Feeling low today and demotivated

annejay

When i joined this site i got off to a great start. i was very determined and motivated, i've been working extremely hard but finding it so difficult keeping to 1200 calories a day. I rarely have any calories left late in the evening and end up going to bed hungry or going over my calorie intake and feeling like such a failure. As well as that weekends can be difficult, i tend to go visit friends at the weekend, maybe stay over and they would not be dieting so making healthy choices is not easy. There just seems to be so many obstacles. i feel like i'm fighting a losing battle. (add me as a friend i could use the support)

klmmoore

I just sent you a friend request. You can do this. I know the feeling of being demotivated. I feel the same way, but you just need to stick with this and the pounds will come off. MFP is great for support! Good luck and we will do this together!

Kerri

nikkijennings

Me too she says having just had some chocolate!!!!! :noway:

sandyland324

I've only been on here a week and it's been a challenge. I haven't last weight but I'm healthier than when I started. I am always over my calories on days I don't work out but I am much more aware of when/why I eat. This is a great place for support - just keep at it. You can do it!
Sandy
PS - I sent you a friend request too.

TammyK777

except for the same 2-3 pounds that I've gained and lost, the scale hasn't budged for me in 3 months. Today was the first time it moved lower and not by much. Gotta stick with it though. The scale can't rule what you're doing, living healthier is a day-by-day, step-by-step process. Maybe you should consider increasing your calorie budget. I've tried to keep at 1200 but get frustrated and depressed cause I always went over. I now try to stick around 1500 or so and don't get as stressed. It helps. Sending friend request in a moment.

emersoam

I can easily meet my calorie goal for the day by dinner time, and it is so frustrating! You feel like...okay, now what?! The only way to fight back is to exercise! Exercising allows me to still eat, because it gives you more "wiggle room" in your food diary. I make it my priority to get in some form of exercise every single day. Plus, the exercise will get your metablism burning.

balfonso

Hi Anne

Well this new healthy journey is no easy task. It is indeed a lifestyle change.

You cannot simply change everything at once overnight. It takes time to adjust.

I have 1200 calories a day. And I LOVE my food. So in order to enjoy the foods I like, I exercise so I get those extra few more.

If you're struggling by the end of the day, then maybe you need to up your protein and fibre in your meals so you won't get hungry. If you're hungry then eat. Listen to your body. Maybe try eating little but often. 3 meals and 2 snacks in between?


My food diary is public if you want ideas or feel free to add me and I will cheer you on!

jbootman

my honeymoon is over too, yesterday was tough and as I look at the week to come I am not smiling, BUT,

I feel better,

I am only weighing once a month because I do not want the irregularities that a weekly or daily chart,

Dr. Oz said in his book that you almost should eat the same thing each day, each breakfast, each lunch, yes everyday is different but boredom is actually helpful,

so I have devised my ideal day, maximum food, because I LOVE to eat, maximum nutrition, I have taken a hard look at the things I like to eat and will eat(will not eat eggplant or spinach for instance), and I have a core diet,

it is MY food, it is not a fun as I would like, but there is food there, and I can see where I can make adjustment if I see a special dinner coming up,

I have also found a solution for drinking my water, I must confess I think this is VERY important, I did not hydrate before dieting, every morning I make a pitcher -8 cups- of crystal light-love the white grape flavor, sweet and least dye-and I got a glass that holds 3 cups, drinking it seems to be easy, at least for now, by the way I do not exercise, this is hard enough for me at the present,

you are a beautiful young woman, you can do this, look at your favorite filling low calorie foods, find a zero calorie beverage to sip while your friends eat, dream about a new wardrobe......

BellaCoconut

Well, now you have at least 6 new friends on MFP :flowerforyou:
And i'm sure we all love to have chocolate from time to time! :embarassed:
My mantra at the moment is : " This is a lifestyle change for LIFE"....which means there's no 'on' or 'off' any kind of 'diet'....if I have bad day it doesn't need to lead to a bad week, month, year...thats what got me *here* in the first place!!

You can do it!!

rastrillo

It's really none of my business, but 1200 calories sounds really low. Maybe smaller steps?

Dawn_2013

I have to agree with you, it is sometimes about adjusting what you eat, like higher protein, less carbs which let you down quickly (and hard!) Sometimes if I am super hungry, I need to listen to my body and eat a bit more...not a lot more, a bit...and it prompts me to lose. I think when you are 'starving' your body wants to hold onto your weight...but I find better choices give me more bang for my buck. Feel free to add me as a friend, I have a great community of encouraging friends :flowerforyou:

Hi Anne

Well this new healthy journey is no easy task. It is indeed a lifestyle change.

You cannot simply change everything at once overnight. It takes time to adjust.

I have 1200 calories a day. And I LOVE my food. So in order to enjoy the foods I like, I exercise so I get those extra few more.

