[Amadeus]

Hey All,

I do hope this is in the right forum...

I'm posting because I'm a little worried. I started losing weight months ago when I would dance for like an hour a day. I scaled back on my eating and then...gave up. But the months wore on and without realizing it I still lost weight because of walking to school and, I think, stress. Had a lot of things going on in life then (My dad was in and out of the hospital for months...). Now, I'm still losing weight. Lowest I've ever been as an adult. The problem is that my eating is so erratic!
My family has always had weight problems and now we are doing this thing where you eat so many small meals a day. But I can't seem to keep up with it.
Part of me is worried that I'm eating too little and the other part is worried that I'm eating too much.
Breakfast is usually a cup of coffee, and then stuff after that would be like a salad, a sandwich, and another sandwich. All in the course of the whole day.
I worry that when I get a job I will gain weight because I will be so hungry and eat stupidly. But...Truthfully, I just don't know what to do about this.
I have started jogging and now soon I'll be weight training. I don't know if how I eat now will be enough or even the right amount of whatever.
I feel like I should follow my own plan...but I wouldn't know where to start. I have to eat what is in the house because I haven't a job.

Most of my meals consist of things like

poptarts
sandwiches (Different kinds)
hot dogs
burgers
Fruit
Admittedly I do drink some soda.
Sometimes meals that my mom makes. Since this new diet thing not so many meals anymore.
Really anything that I can make quickly and without too much trouble and that are very small portions, because I am not supposed to eat very much in one clip.
Coffee.

I apologize is this seems slightly incoherent or even a veritable mess...I just have been worried for weeks. Even months.

[kelly315]

If you want to be more sure if what your eating is right for you, I recommend calorie counting. It's surprisingly easy, especially if most of what you eat comes out of a package.

[xxkaleidoscopic]

I second calorie counting.

But I will also say, you need to just take one day at a time. Don't stress about what maybe could happen in the future. Stay on plan, one day at a time!

[Lovely]

Do you calorie count? Or write down specifically what you're eating?

You might want to consider it for a week to get a good handle on what you're actually consuming if this is worrying you.

[Amadeus]

Thank you for the suggestions and the support.

No, I don't calorie count. I tried before but always got stalled when it came to eating meals my mom would make. Never could figure out the calories and ounces for meat either. Perhaps it would be easier now that she doesn't cook these things as much.

[DezziePS]

Sometimes it can be hard to figure out calories in food other people make. Get a food scale (you can get a cheapie little one for a few dollars at the grocery store) and weigh out a few portions of things. Once you know what 3 oz of chicken looks like, you can try and guesstimate how much you're eating at a stretch. Serve yourself and measure out sauces and side dishes with measuring cups for a while to get the feel of what 1/2 cup of potatoes looks like.

If you are still losing weight with what you are eating now, then I don't really understand why you are worried you are eating too much?

[Amadeus]

I shall have to see if I can pick one up. I haven't a job so everything is funded by my parents. I hate being so dependent! Thank you for the suggestion.

Well, this week I've been worried about eating too much...but it's that TOM, so I suppose that's the issue with 'overeating.' What I am mainly concerned is that my way of eating won't support my exercise lifestyle now. There are times I have come very close to starving myself. Though, I know it isn't the right solution.
Like, is there a certain amount of protein one must eat, or carbs, or calories, that will still enable you to lose weight, but have enough energy for walking/jogging/ and strength training?

I guess I also feel a little stuck because I can't support myself and I feel like I have to go along with the five meals a day thing, even though I constantly forget to eat.