am I setting myself up for failure?

melissamiller821
melissamiller821 Posts: 15 Member
edited November 16 in Motivation and Support
I've only been doing this 11 days and I was really hard on myself but lost almost 7 lbs. I eat more every day now. .. what do you think of it? Am I genuinely starving myself or just letting go? My diary is open. Please add me. Thank you

Replies

  • HumboldtFred
    HumboldtFred Posts: 159 Member
    Looks good to me. Lots of people start off on a very restricted diet and then fill in the calories as they go. I use almost all of mine every day. I see nothing wrong with what you are doing, just be aware that the fast losses will slow over time, so don't get discouraged.
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    eat more. 1200 is the lowest possible setting. i know its tempting to eat as little as possible. but its not healthy. 7lbs at the beginning is fine as it will be alot of water weight. but now u should aim for 1-2lbs. otherwise u are going to be losing muscle for sure.
  • ErBear2525
    ErBear2525 Posts: 11 Member
    Eat more often, you should be eating every 2-3 hours. Fruits and cut up veggies pre-portioned are good go to's :-)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Assuming your logging is accurate, you aren't even hitting your calorie goal and are eating around 1000 calories a day.
    You also have less than 25lbs to lose, if you have your goal set to 2 lbs a week that is probably too high. You should be around 1 lb a week.

    So basically, yes, I do think you are setting yourself up to fail with an aggressive goal and undereating.
  • Ninjatio
    Ninjatio Posts: 19 Member
    I agree with jenncornelsen - 1200 is too low. I'm guessing you've been feeling terrible - go with that feeling. Eat real food and find the healthy stuff you enjoy! I personally have been falling in love with eating good portions of meat with greens and other vegetables. Never thought I'd like vegies. But I do! Find the food you enjoy and supplement with vitamin tablets if need be.
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    Looks fine to me. How much do you weigh at the moment and how tall are you? The weight loss will probably slow down soon. If you feel like you are starving you should eat more, but if you feel full after you finish eating then you should be fine. I would suggest finding out what your maintenance calories for your goal weight will be before you reach that goal weight. Good luck.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Agree with the people who think you should be eating more, see how you feel, but its likely to slow down and then setting yourself up for failure in my eyes tends to happen when people are too aggressive and cant sustain so they binge or quit. You are doing well, but control your expectations and go for steady weight loss.
  • melissamiller821
    melissamiller821 Posts: 15 Member
    Thank you everyone. I'm 5'5 currently 161. I want to be about 140. Pre prego weight. It's all belly. I look like I swallowed a keg. This is my first time ever eating healthy and I'm proud but I've been giving into the cravings. I get bored easy, especially at work. I appreciate all the advice. Add me thank you
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    ErBear2525 wrote: »
    Eat more often, you should be eating every 2-3 hours. Fruits and cut up veggies pre-portioned are good go to's :-)

    That's personal preference, not a necessity.

    With 24 pounds to go, your goal should be set to 1lb/week loss, IMO - maybe even .5lbs/week. 1,200 is unnecessarily aggressive. The issue with aggressive diets is, as you've guessed, failure - it's hard to sustain for most people.

    The goal here is to eat as much as you can, while still losing weight :)
  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    Assuming your logging is accurate, you aren't even hitting your calorie goal and are eating around 1000 calories a day.
    You also have less than 25lbs to lose, if you have your goal set to 2 lbs a week that is probably too high. You should be around 1 lb a week.

    So basically, yes, I do think you are setting yourself up to fail with an aggressive goal and undereating.

    ^^^This exactly. You need to eat more.

