Full even below 1200 calories

mixedfeelings

That's what I'm like I feel sick of I eat when I feel full and im under the impression that if your full you shouldn't eat anymore! . What shall I do just stick at it?

I used to eat very little and I didn't feel hungry this went on for years, I should have eaten three times the amount but didn't. If you eat more you will start to feel hungrier. After this I started eating a little more but couldn't deal with the weight gain mentally and started to do what you are doing, starving in the week and binging at the weekend. I would eat 700 a day in the week and more at the weekend, not loads more but about 2500-3000 (Im 5'10" and was fairly active back then anyway), I didn't lose weight at all like that, I actually gained.
I now eat more than I did then but my weight is more stable, when I can exercise (awaiting kidney surgery at the mo) I lose weight and I don't starve myself, I don't want to lose weight quickly only to gain some of it back and then to battle that I just want to be healthy and eating normally.

If you want weight loss to last you need to take it slow and I'm pretty sure unless you are really short, you should be aiming above 1200 anyway. Take it up a notch, food is not the enemy, having a little of what you like and not restricting anything will make it easier not to binge in the future.

KorennaC

I'm so glad you asked this question! My trainer/coach sent me home yesterday because I had only eaten a yogurt and some almonds by 3:30. I also had a headach and was sick to my stomach............... go figure!
It is super hard for me to eat 1200 calories most days also and I'm very glad to read everyone's suggestions!
Guess we just have to keep trying!

conniemaxwell5

My suggestion would be to increase your intake over time. with your binge / starve cycles you've trained your body to not want food. You have to untrain it.

You ate 500 calories yesterday. Aim to eat 600-700 the next couple of days, then increase by 100-200 calories every couple of days after that. In a week or two you'll be eating at the level you should be. I agree with subbing in higher calorie foods to help boost the count too.

Do some research on how many calories you really should be eating to lose weight, based on your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Once you've retrained your body to accept food, you'll see the pounds coming off when you use this method.

Good luck!

emmajane2211

My suggestion would be to increase your intake over time. with your binge / starve cycles you've trained your body to not want food. You have to untrain it.

You ate 500 calories yesterday. Aim to eat 600-700 the next couple of days, then increase by 100-200 calories every couple of days after that. In a week or two you'll be eating at the level you should be. I agree with subbing in higher calorie foods to help boost the count too.

Do some research on how many calories you really should be eating to lose weight, based on your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Once you've retrained your body to accept food, you'll see the pounds coming off when you use this method.

Good luck!

This was very helpful. Thank you.

StArBeLLa87

My suggestion would be to increase your intake over time. with your binge / starve cycles you've trained your body to not want food. You have to untrain it.

You ate 500 calories yesterday. Aim to eat 600-700 the next couple of days, then increase by 100-200 calories every couple of days after that. In a week or two you'll be eating at the level you should be. I agree with subbing in higher calorie foods to help boost the count too.

Do some research on how many calories you really should be eating to lose weight, based on your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Once you've retrained your body to accept food, you'll see the pounds coming off when you use this method.

Good luck!

That's exactly what I had to do I had a major eating disorder in result made my immune system crash was a nightmare! I'm happy to say I am on a healthier track! I'm still slowly adding calories!

Francl27

Your metabolism is probably totally messed up. So you're eating nothing but gaining weight. You're going to have to eat a lot, lot more, for your metabolism to reset so you can actually lose weight.

pcastagner

Your metabolism is probably totally messed up. So you're eating nothing but gaining weight. You're going to have to eat a lot, lot more, for your metabolism to reset so you can actually lose weight.

I see this all the time, but the math doesn't add up. What percentage slower would you say a messed up metabolism is? And why can't we use slowed metabolism to solve world hunger and malnutrition?


Just wondering, because sometimes it feels like dieters are more likely to question the law of conservation of energy and matter than the 1200 net calories rule.

cdpark617

Im usually no help in these...

All I can say is lots of great advice here and good luck!

cubsgirlinny

*

proudmommy1003

Wow I'm the opposite I'm always humgry. I have to eat every 3 -4 hrs
I couldn't live at 1200 cal never.

Sorry I'm not help

GaloisGirl

I think sometimes, you should guide your body and sometimes, you should let your body guide you.

Now, knowing when which is suitable is great wisdom.

In your case, I think your body is mistrained to undereating and you should guide it towards receiving more nutrients. On the other hand, always listen to it, don't be a control freak.

