Am I Eating Enough Food?
rorybees
Posts: 9 Member
Hey all!
I'm 31yo female, 5'0 317 lbs and I recently was diagnosed with ADHD and Prediabetes as well as being deficient in several vitamins/minerals. It's only been two months, but I've been working towards living a healthier lifestyle that is sustainable/doable with the ADHD while also being mindful of my choices for the prediabetes.
My ADHD went undiagnosed my entire life and a huge part of that was having difficulty with executive function to feed myself most days, so it was either not eating at all or making convenient "quick" choices like fast food/frozen food. My nutritionist explained that my body has probably been storing food for so long since I never ate consistently. I'd go days of only eating 1 meal, sometimes 2 meals but never anymore than that. And when I did eat, it wasn't a lot of food.
I'm trying to also balance out my diet to get the nutrients I am deficient in (iron, vitamin D/C and protein) while keeping my carb intake where the nutritionist suggested. And I'm just concerned that I'm not eating enough food, which I'm sure sounds silly considering my size.
Today I tracked all of my meals for the first time (dx'd prediabetes for a few weeks and just saw the nutritionist today!)
Entire Day's Numbers:
Calories: 1100
Carbs: 45g
Protein: 99g
Fat: 52g
My nutritionist put me on 105 carbs a day to start off with, which is more than enough for me in terms of being satiated when eating mostly starchy vegetables/beans/fruit for carbs. I can't eat breakfast in the morning so I have a protein shake. Snack was 2 cheese slices. Lunch was 1 and a half (couldn't finish) chick pea and pork belly tortilla wraps with spinach. Dinner two slices of meat loaf and a cup of broccoli.
From what I can tell on nutritional info, I do seem to be getting an variety of nutrients from the shake and the chickpeas/spinach/broccoli for veggies today.
I know that isn't an array of examples for what I've been eating, but those meal choices today are pretty much on par with how I eat everyday. I'm just concerned I'm not eating ENOUGH. I do feel satiated by what I ate today and was full, but my ADHD medication also suppresses my appetite. And I don't want to eat too little to where my body still thinks I'm not eating.
Is there anything I should be looking out for to include more in my diet? I feel like 1100 calories is too low, even at my size.
I'm 31yo female, 5'0 317 lbs and I recently was diagnosed with ADHD and Prediabetes as well as being deficient in several vitamins/minerals. It's only been two months, but I've been working towards living a healthier lifestyle that is sustainable/doable with the ADHD while also being mindful of my choices for the prediabetes.
My ADHD went undiagnosed my entire life and a huge part of that was having difficulty with executive function to feed myself most days, so it was either not eating at all or making convenient "quick" choices like fast food/frozen food. My nutritionist explained that my body has probably been storing food for so long since I never ate consistently. I'd go days of only eating 1 meal, sometimes 2 meals but never anymore than that. And when I did eat, it wasn't a lot of food.
I'm trying to also balance out my diet to get the nutrients I am deficient in (iron, vitamin D/C and protein) while keeping my carb intake where the nutritionist suggested. And I'm just concerned that I'm not eating enough food, which I'm sure sounds silly considering my size.
Today I tracked all of my meals for the first time (dx'd prediabetes for a few weeks and just saw the nutritionist today!)
Entire Day's Numbers:
Calories: 1100
Carbs: 45g
Protein: 99g
Fat: 52g
My nutritionist put me on 105 carbs a day to start off with, which is more than enough for me in terms of being satiated when eating mostly starchy vegetables/beans/fruit for carbs. I can't eat breakfast in the morning so I have a protein shake. Snack was 2 cheese slices. Lunch was 1 and a half (couldn't finish) chick pea and pork belly tortilla wraps with spinach. Dinner two slices of meat loaf and a cup of broccoli.
From what I can tell on nutritional info, I do seem to be getting an variety of nutrients from the shake and the chickpeas/spinach/broccoli for veggies today.
I know that isn't an array of examples for what I've been eating, but those meal choices today are pretty much on par with how I eat everyday. I'm just concerned I'm not eating ENOUGH. I do feel satiated by what I ate today and was full, but my ADHD medication also suppresses my appetite. And I don't want to eat too little to where my body still thinks I'm not eating.
Is there anything I should be looking out for to include more in my diet? I feel like 1100 calories is too low, even at my size.
7
Replies
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You're definitely not eating enough calories. It sounds like losing weight quickly will benefit your health right now, but giving up because it's not sustainable won't help you.
I don't know what the right number of calories to eat is, 1,200 is the bare minimum we're allowed to talk about here. Obviously the right # (of calories) is different for every body, and it's ok to experiment and find a level that works for you. Maybe try 1,500 for a couple weeks, you'll probably still lose weight, not quite as quickly, but it'll be easier to stick to because you won't feel as deprived. Try other #s too, for at least 2 or 3 weeks each, until you find a balance between weight loss and feeling good and like this is doable.
