Increasing calories - kid in a candy shop

gorple76

I’m just coming to the end of a medically-recommended VLCD of 8 weeks. This week (week 8) increasing my calories so that from Monday I’ll be averaging around 1400 cals (but unevenly spread through the week to allow for wine and socialising at the weekend). Rather than the excitement/relief I thought I’d feel, I’m really apprehensive about eating too much or taking my foot off the break. Any words of wisdom or experience from anyone to help me keep my head, not freak out when my weight loss fluctuates, slows or stalls, and make sure I don’t go overboard once I relax a little at the weekend? The higher allowance is making me feel a bit like a kid on a candy shop

callsitlikeiseeit

im not sure i would save them all for just at the weekend. at least not quite yet. adding a couple hundred on to each day for a few weeks and gradually increasing might be the best way, not only to get used to being 'allowed' to eat a bit more but also to help avoid any surge in water weight from the sudden increase in food

penguinmama87

Just keep logging.

If the scale drops less than you'd like, it's OK to feel a little disappointed. Don't get frustrated with yourself for having feelings. But, then remember that feelings are not facts. If you're logging accurately, then you know how the math should work out over time so there's no need to panic.

gorple76

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

im not sure i would save them all for just at the weekend. at least not quite yet. adding a couple hundred on to each day for a few weeks and gradually increasing might be the best way, not only to get used to being 'allowed' to eat a bit more but also to help avoid any surge in water weight from the sudden increase in food

This is exactly the sort of wisdom I need, thank you. I’m definitely feeling like the increased allowance means I could go all out, but the other voice in my head is saying ‘you know you won’t stop though!’ I might just increase the week day calories for now, and hold off on the booze til I feel more able to keep it in check (I’ve felt significantly better for not drinking over the past 7 weeks so I’m not entirely sure why I’m so keen to start again 🤔)

gorple76

penguinmama87 wrote: »

Just keep logging.

If the scale drops less than you'd like, it's OK to feel a little disappointed. Don't get frustrated with yourself for having feelings. But, then remember that feelings are not facts. If you're logging accurately, then you know how the math should work out over time so there's no need to panic.

You’ve hit the nail on the head with the word ‘panic’, thank you @penguinmama87 In the past, when things haven’t gone as expected, I’ve figured it’s not working and either tried to do something entirely different or just given up. I think that I believe once the scale isn’t moving down quickly, all is lost and I’ve no way of controlling it. I also end up avoiding it, along with mfp and logging. You’re right to say I need to keep logging. Avoiding logging is basically my sticking my head in the sand and pretending it’s no longer a problem I can deal with.

wunderkindking

Slow increases for sure, and while I encourage spending some calories on treats/things you love - I think in this case I'd probably attempt to get my diet stabilized around what you're already eating, first. As in: Add a couple of hundred calories a day, but add them in healthy things. Once you're more used to that, by all means get to saving some for the candy (or whatever).

That number, when you first increase, can feel REALLY big and there is also a temptation to have all the 'treat' foods you've been missing. That can be an issue, because you're risking 1-) Crowding out actual nutrition you need and 2-) that number's not going to feel big for very long.

Coming off a vlcd yeah, 1400 feels like a lot but it's not going to feel like a lot a month or so from now once it's the norm - and remember this is still a deficit - so if you're then used to those treats making up 600 calories in your day you're going to get hungry and frustrated FAST.

xrj22

I would avoid splurging. Remember that the goal of this is to achieve a healthy, maintainable lifestyle. After 8 weeks, the way you are eating is not really a habit yet. I feel like it is important to create habbits with the TYPE of food I eat. I may eat more of it when not dieting, but I want to switch over to healthier way of eating long-term. Also, I have a LOT more issues with hunger when eating processed foods, sugar, or alcohol. So I would stay away from those things even if increasing the calories.

PAV8888

Transitions create vulnerability. Changing the type and quantity at the same time increases the vulnerability. PLUS you haven't had enough time to make the "new way" (whichever new way is the new way) a new normal. It ain't normal at all: it's a frigging VLCD.

