Issues with calories!

sollyn23l2

Lightbeamer wrote: »

I am so used to 'full' feeling, that I don't know when my stomach says 'OK, you are satisfied. I don't want anymore.' It's hard to admit when you cannot handle no being full. Like last night, I felt fine with the stir-fry I had, and then I bolted and ate a bunch of chips.

Is that about feeling full though? I would argue if you bolted for chips, that's about cravings more than wanting to feel full. Both are equally legitimate, but I think it can be helpful to reflect on the difference and what caused a given behavior.

Lightbeamer

That's true. I have a meeting with a dietician on Tuesday. I hope it's a normal lady, that is a woman that has diabetes, and how it can be managed through food. My blood sugar was 99 this morning.

I should correct that. I feel 'overfull' most of the time, and then my stomach is like: 'You ate too much, you will pay for it tomorrow.' Cravings are prevalent, but that doesn't mean I don't have control of things with my diet. It's true.

I feel like I am starving myself all over again to lose weight. I know it's not healthy. I need guidance. I need to write in a journal. I have a hard time keeping things an appropriate size. When I get hungry after dinner, I have an issue with keeping from having more than I should.

Like 2 servings instead of one. I feel out of sorts after. My brain says 'How do you expect to lose weight? 2 servings is too much!' Then I feel guilty. I have been referred to this dietician, because my doc feels that I need to get things straightened out. I steadfastly deny that I have an eating disorder. If the 2003-2004 weight loss was not healthy, it's possible that I was so focused on the loss, that I developed something.

The liver doc... not seen yet. That's on the 16th of this month.

I just have so many issues. It's pretty sad.

sollyn23l2

Lightbeamer wrote: »

That's true. I have a meeting with a dietician on Tuesday. I hope it's a normal lady, that is a woman that has diabetes, and how it can be managed through food. My blood sugar was 99 this morning.

I should correct that. I feel 'overfull' most of the time, and then my stomach is like: 'You ate too much, you will pay for it tomorrow.' Cravings are prevalent, but that doesn't mean I don't have control of things with my diet. It's true.

I feel like I am starving myself all over again to lose weight. I know it's not healthy. I need guidance. I need to write in a journal. I have a hard time keeping things an appropriate size. When I get hungry after dinner, I have an issue with keeping from having more than I should.

Like 2 servings instead of one. I feel out of sorts after. My brain says 'How do you expect to lose weight? 2 servings is too much!' Then I feel guilty. I have been referred to this dietician, because my doc feels that I need to get things straightened out. I steadfastly deny that I have an eating disorder. If the 2003-2004 weight loss was not healthy, it's possible that I was so focused on the loss, that I developed something.

The liver doc... not seen yet. That's on the 16th of this month.

I just have so many issues. It's pretty sad.

I'm sure the dietician will give you some good ideas. I'm a big believer in whole foods, but nothing is ever as easy as it should be.

herringboxes

Yeah, I hear ya.

You can also try to stick with very similar foods and portions every day. Like, same breakfast, similar lunch, and dinner is just one helping that fits on a specific plate without piling it up into Mt Everest.

springlering62

If you “need to” and know it will be helpful, why not just do it? Seems pretty simple (though I know from experience doing and knowing are two different things).

Just Do It, like the super annoying but true slogan says.

Lightbeamer

I 'need to' reestablish my relationship with food, seriously. I hated being 'too thin' according to my parents, but I changed plans when I hit goal. I went from 264 to 145 pounds in a year. My ex-wife used to make like 4 times the meals that I had, when I was exercising during the night too. I picked up things all over the hospital I worked at.

My dad actually came over to our condo and criticized her for not feeding me enough. She told him how much she was cooking each day. She ended up telling him to leave, because he noticed that I was becoming 'thinner', even though I ate that much. I was losing fat on purpose, because I wanted my 6 pack!

I was burning about 2500 to 3000 calories a day during that time. I would order salads, and they were at least a pound with all the fixings, I felt full because of the exercise making it that way. I did not feel overstuffed with food.

I ended up working out on the equipment that was reserved for heart attack or prediabetes because I cleaned used equipment during the night (I was on graveyard shift). I would exercise out twice a day and walk from one end of the hospital picking up dirty equipment. I was a gym rat. But it was nice to be alone. Helped me think, and I was not hungry.