I'm not going to tell you much about your relationship with your nutritionist, except to say you hired that person and you're the boss. If they don't like you eating a realistic calorie level, they can work with somebody else.
Final note. You sound intelligent, patient, and like you've been putting a lot of thought into this and learned a lot of what you need to know. That means you have all of the personality attributes to be successful at this. 👍15 -
NorthCascades wrote: »You're definitely not eating enough calories. It sounds like losing weight quickly will benefit your health right now, but giving up because it's not sustainable won't help you.
I don't know what the right number of calories to eat is, 1,200 is the bare minimum we're allowed to talk about here. Obviously the right # (of calories) is different for every body, and it's ok to experiment and find a level that works for you. Maybe try 1,500 for a couple weeks, you'll probably still lose weight, not quite as quickly, but it'll be easier to stick to because you won't feel as deprived. Try other #s too, for at least 2 or 3 weeks each, until you find a balance between weight loss and feeling good and like this is doable.
I'm not going to tell you much about your relationship with your nutritionist, except to say you hired that person and you're the boss. If they don't like you eating a realistic calorie level, they can work with somebody else.
Final note. You sound intelligent, patient, and like you've been putting a lot of thought into this and learned a lot of what you need to know. That means you have all of the personality attributes to be successful at this. 👍
Thank you for taking the time to reply!
My nutritionist was very supportive of my goal to create a sustainable diet. She didn't give me a specific calorie number to hit, just the carb amounts and it was something that could be flexible if I found it wasn't enough! After recording my food for today is where I realized I was only consuming 1100 calories. I do want to lose weight but it is a secondary goal after maintaining healthy eating habits.
I suspected 1100 was too low and I think incorporating more snacks/try to eat something else with my protein shake in the morning to get more in for the day should be a good start! It's always been such a struggle for me to eat a lot of food at one time, so breaking it up throughout the day may be the way I have to approach it.5 -
You've got this! 🙂0
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Not sure why your nutritionist would tell you that not eating for a day or two and then not eating enough calories when you do eat makes your body store it as adipose. Makes no sense whatsoever, that's not how it works. It also appears your trying to relay the message that when you eat you don't consume much food. Something is amiss here based on your stats. You have enough adipose to comfortably sustain a caloric deficit for a while without worry, but I suggest you get another opinion.
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neanderthin wrote: »Not sure why your nutritionist would tell you that not eating for a day or two and then not eating enough calories when you do eat makes your body store it as adipose. Makes no sense whatsoever, that's not how it works. It also appears your trying to relay the message that when you eat you don't consume much food. Something is amiss here based on your stats. You have enough adipose to comfortably sustain a caloric deficit for a while without worry, but I suggest you get another opinion.
She said she has prediabetes so she has insulin resistance. This means her body doesn’t process carbs and sugars like a normal person so they are more likely to get stored as fat. I’m sure she was eating way more than 1100 calories but I also do know that insulin resistance can impair glucose metabolism. I also read a research paper that said people with IR have a really low bmr which is why they gain weight so easily. I think her nutritionist was saying that eating less causes your body to hold onto fat which could be true if eating less causes you to move less and so burn less calories due to fatigue. I personally experienced this myself.5 -
neanderthin wrote: »Not sure why your nutritionist would tell you that not eating for a day or two and then not eating enough calories when you do eat makes your body store it as adipose. Makes no sense whatsoever, that's not how it works. It also appears your trying to relay the message that when you eat you don't consume much food. Something is amiss here based on your stats. You have enough adipose to comfortably sustain a caloric deficit for a while without worry, but I suggest you get another opinion.
She said she has prediabetes so she has insulin resistance. This means her body doesn’t process carbs and sugars like a normal person so they are more likely to get stored as fat. I’m sure she was eating way more than 1100 calories but I also do know that insulin resistance can impair glucose metabolism. I also read a research paper that said people with IR have a really low bmr which is why they gain weight so easily. I think her nutritionist was saying that eating less causes your body to hold onto fat which could be true if eating less causes you to move less and so burn less calories due to fatigue. I personally experienced this myself.
Yes, higher circulating blood sugar does impair glucose transport but generally in that state liver and muscle glycogen stores are full and continue to be full simply because of elevated blood sugar. Basically someone that is overweight or obese that consume enough daily carbs stores almost all of that glucose into adipose tissue. Low BMR who have insulin resistance, to what degree of IR and what degree of reduced BMR, need to see the study.
