I need sincere help

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AliveAgain88
AliveAgain88 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
i keep fooling myself...I honestly don't know how to lose weight. Every time I start MFP I start to get OCD with the calories and tend to eat less because I don't want to get over 1200. After a few days I'm hungry..and binge and the cycle starts over..this sounds stupid but I feel like I don't know how to have a proper balanced diet.

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  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Visit a dietitian. It will be the best 30-60 minutes you spend on your diet in your life! They will tell you what comprises a healthy diet, help you pick what kind of diet you want, explain anything you want to know about food, etc. You will leave there confident that your diet is the right one for you!

    If you don't want to do that, just plug in honest numbers into the MFP and follow the instructions. You know starving and binging doesn't work, so skip that this time! Eat the calories it gives you and at least half of the exercise calories. Focus on whole foods, but if you want a cupcake, eat one!

    Losing weight is always hard. Well, for most people, it's hard. A few have no trouble, lucky them. But for most of us, it's hard. The process, though, is only as hard as you make it.

    I strongly urge you to visit a professional so that you're more confident about the whole thing. But either way, good luck! :)
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    Try starting with a goal of 0.5 pounds per week. That should get you into the rhythm of logging and aiming for a goal without being overly hungry.

    The goal is to avoid feeling deprived. 1200 is just a number, and it's a minimum number at that.

    The only "diets" that work are the ones you'll keep following. Don't be so restrictive that you give up.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    seska422 wrote: »
    Try starting with a goal of 0.5 pounds per week. That should get you into the rhythm of logging and aiming for a goal without being overly hungry.

    The goal is to avoid feeling deprived. 1200 is just a number, and it's a minimum number at that.

    The only "diets" that work are the ones you'll keep following. Don't be so restrictive that you give up.

    This, so much this. From a sustainability POV, -2 lbs / week only makes for people who are very overweight, and if your pic is of you, I don't think that includes you. There was a thread here with guidelines on which targets are appropriate for people at different weights. I wish it were part of the setup process :(
  • AliveAgain88
    AliveAgain88 Posts: 6 Member
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    Thanks a lot guys. Yea I gained like 30 pounds in a year..I was so stressed studying boards and sitting to study for long hours...and eating my life away.

    Thanks for the advice..I think whole foods is key..and I'll try to look up a dietian in the area. My height is 4'10 so gaining 5 lbs to me is like gaining 10 lbs! Anywho lol
  • nordic44
    nordic44 Posts: 8 Member
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    I am much older than you, but also short and had struggles this year (my mother died in March) I pulled myself together and have done high protein (as that helps keep hunger away...) lots of veggies and salads and actually added more olive oil in all cooking ...cut out most flour, sugar (and obvious carbs) I have lost 26 lbs since mothers day. Never thought I could do it...but made BIG decision just not to give up on myself . (oh..also gave up alcohol for these first few months)...at weight I want to be now ....my hard part starts now...maintaining!!!!! Best of luck!!
  • nordic44
    nordic44 Posts: 8 Member
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    oh...forgot to mention..walk everyday for 60 min
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Just log for a bit. Don't change anything, do what you normally do Don't worry about what you're eating for a week or two. Just log it. Leave notes in your log about how you felt that day. Then, reflect on it. What did you eat that made you feel good? Terrible? Where can you improve? Do you eat healthy food but too much? Drink your calories? Look at your trends and see how you can improve. This is especially helpful if you're going to see a dietician. I used to work in an endo clinic with one, and she always had her patients do this for 2 weeks before their initial appointment so she could tweak, fine tune, and work with what they were doing.

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    ashliefisch wrote: »
    Just log for a bit. Don't change anything, do what you normally do Don't worry about what you're eating for a week or two. Just log it. Leave notes in your log about how you felt that day. Then, reflect on it. What did you eat that made you feel good? Terrible? Where can you improve? Do you eat healthy food but too much? Drink your calories? Look at your trends and see how you can improve. This is especially helpful if you're going to see a dietician. I used to work in an endo clinic with one, and she always had her patients do this for 2 weeks before their initial appointment so she could tweak, fine tune, and work with what they were doing.