If you're struggling by the end of the day, then maybe you need to up your protein and fibre in your meals so you won't get hungry. If you're hungry then eat. Listen to your body. Maybe try eating little but often. 3 meals and 2 snacks in between?


My food diary is public if you want ideas or feel free to add me and I will cheer you on!

Jena_72

I have been told I am motivating I'd love to add you! Now get up and MOVE!!! You'll feel so good about it even if its for 15 mins at a time!!! You can do this! WE can do this!! :drinker: DON'T FORGET to Drink Up! Water that is!!

Sauchie

Don't forget ever little bit helps. If you walk for 10 minutes ever hour or to thats 40 to 80 minutes of a minu workout throughout the day. That's about 200 to 400 calories burned. And it will give you more energy. I find myself walking around 30 mintues every 3 hours.... Then at night you can do some mild stretching... Or some quick dance cardio. Which you can burn up to 100 calories in 10 minutes. I get excited after I work out.

Mindful_Trent

I'll send you a friend request - I'm also on 1200 cal/day but I've learned various tricks to making it MUCH easier on yourself:

1) Eat LOTS of fresh food - fruits, veggies (LOTS of veggies!!), legumes, nuts, lean protein - the less processed food you eat, the easier it will be. I just had a lunch that was salad, a side of baby carrots, and homemade seitan (vegetarian protein) with avocado wrapped in a chard leaf (a type of lettuce) - a little over 300 calories and VERY filling. I eat almost no processed food now, and it's so much easier to stay full.

2) Spread your calories out throughout the day - eat a good sized breakfast, lunch and dinner with healthy snacks in between.

3) Drink plenty of water - I drink 12 to 16 cups/day, most days.

4) Exercise!! Not only is it good for your heart/body overall, this earns you extra calories. Although I'm on a base of 1200/day, I usually end up eating 1300-1600 with 50-150 left to spare, due to my exercise. It's so much easier to stick to your calorie goal when you exercise and increase that goal.

5) Start with baby steps. I didn't get to where I am today overnight. First I started on keeping my calories at the appropriate level, then I started eating more fruits/veggies, then I started eliminating most processed foods, and now I'm able to really focus on getting more exercise. It's taken me a year to get to this point, with lots of ups and downs, but overall I've learned so much and by focusing on one thing at a time, it's easier to build the type of lifestyle you need to support your goals.

nora1958

Hang in there, I have the same problem but I don't see myself as a failure!!! It's going to take some time and that's important to understand. I know for me, it's taken years to get this heavy and it's going to take "some time" to take it off and keep it off. It's ok if you go over sometimes, as long as you get right back to it on Monday! I myself am going to start packing a "snack/meal" pack when I go out with my friends on weekends! It's HARD and that's a fact...but with time, it will be worth the sacrifices & struggles! Just don't quit!

hillierlr94

i felt the same way . I stopped following all summer and gained all the weight i lost back. Stay motivated! We can all make a healthy change in our lives if we stick together! YOU CAN DO IT.

piersons

I just joined today but I know how hard this journey can be. Stick with it! We can all get there together, and I know that mfp will help!

KarenBorter

It's really none of my business, but 1200 calories sounds really low. Maybe smaller steps?

They base the BRM on how much you weigh and other stuff that I can't tell you cuz I am horrible at math but they do calculate it out. My "base calories" are also 1200 (well yesterday they went up to 1485 but that's because I lost 5lbs). Everyones calorie base is different. So what may be low for you may not be low for her.

I am going to agree with what the other people said. You have to get more active. The 1200 calories is what is needed to just SUSTAIN life if you were to do nothing all day ... Do some sort of activity. You would be surprise what you can do to gain those calories above 1200. One of my friends breast fed her baby for ONE MINUTE and it was 500 calories FFS. You can do this!

annejay

thank you all for the msg's of support! Some great tips in there that i will use! The reason my calorie allowance is so low is because i have a very low activity level. I have limited mobility so i use a wheelchair for the most part of the day. I work in a very busy office and am on the go all day but i'm still sitting most of the time. However i don't take the chair home with me, this allows me to maintain the mobility i have. (I fear that if i did have my chair at home i would get lazy and use it) However i do have an exercise bike which i would like to use everyday and i know would do me the world of good but it can sometimes be difficult to get focused and do it!! Aswell as that i go for a swim once a week. My plan to do 20mins on the bike 4 times a week and my 1 hour swim? What do you think?

Dencrossgirl

Mee three. 1200 hundred calories isn't alot so you have to be very creative. You have to make your meals as tasty and as satifying as you can, 1/2 cup of pasta isn't a whole lot but with tomato sauce and vegetables you really love added right to the sauce it so much better. And a little bit of low fat mozza on top or a little bit of parm. makes the world of difference. Eat stuff you really like. It does take planning though. Trust me you will do great!

kristilovescake

I'm in the same boat the last few days where I feel like 1200 is NOT enough calories. I'm needing to increase my exercise just so I can eat more and not be hungry. 1200 calories has been really tough for me, but it's mainly the mentality that if I go over then I'm a failure. It's tough to just accept that some days you will go over and it will be OK in the end as long as you don't give up.

