1200 Calories - I'm not hungry - Confused :(

iiliiPhoenixiilii
iiliiPhoenixiilii Posts: 51
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
Hello all -
SW 218
CW 212
GW 145

I have lost about 6lbs this week.. ((judging after going to the Dr's office last Thursday and weighing 218. )) My goal is to lose at least 2lbs a week and my suggested calorie intake is 1200. I have done some form of fitness routine 5 days this week but other than that, I am mostly sedentary while at work. Here's my issue. I am supposed to eat 1200 calories a day but I am finding this hard to do because I am not really hungry. I literally have to force myself to eat sometimes. I made some changes...I used to drink coffee with tons of sugar all day and soda. I stopped that. I lowered my sugar intake and minimized my coffee to normally no more than 1 a day and I drink tons of water each day now. Does this sound about right? I want to be successful at this but it's hard having to force myself to eat all of the time. I changed the quality of food I was eating, water intake, and incorporated fitness. Should I be eating more than this. I almost always have 200-300 calories left and when I go to the gym, it's even worse. Any advice you guys can lend would be greatly appreciated. I am new to this and again, I truly want to be successful.

Replies

  • Newkell
    Newkell Posts: 379 Member
    Maybe you should add a good protein bar or protein shake to add the needed calories. I like nectar protein drink with frozen strawberries or raspberries. It helps to get your calories in
  • mgreen10
    mgreen10 Posts: 229 Member
    The magic number 1200 is not for everybody. People will tell you that you HAVE to eat it...but realistically everyone is different. You might just have a naturally very slow metabolism. Don't force yourself....just eat how you feel. BUT make sure you are eating enough varieties of things to get all your nutrition.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    When I have days like that...I get an ounce of nuts and just have one here & there. They are good for you and so high in calories.....they are a yummy treat!
  • mrrodriguez
    mrrodriguez Posts: 158
    I haven't had this problem as regularly as you, but I do have it sometimes. I had a salad today and didn't even want to eat any dinner. I had to go out to celebrate an even wiith a friend so I went ahead and ate. I think it is just our bodies changin, and I'm not going to eat if I'm not hungry in the future. :glasses: I agree that maybe you need more protein and try swimming sometime! I am always famished after a good swim.
  • woja9640
    woja9640 Posts: 450 Member
    Try drinking a large 16 oz glass of milk or orange juice with breakfast. That will help take up some of the calories. One 8 oz glass of non fat milk is 85. An 8 oz. glass of Sunny Delight smooth is 60-70 cal.

    Also, try bringing snacks to work with you like trail mix, and as someone else suggested protein bars.
  • iiliiPhoenixiilii
    iiliiPhoenixiilii Posts: 51
    Thanks so much everyone! I truly do appreciate your feedback :flowerforyou:
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    First of all eat a bigger, healthier breakfast. I just looked at a couple of days, but none of them look like good breakfasts. Try one whole egg and an egg white made into an omelet with some spinach and some light cheese. Try almond and the like for snacks. They provide healthy fats that you need to stay healthy. Ground Flax seeds would be another good thing to incorporate.

    As to the not feeling hungry, I think it is important to realize that for the vast majority of people who struggle with excess weight, they have a problem with their sense of fullness and hunger. That is one of the reasons they struggle with their weight. It also means you cannot trust your sense of not being hungry. While some with speak about 1200 being just a guideline, and it is in some ways, at the same time unless you are very tiny height wise, it is a reasonable minimum guideline, and I would not suggest going below that as your net calories for the day especially since you had such a large weight loss for the week. If you are eating a low a calories as you seem to right now, that sort of initial loss will happen, but only a small amount of it will be fat, some will be water and some will be muscle. Over time that lost of muscle will reduce your metabolism as will other things and your weight loss will stall. Then you will join the many other people who post questions here about plateaus. The keep to avoiding them is maintaining a small deficit. If the deficit is too large over a prolonged period of time, your body will stop losing weight at all. Keep trying to eat your 1200 plus your exercise calories.
  • iiliiPhoenixiilii
    iiliiPhoenixiilii Posts: 51
    First of all eat a bigger, healthier breakfast. I just looked at a couple of days, but none of them look like good breakfasts. Try one whole egg and an egg white made into an omelet with some spinach and some light cheese. Try almond and the like for snacks. They provide healthy fats that you need to stay healthy. Ground Flax seeds would be another good thing to incorporate.

    As to the not feeling hungry, I think it is important to realize that for the vast majority of people who struggle with excess weight, they have a problem with their sense of fullness and hunger. That is one of the reasons they struggle with their weight. It also means you cannot trust your sense of not being hungry. While some with speak about 1200 being just a guideline, and it is in some ways, at the same time unless you are very tiny height wise, it is a reasonable minimum guideline, and I would not suggest going below that as your net calories for the day especially since you had such a large weight loss for the week. If you are eating a low a calories as you seem to right now, that sort of initial loss will happen, but only a small amount of it will be fat, some will be water and some will be muscle. Over time that lost of muscle will reduce your metabolism as will other things and your weight loss will stall. Then you will join the many other people who post questions here about plateaus. The keep to avoiding them is maintaining a small deficit. If the deficit is too large over a prolonged period of time, your body will stop losing weight at all. Keep trying to eat your 1200 plus your exercise calories.

    Thanks. That was very insightful. You were right about breakfast. I normally do not eat in the morning. I am so busy trying to get the baby ready and to the car and my son on the bus, that often I running a mile a minute until I get to work. You also brought up a good point about my body not knowing when it's hungry...my job is mostly sedentary but it's highly stressful and I am solving problems all day long. I often do not even leave for lunch and before this, I normally wouldn't eat until I got home from work...when I had time. I am probably going to have to physically remind myself to eat breakfast or make something to go. I didn't even think that my body could have gotten in the routine of just not eating all day...Thanks Jim!
  • joanneeee
    joanneeee Posts: 311 Member
    i think maybe try to incorporate more snacks? :) instead of pretzels, you could aim for more fruit to fill your 3 serves of fruit/day. and definitely get in more fat! 23 grams is not enough. fat is GOOD for you so go for avocados, nuts and olives. they're also good for fibre and they help keep your hair shinyyyy :D those fats will help fill up your caloric needs as well.
  • corieueber
    corieueber Posts: 72 Member
    My trainers always stress that it's important to eat every 2-3 hours, even if it's just a small handful of nuts or piece of fruit, it is important to keep the metabolism working
  • iiliiPhoenixiilii
    iiliiPhoenixiilii Posts: 51
    Thank you all! You have given me so many great ideas!! I appreciate it.
  • woja9640
    woja9640 Posts: 450 Member
    You're more than welcome. Good Luck on reaching your weight loss goals.
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