Screw this!
MarilynCurves
Posts: 25 Member
Some of you many remember my visit to a dietician a couple of weeks ago, where I was told to eat under 1500 calories and do 45-60 minutes of cardio 4 times a week. Well, I tried it. I thought I'd give it a go because I haven't seen the scale move in months, and frankly I need to see that happen for my sanity, right or wrong.
I lost 1.8kg (3.5lb) in the first 5 days. I was very happy with this. But I was TIRED. So tired I felt fuzzy-brained, and not alert. And SO HUNGRY all day. I have a big appetite so this was a challenge, to say the least. I have also felt that "tired but wired" feeling, when you're exhausted but your adrenaline keeps pushing you.
This week I only lost 300grams (.66lb)! All that hunger and willpower for that?! I'm done!
I want to thank MFP for the stickies at the top of the page! Having pored over the "In place of a roadmap" post over and over, I made some calculations and have arrived at a far more sustainable number. I hope to incorporate weights back into my routine, and I'm looking forward to feeling a little less like the walking dead. I have no doubt these posts frustrate many of you, who have enjoyed success doing this sensibly and steadily. It's just that I've had what I'd call a "dysfunctional" relationship with food my whole life. It's hard not to hop from idea to idea in an effort to get the results I want.
So here I go again, trying to have the patience to accept smaller losses, but to be able to maintain the WOE for much, much longer. I really want to let go of the scale-watching. Gah!!!
Thanks again!
Edited to add - I'm supposed to go back to the dietician next week, but I think I'll cancel.
I lost 1.8kg (3.5lb) in the first 5 days. I was very happy with this. But I was TIRED. So tired I felt fuzzy-brained, and not alert. And SO HUNGRY all day. I have a big appetite so this was a challenge, to say the least. I have also felt that "tired but wired" feeling, when you're exhausted but your adrenaline keeps pushing you.
This week I only lost 300grams (.66lb)! All that hunger and willpower for that?! I'm done!
I want to thank MFP for the stickies at the top of the page! Having pored over the "In place of a roadmap" post over and over, I made some calculations and have arrived at a far more sustainable number. I hope to incorporate weights back into my routine, and I'm looking forward to feeling a little less like the walking dead. I have no doubt these posts frustrate many of you, who have enjoyed success doing this sensibly and steadily. It's just that I've had what I'd call a "dysfunctional" relationship with food my whole life. It's hard not to hop from idea to idea in an effort to get the results I want.
So here I go again, trying to have the patience to accept smaller losses, but to be able to maintain the WOE for much, much longer. I really want to let go of the scale-watching. Gah!!!
Thanks again!
Edited to add - I'm supposed to go back to the dietician next week, but I think I'll cancel.
26
Replies
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Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing is the same ! Congrats to u !! Not bc you spilled ur issues but for taking action and doing what works for you. You can do this !!4
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katthouse499 wrote: »Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing is the same ! Congrats to u !! Not bc you spilled ur issues but for taking action and doing what works for you. You can do this !!
Thank you SO MUCH!! Even since posting this thread I've second guessed my decision a hundred times, I'm so screwed up!! But I want to feel alert and well again, I want to shape my body, not just waste away, you know? I really appreciate your positivity! Thank you!
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The scariest thing I ever did was to trust the information I got through the forums, because it went against every dieting myth of deprivation and suffering I had ever heard. I was so relieved when it worked.14
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How much do you need to lose? I'm lucky if i lose 1kg per month! I've only got 4kgs left though, but it's been sloooow going for the last 6 or so months.4
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Are you using a trending weight program to evaluate your weight level? The reason I ask is not because I don't believe in a more sustainable option as per sickies. I absolutely agree with losing while eating as much as you can.
