I am terrified to eat more food

LadybugWithLocs
LadybugWithLocs Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I don't know what to do. I started a 1200 calorie diet with wonderslim products and salads with grilled chicken etc. as meals three weeks ago. Week one I lost 5 pounds and week 2 I lost 3 pounds. I have now stopped losing any weight at all. I walk 2.5 miles in the morning 6x a week at a 3mph pace. I eat my exercise calories. I am 40, female, 5' 11" and currently weigh 268lb :frown: . I did some research on the boards and have come to the conclusion that I : 1. Need to stop exercising or 2. Eat more food. #1 encourages my healthy eating habits and #2 scares me to death. My previous diet was 75 % drive through, sodas, candy, snacks you name it. My concern is that if i don't figure something out soon then i will just quit on myself...AGAIN. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Replies

  • Soapstone
    Soapstone Posts: 134 Member
    1) Keep exercising
    2) Eat a little more
    3) Be patient. You lost a lot of weight in the first two weeks- the loss will start to slow, but you'll still lose.
    4) Go easy on yourself.
  • niricava
    niricava Posts: 89 Member
    I agree with Soapstone.

    I have been following a 1200 calorie per day diet for 3 months. I find that every week 3 or 4, I have been plateau-ing until I eat a little more than the 1200 and the next day, I lose. It doesn't seem to make sense but your body can think it's in starvation mode and stop trying to lose. Just relax and keep going and the weight will come off!
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Your attitude towards food is bordering on unhealthy.

    Eat more but remain in a deficit, continue exercising, and have patience.
  • lua_
    lua_ Posts: 258 Member
    OP, slow and steady. You can find a huge amount of info on IIFYM/TDEE on these boards, I suggest you look. It might be terrifying at first, but look at the success stories of eating enough calories. Your body needs calories to survive, especially with exercising a lot. Good luck with your weight loss journey
  • LadybugWithLocs
    LadybugWithLocs Posts: 6
    1) Keep exercising
    2) Eat a little more
    3) Be patient. You lost a lot of weight in the first two weeks- the loss will start to slow, but you'll still lose.
    4) Go easy on yourself.

    Thanks. Overcoming a food addiction is a very real and challenging thing. I f I were a recovering alcoholic who was terrified to take a drink it might make more sense to people. Thanks a bunch. :)
  • jazzerciseN
    jazzerciseN Posts: 39
    Don't be stressed about it. You're a woman, which means your hormones are going to vary a lot. If you are premenstral, you could keep doing the same thing you're doing and not change at all for a few days to even a week. Then all of a sudden, it will go down again. Make sure you drink plenty of water daily. Weight loss takes time and you can't expect it to be 5 pounds a week. Keep doing what you're doing and stop worrying so much. I'm 6', started at 300 and lost 95 so far. :)
  • LadybugWithLocs
    LadybugWithLocs Posts: 6
    If it matters I do belong to a support group for people overcoming food addiction. I am just not familiar with the science of weight loss yet. Thanks for the positive replies guys.
  • Soapstone
    Soapstone Posts: 134 Member
    Irrationality about food and exercise is what got a lot of people sick, overweight, and on MFP. It doesn't mean that you need professional help.

    Most people here have difficulty, especially at first, regulating calorie intake. And if you're overweight, um, yeah, it's a little scary to trust yourself to eat *just* a little bit more. In that situation, it's not unusual to feel afraid. Positive encouragement goes a long way, friends.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I raised my intake from 1600 cal/day to 2400 cal/day, and added in a whack of exercise. It works very well for me, and I am losing consistently while retaining LBM.

    And I hear what you're saying - I was *terrified* to up my intake and weighed myself 18 times a day to make sure things weren't going off the rails. All I can offer is....trust the science. If you're at a deficit, you won't gain anything other than water, which will go away when your body has re-acclimated.

    Good luck!
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
    I wouldn't eat more just yet, since you eat back exercise calories. Give it time first, 8 pounds in three weeks is a lot, but that is probably not all real fat loss. Wait a few weeks and let scale fluctuations even out before making any changes. If it turns out you are indeed losing very quickly then eating more might be a good idea, but don't expect to lose more quickly if you do, that is a myth.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    So many people on here have food issues. We are here to learn balance and relax. you are letting food control your life..be it what you perceive the lack of it..or your over use of it. each attitude is unhealthy. it is just food. you are in control.

    slay your food dragon.
  • LadybugWithLocs
    LadybugWithLocs Posts: 6
    slay your food dragon.

