Please help me! BMR related, I am so freaked out :(

2

Replies

  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member

    My BMR is 1626 and my TDEE 1951
    (if I set it as sedentary - I have a desk job - with the aim to eat my exercise cals).

    I don't know how to eat 1626 calories a day without panicking. Just the thought of it now makes me want to burst into tears because I literally CANNOT compute that that will make me lose weight. The thought of eating that amount every day just starts this internal monologue of "Oh god oh god oh god I'm going to get even fatter I'm never going to lose weight oh god PANIC".

    So basically... can someone please reassure me here? Hearing from people who eat at or above their BMRs and are still losing weight or have lost a decent amount of weight would be so good for me right now. I wish I wasn't so messed up that this is a problem, but it is, and I'm aking for your help so that I can push myself to eat my BMR and be okay with it, and secure that I WILL lose weight doing so.

    Are you losing weight by eating your BMR or above?
    How much/how fast?
    What is your BMR?

    P.S. I understand that there is no logic behind any of my worrying, but I can't control it, sorry for being so pathetic :(

    first of all, you are not pathetic, you are doing amazing just by being on here and trying to get healthy.

    you dont say what you weigh, but my BMR is pretty similar @ 1574. My TDEE is around 2358 inc exercise, without exercise its around 2000. I have a desk job but have set as moderately active rather than sedentary, that takes away the hassle of logging exercise cals as exercise is already included. I exercise 5x a week (mainly boxing / swimming / weights), and over the week my burn is around 3000. I eat 1950 but usually come in a little over, so average net cals are around 1600.
    I lose an average of 1.5lbs per week doing this (40lbs since October 11). Until January I was eating 1650 / net 1200 and didnt lose any more than i am doing now, due to an injury I had to lay off exercise for a bit and lost 2 or 3lbs a week eating 1650 with no exercise so i decided to stick with that level as net by increasing cals as i added exercise back in. Im very rarely hungry, except coming up to meal times which is perfectly normal!

    Ive eaten stupidly low cals in the past and in the end put all the weight back on, eating at a higher cal level makes you feel like you are not 'on a diet' so there is no reason not to stick to it, and you can lose weight more slowly but have less chance of regaining it.

    If you are vegan, the best way to get your cals up would be healthy fats like nuts, olive oil, avocado, hummus etc, also protein shakes (ive made some recently with kara coconut milk and they came out pretty tasty!)

    You shouldnt feel bad about eating more cals if it is all coming from healthy, nutritious foods. If you're currently eating less than your bmr, increase cals gradually, maybe adding 50 or 100 each week until you get to your goal :-)
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    You got some good responses. (And a bad one) don't feel pathetic! Your amazing for seeking help! Good luck and I hope the thread helped! Xxx
  • Jessi__
    Jessi__ Posts: 31
    @em9371 - that's so great that it's working so wel for you! :) well done. I plan to up my exercise a bit once I'm properly up to speed with my BMR and stuff, boxing has always looked fun! I'm definitely going to be eating more seeds and avocado and stuff, though I do not need an excuse to eat more hummus :D

    @xxxzaraxxx thanks so much hun, it definitely has :) xx
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
    Hm...why is it not healthy to starve your body? Do you think the starving children in Africa are "healthy"?

    The symptoms you should be looking for- "gaining all the weight back because there is no way you can maintain a diet of 800 long term".

    I can't believe you would post this nonsense in a thread started by someone who has an eating disorder. How irresponsible of you.



    OP- I am steadily losing on 1740 net + exercise calories. You CAN do this!
  • Tink_889
    Tink_889 Posts: 244 Member
    Hi Jessica,

    I can relate a lot to your post and to be honest, I never thought I would find anybody else who had experienced similar.

    Like you, I had an eating disorder (and guess to some extent I still do) but to "recover", I started binging and so I went from being tiny to well, being the size I am now!

    It freaks me out everyday to try and get to the calories it tells me to eat on here because I think "How on earth can I eat properly and lose the weight?" - I guess it doesn't make sense to me but I'm gradually learning, from reading other peoples posts mostly and testing it out for myself.