Anyway IR can in short time come to a grinding halt and reverse (lowering of circulating blood glucose) when in a deficit and reducing carbs and intermittent fasting which she does by missing whole days of eating. Anyway I stand by my previous post. take care, cheers.0 -
neanderthin wrote: »neanderthin wrote: »Not sure why your nutritionist would tell you that not eating for a day or two and then not eating enough calories when you do eat makes your body store it as adipose. Makes no sense whatsoever, that's not how it works. It also appears your trying to relay the message that when you eat you don't consume much food. Something is amiss here based on your stats. You have enough adipose to comfortably sustain a caloric deficit for a while without worry, but I suggest you get another opinion.
She said she has prediabetes so she has insulin resistance. This means her body doesn’t process carbs and sugars like a normal person so they are more likely to get stored as fat. I’m sure she was eating way more than 1100 calories but I also do know that insulin resistance can impair glucose metabolism. I also read a research paper that said people with IR have a really low bmr which is why they gain weight so easily. I think her nutritionist was saying that eating less causes your body to hold onto fat which could be true if eating less causes you to move less and so burn less calories due to fatigue. I personally experienced this myself.
Yes, higher circulating blood sugar does impair glucose transport but generally in that state liver and muscle glycogen stores are full and continue to be full simply because of elevated blood sugar. Basically someone that is overweight or obese that consume enough daily carbs stores almost all of that glucose into adipose tissue. Low BMR who have insulin resistance, to what degree of IR and what degree of reduced BMR, need to see the study.
Anyway IR can in short time come to a grinding halt and reverse (lowering of circulating blood glucose) when in a deficit and reducing carbs and intermittent fasting which she does by missing whole days of eating. Anyway I stand by my previous post. take care, cheers.
https://drc.bmj.com/content/8/1/e001381
Even if she was eating one or two meals a day this can still cause erratic blood sugar swings which can also disturb proper insulin function over time because it can cause blood sugar levels to plummet in some people. We all have different hormone levels. Also maybe OP was binging due to only eating so little in her meals? This probably explains why her nutritionist told her to eat frequent balanced meals.1 -
Thanks for the study, I appreciate it. I think you didn't interpret the study properly. You said " people with IR have a really low bmr which is why they gain weight so easily" What the study is actually inferring is that people that have lower BMI are more susceptible to IR, which I totally agree with. Basically someone with a slower metabolism doesn't burn the amount of calories they should, given that particular demographic and subsequently store more calories as adipose tissue. Makes total sense. Erratic eating will certainly cause erratic circulating blood sugar swings and is most evident with higher levels of IR and especially when needing injections because the pancreas is basically failing and for all intense and purposes, dying. Pre diabetes, not so much. Regardless if in a deficit, circulating blood glucose levels will be consistently lower and the pancreas lives another day.1
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neanderthin wrote: »Thanks for the study, I appreciate it. I think you didn't interpret the study properly. You said " people with IR have a really low bmr which is why they gain weight so easily" What the study is actually inferring is that people that have lower BMI are more susceptible to IR, which I totally agree with. Basically someone with a slower metabolism doesn't burn the amount of calories they should, given that particular demographic and subsequently store more calories as adipose tissue. Makes total sense. Erratic eating will certainly cause erratic circulating blood sugar swings and is most evident with higher levels of IR and especially when needing injections because the pancreas is basically failing and for all intense and purposes, dying. Pre diabetes, not so much. Regardless if in a deficit, circulating blood glucose levels will be consistently lower and the pancreas lives another day.
Below is from the study:
“low BMR may constitute a considerable risk factor predisposing to development of T2D.”
I was talking about low BMR not BMI. So if someone with IR were to eat a normal 1800-2000 calorie diet they could be gaining weight because their body just isn’t burning that many calories. This happens to women with pcos as well who have IR. Also it’s only been 2 months since OP changed her lifestyle. This stuff can take time to see.2 -
Hey all!
I'm 31yo female, 5'0 317 lbs and I recently was diagnosed with ADHD and Prediabetes as well as being deficient in several vitamins/minerals. It's only been two months, but I've been working towards living a healthier lifestyle that is sustainable/doable with the ADHD while also being mindful of my choices for the prediabetes.
My ADHD went undiagnosed my entire life and a huge part of that was having difficulty with executive function to feed myself most days, so it was either not eating at all or making convenient "quick" choices like fast food/frozen food. My nutritionist explained that my body has probably been storing food for so long since I never ate consistently. I'd go days of only eating 1 meal, sometimes 2 meals but never anymore than that. And when I did eat, it wasn't a lot of food.
I'm trying to also balance out my diet to get the nutrients I am deficient in (iron, vitamin D/C and protein) while keeping my carb intake where the nutritionist suggested. And I'm just concerned that I'm not eating enough food, which I'm sure sounds silly considering my size.
Today I tracked all of my meals for the first time (dx'd prediabetes for a few weeks and just saw the nutritionist today!)