Now that was specific. :P

surreygirl23

I know I said it earlier, but no one seemed to pick up on it..

Try and pre-log.

It works for me. It also helps when you're deciding what to buy in the supermarket, then you'll have what you need in the store cupboard and won't be stuck staring at a rack of lo-cal soups at 7.30pm.

Buy in eggs, nuts, dried apricots, yoghurt, olives, small bananas, cubes of cheese etc etc - ditch the WW stuff, it may seem easy, but a ham/cheese/tomato/whatever omelette with a bag of salad is just as quick, and soooo much healthier. (and cheaper )

surreygirl23

Oh Emma love - I've just had a quick lookie at your diary... VEGETABLES! You've got to get some veg's into you (and I don't mean potato).
I know you're a busy lass so if you've got a freezer, buy some 'steam bags' of veg's from the freezer section - this will give you a mix of broccoli, cauli, corn, beans etc in handy portions, then you won't have unused stuff rotting in your fridge.

Get a bag of salad too! One day, make yourself a salad nicoise - easy and sooo quick - bag of salad, small tin tuna, olives, hard boiled egg, a couple of new potatoes and a slug of good dressing (NOT the gloopy lo-cal stuff).

GNarya

I don't know if my experience will help you, because it is wildly different (but, at the same time, I see similarities, which are what makes me think it might be worth a try for you, too). Just in case:

I'm one of those people that are hardly ever hungry. I did not like eating, in fact. I've always been very thin, bordering underweight (or just on the underweight side of the line), but my family is like that, so my doctors and I never worried. Then I got pregnant and hunger hit me like a full-speed train. Despite eating for five, I gained as I should during the pregnancy, and the kid was born at a nice weight and very healthy. Slowly, my hunger starting getting back to "normal" (read as: unexistent) levels, and I started loosing weight too fast, even though I made a point of eating till the point of feeling sick. That's why I joined this site, because I wanted to see if I was really eating enough or what. I discovered that I was well above what calculators said I should eat to gain, yet was still losing. So, I had to up my intake even more. Yay (not).

How did I do it? First of all, slowly. Then, a couple strategies helped me: eating breakfast every day, and adding snacks. It sounds really evident, but it was hard to do. Now, a few months later, I am at a point where I feel my hunger is up to par with the amount I should eat, no more feeling sick, so it can be done. Smoothies, cheese and full fat dairy, nuts, avocados, bananas, extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, not trimming the extra fat of meat as I did before... all help.

mamasmaltz3

That's what I'm like I feel sick of I eat when I feel full and im under the impression that if your full you shouldn't eat anymore! . What shall I do just stick at it?

Whether or not your feel full is not a reliable indication of whether you should eat more or not. You don't feel hungry because your hormonal responses are messed up from eating so little for so long. Your body is no longer sending your brain hunger signals. On the flip side, there are lots of obese people who eat way more than they should, and yet still feel ravenous all the time. Read up on the long term effects of not eating enough, and then instead of "listening to your body", let your brain start making the decisions. Most people who struggle with their weight over the long term cannot rely on their bodies to tell them when to start or stop eating.

A lot of people have the problem of feeling full on low calories, but the good news is that if you can consistently eat more, you should find that your appetite returns. Further good news is that you don't have to stuff yourself with a large volume of food to meet your calorie goal. Aim for foods that are calorie dense, in particular things that are higher in fat. Fat is not bad for you. Some examples are cheese, eggs, dark chocolate, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and avocados. Switch to full fat products instead of the reduced fat or "lite" versions. Stop eating things like Weight Watchers foods. You're trying to eat more calories, so it's illogical to eat foods that are designed to be lower in calories. Spread a little butter on your seeded bun. Have a salad, and add some dressing made with olive oil. Add a little oil to your cooking. You'll soon find the calories add up. You can also drink your calories in the form of milk, nut milk, smoothies and protein shakes.

I know a lot of people struggle with this, but looking at your diary, it's really not normal to feel full on such little food. It's not like you're eating mountains of vegetables to fill you up, you're actually eating a small volume of food too. Perhaps this is more psychological than anything else. You said you got overweight by eating the "wrong things". Try to stop looking at foods as "good" or "bad". Food isn't the enemy. If you widen your perception of what foods are acceptable, then you'll also have a lot more options for upping your calories. If you continue to struggle with this, it might be worth considering some professional counselling, or talking to your doctor. You are already at risk for various health problems eating this way, not to mention further damage to your metabolism. Don't let this spiral into something more serious.