My concern though is based on how you reported your weight loss, in a 100℅ scale weight oriented manner. Especially for an impatient person, trending weight apps are a must!5 -
Read a bit more about what it takes to change your metabolism. It is not overnight. It takes several weeks for your body to get rid of excess water.... You need to eat healthy.. don't starve yourself... I would not worry much about calories as much as are you consuming the nutrients to be heart healthy, brain healthy..... You need to eat a lot within a day... not carbs, not chips, not pizza.... but you need to eat leafy greens, vegetables, fruit, and you need to eat protein.... Read about the best times in the day to eat certain foods..................to be more alert... to feel strong................................and don't let anyone discourage you. It is slow going at first... and then when you stick to a wise regimen of food intake..... walking for exercise....... you will see results...... and also.... lifting weights turns fat to muscle... and muscle weighs a lot.... you can't base your success on your weight number.... but rather your inches lost....and you will be trim, firm, and look good..................but more importantly.... feel good.
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Soloflyergirl2 wrote: »Read a bit more about what it takes to change your metabolism. It is not overnight. It takes several weeks for your body to get rid of excess water.... You need to eat healthy.. don't starve yourself... I would not worry much about calories as much as are you consuming the nutrients to be heart healthy, brain healthy..... You need to eat a lot within a day... not carbs, not chips, not pizza.... but you need to eat leafy greens, vegetables, fruit, and you need to eat protein.... Read about the best times in the day to eat certain foods..................to be more alert... to feel strong................................and don't let anyone discourage you. It is slow going at first... and then when you stick to a wise regimen of food intake..... walking for exercise....... you will see results...... and also.... lifting weights turns fat to muscle... and muscle weighs a lot.... you can't base your success on your weight number.... but rather your inches lost....and you will be trim, firm, and look good..................but more importantly.... feel good.
Calories are all that matter for fat loss.
There is nothing wrong with eating carbs, chips, or pizza within your calorie limit. You do not need to eat at certain times of the day. Fat does not turn into muscle.23 -
Christine_72 wrote: »How much do you need to lose? I'm lucky if i lose 1kg per month! I've only got 4kgs left though, but it's been sloooow going for the last 6 or so months.
I want to lose 25-30kg, so it feels like a long trip! I'm very impatient to drop the first 10kg quickly because it REALLY affects my confidence. I sing in a band on weekends and I hate getting onstage feeling like I do :-(1 -
Are you using a trending weight program to evaluate your weight level? The reason I ask is not because I don't believe in a more sustainable option as per sickies. I absolutely agree with losing while eating as much as you can.
My concern though is based on how you reported your weight loss, in a 100℅ scale weight oriented manner. Especially for an impatient person, trending weight apps are a must!
I started out using one, but I kinda forgot to go back to it because I use MFP so much. I have yo-yoed A LOT the past few years, and I don't even record all the upward fluctuations I've made. I really ought to start using a tape measure too, I reckon!1 -
MarilynCurves wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »How much do you need to lose? I'm lucky if i lose 1kg per month! I've only got 4kgs left though, but it's been sloooow going for the last 6 or so months.
I want to lose 25-30kg, so it feels like a long trip! I'm very impatient to drop the first 10kg quickly because it REALLY affects my confidence. I sing in a band on weekends and I hate getting onstage feeling like I do :-(
The way I look at it is...
This is not a diet, it's a way to eat...for the rest of my life. So although I would like the weight to come off fast the only thing that really matters is that I maintain that weight loss.
Onstage speaking personally all I care about is how you sing, are you on key and do you "move" me. I don't think about how you look, pretty sure others don't either.
You should exude confidence first then your weight will follow not the other way around I would think.
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I'm glad you increased your calories- all those signs (fuzzy feeling, tired and wired, overly hungry)... means you were at way too few calories and that's a great way to damage your health and crash your metabolism.
