Hello everyone!

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ErinsChins
ErinsChins Posts: 2
in Getting Started
Hi! I am new here! I have tried to lurk around some, but unfortunately I work a LOT. My name is Erin! I am 20 years old, 5' 4" and I haven't weighed myself yet, but I think i'm between 260-275. I have decided to go back on a diet for health reasons, but also to get back my self confidence. I was looking at old pictures of myself and just..wow. You don't realize you're gaining weight! I did a low carb diet w/exercise about 2 years ago and lost 35lbs in 2 months. Unfortunately, I tore my ACL and ended up "quitting" my diet and gained all of it back. Now, I am here for advice, so please don't be rude if my diet is not adequate. Right now i'm having trouble eating more than 1000 calories. I'm getting full too quickly. I would eat if I was hungry :D Trust me. Anyway, I know my diet doesn't have a lot of variation right now, I just haven't had a chance to go to the grocery store yet. My diary is public. Do I need to add calories or is it OK as long as I feel good? Thanks everyone!

EDIT: Also, here is a recent picture
hthjs5yrp

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  • dwbotti
    dwbotti Posts: 29
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    You likely do need to add calories. Your weight alone suggests you are consuming too few calories and your metabolism is likely very low right now, which would make it even harder to lose some weight. Then, you've got to pay attention to the macros. What is your ratio of carbs, proteins, fats? Then, what is your type of food? I hear from a LOT of women they just can't eat more than X calories, but I have never understood that premise. It becomes a negative spiral. Skipping meals, eating too little and your body can't fuel itself properly to get moving, avoid connective tissue injuries and ultimately reach fitness and wellness goals.

    Look forward to talking to you more!
  • ErinsChins
    ErinsChins Posts: 2
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    Thank you for your response! I'm not sure how to calculate ratio, but on one of my heavier eating days I usually consume about 39g carbs (around 30 "net"), 80g fat, and 60g protein. I have found these AMAZING low carb tortilla wraps (http://www.olemexicanfoods.com/high-fiberlow-carb-8-wraps/) that I could eat and never get tired of, so a lot of the time I have meat and cheese in one of those. I snack a lot. So on a regular day I may have a sausage, egg, and cheese wrap for breakfast, some carrots for a snack, some cashews and almonds, green pepper, boiled egg, and then i'll usually have another wrap of some time around 6:00pm. I don't really limit myself on snacks, I just eat them slowly and drink water until I feel full. I definitely do not want another injury, i'd bet money that the ACL was directly linked to my diet. I played travel softball from 8 years old and never so much as pulled a muscle. I want to do this the healthy way, even if it means losing weight slowly. I'm not fooling with "diet" or "sugar-free" stuff. I'm just drinking a gallon or so of water daily and drinking coffee and tea. Thanks again!!

    Edited: Also, as far as exercise it isn't a heavy workout yet. I have been doing about 4 sets of 15 squats daily and playing some Dance Central on the Xbox.
  • calamarione
    calamarione Posts: 16 Member
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    My unprofessional opinion:

    1) Lots of sodium in your diet. Sodium = water retention and high BP. You're making your heart work harder than it needs to. You may not feel this now at 20 yrs old, but by the time you're 30 it'll be hard to do a lot of things that you used to be able to do.

    2) Too few calories. I understand wanting to lose weight fast, but if you starve your body too much then, like it was said above, you're not going to make as much progress as you'd like.

    3) High calorie density food. You're eating eggs, sausage and cheese. That's great to get protein but it also has a lot of fat. Just like you said above you're eating 80g of fat in a "heavy" day. That is 720 cal right there. Whereas your 60g of protein only gives you 240 calories. When you do that your stomach is not going to feel full. I agree that you don't want too many "carbs" but natural sugars are OK. When people are trying to go for "low carb" diets they should really be focusing on removing most foods with added sugar from their diet: cookies, coke and chocolate. You need to start investigating low calorie density foods. It's good that you've got those carrots but it's probably not enough. Unless you have hypothyroidism, you should really look into eating more greens (peas, beans, lettuce, kale) and adding more fiber to your diet. They will help you to feel more full.

    *Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor nutrition expert. This is just what has worked for me.
  • dwbotti
    dwbotti Posts: 29
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    MFP as a tool will show you your current ratio. That's the beauty of tracking is it takes the guess work out of all these measurements.

    Low calories, high density nutrient foods tend to have VERY high volumes, which make one feel full. Raw vegetables, leafy greens, fruits are all high in fiber, vitamins and minerals that help feed the body correctly. Lean protein from bean sources, and chicken and lean turkey can help supplement. Sausage is typically high in sodium, nitrates and FAT of the wrong type. The body needs fat, but you want those sources to be raw nuts, natural (no sugar added) nut butters, olives, avocados, and the like. Fat also helps provide the lubrication in the connective tissues, which is why I personally take an Omega-3 supplement and have ever since I started running. It keeps my knees from aching all the time. :)
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    Don't think in terms of diet, or short term fixes... think Lifestyle change...think long term... one step at a time S.M.A.R.T goals... not just for your eating habits.. but for your life!!! ALL the lit says one thousand calories is simply NOT enough...what happens is the body starts cannibalizing its self for nutrition... and it doesn't start with the "yucky stuff" (fat) it starts with the good stuff... muscle.. protein...a thousand calorie diet will see you developing gallbladder issues... kidney issues... SO.. what happens when you have begun losing that muscle? YOU get weaker... simply because you don't have the strength to move the mass you have accumulated on your body... you don't have the energy to exercise... and you begin to question WHY? is it so hard... then you start grabbing for the "stuff' you know is going to give you that jolt of energy.. that quick "buzz" ...then you crash... feel like you have let yourself down... and reach for the comfort food again... SO

    YOU did not become who you are.. where you are over night... a pound here... a pound there... a bag a of cheetohs... a pumpkin pie, a tub of whipped cream... 2-3 bowls of sugar cereal... a pizza slice too many... think about reversing that trend slowly...

    Re-think your goals... and think lifestyle change NOT diet... WE are here for you... read, learn... and be patient and forgiving with the most important person IN your life ..YOU!!!

    Best of luck
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    You're not eating enough, in my opinion. A deficit that's too aggressive will actually be counterproductive. Sounds weird, but I did 1200 for a while and it was only when I started to eat more that I lost weight. Try this calculator to set your calorie goal.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    This calculator includes your exercise calories, so you wouldn't add more any on to that goal. Even at an aggressive deficit of 20%, you should probably be eating about 50% more calories. Low-fat, low-carb, etc. are not necessary and may actually keep you from getting some essential nutrients. You can go into the MFP goals tab and customize your calorie goal and your macros. A good place to start with this would be 30% for fats and protein and 40% for carbs.

    Best of luck!

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