Trying to lose 100 lbs and venting

Stop looking at it as a diet. You need to change your way of life, not look for a quick fix. You also don't need to starve to lose weight. I have been where you are. It's taken me about 2 years to get to where I am now. I hit some bumps in the road along the way, but never gave up. I am not at my goal yet, but have no doubt that I will get there and be able to maintain it because I am doing it the healthy way that I can sustain for life. I have the Body Media Fit, which tells me how many calories that I burn on a daily basis. I usually eat around 2100 calories per day as I burn up to 3000+ on a very active day. Just give it time and never give up. Good luck!

What happens after that year is up?

Ideally, you keep moving and keep eating healthy. If you think at all that being "done" means more junk food and less exercise, you will just end up back where you started. You aren't ready to do this right until you are ready to picture yourself ten years from now at your exciting new active hobby.

One reason having active hobbies helps is because it gives me focus. I am not building muscle (just) to lose weight, I need to be stronger to be safe on my sailboat. I don't want to be leaner just for the sake of being lean, I want to be able to add aerials into my dancing. I don't eat healthy just to be sexy, I eat healthy so that I can enjoy these things, rather than being limited by asthma and diabetes, like my older cousins.

I do feel your pain. I am always hungry. I over eat just to fill a void. I could eat all day long everyday....but I have seen what it does to my body, and I dont like those changes. I am uncomfortable, tired, gotten lazy and feel ugly. I have set myself up to lose a certian amount per month...like 7 lbs.....it's doable and easier than looking at the total amount I have to lose. I exercise AND eat right to achieve my goal. ANother thing that has helped me to feel fuller everyday....I drink my water. 8 oz every hour. To make it go down easier I add frozen berries. Its very yummy. I also eat every two hours. I bring carrots, pears, apples, oranges to work so I am snacking on those all day. It helps to make me feel fuller. With these small changes I have managed to lose 13 lbs since January. I still have a long way to go....but each day I am feeling better about my progress. Also, eventually your eating patterns change.....you dont CRAVE bad food anymore. Good luck to you....and DON'T GIVE UP! Friend me if youd like!

I know that most doctors tell you that you should never go below 1200 calories a day so you are probably starving yourself. I hope you can get the answers you need. I just feel like you aren't eating enough calories to lose weight in a healthy manner. Good luck.

I'm far from a health professional, but if a doctor tried to put me on a 1,000 calorie diet I'd leave. I'd highly suggest speaking with a dietician and work on upping your calories and finding a good balance.

Anybody would feel ravenous on 1k calories and you really don't deserve to feel like that.

Stop looking at the amount of weight you want to lose. Just set a goal of weighing less in a week than you do today.

This is the best advice, I've gotten - I have a lot to lose too and just aiming to weight less next week and this wek is much easier to digest.

Some foods trigger hunger.

YES! Carbs & sugar for me completely trigger me to lose control over what i'm eating and it is a slippery slop - I eat a little, then want a little more ... and more and so on!!

Also - if you are always hungry - Add in more veggies to full you up!

Ok, you can not be looking at this as a diet or you will fail. Diets are easy to cheat on, diets are easy to give up on and diets have to come to an end at some point. What you need to do and what anyone who has successfully lost and kept it off has done it changed their lifestyles. You need to change your eating habits, level of fitness and attitude towards your body and the weight will be dropping off in no time.

First of all, you should write down all the meals you eat on a regular basis and check out the calorie amounts of them on MFP. Then I would mark an X next to any meals over 500 calories and figure out how you can change that meal to make it healthier. The idea is you shouldn't deprive yourself of food and the foods you like, so if you love something bad for you, think of what on the plate you wouldn't mind removing/replacing with something healthier and begin like that.

Next, start trying new foods! Since I began losing weight in October 2012, I have tried so many new, healthy foods that it turns out I love and now would happily choose over a pizza because 1. it doesn't make me feel so ****ty after I eat it and 2. it's got a lot more flavour to it. A lot of the time the healthier you eat the more flavours you will have on your plate and you find a new appreciation for things like onions, tomatoes, carrots, etc.

Another thing that is important to remember with food is to weigh it before you log it to ensure you are putting the correct amount into your food diary. You will be shocked at how many grams of pasta you really ate and that it equals 600 calories and soon you will be cutting that in half and finding healthier ways to fill your plate and improve your diet.

The last thing I will say on food is LOG EVERYTHING YOU EAT! Keep your food diary private from everyone if you are embarrassed but you must log everything you eat because it will help you to figure out where your bad habits lie. It could be that you start eating healthier meals but don't lose because you are snacking too frequently throughout the day. It really could be any number of things but you wont be able to figure out where you are going wrong and how to change it unless you are honest with yourself in tracking your diet. If you aren't going to log everything, just don't even bother.

