Why is so hard to stay in my calorie limit and so easy to eat "clean"?!?!?

skinnyfitmella · January 2016

Hi!

Today I feel so depressive. I am just starting over and over and over for years and can't manage to lose the weight that I desire. I did paleo without cheating (max 3-5 times a year some small bites snickers), than paleo and legumes and I still don't eat even rice that often, I am very very very strict with the food choices I make. But DAMN I do overeat on healthy food and even 1800 calories a day is "too low" for me. I can't figure it out why I can change in so many ways ( I study all day since 2011 and work really hard, on plan, without excuses) and one of the things I just can not acheave is eating LESS.

How do you do it? How do you stay in your limits? How do you motivate yourself?

I am 5 ft 6 or 5 ft 7, 147 pounds and I want to be 127-130.
I do workout, but 3 to max. 4 times a week, every time 20-30 min. cardio and 45 mins. weights.

I know you probably can't help me, but I will be happy to hear some opinions....

janejellyroll · January 2016

I find the difference between the goals that I turn into habits and the goals that I don't accomplish is my connection to the goal.

You must have something that motivates you to eat "clean." Something about it inspires you to stay on plan even when you're busy, rushed, or stressed. Your connection to your motivation makes it easy to limit the types of food that you choose.

The trick is to find the motivation to connect you to your calorie limit. Being 127-130 seems kind of like a vague goal. Is there something more tangible about that particular weight that inspires you? Is it a weight you were once at or the weight of somebody whose body you admire? What about it makes you want that weight? Maybe getting more connected to your goal in a tangible way, a way you can easily visualize, will help you get daily motivation.

queenliz99 · January 2016

Are you in a deficit? How accurate is your calorie counting? Do you use a food scale? How do you calculate your calorie burns?

seska422 · January 2016

I'm not strict at all about what I eat. I just aim to have a good macro balance.

I do watch my portion sizes so that I hit my calorie goal.

Since I'm eating what I want to eat, I don't feel deprived. That makes it easy to stick to my way of eating.

You need to experiment with the way you are eating to find the foods that you like to eat and that satisfy you. "Clean" eating is great if that's the way you like to eat. If you are craving foods that don't fit into that, consider substitutions that work or even just working them into your day even though they aren't "clean."

The thing is to find what works for you rather than struggling every day to stick with your food plan.

skinnyfitmella · January 2016

Thanks, jane and queen.

Actually I eat clean now for 3 years. I can count on my 2 hands the times I had sugar or anything else than paleo foods and legumes. I do it because I know how great I feel with this quality food, my mental work is better, my skin....

And every day I start with the determination to lose the excess weight and be in a deficit, but I never manage to do it for more than a week. Seriously, I never ate less than 1800 calories in a row in the last years for 30 days, I just always overeat. I did it just once, I ate 1200 cals a day for 6 weeks and struggled as HELL.

Since than I just "try".
I am mad on me.

Yes, I was skinny for the most part of my life and than I just began to eat more and more, even if its healthy food.
I don't feel the best of me, I want to just be able to follow my decision and acheave a thinner look.

P.S. Sorry for my English, it's not my native language.

janejellyroll · January 2016

Don't worry about your writing -- I think you write very well.

I think the trick for you will be to figure out exactly what you want. You state very well why you find it easy to maintain your current diet -- you feel great, your skin looks better, your mind is clearer. Now you need to find goals like that for weight loss. You want to look thinner? Why, exactly? To look better naked? To look better in certain clothes? Connect yourself to your goals.

When I began losing weight, I didn't even have a weight loss goal. I had some jeans that I wanted to fit into and I kept those jeans at the front of my mind every time I felt tempted to go over my calorie goals. Later I developed new goals. Thinking "I want to lose 20 pounds" would never work for me. Thinking "I want to be in this specific outfit" did work for me. Maybe that would work for you too.

daniwilford · January 2016

Keep trying. "Paleo" and "clean" do not equal eating at a deficit seems to be what you have learned. That is a great start. I find the most satisfying and sustainable plan for me is to eat adequate protein and higher fiber with an 80/20 mix. 80% of my calories coming from high nutrition to calorie balance and 20% of my calories from what ever I crave. Some find intermittent fasting, volume eating, vegetarian, or any other number of strategies to work for them. Experiment with what works best to control your hunger. The key as you have discovered is to stay within your calorie limit.
As for staying motivated, I find the internal motivation works best for me. I choose to make mini goals for: food, exercise, weight, body measurements, strength or clothing size. All have helped me. Having a goal in each of these categories allows me to succeed at something every day. Success breeds success.

errollmaclean · January 2016

Well "clean eating" has nothing to do with weightloss. Weightloss is 100% about a calorie deficit. Without that you will not lose weight. It's that simple.

My advice would be to use that determination that lets you force yourself to eat clean, and use it instead for maintaining a deficit. You need to find an eating style that helps you with that. Wether it's moderation, flexible dieting, iifym, or whatever else.

tiffanycompton33 · January 2016

I am not a clean eater but for me eating at a deficit took some trial and error. I prefer to have a very low cal breakfast, limited snacking, and a large lunch and dinner. Twice a day I eat to where I am full (not stuffed) and eat pretty much whatever I want. This is how I do it. I want to feel satisfied. I don't like grazing all day. If I eat something for breakfast I am starving by lunch. If I just have a coffee and a couple bites of cottage cheese I'm good to go. You could also figure out what calories you're happy at and trim back a little every week until you have a deficit. So 2000... then 1900 for a few weeks.. then rotate 1900... 1800... 1900.... 1800 then whenever you start losing stay right there. Whatever you decide I hope it all works out. Eating clean is awesome just not something most of us want to do

litsy3 · January 2016

skinnyfitmella wrote: »

Thanks, jane and queen.
Seriously, I never ate less than 1800 calories in a row in the last years for 30 days, I just always overeat. I did it just once, I ate 1200 cals a day for 6 weeks and struggled as HELL.

