I know the scale is the devil...but.....

I looked at your food diary and it looks great! Like you mentioned, I think its time to up the food intake. I use this TDEE calculator, there are plenty more you can search and they vary a few hundered cals but you can get a rough guess of how much to eat.

Keep in mind the weight can come off very quickly at first and then it does feel like you are stalling out, when in reality you are still probably losing but at a slower pace.

I suggest loading up on the veggies to help increase your food intake. I eat a bag of the steam fresh veggies a day. Also if you like cottage cheese that is a healthy snack etc.

A food scale has become my best friend. I honestly never knew how much anything weighed and always guessed and it really helps. I got mine at the local grocery store for $10. It's digital and I can change it from g, oz, or lbs.

Overall I wouldnt up the amount you are exercising, but if you can the inensity if that makes sense. I don't want to suggest anything that could harm your health, but maybe try C25K its an interval walk/jog program it has really helped me! Also are you eating back your exercise calories? I would make sure to eat back at minimum half, and get those workout calories in within an hour after you finish your workouts, your muscles are able to absorb all that energy make them stronger and you stronger without storing a lot of it.

Like you I have been on steroids on and off for asthma and they always make me feel bloated and basically like a whale. More water definatly helps this, and a basic rule of thumb is take your weight, divide it in half and that is how many ounces of water you need minimum. EX. I weigh 160lbs, so I need 80 oz of water / day minium (about 10 cups).

I am pretty sure my diary is open and I eat about 1600-1800 a day so feel free to add me as a friend and look at (look at not this week lol its been and off week and I have had pizza or pasta....and a lot of junk food). Sorry that was a novella lol but if you have any questions or if I didnt make sense on something then please feel free to PM me, I would love to finish talking to you about it all. I have done my fair share of crash diets and finally dropped 35lbs in the past 9 months and keeping it off!

Best of luck!
Meghan

You didn't say how fast you need to lose the weight. So, I am guessing the faster the better. Normally I wouldn't advise a person that has only 13-20 lbs to even try to lose weight fast. It just sets you up for unhealthy eating habits and for so many just goes right back on. I think that 1600-1800 is a good calorie goal. I am guessing that would let you lose about a pound and a half a week. If you had longer I would say up the calories a bit to lose a half a pound a week. Because for most people it really is ok to take 2 or 3 months to lose 13-20 lbs. I also think the amount of exercise you do is a very good level too if you weren't in a bind for time. Maybe 60 minutes a day could be your minimum for now, once you get to goal you could drop it down to a 40 minute minimum and do maintenance calories.

Also for you I don't think your scale is the devil. I think could be a life saving tool. You will have to keep a vigilant eye on your weight since a couple pounds can knock you off the waiting list.


PS I don't want you to die either and I don't even know you.

I hate my scale but it is a necessary tool so I can calculate my composition numbers. That's ALL I use it for.

I've learn the hard way that losing fat will take time. I've committed myself to the fact that I need to change my lifestyle not 'go on a diet'. Since it's a lifestyle change i have also come to grips with the fact that it will never truly end. I have to make it a part of my daily life. So far it's working. The scale may say I'm not losing 'weight' but my clothes, the mirror, my peers all tell me otherwise.