Does anyone feel not quite right about what they’re eating

GemmieNoWobbles · May 2011

So, I’ve been logging and weight and charting and whatnot for 40 days now.

I’ve reached a point where I am hyper aware of everything going into my body… I cant eat something until I have logged it just incase its not good. My personal trainer looks at my diary and she told me off this week saying I am eating too low on some days. She thinks I should be eating 1580kcals per day and when I exercise eating more to eat them back. I cant do it… I cant bring myself to eat more, it feels so wrong when I am trying so hard to eat less calories.

Today for example I have planned out my eating day… I can still switch up my dinner, going to treat myself to mashed potatoes instead of just boiled new potatoes but I am still not at 1500 plus I am planning on going to the gym!

I think if I eat more calories I wont lose weight… I cant change my mind into thinking that I need to eat more. :grumble:

Does anyone else struggle with this?

Missylydia · May 2011

Yes! Although, nobody has told me to eat more.

ruststar · May 2011

I've struggled with it - still am - but I know that I have to be in this for life, not just to lose weight quickly. I don't want to be back here doing it all over again in a year! Think about what's a sustainable level you can eat for the rest of your life. Do you think you can stick to the ultra low calorie forever? If you upped it a bit - the 1560 doesn't seem unreasonable - you probably could.

gambitsgal45 · May 2011

I have a hard time with that, too. But I have a lot of weight to lose, so I can afford to eat less. It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. If it is 15-20 pounds, then you need to eat more because your body feels like it's at a healthy weight and your metabolism will slow if you create too much of a calorie deficit. Trying to lose the last few pounds is a much different animal than trying to lose 50 or more. If you have a lot to lose, you can get away with eating 1200 calories (or even a little less) because you have such a huge energy reserve. I'm only judging from your picture that you don't have a lot to lose, you look pretty skinny to me! If this is the case, check out Jillian Michael's book "Making the Cut". It's all about losing the last 10 to 20 pounds.

Good luck!!!

poedunk65 · May 2011

If you don't eat enough you won't lose weight either. Your body will go into starvation mode and slow your metabolism down to a crawl. You must eat more protien when working out also to build muscle or your body will use muscle for energy.

Pete_Mann · May 2011

I had a real problem with it before. I was limiting my calories below 1200, and I wasn't losing, so I tried to eat even fewer, and it wasn't working. My physical trainer told me I was only eating enough to support a 120lb woman and I needed to eat more.

Now I wont let myself go below 1200 calories and occasionally I may go over the 1580 that are recommended, but only with gym time.

Don't think of it as eating more or less, try to think of it as eating right. If you want to bump up your calories a bit, but in a healthy way, have some apples and peanut butter as a snack, or even a bag of popcorn. That's what I do to make sure I hit my range.

jujuken · May 2011

I struggle with the very same thing. I am on the verge of obsessive about it. It's hard to find that happy medium but I agree with the previous reply..it does have to be something you can stick with for life otherwise you won't keep it up and you will get discouraged and just quit...or I would anyway. That being said...have I personally gotten to the point where I have found that happy medium? No...but I am working on it. Maybe just up your cals a little bit everyday and see how that goes?

GemmieNoWobbles · May 2011

I have a hard time with that, too. But I have a lot of weight to lose, so I can afford to eat less. It all depends on how much weight you have to lose. If it is 15-20 pounds, then you need to eat more because your body feels like it's at a healthy weight and your metabolism will slow if you create too much of a calorie deficit. Trying to lose the last few pounds is a much different animal than trying to lose 50 or more. If you have a lot to lose, you can get away with eating 1200 calories (or even a little less) because you have such a huge energy reserve. I'm only judging from your picture that you don't have a lot to lose, you look pretty skinny to me! If this is the case, check out Jillian Michael's book "Making the Cut". It's all about losing the last 10 to 20 pounds.

Good luck!!!

Thanks :flowerforyou:
This is helpful. I want to get to 120. I am 139 at the moment. I will check out the book.

MakingAChoice · May 2011

If you have iTunes, check out the podcasts for fat2fit radio. Or check them out at www.fat2fitradio.com. No this is not an advertisement it is just a resource that has helped me change my thinking about food dramatically. There are 3 years worth of podcasts related to a weight loss journey one of the guys took. He lost over 100lbs and did it the right way without the need to severely cut calorie intake.

If you are eating under your BMR AND exercising you could be doing more harm than good by eating so little. Your metabolism will slow down if you do not provide enough fuel for your body to use, no matter how hard you workout. This is what will stop your weight loss, do not be afraid to eat the higher calories your body needs. You can go to www.fat2fitradio.com/tools to figure out how many calories you can actually eat and still lose weight.

I found MFP actually estimates the calorie a bit low at the 2 lbs a week weight loss (for me at least). I eat 2400 calories when MFP suggest 1900 and I am still losing at least 2 lbs a week. Check out the guys and tools at fat2fitradio, they are very helpful and honest about exactly how to succeed at this.

pedalpusher5 · May 2011

Thank you for posting the fat2fit website. Looks like another valuable resource. When it comes to health and weight loss, as with any other subject, there is no such thing as too much information (unless it's wrong information).

GemmieNoWobbles · May 2011

Thanks everyone!

ShellyMacchi · May 2011

i did... until i slowly went ahead and started eating close to my goal calories, and at least 1/2 of m exercise calories... and discovered i started losing more by eating more *L*
Now i have NO problem with it at all

milaxx · May 2011

Nope, I think it is in part because I don't weigh myself very often. I only weigh once a month. However i review my dairy every evening. I now manage for the most part to stay under on my sodium and sugar levels.I look at what I eat and think about what adjustments I have to make to make those numbers balance out. I know if those numbers are right i will show a weight loss on the scale. I also know I have to eat more on gym days, but then again I am usually more hungry on gym days. I am now at the point where I can estimate in my head whether I can eat something or not which means I can make good, safe and healthy food choices.

Does anyone feel not quite right about what they’re eating

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