I'm fat because I don't eat enough!!!

Don't compare goals arrived at using different methods. Your calorie goal on here is very strongly affected by the rate of loss you set. Did you choose 2lbs/week by any chance?

Beware nutritionists by the way - dieticians tend to have proper qualifications and just about anybody can call themselves a nutritionist.

Cutting out zero (or close to zero) sweeteners isn't going to make a difference to losing weight.

The suggestion to cut out sweeteners may be derived from the theory that having sweet tasting cola etc supposedly makes you want/crave more sweet substances which then will have calories in. E.g the Diet Coke won't contribute to you gaining weight but the chocolate bar you then decide to eat with,or after it, will. The nutritionist might also think your tastes will adjust if you cut out sweet foods & drinks in general hence avoiding some of the more calorie dense foods.

I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much, just focus on accurately logging and consistently meeting your calorie goal.

MicheletteLew wrote: »

So Kriss, just how do you lose weight eating all that stuff? And as I said I have been eating Atkins for lunch and breakfast for a year and haven't lost ANYTHING! She is trying to find out why...

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. You could eat Atkins all day everyday and still not lose a pound because you need to be at a caloric deficit in order to lose weight. That's why all these fad diets are unreasonable. All you need to do is eat less then you burn and you'll lose weight. Get yourself a food scale and learn how to weigh all your solids. Use measuring cups for liquids. You will lose weight if you consistently eat at a calorie deficit.

MicheletteLew wrote: »

Thank you Sara! MamaFunky - no, this is my 1st week with the nutritionist - I am just doing a food diary for her right now.

A food scale is a must. It is so important to start understanding portion size and portion control. As long as there is not a medical reason, you do not have to eliminate anything from your diet. Just measure, log it and meet you calorie goal and you will lose weight. Add some exercise and you will be able to eat a little more, as well as improve your overall health.

"I'm fat because I don't eat enough!!!"

Really? Explain how anorexics, for example, get to 80 lbs.

And explain how you gained your extra weight.


But really, don't mix up things: your nutritionist may talk about HEALTH - ex: try to avoid artificial foods as much as you can, including sweeteners - and about WEIGHT LOSS - ex: don't exceed x amount of calories daily.

Health, weight: these are two different things. Of course it helps to eat "healthy" when you lose weight, because since you decrease the number of calories, you need them to be as "filling" as possible. And typically, junk food is not that filling, so you may end out starving, and give up the diet altogether. But it is not necessary to eat "clean" (God do I hate that expression).
You can technically lose weight by eating only junk food, although it's obviously not recommended. Similarly, you can certainly eat your way to obesity eating whole grains, salads and apples.

So make sure not to mix up both concepts: they are related, but not interchangeable.

• A calorie is a calorie. No matter what form it comes in.
  
• Eat less + Move more.
• Unless you are training for a marathon or a triathlon. You don't need 1500.
• Stick to 1200.
• Weigh your food. Make sure you don't eat your calories back when you exercise.

A calorie deficit = weight loss
***but***
Results come from choosing macro percentages and choosing foods that make your body perform at it's best.
For example, if your body is not handling sugars well, lowering your intake of those macros can help you with blood sugar, appetite and energy, and help you get lean, not just lose weight. It will also help you stick with your calorie deficit.
Another example, eating enough fat and protein can help you stay satisfied, and maintain muscle mass.

I don't see anything wrong with your nutritionist's suggestions, I agree with them for my own purposes, too. That's nice you have someone to consult with, I'm sure you will learn a lot!

Actually it can happen but it takes rare circumstances, I should know I had the same problem at one point. It takes eating so little that your body goes into extreme starvation mode, but just enough that at that point to then be putting on weight. It's far more common amongst women with hormonal problems like PCOS. When it happened to me I was eating a net of 1400 a day, when I went up to a net of 1600 I started losing weight again.

That being said, if you're going to seek advice on nutrition ask a dietician NOT a nutritionist. Most of them don't have a clue, whereas a dietician has substantial study time and can factor in a variety of health and other physical requirements. Trust me, dieticians know what they're talking about.

Hornsby wrote: »

In all honesty, I wouldn't listen to said nutritionist.

Agreed. I'd dump some of the things she suggests, but yes, dump said "nutritionist". It's a garbage term, with no real parameters. And no, you're not fat because you're eating 1200-1400 calories a day.

lillisag wrote: »

• A calorie is a calorie. No matter what form it comes in.
• Eat less + Move more.
• Unless you are training for a marathon or a triathlon. You don't need 1500.
• Stick to 1200.
• Weigh your food. Make sure you don't eat your calories back when you exercise.

I disagree with some of this.

You don't necessarily have to stick to 1200 calories, many people lose weight eating far more. (I'm not training for anything, do only light to moderate exercise, and eat at least 1400. I'm losing steadily.) It depends on your starting weight, goal weight, height, activity level etc. Set a reasonable goal in MFP like 1lb a week and see how many calories that gives you - eat as much as you can within your limit to avoid feeling hungry and miserable. Even at 1lb per week you'll still lose your 50 in about a year, but it's not a linear progression for most people.

You shouldn't generally eat less than 1200 calories per day, so if you're burning more through exercise you should eat more - most people recommend eating back 50-75% of those calories, because MFP overestimates the burns. You should be netting 1200 calories, not eating only 1200.

But as for weighing your food - most definitely yes, as many others have said. That and checking what an actual 'serving' of your food should be are the most important things for you to know exactly how much you're eating. Most people are pretty bad at eyeballing portion sizes, and once you start weighing and measuring things it really can be an eye-opening experience! So please do buy a food scale as soon as you can and start using it for everything, even pre-packaged things that have a weight on the packet. (They're often wrong.)

no no no more starvation mode threads, please. Starving people in bangladesh, india , africa, think about it, are they fat? Are they even 'skinny fat'? No, they are not fat. there is no 'starvation mode'.

OP, find out your tdee then subtract 300 to 500 calories to lose weight and only eat that many if you choose to lose. Be careful to pick which activity level you are at with honesty. This is really very simple and mfp supports you in logging your calories.

lillisag wrote: »

• Unless you are training for a marathon or a triathlon. You don't need 1500.
• Stick to 1200. [/b]

This is BS. Please do not listen to this person, she has no idea what she's talking about here.