1400-1500 and still starving?
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alykiss
Posts: 9 Member
Hi everyone,
I’ve been using MFP for some time but I’m not seeing much progress. I recently began seeing a personal trainer but had to stop due to COVID. Anyway, I’m 5’8, currently 172 lbs but would like to be 140-145. My personal trainer put me on a 1400-1500 cal diet with 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I’m trying to stick to this but I’m hungry all the time! Even drinking water makes me nauseous when I try to see if I’m thirsty rather than hungry. I have a moderately active job where I stand/walk for 95% of my shift.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to lose weight and tone up but I’m hungry, nauseous, cold and tired all the time! Please help!
I’ve been using MFP for some time but I’m not seeing much progress. I recently began seeing a personal trainer but had to stop due to COVID. Anyway, I’m 5’8, currently 172 lbs but would like to be 140-145. My personal trainer put me on a 1400-1500 cal diet with 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I’m trying to stick to this but I’m hungry all the time! Even drinking water makes me nauseous when I try to see if I’m thirsty rather than hungry. I have a moderately active job where I stand/walk for 95% of my shift.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to lose weight and tone up but I’m hungry, nauseous, cold and tired all the time! Please help!
6
Replies
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I think you should consider eating more calories. What does MFP set your calories at when you set your weight loss at 1 lb a week?4
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It wants me to consume 1680 but when I tried 1650 previously, I just maintained my weight.1
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Hi everyone,
I’ve been using MFP for some time but I’m not seeing much progress. I recently began seeing a personal trainer but had to stop due to COVID. Anyway, I’m 5’8, currently 172 lbs but would like to be 140-145. My personal trainer put me on a 1400-1500 cal diet with 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I’m trying to stick to this but I’m hungry all the time! Even drinking water makes me nauseous when I try to see if I’m thirsty rather than hungry. I have a moderately active job where I stand/walk for 95% of my shift.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to lose weight and tone up but I’m hungry, nauseous, cold and tired all the time! Please help!
Apologies for all the questions to come, but I'd really like to try to help, and there's just not enough information yet.
At your size, with an active all day job, I'd expect your maintenance calories to be somewhere North of 2000 - maybe several hundred calories so, depending on other aspects of your life.
What does "not seeing much progress" mean? No loss at all? Slow loss (how slow, specifically)? Over what time period?
Hungry, cold, and tired are all signs of undereating, and cold/tired are signs of your energy level tanking so that you spend fewer calories living everyday life than you would if you were adequately fueled. That would be counterproductive. Also, underfueling can cause water retention (from stress/cortisol, basically) and confuse things on the bodyweight scale.
When you tried 1650 previously, how long did you stick with it, to decide that you were not losing?
Are you sure your food logging practices are as accurate as you can make them? (Confirm the database entries you use, don't use other people's multi-ingredient entries (tuna sandwich, lasagna, etc.), use food scale ideally or at least cup/spoon measures (not "one piece" "one serving"), count cooking oils/condiments/beverages/dressings, count bites/licks/tastes, and that sort of thing.) If you make your diary open temporarily, some of the old hands can take a look at it, and maybe help you fine tune accuracy.
You mention targeting macros, so I'll assume you're coming close. What kind of foods are you eating? Did the trainer get you started on protein drinks or meal replacements for some of your meals and a fair percent of your calories, or anything like that?17 -
And added to all what AnnP wrote: Are you happy with the food you currently eat, or do you feel it's not what you'd normally eat? Does the higher amount of protein leave you hungry, or the lower amount of fats?1
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weigh/measure/check everything to make sure you're not off with your calorie count, and if spot on and you're still hungry, maybe volume eating would help a bit? I love big salads, stews, etc - lots of food but very few calories.. throw in some lentils, beans, lean meat and you get plenty of fibre *and* protein5
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Sorry for the lack of information! By not much progress I mean my weight is just being maintained and fluctuating a couple pounds from day to day.
I tried 1650 a day for probably about 1-1.5 months. The only thing it seems I’ve been able to do to lose weight (even though I didn’t feel good) was only eating roughly 1,000-1,100 calls a day, sometimes less and doing cardio for a couple hours per day. I know that’s not good but it appears to be the only thing that’s ever worked.
