I don't know if I can do this anymore...

csearcher34
csearcher34 Posts: 78
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone,

My journey started back at the beginning of February. I had started my first year of college and along with it came the endless dining hall food. In February I went to the doctors and found out that I weighed 136 lbs. At 5'6'' I know that's not very heavy for a 19 year old girl, but for me it was. I had put on about 12 lbs. So I made a goal of reaching 120 lbs and losing the freshman weight gain.

I started off by eating 1500ish calories, it worked for about 8 of the lbs, then I dropped to 1460 calorie which worked for the next 3 lbs, but I've been stuck at 125 lbs for the past few weeks so I decided to drop my calories to 1360 (take 100 off).

I know that 120 is on the low end for my weight, but as I'm small framed and usually am around there it isnt really that much of an extreme for me.

The problem is I'm hungry ALL the time! I think about food all day long and it drives me crazy! I wanted the TDEE - 20% method to work for me, but I tried that at the beginning of my weight loss journey and it did absolutely nothing for me (I ate about 1700 for 3 weeks, no change).

I really want to reach my goal, but all this calorie counting and restricting is starting to get to me. My diary is open for anyone who wants to look. I know that my carbs are high, but I have IBS so my doctor reccommended eating a diet that's high in soluble fiber, so that's where a majority of my calories go.

So basically I'm 5'6'', 19 years old, a girl, and 125 lbs. I really want to reach 120 lbs but I don't know if I can do it while being hungry all the time. Any advice anyone has to offer would be really appreciated.

BTW: I walk a lot everyday, and do workout dvds about 3 times a week. I'm on my feet a good part of the day.

Replies

  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
    I took a quick look at your diary and my first thought is that you should increase your protein. Proteins will fill you up so you won't feel so hungry all the time. You are a little high on the carbs, which could account for your hunger.
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    If you're hungry all the time, eat high volume/low calorie foods. Eat more salads and veggies, egg whites etc. Stuff your meals with what are considered "free calories". It's a common cutting tactic. Tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, onions, celery, etc. Add seasoning to them if they're too bland.

    Also do what jfauci has suggested in increasing your proteins and fats, as they give more satiety.
  • susank0688
    susank0688 Posts: 9 Member
    I would suggest more fresh veggies -- celery, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli. Skip the processed/packed food and reach for something crunchy and naturally low cal. Veggies have fiber, and vitamins you're probably missing, and you can eat a lot for few calories.
  • pamelak5
    pamelak5 Posts: 327 Member
    I think your body is telling you that you don't need to get to 120. Can you go have your body fat tested? If you are exercising, 126 and 5'6" your body may be resisting further weight loss.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    The scale isn't the only number, nor is it the most important number to pay attention to. Take your measurements and get your body fat measured. Be more concerned with how your clothes fit and how you look to yourself in pictures and the mirror than the number on the scale. If you have more lean muscle than someone else your height, you may weigh a little more. That's ok.
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    I just hit under 120 this morning after a 3month battle.
    for 2 weeks ive been eating a salad /spinach, celery, cuc's tomato avacodo, almonds and a huge grilled chix breast 3x a day
    sometimes I ate it with ranch dressing, mostly I used rasp walnut vinegrette

    sometimes I ate a bacon pancake, I left room for fun food that I love....but I stayed at 1200-1240 cals and didn't go over in macro's. I kept my carbs at about 120

    im 5'3. I have an extremely labor intensive job

    If body shape is your issue and that's why you wanna be under 120, id consider working out. Burn those cals.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I wanted the TDEE - 20% method to work for me, but I tried that at the beginning of my weight loss journey and it did absolutely nothing for me (I ate about 1700 for 3 weeks, no change).
    Three weeks isn't long enough to know whether or not it's working - it can take a good 4-6 weeks for the body to adjust to a new intake, and then you make adjustments from there, if needed.

    If you are genuinely hungry all the time, that's your body telling you it needs more fuel! You've dropped calories twice and it's resulted in you being hungry and your weight being "stuck".

    If it were me, I'd re-run my numbers for TDEE with whatever your weight and measurements are now. Since your goal is to only lose a small amount of weight, I'd take no more than 10% off the TDEE number and ride it out. And keep track of your measurements and take some pics - at this point, any fat loss may not show up on your scale, but on your tape measure. And have patience. Good luck!

    Great info and tools here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    Why not try eating at maintenance level and weight lifting? That will lower your body fat and make you appear more toned. Maybe your body just doesn't want you to be at 120?

    I reckon you should look into eating more yet burn the calories with exercise.
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    I think maybe you need to lose this idea you have of the perfect number on the scale for you. I think you should concentrate on your body fat percentage and overall body composition. Look into eating more (yes, more) and heavy lifting. Find your goal body, not your goal weight.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    Do your clothes fit? Would you actually look substantially different if you lost five pounds? Maybe your body doesn't want to get down any lower. Even if you don't agree, there is nothing wrong with taking some time to try to eat at maintenance so you get a break from having to heavily watch what you're doing.
  • NataBost
    NataBost Posts: 418 Member
    I took a quick look at your diary and my first thought is that you should increase your protein. Proteins will fill you up so you won't feel so hungry all the time. You are a little high on the carbs, which could account for your hunger.

