you are eating too few calories

OnMyWay2STay

I have had great success with MFP with a target of 1200 and coupling that with VERY INTENSE workouts. Through the course of my weight loss, I wasn't eating back my workout calories, and in fact would end the day with a deficit of 300-500 calories (on top of the deficit that the 1200 for weight loss already includes...not deliberately, actually...i just didn't know the 1200 already included a deficit). That said, I've pretty much reached my goals; I'm a VERY muscular 128 lbs; I'm anywhere from a size 00-2 depending on the store, I have never been more athletically capable (lots of plyo, weight lifting, distance and interval running; working out 7 days a week for at least an hour a day). But, while I still want to manage what I eat, so I don't regress, I am scared to change my fitness goals to "maintain" because I believe I'll gain.

Additionally, I've started to feel strangely bloated, though I don't look that different. This could be from a recent addiction to kabocha and other winter squash (like...eating A LOT), sweet potatoes and yams (too much starch? I thought they were good carbs?...), AND/OR it could be because i'm still operating at a deficit (still even from that 1200). I am IN NO WAY lacking energy or losing fitness. I'm still really muscular, but I am fearful of my body going into starvation mode. My only real indicator or physical symptom is the bloating.

Lots of variables, I know, but any thoughts?

bloating is usually cause by water retention. Water retention is cause by getting too much salt and not enough water. If you have reached a healthy weight, switch your goal to maintain, and make sure you don't go over it. Try it for a few weeks and see if it works. If you do gain, then switch it to lose 1/2 a week.

rainghirl

Eat when you're hungry is definitely good advice

Did your body tell you it was full when you over ate and put on the weight?? and if so did you listen??

Yes and sometimes, but then I didn't have as much weight to lose as a lot of people and it was mainly the temptation of eating away from home a lot and getting meals out paid for by work that caused me to go into greedy mode and put on the weight, before the past 2 years I never had a problem with my weight or with overeating. I forget that there are people on here who have struggled with their weight for years and don't know the difference between really being hungry and eating because they are bored/emotional etc.

I think it's important to relearn/learn what you body tells you, or else you're just going to go back to ignoring it and over eating and end up in a cycle of put on weight then diet. Whilst I appreciate that not everyone is able to do this, I'm maintaining my weight now and doing a pretty good job of listening to my body. If I find I'm full and there's still food on my plate - I leave it.

beachlover317

Do people actually read instructions these days?????

If you are using the figures generated by MFP you are supposed to eat back the additional calories it gives you to replace the ones you burnt when exercising. Your set calorie goal should be NET calorie intake.

Make sure you have put in a suitable target weight loss, record food and exercise correctly. Simple.

OR...

You could use a more accurate method and find out your BMR and TDEE and set your calorie goal between these two figures for a healthy and sustainable weight loss. This can be done using custom settings.

The following link is very helpful:


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Good luck :flowerforyou:

Reading the road map is the best thing you can do right now, do the math and follow it.

This ^^^ Don't waste a lot of time doing endless hours of cardio and eating nothing. Eat well. Fuel your body and lift heavy. Use the road map to get you started. Read up on leptin and you'll understand why you're not hungry even though you're not eating much. Good luck.

StrawberrySquirrel

Haha! I didn't intentionally start paleo, but as I meat mostly lean protein and veggies...TONS OF ROUGHAGE, it seems as though I am. I've been eating this way for a while now, but this feeling started relatively recently. I have pretty low sodium intake. I guess I'll play with upping the water and maybe trying to pump the brakes on this squash.

But, it is truly amazing!

Cheers

jrhodo

I had a lot of bloating before I found out I was gluten intolerant...