[abcunnin]

Hi everyone,

I asked this question in a different thread, but maybe I was posting in the wrong arena.

I generally eat between 1200-1400 calories per day (5'6, weight 158). I've lost 70 pounds overall, but I haven't really been losing weight lately. I'm trying to problem solve (although I know it may just be a natural plateau).

I do have 200-300 calories per day most days of dessert--which is normally something made of simple carbs. Some of my favorite go to snakcs are skinny cow mini yogurts, whole wheat eggo waffle with almond butter, frozen yogurt, weight watchers desserts, etc. I find that this helps me carb my sugar cravings and makes me feel like I'm not depriving myself. However, I know some people cut these types of foods out all together.

What are you opinions about including these snacks almost daily? Should this impact my weight loss? I have rationalized that it's fine, because I stay within my calorie limits and, like I said, I think it helps with cravings. But, maybe I'm missing something.

I do sometimes have fruit instead, but it's just not the same.

I'd love anyone's advice.

[kaplods]

I think good and bad really has nothing to do with it. Some people have luck with different proportions of nutrients. The only way you'll find what works best for you is by experimentation.

How long have you been "not losing?" If it's just a couple weeks, it may just be normal fluctuations.

Some people find that the proportion of carbs does impact weight loss. For example, I have to be quite careful of high-carb foods. Not only do I lose more weight on 1800 calories of low carb than on 1800 calories of high carb - I als find that if I eat high carb foods, I have such strong hunger and cravings it becomes hard to stick to 1800 calories - so for me carb content is very important. It not only impacts my weight loss, it also impacts my ability to stay on plan.

That doesn't mean that what I've found for me, is true for you, but an experiment wouldn't hurt.

Your best tool is keeping a food journal, because it can help you see patterns, especially if you not only write down what you eat, you write down hunger patterns and symptoms (like headaches...).... Some patterns aren't really obvious until you look for them. I didn't realize that wheat was causing a skin rash, until I noticed the pattern in my logs that my skin rash always worsened after I had bread or cake.

It seems that some people are much more sensitive to carbohydrates than others. Some of it can be explained physiologically. Insulin resistance can be measured and tested for, and the mechanisms by which it lowers metabolism are fairly well understood (endocrinologists and diabetic educators are perhaps the best at explaining it, in my experience).