    Great post!
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    ashliefisch wrote: »
    Just log for a bit. Don't change anything, do what you normally do Don't worry about what you're eating for a week or two. Just log it. Leave notes in your log about how you felt that day. Then, reflect on it. What did you eat that made you feel good? Terrible? Where can you improve? Do you eat healthy food but too much? Drink your calories? Look at your trends and see how you can improve. This is especially helpful if you're going to see a dietician. I used to work in an endo clinic with one, and she always had her patients do this for 2 weeks before their initial appointment so she could tweak, fine tune, and work with what they were doing.

    Great post!

    +1!
  • AliveAgain88
    AliveAgain88 Posts: 6 Member
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    My condolences my love! I'm so happy for you :) yea I need to be a bit more active and walking seems a lot easier..

    I was looking at some of my past posts and I see that I have a carb issue. I feel like I can't control myself when it comes to pasta or rice....it's one of those things where portion control doesn't exist hahah..and giving it up sounds bananas to me. I just need to put in my best effort!

    Thank you all for your posts!
  • erimethia_fekre
    erimethia_fekre Posts: 317 Member
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    If you're not use to eating that little you have to gradually eat less each week. I started my calories goal at 1750 since i always use to binge eat. When I noticed I was able to handle less than 1500, I adjusted my calories on here. I was also noticing I always go over fat and protein and never even get half of my carbs so I adjusted those ratios since I'd rather use fats for energy instead of carbs. Now I'm managing 1300 average but I'm not lowering it because some days I will go to 1500.

    The key to it is slow and steady. You'll be less likely to binge that way because you start to make food choices that will sustain you on little calories.

    For example, my favorite breakfast use to be two eggs over medium with buttered toast, extra salt and a half pound of bacon. That has changed to old fashioned oats with almond butter, cinnamon, coconut oil and a scoop of protein powder.

    You'll get there. You just have to be patient
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    edited August 2015
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    If I remember correctly

    <25 lbs weightloss, aim for 0.5 lbs loss a week
    25-50, 1 lbs loss a week
    50-75, 1,5 lbs loss a week
    75>, 2 lbs loss a week

    Anyway, in your situation there is no reason to aim at a 1200 calorie diet. Rather go the slow and steady 0.5 lbs a week loss. It will take longer, but will help you create a sustainable way of eating that will last you much longer.
    ashliefisch wrote: »
    Just log for a bit. Don't change anything, do what you normally do Don't worry about what you're eating for a week or two. Just log it. Leave notes in your log about how you felt that day. Then, reflect on it. What did you eat that made you feel good? Terrible? Where can you improve? Do you eat healthy food but too much? Drink your calories? Look at your trends and see how you can improve. This is especially helpful if you're going to see a dietician. I used to work in an endo clinic with one, and she always had her patients do this for 2 weeks before their initial appointment so she could tweak, fine tune, and work with what they were doing.

    Also, this. Just get used to logging for a while, just to be able to see the general picture.
    Perhaps you will already be able to identify some foods that are not worth it to you.
  • AliveAgain88
    AliveAgain88 Posts: 6 Member
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    Yea...I think I'm just going in too hard instead of taking it slowly. Looking for fast results ever last...and I learned my lesson the first time around. (I lost 40 lbs about three years ago and gained it all back plus more!) I'm just going to log in more and see how normal diet is right now and just adjust here and there... :) thank you all again!
  • AliveAgain88
    AliveAgain88 Posts: 6 Member
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    I'm really short 4'10 and I want to lose 50 lbs. so when I added that to MFP they said I have to eat 1200
  • AliveAgain88
    AliveAgain88 Posts: 6 Member
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    So I guess I would have to change that

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