I've Got Eating Problems Too!

[Tpridgen]

I am having an eating delimma and I don't know how to dig myself out of this hole I've dug for myself. Last January I joined WW and lost 25 lbs. Well by the summer, I started losing/gaining the same 3 lbs. I continued on WW until late Dec., that's when I tried Atkins. Well the first week I lost 6 lbs (my wt dropped to 142) but to no avail, even though my carbs remained low (except for the occassional cheats) I have managed to gain 10lbs!

I have been reading all of Francine's post about food and am SO Confused at this point. On WW, I was eating b/w 1100 - 1400 calories, which was too low b/c I was hungry all the time. Since doing Atkins, I average around 1500 - 1800 on most day. Some days its hard to get in 1500 b/c I am full.

I am currently 150lbs. I exercise 6 days a week (Cathe or Firm). Since reading the posts on this site, I decided to calculate my BMR which is around 1,440 Cal. My range per day should be around 2250 - 2500. I drink over 100 oz of water a day.

How do you get in 2200 calories per day??? I eat fattening foods on Atkins but still cannot do 2200 calories. I am floating from plan to plan not understanding how my body works. Can someone give me food ideas? And also, eating 5 meals a day; what if I'm not hungry?

I just want to lose about 10 lbs. After reading all the posts, I am wondering have I eaten too low in calories so long that I have messed up my metabolism despite the high intensity exercise.

Please help b/c I have become discouraged!
Trina

 

[Calico]

Hi Trina,

I will tell you what has been my experience with weight loss and metabolism. I,like you,lost a whole lot of weight and in my case due to some medicine gained half of the weight back. In my efforts to lose the weight again( the original method used did not work the 2nd time around) I went too low in my caloric intake and threw my body into starvation mode. I was gaining or maintaining instead of losing. I got frustrated and decided to up my calories to see what that did. I was at first around 1400-1500 calories and I was exercising 6 days a week, taebo, step a little with weights, etc.... anyway I decided to up my calories to around 1800-2000 and I actually started losing again. Not much mind you but my body realized that I wasn't gonna starve it anymore and let go of the weight that it was holding onto. I am still struggling to lose what I want to lose, but I have also come to terms with my body and to accept it for how God has made it to be. My suggestion would be to eat more, try ice cream, anything filling yet high in calories and calicum is good for weight loss too, to boost your calories up. Eat more protein because depending on what you are eating it could boost your caloric intake also. Because I have started doing more weights myself and doing Cathe videos I might need to follow my own advice and up my calories again since I am not losing and I am working out much more and with more intensity now. I hope that helps you some. I too drink a gallon of water a day so I am not as hungry as you would think, but actually the more you eat the hungrier you will become. Once you have jump started you metabolism again, and the initial shock to your system is over, you might actually need to drop you calories again just a little to continue to lose. Some people actually adjust their calories every day depending on what activities or exercise they have done for that particular day. It is a game we have to play with our bodies to see what works for you, what worked for the person beside you may not work for you.

 

[Francine]

Hi Trina! Sorry for all the confusion! This is my personal experience with eating successfully! Everyone has their own method for what is right for them! I hope you find one that suits you! Don't get frustrated, there is one out there for you! It may be portion control that will work or just healthier food choices! Whatever eating program you choose, just keep it safe,healthy and simple! To answer one of your questions on how do you consume 2200 calories, you spread it out in your 6 meals a day with about 2 - 3 hrs apart! This is an example(you can of course adjust to when you are more hungrier- always having that lil something in the 3 hrs period though to keep your metabolism working and in fatburning mode) Sample breakfast 300 calories,snack 200 lunch 600 snack 200 dinner 800 snack 100---when you say you are not hungry, if your stomach growls then its been way too long to eat and it's telling you to feed me now! You don't want to get to that point, you want to fuel your body properly by feeding it throughout the day even if its a handful of almonds or a bowl of oatmeal(something-not fulling but fueling) this will maintain your sugar and energy levels! Once you find what works for you your body will respond and it will be looking forward to it's next meal Lotsa Luck !

 

[Bobbi]

I have been dealing with PF since July and I had surgery on my mouth which has meant a soft high protein diet. I have lsot 7 pounds. I used to eat a high carb diet. I really think that a little more lean protein in your diet may help. I look forward to more carbs when I can get in more cardio but I have been amazed by a higher protein diet which has allowed me to be satified and not gain weight in spite of less activity than I am used to.
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi

 

[Humanhair]

Six meals a day

Thanks for posting that 6-meal a day calorie breakdown, Francine. That is really helpful. I realize this is how I've been eating for years but I was worried because I mistakenly thought I was eating too much. I mean, I instinctively would eat every 2 or 3 hours and be like, "how can I possibly be hungry again?", but of course I'd rationalize it by just having a little snack and saying, "well I did IMAX today (or whatever)." The thing is, eating this way has allowed me to maintain the same weight for years with very little fluctuation - I lose when I run more, I gain around my period. I have really been working on adding in more fruits and veggies and lean protein in order to eat healthier, but it is just very validating to see my "diet" could be the key to my stable weight - even though I actually suspected I was eating too much. I guess I'm OK!

Thanks again, great information!
Caroline

 

[starbuck]

RE: Six meals a day

Hi Trina

Great topic there has been a week of programmes here looking at obesity and they did a programme on slimming clinics. One of the things that come out was that many of the women who had problems with over were great at losing weight but then gained it one of the problems was that they either ate emotionally and didn't deal with that or they didn't really learn to recognise when they were hungry and denied themselves things they loved chocolate, ice cream etc.

I have learned to 2 things allow yourself to eat what you love and to learn to recognise when you are hungry and to eat more often. This will help you feel you are not denying yourself so that you don't hang on till you lost the weight and then start over eating. Secondly eating more often helps you curb bingeing eating.

Francine suggestion about having food on her all the time is an excellent one. I find it surprising still today that women often don't eat enough when they are trying to lose weight and that really is the road to binge eating.

I would take bits from all the suggestions here and give them a try there are no hard and fast rules just try to cut down on fats drink lots of water have a more balanced diet and exercise is still the best method for long term success.

But don't let yourself go hungry!!

 

[Tpridgen]

Thank you ladies,

Your advice will be taken seriously b/c I truly want to get this right. So many people tell me how much they admire my devotion to exercise. I, in turn, admire your dedication to eating habits. Changing the way you eat and maintaining is the hardest thing you'll ever have to do.

Thanks again,
Trina