[owlsteazombies]

I'm on a diet that generally allows me 1000-1200 calories a day and before that I didn't count calories, I was just eating a bit more healthful (no butter, oil, cream sauces, entire boxes of pasta..)

my day goes a bit like this:

breakfast: special k (1 cup) almond milk vanilla (1/2 cup), plain hot tea
lunch: water, hot tea, lean cuisine or a single order of a sushi roll
dinner: it varies, but it's generally 4oz of chicken or turkey, or a 6 oz bison sirloin, or 10 shrimp. 1/2 cup of a grain like rice or couscous and 3 oz each of two fresh steamed veggies. And hot tea.

I also have water throughout the day.

Now, even though I am a homemaker (without kids), I do work on computers, so I am sitting a lot of the time. But for exercise, I walk 70-90 minutes at 2.0 speed on the treadmill and usually do 45 mins of a kinect game, like kinect sports or dance central.

I've been stuck at 257-260 for about 5 days. Should I lower my caloric intake (but already I'm having a tough time ignoring hunger pangs)? Should I push myself harder and do 120 minutes on the treadmill? I'm uncomfortable running until some more weight falls off..Or is this just too intense in general and I shouldn't be so strict?

[Ellaroxy321]

DON'T lower your calories. I new at this and I don't have all the answers but I know starving your body into weightloss isn't the way to go about it.

Your body needs fuel. I would try eating 5-6 smaller meals to keep your blood sugar up instead of 3 meals a day. I also think 1200 calories is too little. Someone on here recommended My Fitness Pal to help me figure out how many calories per day I should be aiming towards for healthy weight-loss based on my size and activity level.

[owlsteazombies]

I'm actually using my fitness pal to help me track my calories so I don't overeat. Love this tool

[owlsteazombies]

I actually did up my calories to around 1200 I think spreading out my meals would be bad for me, personally, because if I do that, I tend to overeat badly.

I generally plan out my 3 meals and even my snacks the day before on myfitnesspal, so I know exactly where I'll be. And I entered it! I have to do it!

But..the being stuck at 257-260 does concern me. Any ideas?

[kelleyb]

5 days is not "being stuck". Just do what you're doing (at least 1200 calories- hopefully more) and you will see results! Good luck.

[owlsteazombies]

You're right, it's not. I'm just very concerned I'm doing something wrong. My physician actually wanted me to try a 600 calorie a day shake diet, and that seemed a bit extreme to me. So, the 1200 seemed reasonable. Would I lose weight if I did 1300, 1400 or 1500? I'm so lost!

[kelleyb]

You need to find out how many calories a day you should eat, but I'm guessing that 1600 would probably still help you to lose weight. Why would your doc want you to be on a 600 calorie diet?? Just read up on the info here on this site and you will feel more informed and not "lost". I don't really know exactly what plan you are following or where you are getting your info, but good luck.

[kelleyb]

Are you checking out the other fourms like "weight loss support" and maybe "calorie counters" ? Those would be good places to start too.

[cdmorse]

Originally Posted by owlsteazombies

You're right, it's not. I'm just very concerned I'm doing something wrong. My physician actually wanted me to try a 600 calorie a day shake diet, and that seemed a bit extreme to me. So, the 1200 seemed reasonable. Would I lose weight if I did 1300, 1400 or 1500? I'm so lost!

depends on your current weight, but generally 10 cal per pound of current weight is what you need to maintain. Other factors such as age, gender, general health, etc would provide the accurate number. I took that calculation (130lbs, so 1300 cal), noticed I was losing weight and brought it up to 1500 to maintain (more on days I work out). It's a good starting point, but 1200 seems like the common amount of cal for dieting.

When I had bad weeks, my coach suggested changing things. Instead of carrots, I had broccoli, and instead of all my fat coming from avocado, I alternated between avocado and nuts. I guess the body gets used to the same old food everyday and gets "bored"? Try changing one thing at a time. It'll be easier to track what foods are helping you lose weight, and what aren't. It could even be as simple as one food having better vitamins and minerals than another. It's the same idea that you can eat 1200 cal a day, but they could be 1200 cal of junk food, or 1200 cal of healthy food.

For your exercise, you could try changing that as well. For myself, morning workouts are more effective. Changing the speed/incline may also make a difference (increase it). Your body might be used to the intensity level of your workout.

Good Luck!
Carol

[owlsteazombies]

thank you for all the answers! I'm not really following a "plan". But I consider this a lifestyle change. I'm tracking calories, being very conscious about what goes into my body now and how much.