I sent you a friend request

JennS19

I also sent you a friend request. I'm just starting back up after months of over eating and I have lots of motivation and I'm willing to share! You can do this, look back at all you have accomplished over the past weeks!

I recently learned this with weight loss. If you take your goal weight, mine is 140 and you multiple that by 10 then you come up with your daily calories you should be consuming up to. So if I did that my total is 1400 calories per day. Obviously if you are more active you can eat a few more calories. Try switching up what your eating and changing things out that you have grown used to.

Shake up your exercise routine...try walking a different route, Go for a hike, go apple picking, etc. You can do this!! Don't give up!!!

JennS19

Also try catching an eposide of cook yourself thin on Lifetime. Such a great show. and they have some great low calorie recipes. Here is the website: http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/cook-yourself-thin

mrocka

Just make up in your mind that you wont quit sure you will have your off days but if you know in the back of your mind that quiting is not an option it will keep you charging ahead even when you mess up!!! Or at least thats what im doing i have only been here a few day & since then have not made all the right choices but im doing better! just take it ONE DAY AT A TIME

Im going to send a friend request now!!!!

annejay

i love cook yourself thin!!

PJilly

When i joined this site i got off to a great start. i was very determined and motivated, i've been working extremely hard but finding it so difficult keeping to 1200 calories a day. I rarely have any calories left late in the evening and end up going to bed hungry or going over my calorie intake and feeling like such a failure. As well as that weekends can be difficult, i tend to go visit friends at the weekend, maybe stay over and they would not be dieting so making healthy choices is not easy. There just seems to be so many obstacles. i feel like i'm fighting a losing battle. (add me as a friend i could use the support)

I firmly believe that you shouldn't be making yourself miserable to lose weight. In fact, I think the harder it is, the less likely it is to achieve success. If you are going to bed hungry, then I really don't think 1,200 calories is enough for you. I used to go to bed hungry too because I thought that was how I was supposed to feel while losing weight. It's hard to get over that mindset, but I am so glad I did! I'd strongly encourage you to change your weight-loss goal to no more than 1 pound a week and then eat all your exercise calories. Try it, and see how it feels and how it works. I can almost guarantee you'll feel better AND get the results you want. If you want to be really daring, set your goal to 1/2 pound, and bump your activity level up one notch. I changed mine from sedentary to lightly active even though I have a desk job because I was still too hungry. And guess what? I still lost weight. The easier you make this on yourself, the more likely you will be to stick to it. Good luck, and I hope that helped!

Fit4Penny

I just sent you a friend request. I know how you are feeling. You can do this!!

MALACHI25

Hang in there! I am on the same diet and it is was rough one night. I seem to do a lot better when I have a piece or two of Holsum Lite'r Bread for my breakfast count. It is only 35 calories a slice and I put promise fat free butter (5cal) and mix splenda and cinnamon and sprinkle it all over. I keep a loaf in the car for when I stop at a fast food restaurant. I have had a had a junior whopper or a jr. bacon cheeseburger and just slide them on a piece of bread and saved more than half the calories. Kemp"s ice cream yogurt is great also the strawberry is only 80 calories a servings. That is my late night snack! For all the people who say 1200 is to low COMMMMMMEEEE ONNNNN,(mad tv) lol. Its the path we chose and want support not the obvious thing we heard a thousand times about being not being on that diet.

westmola

Girl, I have the same problem. It seems like during the day I can semi-easily follow the calorie/diet plan. When night comes, I'm always looking for snacks! This is why I've started waiting and saving my snacks for night time. I'm sure it's not the smartest route, but I'm able to stay under my calorie intake. I sent you a friend request.. You can do this! You CAN! You CAN!

PJilly

For all the people who say 1200 is to low COMMMMMMEEEE ONNNNN,(mad tv) lol. Its the path we chose and want support not the obvious thing we heard a thousand times about being not being on that diet.

I wasn't at all trying to be unsupportive by suggesting 1,200 might be too low. That seems to be a magic number that a lot of people shoot for. It may be the right number for a select few, but more often than not, it's lower than anyone needs to — or should — go for weight loss. It's possible that it's the right number for the OP, but I'd still encourage her to explore the option of eating more than that, especially if she's feeling crummy doing what she's doing.

Edited to add: I've seen so many people try to do too much too fast and then just crash and burn. Some cut calories too drastically, some exercise an insane number of hours, and some do both. If I can help somebody avoid that scenario, it makes me a happy Jill.

patkendall

1200 calories is very low for a young person...I would increase to at least 1400...also be sure to use all your fat and protein grams...don't give up...it will pay off!