Entire Day's Numbers:
Calories: 1100
Carbs: 45g
Protein: 99g
Fat: 52g
My nutritionist put me on 105 carbs a day to start off with, which is more than enough for me in terms of being satiated when eating mostly starchy vegetables/beans/fruit for carbs. I can't eat breakfast in the morning so I have a protein shake. Snack was 2 cheese slices. Lunch was 1 and a half (couldn't finish) chick pea and pork belly tortilla wraps with spinach. Dinner two slices of meat loaf and a cup of broccoli.
From what I can tell on nutritional info, I do seem to be getting an variety of nutrients from the shake and the chickpeas/spinach/broccoli for veggies today.
I know that isn't an array of examples for what I've been eating, but those meal choices today are pretty much on par with how I eat everyday. I'm just concerned I'm not eating ENOUGH. I do feel satiated by what I ate today and was full, but my ADHD medication also suppresses my appetite. And I don't want to eat too little to where my body still thinks I'm not eating.
Is there anything I should be looking out for to include more in my diet? I feel like 1100 calories is too low, even at my size.
So before you met your nutritionist were you in a binge and restrict cycle?0 -
neanderthin wrote: »Thanks for the study, I appreciate it. I think you didn't interpret the study properly. You said " people with IR have a really low bmr which is why they gain weight so easily" What the study is actually inferring is that people that have lower BMI are more susceptible to IR, which I totally agree with. Basically someone with a slower metabolism doesn't burn the amount of calories they should, given that particular demographic and subsequently store more calories as adipose tissue. Makes total sense. Erratic eating will certainly cause erratic circulating blood sugar swings and is most evident with higher levels of IR and especially when needing injections because the pancreas is basically failing and for all intense and purposes, dying. Pre diabetes, not so much. Regardless if in a deficit, circulating blood glucose levels will be consistently lower and the pancreas lives another day.
Below is from the study:
“low BMR may constitute a considerable risk factor predisposing to development of T2D.”
I was talking about low BMR not BMI. So if someone with IR were to eat a normal 1800-2000 calorie diet they could be gaining weight because their body just isn’t burning that many calories. This happens to women with pcos as well who have IR. Also it’s only been 2 months since OP changed her lifestyle. This stuff can take time to see.
That was a mistake I meant BMR but that should have been kinda obvious. And changes nothing I said. Your an excellent proof reader.1 -
neanderthin wrote: »Not sure why your nutritionist would tell you that not eating for a day or two and then not eating enough calories when you do eat makes your body store it as adipose. Makes no sense whatsoever, that's not how it works. It also appears your trying to relay the message that when you eat you don't consume much food. Something is amiss here based on your stats. You have enough adipose to comfortably sustain a caloric deficit for a while without worry, but I suggest you get another opinion.
There was quite a conversation going on while I wasn't here! So, let me clarify a few things that I feel were good faith comments and others that were not so much and for some reason chose to insert assumptions that would no way be inferred by what I posted:
My nutritionist and I discussed two things: Addressing the pre-diabetes exclusively or changing my diet to be sustainably healthy. The difference between these two things is that I can absolutely eat low-carb while still eating garbage, not eating enough nutrients throughout my day or not eating enough period.
After blood work I had done recently, my lab work came back that I didn't have enough Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron and Protein. I have been vigilantly working on addressing my mental health the past year and after finding out these nutrient deficits can also effect my mood with anxiety, depression and fatigue -I- made the choice, not my nutritionist, to incorporate a balanced diet BEFORE I found out I was pre-diabetic.
What I didn't make clear in my original post: It isn't a mystery to me why I weigh what I do. I more than likely consumed enough calories to maintain my weight for many years. I don't know for sure, because I haven't started keeping track of numbers until yesterday. But, I do know I would spend Monday thru Friday eating no breakfast, sometimes I would eat lunch, ate dinner every day. And weekends I'd eat out reliably two to three times.
But, I drink a lot of my calories through soda and very sweetened coffee most days. And the TYPE of food I ate often wasn't the best--fast food or frozen convenient foods. Which an entire meal from those places once, sometimes for both my meals, can easily shoot you over 2k calories! But, the AMOUNT of food consumed is no more than anyone else that eats. It's just crap food. So when I say I physically wasn't eating that much, I'm not exaggerating. On days where I had fast food I ate normal quantities, but it wasn't every day.
I've never binged and any restriction wasn't intentional. As I mentioned in the original post, ADHD caused issues with executive dysfunction where I just... couldn't physically make myself eat. Which is why I had "safe" foods in my house for convenience when I couldn't physically take care of myself.
