Too much weight loss? Counting Calories to maintain
Replies
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I'm a vegan, all I eat is fruits, veggies, and nuts. My eating is ridiculously clean and healthy which means low calories. Ugh and trying to balance macros is a pain. Lol. I'm really not complaining... Just trying to figure all this out.
One minor correction: Your eating may be clean, but - tough love, here - it isn't healthy if you're losing below a healthy weight. Healthy = giving your body what it needs. More healthy fats are probably your easiest route to more calories. And as a vegan, be sure you're working that protein.
Also, on that fitness goal, find some way to make it measurable, and start measuring it so you can test & visualize your progress. Shift your thinking to it.0 -
Aubned92,
Certainly under eating can be an eating disorder. I suggest though that you first have some data before deciding you belong in that group.
What is you height, weight, build, fat and muscle content, and waist measurement ?
For fat content I suggest investing the $10 or so in fat calipers, and use e.g. these photos:
http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/
Some degree of objectivity in where you are in relation to ideal would be helpful. You may also wish to post a couple of body photos to your blog to see if your view of your body matches what others see.
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As for food, I eat a diet similar to yours with the addition of yohgurt. Calories are very easy to come by if you want them. Nuts and seed are high fat; fruit has a lot of sugar. Heck, grains are 3 - 4 kCal/gram !
Logging to verify adequate nutrients and actual net calories sounds like a good idea to me. If you think you are addicted to watching the scale weight drop, then perhaps stop weighing yourself as frequently and go by appearance and your (accurate!) log instead.
One potential issue to be aware of though: it is really easy to over estimate calorie consumption from exercise, so it you use that number to modify how much you have to eat in calories to maintain your weight you can quite easily under eat. Periodic weighings will give you a reality check.
All the best!
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One minor correction: Your eating may be clean, but - tough love, here - it isn't healthy if you're losing below a healthy weight. Healthy = giving your body what it needs. More healthy fats are probably your easiest route to more calories. And as a vegan, be sure you're working that protein.
Also, on that fitness goal, find some way to make it measurable, and start measuring it so you can test & visualize your progress. Shift your thinking to it.
My eating is spot-on... I'm obssesive about learning. I know more about protein (non meat) than most people I know. I eat foods I never thought I would eat... Avocado, raw spinach, pea's, raw broccoli, nuts, and beans. For the first time in my life my iron and protein levels are high enough and I no longer have high cholesterol.... I am truly the healthiest I've ever been... Just trying to eat enough. Plus, right when I started getting it all balanced, I joined the gym.. So I have to adjust again.0 -
ericGold15 wrote: »Aubned92,
Certainly under eating can be an eating disorder. I suggest though that you first have some data before deciding you belong in that group.
What is you height, weight, build, fat and muscle content, and waist measurement ?
For fat content I suggest investing the $10 or so in fat calipers, and use e.g. these photos:
http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/
Some degree of objectivity in where you are in relation to ideal would be helpful. You may also wish to post a couple of body photos to your blog to see if your view of your body matches what others see.
--
As for food, I eat a diet similar to yours with the addition of yohgurt. Calories are very easy to come by if you want them. Nuts and seed are high fat; fruit has a lot of sugar. Heck, grains are 3 - 4 kCal/gram !
Logging to verify adequate nutrients and actual net calories sounds like a good idea to me. If you think you are addicted to watching the scale weight drop, then perhaps stop weighing yourself as frequently and go by appearance and your (accurate!) log instead.
One potential issue to be aware of though: it is really easy to over estimate calorie consumption from exercise, so it you use that number to modify how much you have to eat in calories to maintain your weight you can quite easily under eat. Periodic weighings will give you a reality check.
All the best!
I really never obsessed over losing or the number on the scale... Until it kept dropping. Now, I obsess so I don't lose more. As for photos, I have some I need to post.0 -
Nut butters, nuts, oils, high fat foods are your best friends. Also oats can be made quite calorific, vegan and clean.0
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annette_15 wrote: »Nut butters, nuts, oils, high fat foods are your best friends. Also oats can be made quite calorific, vegan and clean.