This sounds like the problem. It's a bit 'all or nothing', which seems to have worked for you with the 'clean eating', but if eating at a deficit is EITHER 1800+ and no deficit OR 1200 and massively restricted, it's not surprising that you struggle to keep it up. Could you try a few weeks of, say, 1650? And if that feels too hard, you could let yourself have one day each week of 1800. You won't lose weight fast, but you should gradually get there.

skinnyfitmella · January 2016

You are really right.

When I look pics on pinterest for some clothes inspiration I always wish I could fit in such minimalistic outfits and have a thinner look, since I find it will suit better my frame and face. Now I don't always wear the colours that I want because I don't have the legs for them

and the photos from the beach are not something I like to look at. This is depressing since I work out a lot, I even squat with 110 lbs and my legs are somewhat "muscular" under the thick layer of fat.

But enough...
Thanks!

I will use the tips you gave me and maybe post some before and afters soon. Hopefully!

skinnyfitmella · January 2016

litsy3 wrote: »

skinnyfitmella wrote: »

Thanks, jane and queen.
Seriously, I never ate less than 1800 calories in a row in the last years for 30 days, I just always overeat. I did it just once, I ate 1200 cals a day for 6 weeks and struggled as HELL.

This sounds like the problem. It's a bit 'all or nothing', which seems to have worked for you with the 'clean eating', but if eating at a deficit is EITHER 1800+ and no deficit OR 1200 and massively restricted, it's not surprising that you struggle to keep it up. Could you try a few weeks of, say, 1650? And if that feels too hard, you could let yourself have one day each week of 1800. You won't lose weight fast, but you should gradually get there.

Sorry, I didnt explain it right. I always try to eat around 1500-1700, just once I forced to eat 1200, because it was a "detox" I went on. But now I NEVER ever try to hit 1200, because I can easily eat them for breakfast

haha
But even 1650 is unacheaveable for my lazy self. I always find myself eating a bowl of lentils, and I mean a BIG one, than some fruit (like 3 bananas) and when I work I pass the 1500 mark by afternoon. I am easily beyond 2200 every day.
However, when I start to eat 1600, I always drop weight fast (for a week) and than I just eat the calories back the next. SO DUMB.

litsy3 · January 2016

skinnyfitmella wrote: »

litsy3 wrote: »

skinnyfitmella wrote: »

Thanks, jane and queen.
Seriously, I never ate less than 1800 calories in a row in the last years for 30 days, I just always overeat. I did it just once, I ate 1200 cals a day for 6 weeks and struggled as HELL.

This sounds like the problem. It's a bit 'all or nothing', which seems to have worked for you with the 'clean eating', but if eating at a deficit is EITHER 1800+ and no deficit OR 1200 and massively restricted, it's not surprising that you struggle to keep it up. Could you try a few weeks of, say, 1650? And if that feels too hard, you could let yourself have one day each week of 1800. You won't lose weight fast, but you should gradually get there.

Sorry, I didnt explain it right. I always try to eat around 1500-1700, just once I forced to eat 1200, because it was a "detox" I went on. But now I NEVER ever try to hit 1200, because I can easily eat them for breakfast haha
But even 1650 is unacheaveable for my lazy self. I always find myself eating a bowl of lentils, and I mean a BIG one, than some fruit (like 3 bananas) and when I work I pass the 1500 mark by afternoon. I am easily beyond 2200 every day.
However, when I start to eat 1600, I always drop weight fast (for a week) and than I just eat the calories back the next. SO DUMB.

Okay, so if you lose weight fast at 1600 then that's more restrictive than you need, and if you actually eat more than 2200 every day (when aiming for 1700), then try a couple of weeks of 2000. That'd be more manageable, right? And put slightly less in your bowl when you make a meal or snack, you don't just have to 'find yourself' eating it.

SuperheroSadie · January 2016

It IS super easy to over-eat on a 'clean' diet. You know what you gotta do? Force yourself to stick to it. At 1800 calories, you can have a 500 calorie breakfast, 500 calorie lunch, 500 calorie dinner, and 3 100 calorie snacks, like a yogurt, or some popcorn. You're used to eating more, so you're gonna eat more naturally, and not feel full at first. Your body will re-adjust, and soon eating 1800 calories will seem super duper easy! It's just sticking with it and getting past those first few 'miserable' days (or weeks, depending...) until everything re-adjusts.

Also, here's some motivation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXsQAXx_ao0

skinnyfitmella · January 2016

This is amazing haha

thank you

jacklifts · January 2016

maybe you're not eating enough protein? i don't know what paleo is, but try to eat around 150g protein and 40g of fiber a day. see if that helps you stay in your calorie goal. also, you can play around with timing. instead of eating breakfast, maybe skip breakfast, and eat late lunch as your first meal. condense your calories in a shorter time period, and you might be able to stick to your calorie goal.

Odilerubia · January 2016

Maybe you are so negative about yourself and disappointed and so critical with the diet, that you are eating because of the stress! Let it go a little! You deserve to look nice now, even if you are not a your dream weight. So stop being your own enemy, treat yourself with makeup and nice clothes the way you think you will only deserve when you look when you would weigh 127 lbs. Start embracing yourself and in a more relaxed mode you will (hopefully) not find the need of overeating. By the way Im 5.7 and I want to go to 159 lbs cause I know I will look ausumn and sexy. Start overeating on foods that are healthy and dont have calories like homemade pickled cucumbers in applevinegar e.g. good luck!

Why is so hard to stay in my calorie limit and so easy to eat "clean"?!?!?

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