    Protein. Definitely get more protein.
  • csearcher34
    csearcher34 Posts: 78
    I really do want to try to eat more, but I'm kind of afraid if I do I'll see my weight shoot up. If I do up my calories is this likely to happen?
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    Carbs are what make you hungry, and what make you have cravings. Fruits and veggies have lots of fiber. I had IBS, but I don't anymore, because I cut out dairy, wheat, rice, white potatoes, corn and other grains.

    I work with a nutritionist and I lowered my carbs to less than a 100 g on a non-workout day, and 100 - 115 on a workout day. Everything else is protein and fats. Fats are good for you. So's protein. Fills you up, makes life goooood.

    Throw out the scale, how do you feel? How do your clothes fit? You shouldn't be on a "diet" you're going to go off of when you hit your "goal". You should be learning how to eat for the rest of your life and finding what works for you. This should be an adventure in self-awareness, not a chore.
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    I think its your carbs. your carbs are extremely high and your always over in macro's

    id eat some real protein and cut your carbs by 1/2 if not more.
  • EmilyTwist1
    EmilyTwist1 Posts: 206 Member
    Honestly, if I were you I'd ditch the scale. Or at least have a range of weights you're happy with, rather than a precise number. Your weight fluctuates throughout the day depending on a variety of things, such as what you've had to eat, how recently you've used the toilet, if you've been exercising, etc. You might feel less frustrated if you focus on things like body fat percentage or how your clothes fit, rather than weight.

    If you're dead set on getting to 120, remember that vanity weight (ie, there's no health reason for losing it) can be some of the toughest to lose. From what I've seen, a small deficit (about 250 to 500 calories) combined with strength training and a lot of patience is what works when you have very little to lose.
  • csearcher34
    csearcher34 Posts: 78
    I really appreciate the advice everyone, Thank you:heart:

    I will try lowering my carbs.

    I plugged in my numbers to the BMR calculator on fat2fit radio and for lightly active my TDEE is 1953.

    If that is my TDEE how many calories should I eat to remain in a deficit?
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    Five pounds (as I'm sure you know) is vanity weight, not significant weight. I suggest you eat at maintenance and focus on heavy weight training for body recomposition. You will stay the same weight and get much a smaller, tighter body.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    Try eating more fiber it will make you feel fuller without too many cals ex apples, oranges, spinach, cucumbers, brocoli , black beans amd also changing up your workout might help
  • csearcher34
    csearcher34 Posts: 78
    I know that it is vanity weight, I've just been focused on reaching 120 for so long it's just kind of hard to let it go. I guess in a way I kind of feel like a failure if I dont reach it.

    I have been looking into weight training though.

    If my TDEE is 1953 should I maybe try taking off 300 cals and eating at 1653? Would this be about 1/2 lb loss a week? Or will upping my cals mean an instant weight gain?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    do you work out/lift/run..? If you are small framed I would recommend a program of compound lifts - deadlifts, squats, over head press, pull up/chin up, bench press etc....
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    I know that it is vanity weight, I've just been focused on reaching 120 for so long it's just kind of hard to let it go. I guess in a way I kind of feel like a failure if I dont reach it.

    I have been looking into weight training though.

    If my TDEE is 1953 should I maybe try taking off 300 cals and eating at 1653? Would this be about 1/2 lb loss a week? Or will upping my cals mean an instant weight gain?

    Upping your cals will mean instant weight gain, BUT it will all come off when your body adjusts.

    I just upped my cals by 100 and I saw a three pound gain that lasted about a week. After the week, I dropped to a new low. Don't worry about water weight fluctuations. If you weight train, you will look far better at 125 than you ever would have at 120.

    Check out my ticker for an example. The difference between the first photo and the third photo is 25 lbs. Notice that I look the same, same shape, just smaller.

    The difference between the last two photos is ONE pound. All I did differently there was lifting.
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    i wouldnt worry to much about even losing any more weight at all at 5'6 125 might even be considered under weight. i know 125-135 is normal weight for me and im 5'2. dont stress you are in a very good place
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    Additionally, with only 5 lbs to lose you should be eating at TDEE-15%. I suggest that you up your calories by 50 per week until you get to where you want to go, so that you don't have a huge weight change all at once and your body can gradually adjust
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member

    If my TDEE is 1953 should I maybe try taking off 300 cals and eating at 1653? Would this be about 1/2 lb loss a week? Or will upping my cals mean an instant weight gain?
    Anything below 1953 is a deficit. What is your BMR? You want to eat in between the two numbers.

    I would aim for at least 1700 - and yes, you might see a gain on the scale at first - don't panic! You don't gain pounds of fat overnight. :tongue: As I said before, you have to give it time, let your body adjust to suddenly receiving more fuel.

    And as someone else pointed out - look at this as a life change, things you are learning about eating in a way that you can do for life, losing the fat and keeping it off.
  • csearcher34
    csearcher34 Posts: 78
    Again, Thank you for the help everyone!

    This is going to be my next plan of action, I put my numbers into the scoobys calculator and it said that my BMR was 1360 and that my TDEE was 1870...

    I'm going to try to aim for 1600 calories first (and I guess I'll have to expect a little bit of a gain) and if I get really adventurous maybe 1700 like you suggested amy.

    Also I'm definitely going to adjust my macros to more protein...

    Hopefully with this plan I won't feel so miserable any longer! =)

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