[brookelizabeth]

Hi! I think your group will work for me if you'll have me! I have read your info and it seems sensible.

I need a bit of help to get out of a situation I put myself in to.

History- I lost 45 lbs by eating healthy and going on the elliptical for 20 mins a day. I did this from April 22 to about Halloween. I went up 7 lbs over the holidays and then took it off pretty quickly after xmas.

On New Years Eve my oldest (I have 3) daughter was engaged and I vowed not to wear a fat mother of the bride dress. So, I ordered Medifast and stayed on it for a month. I averaged 900 calories a day and did not exercise much. I lost 12 lbs.

Yesterday, at work I had had it with the diet. I just don't feel well. I don't crave anything but I worry that I am screwing my metabolism up big time.

I added an apple and a banana last night, the first fruit I have had in a month.

So, my question is should I just go right into 1,600 calories per day or will I be in trouble if I jump to that right away? I plan on zig zagging my calories once I am on my way.

I have a cold and am not hungry at all.

Thank you for your help!

Brooke

[baffled111]

It's probably best to add the calories back in gradually, just so as not to shock your system. Jump to 1200 and hang there for a week, next week go to 1400 and so on.

[PhotoChick]

I don't think there's any medical reason you shouldn't go up to 1600 calories right now, but if you think that your tummy might not be able to handle the volume, you can always ramp up slowly.

(Disclaimer - I'm not a doctor or a nutritionalist, just done a lot of reasearch and reading and studying on my own weight loss journey!)

FWIW, my calorie range that I try to stick to is between 1300 and 1500 a day (and I started out weighing 237). I have lost an average of about 1.3 lbs a week on that level. However, I am not *strict* on keeping to that range. Probably 80% of the time I'm perfectly spot on at 1300, but I also allow myself to eat more now and then and don't worry too much about it as long as I'm not going back to my old, unhealthy habits. I figure as long as I'm continuing to lose and feeling healthy and good, I'm not going to be a "speed freak" about it.

.

[kimmieone]

I think you should add them back slowly and make sure you get some exercise.

[brookelizabeth]

Thanks everyone!

I expect to have a bit of a gain while I am doing this but that's okay. It's a struggle to get food in, our office has influenza B going around and most of us got the flu shot to no avail. Very tired, sore throat, headache, body aches. Brought home pizza and could only manage 2 little squares, now that is sick!!!

The only thing I did right on MF was to eat every 3 hours so hopefully, that helped to keep my metabolism from crashing.