Starvation Mode when i'm 100+ pounds overweight?! lol

Monica_has_a_goal

How do I get my mind off the scale and stop trying to eat healthy foods that don't add enough calories to my total. OMG have any of you had this issue?
I'm in "starvation mode" which I consider hilarious since I'm 100+ pounds overweight .. exercising like crazy.. and still not losing.
I've started eating healthy and now I can't eat enough calories at one sitting without feeling completely stuffed.
Does anyone have suggestions for healthy, higher calorie foods?

ashlinmarie

Nuts are great for getting in your calories. I use them as fillers whenever I'm low. I keep trail mix, almonds, and macadamia nuts handy

CraftyGirl4

Nuts and seeds are pretty high calorie and pretty low bulk. I would also suggest other sources of good fats like olive oil. I make a granola that I had for breakfast this morning that ends up with a pretty high fat content so it adds to the calories but doesn't have a super huge portion size that I have to choke down.

Pandorian

nuts and nut butters
avocado
full fat versions of stuff you're using already IE whole milk, skip the fat-free versions of salad dressing...

sarahsmom1

good food higher calories, nuts, avocado and peanut butter to name a few

SheWei

Try some fruit or veggies dense in fiber ex...an apple, celery and drink at least two cups of water before eating to help with the feeling of starvation. Sometimes, when I feel like I can devour anything, I'll eat a piece of fruit or have some almonds handy to help me from not feeling deprived. Amazingly enough, water really has helped keep me feeling full. GOOD LUCK!

msblueyes5

Nuts are great for getting in your calories. I use them as fillers whenever I'm low. I keep trail mix, almonds, and macadamia nuts handy

^^ Agree! I was going to say nuts! These too! Avacados, dried fruit, potatoes, beans, olives, whole wheat pasta and other whole grain products, olive oil for cooking or as part of any salad dressing, whole milk products

butturfly2021

I have had the same problem! I have started adding alot of peanut butter

lolathompson

Nuts and seeds are pretty high calorie and pretty low bulk. I would also suggest other sources of good fats like olive oil. I make a granola that I had for breakfast this morning that ends up with a pretty high fat content so it adds to the calories but doesn't have a super huge portion size that I have to choke down.

Yes I have started adding olive oil to make up some calories and nuts also. I was below calories level almost everyday lost really well at first then I actually went up a lb. I know now "I" need to eat back those calories because my body is working harder it needs more fuel. Good luck...wish me luck.

MrsTits

Am having the same issue I think. Haven't lost for two weeks now, only lost 4lbs in June. Am really struggling week by week to see any movement. I've tried raising my calories and then lowering them, zigzagging did help but doesn't seem to be this time.
Have tried increasing exercise, lowering exercise. Am not giving up but it's so disheartening to feel like you're doing everything right and not getting the results. I've got about 140lbs left to lose, so not like I'm a skinny slip of a thing!

Nuts are a great calorie filler. I've found just having bigger portions, using oil instead of spray etc does help get the cals up.
I'm struggling with eating more too though, feel really full after my dinner, am busy during the day so not much time and don't like that stuffed feeling that comes with eating more. *sigh*

mamagooskie

Try the non diet versions of whatever you eat. So if you eat salad use regular dressing, add some avacado, sunflower seeds or cheese on top.

Have a serving of full fat greek yogurt instead of diet one everyday.

Try trail mix as a snack (make it yourself with favorite nuts, dried fruits, unsalted to keep sodium lower)

If you eat egg whites usually try the whole eggs instead.

Drink/use 2% milk instead of skim on cereal or in cooking.

Larger portions of whatever, if with dinner you eat 3oz of meat try 4oz.

fitby2012

Agreed! I use nuts in salad, oatmeal, and as a snack. If I am short near the end of the day, I lace my salad dressing with a tbsp of olive oil. HTH!