    You can do it lovely. I hope you don't mind if I add you as a friend?

    Lottie x
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm sure someone has said this, but you need actual professional help. Find a therapist and an ED support group. This site and the people on it are not going to be able to give you the help you truly need.
  • There is a lot of good advice in here already, just wanted to offer some support. I also wanted to say not to be afraid of calories or healthy fats, your body needs them. You have to fuel your body to lose weight. I would say 1200 is too low, though you will need to find that level that works for you.

    I'm not at all knowledgeable on vegan diets so I'm no help there, but I think a protein shake is a great idea especially for workout days. I think if you stick to healthy, whole foods and make sure you're getting enough protein and dietary fats you'll be on the right track.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    ALSO I am a Vegan as well!! SO here are some foods I use for protein:

    Black Beans, Spinach, Non GMO Tofu, Tempeh, Almonds/Nuts/Seeds, Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder, Nutritional Yeast, Sprouts, Asparagus, Kale/other leafy greens, Nut Butters

    There ARE some wonderful protein sources out there for vegans and a lot of them use up a lot of your daily cals... especially nuts and nut butters. I am a huge fan of almond butter myself.

    Peas are pretty nice as well for both protein and fiber. (Also I like peas) :P
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    I am sorry I didn't get to read everyones response but here is the thing. You will not gain fat if you don't eat more than your TDEE. It is physically impossible. Also, don't be afraid of calories as it helps you burn fat. Too little and you will impede your process.

    So here is a response from a 36 year old 5'5" woman who eats 2100 calories on lifting days and 1800 calories on non workout days with Zero cardio.

    "I just wanted to thank you for your help. You helped me a few months back and I just wanted to give you an update on my progress. 12 weeks ago I started at 154 and 28% bf. I got my bf remeasured last Friday and it was 24%. But I only lost 1 pound. It is crazy to me but I have learned to ignore the scale. You were right that keeping consistent and not giving up my body would finally adjust.

    Thanks again for your help!

    Stephanie"


    You need to find a way where you can stop worrying about weight and worry about what your body looks like. Take pictures and measurements. Start lifting and do a little cardio and you will see what I posted above. And when you stop putting soo much value on eating too little you might get past it.


    So I also did an experiment on a person that is recoverying from and ED/had an unhealthy relationship with food. She only ate 900 calories for years. Now for 1 week I had her eat 1700 calories and she couldn't ask why. All she had to do was lift weights 3 days a week and light cardio for 3 days a week.


    After two days, I asked her how things were going and here was her resonse:

    "yayyyyyyy :D thank you for this. idk how my body is going to adjust yet, but i sure as hell feel better mentally. im in a better mood, more nrg like u said, and not freezing all the time anymore :) "



    After a week, here was my question:

    "So I quoted this as a starting point. We have already established that you are less irritable and have more energy. Here are some other questions I have for you.


    1. Think about your weight lifting, where you lifting more weights this week?
    2. Post workout, where you as sore this week as compared to last?
    3. Overall, did you feel stronger?
    4. Any more observations?

    You ate pretty good. The only thing I would switch would be reduce some carbs (maybe 50gs) and add fats.

    Lemon "

    And here is her response.


    "hey! so im def sticking to 1700, thanks so much!

    1. yes i was lifting more. i feel strnger and i already see a difference especially in the abdominal region.
    2. nope, less sore!
    3. yess i feel stronger :)
    4. just overall i feel so much better and i'm very grateful for this!!

    yea i do need to limit carbs a bit, yesterday was pretty bad ahaa but thanks so much :) i do feel kinda water weight-y but it doesn't bother me much. "



    You know something, after 2 weeks I spoke with her again and she was upset she was losing weight at 1700 calories. And we had to bump her calories to 2000 so we can work on building muscle. The biggest thing is working on getting out of your own way and keep reading stories of those very successful and see how much they eat.
  • pukekolive
    pukekolive Posts: 237 Member
    I love a scoop of vanilla protein powder in my breakfast cereal or with whole grain porridge - mix it in well before adding low fat milk tastes yummy!

