Am I eating normally?

mustnothrowcantelopes

A bit of background before I start:
- I have severe G.E.R.D. and acid re-flux which leads me to feeling bloated a lot of the time.
- I also have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (I have trouble getting enough air in and out of my body due to some kind of issue with my nasal and esophageal passages) which leads to sleep deprivation
- I have PCOS and am insulin resistant. I am currently not on medication for the insulin resistance as everything I have taken makes me violently ill.

I've been at least 10-12 different specialists over the course of 3 months and while I still don't have a good idea of how to treat a lot of these issues, the consensus across the board is that weight loss can help my symptoms. So far, from June-Sept , I've lost a total of 17 lbs. I'm not exactly sure how except that it might have been a combo of the insulin resistance meds AND having been on a semi-liquid diet for like 2.5-3 weeks , because I had trouble swallowing solid food for a while. I've also been trying hard not to eat after 9 pm.

Recently, I was able to see a nutritionist, for the first time in years. The nutritionist is aware of my issues and told me to log everything I eat for the next two weeks. She also gave me a list of how many carbs I can consume every meal. I haven't been counting them for every meal though, as it's too stressful right now. I just counted the total and have been trying to stay close to it.

I've been logging for a week now and I'm noticing a pattern that to me, feels disturbing and I'm not sure how what to make of it. For the first three days, I was going over calories by an average of 100. For the last 5 however, I've been under by 300-600. For some reason , I've just not had much of an apatite. I'd eat half a sandwich for breakfast and then for lunch have the other half, some cheese cubes, almonds, grapes and half an egg and then for dinner I'd have half a burger without the buns with roasted peppers and cheese and call it a day.

I'm having trouble telling if it's just that I was overeating before and this is how you eat the normal way or if I'm actually eating too little and in effect putting my body into starvation mode. I definitely know that this way of eating is not the norm for me. I'm worried that I might gain weight from eating this way because I feel like I'm consuming way too many carbs.

Constructive feedback would be much appreciated!

naomi8888

mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »

A bit of background before I start:
- I have severe G.E.R.D. and acid re-flux which leads me to feeling bloated a lot of the time.
- I also have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (I have trouble getting enough air in and out of my body due to some kind of issue with my nasal and esophageal passages) which leads to sleep deprivation
- I have PCOS and am insulin resistant. I am currently not on medication for the insulin resistance as everything I have taken makes me violently ill.

I've been at least 10-12 different specialists over the course of 3 months and while I still don't have a good idea of how to treat a lot of these issues, the consensus across the board is that weight loss can help my symptoms. So far, from June-Sept , I've lost a total of 17 lbs. I'm not exactly sure how except that it might have been a combo of the insulin resistance meds AND having been on a semi-liquid diet for like 2.5-3 weeks , because I had trouble swallowing solid food for a while. I've also been trying hard not to eat after 9 pm.

Recently, I was able to see a nutritionist, for the first time in years. The nutritionist is aware of my issues and told me to log everything I eat for the next two weeks. She also gave me a list of how many carbs I can consume every meal. I haven't been counting them for every meal though, as it's too stressful right now. I just counted the total and have been trying to stay close to it.

I've been logging for a week now and I'm noticing a pattern that to me, feels disturbing and I'm not sure how what to make of it. For the first three days, I was going over calories by an average of 100. For the last 5 however, I've been under by 300-600. For some reason , I've just not had much of an apatite. I'd eat half a sandwich for breakfast and then for lunch have the other half, some cheese cubes, almonds, grapes and half an egg and then for dinner I'd have half a burger without the buns with roasted peppers and cheese and call it a day.

I'm having trouble telling if it's just that I was overeating before and this is how you eat the normal way or if I'm actually eating too little and in effect putting my body into starvation mode. I definitely know that this way of eating is not the norm for me. I'm worried that I might gain weight from eating this way because I feel like I'm consuming way too many carbs.

Constructive feedback would be much appreciated!

