going over in calories---I know personally that I can't eyeball foods at all (even after months of doing this) and always go over foods if I don't log it! Also alcohol slows/stops weight loss as well--so try to avoid the drinks--if you don't just know that any stop or gain in weight could be from the alcohol. Once you have alcohol your body goes to burn that and not the fat...

loopybec2002

How do i set my diary to public viewing??

I do drink plenty of water as this is what I do when bored at work rather than eating. I will try with the bigger breakfast I have been trying to cut out Bread & high Carb foods because thats what I used to eat a lot of...(Cobs, Bread, Crisps, Chips).

I haven't been eating my exercise calories either because when I havent been losing weight I just assumed I had been eating to much its so frustrating trying to get it right.. Thanks very much for the reply ltlemermaid and I will try to take your advice.

loopybec2002

I have now set my profile to public so anybody can take a peak and tell me what i need more or less of!

ltlemermaid

Looking at your diary you need to eat 131 calories more for today just to reach a net of 1200 and with your exercise you can have a bit more too...maybe try snacking on some fruit/almonds to increase calories. As I said before definitly eat more at breakfast-you are slowing down your metabolism it needs the food in the morning to start up and burn more through out the day. Looking through your diary you are always significantly under 1200 calories and seems to me that you body has gone into starvation mode where it will only make you gain weight . You have to eat more to let your body know that its OK to release some of the fats etc you are eating that it will not starve. For most females you need 1200 calories a day in a sedetary setting (like if you were to stay in bed all day) just ot function properly.

Not all carbs are bad for you--your body needs carbs for energy, you can have breads etc just make sure to watch the portion size and track your calories--there are a lot of breads out there that are great to eat and not a lot of calories-Ezikiel or sprouted bread is your best option. Where I live the grocery stores carry it in the freezer organic section, other whole food stores have it fresh with the other breads.

deannarey13

Another thing I wanted to add on top of the great advice you have already recieved. I know you think that the more calories you cut, the faster you will lose weight. I would like to add that if you get less than a net of 1200 calories (this means more if you exercise) you will actually cause your body to store fat because you put it in "starvation" mode. The first thing that I have been told, if you get stuck in a plateau is to increase food intake. Jump start your metabolism like the previous poster said.

I know you want to lose weight, but you can't rush it. Take it slow.

loopybec2002

Thank you both for your advice hopefully I can find the middle soon where I don't eat too much or too less.
Ok as of tomorrow I will change it so I have wholemeal bread and peanut butter for breakie and also buy nuts and things incase i need to up my calories at the end of the day..
I haven't cut down so much because I think I will lose weight faster I have just swopped sandwhiches for salads and chips for vegatables and added breakfast in there which I didnt use to have at all. I'm not trying to rush it just trying to change my life style so i no longer need the chips and crisps. I just find it so difficult to get it in the middle without going back to the foods I have decided that I myself am not allowed.
Also I exercise at night after i finnish work does it make a difference at what time you work out??