Oats... You're right I keep forgetting!! Thanks for the reminder.0 -
I have no idea what my calorie count was before (I was guessing). I lost first due to stress and trauma (I didn't see what was happening), then portion control and eventually I became vegan for health reasons. All of this resulted in 85lbs in 10 months. I was oblivious for half of my weight loss, which makes this more difficult I think.
You're right... Doubling I'd bizarre and when I exercise I have to almost triple.
Cut back on the exercise0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
Cut back on the exercise
So you're suggesting I don't tone and build my core? I workout for 45-50 minutes 4-5 times a week. I always walk two miles a day... it's just a given (normal errand running, daily working walk). I was sedentary for nearly a year and my body started deteriorating. I have seven herniated discs (among other injuries) from a head-on collision three years ago.... I've done the overworking and over trying to "fix" the damage, I've done the do nothing and sit around and deteriorate method, and now I am finally getting my life back together. Do nothing or close to nothing is no longer an option. But thanks for the feedback.0 -
So you're suggesting I don't tone and build my core? I workout for 45-50 minutes 4-5 times a week. I always walk two miles a day... it's just a given (normal errand running, daily working walk). I was sedentary for nearly a year and my body started deteriorating. I have seven herniated discs (among other injuries) from a head-on collision three years ago.... I've done the overworking and over trying to "fix" the damage, I've done the do nothing and sit around and deteriorate method, and now I am finally getting my life back together. Do nothing or close to nothing is no longer an option. But thanks for the feedback.
Not if you can't fuel your body properly, no . You're doing more damage eating such a low number of calories and exercising as well.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
Not if you can't fuel your body properly, no . You're doing more damage eating such a low number of calories and exercising as well.
This was actually my problem when I tried to maintain but kept losing and got too low. I've never exercised for weight loss, but instead for dealing with anxiety, so I never paid too much attention to finding a happy balance between working out and caloric intake. Stopping exercise was NOT an option for me (as I'm assuming it isn't for you), so I had to start eating more calorie-dense foods on a regular basis. And as a side note, it also gave me a lot more energy during my workouts... So yes, certainly look into using food to fuel your workouts. It's SO important!!0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
Not if you can't fuel your body properly, no . You're doing more damage eating such a low number of calories and exercising as well.
Thanks again but I think maybe you misunderstood... I'm not eating 1000
This was actually my problem when I tried to maintain but kept losing and got too low. I've never exercised for weight loss, but instead for dealing with anxiety, so I never paid too much attention to finding a happy balance between working out and caloric intake. Stopping exercise was NOT an option for me (as I'm assuming it isn't for you), so I had to start eating more calorie-dense foods on a regular basis. And as a side note, it also gave me a lot more energy during my workouts... So yes, certainly look into using food to fuel your workouts. It's SO important!!
Great post. Thanks!0 -
I'm a vegan, all I eat is fruits, veggies, and nuts. My eating is ridiculously clean and healthy which means low calories. Ugh and trying to balance macros is a pain. Lol. I'm really not complaining... Just trying to figure all this out.
If all you eat are fruits, vegetables, and nuts, you're not a vegan--you're an extremely restricted eater (and you're probably not getting enough carbohydrates or protein, unless you're counting large amounts of legumes and potatoes as vegetables). There are plenty of more calorie dense vegan options: dried fruit, nuts, seeds, avocados, oils, grains, legumes. You can bake (or buy) vegan muffins and quick breads and cookies and cakes that are plenty "clean" and will help you reach your calorie goal. Granola made with maple syrup is vegan and calorie-dense. Sprinkle sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on your salads. Prepare batches of whole grains or quinoa and use them as a base for vegetable stews. Make a Thai curry with tofu and vegetables and coconut milk. Indeed, every traditional vegan dish in the world includes a healthy amount of fat.