On to the next thing: EXERCISE!

First, it's going to be painful. It's going to be tough and there is going to be times you will want to give up. The key is NOT to give up. You need to approach exercise the same way you need to approach changing your diet, baby steps.
When I first began working out I did Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred every day for 20 minutes (that's all it takes).

Next, there will be days when you don't want to work out but you have to do what we all do, find a way to motivate yourself. With the 30DS I said to myself - "it's 20 minutes and then you will have the most amazing shower of your life". Trust me, nothing beats a shower after working out.
Now, I workout for 45-60 minutes every day because I have built up my muscles and fitness level to the point where I can handle it. when I don't feel like working out I say to myself "it's 45 minutes and then you will have the most amazing shower of your life". Other days I say to myself "you don't want to go back to being fat so get off your *kitten* and do something about it". Basically, whatever I feel is going to motivate me best is what I do. But you get the picture with that!
You WILL eventually become dedicated to it. For me, it took 2 weeks before I realised how essential fitness was going to be to my weight loss because I had lost inches on my body but no weight on the scales, I was thrilled about it and that's what has driven me ever since.

AND DON'T GIVE UP! Take each day as it comes and cut yourself some slack! You have a long way to go but there is people in this site who have come further and are here to give advice to people like you who are just starting out and feel like the day will never come. If you put the work in and want to change your lifestyle, it will happen for you.

Set yourself small and manageable goals each month e.g. lose 8lbs per month which is achievable. Or you may want to set yourself a goal by buying a pair of jeans a size smaller than what you are and giving yourself 2 months to work your way into them, whatever will motivate you.

FINALLY. Add some motivational friends (you are more than welcome to add me) on MFP and don't be afraid to ask questions. You will learn so much valuable information through these message boards and adding friends on this website that it really will be beneficial to your weight loss in the long run.

I'm far from a health professional, but if a doctor tried to put me on a 1,000 calorie diet I'd leave. I'd highly suggest speaking with a dietician and work on upping your calories and finding a good balance.

Anybody would feel ravenous on 1k calories and you really don't deserve to feel like that.

the doctor and his dietician put me on this diet.

If you are going to follow 1000 calories a day, at least make sure you eat back your exercise calories and I'd log any exercise including things like walking for over 20 minutes.

I understand the overwhelming feeling of needing to lose a lot of weight. Stop looking at the amount of weight you want to lose. Just set a goal of weighing less in a week than you do today. You've already met that goal once. &:) Don't give yourself a time limit. You might reach that 100 pounds lost in a year. But, if you lose 50 pounds in a year that is fantastic.

Some foods trigger hunger. I don't know what diet you're on but you don't need to be hungry all the time in order to lose weight. How many calories are you eating? Are you dealing with any metabolic issues -- diabetes, insulin resistance, etc.?

I am on the gastric bypass surgery diet. I was put on it with the help of the doctor. I was going to do the surgery but thought lets see where just the diet would take me. I have blood disorders, lupus, and insulin resistance. I am not on the meds for the resistance because my sugar drops low now due to the diet I am on. The doctor says to keep my cal intake no more than 1000 a day. I have a protein shake in the morning, 2 small meals, and 2 small snacks a day. I feel like im starving all the time.

You're not eating enough food. You can lose the weight healthily without gastric bypass and without starving all the time.

First, check out http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 . You will learn how by eating more you can lose more weight.

Next, because you are dealing with blood disorders, lupus and insulin resistance, look into a low carb, auto immune protocol Paleo diet. http://paleodietlifestyle.com/dealing-with-autoimmune-diseases-and-digestive-problems/

A regular low calorie diet is almost a sure fire fail for insulin resistance. Blood sugar drops will drive you to eating what you shouldn't eat. You have to learn how to control blood sugar in order to maintain a healthy diet.

Don't beat yourself up. Learn what works for your body and metabolism.

I agree with everyone. I lost about 40 pounds and still have 150 to go! I feel so defeated sometimes and just want to give up! I haven't lost anything in 2 weeks and it's from not eating properly. I know it takes time and I know I can do it! Heck I lost about 127 pounds in 13 months before but had a trauma and just gave up and put it all back on and then some! Please feel free to add me if you would like. I'm on here everyday and log my food, good and bad. Let's do this!!

Anyone can add me too!

Has your doctor said how long he expects you to eat at 1000 calories? Has there been any talk about what happens after that? Any mention of what exercises are feasible, given your medical condition?

