[SCraver]

I have been trying out intuitive eating. It has actually been EXCELLENT for maintaing at what I have lost so far. It worked VERY well for me over the holiday weekend. And focusing on whether I am hungry or not is an invaluable tool I will use forever...

HOWEVER, I have been maintaining and I have decided to spend the next six weeks - balls to the wall - focusing on jogging three times a week, strength training two - three times a week (if I only do two, then Zumba once that week) and tracking everything I eat. According to Sparkpeople, to lose 2 lbs a week for the next 6 weeks (I want to be at 200 by 8/21/10 = family party! then through Labor Day Weekend, I will maintain... then focus on the next 10) I need to eat between 1200 and 1550 calories a day. I ate 1605 yesterday (and according to the treadmill burned 500 - which I know those aren't always very accurate).

I was pretty hungry towards the end of the day. I had a hearty dinner and that filled me well... but I am worried about burning out b/f my six weeks is up. Will I adjust? Should I eat a little more on days I do the treadmill for 45 mins or more? 1550 is a suprisingly small amount of food for me. But it sounds like it should be a healthy amount.

I think I am rambling.

For those wondering... this is what I ate yesterday:

Carb Balance wrap (21g of FIBER!) with 2 eggs and one slice american cheese: 400 cal.
Coffee with 1% milk and squirt of Choc. syrup: 95 cal. (I actually don't usually finish my coffee)

Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer with added bag of frozen spinach: 350 cal

10 whole grain chips (gotta have my crunchy snack), laughing cow wedge, cup of strawberries: 225 cal.

Contessa frozen dinner ("green" dinner!) with added serving of Butternut Squash: 375 Cal.

Glass of pink wine: 100 cal. (was dying for wine)

Fudgsicle for evening Treat: 60 cal.

Anyways... I am wondering if I should snack on more veggies so I don't die of hunger? My taste for veggies is pretty limited, though.

Input and judgement please!

[SCraver]

Also - I have seen some people post things like - hunger is not an emergancy, etc. Which I actually find a comforting thought... but should I REALLY be hungry to lose weight?

[Shmead]

For me, as far as hunger goes, there are two types:

Good Hunger: I "could eat", I feel a little hollow, food "sounds good". When I stay in this range (even right after meals), I lose well. I have honestly only been completely full maybe six times in the last year.

Bad hunger: light headed, cranky, no attention span, headaches, tired. This means I need to eat some more healthy calories because this sort of hunger is unsustainable. I can be hungry, but I can't be stupid and b****y, and real hunger makes me stupid and b****y.

As far as your diet goes, I think you are eating way, way too many non-filling calories. Dump the American cheese, the chocolate sauce, the chips, the wine, the fudgcicle. All those will be there in six weeks if you still want them.

If you get rid of those and replace them with more veggies and some protein--I eat a lot of cottage cheese and chicken breast, which are pure protein, more or less--I think you'll be surprised at how much food 1500 calories can be.

[ma26]

I am definately not an expert. But for me I have this strange notion that if I am not at least a little hungry (not true hunger but want to eat hunger) at some point and dont give in I am probably not losing weight. Now this probably isn't true with some diets. And I need to take the time to count calories, but I don't. But I think I use that a a gauge since I'm not counting calories.