Starving Myself...not by choice

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PrtteJerseyGirl71
PrtteJerseyGirl71 Posts: 8
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone!

I signed up for MFP last night and just to see how I was doing I logged what I ate yesterday.
I have realized after 10 minutes on MFP that I am basically starving myself, which is probably the reason I lose a pound or two, then gain a pound or two. Probably also messing up my metabolism. I have been yo yo ing up and down for several weeks.

The problem is I am not hungry. When I do eat the first thing that goes thru my mind is, "How much weight is this going to make me gain?". I have lost 18 pounds in the last couple months and I don't want to gain that back but I think I'm hurting myslef more than helping it. Now that I realize this, how do I jump start my metabolism?

I am assuming by eating more food, getting close to the amount of calories that I SHOULD be eating, will at first make me gain a few pounds???

I know this all probably sounds really stupid but I am committed to losing this weight and I thought I was doing it correctly. I see that I am not, but am scared to eat more.

Suggestions???

Replies

  • DinahKyle
    DinahKyle Posts: 186 Member
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    First off, none of that sounds stupid at all.

    You may find that you gain a few pounds while your metabolism resets. Mine did the same things when I upped my calories at my doctors suggestion.

    As for suggestions, keep up fluids, eat as clean as possible - try to avoid overly processed foods (basically if you can't pronounce the ingredients, it's not worth your time). Keep your protein up as well, If you stay active you can eat more as well.

    Definately don't be scared to eat more though.

    Food = Fuel :)
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
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    focus on losing fat rather than losing weight. If you have been undereating then yes you will put on weight when you start eating normally again, however this is not fat, it's water and glygocen. Most of what you see on the scale on a day to day basis is water weight fluctuations. When you undereat your body burns glycogen which is stored with water so you lose water and glycogen, this causes your scale weight to drop but it's not fat. So when you stop undereating, your body replaces the glycogen store (along with water) and the scale weight goes up. Many women get stuck in an cycle where they think that they have drastically slowed their metabolism because whenever they try to eat normally, their scale weight goes up a lot, because of the water and glycogen. However they think they've gained fat and freak out. After returning to eating normally, give your body a chance to settle down, use a calculator to determine how much you should be eating (i.e. about 15-20% less than your TDEE) and after your weight has settled you will start losing weight again, and it will be fat. You need to eat more than your TDEE calories to gain any actual fat.

    Go for slow and steady fat loss, i.e. 1-2lb a week. Unless you are running marathons your body can't burn this much fat in a week anyway. If you're losing more than this then it's glycogen and water, and in the long term (if you continuously undereat for long periods) you'll start to lose muscle mass too and your metabolism will slow (this won't happen overnight).
  • mrykyldy2
    mrykyldy2 Posts: 96 Member
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    Don't worry about weighing in every day. It sets you up for disappointment. Pick one day a week and stick to it to weight yourself. We have all fell victim to under eating and over eating. The key is not to beat yourself up over it and remember tomorrow is a new day. I have to agree with eating as clean as possible. Farmers markets are an awesome alternative to the grocery store prices for your fruits and veggies. Unfortunately, you have to go once a week as they do not last much longer than that. I am not one that really likes all the extra stuff in ice cream every night, so my alternative to that is getting a Yo-Nana's machine. I found it at bed bath and beyond and will run you $43 and change if you use the coupon. It uses 2 banana's and a half cup of any other fruit that you want and it can serve up to two people. One other thing that I do is not eat starcy foods after 3 p.m. only because I don't have a way to break up the carbs that are in them that late in the day. The only time that rule is broken is if I am going to the gym after dinner and going to have a good work out. If processed food is unavoidable, I make sure I have plenty of veggies or fruits and my protein to balance it out and stick to the portion carefully. I am also one of those that will measure everything out.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    Try to focus on eating healthy and natural foods. Pay attention to portions, and you'll probably be surprised how much delicious food you can enjoy without feeling like you're risking a gain. Ive found that changing my mindset away from "diet" thoughts and towards "healthy lifestyle" thoughts made all the difference in my approach to what I eat (or don't eat) . Good luck...you can do this!
  • Irish_eyes75
    Irish_eyes75 Posts: 475
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    It's not stupid but you have to change the way you're thinking to be truly successful. Think of food as fuel, think of your calorie goal as a goal to reach, not to stay under. Try to swat the thoughts of gaining weight every time you eat away.
  • PrtteJerseyGirl71
    PrtteJerseyGirl71 Posts: 8
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    Thanks everyone! Instead of my usual banana for breakfast I actually made eggs and a couple red potatoes. SO good! Heading to the gym now. I think I still have it in my head that I need to work off what I just ate. This is going to be a big mental struggle for me. Thanks for being there and helping me understand this more. It is appreciated more than you know!
  • DinahKyle
    DinahKyle Posts: 186 Member
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    Thanks everyone! Instead of my usual banana for breakfast I actually made eggs and a couple red potatoes. SO good! Heading to the gym now. I think I still have it in my head that I need to work off what I just ate. This is going to be a big mental struggle for me. Thanks for being there and helping me understand this more. It is appreciated more than you know!

    Definitely be careful with working off what you eat...I got in the habit of doing that (netting 400 cal a day) - I now am having a LOT of trouble losing weight again, and have to see a counselor (nothing wrong with it - just thought I was done with that phase...) Good luck - and never be afraid to ask for support! <3
  • skittlelife1
    skittlelife1 Posts: 9
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    I know how you feel--when it takes forever to lose a pound when you eat normally (or "healthy"). But that is only in the beginning. My sister has an eating disorder and I always feel like I am eating too much because of that. But she also has frozen bowels from restricting and even extreme laxatives wont help her. It is far better to take it slow (and yes, maybe gain a couple in the beginning) then to feel forced into restricitng, therefore destructing your body. Exercise is a great way to be able to eat more without feeling bad about it! :)

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