I am stressing! Help Please!

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  • LindseyRebecca1990
    LindseyRebecca1990 Posts: 9
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    Okay...I will go out tonight for my brothers birthday and eat and enjoy myself like I really want to! However... am I doing okay with my food selections, etc. otherwise? Is that okay? Or should I add other things, etc.? I still want to get back down to my ideal weight of about 130... but I want to do that while being healthy!
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    I'm concerned.
    From what you say you are eating too little.
    What is your height. your current weight and your goal?

    a banana is not sufficient for breakfast.
  • PhoenixWithoutAshes1
    PhoenixWithoutAshes1 Posts: 99 Member
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    One thing I left out of my previous reply is that this is a marathon, not a sprint. You can't and shouldn't lose all your desired weight in 30 days or less. Slow and steady wins the race.
  • chantels1
    chantels1 Posts: 391 Member
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    You are over thinking it. Most of us have "cheat" meals once a week and still lose. You are consistently lower than your goal, so one meal is not going to kill you. Think of it as a weekly goal, instead of a daily thing. You are way under for your weekly calories, so even one meal is not going to make you gain weight. It is the over all picture. Try to focus less on the short term, and keep your eye on the long term. Slow and steady. As long as your progress is better than your regression, you will be fine.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,207 Member
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    I agree, one meal out will not hurt your overall progress. Frankly, freeing yourself from the stress and simply saying you are going to enjoy that time out with your family and enjoy the food is far more important than one day being over your calorie goal. Enjoy the meal, and get back at things the next day.

    I echo the comment about your goal. You should not have a goal of more than 1 pound per week loss, probably half a pound per week would be better. Your 1200 calorie goal is just that, the number you should aim at, and if you exercise on top of that, you should eat at least half of those calories back. Eating below your goal will take your calorie deficit from a good one, to a much to large one which will result in losing a lot more muscle making your final body one that looks like your current one, just smaller, not a less fat one.
  • wkhauser
    wkhauser Posts: 25 Member
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    go enjoy the birthday party. weight loss is a journey and one meal won't wreck you. as to only eating 1200 calories. That might not be enough your your body already and then you are working out to?... your body might end up in starvation mode.
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
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    I eat out sometimes. There is nothing wrong with it, even on a diet.

    There are ways to cut calories and there are healthier choices on the menu. Pick your meal before you go and have it entered into your diary so you know the caloric cost up front. Make a few compromises before you go such as: skip the bread, order salad dressing on the side, drink water not pop or alcohol, or don't eat dessert.
    If you want either a caloried beverage or dessert then take home at least 30% of your dinner for the following day.
    If you want both a drink and some dessert, then take home at least half your dinner.

    And most of all savour each bite and enjoy it without guilt!
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
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    You probably have your goals set for 1.5-2 lbs per week, if it wants you to eat only 1200 calories. if you only have 15 to 20 lbs to lose you can do .5 to 1 lbs a week and that would be better. I would eat more than 1200 calories per day. 1400-1600 may be better for you. But it depends on how active you are. The only days I eat in the 1200s and low 1300s are days when I do not do a lot of exercise.

    Also, you should enjoy being out with your family and eat what you want! It won't mess up your entire progress! I ate from my favorite pizza place last week and still lost weight ( 1.5 lbs down ). And had McDonalds the same week ( not proud of that, but not the most horrible things were ordered haha )
  • anotherhappyday1
    anotherhappyday1 Posts: 5 Member
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    Tricks to Help:

    1- What ever portion the restaurant gives you, ask them to imediately doggy back half of it to take home. If it's not in front of you , you won't eat it plus you have another meal.

    2- eat slow. Your brain takes about 20 minutes to register stomach full.

    3- Stay away from fried and saucy food.

    Hope this helps.