    With the porridge mix it in with some milk after cooking the porridge
  • charcharbec
    charcharbec Posts: 253 Member
    ALSO I am a Vegan as well!! SO here are some foods I use for protein:

    Black Beans, Spinach, Non GMO Tofu, Tempeh, Almonds/Nuts/Seeds, Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder, Nutritional Yeast, Sprouts, Asparagus, Kale/other leafy greens, Nut Butters

    There ARE some wonderful protein sources out there for vegans and a lot of them use up a lot of your daily cals... especially nuts and nut butters. I am a huge fan of almond butter myself.

    If I could 'like' this here I would :D can I add you as a friend?

    I use tofu a lot in my evening meals, and sprouts, and am trying to get more spinch into my diet too (especially as I'm already prone to iron defficiency). I can always have a spoon of nut butter if need be :D

    Of COURSE you can add me! I know that a lot of times especially in the health and fitness industry people say that you cant be vegan and get what you need. But there really are two sides to that. I probably have one small apple with 2 TBSP of almond butter and ground cinnamon EVER day. Just because I love it. I get most of my carbs from fruit and try to let my protein sources take up most of the food in my diet. It's not hard either. 1/2 a block of non-gmo tofu is about 180 calories and about 20 grams of protein.... you can add either a large spinach salad to that for another 4-6 grams of protein or even some asparagus.... for about the same.

    Lately I have been eating a LOT of black beans. The only down side is that there is a LOT of fiber in them so I have bowel movements about 2-3 times a day. I don't buy them in the cans though. I actually soak them and make a huge pot of them as I start to run out.

    As a Vegan I also find that the more natural I eat the more protein I get. It's the fresh foods that give me the most nutrients that I may not otherwise get from meat.

    ALSO cool tip about nuts and seeds? Buy them raw if you can. I find buying them raw and in bulk is the cheapest way. Last me FOREVER. But what you do with these nuts and seeds is soak them for about 8 hours (while you sleep). Rinse them off and put them in a little container to bring with you for work or school. Your body absorbs more of the nutrients in them this way. Because they are seeds they have protective enzymes to help protect the seed so it can grow when planted. Soaking helps release these enzymes so you can actually get the most nutrients absorbed by your body.

    :) Anyway! Add away.

    Also to whoever is suggesting 800 calorie diets--- that's FANTASTIC that it works for you. The trainer who told me to eat between 600-800 told me that it works for him and his wife. And even though they are VERY active and super strong.... they are actually fatter now than when I met them a year ago due to their crash dieting. Also-- you DONT tell someone who is recovering from an ED not to eat... or to restrict calories so much. Restriction ESPECIALLY for people who struggle with eating in general mentally places people like us in BAD situations. While YOU may not continue restricting-- if I were to eat at 600-800 cals again-- I KNOW that it would take me no time to be back down to 300-450 cals a day. I mean come on... it's just common sense.
  • mdovberg
    mdovberg Posts: 1 Member
    Hi, I'm 64 years old, a just retired RN, have a lot of nutrition knowledge, but am still having problems losing weight. Now to your problem, my BMR is 1139, my calorie goal is 1200. If I eat anywhere near my goal, I not only don't lose, I gain. I used to go to the gym regularly for a low to mod workout, but haven't been there for a month or so. If I can keep my calories around 700 or 800, I will lose. You need to find what # (calories) works for you and try to stay in that range. Good Luck!! With all you've been through, I am confident you can do this!!:smile:
  • ladykaisa
    ladykaisa Posts: 236 Member
    I've been EDNOS and Bulimic for years... really *just* started an attempt at true recovery (not lying to my nutritionist and GP) in January.
    When I counted calories before, the lower number the better. When I didn't count, I ate better, but gained.

    You *will* gain weight the first bit you eat correctly (eating according to MFP). I went from 163 to 168 in 1.5 months. Now I'm 7lbs down in 5.5 weeks. The body will adjust, you just have to be patient.

