frustrated and confused?

questionablemethods · May 2010

I don't think you have an eating disorder either, which is what I am saying in my posts!

I apologize if I gave you that impression.

oh i do aplologise, I took it the wrong way, sorry about that.

but what i wrote down for the average day i eat is true, i am quite conscious of eating fatty things so i tend to steer clear from them altogether. i was just thinking that maybe my body is used to the cals/fat etc i consume, so to actually loose weight, i need to go lower. i really don't know.

Just wanted to note that it isn't just "fatty" foods that will make you gain weight. Calories are what make you gain weight. It sounds like you know this. But remember that even fat free milk has calories in it and if you are putting it on your cereal and in your tea, it could be adding up to quite a bit. What I have classified as "just a splash" of fat free milk in my coffee typically is actually closer to 1/4th of a cup, or 20-some calories. If you are having 7 cups of tea a day and adding milk in all of them, it could end up adding another 100-200 calories, depending upon how much you use.

But as you say, that is still not a lot. However, I think that you should go back and read that link that someone posted about "700 calories a day and still overweight". You probably fall in that boat, as a lot of people do. You certainly don't need to cut your calories any further, but you might need to see a nutritionist to help get your metabolism back on track if you have been eating such a small amount for a long period of time.

mworld · May 2010

Keep a strict journal - log everything (drinks too). When it doesn't make sense you then take it to the doctor.

I think you are in the UK - do you do a lot of walking during the day (UK'ers tend to walk a lot more than us Americans)

yeah, i've almost always kept a food diary. hence joining this site because it's so much easier.
and yep, i'm from the U.K, I don't walk as much as I should, but go on bike rides often so hopefully that makes up for the laziness :^P

Well you are right that there is something wrong. I think you are doing the right thing by visiting with a Dr. You may want to have a family member or friend there with you as well for support. I wish you luck.

Lilmissy, thank you for the expert chime-in

pittapatta · May 2010

thanks everyone :flowerforyou:

mamagooskie · May 2010

I think you should try eating not more food necessarily but higher calorie meals instead if you really can't eat "more". For breakfast try adding full fat cream to your tea/coffee, maybe have some peanut butter or sunflower seed butter on your banana. You say you like fish so try adding a serving or two a week to your day. Like tuna on salad or a filet with dinner. You say you careful about how much fat you eat which is good but you do need a certain amount per day and there are many healthy natural ways to add it in. I automatically tend to think of chips, and french fries when I think of foods with fat but that isn't the case. Maybe even try adding a hard boiled egg and a cheese string somewhere in your day, soymilk smoothies are fantastic. How about added a meal replacement bar, those are like 300-400 calories alone and if you pick a organic one with limited "additives" you'd still be eating healthy but totally giving your body a boost.

another poster suggested upping your calories every so often which I think could be a good idea. Like next week try to eat 600 cal each day and the next week a bit more. It really will work.

I have a lot of weight to lose and even for someone of my size if I eat more I will lose more.....it's crazy how it all works but it just does. Some of my daily meals are close to or more than 400 cal each but it's all healthy with veggies, beans, fruits, light dressings/sauces, lean cuts of meat, fish, eggs, low fat dairy etc.

Keep exercizing because it is good for you, but I also find (and I'm sure a lot of others do as well) that if you eat some of you exercize calories in addition to your daily allowance you will lose even more.

Sometimes even changing things up help. If you eat the same things day in and day out and do the same workout the same way the same amount of time your body can stop being challenged. So figure out 3-4 breakfasts you like within your intake and 3-4 lunches and 3-4 dinners and mix em up. change your workout, add in weights, do sprints, anything different. change is good.

I think staying at 400 cal / day and working out less will work against you.

I wish you luck whatever you decide to do though!

melville88 · May 2010

Hi there, had similar problems as you and had similar feedback from everyone. I too was having some days around 400 cals, I've upped it to 800-1000 and I do feel better for it. Don't worry, I'm sure you don't have an eating disorder- I think when you;ve been on a diet for a while your body does get used to smaller portions and you feel less hungry- that was the case for me. I also try my best to avoid high fat-content foods- which is why although people on here have suggested things like avacadoes and oil for you, these aren't necessarily high in calories- just high in fat. There are other foods that have a higher calorie content and are fairly low fat that you could try: mangoes? couscous? If you start eating a bit more day by day, you will start to feel hungry again and then you'll be able to reach higher calorie goals if this is what you want to do- I don't recommend reading everyone's advice and then plummeting straight into 1200 calories after eating 300-400 for so long; it's best to build it up gradually (but building it up will help I think, like everyone says). Also try calorie cycling- i.e. set different targets each week to reach calorie wise so that your metabolism won't stabilize. I definitely think this works.

Also, bran flakes, toast and a banana- that's all carbohydrate and fibre (a little dairy with the milk I guess). Maybe try a week restricting carbs and focusing on proteins- i.e. chicken, fish etc. Again, this might shake up your metabolism.

I would say though, it will be difficult to lose weight quickly for you maybe because you're already only 140 pounds and at 5'7", that is a nice, comfortable weight for your body to be at- so I guess, be prepared for a slog!

Hope some of this helps, good luck and I hope you start to lose soon! xxx

frustrated and confused?

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