I always use a food scale and cup/spoon measures as well. I barely use any condiments normally so I don’t usually count them. I’ve noticed the more I try to restrict my caloric intake, the more obsessive I get about what I’m eating and I want to try and stop that.
I drink protein shakes but none that he started me on and I’ve been trying to eat low/non fat items (cottage cheese, egg whites, fat free yogurt with more protein, fruits, turkey, reduced fat string cheese, etc).
It almost feels as though too much protein and lack of fat is partially the cause of me feeling nauseous but I’m not sure. I thought protein was supposed to be satiating but it doesn’t keep me full for long. Some days I do so well all day (aside from the cold, tired, nauseous and dizzy feelings) and then I get home and I eat everything in site and then go back to restricting the next day.
I’m thinking of lowering my carb intake and raising my fat intake from 40% carbs down to 30% and taking my fats to 30%. I’m so tired of feeling like crap and not getting any closer to my goals. I want to stop obsessing about food and fearing any sort of weight gain.
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[/quote]Apologies for all the questions to come, but I'd really like to try to help, and there's just not enough information yet.
At your size, with an active all day job, I'd expect your maintenance calories to be somewhere North of 2000 - maybe several hundred calories so, depending on other aspects of your life.
What does "not seeing much progress" mean? No loss at all? Slow loss (how slow, specifically)? Over what time period?
Hungry, cold, and tired are all signs of undereating, and cold/tired are signs of your energy level tanking so that you spend fewer calories living everyday life than you would if you were adequately fueled. That would be counterproductive. Also, underfueling can cause water retention (from stress/cortisol, basically) and confuse things on the bodyweight scale.
When you tried 1650 previously, how long did you stick with it, to decide that you were not losing?
Are you sure your food logging practices are as accurate as you can make them? (Confirm the database entries you use, don't use other people's multi-ingredient entries (tuna sandwich, lasagna, etc.), use food scale ideally or at least cup/spoon measures (not "one piece" "one serving"), count cooking oils/condiments/beverages/dressings, count bites/licks/tastes, and that sort of thing.) If you make your diary open temporarily, some of the old hands can take a look at it, and maybe help you fine tune accuracy.
You mention targeting macros, so I'll assume you're coming close. What kind of foods are you eating? Did the trainer get you started on protein drinks or meal replacements for some of your meals and a fair percent of your calories, or anything like that? [/quote]
Sorry for the lack of information! By not much progress I mean my weight is just being maintained and fluctuating a couple pounds from day to day.
I tried 1650 a day for probably about 1-1.5 months. The only thing it seems I’ve been able to do to lose weight (even though I didn’t feel good) was only eating roughly 1,000-1,100 calls a day, sometimes less and doing cardio for a couple hours per day. I know that’s not good but it appears to be the only thing that’s ever worked.
I always use a food scale and cup/spoon measures as well. I barely use any condiments normally so I don’t usually count them. I’ve noticed the more I try to restrict my caloric intake, the more obsessive I get about what I’m eating and I want to try and stop that.
I drink protein shakes but none that he started me on and I’ve been trying to eat low/non fat items (cottage cheese, egg whites, fat free yogurt with more protein, fruits, turkey, reduced fat string cheese, etc).
It almost feels as though too much protein and lack of fat is partially the cause of me feeling nauseous but I’m not sure. I thought protein was supposed to be satiating but it doesn’t keep me full for long. Some days I do so well all day (aside from the cold, tired, nauseous and dizzy feelings) and then I get home and I eat everything in site and then go back to restricting the next day.
I’m thinking of lowering my carb intake and raising my fat intake from 40% carbs down to 30% and taking my fats to 30%. I’m so tired of feeling like crap and not getting any closer to my goals. I want to stop obsessing about food and fearing any sort of weight gain.
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It almost feels as though too much protein and lack of fat is partially the cause of me feeling nauseous but I’m not sure.
It could be. I'd shift your macros and see how that works.I thought protein was supposed to be satiating but it doesn’t keep me full for long.