    Don
  • spcfowler18
    spcfowler18 Posts: 4 Member
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    I have to agree with everyone else. If your eating less than 1200 calories, you have nothing to worry about. The truth is that your stomach has probably shrunk a great deal so you wont be able to eat as much as you used too, so even if you go crazy you can't do to much damage in one sitting. When I'm on a diet, I order off the kids menu or the seniors menu when I have to eat out. The portions are much more appropriate for what people should be consuming. You could try that. Then you can enjoy the meal without feeling bad latter, but your body could use a fuel up day every once in a while too. I don't like to call them cheat days, they are days to rest and replenish glycogen stores so you can continue to work out and push yourself. Enjoy!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    I have been eating a banana for breakfast...and drinking close to 10 16.9 oz of water daily... I eat fish or chicken with a steamed vegetable for lunch... and then another banana a few hours later...then an apple...then some sunflower seeds... possibly some blueberries and cucumbers as well...just snacks throughout the day....then at night I eat chicken or fish with a veggie and like some whole wheat rice... but I have been trying to eat smaller portions. I don't know. I certainly do not what to be unhealthy about this... I just want to be comfortable in my own skin again! I thought I could diet to get to the size I would like and then just be careful and monitor it... I normally eat McDonalds 3 times a week...and eat very unhealthy....cookies before bed... chips...sodas... so just not eating all of that stuff and exercising is a huge deal for me. haha! I appreciate all of your advice and help! You guys make me feel not so alone!

    Congratulations on changing your eating habits for the better. Good job!

    Since you haven't specifically said you have a food scale I would suggest getting one as soon as you can. Weigh all of your solid food, even your banana in the mornings. Measure all of you liquids as well. I will weigh any sauces that have a weight on the serving size. Accurate logging makes a huge difference in long term success.

    Then weigh yourself, pick a day as your weigh in day and weigh yourself once a week first thing in the morning after you pee with very little clothes on. Don't do it tomorrow after you enjoy tonight though because you may be retaining water because of the sodium from the yummy foods you will be enjoying.

    Then go back into your MFP settings and set it up to lose no more than 1lb a week like someone else mentioned (when you get down to 10lbs to lose change it to 1/2 a week) and change your activity factor to accurately reflect your exercise. That will give you your daily goal for calories, eat that plus at least 1/2 of your exercise calories as MFP overestimates calories burned during exercise. MFP will ask you to readjust your goals after 10 lbs lost, do that.

    The goal is not to drop pounds quickly but to make a lifestyle change so you can keep them off so slow and steady wins the race. Good luck!

    And have fun and enjoy tonight.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    This may have already been mentioned but I share my food with Hub so that we both get to eat nice stuff but not in such comedy portion sizes. We sometimes do it with all courses or sometimes just starter and dessert or when out for a cream tea/cake.

    It really helps me but I do also believe in it being a long term thing so odd meals out etc won't break the bank provided they don't break your resolve.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Stop stressing.

    Set a more reasonable calorie goal. 1200 calories is NOT enough for a person your size. I'm about the same height and weight as you, but twice your age, and I lose weight just fine on 1600-1800 calories.

    You don't need to be miserable and avoid things you enjoy in order to lose weight.
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
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    Hope you had a great dinner with your family. Before going out to a meal where I know I might lose control, I always have a cup or two of green tea. I also might also have some veggie sticks and 100 calories or so of Baked Lays. Just something to take off the edge so I don't go wild at dinner.
  • LifeofLiberty
    LifeofLiberty Posts: 2
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    Dear "I am stressing!"
    I started on my latest journey two weeks ago. Over the weekend, we had two get-togethers with friends - both were potlucks! I couldn't ask about calories. I worked on portion control instead. I tried a little of everything that looked good, but avoided dessert the first night. I have found over my many years of losing & gaining weight that I simply cannot deprive myself. I find that I go home and binge if I do. ENJOY your brother's birthday, but in moderation. You will find as I did, that you WANT to get back on track. Think of your long term goal! Also, it is VERY, VERY important that you consume all of the calories they say you should. Otherwise, your body is not getting the fuel it needs to succeed. You will not lose weight that way. When you exercise, be sure to replace those calories burned. Your body needs fuel. Best of luck to you!!

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