I feel like I am trying super hard...

chili88

Hi everyone!!!
My problem is that I have actually had this account for over a year I believe and have never really used it consistently. Recently though, I have been trying really hard to exercise thirty minutes to an hour and eat 1800 calories (I'm 5"4 and 157.2 lb). I feel like I'm starving, but the weight isn't coming off, only adding!

Any suggestions? I need a new mind set!

SherryTeach

If you want honest advice, you should open your diary. If you are starving on 1800 calories, you might need to tune up your food choices to be more satisfying.

chili88

I would but I honestly have NO idea how to!

Molly_Maguire

If you want honest advice, you should open your diary. If you are starving on 1800 calories, you might need to tune up your food choices to be more satisfying.

I can't agree with this more. There is no way you should be hungry on 1800 cals a day. I am on 1200 and am almost NEVER hungry. It's all about making smarter choices and eating foods that will keep you full longer. If your diary were open, we could give you pointers and steer you in the right direction.

schell81

puppy chow?

HeatherPH

I would but I honestly have NO idea how to!

Go to Settings -> Diary Settings -> Diary Sharing and select 'Public', then save changes.

I do agree with the others, though- 1800 is a lot of calories if you're eating the right foods, so it's probably just a case of eating more nutritious foods.

blytheandbonnie

Puppy Chow?

treagal

I'm 5ft 7 and 250lbs and i'm eating 1250 cals a day...and excersising 45 min 4-5 times a week.

tairaven

Chili - To open your food diary: click on "MY HOME" tab, then "settings," then "diary settings" - scroll down to the bottom and select "friends" or "public" :-)

SherryTeach

Opening your diary is in your privacy settings. I'm also on 1200 calories. With all the veggies, fruit, lean meat, whole grain I consume, I feel plenty satisfied. But know that certain foods would me me hungrier than before I ate them.

roro73

I would but I honestly have NO idea how to!

Go to settings, diary settings then you can choose to make your diary public. You can change it back to private after you get some advice if you'd like to. You definitely shouldn't be starving on 1800 cals if you're eating mostly whole foods. I hear ya about never being consistent though. I have been on here a long time & feel like I'm always starting over. I think eventually it just "clicks" & your lifestyle changes..at least I hope it does...lol

ErinRibbens

Looks like you could cut out a lot of snack-type carbs and add some protein and fiber-rich fruits and veggies. What kind of exercise are you doing?

My guess is you are probably under-estimating your calories and/or over-estimating your calorie burn.

you definitely shouldn't be starving on 1800 calories unless you're doing heavy weight training in which case it would be even more important to increase your protein!

HeatherPH

It'd definitely help to cut down on the pretzels and fatty snacks like nutella, puppy chow etc, which quickly add up in calories and do little to fill you up. I find Greek yoghurt really filling, fruit, nuts, things like that. If you want something more carby, you could have multigrain toast with peanut butter, rice crackers with avocado, etc. Concentrate on eating the most nutritious foods you can and you'll soon find that 1800 is more than enough!

Edited to add- white bread is also ridiculously high in calories and doesn't fill you up AT ALL, so you'll probably notice a big difference is you swap the baguettes and stuff for a good multigrain bread or roll!

fitQueenbeast

Wait....PUPPY CHOW????? Ummmm, that's dog food...why is that in your DIARY???? o_O

Odiliawine

Puppy chow is a food made from chex mix, powdered sugar, butter and melted chocolate. It is positivly devine, but not exactly forgiving.

moseler

After looking at your diary... I can honestly say that your food choices are pretty carb heavy... this may explain why you get hungry consistently. I would beef up on the protein and veggies and cut out some of those carb heavy snacks and breads. Just a suggestion. The protein will sustain you for a longer period of time than the carbs...

I am 5'7, 225 and eat just over 1300 calories a day and I am never hungry... I typically go over my protein in a day and stay below my calories and carbs... I also TRY to keep the sugars and sodium to a minimum... but this can be difficult if you are eating a lot of processed foods.

anifani4

Although you have some excellent food choices you also have some pretty empty calorie ones... the sugar/chocolate/nutella/bread is tasting good but giving you few nutrients. maybe aim to increase the first catagory and decrease the second. try to get some additional protein at breakfast every day.

jofjltncb6

Puppy chow is a food made from chex mix, powdered sugar, butter and melted chocolate. It is positivly devine, but not exactly forgiving.

Yeah, puppy chow is delicious and disturbingly addictive.

sarahisme18

I agree that you may need to have different food choices. Feel free to look at my diary---I am same height as you, started out at nearly the same weight, and eat 1800 calories a day—still losing consistently, slowly. I eat eggs for breakfast with an english muffin, pb and a banana, then have a snack of greek yogurt later, and also eat a protein bar and/or protein shake most days. I try to tailor my meals and snacks based on what times of day I am hungry.

Please do not listen to those people eating 1200 calories a day. It is not good for you, and the longer you do it, the less hungry you will feel—but the weight will stop coming off eventually, and you will be starving your muscles and your brain.


Check out eatmore2weighless.com for more info about that... started by two MFP members and supported by MANY members who were successful at that philosophy, including myself!

SherryTeach

I agree that you may need to have different food choices. Feel free to look at my diary---I am same height as you, started out at nearly the same weight, and eat 1800 calories a day—still losing consistently, slowly. I eat eggs for breakfast with an english muffin, pb and a banana, then have a snack of greek yogurt later, and also eat a protein bar and/or protein shake most days. I try to tailor my meals and snacks based on what times of day I am hungry.

Please do not listen to those people eating 1200 calories a day. It is not good for you, and the longer you do it, the less hungry you will feel—but the weight will stop coming off eventually, and you will be starving your muscles and your brain.


Check out eatmore2weighless.com for more info about that... started by two MFP members and supported by MANY members who were successful at that philosophy, including myself!

Just remember before you categorically denigrate 1200 calories as unhealthily low, body size and age dictate nutritional needs. At age 57 at 5'1 and 106 pounds, 1200 calories provides me with plenty of nutrients. My BMR is 1010.

quirkytizzy

I agree with healthier food choices. I've managed to cut calories before and still subsist on primarily junk food, and the only real result was that I was hungrier, grumpier, and more resentful towards food. I'm still working on putting together a really healthy diet, but by cutting out soda and adding in things like whole grains and veggie sandwiches, I've found that I'm staying full much longer.

brynnsmom

Sorry, but you are waaaayyy over your calories on the days you completed and you're loading up on junk like cake and pretzels!