Slow and steady is the way to go
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Soloflyergirl2 wrote: »Read a bit more about what it takes to change your metabolism. It is not overnight. It takes several weeks for your body to get rid of excess water.... You need to eat healthy.. don't starve yourself... I would not worry much about calories as much as are you consuming the nutrients to be heart healthy, brain healthy..... You need to eat a lot within a day... not carbs, not chips, not pizza.... but you need to eat leafy greens, vegetables, fruit, and you need to eat protein.... Read about the best times in the day to eat certain foods..................to be more alert... to feel strong................................and don't let anyone discourage you. It is slow going at first... and then when you stick to a wise regimen of food intake..... walking for exercise....... you will see results...... and also.... lifting weights turns fat to muscle... and muscle weighs a lot.... you can't base your success on your weight number.... but rather your inches lost....and you will be trim, firm, and look good..................but more importantly.... feel good.
it's actually all about calories. lot of woo science here12 -
What's wrong with feeling hungry? Analyse that feeling, don't just respond to it. Have you just eaten? Not real hunger. Take a 20 minute walk and if you're still hungry eat something
Weight loss isn't linear you need to track over 6-8 weeks to get your weekly weight loss
Change your food go-tos ...pad them out with low calorie vegetables
1500 doesn't sound like a bad goal but depends on your starting weight and height and you should eat back some / not all of your calories
Give it 6 weeks not 2 then change up if it doesn't suit
Losing weight isn't easy ..but you saw a registered dietician ...I'd take their advice for a decent amount of time and adjust your expectations of the scale in the short term8 -
Soloflyergirl2 wrote: »Read a bit more about what it takes to change your metabolism. It is not overnight. It takes several weeks for your body to get rid of excess water....
Generally excess water weight is stripped in the first couple of weeks but water weight always fluctuates which is why we have a weight range not scale weight that is generally around 5 lbs
You need to eat healthy.. don't starve yourself... I would not worry much about calories as much as are you consuming the nutrients to be heart healthy, brain healthy.....
Nutrients are important but calories are the primary thing to be concerned about with scale weight goals
You need to eat a lot within a day... not carbs, not chips, not pizza.... but you need to eat leafy greens, vegetables, fruit, and you need to eat protein....
Nothing wrong with any of the foods you've mentioned
Read about the best times in the day to eat certain foods
Nutrient timing does not matter unless highly trained athlete in final stages of pre competition training
..................to be more alert... to feel strong................................and don't let anyone discourage you. It is slow going at first... and then when you stick to a wise regimen of food intake..... walking for exercise....... you will see results
That's OK but how do you evaluate your "wise regimen"
...... and also.... lifting weights turns fat to muscle...
Fat cells and muscle cells....not the same thing but Training progressively, not necessarily just by weight lifting, is great advice
and muscle weighs a lot.... you can't base your success on your weight number.... but rather your inches lost....and you will be trim, firm, and look good..................but more importantly.... feel good.
Muscle is denser than fat ...not as much as Internet pictures might have you believe but there is truism here ...feeling strong and fit helps your confidence,body image and gives a great feedback loop to continue to adhere generally
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courtneyfabulous wrote: »I'm glad you increased your calories- all those signs (fuzzy feeling, tired and wired, overly hungry)... means you were at way too few calories and that's a great way to damage your health and crash your metabolism.
Slow and steady is the way to go
Could also be a reaction to carb reduction
Electrolyte imbalance
Bad food choices
A bug
1500 is not too few calories to hit nutritional minimums
Her metabolism isn't crashing ...metabolisms don't crash is 2 weeks of reduced calories10 -
Desirable, but not necessary. One can incorporate so-called junk food into their WOE if they wish. Too many calories causes weight gain, not food type.You need to eat healthy..
Agreed.don't starve yourself...
No, sorry. Weight loss is ALL about calories.I would not worry much about calories
Nothing wrong with carbs. not at all. If I were to cut out carbs, I would be VERY hungry.not carbs, not chips, not pizza....
Chips and pizza are okay in moderation.
These are carbs, too.. Not everyone can eat greens, fruit and veg due to their medical conditions.but you need to eat leafy greens, vegetables, fruit
No, this is complete woo. Meal and nutrient timing are not necessary for weight loss. It is unscientific woo.Read about the best times in the day to eat certain foods..................to be more alert...
Good lord, no. Fat is fat and muscle is muscle. Fat does not turn into muscle, ever. And 1lb of fat is the same as 1lb of muscle. It also takes a LONG time to gain muscle, especially for females.lifting weights turns fat to muscle... and muscle weighs a lot....