    My recommendation?
    1. Do *NOT* step on the scale for the first 3 months. Buy a good tape measure, and measure once every 2 weeks. Use the centimeters, and your brain will be rewarded with "seeing a result".
    2. Instead of "lower number" being better, try to get the numbers to match. Mentally, this has helped me not freak out. I used to make a game out of trying to get the lowest number possible for calorie intake. Now I make a game to see if I can get within 100 calories of my Net without exploding.
    3. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I plan out my day, but man, there are some days I simply cannot eat 1500 calories! Plan it out, but don't beat yourself up if you can't finish all your lunch/dinner. There's always times for snacks later to bump up the calories.
    4. Healthy fats. This one took me forever to learn. Nuts, nut butters, avacado, 2% milk, seeds.... it's amazing how much they'll bump your cals up without stuffing you silly. 1c cauliflower = 25 calories, but 1/4 cup almonds can equal quadruple that, gets your healthy fats in, and you simply are not stuffed. Handy :)
    5. Gets the waters into yous! Drink the water!

    I've found whey powder and milk a good starter for brekkie, and it doesn't stuff you. Add some frozen fruit and substitute yogurt for milk, and you have a tasty, 300+ calorie smoothie (depending how it's made) that's you can sip on all morning.

    Amy
  • charcharbec
    charcharbec Posts: 253 Member
    Hi, I'm 64 years old, a just retired RN, have a lot of nutrition knowledge, but am still having problems losing weight. Now to your problem, my BMR is 1139, my calorie goal is 1200. If I eat anywhere near my goal, I not only don't lose, I gain. I used to go to the gym regularly for a low to mod workout, but haven't been there for a month or so. If I can keep my calories around 700 or 800, I will lose. You need to find what # (calories) works for you and try to stay in that range. Good Luck!! With all you've been through, I am confident you can do this!!:smile:

    Have you ever considered it is WHAT you are eating and not how much that causes the gain at 1200? Your BMR is what your body expends were you laying down straight all day long. Example: being in a coma. You really should look at what your TDEE is instead. TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure. I used to be terrified to eat above my BMR until I realized that eating that much was vital to function. While I respect that you are a retired RN, and probably know something about nutrition, I find that most doctors and nurses don't actually have as much knowledge about nutrition as they should. If you are gaining weight eating 1200 calories a day and not exercising--- what exactly are you eating? Are you eating a ton of processed foods? Sugars? Frozen Dinners? When I was eating 1200 cals a day and exercising every day when I started--- I ate CRAP and I didn't really lose much at all.... now that I eat healthier my body digests my food easier and functions better. AND I've even passed my goal weight by quite a bit. I understand 700-800 cals works for you, but as someone who has been there, I don't recommend it.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Hi, I'm 64 years old, a just retired RN, have a lot of nutrition knowledge, but am still having problems losing weight. Now to your problem, my BMR is 1139, my calorie goal is 1200. If I eat anywhere near my goal, I not only don't lose, I gain. I used to go to the gym regularly for a low to mod workout, but haven't been there for a month or so. If I can keep my calories around 700 or 800, I will lose. You need to find what # (calories) works for you and try to stay in that range. Good Luck!! With all you've been through, I am confident you can do this!!:smile:

    I think you have misunderstood the original poster - she is looking for help and encouragement to increase her calories, not lower them.

    As for you not being able to eat 1200 without gaining, how long did you try it for?

    initially you will get an increase of water, as your glycogen is restored, but it will not be fat.

    you need patience - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience
  • I am sorry I didn't get to read everyones response but here is the thing. You will not gain fat if you don't eat more than your TDEE. It is physically impossible. Also, don't be afraid of calories as it helps you burn fat. Too little and you will impede your process.

    So here is a response from a 36 year old 5'5" woman who eats 2100 calories on lifting days and 1800 calories on non workout days with Zero cardio.

    "I just wanted to thank you for your help. You helped me a few months back and I just wanted to give you an update on my progress. 12 weeks ago I started at 154 and 28% bf. I got my bf remeasured last Friday and it was 24%. But I only lost 1 pound. It is crazy to me but I have learned to ignore the scale. You were right that keeping consistent and not giving up my body would finally adjust.

