Can seem to deal with the 1200 Calories a day-stress eater

AimeeBaumgartner

I'm a receptionist at a doctors office. I was skinny all throughout school. Once I started a desk job it was all over. I'm at 185 lbs and 5'3. I've lost 13 lbs in the past 2 1/2 months. I want to get down to 130. I can't seem to accept the 1200 calories. I've tried 1500 and now 1400, but 1200 makes me crazy. The women at work are always snacking. I constantly think about food. I'm only losing 1 lb a week. I kinda want to give up. My husband has lost 50+. I'm happy for him, but envious too. I may be a mom of 2 and about to be 30 yrs old in Jan. 2013, but I need this. Words of encouragement when I want to stress eat..please!

squirrleydoodle

I understand!! i'm not so much of a stress eater but a boredom eater! 1200 calories are hard! especially when the people around you eat stuff whenever they want. it helps to get creative with your calories and us volumetrics to help keep you full with minimal calories. its helped me get extra crafty about food lol

KetoBella

What would giving up mean? I can assure you that if you aren't happy with 185 you will be likely to be more unhappy at 186 or more. Keep tracking your calories even if you are higher on some days. If you can exercise that will give you more calories a day to work with. There is no giving up, just starting over and over again.

197Kiki

OMG I'm in the same boat!! But no kids I do the 1400 cals a day and if I get stressed I just try to do some kinda activity. I'm sure being a mom of two it's hard but go for walks maybe play outside with them. Then when you add your cardio you will have more Calories to eat too! Hope this helps!

kgprice11

I'm a receptionist at a doctors office. I was skinny all throughout school. Once I started a desk job it was all over. I'm at 185 lbs and 5'3. I've lost 13 lbs in the past 2 1/2 months. I want to get down to 130. I can't seem to accept the 1200 calories. I've tried 1500 and now 1400, but 1200 makes me crazy. The women at work are always snacking. I constantly think about food. I'm only losing 1 lb a week. I kinda want to give up. My husband has lost 50+. I'm happy for him, but envious too. I may be a mom of 2 and about to be 30 yrs old in Jan. 2013, but I need this. Words of encouragement when I want to stress eat..please!

NEVER Stress eat!! that is the worst thing you can do lol because you will not stop eating until you are satisfied. Never give up you got this!! Support is the best thing for anyone who is trying to lose weight. I would honestly set a goal of 1400 calories a day because it gives you some fudging of what you can and cannot eat. Also if you exercise a 1400 calorie per day limit is reasonable. 1200 calories a day is alittle tight if you are just trying to lose weight but after you have been active and losing weight/staying in shape for so long you will see that 1200 calories is really not a realistic goal to many people

queezle_sister

I, too, find 1200 calories a day challenging. But I take two walks a day at work, and walk actively - this helps me to be able to add another 200-300 calories a day to the "eat" column. I try to save those extras for the time I most relish eating - typically at home in the evening. I also am trying to bring bags of celery with me. Hate the stuff, but it lets me keep my mouth moving. Or gum - that also helps. And drinking lots of water.

I'd say hang in there! I try to love the rumbly in my tummy hunger feeling.

fittocycle

I understand how you feel. I'm 5'3" and at my heaviest, I weighed 196 lbs. I'm also a stress eater. There are a couple things that have helped me.

*eating a clean diet. By cutting down or eliminating processed foods, I find I have a lot more calories to work with. I sometimes use those calories for a little chocolate.

*reaching out to friends. If I feel stressed, I call a friend to chat and just hear about what's new in my friend's life. Before I know it, I've forgotten what was stressing me!

*exercise is a great stress reliever. An all out cardio workout is a great stress reliever. Weight training is also wonderful because it helps me feel strong. And a nice walk helps clear the head.. A few minutes of yoga stretches goes a long way to help with stress too.

*having a hobby to de-stress helps as well. For me, I love quilting. Working with the fabric is very soothing to me!

Don't give up. !200 calories can be a challenge but you can do it. And besides, if you give up, you'll just feel more stressed!

arcticfox04

I'd do what MFP asks for at an aggressive 2 pounds a week. You should try to eat 5 meals a day or a large breakfast to make it through the day. Remember it takes 2-3 weeks for your body to adjust so don't give up

There's always having a small piece like 30g piece of 85% Dark Chocolate, its a natural Appetite Suppressant when you get that craving. It alters gastrointestinal hormones when smelt or eaten.

xavi_love

I did not read the other comments so if i repeat them... sorry.

Think of your body as a car and your food as fuel. You only want the best for your car so it runs smoothly and for a very long time, so it lives a long healthy life. When you choose those slightle or much higher in calorie snacks you are slowing your engine down. i am doing a 1200 calorie diet and the first 3 days have been so hard. I managed to pick food thati cn have ALOT of but are low in calories. Once you start eating a little less your body will get used to it. You did a smart thing by slowly taking your calories and doing what you know you can accomplish.

Keep yourself busy, that helps me alot. Busy hands means you wont pick up food and a busy mind means you wont think about it. Set a reminder on your phone for every few or so hours reminding you to eat healthy.

thrld

I have trouble eating my limit too.


So every morning I get up 30 minutes early and do the 30DS.


That 'earns' me my snacks. Low-sodium almonds, sliced strawberries, popcorners kettle chips, edname, apples, or a tub of sliced up watermelon chunks. Plus I drink ice tea made with splenda -- so I have something that tastes (rather than plain water -- which I still try to drink.


What helps is if you PLAN to snack. This way you aren't hungry and you aren't temped to eat just anything that is available.

A good habit makes it easier to break a bad one. And it takes about 4 weeks to make a habit. So keep at it. You can do it!

virginies

I find it helpful to plan and log my whole day's worth of food in the morning. This way, I can see ahead of time if I need to make any adjustments. If I know I have a step aerobics class that night, I log it in the morning as well and account for those "earned" calories when planning my meals. Good luck!

