Good on my diet all day until evening...help?

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  • zichab
    zichab Posts: 1,446 Member
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    I totally agree with trogalicious that you need to increase your calories a bit and BTW, I am not opposed to 1200 the way many people are on here. I was obese when I started and ate at 1200 calories for almost a year before I lost enough weight so that I could eat more. Having said that, at your height, and current weight, going to school, helping with your Dad, you need to eat a bit more. If you are nervous about going for the whole 1500 (and I do understand that believe me! I freaked out when MFP raised me to 1400!!) then go 100 calories a day at a time AND here is the beautiful part, USE THEM AT NIGHT!! :bigsmile: Seriously, I think I am a bat because I have to eat at night or I am ravenous the entire next day! I save 100-150 calories just for after dinner. Maybe, you need to save more-go for it!

    You do really need to work on the mindset though as you will fail if you don't. You are not "good" if you only eat 1200 calories and you are not "bad" if you eat more or at night. The idea is to eat just a little less than your body needs each day so it is forced to go to your fat stores for the rest. As trogalicious has already said, that takes some time. Look at our tickers and you will see we know this works. ENJOY your night eating! :flowerforyou:
  • mizroxy13
    mizroxy13 Posts: 466 Member
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    Hey girl! I used to have the same wicked problem forever. The issue seemed to be psychological (like smokers wanting a cigarette after a meal) in that I had trained myself that after dinner means a sweet treat. Once I became aware of what was happening, I found other means to combat this. I realized that just having something "special" after dinner would do the trick, which usually means a fancy cup of tea, banana ice cream (blended, frozen banana...holler!) if I really need a sweet, or one of those delicious dessert gum flavors which seems to work every time. I'm eight days in on a 30 day no-sugar challenge which seems to have really cut the craving down immensely...but it's a constant psychological process to break the habit. Maybe that could be a good time to take a walk since the mornings aren't conducive? I find walking to be so meditative and mind-clearing that it seems to help with everything! Hope this helps!
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
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    I have the exact same problem. I try to eat lower calories during the day so I can "save" some for the evening. I've tried to just not allow myself to have anything, it doesn't work for long and I eat way more than I would've if I'd just saved some room.

    I crave sweets usually so sweet flavoured teas can help with the cravings - for example, some flavours I have are Creme Caramel, Mint Chocolate, Salted Caramel & Red Velvet. I order them from David's Tea. It's a Canadian company, but I'm sure there are similar companies everywhere.

    If I have too much time to sit on my butt in the evenings I eat more. So going to the gym after work, walking my dog, doing dishes/housework gives me something to do instead of just sitting & eating.
  • Jorfil
    Jorfil Posts: 15 Member
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    Stats:

    20 years old
    5'6'' tall
    Female
    Starting Weight - 149
    Current Weight - 139.6

    I'm eating around 1,200 calories a day. This is really the only way I can see progress. Upping it to 1,500 a day did nothing for me, really.

    I am pretty sedentary. I used to walk about 5 miles every morning, but my dad has recently been diagnosed with being in the sever stage of dementia. I live with him and my mom while I go to college. He can't be left alone, and since my mom works 40 hrs a week, I don't have much time to exercise. I have learned, however, that I am losing just as much weight only eating 1,200 calories as eating 1,200 calories and walking every morning.
    how long did you try the 1500 calories before you gave up on it?
    are you accurately logging?
    are you weighing your foods? everything?
    are you eating back any exercise calories?


    I tried 1,500 calories for probably 2 weeks. Around that. I don't know if it really affected my weight any. When I said did nothing for me, I meant hunger wise. It didn't make me less hungry or more content with those 300 extra calories a day. I feel just the same hunger wise eating 1,200 calories and feel better at the end of the day because I know I haven't overeaten.
    Yes, I am accurately logging and weighing/measuring my foods.
    And when I do exercise, I do not eat back exercise calories.
    it takes the body much longer than 2 weeks to adjust to any change in regular intake. switch back to 1500, eat enough protein/fats/fiber to keep you more satiated.

    then check again in 6 weeks, not 2.

    I completely understand where you're coming from, and you're probably right. But my thought process just doesn't allow it.
    I feel like if I'm gonna be miserable for the next 6 weeks either way while my body is adjusting, I may as well be miserable with 300 less calories. I just can't entertain the idea of eating more calories and slowing down progress. Seeing a slower weight loss would really discourage me. Maybe in a while I will be able to up my calories and be mentally content with it, but right now I would beat myself up about it too much.
    then this isn't a weight issue, it's a perception issue.

    this isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. Why not eat as much as you can and still lose, than posting here about eating only 1200 and having mad cravings because you're probably not eating enough to start with?

    Here's a thought:

    you were losing already on the 1500 and still saying you were hungry. the weight you lost then was from the deficit that you had at 1500 calories.

    when you set up your account on here, it should've given you the option to choose a few things. so you're convinced your sedentary. MFP shouldn't allow you to choose the most aggressive (2lb per week) loss options.. that's how you, as a 20 year old, got the 1200 goal.

    from here, it's up to you to gather your own information.

    will you lose at 1200? probably. Will it be enjoyable? doubt it.
    will you lose at 1500? just about guaranteed. Will you be able to get more food for the extra 300 calories? yup. you will.

    300 more calories could make the difference in whether or not you're feeling run down and having cravings.