I felt satiated. That's what I wanted. Satiety. And I had it, until I didn't have my job, and my ex-wife; especially the kids. I'm glad that they do not have to worry about all the stuff I've been doing. They all passed from 2012 to 2015. My oldest son, he never knew me. I often wonder how he is doing. But I can't contact him.

I know what I need to do, but I need the guidance from the dietician before proceeding, because I will be told to eat a low fat high carb diet. That it's all I can do, according to the dietician I used to have.

However, there has been talk about the Mediterranean diet. I feel like I can't afford it. I will have to try it, as I wait for what I can do from the liver doc. I may be on the right track, but it's better to consult with them.

vivmom2014

Once you've had your meeting with the dietician, keeping track of everything on MyFitnessPal can serve as a sort of safety net -- reassurance that you are eating enough (or warning that you're overeating), macros are right there for you to see, so that you're not in fear of having too much salt.

My husband has anxiety over feeling hungry. It's just something I've noticed over the years, and I tell him that feeling hungry is a perfectly normal, even beneficial, function of the body. (We're not talking about serious hunger, just an empty feeling of wanting to eat.) Perhaps you could reframe how you think about that, which may help for those times that you bolt for the chips.

AnnPT77

Lightbeamer wrote: »

That's true. I have a meeting with a dietician on Tuesday. I hope it's a normal lady, that is a woman that has diabetes, and how it can be managed through food. My blood sugar was 99 this morning.

I should correct that. I feel 'overfull' most of the time, and then my stomach is like: 'You ate too much, you will pay for it tomorrow.' Cravings are prevalent, but that doesn't mean I don't have control of things with my diet. It's true.

I feel like I am starving myself all over again to lose weight. I know it's not healthy. I need guidance. I need to write in a journal. I have a hard time keeping things an appropriate size. When I get hungry after dinner, I have an issue with keeping from having more than I should.

Like 2 servings instead of one. I feel out of sorts after. My brain says 'How do you expect to lose weight? 2 servings is too much!' Then I feel guilty. I have been referred to this dietician, because my doc feels that I need to get things straightened out. I steadfastly deny that I have an eating disorder. If the 2003-2004 weight loss was not healthy, it's possible that I was so focused on the loss, that I developed something.

The liver doc... not seen yet. That's on the 16th of this month.

I just have so many issues. It's pretty sad.

You may not have an eating disorder, but it does sound like you have have some challenges with your thought patterns about eating. That's not unusual, nor is it blameful.

There should be no stigma in consulting the kind of professional who helps with thought-patterns problems, and that would be a psychologist or other therapist/professional counselor. It's not different from consulting a plumber when we have problems with our water system, or a mechanic when we have challenges with our car.

Your dietitian should be able to help you organize your eating habits (and that's true even if she isn't personally diabetic), because that's what she's trained and been educated to do. The thoughts/feelings part of it is not the main subject of her study/training, though she may have some experiential knowledge from working with others.

There are also books or podcasts and such that others here have used to work through some of those thought-patterns issues. One I remember others here recommending is "The Beck Diet Solution" (not a diet book per se, but a book about managing/modifying thoughts, attitudes, and habits related to eating). Possibly other people can recommend some sources of that type that they've used.

I hope you're able to find a solution: I think you can, with commitment and patience.

kshama2001

Lightbeamer wrote: »

...I know what I need to do, but I need the guidance from the dietician before proceeding, because I will be told to eat a low fat high carb diet. That it's all I can do, according to the dietician I used to have.

However, there has been talk about the Mediterranean diet. I feel like I can't afford it. I will have to try it, as I wait for what I can do from the liver doc. I may be on the right track, but it's better to consult with them.

Here's an article with "eight Mediterranean diet staples that won’t blow your budget, along with a few easy ways to prepare them"

https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2022/cheap-mediterranean-diet.html

Their number one was my number one thought about keeping the Med diet affordable - fish. It's expensive where I live, and I'm on the coast of Massachusetts in the US, which has a large fishing industry. One of my supermarkets has "chowder fish" in the seafood section. This is odds and ends fish and is a fraction of the cost of bigger pieces of fish. I don't care for chowder so use it for fish cakes.