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What's wrong with feeling hungry? Analyse that feeling, don't just respond to it. Have you just eaten? Not real hunger. Take a 20 minute walk and if you're still hungry eat something
Weight loss isn't linear you need to track over 6-8 weeks to get your weekly weight loss
Change your food go-tos ...pad them out with low calorie vegetables
1500 doesn't sound like a bad goal but depends on your starting weight and height and you should eat back some / not all of your calories
Give it 6 weeks not 2 then change up if it doesn't suit
Losing weight isn't easy ..but you saw a registered dietician ...I'd take their advice for a decent amount of time and adjust your expectations of the scale in the short term
The calculations I made in the Roadmap stickie put my BMR just under 1600 calories. When I woke up each morning I could barely see straight. I was so tired I had a minor car accident. I work 2 jobs and work out 4 times a week. I'm 5"8. It's genuine hunger, trust me1 -
You're 5'8 and weigh what?
I'm also 5'8 and I started at 215lbs so lost about your weight loss goal , 50lbs. I actually consumed a similar calorie goal to do so
BMR is irrelevant
Care to open your diary?2 -
You're 5'8 and weigh what?
I'm also 5'8 and I started at 215lbs so lost about your weight loss goal , 50lbs. I actually consumed a similar calorie goal to do so
BMR is irrelevant
Care to open your diary?
I'm sure I'm just reading your tone all wrong, but there's really no need to be so terse with me. I'm really happy for you that you found that calorie goal so easy, have a great day.
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Your diary is open
Can't see you logging your exercise ...45 mins cardio should have earned you a decent 300 calories to eat
A couple of days either you didn't log or your calories were too low with 1100 logged
Your food choices, to me, seem poor ...where's all the bulking vegetables ...if you're a volume eater eat fewer calorie dense foods ...there's lots of grab and go foods in there
Try batch cooking at the weekend ...www.skinnytaste.com has some great recipes
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Please don't be defensive with Sue, she truly knows what she is talking about.3
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MarilynCurves wrote: »You're 5'8 and weigh what?
I'm also 5'8 and I started at 215lbs so lost about your weight loss goal , 50lbs. I actually consumed a similar calorie goal to do so
BMR is irrelevant
Care to open your diary?
I'm sure I'm just reading your tone all wrong, but there's really no need to be so terse with me. I'm really happy for you that you found that calorie goal so easy, have a great day.
I'm not terse I'm just not American and it's just the way I type
You're right you are imbuing my words with emotions or sensititivities that aren't there and you're probably doing that because I'm not just blindly agreeing with your conclusions
My advice is just words,feel free to ignore me ...but I know I know what I'm talking about
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Your diary is open
Can't see you logging your exercise ...45 mins cardio should have earned you a decent 300 calories to eat
A couple of days either you didn't log or your calories were too low with 1100 logged
Your food choices, to me, seem poor ...where's all the bulking vegetables ...if you're a volume eater eat fewer calorie dense foods ...there's lots of grab and go foods in there
Try batch cooking at the weekend ...www.skinnytaste.com has some great recipes
I apologise if I misread you, and I appreciate your advice. I have been bulking my dinners with vegetables, but actually I'm eating what the dietician told me to. I guess I'm just a big eater. I haven't been eating my exercise calories because I don't trust the counts I'm given, and that would go against the dietician's advice. He also told me not to lift weights because that's a trick the trainers use to keep the scale from moving so you'll pay them more0 -
Some dieticians are great. Some are not.
I don't know whether the "eat under 1500" rather than "eat 1500" came from you or him, but I generally view BMR as good floor for calorie goal unless the person is really really sedentary. With your current stats, there's no reason you shouldn't lose on an accurately tracked 1600-1800 calories/day. They key phrase there is "accurately tracked".
