Can someone please help me get back on track!

frankiejs

Over the summer I lost quite a bit of weight and dropped from size 10-8 without really trying! I just started running quite often and not snacking. I have been using MFP since to try and keep the weight off, lose slightly more and tone up. I haven't lost any more weight since using it! I have found that it makes me a bit obsessive about what i'm eating and making me think about food loads. For example, I feel guilty having pasta for dinner because its so many more calories than a healthier alternative such as stir fry but them i'm under my daily 'allowance' and ruin the healthy day by eating something unhealthy like biscuits to use up my remaining calories.
Basically I find that I obsess about everything until I end up 'letting go' and technically binging. Most days i eat about 1500 which I think is my maintenance allowance and then some days I eat out and go mad and end up nearer 3000.
I run and go to the gym about 3 times a week.
Can someone help me get back on track/ help me make a plan please!

SezxyStef

I highly doubt 1500 is your maintenance.

Best question as well is are you weighing your food?

there is nothing unhealthy about biscuts if you can fit it in.

The best thing to do is this

Figure out what you want to lose and how quickly you want to do it...suggestion is over 100lbs 2lbs a week, between 50-100 1.5lb a week, under 10-15 1/2lb a week...so that leaves between 15-50 1lb a week.

find out how much you can eat to do that before exercise, weight your food and eat back some of your exercise calories.

It's that easy.

Don't stress over "good" and "bad" food just stay within your allowances.

As well it's not a daily thing...if you go over one day by 500...try to be under by 100 the next couple...it will all workout in the end.

I am 41, lift weights and eat 1600 to lose 1lb a week....and I do when I watch..If I don't it's 1/2lb a week which is fine as I only have about 8 to go...so that should give you some idea of where you could be.

allshebe

There aren't any "bad" foods, though some choices tend to "work out" better than others. I tend to eat a pretty regular/predictable diet for breakfast and mostly have the same predictability at lunch. I keep those two meals pretty low in calories, saving the bulk for dinner. I eat what I like, but limit portion sizes on higher calorie things (potatoes, rice, pasta, chocolate) or save them for special treats (larger than bite sized portions of "sweets", mostly). It helps to have some plans for a "healthy" calorie pick up snack for after dinner. My go tos are greek yogurt with fruit spread and "museli" made in the bowl by mixing dry oatmeal, some craisons and sometimes some PB2. Which I choose depends on which macros I most need to increase - yogurt when I need protein and/or calcium and oatmeal when I need carbs. You can "invent" some snacks to your own personal taste - biscuits are just fine, so long as you know about how many biscuits and with or without "extras" (butter, jam, gravy or ???) result in a particular macro count (calories, protein, carbs, for the most part). I usually enter the evening snack in MFP before I eat it to verify it's what I "need" - or try some other option that might "fit" better.

frankiejs

Thanks for replying!

I want to lose about 7Ibs but i'd like to lose 1Ib a week... is that overly ambitious?
I am 5ft 3 and my weight has been fluctuating between 54-58kg. I know i'm not far off my goal but I do have a few pounds to lose.

What do you think I should be eating to lose Ib a week?
my exercise regime is usually:
1 10km run about once a week (burns about 500calories)
1 body pump class per week
1 or 2 gym sessions per week (usually 30mins of cardio and then resistance machines/TRX for 20mins)

Yes i weigh everything but I eat out at least once a week which completely ruins it because I don't know how many calories are in what i'm eating!

I find the idea of being able to eat what I want as long as in my calorie allowance quite a weird concept to say im technically 'dieting'!