Eating 600 calories a day, want to increase but terrified...

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lovesthesunsine
lovesthesunsine Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all

I started this diet at around 160 pounds and I am now 122 pounds at 5'5 (healthy bmi) I have 8 more lbs to go until my goal weight.

I used to eat about 1,300 calories but ever since I got a desk job I became terrified at the thought of gaining weight due to not moving around so much during the day so I cut my intake to about 650 and have been living like this for a few months.

I have come to realise that I'm probably harming myself doing this so I want to increase the number of calories I eat. I have decided to add 100 cals to my limit each week until I am eating enough calories but still losing weight.

I do about 2 hours of walking a day as well as 24 mins abdominal workout.

I am just terrified of gaining weight, I have worked so hard for so long and if the numbers on the scale crept back up I don't know how I would cope.

Anyone have any advice for me? Please no bashing, I know what I did was wrong and I'm just looking for help.
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Replies

  • Benphi91
    Benphi91 Posts: 31 Member
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    Increase your calories to whatever your healthy weight loss limit is, but limit your carbs. If you stick to under 100g carbs a day you'll keep losing weight. Avoid processed foods, bread, pasta etc.

    More info: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/#axzz1zd4j2S8Q
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    You may need to seek professional help. What you're describing has all the qualities of an eating disorder and a bunch of strangers on the internet can't possibly get to the root of your emotional relationship with food the way someone trained to deal with EDs can.

    Whatever you decide I wish you lots of luck in your journey.
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373 Member
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    I used to eat about 1,300 calories but ever since I got a desk job I became terrified at the thought of gaining weight due to not moving around so much during the day so I cut my intake to about 650 and have been living like this for a few months.

    Don't you get hungry?
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    You may need to seek professional help. What you're describing has all the qualities of an eating disorder and a bunch of strangers on the internet can't possibly get to the root of your emotional relationship with food the way someone trained to deal with EDs can.

    Whatever you decide I wish you lots of luck in your journey.

    She really is right. Of course you want to hold on to the weight loss you worked so hard for. But you're eating too little and netting even less. You can't live like that forever. Lots of thin people have desk jobs and eat.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I'm glad you're realizing the damage you can cause and are taking the initiative to change it. I agree with 100 calories daily, you might want to stick with it for 2 weeks, then the next 2 weeks 200 calories more daily, etc.. The lower carb approach is good too, lower meaning healthier carbs, like fruits, etc..Just make sure you get to your healthy calorie intake, which should be anywhere from 1500 up based on your age.

    I also wouldn't depend on the scale too much - too mental.
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    I used to only eat around 500 - 600 cals a day, I'm now up to 1000 - 1200.

    I just went for it, increased my calories to nearest my allowance as I could because I figured I would gain some back anyway from eating so low I may as well just get that over with and start over 1200 or there abouts.

    The trick to gaining as little as possible is eating clean, nutritious food that your body needs. I only gained 5lbs then started losing again. It was painful at first and I was so sad that I had done it but the two weeks following I lost 4lbs again.

    I know my way is probably not the way you want to go but you can add me for support and to look at my diary for ideas. :)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Don't you get hungry?
    Probably not, hunger often isn't a feature of very low calorie (or carb) intakes.
  • AshleyBananas
    AshleyBananas Posts: 62
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    There's a small bike type thing you can put under your desk and do seated exercise, google pedal exerciser. It's a great way to keep active even while at your desk. I think 600 calories a day is way too low, hopefully incorporating some light exercise in your work day would help you feel better about eating more. Good luck!
  • xshortiex
    xshortiex Posts: 120 Member
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    I have the same exact problem...
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Increase slowly. Maybe 100 - 200 calories at a time. Eat at that level for a couple of weeks before introducing more to give your body time to adjust.
  • lovesthesunsine
    lovesthesunsine Posts: 3
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    Thank you all so much!
  • Juliedungca
    Juliedungca Posts: 22 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    You absolutely need to read that page^^^. I am the same height as you, and started at the same weight! I also ate at the rate you are eating and let me tell ya.. it won't matter if you reach that goal of 8 pounds more. I did. and NOBODY should be that flabby at 115. Sure, I was smaller than the 150 I started at and sure, I was wearing a bikini for the first time ever. But what's the point of all this WORK if you don't look fabulous. After many MFP message board discussions and research, I've come to terms that I lost so much muscle and my low calorie diet. I have raised it from 700 calories to 1200 calories over the past few weeks. My weight has remained the same. Personally, i'm ABSOLUTELY okay with gaining weight, as long as its muscles and I lose inches. 120 is NOT a high weight for women our size. Furthermore, I kept lowering my goal weight because I thought, "I still have fat... guess I need to go lower". 100 pounds? I don't think so!

    And don't worry, I was TERRIFIED TOO! But much encouragement and strong facts and amazing people like the woman who's link I posted up there for ya have inspired me to get right, be healthy, get my nutrition and build lean muscle back!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    Hey all

    I started this diet at around 160 pounds and I am now 122 pounds at 5'5 (healthy bmi) I have 8 more lbs to go until my goal weight.

    I used to eat about 1,300 calories but ever since I got a desk job I became terrified at the thought of gaining weight due to not moving around so much during the day so I cut my intake to about 650 and have been living like this for a few months.

    I have come to realise that I'm probably harming myself doing this so I want to increase the number of calories I eat. I have decided to add 100 cals to my limit each week until I am eating enough calories but still losing weight.