  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited April 2015
    A few thoughts and suggestions:
    • I would eat at least up to 1200: a healthy rate of weight loss is 2 lb/week at most, and when you’re only 25 lbs away from your goal weight I’d aim for something less aggressive. There’s no point to pushing yourself too hard, and it would be more sustainable to ease up a bit.
    • I’d recommend you try to reach your protein goal, to minimize the risk of losing muscle as well as fat
    • I suggest you weigh the foods you eat, especially the fruit: I see a few entries with e.g. 1/2c pineapple. It’s difficult to measure an actual 1/2c pineapple, so you might be eating more than you think
    • To me, at least, protein is more important than fruit (which ultimately is sugar and maybe fibre), so maybe consider eating more nutritionally dense things instead of some of the fruit you have (e.g. yogurt, almonds, etc)
    • You don’t have to eat at any specific times: the myth of 5-6 meals a day was, I believe, debunked. I don’t eat breakfast, have two big meals a day, and a couple of snacks, and I’m losing weight just fine.
    • You don’t have to eat “healthy” foods to lose weight: you can eat anything you like as long as you’re meeting your calorie (and I would suggest protein) goals. It is true, however, that veggies and such can help fill you up more than other things, for the calories.

    These are just a few things that came to mind. I would take it a bit easier if I were you, and just keep at it: you will keep seeing results. Best of luck :smile:
  • RedArizona5
    RedArizona5 Posts: 465 Member
    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    Assuming your logging is accurate, you aren't even hitting your calorie goal and are eating around 1000 calories a day.
    You also have less than 25lbs to lose, if you have your goal set to 2 lbs a week that is probably too high. You should be around 1 lb a week.

    So basically, yes, I do think you are setting yourself up to fail with an aggressive goal and underrating.

    I like what this person said. Ultimately it is your choice though. When you have a reasonable calorie intake and low enough to lose say 1 pound a weak you will have more energy and more ways to tweak your diets or switch things up for metabolism. Try what works for you but have back up plans so if you don't find yourself losing so much because your not eating enough just add a 100 or 150 and see how that works.
    I think personally you will be fine. Everyone can respond and give good advice all day long yet its your body and tummy that you have to listen to at the end of the week. Low and slow produces long term weight loss. When my back went out. I was used to eat nearly 3,000 and weighed only 135. Well when I stopped due to injury then i did gain weight but it wasn't as bad as I suspected. I went to 149 or so which is my high school weight. Im not a professional just from experience I learned to discipline myself into learning how to listen to my bod and adjusted things accordingly. All the basics of losing weight apply just tweak it to your liking. If your bored switch t up a little to keep the momentum going.
  • melissamiller821
    melissamiller821 Posts: 15 Member
    I'm not even hungry much, it's boredom. Then I get bread cravings. I don't even care about sweets. I never used to easy fruit or veggies but I eat them everyday now. I think that's why I'm craving grease and bread. I love fast food
  • ambie694
    ambie694 Posts: 114 Member
    you can do this!!! I know fast food is easy and tastes yummy, but I noticed myself after about 10 days fast food eveb smelled yucky!
  • RedArizona5
    RedArizona5 Posts: 465 Member
    Eek. Thats not good. I know where your at- I am there often myself. Im on and off with it though and under control.
    Do you like puzzles? Are yo creative like me? Try learning how to draw from you tubers. If you don't know you can teach yourself and that will be a great skill for the future with your kids to learn how to develop that skill.
    Try sudoku or find some good books to read. Having a stack of Womans healthy magazines like weighting magazines on the desk DEF. helps. Also put a mirror up near your chair but opposite so that when you catch yourself snacking you see what you look like when your munching mindlessly. hhehe. :) I got that tip from my brother and his now wife. They had a mirror in their kitchen and it worked for them. Try instead of snacking thinking how to make a ridiculously good but good for you meals at home ahead of time. If you tried all that I'm all out of advice right now I'm afraid. I just hope you know there is hope speaking from this problem i had. You can control it. So if you just want to hear that. Or need us to just listen then that is ok too =)
  • melissamiller821
    melissamiller821 Posts: 15 Member
    I wished it smelled yucky lol
  • musicandarts
    musicandarts Posts: 187 Member
    TheVirgoddess wrote: »

    With 24 pounds to go, your goal should be set to 1lb/week loss, IMO - maybe even .5lbs/week. 1,200 is unnecessarily aggressive. The issue with aggressive diets is, as you've guessed, failure - it's hard to sustain for most people.