Not really enough information. you would need to advise the actual quantities (weights) and what is in your sandwich. I wouldn't worry about starvation mode either, if you have weight to lose, you'll be OK.

Are you exercising?

BarbaraHelen2013

What calorie total are you trying to reach every day? We’d need to know that, along with your height and current weight to be able to give you any guidance on whether you’re eating a reasonable amount.

There’s too many variables in your description of your typical food intake to be able to advise without further info. For example ‘some cheese cubes’ could be anything from about 70 cals to upwards of 300, similarly with the almonds.

Don’t give a thought to what you’ve called starvation mode...it doesn’t really exist in the way it’s thrown around the internet!

elfin168

there is no such thing as normal. perhaps ask the nutritionist when you go back to them.

anniecave1

What are the actual estimated calorie amounts you're eating each day? Saying it is over or under is in reference to a target, but we don't know if the target amount is a "reduced" amount, or a normal amount? Do you do any exercise? Eating more one day and less another day isn't necessarily a problem, but the amounts over time will be a better guide. If you keep weighing yourself and also logging what you eat/drink, it should help you see patterns at least.

kshama2001

I agree with the others that we need more information.

My favorite article on starvation mode: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

quiksylver296

I suggest you get a food scale, weigh your food in grams, and log religiously. Once you have some actual numbers, then you can evaluate if you need to adjust.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

movgrl1

kshama2001 wrote: »

I agree with the others that we need more information.

My favorite article on starvation mode: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

I love Jay!!! I bought his book, and that's what helped me finally get my butt in gear and figure out nutrition to eat healthy and enjoy the weight loss process! Off topic I know, but I adore Jay lol.

OP - I agree with the others that we need more info, but the things you're listing when you're eating under have protein, healthy fats, and fiber. When I eat healthier foods, I eat far less, because they are more satiating.

CSARdiver

Well to start there is no such thing as starvation mode. Not sure if normal eating exists either other than eating a variety of foods and staying within caloric budget.

Weight loss certainly has the potential to help all of these issues with about zero chance of making them worse. From personal experience my GERD improved dramatically after losing weight and all sinus & respiratory issues resolved completely.

There's a lot of focus on carbs because they have a short term effect of increasing water weight, much like salt does. This is meaningless outside a few weeks, so I wouldn't focus on this unless there's some other unstated factor.

Look to the stickied threads - those threads at the top of each section and read these carefully. This will give you a strong foundation on what is important and those myths you need to let go.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-health-fitness-and-diet-must-reads#latest

Dreamwa1ker

mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »

A bit of background before I start:
- I have severe G.E.R.D. and acid re-flux which leads me to feeling bloated a lot of the time.
- I also have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (I have trouble getting enough air in and out of my body due to some kind of issue with my nasal and esophageal passages) which leads to sleep deprivation
- I have PCOS and am insulin resistant. I am currently not on medication for the insulin resistance as everything I have taken makes me violently ill.

I've been at least 10-12 different specialists over the course of 3 months and while I still don't have a good idea of how to treat a lot of these issues, the consensus across the board is that weight loss can help my symptoms. So far, from June-Sept , I've lost a total of 17 lbs. I'm not exactly sure how except that it might have been a combo of the insulin resistance meds AND having been on a semi-liquid diet for like 2.5-3 weeks , because I had trouble swallowing solid food for a while. I've also been trying hard not to eat after 9 pm.

...

Side-topic: my son has suffered from severe reflux and swallowing issues. Are you still having swallowing issues? If you still have trouble swallowing (e.g. dysphagia) I hope they will do a swallowing study (they have you eat food with a dye and can x-ray while you swallow to see the mechanics) and potentially also hook you up with a speech therapist that specializes in eating. They can give you strategies and exercises to help you with the mechanics of eating and swallowing to improve function, desensitize gag reflexes if that has gotten moved too far forward in the mouth, and other things. These are things you can ask for if you continue to have problems - sending lots of hugs as that is a rough situation.

Luke_rabbit

Sorry that you are dealing with so many frustrating issues.