    I do about 2 hours of walking a day as well as 24 mins abdominal workout.

    I am just terrified of gaining weight, I have worked so hard for so long and if the numbers on the scale crept back up I don't know how I would cope.

    Anyone have any advice for me? Please no bashing, I know what I did was wrong and I'm just looking for help.

    You should be more terrified of suffering from some sort of nutritional defficency. It can end allot worse, I assure you.

    That being said I found maintaining 120 at 5'7 to be a snap. Not going to lie your in a situation now that you will probably gain weight temporarily, but nothing that's going to be hard or long to get off. It's mostly going to be your energy stores like glycogen coming back because you're probably not producing much if you're eating that little.

    When I was sedentary I was eating about 1700 and now that I'm active I eat more. If I'm smaller and taller then you, it is absolutely 100% possible to net about 3 times as much as you're eating now and very easily keep the weight off.

    Also like the above poster said, this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    But also this if you need directions for help on how much you should be able to eat:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    As someone who grew up fighting an ED, then grew up to study the psychology of it in school, I don't really think you have an ED. Many people on MFP will see someone going under 1200 constantly and instantly go, "OMG ANOREXIA."

    You recognize this isn't healthy. You've taken steps to correct it. You don't want to go lower--you just don't want to go too far up. It's a understandable concern (although it's slightly concerning that you're SO terrified).

    That being said--you most likely won't really gain weight. The gradual steps you're doing are good to get your body into a good "maintenance" mode. Watch the foods you're eating, try and fit in exercise still, and try not to STRESS about gaining weight (even the stress can put on weight/stop weight loss!), and you should be okay.
  • jawheb
    jawheb Posts: 295 Member
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    You may need to seek professional help. What you're describing has all the qualities of an eating disorder and a bunch of strangers on the internet can't possibly get to the root of your emotional relationship with food the way someone trained to deal with EDs can.

    Whatever you decide I wish you lots of luck in your journey.
    What they said ^
  • cartrat
    cartrat Posts: 120 Member
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    As someone who grew up fighting an ED, then grew up to study the psychology of it in school, I don't really think you have an ED. Many people on MFP will see someone going under 1200 constantly and instantly go, "OMG ANOREXIA."

    exactly. an ED is a *symptom* of some kind of psyhcological problem. some people need to watch that show "intervention". in almost every case, they're abused or have traumatic memories of some sort or just have mental problems.

    ANYWAY

    just follow the advice of people here. slowly up your calories week by week. don't worry, 1200 calories a day isn't going to make you balloon back up. maybe a few pounds or so but it's not like you're going to go back to your starting weight.

    it'll be okay :) good luck!
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    Slowly increase your calories up to AT LEAST 1,200 if not more.

    You will most likely gain weight originally but it will come off. Your body is used to getting 600 cals a day so you will gain some temporary weight in the beginning.

    Don't weigh yourself for a few weeks!
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 776 Member
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    Go up to 1200 calories but keep your carbs between 50 and 100g, At 50g, you will lose weight faster than at 100g. Also make those carbs healthy carbs, cut out the processed sugar, pasta and bread if you can. Have more veggies than fruit. Fruit has more carbs per unit than vegies.
  • lornathewizzard
    lornathewizzard Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    Hey all

    I started this diet at around 160 pounds and I am now 122 pounds at 5'5 (healthy bmi) I have 8 more lbs to go until my goal weight.

    I used to eat about 1,300 calories but ever since I got a desk job I became terrified at the thought of gaining weight due to not moving around so much during the day so I cut my intake to about 650 and have been living like this for a few months.

    I have come to realise that I'm probably harming myself doing this so I want to increase the number of calories I eat. I have decided to add 100 cals to my limit each week until I am eating enough calories but still losing weight.

    I do about 2 hours of walking a day as well as 24 mins abdominal workout.

    I am just terrified of gaining weight, I have worked so hard for so long and if the numbers on the scale crept back up I don't know how I would cope.

    Anyone have any advice for me? Please no bashing, I know what I did was wrong and I'm just looking for help.

    Hey :)
    You've taken a great first step in realising that 600 calories a day is a bad idea. The second thing to realise is that as much as sitting at a desk all day is different to waiting tables all day (or such like), it doesn't negate any exercise you do. I have a desk job, and maintain my weight netting more than 1700 a day. I was losing weight at anywhere between 1300 and 1600 upwards.
    What I would suggest is to change your goal back up to the 1300 you were used to. Whether or not you can make that every day is irrelevant in the start, but it gives you something to aim for. .What you have to realise is that upping your calories, in the first instance, may make you gain weight. This is purely because you have been starving your body and it is going to want to make the most of those extra calories. What is very important to remember is that any extra weight you put on will come off and then more if you keep netting a small deficit. I would always suggest eating at least your BMR (there's a BMR checker at the top of the page) and its worth knowing what your maintenance calories would be to put things into perspective (you can check this by setting your weight loss goals to lost 0lb a week).
    Give this time, I'm talking 4-6 weeks without freaking out and giving up - and you'll want to carry on after that. Good luck!
  • foodie99
    foodie99 Posts: 92
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    You may need to seek professional help. What you're describing has all the qualities of an eating disorder and a bunch of strangers on the internet can't possibly get to the root of your emotional relationship with food the way someone trained to deal with EDs can.

    Whatever you decide I wish you lots of luck in your journey.

    Agreed.

    I think my dogs probably eat more than 600 calories a day. I don't say that to be mean; it's that I can't imagine eating so little

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