Exercise, I -never- did any before. I was a couch potato. So even walking for me is a huge deal. When I feel like I can, I'll definately increase the incline and speed of my exercise. I was also looking into picking up some light weights to build some tone in my arms and back.

[owlsteazombies]

and as for the 600 calorie diet. I have no idea. She just suggested the shakes and I politely said no thank you, that sounds awful.

[Palestrina]

Get a new doctor, as fast as you can. It is dangerous to recommend a 600cal diet to anyone! That's like saying "put only a teaspoon of gas in your car." Geez we treat our cars better than our bodies.

There are many great lifestyle changes, ones that can help you lose weight, give you more energy, and increase your nutrition. Starvation diets do NONE of these things. By starving your body of calories and nutrients your body is going into starvation mode - this means that your body is physiologically programmed to hold on to its fat stores because it thinks it's starving, thus prohibiting weight loss. That is why you're stuck for 5 days. You are depriving yourself for no reason at all.

Seriously, the calories in calories out myth has been debunked. Your diet is possibly excessively high in carbohydrates and sugars, like it is for most of us. I have gotten real knowledge out of this video, it's a little long and scientific but it makes perfect sense. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z5X0i92OZQ

[SoMuchFattitude]

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Try plugging your numbers into that. I put your age as 25 and it says to lose weight 2184 and extreme weight loss 2056.

my day goes a bit like this:

breakfast: special k (1 cup) almond milk vanilla (1/2 cup), plain hot tea
lunch: water, hot tea, lean cuisine or a single order of a sushi roll
dinner: it varies, but it's generally 4oz of chicken or turkey, or a 6 oz bison sirloin, or 10 shrimp. 1/2 cup of a grain like rice or couscous and 3 oz each of two fresh steamed veggies. And hot tea.

You're roughly looking at:

Breakfast: 200 max
Lunch: 400 max
dinner: 450 max

Your breakfast has no protein and is essentially all carbs which will spike your blood sugar and make you hungrier throughout the day.

Your lunch of a lean cuisine isn't "real food" it's all processed and won't hold you either.

Your dinner is more balanced, but I'd still up my protein a lot.

I don't see any fruit in this plan or any healthy fats, really.

For 1200 calories you could do this:


Breakfast: One hard boiled egg--cal 85/ pro7/ carb0/ fat 6
One half grapefruit--cal 52/ pro1/ carb 13/ fat 0
One piece whole wheat toast--cal 69/ pro 3/ carb13/ fat 1

Snack : Chicken breast roasted, skinless (30 gm)--cal 48/ pro 9/ carb 0/ fat 1
Pita bread (small-28 gm)--cal 74/ pro 3/ carb 15/ fat 1
One small apple--cal 55/ pro 0/ carb 15/ fat 0

Lunch:Hamburger, lean 5% fat (3 ounce-0 85 gm)--cal 139/ pro 22/ carb 0/ fat 5
Lettuce salad, radish, onion--cal 11/ pro 0/ carb 2/ fat 0
Reduced fat Italian dressing--cal 22/ pro 0/ carb 2/ fat 2

Snack: Turkey breast roasted, skinless (43 gm)--cal 58/ pro 13/ carb 0/ fat 0.5
One piece whole wheat toast (28 gm)--cal 69/ pro 3/ carb 13/ fat 1
Almonds (1/2 ounce-11 nuts-14 gm)--cal 82/ pro 3/ carb 3/ fat 7

Dinner:Grilled salmon--cal 281/ pro 39/ carb 0/ fat 12
Asparagus--cal 27/ pro 3/ carb 5/ fat 0
One boiled medium potato (178 gm)--cal 154/ pro 4/ carb 34/ fat 0.3

That's a total of cal/1226

http://www.nowloss.com/1200-calorie-diet-plans.htm - try this site for some food ideas...

Just a word of caution: "The Minnesota Starvation Experiment, researchers found that prolonged periods of semi-starvation of less than 1,560 calories per day caused mental issues such as depression in some of the subjects. For some people, 1,200 calories may be perfectly adequate to meet their body's needs. For others, it may not. While eating a 1,200-calorie-per-day diet can help you lose weight, maintaining this diet for a long time may be detrimental to your health."

[owlsteazombies]

Thanks for all the advice! I've actually upped my protein, veggie and fruit intake. I've also come to terms with the fact that I can eat anything under 1800 calories since I plugged in my BMR and lose weight.

I've been having a problem not wanting breakfast..so today I had a turkey burger with -everything- on it. Except mayo. ew Thank you for the advice guys!

[owlsteazombies]

I forgot to say that turkey burger was wrapped in lettuce. Not bread