Protein is for most, but there is some research that's more from going from a lower level to a moderate level (40% seems quite high to me, I usually aim for 0.6-0.8 g/lb of goal weight, and did about 30% when dieting). Also, while people vary, fat is satiating for some and low fat is hard for still others. Also, even those who find protein sating will not necessarily find it sating in shake/powder/liquid form. And satiety is just personal -- for many, fiber will matter a lot, for some it's volume or meal patterns, etc.Some days I do so well all day (aside from the cold, tired, nauseous and dizzy feelings) and then I get home and I eat everything in site and then go back to restricting the next day.
This really sounds like you are undereating leading to some incidents of overeating sabotaging results. And the cold, tired, etc., as well as the cals, seems like a sign that cals are too low.I’m thinking of lowering my carb intake and raising my fat intake from 40% carbs down to 30% and taking my fats to 30%. I’m so tired of feeling like crap and not getting any closer to my goals. I want to stop obsessing about food and fearing any sort of weight gain.
I don't think this is a bad idea, but I also think the protein is higher than you need, probably. Rather than focusing immediately on macros, I'd think about what foods make you feel sated and satisfied (since a lot of this is mental too) and start working them in and then (through logging) get a better understanding of what those macros are.10 -
Your BMR is the minimum you should eat. That's if you do nothing lying around in bed.
I would suggest I crashing calories to 1700 or 1800 as. a start. Perhaps... If you are not losing after increasing cals add some strength training to build a bit of muscle.
Calculator results. https://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html?ctype=standard&cage=25&csex=f&cheightfeet=5&cheightinch=8&cpound=172&cheightmeter=180&ckg=60&cmop=0&coutunit=c&cformula=m&cfatpct=20&x=56&y=22
BMR = 1,574 Calories/day
Daily calorie needs based on activity level
Activity Level Calorie
Sedentary: little or no exercise 1,888
Exercise 1-3 times/week 2,164
Exercise 4-5 times/week 2,305
Daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week 2,439
Intense exercise 6-7 times/week 2,715
Very intense exercise daily, or physical job 2,990
Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity1 -
It almost feels as though too much protein and lack of fat is partially the cause of me feeling nauseous but I’m not sure.
It could be. I'd shift your macros and see how that works.I thought protein was supposed to be satiating but it doesn’t keep me full for long.
Protein is for most, but there is some research that's more from going from a lower level to a moderate level (40% seems quite high to me, I usually aim for 0.6-0.8 g/lb of goal weight, and did about 30% when dieting). Also, while people vary, fat is satiating for some and low fat is hard for still others. Also, even those who find protein sating will not necessarily find it sating in shake/powder/liquid form. And satiety is just personal -- for many, fiber will matter a lot, for some it's volume or meal patterns, etc.Some days I do so well all day (aside from the cold, tired, nauseous and dizzy feelings) and then I get home and I eat everything in site and then go back to restricting the next day.
This really sounds like you are undereating leading to some incidents of overeating sabotaging results. And the cold, tired, etc., as well as the cals, seems like a sign that cals are too low.I’m thinking of lowering my carb intake and raising my fat intake from 40% carbs down to 30% and taking my fats to 30%. I’m so tired of feeling like crap and not getting any closer to my goals. I want to stop obsessing about food and fearing any sort of weight gain.
I don't think this is a bad idea, but I also think the protein is higher than you need, probably. Rather than focusing immediately on macros, I'd think about what foods make you feel sated and satisfied (since a lot of this is mental too) and start working them in and then (through logging) get a better understanding of what those macros are.
Yes to the bolded! Was in this vicious cycle for years myself.
OP, find your TDEE and eat at a reasonable deficit. Eat food that YOU find satiating and enjoy, something you can stick to now and in maintenance. Weigh everything for awhile until you feel very confident in what you choose not to weigh anymore. Losing weight shouldn’t be torture, and we (generally) make it a lot harder for ourselves than we should. If you take anything away from this it’s- be patient, consistent, and watch your weight trend to account for completely normal day to day fluctuations. This is science not luck. If you switch your mindset to tracking being a tool and not emotional sabotage, things become more attainable.