    Thanks trogalicious for your detailed response (I'm in the same boat as OP and found your advice very helpful).
  • summer92008
    summer92008 Posts: 202
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    Maybe I do need to up my calories to 1,500 then...
    I definitley want to maintain this weight long term, but like many people, I want to lose weight as quickly as possible.
    I know this isn't necessarily ideal, but in my mind it is. I'm just sick of having this weight and I want it gone yesterday.
    I should probably take baby steps...like many of you said...toward eating a little more. Or just eating the extra 300 calories in sweets at the end of the day. I just feel so guilty about it afterwards like I'm not good enough and I'm just a miserable person who obviously doesn't care about weight loss enough to turn sweets away. Even though I know this isn't true, it's how I feel.
    I wish I had more time to walk, but I really don't...at all. Never. Even when my mom is home, she wants me with her because he can get violent (which is really scary) or he can lose the loss of his legs which makes him immobile and impossible to help.
    I know this isn't an excuse, but it really does keep me from being able to get out of the house. It sucks. But thank you everyone for your continued support and comments thus far. I really do appreciate them.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    If you're eating a balanced diet, eating enough of it, taking a vitamin and getting enough sleep and you have an urge to eat a lot when you aren't hungry, you might consider seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. A lot of people have one and don't know it.

    Or you may just lack willpower, in which case you just have to learn to say, "No. I'm not eating because I'm not hungry." :)
  • mhlew
    mhlew Posts: 377 Member
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    Food Prep!!! Make a bunch of grilled chicken before hand put it in tupperware. Make brown rice put it in tupperwear. throw some avacado slices in it and there is your dinner already premade. you can even scramble eggs and throw them in your rice.
  • mhlew
    mhlew Posts: 377 Member
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    oh ya and i grille oneions mushroom and spinach and throw that in too
  • summer92008
    summer92008 Posts: 202
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    Food Prep!!! Make a bunch of grilled chicken before hand put it in tupperware. Make brown rice put it in tupperwear. throw some avacado slices in it and there is your dinner already premade. you can even scramble eggs and throw them in your rice.

    Yum, that sounds good :tongue:
  • teresalynn6
    teresalynn6 Posts: 5
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    Just figure the night snacking into your overall daily plan. Number one it takes the 'power' away from the feeling that you're cheating. Number 2. It gives you the control, not the food. So know that for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you are going to pull x amount of calories from those meals so you can indulge yourself that nightly snacking.:happy:
  • Holla4mom
    Holla4mom Posts: 587 Member
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    Yes, I can so relate! We've been talking about that here in this post over the last couple of days:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1402105-late-night-hunger-how-do-you-deal-with-it?hl=late+night&page=1
  • Bukawww
    Bukawww Posts: 159 Member
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    This is where you have to find your bag of tricks :). One of my tricks is to wait as long as possible to eat my first meal. Sometimes I enjoy a protein mocha with 160 cal (ready to drink chocolate protein shake mixed with cold coffee). This works for me for many reasons. One is that I sip it for over an hour. Coffee (caffeine) is a natural appetite suppressant. The taste alone suppresses any desires to eat (for me).

    I have a nice filling meal around noon/1 (500-600 cal). This keeps me satiated till dinner time where I will enjoy another 400-500 cal. Then I have room for a few hundred calorie snack or treat close to bed time where I will then safely tuck myself away for the night, away from temptations of food lol.

    So, as you can see, saving my calories for the end of the day is what works for me during those night time snacky moments.
  • mhlew
    mhlew Posts: 377 Member
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    I would also suggest a meal replacement shake (i use GNC Lean Shake 25) I use it as a replacement for what potentially are my worst meals.

    The old me would grab a greasy breakfast burrito from the 745am food truck at work, now I drink a lean shake and it holds me over until lunch time and only has 200 calories. My second shake is when I get home form work and the old me would make like a peanut butter sandwich before the gym and whatever else is convenient to snack on, and now I drink a lean shake for that.

    I highly reccomend it, message me if you have any questions about it
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I would also suggest a meal replacement shake (i use GNC Lean Shake 25) I use it as a replacement for what potentially are my worst meals.

    The old me would grab a greasy breakfast burrito from the 745am food truck at work, now I drink a lean shake and it holds me over until lunch time and only has 200 calories. My second shake is when I get home form work and the old me would make like a peanut butter sandwich before the gym and whatever else is convenient to snack on, and now I drink a lean shake for that.

    I highly reccomend it, message me if you have any questions about it

    This wouldn't help me with snacking at night. Just sayin. Eating food for breakfast, lunch and dinner which has enough calories helps me to not snack. If I was only eating 1200 calories, you are darn right I would be eating everything I could get my hands on.
  • summer92008
    summer92008 Posts: 202
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    Like the previous poster said, my problem is that I don't eat enough calories to "save" very many. Eating 1,200 calories a day leaves very little wiggle room to save for evening snacking. If I saved 200 or 300 calories a day for snacks, I would be starving the rest of the day. Kind of a bummer, but something I have to deal with.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    Like the previous poster said, my problem is that I don't eat enough calories to "save" very many. Eating 1,200 calories a day leaves very little wiggle room to save for evening snacking. If I saved 200 or 300 calories a day for snacks, I would be starving the rest of the day. Kind of a bummer, but something I have to deal with.
    it's really not something that you have to deal with.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Like the previous poster said, my problem is that I don't eat enough calories to "save" very many. Eating 1,200 calories a day leaves very little wiggle room to save for evening snacking. If I saved 200 or 300 calories a day for snacks, I would be starving the rest of the day. Kind of a bummer, but something I have to deal with.

    The good news is, you don't have to eat only 1,200. I am the same height as you, not far off on weight, but I'm a lot older than you. I can lose weight at 1,500 sedentary. You as a younger person burn more naturally than I would.

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