So you're basically starting from scratch on a 1400 Cal diet because (it seems to me, though I might be wrong in your case, of course), but it seems probable to me that the only thing you can bring home from the VLCD is that you can succeed in losing weight once you reduce your calories below what you're spending and an emphasis on protein as a percentage of your total calories.

What you can't bring home from it is a new normal way of eating. Or how to fit both normal food and treats. Or that you can actually lose weight without seeing daily large drops on your scale... yet a few weeks later you look at your weight trend and realize you've actually lost an appreciable amount of weight!

So, yeah... time to establish a new normal in terms of nutrition and once you've done that... then start seeing about improving it and incorporating treats along the way.

I'm barking up the wrong tree here, probably... but I would start considering sustainability of effort and transition to maintenance and how you will keep doing whatever you will have been doing during weight loss into eventual maintenance... even if that day is a few years down the road!

Last; but not least, if you've identified a major potential issue... you may want to contemplate whether it is a blocking issue that you have to tackle head on, perhaps with some help, or whether it truly is an issue you can manage without undue angst. different folks, different strokes in terms of some of these things.

Best of luck.

gorple76

PAV8888 wrote: »

Transitions create vulnerability. Changing the type and quantity at the same time increases the vulnerability. PLUS you haven't had enough time to make the "new way" (whichever new way is the new way) a new normal. It ain't normal at all: it's a frigging VLCD.

So you're basically starting from scratch on a 1400 Cal diet because (it seems to me, though I might be wrong in your case, of course), but it seems probable to me that the only thing you can bring home from the VLCD is that you can succeed in losing weight once you reduce your calories below what you're spending and an emphasis on protein as a percentage of your total calories.

What you can't bring home from it is a new normal way of eating. Or how to fit both normal food and treats. Or that you can actually lose weight without seeing daily large drops on your scale... yet a few weeks later you look at your weight trend and realize you've actually lost an appreciable amount of weight!

So, yeah... time to establish a new normal in terms of nutrition and once you've done that... then start seeing about improving it and incorporating treats along the way.

I'm barking up the wrong tree here, probably... but I would start considering sustainability of effort and transition to maintenance and how you will keep doing whatever you will have been doing during weight loss into eventual maintenance... even if that day is a few years down the road!

Last; but not least, if you've identified a major potential issue... you may want to contemplate whether it is a blocking issue that you have to tackle head on, perhaps with some help, or whether it truly is an issue you can manage without undue angst. different folks, different strokes in terms of some of these things.

Best of luck.

It’s been interesting to find some unexpected realisations from this process. I’ve never had a normal way of eating so needing to find one now is not unexpected. But what I did realise was that I can be hungry and not die/pass out/crumble to dust (I really think that was a fear I had), that I can enjoy meals out, holidays and socialising without stuffing myself (a total revelation and relief) and that food can have a much less important role in my life. I’m hoping that I can hold onto these lessons. As for what I eat, I’ve always been pretty healthy in terms of what I choose to eat (We’re vegan, cook from scratch, rarely eat sweets etc) but I’ve always eaten a lot - big portions, constantly thinking about the next meal, snacking etc. I guess my next step is to gradually increase calories at meals (weighing and measuring so that portions stay sensible). My weekend ‘splurge’ isn’t really a splurge - just a couple of glasses of wine friday and saturday and eating the meals my other half cooks (which are still balanced but richer - dhals, pasta etc). It’s hard to know the calorie content of those though (he doesn’t follow a recipe and I don’t want to hover over him counting everything!). I guess the big allowance is about giving wiggle room for that really. Does that sound sensible?

PAV8888

Was between hug and inspired, went with inspiring! A couple of glasses of wine and a couple of richer meals on the weekend (not counted) can 100% either work... or not! Same as "free foods" and weight watchers. If you can stop within reasonable limits (neither excessively much nor excessively little)... it will work fine! Many of us have trouble finding that balance, so I sincerely hope that you do! On the plus side you don't have to be perfect all the time... just closer to a deficit than a surplus the majority of the time!