I have severe GERD, and I know that some days my appetite is much less. I use a food scale and weigh nearly everything in grams, so my calorie estimates are fairly accurate. I try to get over 1200 calories every day (considered the minimum for XX people), although I am not 100% able to do so. I have a lot of foods that I still can't eat, plus I can't eat after 7 PM/19:00 so I often run out of time before running out of calories.

I was just barely above normal BMI when my reflux started, so weight loss was never suggested as a solution. And, what I've lost since that time (about 13 pounds) hasn't made a bit of difference. However, the vast majority of people have reflux improvement from weight loss. The biggest improvement came from finding the right PPI for me.

My diary is open to friends. If you think it might help, go ahead and send a request. I don't have to watch carbs, but I do prioritize protein and fats because they improve satiety for me. My diet is pretty bland, thanks to the reflux.

mustnothrowcantelopes

@naomi8888 - I'm not sure what you mean by the weights? In what sense? Like do you want me to give an example of what I normally eat in the day? No. I'm not exercising. My doctor has forbidden me from doing so, due to my breathing issues. I end up coughing and choking even when I'm trying to do light cardio or even if I'm just going up or down the stairs .

mustnothrowcantelopes

@BarbaraHelen2013 - My goal is: 1730. I'm 5'3" and I weigh 233.6 lbs ( as of Sept. 1st)

Regarding the cheese cubes- It was a snack pack from a store. It was impossible for me to tell how many calories were in each part of the snack pack. The whole thing: cheese cubes, cranberries, almonds, grapes and egg was 380 calories. I didn't eat the cranberries and I only ate half of the egg, so in total, it was 247 calories.

Don’t give a thought to what you’ve called starvation mode...it doesn’t really exist in the way it’s thrown around the internet! - All I know is that if you eat too little to be able to fuel your body then your body will be running on fumes and eventually shut down.

mustnothrowcantelopes

@anniecave1 - What are the actual estimated calorie amounts you're eating each day? Saying it is over or under is in reference to a target, but we don't know if the target amount is a "reduced" amount, or a normal amount?

<< Height: 5'3'' , Weight: 233.6 lbs, Target Calories: 1730 , Target Weight loss: 1 lb a week.>>
Sept 17: 1,856
Sept 18: 1,335
Sept 19: 1,881
Sept 20: 1,793
Sept 21: 1,403
Sept 22: 1,439
Sept 23: 1,091
Sept 24: 1,068


Do you do any exercise? My pulmonologist has prohibited me from doing exercise until he can figure out why I'm having so much difficulty with my breathing. When I try to exercise , even if it's very light cardio , I end feeling incredible bloated, even if I've eaten nothing 2 hours before hand and then all of a sudden I have trouble breathing and start coughing and choking.

mustnothrowcantelopes

@quiksylver296 - I'm not sure what you mean by "log religiously" ? If you mean, log every day, then yes, I do that. And yes, I already have a scale and already weigh my food but I'm not going to bring my scale with me when I'm out and about and need to grab something from the cafe. That's just not realistic.

PAV8888

The most "precise" method of estimating the calories you intake involves weighing "on a scale* the food that you consume.

I realize you mentioned that it is too stressful to you to even log properly, so i am going to assume that right now weighing everything you eat sounds even more stressful.

I will reframe by pointing out that there is nothing stressful about weighting your food and the act of doing so doesn't render anything you're weighting prohibited or incorrect or make it something that should be avoided arbitrarily!

You're just faced with a maximization problem: how to consume the maximum amount of goodies while still meeting your weight loss goals!

Knowing what you've consumed (or much preferably what you're about to consume) is very liberating in that it allows you to make optimal choices on what else you can consume without overstepping your caloric budget and impeding your ability to reach your reasonable weight management goals!

