Same calories for 1 lb or 2 a week?

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  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
    edited June 2016
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    shadow2soul wrote: »
    From what you are describing it sounds like your not eating enough nutrient dense foods and could possibly be malnourished. Weak immune system and poor healing are signs of being malnourished. Fasting or an all yogurt diet would be extremely horrible ideas if this is the case and would make things worse.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Malnutrition/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

    This is not a new issue. I was having the same issues when I was eating 2000 calories a day.

    My BMI is 24.98 so normal
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited June 2016
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    It's important to note that BMI and weight loss aren't the only indicators of malnutrition. A person can be overweight or obese and still be malnourished. This can be due to having a diet consisting of food and drink that's high in fat and sugar but low in essential vitamins and minerals.

    High calories =/= adequate nutrition

    BMI normal =/= adequate nutrition

    Not getting enough vitamins/minerals = malnourishment
    Doesn't matter how many calories you are consuming or what your weight is, if you are not getting enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs you will become malnourished.
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
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    I eat very little red meat, and eat lots of veggies and fruits. I have been anemic since a kid. But I do not see how I could not be getting essential vitamins and minerals. I do not drink soda.
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
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    I also have major constipation issues which I have suffered with forever.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited June 2016
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    if your body has an absorption issue then you might not be absorbing the nutrients. If your over restricting, even with eating lots of veggies and fruits, you might still not be getting enough. If your fat intake is really low, then you probably aren't absorbing all the vitamins/minerals your body needs (if I remember correctly some do require dietary fat to be absorbed).
  • sylkates
    sylkates Posts: 173 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Libby283 wrote: »
    ...
    My stomach literally feels swollen and full like when I was pregnant. That feeling definitely curbs the urge to eat because I already feel like a stuffed cow.

    This, combined with the very aggressive 2 pound a week goal, makes me worry a bit. I think the 'bloated' feeling in your stomach might be psychological - basically, shame, making you feel physically unwell there. Tummies are very sensitive to emotions and can easily be mildly upset by them. (I get constipated when I get very stressed, and I feel enormous and bloated the day after I cheat, even when the scale doesn't tip to show any bad change.)

    It also sounds like you're logging far more than you are eating for now, in an attempt to rush things.

    Go at a slower pace, but accurately log what you're eating, so you know that you're not going too fast. Eat that full Panera half sandwich, including the bread. Eat back exercise calories. You'll be fine.

    I think that your previous experience of losing 40 pounds relatively quickly might be warping how you're looking at your current goals now. 2 pounds a week makes sense for someone with 40 pounds to lose, it doesn't for someone just 8 or 10 pounds away from their goal. For someone as small as you and I, and trying to lose as little as we are losing, it's a necessarily slow process. It's just the math of it.

    Trust me on this because I have similar stats to your current weight loss stretch. I'm 5'3'' and I have a 1/2 lb a week goal. I started at 146 in mid-February and am at 133 now. I'll admit, I could have been faster, if I had fewer cheat days - I probably could have gotten where I am now in early May or late April if I had better self control on the weekends. But I am so much happier now with just these 13 pounds lost, and I know that if I keep it up at this current pace, I'll get to my goal weight, guaranteed. There really is no rush.

    I also suggest buying one or 2 pair of pants that fit you better right now. 10 pounds isn't a lot of weight, but it's enough to take you a pants size up from where you are used to. It is delighting me now to feel the jeans I bought in January when I was at 146 feeling saggy now, and back in mid-winter, actually having comfortable, attractive clothes to wear at my size then made all the difference in my day to day misery with my weight.
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
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    Libby283 wrote: »
    So to lose 2 lbs a week, I really should be less than 1200 calories?

    The direct answer to your question is YES.

    What mfp folks are worried about is you trying to eat less than 1200 a day. You know, for nutrients and all that.
    I personally go below 1200 some days and over 1200 on others.

    I don't weigh my foods on a scale, so eyeballing I will compensate for by eating under 1200.
    I'm losing pretty steadily.

    Be happy, its great you are doing something you like for yourself!

  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
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    Libby283 wrote: »
    I also have major constipation issues which I have suffered with forever.

    Have you tried a few more salty foods and a couple of magnesium tablets in the evening?

  • one1fast68
    one1fast68 Posts: 51 Member
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    Just a note, I think you said early on that you started back up a couple weeks ago - steroids (like Prednisone) will make you retain water - a lot of water.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Libby283 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    From what you are describing it sounds like your not eating enough nutrient dense foods and could possibly be malnourished. Weak immune system and poor healing are signs of being malnourished. Fasting or an all yogurt diet would be extremely horrible ideas if this is the case and would make things worse.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Malnutrition/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

    This is not a new issue. I was having the same issues when I was eating 2000 calories a day.

