Lifetime of semi-starvation and now on the right track

spackham

I was under-eating most of my life and did not know it. Everyone around me could eat so much more than me and I am taller. If I ate what they ate, I would put on weight so I thought it was just my genes because I would exercise more than everyone else too. My mom was obese so I didn't want to go there! So I keep on running my butt off for four miles under 30 minutes and eating very low net calories. After decades of doing that I finally gave up and said, "Okay, body, you want to be fat? Let me help you out with that." I found myself saying yes to all those "No, thank you" items for about 7 years. True to my word, I got fat until the the point of misery I could not live with. So I started eating 500-800 cals and was planning on staying under 1000 cals with a few day up to 1200 cals until I lost about 30-40 pounds. (Ya, "up" to 1200.)

THEN... tuh-duuuuh...getting on MFP and watching a show "Supersize vs Superskinny" taught me that I was eating way too little. I cried my eyes out! All those years and things could have been different. I cried some more and then when to a wellness center and am seeing a nutritionist, coach and trainer. The nutritionist is the biggest help and motivator for me and so is MFP!!!

For now, my weight slowly drops but then goes up regularly and finally takes a jump down but not as low if my loss was steady. (Does that happen to anyone else?) Gaining weight is part of recovering from eating to little but it will not last forever. My nutritionist said my body will correct itself over time, how long is different for everyone but it will get normal. So, I have to watch that I don't eat too much and especially don't eat too little. But yanno what is super fun? One day I was busy and I just had not eaten enough even after dinner and a snack so ate about 16 chocolate covered almonds to boost my cals because I needed it. How fun it that? WAY fun to NEED to eat those chocolate almonds. I rarely do something like that but I was just too low on cals that day. The following day I FINALLY dropped over a pound. And then the next day lost an additional .6 pounds. So, I know it is tough having gone the semi-starvation route for so long, but there are some up sides too.

That's my story.

vraesgame

i really enjoyed reading your story Thanks for sharing it with us.

dominioniwoman

Thank you for sharing, it is very easy to convince yourself that eating less will keep you on track. I went through similar experience and needed a trainer to get me on the right track. Sounds like you are doing great now and it is fun to be able to have to those little cheats when we need extra calories

Leannek74

Thanks for sharing! You're an inspiration!
My mom lived the same way until she developed Diabetes because of the bad habits... she has had to learn how to live and eat all over again.

spackham

Thanks for your comments. I am glad you enjoyed it. It is nice to know someone has been there too. Extra nice to know I am following the same path and that worked. I really appreciate knowing my experience is inspirational. Thanks so much everyone!!! Have a great day!