    Thanks again for your help!

    Stephanie"


    You need to find a way where you can stop worrying about weight and worry about what your body looks like. Take pictures and measurements. Start lifting and do a little cardio and you will see what I posted above. And when you stop putting soo much value on eating too little you might get past it.


    So I also did an experiment on a person that is recoverying from and ED/had an unhealthy relationship with food. She only ate 900 calories for years. Now for 1 week I had her eat 1700 calories and she couldn't ask why. All she had to do was lift weights 3 days a week and light cardio for 3 days a week.


    After two days, I asked her how things were going and here was her resonse:

    "yayyyyyyy :D thank you for this. idk how my body is going to adjust yet, but i sure as hell feel better mentally. im in a better mood, more nrg like u said, and not freezing all the time anymore :) "



    After a week, here was my question:

    "So I quoted this as a starting point. We have already established that you are less irritable and have more energy. Here are some other questions I have for you.


    1. Think about your weight lifting, where you lifting more weights this week?
    2. Post workout, where you as sore this week as compared to last?
    3. Overall, did you feel stronger?
    4. Any more observations?

    You ate pretty good. The only thing I would switch would be reduce some carbs (maybe 50gs) and add fats.

    Lemon "

    And here is her response.


    "hey! so im def sticking to 1700, thanks so much!

    1. yes i was lifting more. i feel strnger and i already see a difference especially in the abdominal region.
    2. nope, less sore!
    3. yess i feel stronger :)
    4. just overall i feel so much better and i'm very grateful for this!!

    yea i do need to limit carbs a bit, yesterday was pretty bad ahaa but thanks so much :) i do feel kinda water weight-y but it doesn't bother me much. "



    You know something, after 2 weeks I spoke with her again and she was upset she was losing weight at 1700 calories. And we had to bump her calories to 2000 so we can work on building muscle. The biggest thing is working on getting out of your own way and keep reading stories of those very successful and see how much they eat.

    I love this!!!
  • JessicaP89, keep your head up, endure with patience, and you will be fine!!
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    You should defintely have a protein shake or something after working out -- your body is so open and hungry for nutrients and protein at that point, it really benefits you! I always have something after a work out.

    Also, I eat 1800-2100 calories a day - every day. I have lost 110lbs in a little over a year. I plateaued a couple of times over the past year - and I broke my plateaus by UPPING my calories. it works. It's all about feeding your body properly. My diary is public if you want to see how I eat. Not feeding your body properly is like trying to drive a car without gas in it - it just doesn't work.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Well said Jessica and another poster- 800 calories a day is in no way healthy. I cant understand the mentality of anyone who thinks this is ok....

    So why is it not healthy ? What symptoms should I be looking for ?

    If you want to know what is actually happening and figure out the bad symptons do the following. Track your body fat and go get a RMR test. Eating low calorie diet does one main thing, increase the loss of muscle mass, not fat. When you lose muscle mass, you slow your metabolic rate which makes it harder to lose weight. Losing muscle won't make you look good in a bathing suit as you won't lower your body fat. If you want to cut body fat, you need to eat at 20% below your TDEE and strength train. As I always say, losing weight will make you look good in clothes, being fit will make you look good naked. You will NEVER be fit on 800 calories a day.
  • Jessi__
    Jessi__ Posts: 31
    Wow, there are so many lovely responses! Thank you so much everyone, for both your advice and general support, you guys are awesome :D
  • Jessi__
    Jessi__ Posts: 31
    And THIS is why you are going to beat this. You rock. :flowerforyou:

    Aww, thank you! You made me blush :D
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    @ Linda - thank you for being concerned about me :) I have had counselling and extremely limited treatment but honestly feel ready to do this, it's just finding out that I was doing it wrong completely threw me for a loop! I have a great family and wonderful fiancee and friends, who all look out for me and make sure that I'm ok. That's why I asked for help here, too - I want to make sure I stay healthy and do this right!