A suggestion in the article is using canned seafood. I'm going to try the canned tuna with white beans idea. The AARP article doesn't give proportions but I found this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/white_bean_and_tuna_salad/

The article also mentions frozen fruit. When berries are not in season, I buy frozen. When they are in season, I pick them myself.

Discuss your budget concerns with your dietitian. Ask about substituting chicken for some of the fish and what suggestions they have for keeping costs down.

The prices for canned tuna can vary wildly here so I use the Flipp app to see where it is on sale and stock up. I also look at the supermarket flyers before I decide where to shop. Some stores have fabulous "loss leaders" and I shop there for only sale items and get my staples at the store with everyday low prices. Some MFP posters love Aldi's for their low prices.

Lightbeamer

I have a therapist. I'll have to bring it up with her. Usually, we are allotted about an hour. Sometimes we go way over that. I have schizophrenia too. Too many med changes lately. We stopped modifying them. I see him this month. People have told me my behavior is erratic.

Same with the eating. I will see what I can find regarding the book. It sounds like a good thing to read.

Lightbeamer

vivmom2014 wrote: »

Once you've had your meeting with the dietician, keeping track of everything on MyFitnessPal can serve as a sort of safety net -- reassurance that you are eating enough (or warning that you're overeating), macros are right there for you to see, so that you're not in fear of having too much salt.

My husband has anxiety over feeling hungry. It's just something I've noticed over the years, and I tell him that feeling hungry is a perfectly normal, even beneficial, function of the body. (We're not talking about serious hunger, just an empty feeling of wanting to eat.) Perhaps you could reframe how you think about that, which may help for those times that you bolt for the chips.

I just try stay below my numbers, but I realize that I can't. I require salt, no matter what I think about it. Hence the craving for the chips. I cannot control myself in the evening. I eat, everything, Or pretty much everything, But chips are my guilty pleasure.

I reserved the book that Ann suggested. Should be at the library (interlibrary loans, gotta love em) in the next couple days. I think the book will help, but I've got the 'For Life' version coming. We'll see how that goes. Thinking yourself skinny. Seems to be more like a mind game, or better yet, a psychologist in the palm of your hand.

AnnPT77

Lightbeamer wrote: »

vivmom2014 wrote: »

Once you've had your meeting with the dietician, keeping track of everything on MyFitnessPal can serve as a sort of safety net -- reassurance that you are eating enough (or warning that you're overeating), macros are right there for you to see, so that you're not in fear of having too much salt.

My husband has anxiety over feeling hungry. It's just something I've noticed over the years, and I tell him that feeling hungry is a perfectly normal, even beneficial, function of the body. (We're not talking about serious hunger, just an empty feeling of wanting to eat.) Perhaps you could reframe how you think about that, which may help for those times that you bolt for the chips.

I just try stay below my numbers, but I realize that I can't. I require salt, no matter what I think about it. Hence the craving for the chips. I cannot control myself in the evening. I eat, everything, Or pretty much everything, But chips are my guilty pleasure.

I reserved the book that Ann suggested. Should be at the library (interlibrary loans, gotta love em) in the next couple days. I think the book will help, but I've got the 'For Life' version coming. We'll see how that goes. Thinking yourself skinny. Seems to be more like a mind game, or better yet, a psychologist in the palm of your hand.

Salt+crunch craving: Consider pickles. Or raw unpasteurized sauerkraut. I have salt cravings (I sweat really, really lots, indelicately much for a li'l ol' lady TBH). I also like Enlighted (Bada Bean Bada Boom) crispy broadbeans, in the 100-calorie packs. That's almost as many calories as chips, but more nutrient dense, and the individual packs help me with portion control. YMMV.

Lightbeamer

Also... I really do have problems with keeping moving. I have been walking with my mom and the dog during the morning. Whenever he stops, I wait. Good for him, bad for me. I seem to have a groin injury because of it, the pelvic bone has the sciatic nerve in it, and so I can hurt that very easily. Granted it's not a serious one. I've iced it today, and it feels better. Thankfully. Gotta ice every 4 hours for 20 min. It's been playing nice today.

Sorry for letting you know the issues of the day. I took today off because of the pull. Lots and lots of stuff going on here on the computer. I am listening to a calming song on Spotify and am making friends with all of you! I am a chess player also. Trying to keep going on things in that department too. I technically have too much on my plate. Walking and swimming, and the Dutch Defense for now. Biking will become available in a few weeks. Providing I get enough money for it.

