So Confused

Alinos31
Alinos31 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Folks...I have a strange situation and dont know what to do next. I am 45, female, 5'5 and currently at 160lbs. I lost about 20lbs a few months ago on a low calorie diet - averaging about 1000- 1200 calories a day. That was about 5 months ago. Since then I have pretty much eaten what I wanted and when I wanted. Not really over eating but any where between 1300-1700 calories a day. And strangely enough my weight has not gone up thankfully.

The question I have now is what next? I need to lose atleast 20lbs more to be healthy and i dont know where I should peg my calories. Just as fyi.... I wasnt exercising during the last 5 months. I thought about going the TDEE route but havent done that so far. One reason for that is that I have Type 2 diabetes and dont want to aggravate that by excess calories.

Any advice would be very helpful. Thanks!

Replies

  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    So, it sounds like you've been maintaining your weight for about 5 months eating what you feel like eating. This is good. Lots of people would be jealous of that.

    If you want to continue weight loss, you need to get a calorie deficit again. Count them up and aim for 20% less than what it would take to maintain weight. Since you've been maintaining, it probably only means a few small adjustments to your diet.

    For the diabetes part of that, talk to your doc. Watch out for the simple carbs. Exercise would also probably be helpful.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    It would be pretty unusual for you to gain weight if you're eating 1700 cal a day or less...you could probably continue to lose very slowly at that level, especially if you up your exercise just a little. Weight loss is all about the calorie deficit, so now you know a comfortable maintainance level for you...just create a deficit level below that. Consult your doctor though, since diabetes does change the picture a bit.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    You may want to start by just longing and eating as you are without worrying about calories. This will give you a better picture of where you are starting from. When I guess my calories I am usually 200 to 500 off for the day. I also agree you should consult your doctor or nutritionist who specializes in diabetes patients.
  • Alinos31
    Alinos31 Posts: 14
    Thanks for all the comments. The question I am still struggling with is that I lost 20lbs by being on a 1000 calorie diet and didnt gain anything on 1500 calories. Should I go back to 1000-1200 if I want to start losing again?

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