    My BMI is 24.98 so normal

    OP, is your doctor aware that you are a heavy drinker? Drinking can create nutritional deficiencies, even in people who are at a normal weight. It's something your doctor should be aware of (if s/he isn't already).
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
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    Libby283 wrote: »
    I eat most things that are prepackaged. Breakfast was a Greek yogurt at 150. I always log my coffee as a dunkin donuts cream & sugar, even if I use 1% milk and no sugar. Lunch today is a packet of oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of milk, logged as a 1/2 cup. I brought about 10 blueberries that I logged as a cup of blueberries. I over estimate all day long. I eat salads with no dressing.

    If need be, next week I might do a few days of fasting, or just yogurt days to see what happens. I also go tomorrow to the doctor for testing. I recently had an respiratory infection that needed steroids to clear up. She is testing me to see why my immune system is deficient. Like i can have a scratch and it takes weeks for it to heal. She has been monitoring me for thyroid and diabetes for years so I might have just hit the point where those are now causing issues in my weight.

    My stomach literally feels swollen and full like when I was pregnant. That feeling definitely curbs the urge to eat because I already feel like a stuffed cow.

    Libby, prob your doc is going to be able to see something thwt will help with the digestive discomfort.

    Let us know how the appointment goes there ok?

  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
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    one1fast68 wrote: »
    Just a note, I think you said early on that you started back up a couple weeks ago - steroids (like Prednisone) will make you retain water - a lot of water.

    I was on steroids last in February after surgery, which took forever to heal, and then again the beginning of May for the respiratory infection. I would think I would not still be retaining the water?
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    From what you are describing it sounds like your not eating enough nutrient dense foods and could possibly be malnourished. Weak immune system and poor healing are signs of being malnourished. Fasting or an all yogurt diet would be extremely horrible ideas if this is the case and would make things worse.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Malnutrition/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

    This is not a new issue. I was having the same issues when I was eating 2000 calories a day.

    My BMI is 24.98 so normal

    OP, is your doctor aware that you are a heavy drinker? Drinking can create nutritional deficiencies, even in people who are at a normal weight. It's something your doctor should be aware of (if s/he isn't already).

    Yeah I tel her i drink but not how much. I have not even been drinking this week. I drank a half of a miller lite the other night and logged it.
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
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    sylkates wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    ...
    My stomach literally feels swollen and full like when I was pregnant. That feeling definitely curbs the urge to eat because I already feel like a stuffed cow.

    This, combined with the very aggressive 2 pound a week goal, makes me worry a bit. I think the 'bloated' feeling in your stomach might be psychological - basically, shame, making you feel physically unwell there. Tummies are very sensitive to emotions and can easily be mildly upset by them. (I get constipated when I get very stressed, and I feel enormous and bloated the day after I cheat, even when the scale doesn't tip to show any bad change.)

    It also sounds like you're logging far more than you are eating for now, in an attempt to rush things.

    Go at a slower pace, but accurately log what you're eating, so you know that you're not going too fast. Eat that full Panera half sandwich, including the bread. Eat back exercise calories. You'll be fine.

    I think that your previous experience of losing 40 pounds relatively quickly might be warping how you're looking at your current goals now. 2 pounds a week makes sense for someone with 40 pounds to lose, it doesn't for someone just 8 or 10 pounds away from their goal. For someone as small as you and I, and trying to lose as little as we are losing, it's a necessarily slow process. It's just the math of it.

    Trust me on this because I have similar stats to your current weight loss stretch. I'm 5'3'' and I have a 1/2 lb a week goal. I started at 146 in mid-February and am at 133 now. I'll admit, I could have been faster, if I had fewer cheat days - I probably could have gotten where I am now in early May or late April if I had better self control on the weekends. But I am so much happier now with just these 13 pounds lost, and I know that if I keep it up at this current pace, I'll get to my goal weight, guaranteed. There really is no rush.

    I also suggest buying one or 2 pair of pants that fit you better right now. 10 pounds isn't a lot of weight, but it's enough to take you a pants size up from where you are used to. It is delighting me now to feel the jeans I bought in January when I was at 146 feeling saggy now, and back in mid-winter, actually having comfortable, attractive clothes to wear at my size then made all the difference in my day to day misery with my weight.

    My stomach is very much sticking out. It has been since at least memorial day. Like I would think I was pregnant if it was possible.

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