Please Help. I'm So Confused!

nabamukhtar wrote: »

I'm not sure whether I just need to control myself and get used to dieting or if I need more than 1200 calories a day.

probably both.

1200 cals is pretty low - most people can (and IMO, should) eat more and still lose weight.

Changing your eating habits is hard, and it takes time. Be patient, accept that there will be good days and bad days, be patient and work for consistency over the long run.

1200 is not enough calories! Focus on health, not numbers. Get your blood work done, visit a gym and get a fitness assessment. Have them determine your body fat percentage. Base your goals on health - for example aim for a healthy body fat percentage - because you're already a healthy weight. Also consult a dietician. No dietician would ever put you on a calorie restricted diet unless they had zero credentials. By focusing on health your weight and body shape will become what you desire as a byproduct of health. By focusing on weight your health may suffer - anemia, loss of lean muscle tissue which will actually cause you to gain weight more easily - and you may do more harm than good.

laconrad2013 wrote: »

Consider a plant based diet :-)

Yeah, not.

Or stop looking for attention & validation and consult a doctor because this is troublesome for a young woman. Sorry but when people post things like this they're usually looking for the "OH MY GOD - you need to eat more hunny, you're not going to lose weight that way" and they need the validation that eating more is ok.

Guess what? Eating 1,200 calories is for 4'8 bed-ridden woman basically. You know what's good for your body. Even if you're the self-proclaimed "picky eater" the wonderful thing about food is that there so much variety out there - if you look, you can find things that will fulfil your nutritional requirements and fill you up. I'm a pretty picky eater too but I manage to get 2,000 calories into my diet daily.

I would suggest talking to a doctor/nutrition specialist regarding your needs as we are not qualified to help you here, we're here for support however support runs thin with the need for validation

acorsaut89 wrote: »

Or stop looking for attention & validation and consult a doctor because this is troublesome for a young woman. Sorry but when people post things like this they're usually looking for the "OH MY GOD - you need to eat more hunny, you're not going to lose weight that way" and they need the validation that eating more is ok.

What wrong with looking for some reassurance? How long has society been battered with the starve yourself to lose weight mentality? Seems like this is a very reasonable need/question for someone new to all this.

Considering your age and height you should be able to lose weight on more than 1200 calories, assuming you are logging accurately. Since you only need to lose 10 lbs, you should tell MFP you want to lose half a lb per week. I would think your goal will be more like 1500-1600, especially including your exercise. It takes a little trial & error, so don't kill yourself if it takes a couple of weeks to find a calorie number where you feel satisfied AND you start to lose weight. And read those links Calliope gave you - they will help! Good luck

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I've started on this journey too. I agree, get some professional advice regarding calorie intake. I went to a naturapath and she put me on approx 1214 cal, I'm 5 foot, 77kg and 42 yrs old. Calorie requirements reduce as you get older . My calories are made up of 35% protein, 40% carbs, and 25% good fats. I find the high protein helps carb my appetite big time, I don't get cravings, have crashes, etc. A little bit more prep work and planning involved in protein foods, constantly hunting for new quick ideas for breakky.

Good luck though, you've already made a positive first step.

You're already a healthy weight, just trying to get from healthy to exactly where you want to be. See what MFP gives you for half a pound a week; you'll be a lot happier.