How long to get used to the calorie restriction?

meganld

I don't know how tall you are, but if your goal weight is 130 lbs, I imagine you might be around my height (I'm 5'4"). When I first signed up for MFP, I picked the "2 lbs per week" loss rate, because who doesn't want to lose 2 lbs per week, right? When I saw that that option gave me only 1200 calories, I balked. Personally, I knew that wasn't something I could manage. I know lots and lots of people eat 1200 calories a day here, and do so with much success, but I would be ravenous if I only ate that much. I bumped mine up to 1430 calories and have lost (more or less steadily) about 0.8-0.9 pounds per week for the past 41 weeks. In the past few weeks I've bumped it up to 1490, and it hasn't seemed to affect my loss negatively.

Just letting you know that there is an option to simply eat a bit more (and I agree with the others who have said that protein is great - it keeps me feeling fuller for longer). Good luck!

I am 5'6", so pretty close! The 1200 does seem pretty low, but I'm also a student and the vast majority of my time is spent sitting in front of my books and computer, so I don't burn many calories throughout the day.

meganld

did read your diary too (sorry read it AFTER my post - doh) but it does look like a good day to me!!! I'm curious as to what others say but it looked yummy and balanced to me

I read your diary and I would consider getting rid of that bagel/cream cheese for breakfast. The egg breakfast you had this morning should be the type of thing to eat. Breakfasts high in protein keep me full for a much longer time than lots of carbs. Also (like what has been said previously) eat lots of vegetables. You don't have to stop eating the yummy things (like pizza), but to keep full you could eat a big salad and some pizza instead of just pizza.

I love having eggs for breakfast, I just usually don't have the time except on weekends. Maybe I'll buy some and hard boil them in advance so I have the extra protein in the morning!

you can scramble them in the micro, melt a little butter add beat eggs nuke for 30 sec, stir, nuke for 20 sec and stir repeat till they are the way that you like them, eggs in the time it takes to make toast.

I'll have to try that!

meganld

For about a year or more I ate 5 to 6 times per day and after each one of those little meals throughout the day I'd still be hungry which led to covert trips to the pantry before bed. I stumbled across Intermittent Fasting back in October and since then haven't had this problem. IF 16/8 as it's sometimes referred too, is the idea that you are in a fasted state for 16 hours per day and in a fed state for 8 hours per day. You choose when your 8 hour fed state begins. Start at noon, then end at 8pm etc.

As where before I'd be spreading my daily calories over the course of 14 hours, I'm now spreading them over 8. Despite my initial concern of being hungry in the mornings (my window opens at noon) I never felt hungry despite thinking of food in the mornings. This is still the case 2 months into it but I'm not hungry. Come noon time, I have a big meal followed by another big meal in the evening. You should do some reading on it. It's not for everyone but it works great with my schedule and my brain.

My diary is open too if you're curious as to how my meals are.

Interesting, thank you!

ABeautifulDistraction

I eat 6-8 times a day instead of three, and I use a divided children's tray. My portions look huge on it.
I also found that if I eat healthy fats and protein I feel much better.

a_stronger_steph

I am 5'6", so pretty close! The 1200 does seem pretty low, but I'm also a student and the vast majority of my time is spent sitting in front of my books and computer, so I don't burn many calories throughout the day.

Right - I was talking 1430 before exercise. I also eat my exercise calories! So on days when I manage to get off my butt (I'm a student too), I earn an extra 300 some-odd calories to devour. Nom nom! :happy:

meganld

I always eat back my exercise calories when I have time to earn any! My campus has a really nice rec center and I'm going to get my boyfriend a membership next quarter so we both have some motivation to get out of the house and get some exercise. I'm really looking forward to that!

Kalani2012

MFP's default setting for protein (IMHO) is too low. Your body has to work harder to digest protein, so it will keep you feeling fuller, longer.

:flowerforyou:

I agree on the protein being to low, but I guess it works for some.

kmbrooks15

If you choose foods lower in calories, you can eat more. My calorie intake right now is set at 1400 without exercise. If I work out, I eat more (I eat my exercise calories, or at least most of them, so that I don't net less than 1200).

If I eat 1400 calories worth of candy bar, I don't get to eat much. But if I choose lean meats (chicken, pork, fish), lots of veggies/fruits, nuts, etc., I can eat more. I even get to have dessert (I use Skinny Cow ice cream bars and candy and Snackwell's cookies--calories range from 100-150). The key is to find low-calorie items to load up on. When you choose low-calorie items, you can actually eat a LOT, especially on exercise days. In fact, on exercise days, I often have to do a protein shake to get the rest of my calories in.

Good luck...you can do it!