    If you're logging your food and exercise, you aren't doing it "wrong", you're very much on the right track. You just need to develop consistency and relax a little about the whole thing. This is a life-changing project, take the time (and be sure to seek the help) you need to get it right. It's also something you are allowed to make mistakes on, as long as you learn from them and don't get hard on yourself about them, and work up a plan to get into a solid, reliable, and stress-free eating pattern.

    Your original post asked for reassurance about the site's recommendations. One story does not a valid study make, but here goes:

    My goal is to eat the exact calories the site has "prescribed" for me, including my exercise calories. I don't sweat a variance of a couple hundred calories a day either way, low OR high. I'm losing almost precisely the two pounds a week that the site said I'd lose. But the loss is "spikey" (weight goes up and down naturally every day based on the nature of the food I've eaten the previous day and my crappy bathroom scale). The TREND is correct, so I'm happy and I don't stress out about individual days.

    Now, as to your specific issue, as much as an amateur Internet stranger can do, here's my advice - take it for what it's worth, which ain't much.

    You've been through eating hell. Acknowledge the progress you've made dealing with serious issues. You are a strong, willful individual. Not everyone emerges from what you've been through with such a healthy outlook. Nurture that strong individual so she's ready for the next step.

    Concentrate on healthy, unprocessed foods, eat the recommended calories and sources (fats, proteins, carbs) as closely as you can manage without stressing about it, exercise lots and eat those calories, and drink lots of water. Do this consistently. Forgive mistakes. Develop a healthy eating habit, and the rest follows on its own.

    It's OK to not take on too much at a time. If you are hungry all the time, you're less likely to stick with this, and you need to develop a healthy relationship with food before you lose weight. If you're finding it overwhelming, take it a step at a time. Change your goal (for the moment) to "maintenance" and learn to live within your "calorie/fat/carb/protein" budget first. Once you're comfortable and have a healthy eating/exercise habit established, set a modest goal (a half pound a week, which is a 250 calorie drop per day). See how that goes for a week or two, then if you start feeling good about that up it to a pound a week.

    The weight loss is less important than developing a healthy, enjoyable relationship with food. Don't try to rush this, take it easy and enjoy the process! The benefits will literally last the rest of your life.

    Start exploring various foods using the database on this site. Work up a food plan for tomorrow that you think you'll enjoy and that fits within the calories you choose to use (weight loss or maintenance). Stick with the plan, and make this a repeatable process (understanding that things don't always go to plan, so be flexible and forgive yourself the occasional oopsie and move on).
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
    Hi I just wanted to say that I think you're doing extremely well to seek support and reading your posts you actually come over as really self aware and probably a lot stronger than you think you are.

    It must be incredibly difficult to juggle all these numbers when you're terrified of losing control. I've seen some people om these forums who worry me because they are clearly using MRP to support their ED - there was a woman the other day who was at a perfectly healthy weight, she was quite tall and wanted to diet down to a UK size 6 (from 12...).

    Professional help is one thing but informal support and encouragement is a massive help (or so I've found anyway - I've had a couple of really crap years and big problems with anxiety and depression).

    Being open is the toughest but healthiest thing you can do...

    On the BMR question, my BMR and TDEE are very close to yours. I eat 1700 and I eat 50% of my exercise calories back (this is because MFP overestimates the burn from exercise and I haven't yet invested in a HRM). I'm losing steadily.

    I think if I faced your challenges I would use supplementary shakes at least in the short term (I experimented with Herbalife for a bit, and there's lots of them out there) so that you've got good nutrition but not the challenge of eating what might seem like huge quantities.

    Researching healthy fats is a great idea, oils and avocados and nuts are all really good for you and a good way to up your calories without feeling uncomfortably full.

    I'm not vegan, but I have found adding lots of pulses into my diet really helpful; lentils, chick peas, and beans add loads of good stuff into your diet and are great for protein. I make lots of substantial salads based around them for lunches and for snacking on - I'm never hungry and I'll send you some recipes if you like.