    Completely agree with TheVirgoddess. 0.5-1 lb per week will do you good. Less chance of failure, fewer cheat days etc. If you are interested in losing your belly, you could also add 20-30 minutes of easy biking.
  • RedArizona5
    RedArizona5 Posts: 465 Member
    edited April 2015
    Just have to say-I know its good, i know it smells even BETTER. But, I will refuse to give in. We must at point in time say no. I don't eat taco bell or mcdonalds even though i feel like a kid every time i smell mcdonalds driving by them anywhere. I don't even allow it. Its like that inner voice that knows the evil beyond the good. It really is like just can't allow it. I do eat arbys on occasion and wends but I have to stay within my limits and it NEEDS to be a hard fast rule for you too. When I have mexican food tho like last night and tonight I can have it straight for a month cause I don't eat mexican food out. I don't want to I just don't like it. And its pricey. If I could afford it even-Id rather make it at home. So tomorrow we are making more tacos and then enchiladas. Theres foods we don't even bring in the house like pop. I will never buy pop even though i like grape/root beer/ cream soda flavored pop. once in a while i may get one. No. I will steal sips of dr. pepper/pepsi from my hubby. Its a second nature for me to not have that junk. Little debbies doesn't make it in our house or oreos. We do not give in but occasionally and then its gone. I like it that way. When you mindfully choose ok its not a burger and fries I'm missing. I think we all could use some anger for our vices. I do but it also works for me. I get upset how my gramma nd mom are pre diabetic and may live longer then they actually will. I get very furious about how they don't workout or look brain dead on the couch cause they are comfy and don't care. I get angry for all the fat kids running around and the food they eat stealing healthy glows and youthful memories that will be gone-forevor. Must find a spot that hits home and run with it. It can save one of our lives. Health is such an epidemic. OK I also get angry a lot apparently =) And Im off my soap box. I could never eat a big mac again knowing if i felt crappyier after than enjoying it before and during then i will keep my money, my energy, my waist and youth. Burgers and fries are awesome when its here and there. but to go to the drive through everyday is beyond me. Im so busy too I would rather find other cheaper healthier alternatives to get my fix.

    Sorry. I guess I had a lot to get off my chest. This is all my experiance and what works for so if nothing here works then shrugging my shoulders to say ok with a smile. If you do then awesome!!!!
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Emilia777 wrote: »
    A few thoughts and suggestions:
    • I would eat at least up to 1200: a healthy rate of weight loss is 2 lb/week at most, and when you’re only 25 lbs away from your goal weight I’d aim for something less aggressive. There’s no point to pushing yourself too hard, and it would be more sustainable to ease up a bit.
    • I’d recommend you try to reach your protein goal, to minimize the risk of losing muscle as well as fat
    • I suggest you weigh the foods you eat, especially the fruit: I see a few entries with e.g. 1/2c pineapple. It’s difficult to measure an actual 1/2c pineapple, so you might be eating more than you think
    • To me, at least, protein is more important than fruit (which ultimately is sugar and maybe fibre), so maybe consider eating more nutritionally dense things instead of some of the fruit you have (e.g. yogurt, almonds, etc)
    • You don’t have to eat at any specific times: the myth of 5-6 meals a day was, I believe, debunked. I don’t eat breakfast, have two big meals a day, and a couple of snacks, and I’m losing weight just fine.
    • You don’t have to eat “healthy” foods to lose weight: you can eat anything you like as long as you’re meeting your calorie (and I would suggest protein) goals. It is true, however, that veggies and such can help fill you up more than other things, for the calories.

    These are just a few things that came to mind. I would take it a bit easier if I were you, and just keep at it: you will keep seeing results. Best of luck :smile:

    ^^^ This too. There are a lot of people who think we're all supposed to eat 1200 calories (just do a search of the forums), but that's not really true, calculate correctly what you should be eating, not what you think you should be eating. Eat the bread, enjoy your food, if you hate what you eat you're more likely to stop, or binge.
  • RedArizona5
    RedArizona5 Posts: 465 Member
    edited April 2015
    I meant to delete my last post and here added another comment by mistake. oops :|
This discussion has been closed.

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