Concentrating on carbs is currently a fashionable "out" (along the lines of counting weight Watchers points instead of calories)... By limiting one aspect of your food intake your reduce overall calories and lose weight. You can achieve that with any dozen of elimination methods

However if you're willing to invest the effort into accurately counting your intake, you then broaden your horizons in terms of the items you are able and willing to consume, and you might be able to avoid a common trap faced by people who concentrate on carbs only.
Namely that when they stop doing so they are frequently reluctant to return to that method of eating relatively quickly, and therefore often have to contend with appreciable rebound weight gains

Long way of saying that instead of you viewing logging as an evil, start thinking of it, instead, as a liberating tool that will better allow you to meet your weight management goals!

Past that, and because I happen to believe that weight loss should take place at a relatively sustainable rate that does not exceed 20 to 25% of tdee unless a medical necessity demands otherwise, I urge you to limit your weight loss to between 1 and 2 lbs a week. And since it appears that you cannot exercise there is a high chance that your tdee is relatively low, so you're probably looking at the lower end of that range as opposed to the upper one.

Of course if limiting carbs is a medical advice to control some other aspect of your conditions, you should most certainly adhere to it!!!

naomi8888

mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »

@naomi8888 - I'm not sure what you mean by the weights? In what sense? Like do you want me to give an example of what I normally eat in the day? No. I'm not exercising. My doctor has forbidden me from doing so, due to my breathing issues. I end up coughing and choking even when I'm trying to do light cardio or even if I'm just going up or down the stairs .

Yep, you would need to weigh your food to accurately measure your calories. As someone else said "a bit of cheese might be 70 calories or 300 calories". It's a shame you can't exercise because if you're insulin resistant you need to use up the sugar that's in your blood. The ideal thing would be fasted cardio (even just a walk) first thing in the morning. I suppose the alternative is strict keto. Might be worth looking into.

Another thing to consider is a naturopath. I swear they can work wonders.

mustnothrowcantelopes

Side-topic: my son has suffered from severe reflux and swallowing issues. Are you still having swallowing issues? If you still have trouble swallowing (e.g. dysphagia) I hope they will do a swallowing study (they have you eat food with a dye and can x-ray while you swallow to see the mechanics) and potentially also hook you up with a speech therapist that specializes in eating. They can give you strategies and exercises to help you with the mechanics of eating and swallowing to improve function, desensitize gag reflexes if that has gotten moved too far forward in the mouth, and other things. These are things you can ask for if you continue to have problems - sending lots of hugs as that is a rough situation. - @Dreamwa1ker : Yes. I did a barium and modified barium swallow study. It showed no signs of dysphagia but it did reveal that food was getting stuck in my lower esophageal tract which could make me feel like food was getting stuck in my throat or upper esophagus. I am being sent to speech therapy by my ENT, thank god. I and my G.I. both think that the breathing issues and swallowing and sinuses may be a result of the G.I. issues. I'm going to be doing a stomach emptying test to rule out gastroperisis . THank you so much for the encouragement!

mustnothrowcantelopes

@boldknee - My condition has gotten so bad that PPI's do absolutely nothing except make me vomit and feel dizzy.

mustnothrowcantelopes

@PAV8888 - I actually do weigh nearly everything I eat. I just don't think it's realistic to do when you're eating out or buying things to go. I don't know how other people work around this, honestly. I mean I know people who just don't go out to dinner or for drinks with their friends , because they're afraid of not being able to log accurately and I know other people who bring a food scale with them to work but bringing one to work is different than whipping one out at a cafe or in the middle of dinner. Maybe I'm overthinking it. I don't know.

I am trying to go slowly with only trying to lose 1 lb a week but I look in the mirror and I see myself looking like I've gained weight and it's terrifying, because when I wasn't logging and just eating whatever but not eating after 9pm, I somehow managed to lose 17 lbs in 3 months . Now that I am logging, it just feels like my body is backwards and is like: Welp, she's trying to help herself, time to pack on those pounds! The only thing I think that changed is I stopped taking my insulin resistance meds cause they were making me sick.

mustnothrowcantelopes

@naomi8888 - Ok, so here's my questions, how do I weigh stuff accurately/calculate when I'm eating on the go? The thing I had was a protein pack, in which case it's impossible to tell, what part of the total is cheese and what part is cranberries. I mean I was able to look up what an 0z of cranberries looked like and deduced that it was 80 calories, so I took that off my total, since I didn't eat the cranberries but aside from that, I don't really know what I could have done.