RunEloiseRun

Ugh, I sure understand stress eating. I also tend to eat when i'm bored. 1,200 is very hard for me. I keep it between 1,200 and 1,350. With exercise I eat back half of my calories so I feel like 5 days a week I get to eat more.

In the end, keep at it! Losing 1lb per week is way better than gaining!
Feel free to add me (:

thrld

Also, "only losing 1 lb a week" -- what's with the only? 1lb a week is 52 pounds a year.

Heck, by September you'll weigh 13 pounds less than today. By christmas you'll weigh 30 pounds less than today.

AimeeBaumgartner

Ok update....... I've lost 20 lbs in 14 weeks. Is that good or bad? We got a gym membership & I'm going at least 3 x's a week. I've stopped stress eating, but now I need to kick the beer drinking habit. All those calories just aren't worth it. I just feel like I need to enjoy life, but thinking of giving that up all together. Thanks for all the advice and keep it coming!

owl92

You should be losing 2 so you should up those calories again, your body is holding onto your weight because its always hungry. you sound hungry and like you get constant cravings you have to fight off, have them.

i hope u didnt weight at the wrong time like TOM or just before

gsager

I'm a receptionist at a doctors office. I was skinny all throughout school. Once I started a desk job it was all over. I'm at 185 lbs and 5'3. I've lost 13 lbs in the past 2 1/2 months. I want to get down to 130. I can't seem to accept the 1200 calories. I've tried 1500 and now 1400, but 1200 makes me crazy. The women at work are always snacking. I constantly think about food. I'm only losing 1 lb a week. I kinda want to give up. My husband has lost 50+. I'm happy for him, but envious too. I may be a mom of 2 and about to be 30 yrs old in Jan. 2013, but I need this. Words of encouragement when I want to stress eat..please!

If you work out add those calories and eat them....really I would bump up your activity level, 1200 calories is really for someone in a coma.

Emili03

Ok update....... I've lost 20 lbs in 14 weeks. Is that good or bad? We got a gym membership & I'm going at least 3 x's a week. I've stopped stress eating, but now I need to kick the beer drinking habit. All those calories just aren't worth it. I just feel like I need to enjoy life, but thinking of giving that up all together. Thanks for all the advice and keep it coming!

Don't be discouraged! 1 lb per week is actually the healthiest amount to lose as you are much less likely to rebound and gain it back! 1200 cals is very low, especially now that you are exercising. Check out www.fat2fitradio.com- go to all calculators- then bmr and calories. Plug in your info with your current weight as your goal weight...this will tell you how many calories you have to eat per day to maintain your weight. Anything less than that amount will ultimately result in a loss for you! This way if you need an "off" day, just eat at maintenance and you won't gain anything back. Once I did this and calculated my TDEE, I created a deficit from there....3500 cal deficit per week will keep you at a 1 lb per week loss. You may be eating too little. Check out the group on here, EatMore2WeighLess ....Hope this helps! :flowerforyou:

AimeeBaumgartner

Im doing 1400 calories. Some days I go over. It seems half the week I'm an angel then, the other half the food demon gets ahold of me & I eat horribly. I finally lost 20 lbs, but it took 14 weeks.

naturluvr

Aimee,
You are doing so good, shedding the weight at a healthy rate of approx. 1.4 pounds/week. I highly doubt you are even in the same pant size anymore, so please do not sabotage yourself and give up. I am 5'3", 193, 41. I adjusted for 1.5 pounds per week to reach 130 and the calorie limit says 1290. Make your goals reasonable and attainable.

Bring some healthy snacks so you are set up for success when you are hungry. Find fruits and veggies you love, add some protein, and enjoy every single milestone of weight loss. Your coworkers might be eating because they are stressed and bored, so look to someone who is dealing with issues without eating. How about starting a walking club at your office during your lunch hour? Fifteen minutes out, 15 back, 30 to eat. Are you staying hydrated with water and/or unsweetened green tea?

I am a binge eater when stressed, and I ALWAYS feel like crap afterward. I am trying to plan and create a healthy environment around me. I work from home. Sometimes I have to get up and go outside just to change my mindset, or do some Kripalu Yoga Breaks at my desk to refocus (youtube).

P.S. Skinny doesn't necessarily mean healthy.

The beer... 12 oz twice a week, work it off in a fun way with your husband and family.

I am encouraged by your successes. Thank you.

AimeeBaumgartner

Aimee,
You are doing so good, shedding the weight at a healthy rate of approx. 1.4 pounds/week. I highly doubt you are even in the same pant size anymore, so please do not sabotage yourself and give up. I am 5'3", 193, 41. I adjusted for 1.5 pounds per week to reach 130 and the calorie limit says 1290. Make your goals reasonable and attainable.

Bring some healthy snacks so you are set up for success when you are hungry. Find fruits and veggies you love, add some protein, and enjoy every single milestone of weight loss. Your coworkers might be eating because they are stressed and bored, so look to someone who is dealing with issues without eating. How about starting a walking club at your office during your lunch hour? Fifteen minutes out, 15 back, 30 to eat. Are you staying hydrated with water and/or unsweetened green tea?

I am a binge eater when stressed, and I ALWAYS feel like crap afterward. I am trying to plan and create a healthy environment around me. I work from home. Sometimes I have to get up and go outside just to change my mindset, or do some Kripalu Yoga Breaks at my desk to refocus (youtube).

P.S. Skinny doesn't necessarily mean healthy.

The beer... 12 oz twice a week, work it off in a fun way with your husband and family.

I am encouraged by your successes. Thank you.

Thank you for your words of encouragement!!!!