Btw, you’re gorgeous. I said what I said 😊8 -
I understand your frustrations. I am 5' 7" and in order maintain / keep my current weight of 160 lbs - I cannot eat over 1700 a day. I am not sedentary, I get 7000 - 10,000 steps a day - roughly 3 - 5 miles a day.
3 years ago I was able to reach my goal weight of 150 lbs. I succeeded / maintained keeping the weight off for almost a year. However that meant I couldn't eat more than 1450 per day while still walking about 3 -5 miles a day. I loved how I looked and how my clothes fit when I was 10 lbs lighter. BUT, I HATED the constant struggle to maintain that weight, feeling hungry almost everyday and feeling guilty if I had eaten an extra 100 or 200 calories to quiet the hunger pangs. I felt as if I had failed and sabotaged myself by having that extra bit of food.
Eventually I realized those extra 250 allowed me to feel better, not to feel so restricted and to enjoy a food treat or a glass wine with out feeling guilty. Doesn't seem like much- 250 cal - but that little bit made a huge difference in my weight and how I feel. It is a balance and at times a struggle to find that sweet spot between weight loss and maintaining a comfortable, healthy weight without feeling deprived.
It might be that you need those calories to keep you healthy. 140-145 lbs might be your goal, however try eating at slightly higher calories and see how you feel when you reach 165, then 160. and so on.... You might find that you goal weight might not be that ideal for your health and well being. You will find your balance, it will take some tweaking of your calorie intake and your daily expenditure, but you will get there. Time and Patience. There is no one size fits all when it comes to weight loss. Good Luck!6 -
Hi I am a bit taller than you at 5,9 but currently 166lbs, my TDEE is 2300 cals so I lose on about 1800 cals a day and tend to net this each week. However If I do extra exersise that i know has burnt more calories like a long hike or bike ride I will eat back all those calories. This means on average with exersise I'm eating more than 1800 cals a day.
I have lost 3 stone this way very gradually as some months I ate at maintenance etc. I am also pretty active and work out 5 days a week. I tend to calorie cycle so there are 2 days a week I eat at 1500 cals so I can eat more at weekends or when im very active. I find this really helps and I'm never hungry. I have also found the MFP exersise data base to be pretty accurate too, I had an issue with walking recently which I over estimated and it stalled my weight loss. I realised I was logging a speed that was too fast, the minuite I amended it ive lost again.
I would try increasing calories for sure, I think its super important to try and lose on the highest amount of cals possible for metabolism reasons and this is why I really believe in regular breaks eating at maintenance too : ) However like others have said everybody is different and it's important to find out what your true maintenance is too.2 -
Components of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). BMR = basal metabolic rate; NEAT = non-exercise activity thermogenesis; TEF = thermic effect of food; EAT = exercise activity thermogenesis; REE = resting energy expenditure; NREE = non-resting energy expenditure. Adapted from Maclean et al., 2011.3 -
Your BMR is the minimum you should eat. That's if you do nothing lying around in bed.
I would suggest I crashing calories to 1700 or 1800 as. a start. Perhaps... If you are not losing after increasing cals add some strength training to build a bit of muscle.
Calculator results. https://www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html?ctype=standard&cage=25&csex=f&cheightfeet=5&cheightinch=8&cpound=172&cheightmeter=180&ckg=60&cmop=0&coutunit=c&cformula=m&cfatpct=20&x=56&y=22
BMR = 1,574 Calories/day
Daily calorie needs based on activity level
Activity Level Calorie
Sedentary: little or no exercise 1,888
Exercise 1-3 times/week 2,164
Exercise 4-5 times/week 2,305
Daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week 2,439
Intense exercise 6-7 times/week 2,715
Very intense exercise daily, or physical job 2,990
Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity
This is a nicely detailed TDEE list, but very exercise focused. As your later post shows, NEAT > EAT, for many/most people. OP says she has a "moderately active job where I stand/walk for 95% of my shift." Unless it's a very minor part time job, it's likely that that's enough to put her into at least the "exercise 1-3 times/week" tier, and quite possibly higher, just through the NEAT, even before any intentional exercise she may add.