There is a program I am following that will help me become an IM, International Master. It's grueling. Got to learn as much as I can during the day. I need to consult with the dietician about the Mediterranean Diet, do a ton of chess puzzles (over 1300 of them), study another 'opening' (chess term for the beginning of the game) I have 7 to learn this month. I got to split them all into manageable items.

And finally, trying to figure out what I can do on my birthday, which is on the 19th.

And finally sleep. 8:30pm, lots of meds knock me out at that time.

I will look into the entries from AARP. I am glad that they have a digital edition, because my mom gets the print version each month. The shakshura looks very good for breakfast.

I delayed my triathlon training and set it for 2025. I need to get my 'base': exercises for Heart Rate, Speed, etc.' I am trying to manage Fatigue. It'll take a while, maybe 2 years. I've been moving too fast, because for some reason I expect to go into this race next year in April.

Calories are going to burn heavily next year. I start training next year. But I need to get used to exercising again. So many things to do. I hope I am able to create a solid base in swimming. I might need to meet with a triathlon trainer, and it's definitely not cheap.

If any of you are doing strength training, let me know some exercises that can help me. According to my mom, it seems like my spine is somewhat 'twisted' when I walk ahead, and I dobn't have muxch head support. I have trouble keeping my head up.

Too much to think about. I am off for the day.

Geez, this seems to like a blog post. lol! I will read the book Ann and give you a message on here as to what things are going to need to change in order to stabilize mentally, and physically, and food-wise. I will also talk to my therapist and let her know about the eating issues I am having. We are supposed to stay on my eventual recovery from my mind. Schizophrenia is not something I would give my worst enemy. It is literal hell.

My actual blog is here: myphysicality.blogspot.com (it's a triathlon training journal)

Thank you again everyone!

kshama2001

@Lightbeamer how'd it go with your dietitian?

I made the tuna and bean yesterday I posted previously. It's melding right now, but I think it's going to be really good!

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/white_bean_and_tuna_salad/

csplatt

have you tried pre logging your food for the day? instead of wrestling over whether to have a second serving, you have already decided how much you are having and the goal is to eat ALL of what you planned!

Lightbeamer

Yes. It makes it much easier to know what's next on the menu. I just sent did 4 hours of meal prep. lol

It better work! *smirk*

Lightbeamer

@kashama2001: The dietician went fantastically!!! We were her last appointment, and we made her run over after the closing of the appointment. We had found that I had already lost 7 pounds before I was placed on the Mediterranean Diet. My last appointment with my doc was May 18th. We don't see him for 4 months, September 18th is the date he sees me. I am ecstatic! I feel that I was led to this lifestyle change, to not make me so hungry, like other diets I have tried.

Ever since starting, I have constantly been hitting my targets. It's awesome! And the best part, I am getting used to having energy. I am a little tired, because of the 4 hours of meal prep that I just finished. But it is worth it not to be hungry.

I saved your bean and tuna recipe.

Let me know how you all are doing!

herringboxes

Great work! The fact that you feel good means you’ll keep going!!

If you have setbacks for any reason, just get right back on the horse again asap.

It’s worth it!!

Lightbeamer

Setbacks are major. I quit if I have a setback. So I'm making food and eating *after* I place it in the tracker. That way, my whole day is planned before I do anything. I need to make food prep more manageable though. I am meticulous with the recipes, but very liberal with spices and such. Meal prep is worth it, but how can I make it easier?

cmriverside

I've usually don't spend more than 15 minutes on daily meal prep, and I eat mostly whole foods.

Once you get a few recipes you like you can batch cook and freeze individually weighed portions. Precooking chicken is helpful. Pre-made spaghetti sauce and soups freeze well, and they tend to be a lot of chopping and prep.

Not sure what you're doing that makes it so time-consuming? Maybe simplify down to protein and vegetables on most meals. The "Mediterranean Diet" can be simple meals: whole foods, olive oil, whole grains, fruit, nuts, legumes, vegetables, and some dairy like Greek yogurt...it isn't about complicated recipes. Just cook up a piece of fish or chicken, saute some vegetables, maybe have a side of grain. A piece of whole fruit for dessert, maybe with a little yogurt and nuts. Simples.