    Somehow you just need to get consistent - set a realistic calorie goal, above BMR but below TDEE, something like my 1700, and maybe give yourself a timeframe to make it more manageable, say build up in small increments over a month, and then stick with it for 8 weeks, in which time you'll eat that and get whatever exercise you can but not obsess about it too much and not weigh in more than once a week or something?

    Anyway best of luck - there's lots of supportive people on this site, make use of this fantastic resource!
  • Gddessmarie
    Gddessmarie Posts: 1 Member
    Not eating enough calories can slow your metabolism. Follow the suggested daily calories, consuming healthy calories. Try to stay in the guidelines for the fat, carbs, fiber, etc. Tell yourself you will do it for 2 weeks and see what happens. I think you will become a smiley face. From there, you can go up or down in 100 calorie increments and find the best calorie range for you. Our bodies are all different and metabolize food at a different pace. You need to find what makes your body most efficient. Good luck.
  • TheChocolatePrincess
    TheChocolatePrincess Posts: 137 Member
    My insurance includes a Web MD health coach. I find that really helpful because I can discuss these types of things with a qualified professions.. You may also want to seek the assistance of a nutritionist. If that isn't really within your budget, I suggest setting a short term and a long term goal.

    My short term goal, to lose the weight, is between 800 and 1000 calories a day (approved by my health coach). This is only until the end of may. My long term goal is 1200 to 1500 calories a day. This is for the rest of my life (hopefully).

    I don't sweat it if I overinduldge one day or underinduldge another. I don't try and "make up" calories. I take one day at a time, along with excercise.

    Don't set the bar too high for yourself. Look at each day as a day in an of itself and do your best for that day and don't be too hard on yourself.

    I have never had an eating disorder, though I think that to be honest with myself I have always had an unhealthy relationship with food.

    I am trying not to look too far ahead and I am definately leaving the past where it belongs...IN THE PAST :-)

    Keep it up and do what feels right. I don't think you should be overly concerned with numbers. Do what works for your body and what makes you feel good about yourself in the morning. Good Luck!
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    I don't know how to eat 1626 calories a day without panicking. Just the thought of it now makes me want to burst into tears because I literally CANNOT compute that that will make me lose weight. The thought of eating that amount every day just starts this internal monologue of "Oh god oh god oh god I'm going to get even fatter I'm never going to lose weight oh god PANIC".

    Results are different for each person. What's worked for me is to treat each change to my diet as an experiment... try it for 2-3 weeks and observe the results (both in weight / inches and in your behavior). With that "try it and see" mindset, you may be less apt to panic and be all over the place before really giving things a chance.

    I don't know how often you weigh yourself, but keep in mind that your weight will fluctuate by several pounds all the time, and that's mainly just your level of water retention changing from day to day. Stick with a consistent, small calorie deficit and the weight will come off over time.
  • MysteriousWays
    MysteriousWays Posts: 40 Member
    I know it's been hard for me to get my calories in some days. Like yesterday -

    I had cereal and coffee for breakfast - then I got busy at work. I snacked on some nuts, had a Chobani yogurt and that was it until I got home. I burned 400+ calories between a 3 mile run and walking the dogs. I had a small cheese burger, some tater tots and asparagus for dinner. My late night snack was Chocolate coconut water.

    I have my calories set for 1750. My BMR is around 1450 or so. My TDEE is 2225 give or take a calorie. I get 1750 by subtracting 500 calories to give me a deficit to lose weight. Now, I SHOULD at least NET my BMR everyday. Yesterday was a fail since I netted 1290.

    Whatever you do, give it time. Try to hide your scale for awhile because you will get discouraged if you don't see weight loss. Good luck! Feel free to add me if you want.
  • Jessi__
    Jessi__ Posts: 31
    Thanks again to everyone who's giving fantastic advice and being supportive :)

    I'm now hoping that others who may face the same difficulties as me will feel supported and they can always add me as a friend or message me too.
  • cbart2818
    cbart2818 Posts: 188 Member
    What great advice!
  • SilviCor
    SilviCor Posts: 110 Member
    bump
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