It sounds like you are one of the rare candidates for extreme measures, but there are things you can do to make it more bearable. Exercise, make fruits and grains rare additions to your diet so that they don't set off cravings, fill up on veggies and fat free dairy (dairy is pretty much the only food where fat free does not mean excess sugar). If you can make room once a day for fats like nuts or oils, they will help you feel better and fuller.

Lean on you MFP friends. Build that list all over the world and use them like AA sponsors: hey I want to eat something that doesn't fit my goals today, what should I do?

Low fat and fat free dairy will raise blood glucose. The fat in dairy helps to level blood glucose. I would eliminate dairy completely until you know if dairy aggravates your autoimmune disease (lupus).

The best food plan for losing weight is the one that you will stay. 1000 calories is just not enough for you! Even when I don't exercise (rare) 1200 is too little. You can lose and at the same time be able to stick to your food plan if you are not starving! Also I don't need to binge on cheesecake (and chocolate) when I'm full and satisfied.

1,000 calories a day? I don't want to discredit your doctor because I am far from a medical professional, but that number sounds completely bonkers to me. ANYONE (whether you weigh 120lbs or 500lbs) will feel hungry with only 1,000 calories a day. I have been there. Prior to finding MFP and gaining a general knowledge of nutrition, I always thought "eat less, lose more", but that's not always true. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're ALWAYS hungry, do you have an issue with binge eating at night? I only ask because I constantly battled binge eating at night....I would do fine on extremely restricted diets during the day while I was preoccupied with work or school, but the second I got home I would feel so ravenous that I would eat until I was sick. I literally couldn't sleep when feeling so hungry, so I'd get frustrated and raid the fridge. What do you think is more damaging: eating decently sized, filling, healthy meals consistently throughout the day, or eating at an unsatisfying level all day then eating a bunch of (usually unhealthy) foods out of desperation right before bed? One thing I think you should keep in mind is that the gastric bypass diet is constructed for just that: gastric bypass patients. Their stomachs are so tiny that they physically can't eat large quantities without getting sick. I have a friend whose cousin had the surgery and she eats like a bird. Not because she lost her love for food or doesn't WANT to eat more, she just physically can't and overeating after the surgery can actually be fairly dangerous. I strongly suggest a second opinion, or that's what I would do if I were in your shoes, at least. The types of food you eat contributes a lot to your hunger level. I have greatly reduced my carb intake, cut out breads and processed sugars, and increased my protein intake and I find that I'm super satisfied all day. It has even got to the point where I'm not hungry at lunch time/dinner time sometimes, which is something I never in a million years thought would happen. I used to have an addiction to food and I still do, but I've learned to manage it. I'm not perfect with my diet. I avoid process sugars (I'll still eat fruit sugar, though), as best I can, but I'm not an angel about it. I had a Reese's egg a few nights ago and it was absolutely amazing, but instead of sitting down and having 5 of them like I used to, I only needed one and didn't feel the need for another. The best part? Even with that Reese's egg, I was still within my calories. I eat 1680-1800 calories a day. I kid you not, I had a 14oz steak last night for dinner. I got on the scale this morning and lost a pound since just yesterday. Not to be gross, but this was before I even pooped for the day, which means that those 14oz of steak (which is only 2oz shy of a pound) was still in my system, so the pound I had lost was most likely fat and/or water weight bloat. I think there's something to be said for that!

Persistence truly is key to weight loss, and it has taken me YEARS to get that. I would go on a diet for a month or so, lose some weight, and reward myself with food. I'd weigh the next day and notice I didn't gain weight back and think "oh ok, I can eat like this and manage my weight" then end up right back where I started. These days, I still eat treats and drink alcohol and go out with friends, but I make sure it's within my calories for the day. I have days off for special occasions, but I don't let those days off turn into weeks off like it used to. I have confidence that I can have those treats and enjoy special occasions but still reach my goal. I have confidence that I can maintain what I am doing for a lifetime. You don't have to be hungry all the time to lose weight...Actually, you shouldn't...That's so horrible for your psyche.

Best of luck to you, you can do this you just have to believe you can and not let lack of willpower get the best of you. It is easier said than done, I know. But here's some tips that help me (and I'm sure many others) and TON: Drink plenty of water, the body often mistakes thirst for hunger. It takes 21 days to form a habit...Sticking to counting your calories for just 21 days will make it a habit. You'll start seeing results and it will motivate you to start doing other things that will make the weight come off even faster (such as exercise). Keep healthy versions of your favorite snacks around. I'm a sucker for ice cream, I eat ice cream pretty much every night, but I have switched to a low-carb version that only has 1 gram of sugar. I make sure to measure the amount I eat so I can accurately log it. It's small things like that that will make the difference because you still get to satisfy those cravings and not drive yourself crazy, but it is in a healthier way.