Artemis_Acorn

I agree on the nuts and avacado! They are good for you and can help you feel more satisfied. You could also consider switching from the Sara Lee 45 calorie bread to something with a little more oomph - whole grain etc. Drizzle some olive oil on your veggies, add a TB of peanut butter to your protein shakes, add a couple of 100 calorie snacks during the day. - If you're worried about going too far, try adding just 100 cals a day for a week and see if things move, and if not, bump up another 100.

Don't get discouraged! You WILL find the answer and once your body recognizes that it can safely let go of the weight, it's going to start coming off!

loopeeta

Looks like you have lost 21 lbs already, so that is a great accomplishment. Give yourself lots of credit for that!!

gnalani

You are not crazy lol When I started at 300+ lbs I cut my calories to about 1000 and did a lot of exercise. I lost nothing and felt horrible. Then I upped my calories to 1800 and lost 7 lbs that week. Good luck!!

aippolito1

If you have a lot of weight to lose, you can safely have a higher deficit, which means you don't have to eat all your exercise calories back. But the trick is you'll have to eat very well so that you're not hungry and don't need those exercise caloreis. Also, I think you could be overestimating your calories. 10 calories per minute swimming sounds high - but I could be wrong. If you can, get a heart rate monitor that allows you to put your stats in (height, weight, age, sex) so you can better estimate your calories burned and that may help your dilemma. Also, watch your sodium and water intake. 2400mg of sodium per day and LOTS of water. Think half your weight in ounces. So if you weighed 200 lbs, you would need to drink at least 100 oz. of water per day. I'm 168 lbs and have been averaging 12-14 8-oz glasses (96-112 oz.) the last couple weeks and have been losing fine. Experiment & see what your "sweet spot" is. The more you exercise, the more water you need to replenish anything you sweat out as well as helping to support your muscles you just worked out. Last summer I was working out an hour to an hour and a half a day and was drinking closer to 120 oz. MINIMUM. I don't work out as much now and am able to get by with less so it really just depends on you.

Dtho5159

EEK!! Id definitely do something to get more nutrition!! I looked at your diary and you're eating 1200 but burning between 500-800 each day so your net is only between 400-700 which is wayyyyy too low! Ive got just under 100lb to lose and Im netting anywhere from 1500-1900 each day. Definitely eat full fat or not light options to get more calories, that definitely isn't good

MrsTits

It's strange isn't it. When you think "diet" you automatically assume that eating the least cals possible will lead to the bigger losses...I never thought I'd have to make myself eat more, lol

BarnDogBob

Same same here. With the extended workouts my "net" cal's are too low and sometimes in the neg's

kaymayscool

I am down over 130+ pounds. The thing I found most helpful is to NEVER skip a meal. Eat breakfast and have a snack 2 hours later. Eat lunch and a snack two hours later. East dinner and a snack 2 hours later. It keeps your metabolism running and out of starvation mode. It might be tough in the beginning, but just keep it up and you will watch the pounds melt away!

YellowStrawberry

I do 2% milk, cliff bar mini's, celery or apples and peanut butter (measured, hehe), I made a trail mix of plain almonds, walnuts, cashews and dried cranberries. I can make a small mini meal with any of those and a glass of milk if I need to. I dont mind!

elcafefuerte

I am down over 130+ pounds. The thing I found most helpful is to NEVER skip a meal. Eat breakfast and have a snack 2 hours later. Eat lunch and a snack two hours later. East dinner and a snack 2 hours later. It keeps your metabolism running and out of starvation mode. It might be tough in the beginning, but just keep it up and you will watch the pounds melt away!

I was going to suggest the same thing, especially when someone mentioned being busy during the day and not being hungry. I used to do the same, I would be crazy busy at work that I seriously couldn't leave my office without people walking in. I would skip lunch all the time, and my breakfast tended to only be coffee and maybe a granola bar if I remembered to bring one. Then I'd eat a good healthy dinner but snack all night long. That kind of a lifestyle, even if my calories were low, is bad on the metabolism.