The conversation with my nutritionist about storing fat was a bigger picture of me previously having gestational diabetes, a family history for diabetes, and the fact that I have been overweight since I was a child coupled with my eating habits of only eating 1-2 small meals most days for my entire adult life. It wasn't just "for a day or two". I hope I did clarify though where the other confusion was and shed some light on how someone could not be in a caloric deficit and still not eat enough food!
I do not *regularly* consume only 1100 calories. This was yesterday after logging my food choices that would have been a usual AMOUNT of food for me. I just made choices to not eat my convenient food/fast food, chose foods that got me nutrients and didn't consume soda/sweetened coffee. But, I was FULL at each meal. This is in part due to me not being use to eating 3 meals, a lot of my food had a lot more protein/fiber and filled me up, and my ADHD medication suppressing my appetite. Which is where my question came from of "Am I eating enough food?" because right now I can't trust my body for those normal cues!
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There is a tendency on a calorie counting site to equate "enough food" with CALORIES.
You're seem to be using the term in your post in regards to VOLUME of food; and not necessarily Calories.
It is pretty common for people who revamp their food choice with the help of logging to add nutrient dense but lower caloric content foods and reduce calorically dense and less nutrient filled foods.
Common. Not universal. It is just one strategy that helps people achieve a caloric deficit while feeling less deprived.
With stimulant medication (which is often prescribed on ADHD) your eating cues may be impacted because many stimulants have appetite suppression effects.
Your basic question in your OP was whether 1100 Cal (if accurately counted) is a good amount of calories to aim for.
My resounding answer is no. It would be too little to sustain your effort long term. And from your starting position you should be looking at the long term. In other words you should be thinking in terms of renewable 5 year plans that include both weight loss and maintenance.
Sometimes the more we know the more complicated we make things.
Your "big health money" will come from reducing down from morbid obesity.
Your second "big health money" will come from improving your food choices; but I would do this in conjunction with and NOT in preference of reducing overall weight.
Whether you achieve this by reducing carbs or not, unless an active diabetic, I would worry less about this and more on how to achieve sustainability of effort.
Large deficits may be sustainable short term especially if you have adequate reserves of adipose tissue, but longer term they will have side effects.
Again: while revamping the menu may help achieve and maintain an appropriate caloric deficit, at least initially and until you're well into a groove (and even then) the deficit and caloric balance will come first in terms of achieving weight management. The type of food choices you make WILL, of course, make caloric balance easier or harder to achieve for you, and will contribute, or not, to your long term health by providing you with appropriate nutrients.
Anytime I see people creating deficits that substantially exceed 25% of their TDEE even while obese... I inwardly cringe as I do believe them to generate more side effects and be less long term sustainable than deficits in the 20% range...
At your current weight, if you track close to population estimates, I would expect you to be able to lose weight fairly rapidly while eating closer to 2K Calories than 1100.6 -
Your instinct is that 1100 is not enough. Trust your instinct! 1200 is the recommended daily minimum for women to get sufficient nutrients, and that is not necessarily a good plan for every woman. Aiming for 1500-2000 (general consensus of prior posts here in your thread, I think) seems to be a good zone for long term success and health.1
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Ditto to advice given, in which case you probably noticed the amount of deficit is coming off what you likely burn, not some arbitrary low number.
The volume of "unhealthy" foods wasn't the problem for the weight aspect, merely the calories.
For sure could have made it easier to overeat though, perhaps, depending on you.
The weight loss will likely have the much bigger effect on PD than than super careful food choices - but you need other nutrients anyway, so good to go into this realistic and sustainable.
Being shorter, your calorie and nutritional needs would be lower - but you aren't to the point of playing how-low-can-I-go - which usually causes problems later when daily burn goes down because you weigh less, and then how low do you go to keep making progress.
How active are you able to be?
Because even if truly Sedentary according to MFP levels (which is truly more sedentary than many believe), and 2 lb weekly loss, or 1000 cal deficit, which could be reasonable, your eating goal would be right at 1500.
If you were coming at this easily maintaining current weight, 2 weeks at higher deficit likely wouldn't be bad - but quick back off unless under a diet specialist Dr's care giving blood work on constant basis to confirm not messing the body up.
Also, if in US - is that nutritionist or RD Registered Dietician?
You got some realistic goals and realizations - keep it up!2 -
There is a tendency on a calorie counting site to equate "enough food" with CALORIES.
You're seem to be using the term in your post in regards to VOLUME of food; and not necessarily Calories.
It is pretty common for people who revamp their food choice with the help of logging to add nutrient dense but lower caloric content foods and reduce calorically dense and less nutrient filled foods.
Common. Not universal. It is just one strategy that helps people achieve a caloric deficit while feeling less deprived.
With stimulant medication (which is often prescribed on ADHD) your eating cues may be impacted because many stimulants have appetite suppression effects.
