[100percentME]

So, i count calories. When i started i was eating 1500, but i was gaining weight eating that much (and i was exercising). So i lowered it to 1200 but i wasnt lossing weight. Frustrated i lowered it to 1000 and finally lost some weight (and i had been exercising the whole time.) Well, i havent lost weight fro 4 months now and so everyone has told me im not getting enough calories and that why im stuck (grrrr). So, i try and eat in between 1200 and 1500 calories. Thing is, im not hungry a lot of the time. There are days when i am satisfied, yet ive only eaten 1000 cals or less. So, should i eat anyway,just to get in enough calories, or should i not eat when im not hungry, even if it means getting so few claories??

I never would have thought that one of my biggest problems counting calories would be trying to eat more, instead of trying to less! lol

Your opinion would be greatly appreciated!

[SlimLindy]

Studies show that most people significantly underestimate the number of calories they are eating. I would try:

1) Using Fitday or some other way to get a very accurate count of every single bite you are eating (and any calories you are drinking, too).

2) If the numbers you have given above are completely accurate and you have been consistently eating that little for that long, I would see a doctor to check out your thyroid or other possible health issues.

However, I would guess that you are not consistently getting that few calories. Your weight loss would slow down, but not stop. Think of the tv show Survivor as an example. The people are out there for forty days eating approximately 600-800 calories per day of things like rice, occasional fish, and occasional fruit and they're getting huge amounts of physical activity. Their body weight drops a LOT by the end of the show. (They seem to all gain it back, though, and I am DEFINITELY not recommending eating this little.)

I'm just saying that the reason you are not losing weight is almost undoubtedly NOT that you are eating too little. Again, I am NOT advocating eating so little. I think you should definitely get at least 1200 or more calories per day. Especially because eating too little for any period of time almost always results in overeating eventually.

I'm rambling. Someone else will say this much more concisely and make a lot more sense, I am sure!!

LIndy

[Heather]

What about exercise? Are you doing any right now?

[thintowin]

I understand how you feel. Sometimes it is hard to eat more, as odd as it sounds. I use www.fitday.com to track my calories. On days that I am too low I often add:

28 almonds- 160 calories

A great, healthy snack with good fat, plenty of fiber, and protein.

You need to make sure you are eating a minimum of 1200 calories per day. If you're working out exessively, you need even more.

I have also found that eating eevry 3 hours as opposed to 3 meals a day helps me get just the right amount of calories in with planning. Every morning, I plan what I will eat and enter it into fitday.com. I stick to it, and then I know exactly what I'm consuming and how many calories, fat, and carbs.

[SmartButt]

I would agree with the people above. I'd recommend FitDay as well, and log every single morsel of everything that goes into your mouth. Before Fitday I would self-journal in a blog, and at the end of the day if I grabbed some cookies right before bed or whatever, I'd "forget" to write it down. At the end of each week, I'd be like HEY! What the heck?? But looking back there's no way I was being honest or, at least, accurate.

Also, take into consideration this "weight gain" that happened at 1500 calories with exercise. Was it that you went up a few pounds? For how long? When did you give up the 1500 and drop to 1200? I am wondering if perhaps it was bloating from a new exercise program (happens to me) or bloating from PMS or any other temporary gain. I'm wondering how long you gave it before dropping your intake?

The last thing I would ask is, what are your calories consisting of? Healthy foods or maybe some junk food? If your entire day consists of a couple cups of coffee and a slice of pizza, your body is going to wig out.

Please feel free to share more information and hopefully we can figure out something to get you back on the track you want to be on!

[100percentME]

Thank you all for the help, and id like to answer some of your questions.
1st-yes, i truely am eating that amount. I do have a fit day account, and i do enter all of my food.
I exercise-I walk on the treadmill every other day (i cant do it every day because i have BAD hips and if i walk everyday then they get really sore and have even become slightly swollen-im going to the doctor soon and am going to ask about this) I do crunches and pushups everyday, and i also do workout videos occasionally.
When i dropped my calories i had gained 7 pounds, and over 2.5 weeks, and it was actual weight.
I eat very healthy, or i think so. I dont eat any junk food, i dont eat fast food, i dont eat plain bread. Example of my meals. Today: Breakfast-oatmeal (160) and yogurt (40)
Lunch- salad(20) with dressing (50, yes, i measure) apple (100, according to most internet sources) and a rice cake (50).
For dinner i am about to go eat chicken and peppers.
This is pretty much what i eat everyday, i drink a glass of fat-free milk every night.
I havent exercised today, i ran 30 min (2miles) on the treadmill yesterday, and all day today, since i got home, i have been working on a paper for school.
Thank you for responding, i hope this information helped.

[AnAbsoluteDiva]

I haven't seen that it's been asked, but how many calories do you need to create the deficit required for you to lose the weight.

If you don't know what you need, you won't know if you're there.

I know your weight and your height. But I don't know your age. Tell me how old you are and I'll tell you how many calories you need to consume to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week.