I know you know this, KHMcG, and it was helpful that you posted these specifics for sure, but I'm making the connections explicit because so many people who come here seem to misunderstand how important the NEAT dimension is, and exercise-focused TDEE levels don't necessarily tip them off. Need to read between the lines a little, and not everyone does.7 -
OP, I asked you all those questions earlier. The only reason I haven't come back with advice is that by the time I'd gotten back to MFP, you'd already gotten great advice from others.
Please don't assume that others' calorie goals/needs apply to you. Start from a calculator like MFP or a TDEE calculator, and choose a deficit (at your current size) no bigger than a pound a week. It sounds like dieting may be very stressful for you (understandable) and unfortunately that can make it take even longer for results to show up clearly on the scale, because there's a relationship between stress and water weight. Try to get enough sleep, and consider stress management strategies.
Stick to the calculator's estimate for at least one full menstrual cycle, logging food carefully (all of it, preferably with a food scale when you can) so you can compare weight at the same relative point in at least two different menstrual cycles.
I can't explictly prove it scientifically **, but I believe that we can train our bodies to run on fewer than ideal calories, when a more healthful goal (as someone else mentioned) would be to eat as many calories as possible while still losing weight, because that's a "teach your body to thrive" strategy rather than a "teach your body to limp along on a minimum" strategy. (** But there are some pretty bold arrows that point in that direction.)
I'm betting you want thick, beautiful glossy hair; strong smooth nails; a glowing complexion. And I'm betting you'd like to keep all of those to as old an age as you can manage. Teaching your body to thrive gives you better odds of getting and keeping those things.
I hope you're able, using the advice above, to arrive at a calorie level that will allow you to achieve sensibly slow weight loss; and to find a macro balance, food timing, and specific foods that help you do so while feeling satiated and generally energetic and vibrant.
Wishing you all the best!11 -
thx and yes agreed.1
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It almost feels as though too much protein and lack of fat is partially the cause of me feeling nauseous but I’m not sure.
It could be. I'd shift your macros and see how that works.I thought protein was supposed to be satiating but it doesn’t keep me full for long.
Protein is for most, but there is some research that's more from going from a lower level to a moderate level (40% seems quite high to me, I usually aim for 0.6-0.8 g/lb of goal weight, and did about 30% when dieting). Also, while people vary, fat is satiating for some and low fat is hard for still others. Also, even those who find protein sating will not necessarily find it sating in shake/powder/liquid form. And satiety is just personal -- for many, fiber will matter a lot, for some it's volume or meal patterns, etc.Some days I do so well all day (aside from the cold, tired, nauseous and dizzy feelings) and then I get home and I eat everything in site and then go back to restricting the next day.
This really sounds like you are undereating leading to some incidents of overeating sabotaging results. And the cold, tired, etc., as well as the cals, seems like a sign that cals are too low.I’m thinking of lowering my carb intake and raising my fat intake from 40% carbs down to 30% and taking my fats to 30%. I’m so tired of feeling like crap and not getting any closer to my goals. I want to stop obsessing about food and fearing any sort of weight gain.
I don't think this is a bad idea, but I also think the protein is higher than you need, probably. Rather than focusing immediately on macros, I'd think about what foods make you feel sated and satisfied (since a lot of this is mental too) and start working them in and then (through logging) get a better understanding of what those macros are.
The CDC recommends 10-35% of daily calories from protein.
I'm guessing the trainer is beyond the scope of their practice.giving macro guidance that isn't simply a statement of CDC or USDA guidelines.4 -
Thank you for all of the help, everyone! I’m going to try increasing my calories a little bit and play with my macros more or possibly relax with them a little and go from there and see if I feel better! And @msalicia07, thank you for the compliment, I appreciate it so much
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@alykiss Good luck!! it's such an emotional journey but this place is a great source of support! come back and let us know how you get on : )1
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Leonie_M234 wrote: »@alykiss Good luck!! it's such an emotional journey but this place is a great source of support! come back and let us know how you get on : )
Seconding that! It would be great if you could come back to the thread in a month or so, and let us know how you're doing. Hoping it will be very positive. 🙂0
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