Newbie Needing Advice/Help

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turnerka956
turnerka956 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I just joined the site last week. I really like it and I find it very useful. My problem is my calorie intake. I haven't been able to eat 1200 calories. And I'm not just falling short by 30 or 50 calories, but more like 300 calories. I try to eat more, but it makes me sick. I'm just not hungry. I don't want to just stuff my face to get my calories, but I know that at this rate I won't lose inches or weight. I would really appreciate some advice and help about what I should do. I'm at a loss. Thank you in advance for your help!

Replies

  • 1ofthegang
    1ofthegang Posts: 76 Member
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    I started with the same issue, a couple hundred calories left at the end of the day. I have upped my calories by adding a few higher calorie snacks, including peanut butter, unsalted nuts, reduced fat triscuits with just a smidge of reduced fat cream cheese. Just try to snack a little more often. I know it seems hard but it really will help!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    A lot of people have a lack of appetite in the beginning. But it's important to try to get close to goals, so your body has enough fuel to keep your metabolism running efficiently. After a few weeks, your appetite should improve and you won't have as much trouble.

    First, make sure you're eating at least 4 times per day. Even if it's tiny, just eat SOMEthing. That will help get your body used to a schedule, and prevent blood sugar crashes. Then, add a little bit to each meal/snack. Just 25 more cals per meal/snack, you get at least 100 more cals per day. Keep adding a little bit each week and you'll soon be getting much closer to goals - and fueling your body properly.

    Good luck to you!
  • Jilli2010
    Jilli2010 Posts: 28
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    Why is that there is a loss of appetite in the beginning. I have noticed this too. Why could I eat so much prior to starting to restrict my calories? I am surprised by this, but liking it.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    I don't know that I could give you a very scientific reason, this is just my opinion, but for me I used to eat very irregularly. I NEVER ate breakfast, rarely ate lunch, and then ate a big dinner and snacked all evening. And I drank a TON of soda. So I basically suppressed my appetite during the day for years. On many days, I'm sure I didn't break 1000, and even if I did, most of it was sugar (soda). After even a short period of this, your body and mind adjust and the normal hunger cues go away.

    So once you change your habits, it takes time to retrain the body and the mind. Think of Pavlov's dog - with training, the body and mind respond to food (or lack of food) with a conditioned response, even when you change the circumstances. So in the first few weeks, your body and mind are still working off the way you conditioned it before.

    Also, a lot of people are surprised at how little it takes to fill up on healthy food. If you're eating healthy, you don't need to eat as much volume to meet the nutrient requirements for your body. You can eat a lot less and get full - because there's actual nutrients in it! But there are still minimum requirements for an amount of fuel (cals). So it's important to retrain the body to recognize a healthy amount of healthy food.
  • turnerka956
    turnerka956 Posts: 3
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    Thank you all for all the help and advice. I've started to add some snacks to up my calorie intake. Thank you again. Good luck to everyone!

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