Your basic question in your OP was whether 1100 Cal (if accurately counted) is a good amount of calories to aim for.
My resounding answer is no. It would be too little to sustain your effort long term. And from your starting position you should be looking at the long term. In other words you should be thinking in terms of renewable 5 year plans that include both weight loss and maintenance.
Sometimes the more we know the more complicated we make things.
Your "big health money" will come from reducing down from morbid obesity.
Your second "big health money" will come from improving your food choices; but I would do this in conjunction with and NOT in preference of reducing overall weight.
Whether you achieve this by reducing carbs or not, unless an active diabetic, I would worry less about this and more on how to achieve sustainability of effort.
Large deficits may be sustainable short term especially if you have adequate reserves of adipose tissue, but longer term they will have side effects.
Again: while revamping the menu may help achieve and maintain an appropriate caloric deficit, at least initially and until you're well into a groove (and even then) the deficit and caloric balance will come first in terms of achieving weight management. The type of food choices you make WILL, of course, make caloric balance easier or harder to achieve for you, and will contribute, or not, to your long term health by providing you with appropriate nutrients.
Anytime I see people creating deficits that substantially exceed 25% of their TDEE even while obese... I inwardly cringe as I do believe them to generate more side effects and be less long term sustainable than deficits in the 20% range...
At your current weight, if you track close to population estimates, I would expect you to be able to lose weight fairly rapidly while eating closer to 2K Calories than 1100.
Thank you so much for the reply!
And you're on point with where my mind is at, not sure if I have articulated that well enough in my posts above though! I did not think 1100 was sustainable. But, with Doctor Google, everything I read from any editorial article was suggesting lower caloric intake in that very low 1100-1200 (sometimes lower) count. But some websites suggested a rounded out diet of 1800-2000 calories for someone my size.
I'm not looking to have a low calorie diet intentionally. I'm big enough that my mere existence requires a pretty high calorie intake just to maintain. I think hitting around 2k will be the way to go. I'm just now trying to figure what I can add to my meals (but probably just snacks) to add 900 more calories. I love beans so I'll probably add more of those to my diet!
I've been learning this past week that unless I am intentionally eating things like bread, rice or pasta for a meal, it is actually really hard to eat the volume of food it takes to hit my 45 carb limit per meal when its coming primarily from beans and starchy vegetables.1 -
I agree totally with pav and north cascades.
When I was sorta where you are, as far as drinking my calories—coke, for energy— and not eating enough vitamin rich food to fuel my body, it took me a few weeks to build up to eating 1600 calories a day. I tried hard to eat meat and vegetables at every meal and fruit at two meals a day. Not because I thought that was perfection, but because that was what I set as MY personal goal for improvement. I stayed there for quite a while, with my general feeling of well-being and my energy and sleep improving all the time, before learning enough to improve on that.
It sounds like you’re learning faster than I did. But I definitely suggest you eat more calories consisting of relatively healthy foods as soon as you are able. Maybe not tomorrow, but start thinking that direction, moving that direction.
I think you are going to do well, too. You’ve got the right attitude.3 -
I find 45g carbs easy to hit. I ate 161g carbs yesterday without bread, rice, or pasta. Are you not eating any fruits?0
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I've eaten 50 grams of carbs today in cottage cheese and blackberries. Now granted that's 200 grams of blackberries and 3 servings of cottage cheese, but still.
ETA: Oh wait some of that came from the two packets of reduced calorie swiss miss from my 2 cups of coffee. So 40 grams of carbs.
(Yes. That is basically what I've eaten so far today. It's probably what I'll eat the rest of the day. it comes with protein, fat, and fiber, too! IT"S BERRY SEASON. EAT ALL THE BERRIES. With something with protein and fat LOL).5 -
There is a tendency on a calorie counting site to equate "enough food" with CALORIES.
You're seem to be using the term in your post in regards to VOLUME of food; and not necessarily Calories.
It is pretty common for people who revamp their food choice with the help of logging to add nutrient dense but lower caloric content foods and reduce calorically dense and less nutrient filled foods.
Common. Not universal. It is just one strategy that helps people achieve a caloric deficit while feeling less deprived.
With stimulant medication (which is often prescribed on ADHD) your eating cues may be impacted because many stimulants have appetite suppression effects.
Your basic question in your OP was whether 1100 Cal (if accurately counted) is a good amount of calories to aim for.
My resounding answer is no. It would be too little to sustain your effort long term. And from your starting position you should be looking at the long term. In other words you should be thinking in terms of renewable 5 year plans that include both weight loss and maintenance.
Sometimes the more we know the more complicated we make things.
Your "big health money" will come from reducing down from morbid obesity.
Your second "big health money" will come from improving your food choices; but I would do this in conjunction with and NOT in preference of reducing overall weight.