I suppose the alternative is strict keto. Might be worth looking into. - I asked my nutritionist about Keto and she cautioned against it because while it can make insulin resistance better , it can not only make G.I. issues worse but give you high cholesterol and my cholesterol is already high.

Another thing to consider is a naturopath. I swear they can work wonders. - that's the next step I'm taking. the test he wants to do so he can figure out the right meds to give me is $250.

BarbaraHelen2013

I would say, to answer your original question, now that you’ve given a bit more specific information, that at 5’3” with a calorie goal of 1700+ if you’re dipping below that from time to time you’re still eating enough to be ok. Especially since you’ve said there are some days when you tip over it by a little.

I think that you could possibly make some changes to the actual food you eat but I appreciate that you’ve said you have digestive and other issues that you are dealing with, which I don’t necessarily understand fully, so maybe you shouldn’t worry about doing anything but your best for now.

You’ve also mentioned worrying that you’ll gain weight specifically in reference to eating carbs. It genuinely does not matter whether every bite you eat is carbs, as far as weight loss is concerned. Calorie deficit is the one and only thing that counts for weight loss. Obviously, for overall health, protein and fats matter too, but I think you’ve got enough in the way of challenges to worry overly about your macros preventing you losing weight.

naomi8888

mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »

@naomi8888 - Ok, so here's my questions, how do I weigh stuff accurately/calculate when I'm eating on the go? The thing I had was a protein pack, in which case it's impossible to tell, what part of the total is cheese and what part is cranberries. I mean I was able to look up what an 0z of cranberries looked like and deduced that it was 80 calories, so I took that off my total, since I didn't eat the cranberries but aside from that, I don't really know what I could have done.

I suppose the alternative is strict keto. Might be worth looking into. - I asked my nutritionist about Keto and she cautioned against it because while it can make insulin resistance better , it can not only make G.I. issues worse but give you high cholesterol and my cholesterol is already high.

Another thing to consider is a naturopath. I swear they can work wonders. - that's the next step I'm taking. the test he wants to do so he can figure out the right meds to give me is $250.

Re snacks on the go - can you just bring snacks with you so you know what you're eating? Also depends how often you're eating out for it to make a difference?

I think maybe you should do a bit more research into keto. Personally I don't do it but I exercise intensely most mornings in a fasted state. I know the nutritionist said it can raise cholesterol but there are so many studies that contradict that. I think the nutritionists / RDs are bound to operate under a certain model. Google Tim Noakes and see what he went through by going against the conventional advice. Anyway, just something to think about.

Finally, nutritionist, it's up to you but I would consider my health a priority.

Feel free to message me.

corinasue1143

I agree with everyone who says take care of your health the best you can first. Second priority is getting diet right.

It sounds like to me you are doing a great job. You have made a great start by setting a reasonable calorie goal, seeing a professional for advice, and doing a pretty good job of weighing and logging. It takes some of us (me) a long time to get to this point.

I don’t have any of the things you’ve been diagnosed with. I did have some problems with acid reflux waking me up at night.
I immediately raised the head of my bed. That helped some. Then I experimented with what and when to eat. For me only, I found that I could eat whatever I want whenever I want, with the exception of lower carbs after about 4 or 5 pm, and no carbs for an hour or two before bed. I don’t know if that’s true for others, but it works for me. No more reflux. And I removed the blocks from my bed.