^^^^ Great advice!

LoosingMyLast15

Like I said previous. I do not eat weightwatchers meals all the time. I'm currently working mega long hours and it is convenient for me this week an this week only! I normally have chicken and veg for a main meal and say cracker bread and tuna for lunch. Iv still not tackled breakfast yet but I'm thinking the protein shakes may be a good idea on a morning to start with. It's hard to break a habit of a lifetime and eat right as I'm sure all of you well know. It is all very new to me! I'm training for a half marathon too which gives me even MORE calories to consume and it's hard work! Nuts ect are a good idea and full fat milk too.

if your training for half you really need to up your calories even more. you're going to wind up in the hospital eating that little and training for a half. i think you KNOW what to do it's DOING IT that's the issue. try the protein shake add the banana to it, yogurt, peanut butter. almonds are great, so is avocado (it's good fat) add some turkey or chicken plus a yummy sweet potoato or regular potato (small one not one of those gigantic the size of my head potatoes) and you have a healthy meal. eggs are great as well (eat the yolks). bagel with peanut butter for breakfast, protein shake as a snack, healthy lunch, almonds as another snack, healthy dinner.

good luck.

Katie1951

This is a big problem for me too. I've just plugged in what I intend to eat today and it's come up at 715 calls! I know this isn't nearly enough, so I'm going to have a full fat latte in a minute, add a slice of bacon to my 2-egg omelette for lunch, and a handful of walnuts and a 5ml spoon of olive oil to my grilled salmon and salad tonight. That's put me up to 1000 cals - healthily.

I'll also have a small bowl of natural greek yoghurt with a handful of pumpkin seeds and 5ml of maple syrup as a snack mid afternoon and a small banana mid evening - et voila! 1200 cals!

Never eat a cookie to get extra calories, there are so many more healthy options. Even a few cubes of cheese and olives makes a fab snack that's good for you and will clock up around 270 cals for 100g.

Love the response. I've stopped eating all the low calorie stuff and concentrate on the full calorie, which is so much more healthy for you, high fiber.

There are days that I am not hungry enough to eat a total of 1200 calories, but overall I average on a weekly basis 1200 per day. A little more one day and little less another, it works for me.

tinak33

My suggestion would be to increase your intake over time. with your binge / starve cycles you've trained your body to not want food. You have to untrain it.

You ate 500 calories yesterday. Aim to eat 600-700 the next couple of days, then increase by 100-200 calories every couple of days after that. In a week or two you'll be eating at the level you should be. I agree with subbing in higher calorie foods to help boost the count too.

Do some research on how many calories you really should be eating to lose weight, based on your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Once you've retrained your body to accept food, you'll see the pounds coming off when you use this method.

Good luck!

This was very helpful. Thank you.

This is good advice for you. Also pre-log (as someone else had mentioned). If you pre-log your food you can see what you plan to eat and just add maybe a handful of almonds or something to boost the calorie intake. Or grab a banana.

Also I would like to mention (I didn't see anyone else mentioning it), kudos for coming here and asking for advice. And also kudos for realizing you have a problem with not eating and then binging. A lot of people don't think it's a problem and just want to validate their bad eating habits. You recognized it and are actively trying to change it. Good for you! I wish you the best of luck! :drinker:

Absonthebrain

Try eating nuts when you need more cals, that usually does the trick for me on days when im not so hungry.

phanmale

I'm so happy OP started this thread - makes me realise that there are many out there with very similar issues and I'm not alone, but in general, everyone's given some great advice rather than criticism and even though in the main I can almost reach my daily calorie goal, there are days when I still "forget" to eat and end up with an empty diary

There have been times when I have pre-planned and had my food diary ready and waiting and then just taken one look and thought "you know what? I *really* can't stomach the thought of trying to eat any of that" but the support from friends also on the site and forum posts just like this one really help me - almost like a little encouraging voice sitting on my shoulder. I'll maybe have a kids packet of raisins, a couple of pieces of bitesize cereal or a banana and an hour later, my tummy's rumbling ready to start me on my eating plan again

No-one said the weight loss journey was easy, but if you look at it as a new way of eating rather than "dieting", regular mealtimes, healthy snacks and even the occasional treat, I'm sure you'll find that your binging becomes a thing of the past, food no longer your enemy and a forgiving set of scales/waist band en route!