    I like this. :)
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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  • Kamikazeflutterby
    Kamikazeflutterby Posts: 770 Member
    I don't know what to do. I started a 1200 calorie diet with wonderslim products and salads with grilled chicken etc. as meals three weeks ago. Week one I lost 5 pounds and week 2 I lost 3 pounds. I have now stopped losing any weight at all. I walk 2.5 miles in the morning 6x a week at a 3mph pace. I eat my exercise calories. I am 40, female, 5' 11" and currently weigh 268lb :frown: . I did some research on the boards and have come to the conclusion that I : 1. Need to stop exercising or 2. Eat more food. #1 encourages my healthy eating habits and #2 scares me to death. My previous diet was 75 % drive through, sodas, candy, snacks you name it. My concern is that if i don't figure something out soon then i will just quit on myself...AGAIN. Any suggestions are appreciated.

    I'd set up your calorie goals with MFP rather than whatever system you're currently basing it on. If MFP is having you eat only 1200 calories, change your goal from 2lbs to 1lb and learn how to eat and exercise maintaining that rather than go straight from 75% fast food to 100% salad and diet chow. A change that big that soon is nigh impossible to maintain, for exactly the reasons you've quit before.

    If an eating plan is so horrible to you that you want to jump right back to a style of eating that keeps you fat then you're better off eating almost all of the "junk" you were before and just trading some of it for something lower calorie. Make a small change, stick to it until it's easy, and then change something else.

    You can do this.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    At 5ft 11 and being on 1200 calories..............YOU ARE GOING TO BE STARVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Up them calories to at least 1600-1700 calories, Or work out your BMR AND TDEE,

    Eat 3 healthy meals a day, Healthy snacks, and water..........Exercise too!!!

    I drink ALOT of water and it helps flush things out.

    Im 5ft 9, I exercise at least 4 times a week, and eat ALOT more than 1200 calories...

    Try and pick lots of protein foods, veggies and fruit.

    Good luck, you can do this!
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    You're doing great! You quit drive thro' and you're walking.

    If there's still no weight loss in a couple of weeks come back and people can look into it in a bit more depth, for you. It's usually something simple like food measurement or tweaking your calorie intake.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • TruckersWifeTruckersLife
    TruckersWifeTruckersLife Posts: 408 Member
    I was on a 1200 a day calories but then I stopped losing weight for a few weeks was hungry and tired so I upped my calories to 1400 a day and I have been a lot better started losing the weight and now I only get tired after to much exercise
  • shst07
    shst07 Posts: 61 Member
    It sounds like you're not eating enough calories. Based on your age, weight, and height, scoobysworkshop.com shows that your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is around 1900 (minimum calories just to keep your body functioning) and it's recommended you should be eating 2400 calories a day to lose fat at a 20% calorie reduction. Just a suggestion, check out the MFP group Eat, Train, Progress. They are very helpful.
  • emmaedwards7528610
    emmaedwards7528610 Posts: 38
    Although never particularly overweight, I had a stubborn 12lb I put on when I quit smoking two years ago that I just couldn't shift. I even trained for a 10k race and actually put on muscle over fat.

    I tried calorie counting, which made me miserable, and resided myself that it was just my shape now.

    I've always suffered from IBS and a very sensitive stomach. I went to see a nutritionist recently to try and sort it out, as I hated my constantly bloated stomach (at bad times I looked pregnant). She suggested cutting out wheat and cutting all carbs after midday. Unlike a 'Akins style' diet she didn't tell me I had to cut out any fruit and veg (which is good as I eat tons of fruit). I just skip the white potatoes, rice, grains and baked goods.

    Without even really trying I have lost 10lb in six weeks. I do exercise (yoga and cycling) but don't "train" or "work out" so to speak. Out of curiosity I have decided to food track for a while and it turns out I am creating a calorie deficit, but I haven't been trying, I am generallly not that hungry, and I think that is down to much more stable blood sugar (carbs make you crave more carbs, sugar the same), whereas just eating protein, good fats, fruit and veg. You eat until you are full then eat again when your body naturally needs more fuel.

    Oh and the tum is now flat as a pancake :-) and much quieter as well.

    I am not a doctor, obs, but this worked for me and I have found it relatively easy, I think the motivation of it being to help with an illness made it better than being on a diet.

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