I just looked back over my calories for the last three days... and I just realized that I was under 1200 calories for three days running....I work a double shift at work two days a week, and I have a one hour plus commute each way. I pack lots of healthy food, but a lot of times I end up bringing much of it home.
So, at work on Sunday I guess I was busy and didn't have much time to eat (I don't get a break, per se...) so I ate 1000. Monday, I was tired, so I didn't get up until around 10:30. Drank coffee and ended up skipping breakfast... and then stayed OP for lunch and dinner so I ended up with only 900.
Yesterday, I consumed a grand total of 703.
It really wasn't intentional, especially yesterday. I worked a sixteen hour double shift with a one hour commute on each side. I packed lots of healthy food but ended up bringing most of it home.
I ate breakfast as usual, a cheese stick for morning snack, leftover salmon and veggies for lunch and a nonfat yogurt for a snack around 4, but then I didn't have time to eat dinner... I got home around midnight, and my husband had kept chicken breast and veggies warm on the stove but it was late and I was exhausted so I didn't feel like eating.
Am down another 1.5 pounds, but I know that I'm not eating enough. Today I just feel really exhausted (not unusual for a post-work day...)
Should I eat a little extra today to make up for it? Or should I just move on?
I don't know why lately, but sometimes even when I feel hungry I'm just too lazy to eat. Maybe because eating has always been recreational rather than hunger driven and now that I'm not eating recreationally it's easier to ignore hunger? And sometimes, like when I'm at work, I don't notice that I'm hungry at all...
Uber, I think the best thing to do is move on and just make sure you eat at least 1500 calories a day. Anything under 1200 is unhealthy. Also if you do not eat enough, your body will go into starvation mode and retain fat. Not a good thing . Maybe carry a container with V-8 juice for the times you are not able to eat. This will at least give you a serving of veggies and also fruit is a handy snack. Good luck to you and stay healthy!
If what you are doing is working and you are content, KEEP GOING!
Think of all the days you were WAYYYY over 1200!
^ this^
You haven't done any damage. Nothing is ruined. No reason to panic. I'm sure this is a rarity, right? So, don't sweat it. Plan out your days a tad better and look at it as a rare bonus in the calorie deficit department.
I would just move on but at the level you know you should eat at. A few days under won't kill us but it's very easy (been there, done it) to keep eating low, because we get used to it. Unfortunately, so does the body, and the lower we go, the body retains every ounce of everything it can, fearing a famine.
I think missing breakfast is a no-no, not a good idea at all; but not eating at night because you're just not hungry - I think that's called doing what 'normal' people do! IMHO, the only problem I have with calorie counting is it breeds in me that I HAVE to eat every budgetted calorie as my ENTITLEMENT - and that's just plain dumb.
You don't need to eat more to make up for it, however, I would suggest that you plan better. 703 calories while working 16 hours I wouldn't suggest for anyone. If you really can't bring yourself to eat, then look for more calorie dense snacks. Almonds would be a great addition to snacks. They're easy to eat, and higher in calories.
Also, look at the food you're bringing with you. Is the reason you're not eating it because you don't like it? I'm not sure what kind of work you're doing, but you need to keep your energy up during the day. Last thing you want to be is sluggish on the drive home.
I would just move on but at the level you know you should eat at. A few days under won't kill us but it's very easy (been there, done it) to keep eating low, because we get used to it. Unfortunately, so does the body, and the lower we go, the body retains every ounce of everything it can, fearing a famine.
Well, I guess I was sort of worried about this... I remind myself that everyone on 3FC tells me I should be eating a little more, but then I think about the fact that this seems to be working (38 pounds in a little under 3 months)
I've been shooting for 1200 calories, and I often eat a little less and rarely a little more... but this takes into consideration that I don't always weigh and measure. For example, I sometimes weigh my chicken breast, but a lot of times I eyeball it because when I double check against my food scale, I'm usually about right. So, I figured that I might actually be eating a bit more than I realize, and this way, I'm not hungry and the scale is moving in the right direction.
But, I've also noticed that overall, I'm tending to eat a little less than I did when I started....and I guess if you are screwed up about food in general, you start to worry that you're getting a little nutty about it.
I've never lost this much weight before by changing my eating habits. I've never lost a lot of weight-- never more than about ten pounds by "dieting" for a week or so... This is the first time I've gotten this far. So it's kind of uncharted territory for me.
Oh, one more thing. Anne asked if I like the food I'm bringing to work, and the answer is yeah, I guess. I don't really enjoy eating at work, because I never get a break-- I usually eat a bite or two out of a tupperware and I often have to put it down, do something, and then go back and eat a few more bites. I don't get to go to a break room or anything... in short, it's not very pleasant. I used to buy really high calorie food-- chicken parm paninis and stuff, and eating was sort of the highlight of my long draining day, but now, I'm just not that motivated to eat.
Help! I'm under-eating...
. Maybe carry a container with V-8 juice for the times you are not able to eat. This will at least give you a serving of veggies and also fruit is a handy snack. Good luck to you and stay healthy!
