Can you REALLY lose from low cal?

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fayevest
fayevest Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been a yo-yo dieter for about 5 years. My diets are usually pretty serious. I lose at least 3 pounds per week by eating 5 small meals a day, all natural foods like chicken, fish, potatoes, veggies, fruit... I certainly don't starve myself but when I do this diet I dont really enjoy food. For excersise I basically just weight lift for 30 minutes a day. Anyway, after I lose the weight I go all nutso and start eating like there is no tomorrow, as well as stop excersising.. then I gain it back. This is again, a cycle I have done for 5 years.

I am considering doing low cal and excersise because it's so much more enjoyable!! But, based on what this site says, I will lose 1.5 pounds a week?! It's going to take me FOREVER to get to my goal at that rate. I've been doing it for a couple days and I already feel unmotivated.

Any suggestions, tips, advice? Thanks so much!

Replies

  • fayevest
    fayevest Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    I have been a yo-yo dieter for about 5 years. My diets are usually pretty serious. I lose at least 3 pounds per week by eating 5 small meals a day, all natural foods like chicken, fish, potatoes, veggies, fruit... I certainly don't starve myself but when I do this diet I dont really enjoy food. For excersise I basically just weight lift for 30 minutes a day. Anyway, after I lose the weight I go all nutso and start eating like there is no tomorrow, as well as stop excersising.. then I gain it back. This is again, a cycle I have done for 5 years.

    I am considering doing low cal and excersise because it's so much more enjoyable!! But, based on what this site says, I will lose 1.5 pounds a week?! It's going to take me FOREVER to get to my goal at that rate. I've been doing it for a couple days and I already feel unmotivated.

    Any suggestions, tips, advice? Thanks so much!
  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Hi,

    It is really the best way to go because it becomes habit instead of a yo-yo diet. I wasn't worried how long it would take and it actually has come off faster than I expected.

    I think if you eat what you want but make sure you are getting healthy stuff too and adjust your portion size, you will love eating again.

    I didn't plan to eat healthy, I just plan to cut calories, and I just started eating better as a result of needing to norish myself so I could workout and my body craved the healthy stuff.

    I now feel like I eat more than I ever did and I am eating 5 meals or more a day, but since the food is lower in calories, I am staying at my portion amount for the day and have lost weight easily.

    I joined my fitness pal because the only thing that makes sense when losing weight is to focus on the amount of calories in and energy put out. It is a simple formula and the only method that works. It does not matter what you eat, just as long as you stay below the target amount of calories for the day. It is better to eat healthy, but if you try and deprive yourself of the good stuff, you are bound to have a harder time.

    Keep working at it and you will figure it out.

    Connie Lynn
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    I've lost 86 pounds and it's taken me three years to do it. My opinion is the time will pass anyway. Either you'll be healthier at the end of FOREVER, or the same as when you started. I choose healthier.

    And yes, I've tried every diet imaginable. . . and what works is portion control and exercise. It's not about losing the weight, it's about keeping it off.

    :flowerforyou:
  • fayevest
    fayevest Posts: 14 Member
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    Yeah I have obviously been doing something wrong since I always gain it back. I will learn patience when it comes to this and just be healthy.

    Thank you both!!!!
  • icandoit
    icandoit Posts: 4,163 Member
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    I've lost 86 pounds and it's taken me three years to do it. My opinion is the time will pass anyway. Either you'll be healthier at the end of FOREVER, or the same as when you started. I choose healthier.

    And yes, I've tried every diet imaginable. . . and what works is portion control and exercise. It's not about losing the weight, it's about keeping it off.

    :flowerforyou:

    That is fantastic. Slower the lose, the easier to maintain.:drinker:
  • ohmygodblake
    ohmygodblake Posts: 8
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    you sound like me, i never have the patience and get discouraged and stop. but ive been counting calories and exercising for a week now and lost 6 lbs already. my exercising was pretty intense though.
  • fayevest
    fayevest Posts: 14 Member
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    you sound like me, i never have the patience and get discouraged and stop. but ive been counting calories and exercising for a week now and lost 6 lbs already. my exercising was pretty intense though.

    6 pounds in the first week is good! what are you doing for excersise?
  • fayevest
    fayevest Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    I've lost 86 pounds and it's taken me three years to do it. My opinion is the time will pass anyway. Either you'll be healthier at the end of FOREVER, or the same as when you started. I choose healthier.

    And yes, I've tried every diet imaginable. . . and what works is portion control and exercise. It's not about losing the weight, it's about keeping it off.

    :flowerforyou:

    very good job on your weight loss!!!

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