Uneducated Dieter - Seeking Advice & Opinions

dazedandconfused87

Hi all,

Apologies in advance for what is likely to be a lengthier post -- just need to provide a good overview of the situation I find myself in!

Around May I would say I started dieting more strictly -- however, I did not know a starting weight. I don't have a proper functioning scale and I can get a bit obsessive about numbers so I did not want to go down that route. The overall goal was to feel better in my clothing and "summer ready" with bikini season and skimpier clothing being more prevalent at this time. I also did not want to log any calories because I also thought that would get obsessive and my plan was to focus on whole foods, healthy fats, lots of protein and less starch and dairy. I also amped up my workouts which had previously been about 20 - 40 min 5 -6x per week and just generalized calisthenics with light weights to be more specifically focused to certain areas - arms, abs, legs, etc. I also knew that weekends would be more of "cheat days" where I would allow myself to eat socially and consume alcohol, have treats in moderation, etc. I was following a workout plan and schedule posted on a website online, the Tone It Up schedule based on the Bikini Series.

Fast forward about 2 months later I know I've lost weight for sure -- again, no specific numbers. I weighed myself on my parents scale which is notorious for being inaccurate, but it listed my weight at 130lbs and I'm just under 5'7. I am overall happy with my body right now and I do not plan on losing any more weight. Based on the scale being inaccurate, I would think I'm more likely to be around 132 - 137 lbs -- not a huge fluctuation but somewhat smaller nonetheless. Overall I've been feeling good except the workout schedule emphasizes early morning workouts with an evening one as well -- which I actually DID enjoy except the last week I have been feeling so exhausted. I haven't been getting my period in the last few months and I just saw my doctor about this last night -- I know that this is an unhealthy sign but I have had an irregular period since I have started menstruating and it was only regular for about a year and a half when I was 24 years old (and I did weigh a little less then, but I also exercised less).

Because I am a bit of worrier and felt my energy levels decrease lately, I decided to start plugging my typical daily calories into the Lose It App to see where I stand caloric intake wise. I work fulltime and live on my own, so during the week I typically eat the same meals as it is less time consuming if I prepare meals in bulk whereas on the weekends I am more flexible and willing to experiment. I plugged in my calories and I realized during the M - F week I was consuming typically about 1700 or so calories and exercising roughly an hour per day. I didn't "eat back" those exercise calories as I was unaware that was something to do and again, I didn't track any of these calories while I was dieting more strictly.

Now I am trying to figure out to maintain my weight what my intake should be, if I should be tracking calories, if I should be exercising less and eating more. The goal is no longer weight loss but it is maintenance and I do genuinely enjoy the stress relief exercise brings me -- and having varied my workouts I have seen increased strength and endurance and I see improvements in body weight exercises I was doing before. I did check in the app what my maintenance calories should be. I'm concerned I was undereating during the weight loss process without meaning too -- although I did have some weekend blowouts that I'm sure would have balanced those deficits out more. I am also finding it difficult to up calories now too since I've gotten used to eating less and while I don't want to gain weight back from what I've lost, I recognize it is more important to be healthy and support my body. I've taken the week off of exercising thus far since I've been feeling so tired, and have been focusing on adding more calories into my diet.

So I guess my questions are...

1. Is it possible I'm suffering from over training?
2. If I was eating a larger deficit during the week but making up for it in the weekend, is it likely I have damaged my metabolism? Would I have been in "starvation" mode during the week?
3. What are some good ways to add calories into existing meals? I do prefer to avoid excess dairy or starch but I am not opposed to looking at these types of options.

A typical weekday of eating for me would be as follows:

Breakfast:
Omelette with one whole egg + one egg white, some nutritional yeast, red peppers, onions, spinach and kale w/ 1/2 an avocado and a slice of ezekiel bread on the side

Snack:
Piece of fruit - (This week I have upped it to 2 servings)

Lunch:
4 OZ of protein - either chicken or salmon on a bed of mixed greens (Kale, Spinach, Lettuce) with assorted vegetables - cabbage, grape tomatoes, etc. TBSP of seeds - sunflower seeds or pepitas usually.
This week I have added 1/4 of a cup of quinoa and 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese on the side

Snack:
Hummus with cut up vegetables, serving of pistachios
(This week I've upped the hummus serving to 1/4 of a cup rather than 2 tbsp)

Dinner:
Green Protein Smoothie - with protein powder, banana, greens, chia seeds, TBSP of PB, and almond milk

With the additions this week, I am making what the Lose It App told me was a maintenance goal of 2K calories. On the weekends for breakfast I'd usually have Greek Yogurt and Oatmeal instead, but overall the general structure of what I eat doesn't change radically although if I'm out with friends I'll definitely drink alcohol, eat "snacks" like chips and dip, etc.

I just didn't realize how precise of a science dieting can be and I'm concerned I may have hurt my metabolism. Upping calories has been challenging in terms of not being hungry and I am hoping to maintain my current physique. Any general advice is also appreciated!

Thanks in advance if you read such a lengthy topic

kshadows

Without numbers, it's difficult to say either way. BUT not getting a period is a serious sign of an issue (assuming you're sure you're not pregnant). I'd talk to your doctor and follow his/her recommendations. What is your body fat percentage? BMI? Those are all things that should be taken into account.

dazedandconfused87

I don't know my Body Fat percentage unfortunately -- but based on images I see online it can't be less than 20%. Realistically I would say 20% - 25%.

BMI is also tough to know 100% but if I am 135 it would be 21.1.

I know it's serious though so that's why I have been increasing calories this week and ceasing exercise. Because I enjoy exercise and want to continue, I'll have to work on increasing overall calories. I just wish I had known all of this info before I started dieting!

However - the first sign of my period going amiss was in March after I had the mono virus. So initially I thought it may have something to do with that. That coupled with the fact that I've had an irregular cycle in the past is why I waited to see the Doctor, but I did see one last night and I am getting an Ultrasound and bloodwork done to look into this further.

I_Will_End_You

I wouldn't be concerned about damaging your metabolism in two months. It sounds to me like you're doing just fine, honestly. If you feel like you're still losing weight and do not want to, just up your calories a bit more. And if you don't have a scale, you can always take measurements.

Considering you've always had an irregular period, it may have nothing to do with your diet and exercise. Hopefully your doctor will be able to help you figure that one out.

dazedandconfused87

Thanks! I'm a bit of a hypochondriac so it's tough to know when I'm just freaking myself out or when I seriously have a reason to be concerned.

I know that period loss is a bad sign and I can get obsessive over numbers (hence no scale or calorie counts) so I just wanted to make sure I was checking myself and not heading down a bad path or disordered eating cause I've let my dieting control my life in the past more than I should have.

Funny enough when I was at my heaviest (which probably was around 150 lbs) I didn't have a regular period either. It was when I lost about 15 lbs that it was regular for about a year and a half and then I lost it again regularly while I did a 2 month travel stint.. then it started again pretty regularly and now here I am again!

Do you have any suggestions for upping calories idea wise? I feel like I eat the same thing all the time which in some ways is convenient but also boring, lol.

Thanks for your help!!

I_Will_End_You

That would be boring, that's for sure. I eat whatever foods I want, but reasonable portion sizes. If I know I'm going to have pizza for dinner, I'll stick with something light like a salad for lunch. So no, I don't really have any specific foods to recommend, just whatever you like.