It would be interesting to me to know how many carbs your dietician said to eat for supper versus the rest of the day. Just wondering if what I’m doing is normal, or if I could do better.

maureenkhilde

mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »

A bit of background before I start:
- I have severe G.E.R.D. and acid re-flux which leads me to feeling bloated a lot of the time.
- I also have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (I have trouble getting enough air in and out of my body due to some kind of issue with my nasal and esophageal passages) which leads to sleep deprivation
- I have PCOS and am insulin resistant. I am currently not on medication for the insulin resistance as everything I have taken makes me violently ill.

I've been at least 10-12 different specialists over the course of 3 months and while I still don't have a good idea of how to treat a lot of these issues, the consensus across the board is that weight loss can help my symptoms. So far, from June-Sept , I've lost a total of 17 lbs. I'm not exactly sure how except that it might have been a combo of the insulin resistance meds AND having been on a semi-liquid diet for like 2.5-3 weeks , because I had trouble swallowing solid food for a while. I've also been trying hard not to eat after 9 pm.

Recently, I was able to see a nutritionist, for the first time in years. The nutritionist is aware of my issues and told me to log everything I eat for the next two weeks. She also gave me a list of how many carbs I can consume every meal. I haven't been counting them for every meal though, as it's too stressful right now. I just counted the total and have been trying to stay close to it.

I've been logging for a week now and I'm noticing a pattern that to me, feels disturbing and I'm not sure how what to make of it. For the first three days, I was going over calories by an average of 100. For the last 5 however, I've been under by 300-600. For some reason , I've just not had much of an apatite. I'd eat half a sandwich for breakfast and then for lunch have the other half, some cheese cubes, almonds, grapes and half an egg and then for dinner I'd have half a burger without the buns with roasted peppers and cheese and call it a day.

I'm having trouble telling if it's just that I was overeating before and this is how you eat the normal way or if I'm actually eating too little and in effect putting my body into starvation mode. I definitely know that this way of eating is not the norm for me. I'm worried that I might gain weight from eating this way because I feel like I'm consuming way too many carbs.

Constructive feedback would be much appreciated!

I understand not using a scale when one is out and about. But when I am out, whenever possible I take my own snacks. And if I know in advance where I am going to stop to eat, I check to see if they have nutrition information available, more and more places do these days.

If you have quit taking the Insulin Resistance medication, I hope you have made your Dr, and or nutritionist or dietician aware of this. Now if you do not want to go all the way to Keto. there is Low Carb which is not as drastic and you may find it works for you. I am a type 2 diabetic and follow Low Carb, and have kept all my Cholestrol in range and have been following this type of diet for about 18 months now. My point just being there are different types of food plans to follow to fit in calories and what you need to eat healthy with being insulin resistant. Good Luck.

mustnothrowcantelopes

@maureenkhilde - If you have quit taking the Insulin Resistance medication, I hope you have made your Dr, and or nutritionist or dietician aware of this. - Yeah, they both know and the nutritionist highly insists that I get back on some kind of insulin medication , because that will be vital in me being able to lose weight at all . My doctor however, wants to put me on victoza, rather than try to get a medication approved that she's going to have to fight with my insurance about. Except, I've been on byetta, which is a similar med. You stick yourself with a needle once or twice a day . I did that for 6 months before the constant dizziness and shakiness and vomitting and nausea made it too difficult for me to concentrate in class and basically function. At this point, i think I need to find another PCP.



Now if you do not want to go all the way to Keto. there is Low Carb which is not as drastic and you may find it works for you. I am a type 2 diabetic and follow Low Carb, and have kept all my Cholestrol in range and have been following this type of diet for about 18 months now. My point just being there are different types of food plans to follow to fit in calories and what you need to eat healthy with being insulin resistant. Good Luck. - What is the Low Carb food plan? Do you have any material I can look at?

Danp

Did they ban this guy already?

cupcakesandproteinshakes

Dan I don’t think so. I got a warning for suggesting it.

mustnothrowcantelopes

What guy? What am I missing?

BarbaraHelen2013

Don’t worry, they’re not referring to you! For a couple of days this week there was a ‘spam bot’ who was posting potentially dodgy links on multiple threads, including this one. That’s the ‘guy’ Danp was referring to.