Getting used to lower calorie limits.

Woodsmoke
Woodsmoke Posts: 360 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Woohoo! I've lost two stone.

And now my calorie limit is much lower than it was before, even for just losing 1 pound a week.

It's hard to get used to especially as I don't have much chance for exercise, so I can't burn off what I overeat.

Advice, perchance? Bear in mind I am NOT a good cook and have no opportunity to learn at the moment. I do my best but I have binge eating problems and it's a challenge every day not to pick up things in the shop, or to ignore the fridge.

I have been eating so much every day for such a long time that I honestly don't know how healthy-weight people manage to stick to the lower calorie amount they need to maintain that good figure.

HELP MEEEEE >_<

Replies

  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Congratulations on your loss! How much more are you trying to lose? I'm wondering if it would be helpful to drop your rate of loss slightly to .75 or .5 pounds a week so you'd have more calories to play with. You could maybe do that for a month until you've adjusted to the lower intake, then go back to 1 pound if you feel comfortable. Especially if you have binge-eating issues, I'd be nervous about taking your calories too low so you don't trigger a binge.
  • RebeccaNaegle
    RebeccaNaegle Posts: 236 Member
    AliceDark wrote: »
    Congratulations on your loss! How much more are you trying to lose? I'm wondering if it would be helpful to drop your rate of loss slightly to .75 or .5 pounds a week so you'd have more calories to play with. You could maybe do that for a month until you've adjusted to the lower intake, then go back to 1 pound if you feel comfortable. Especially if you have binge-eating issues, I'd be nervous about taking your calories too low so you don't trigger a binge.

    This is great advice. Losing weight is hard. Take it one day at a time!
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    Sometimes in the early days of changing how we eat, it is simply a matter of gritting your teeth and riding the willpower rollercoaster. You really have to be emotionally ready to lose weight. It has to be what you want more than anything (food) else. It has to drive your ambition and fuel your commitment.

    That said, it would be a really good idea to get familiar with some basic cooking, and have a couple recipes that you can go to in a pinch when you are looking to avoid picking up something prepackaged. A good fritatta recipe, or omeletes, or even a baked chicken dish with some fresh veg would be handy to know.

    Planning out a weeks worth of meals can help too, so you dont have to be constantly popping into shops to pick anything up - you will do one big shop once a week, and get everything you need (and none of the stuff you dont!), and then you can package up lunches and plan dinners for a week or two at a time.

    You have the skills to make this journey successfully already. If you can read, you can cook. If you can walk, you can get some exercise in your day. Dont sell yourself short and be defeatist in your attitude - you will get lots of help here, so dont be afraid to ask (and dont forget to get a food scale and log everything!)

    Good luck!!
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Cooking doesn't have to be complicated. I just throw some veggies in the microwave and salmon in the oven. You can put sauce on it, some dill butter, or just oil and dry seasoning (even salt and pepper).
  • Mentali
    Mentali Posts: 352 Member
    What do you mean you have no opportunity to learn to cook? What's the obstacle there that stops you from learning? It can't be time because learning to cook takes as little as 1-2 hours a few times a week, or once a week if you prepare extra-big batches of food.
  • emmycantbemeeko
    emmycantbemeeko Posts: 303 Member
    edited July 2016
    Do you have a crockpot? That's an easy way to dip your toe in to the whole concept of cooking for yourself, it's incredibly easy, and you can even prep multiple crockpot meals at once and freeze them in advance- and because you can start it in the morning and it's done when you get home, there's no temptation to put off cooking and eat junk.

    As far as adjusting to lower calorie limits, I'd strongly advise reducing your rate of loss if you haven't already- a large deficit that's sustainable when you are yourself large can become challenging as you shrink. And recalculate your calorie allotment ever 5-10 pounds of loss- losing 20 calories is less of a shock to your routine than losing 50-100 all at once.
  • Woodsmoke
    Woodsmoke Posts: 360 Member
    It's not my kitchen, my shifts don't allow for learning and cooking. I am stuck here right now. I'm talking more about getting used to making myself eat less.
  • boolz
    boolz Posts: 61 Member
    For me, the type of food I eat makes a big difference on how full I feel. Lots of lean protein leaves me feeling satisfied. Lots of carbs leaves me feeling hungry and craving. I've got goals of roughly 90grams each per day, on a 1200 cal diet and I feel totally full on that. I'd say, experiment with types of food to see what balance helps you feel satiated.
  • arjeffries136
    arjeffries136 Posts: 51 Member
    There are some meal prepping sites on pinterest that involve no cooking. When you shop just go to meat produce and dairy aisles. Avoid the junk food aisles. I had to retrain my brain. I would go up each aisle at the store and end up with some cheetos or oreos. Out of sight out of mind. Drink lots of hot tea broth or water. Eat a lot of bulky vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. Distract yourself so you're not so focused on eating. Get some hobbies. Start walking. The hour you spend walking you are not going to be in close proximity to the fridge.
  • jmolivia
    jmolivia Posts: 43 Member
    Depending on the veggie, it might be possible to fill up with few calories. That way a meal at least can still feel satisfyingly large.
  • jmolivia
    jmolivia Posts: 43 Member
    Also, some times when I'm crashing I mix cranberry juice and water together and have a good-sized glass. It takes the edge off the hunger for a little while.

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