Frankly, a dietician saying not to eat back any exercise calories and not to lift weights raises flags with me.2 -
The "eat under 1500" was him. I just feel so confused because all the calculations I made with the "In Place of a Roadmap" stickie gave me numbers around 1900 calories! I don't want to take it THAT high, but I'd rather eat more and see success than feel the lethargy I've been feeling.1
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MarilynCurves wrote: »Your diary is open
Can't see you logging your exercise ...45 mins cardio should have earned you a decent 300 calories to eat
A couple of days either you didn't log or your calories were too low with 1100 logged
Your food choices, to me, seem poor ...where's all the bulking vegetables ...if you're a volume eater eat fewer calorie dense foods ...there's lots of grab and go foods in there
Try batch cooking at the weekend ...www.skinnytaste.com has some great recipes
I apologise if I misread you, and I appreciate your advice. I have been bulking my dinners with vegetables, but actually I'm eating what the dietician told me to. I guess I'm just a big eater. I haven't been eating my exercise calories because I don't trust the counts I'm given, and that would go against the dietician's advice. He also told me not to lift weights because that's a trick the trainers use to keep the scale from moving so you'll pay them more
No apologies necessary ..I am trying to help and I know I can be a bit too to the point for some
Is this a registered dietician or a nutritionist? Were you medically referred ?
I'm a big eater too ...you have to log the veg in your diary.. you should see my diary it has about 5 times the entries yours does
Eat half your exercise cals if logging by MFP database (are you logging your exercise I only saw a few exercise logs around 100 cals which doesn't seem enough ..I get that for a 15 minute walk)
His advice about lifting weights is crap but has an element of truism because water weight with change up in exercise is normal...however a progressive weight bearing exercise programme is phenomenal in shaping your body and maintaining muscle as you drop fat ...again we go back to the trendweighting over a decent time period...over 6-8 weeks water weight fluctuations shown in scale weight can be discounted
Referring to weight lifting as a trick trainers use is worrisome
The hardest part is not to be short term scale obsessed6 -
Thank you so much, I love all of your advice, Sued0nim. I have been doing 4 cardio sessions, at 40-55 minutes per session, hard enough to really sweat. I'm a member at a gym so I use the machines there. My Apple Watch records my workouts, but doesn't sync them to MFP, so I haven't been adding them in because I didn't intend to eat any extra calories. Perhaps I should! I just never trust the calorie counts I'm given. You're so right, letting go of the scales is really difficult.
The dietician was doctor referred, but I just didn't like his entire demeanor. So much of what he said sounded a bit off. When he told me to stop the weights I was really surprised!1 -
if you don't fuel your body properly you won't last the course, and it's going to take the best part of a year to get to your weight loss goal
which is why it's important to eat back some, not necessarily all, of your calories
Hunger is a PITA...part of it is the body's signal that you need fuel but most of it is the brains or psyches symbol that's it bored, fidgety, depressed or habitual ...it feels the same which is a total and utter *kitten* if you ask me
And I'm not perfect, I've been maintenance for 2 years but switched jobs in September and am now fluctuating 3-5lbs above my previous fluctuation levels...and I am struggling to adjust ...I should listen to my own advice but I'm kinda pigheaded
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Forget what the dietitian told me. I saw one once too, and it totally messed up my view of 'dieting' for years!
Enter your stats on MFP and pick a 1 lb a week deficit. Trust me... you don't need to lose fast, and it will be MUCH easier to stick to.
Log your exercise and eat half the calories back.
Log everything (guessing you didn't only eat 700 calories yesterday).
Use accurate entries (your bread entry has no macros).
Make better choices if you're hungry - white bread is probably not going to fill you up for the calories. Buy low carb tortillas instead (less calories, more protein, tons of fiber). Eat more fruit and veggies. Just adding an apple at lunch can make a big difference.
Honestly I'd be starving with your diet too. Cereal and milk would fill me up maybe 1 hour in the morning, and just a sandwich with white bread for lunch... yikes.4 -
I know the feeling , I get frustrated at times my self . Seems like things move way to slow . The only thing I can hang on to is I know I'm doing the right thing ... Hang in there and good luck1
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