Often people call themselves vegan or vegetarian in order to mask an eating disorder, and you sound as if you're teetering on the edge of that behavior. If that's not the case, feel free to ignore me and my ranting and I apologize in advance. And I agree with the poster above who said that it's key to switch your mindset. Stop thinking of food as something to be avoided and start seeing it as fuel for all the fun stuff you want to do.0 -
scrittrice wrote: »
If all you eat are fruits, vegetables, and nuts, you're not a vegan--you're an extremely restricted eater (and you're probably not getting enough carbohydrates or protein, unless you're counting large amounts of legumes and potatoes as vegetables). There are plenty of more calorie dense vegan options: dried fruit, nuts, seeds, avocados, oils, grains, legumes. You can bake (or buy) vegan muffins and quick breads and cookies and cakes that are plenty "clean" and will help you reach your calorie goal. Granola made with maple syrup is vegan and calorie-dense. Sprinkle sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on your salads. Prepare batches of whole grains or quinoa and use them as a base for vegetable stews. Make a Thai curry with tofu and vegetables and coconut milk. Indeed, every traditional vegan dish in the world includes a healthy amount of fat.
Often people call themselves vegan or vegetarian in order to mask an eating disorder, and you sound as if you're teetering on the edge of that behavior. If that's not the case, feel free to ignore me and my ranting and I apologize in advance. And I agree with the poster above who said that it's key to switch your mindset. Stop thinking of food as something to be avoided and start seeing it as fuel for all the fun stuff you want to do.
Sorry, but telling the OP that she has an eating disorder because she is vegan is highly uncalled for. Throwing such words around should not be taken lightly.0 -
scrittrice wrote: »
If all you eat are fruits, vegetables, and nuts, you're not a vegan--you're an extremely restricted eater (and you're probably not getting enough carbohydrates or protein, unless you're counting large amounts of legumes and potatoes as vegetables). There are plenty of more calorie dense vegan options: dried fruit, nuts, seeds, avocados, oils, grains, legumes. You can bake (or buy) vegan muffins and quick breads and cookies and cakes that are plenty "clean" and will help you reach your calorie goal. Granola made with maple syrup is vegan and calorie-dense. Sprinkle sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on your salads. Prepare batches of whole grains or quinoa and use them as a base for vegetable stews. Make a Thai curry with tofu and vegetables and coconut milk. Indeed, every traditional vegan dish in the world includes a healthy amount of fat.
Often people call themselves vegan or vegetarian in order to mask an eating disorder, and you sound as if you're teetering on the edge of that behavior. If that's not the case, feel free to ignore me and my ranting and I apologize in advance. And I agree with the poster above who said that it's key to switch your mindset. Stop thinking of food as something to be avoided and start seeing it as fuel for all the fun stuff you want to do.
Just FYI, KNOW the FACTS before you reply. I am vegan for health reasons AND I cannot eat gluten or dairy for health reasons. Thank you... My restrictions due to health are not easy for me but I DO NOT HAVE SN EATING DISORDER! Funny how being obese never triggered anyone to think I have an eating disorder but eating clean and healthy does. Our society is so backwards!!!0 -
Sorry, but telling the OP that she has an eating disorder because she is vegan is highly uncalled for. Throwing such words around should not be taken lightly.
Thank you @LynneW19830 -
Just FYI, I'm not avoiding food. I am only struggling with calories recently because I started working out. I'm trying to find a healthy balance. I will not be coming back to this feed because it's turned ugly and I don't need negativity or toxicity in my life. Thanks0
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Hogwash.scrittrice wrote: »If all you eat are fruits, vegetables, and nuts, you're not a vegan--you're an extremely restricted eater (and you're probably not getting enough carbohydrates or protein,
And in other news, the Earth is fairly round.
Time to catch up.
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PS. Avocado is a FRUIT!!!0
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Wow 2+ years! I just entered maintenance and was wondering how long I would count calories. I was hoping that my body would get a better idea of how much I ate based on how I felt 20 or so minutes after eating. I can sort of detect when I eat more than 600 calories in a sitting. But it's when I throw exercise in that it skews things. Eating an additional 1000 calories in a day because I cycled for an hour and a half throws things off...RunRutheeRun wrote: »I'm glad you're using MFP as a tool to help you eat a bit more, sounds like you were getting too low a weight.
I've been maintaining my loss for 2+ years but I still log, more to ensure that I'm actually eating enough and keep an eye on my macros.
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1200 is the minimum that women should consume unless on doctor's orders with strict supervision. Most women eat more than 1200 to lose. Were you only eating 1000 to lose? Maybe that's why you've had a hard time, because you've had to almost double your intake.
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