Whether you achieve this by reducing carbs or not, unless an active diabetic, I would worry less about this and more on how to achieve sustainability of effort.
Large deficits may be sustainable short term especially if you have adequate reserves of adipose tissue, but longer term they will have side effects.
Again: while revamping the menu may help achieve and maintain an appropriate caloric deficit, at least initially and until you're well into a groove (and even then) the deficit and caloric balance will come first in terms of achieving weight management. The type of food choices you make WILL, of course, make caloric balance easier or harder to achieve for you, and will contribute, or not, to your long term health by providing you with appropriate nutrients.
Anytime I see people creating deficits that substantially exceed 25% of their TDEE even while obese... I inwardly cringe as I do believe them to generate more side effects and be less long term sustainable than deficits in the 20% range...
At your current weight, if you track close to population estimates, I would expect you to be able to lose weight fairly rapidly while eating closer to 2K Calories than 1100.
Thank you so much for the reply!
And you're on point with where my mind is at, not sure if I have articulated that well enough in my posts above though! I did not think 1100 was sustainable. But, with Doctor Google, everything I read from any editorial article was suggesting lower caloric intake in that very low 1100-1200 (sometimes lower) count. But some websites suggested a rounded out diet of 1800-2000 calories for someone my size.
I'm not looking to have a low calorie diet intentionally. I'm big enough that my mere existence requires a pretty high calorie intake just to maintain. I think hitting around 2k will be the way to go. I'm just now trying to figure what I can add to my meals (but probably just snacks) to add 900 more calories. I love beans so I'll probably add more of those to my diet!
I've been learning this past week that unless I am intentionally eating things like bread, rice or pasta for a meal, it is actually really hard to eat the volume of food it takes to hit my 45 carb limit per meal when its coming primarily from beans and starchy vegetables.
Do you like, and can you eat, nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocados, full-fat dairy (yogurt, cheese, etc.)? Those tend to be less filling (well, avocados are kind of filling, maybe, because fiber), still have a good nutrient profile, and are a bit more calorie dense from fats/protein.3 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »I find 45g carbs easy to hit. I ate 161g carbs yesterday without bread, rice, or pasta. Are you not eating any fruits?
Normally I hadn't (normally as in how I use to eat). But not out of any reason other than I just wasn't ever hungry outside of when I was eating a meal. I never snacked much and I'm adjusting how I eat now to include more snacks that can have more fruits/veggies!1 -
wunderkindking wrote: »I've eaten 50 grams of carbs today in cottage cheese and blackberries. Now granted that's 200 grams of blackberries and 3 servings of cottage cheese, but still.
ETA: Oh wait some of that came from the two packets of reduced calorie swiss miss from my 2 cups of coffee. So 40 grams of carbs.
(Yes. That is basically what I've eaten so far today. It's probably what I'll eat the rest of the day. it comes with protein, fat, and fiber, too! IT"S BERRY SEASON. EAT ALL THE BERRIES. With something with protein and fat LOL).
Yes! I want to incorporate more berries into my diet. I've never eaten much of them in the past. I'm all for getting those carbs from fruits/veggies. Cottage cheese is great to pair with them too! When I had gestational diabetes, my body responded VERY positively to -any- carb/sugar intake if I had a lot of protein with it. So I'm hoping this time around to just incorporate more of that into my diet daily for snacks especially.1 -
There is a tendency on a calorie counting site to equate "enough food" with CALORIES.
You're seem to be using the term in your post in regards to VOLUME of food; and not necessarily Calories.
It is pretty common for people who revamp their food choice with the help of logging to add nutrient dense but lower caloric content foods and reduce calorically dense and less nutrient filled foods.
Common. Not universal. It is just one strategy that helps people achieve a caloric deficit while feeling less deprived.
With stimulant medication (which is often prescribed on ADHD) your eating cues may be impacted because many stimulants have appetite suppression effects.
Your basic question in your OP was whether 1100 Cal (if accurately counted) is a good amount of calories to aim for.
My resounding answer is no. It would be too little to sustain your effort long term. And from your starting position you should be looking at the long term. In other words you should be thinking in terms of renewable 5 year plans that include both weight loss and maintenance.
Sometimes the more we know the more complicated we make things.
Your "big health money" will come from reducing down from morbid obesity.
Your second "big health money" will come from improving your food choices; but I would do this in conjunction with and NOT in preference of reducing overall weight.
Whether you achieve this by reducing carbs or not, unless an active diabetic, I would worry less about this and more on how to achieve sustainability of effort.
Large deficits may be sustainable short term especially if you have adequate reserves of adipose tissue, but longer term they will have side effects.
Again: while revamping the menu may help achieve and maintain an appropriate caloric deficit, at least initially and until you're well into a groove (and even then) the deficit and caloric balance will come first in terms of achieving weight management. The type of food choices you make WILL, of course, make caloric balance easier or harder to achieve for you, and will contribute, or not, to your long term health by providing you with appropriate nutrients.
Anytime I see people creating deficits that substantially exceed 25% of their TDEE even while obese... I inwardly cringe as I do believe them to generate more side effects and be less long term sustainable than deficits in the 20% range...
At your current weight, if you track close to population estimates, I would expect you to be able to lose weight fairly rapidly while eating closer to 2K Calories than 1100.
Thank you so much for the reply!
And you're on point with where my mind is at, not sure if I have articulated that well enough in my posts above though! I did not think 1100 was sustainable. But, with Doctor Google, everything I read from any editorial article was suggesting lower caloric intake in that very low 1100-1200 (sometimes lower) count. But some websites suggested a rounded out diet of 1800-2000 calories for someone my size.
I'm not looking to have a low calorie diet intentionally. I'm big enough that my mere existence requires a pretty high calorie intake just to maintain. I think hitting around 2k will be the way to go. I'm just now trying to figure what I can add to my meals (but probably just snacks) to add 900 more calories. I love beans so I'll probably add more of those to my diet!
I've been learning this past week that unless I am intentionally eating things like bread, rice or pasta for a meal, it is actually really hard to eat the volume of food it takes to hit my 45 carb limit per meal when its coming primarily from beans and starchy vegetables.
Do you like, and can you eat, nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocados, full-fat dairy (yogurt, cheese, etc.)? Those tend to be less filling (well, avocados are kind of filling, maybe, because fiber), still have a good nutrient profile, and are a bit more calorie dense from fats/protein.
Yes! This week I didn't have a lot of those things at my disposal for meals, but with grocery shopping tomorrow I'm planning on incorporating nuts and avocados regularly in my meals. I love avocados, have pumpkin seeds on hand. almons/cashews too. And today I had an apple with natural peanut butter. I haven't recorded my day yet, but I definitely feel like I had a better balance of food today than yesterday.2 -
Ditto to advice given, in which case you probably noticed the amount of deficit is coming off what you likely burn, not some arbitrary low number.
The volume of "unhealthy" foods wasn't the problem for the weight aspect, merely the calories.
For sure could have made it easier to overeat though, perhaps, depending on you.
The weight loss will likely have the much bigger effect on PD than than super careful food choices - but you need other nutrients anyway, so good to go into this realistic and sustainable.
Being shorter, your calorie and nutritional needs would be lower - but you aren't to the point of playing how-low-can-I-go - which usually causes problems later when daily burn goes down because you weigh less, and then how low do you go to keep making progress.
How active are you able to be?
Because even if truly Sedentary according to MFP levels (which is truly more sedentary than many believe), and 2 lb weekly loss, or 1000 cal deficit, which could be reasonable, your eating goal would be right at 1500.
If you were coming at this easily maintaining current weight, 2 weeks at higher deficit likely wouldn't be bad - but quick back off unless under a diet specialist Dr's care giving blood work on constant basis to confirm not messing the body up.
Also, if in US - is that nutritionist or RD Registered Dietician?
You got some realistic goals and realizations - keep it up!
Hey! Thank you for the thorough reply!
I'm wanting to be active 2-3 times a week doing light activity. 1-2 times walking at a pace to elevate heart rate for 15-30 minutes and longer sustained walks through nature trails with inclines/terrain at least once a week.
This is where I plan to start to build up my stamina so I can go on longer, more arduous walks on trails. My husband and I love walking in nature! I can reasonably walk 2 miles on our adventures. Physical activity I do want to increase to more days to include strength training, but for now that's where I'm starting so I don't overwhelm myself.
I'm in the US and she is a registered dietician!1 -
When you say 2-3 times a week Lightly-Active - that is from non-MFP sites that are attempting to give you a TDEE.
MFP doesn't do that method. It uses NEAT method.
MFP gives daily burn with no exercise accounted for yet, until actually done and logged - then you eat more that day, instead of a little more every day.
Either way generally works out to the same result if honest and accurate.
If a regular weekly workout schedule, that TDEE method works fine in this case - your daily activity outside workouts is sedentary.
Gives you a set daily goal.
Just TDEE Please spreadsheet - better than rough 5 level TDEE charts from 1919 study.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G7FgNzPq3v5WMjDtH0n93LXSMRY_hjmzNTMJb3aZSxM/edit?usp=sharing
At least you know to account for exercise, which at the start may not be much and may not be a huge impact to calorie burn - eventually it sounds like the desire is more of it - then being unaccounted for would add to deficit and could easily make that unreasonable again.
Good goal starting reasonable.2
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