[IrishErin]

Hi everyone!

I recently started a low-calorie diet. I’m not a dieter normally so this is all new to me. I’ve never really had any weight issues, this is baby weight that I can’t get off and I am a little confused. I started an account on fitday.com to track my calories each day and see what kind of calorie consumption I need, but it doesn’t seem to offer much advice or information.

My diet consists of cereal with skim milk or a protein bar and fruit for breakfast (I don’t have time for anything more extravagant), a healthy lunch under 500 calories, a Smart Ones or Lean Cuisine for dinner with a salad with no dressing or very little low fat dressing, and snacks of fruits and veggies throughout the day. I have been eating a lot of things like edamame, steamed artichokes, sautéed brussel sprouts, sugar snap peas, apple slices, etc. as snacks. Plus, I’m trying to drink at least 80 oz of water per day, which is not anywhere near what I normally drink (probably like 30 oz of liquid total). I’m not a very thirsty person.

So here is my issue: I feel extremely bloated and fat! I know it takes some time to adjust to a new diet, but is it normal to feel so bloated? Is it because of all the water and the fiber from the veggies? Can I fix it somehow?

[lackadaisy]

I ate raw for a while last year, in early fall, and while it helped me lose weight, once I stopped eating raw (basically, winter, haha) I gained it all back & more -- primarily because I lost my sense of portion control & "stretched" my stomach. (Not actually stretching, of course!)

Which is a preface to two questions. (1) Are you eating your "freebie" snacks without calorie-adding dressings/condiments? (2) Are you eating more in volume than you did before your diet? I'd be really careful to not eat too much in volume/weight (for comfort/bloat reasons -- that's probably why you feel gross), & also to make sure you don't end up increasing your appetite & making it impossible to switch back to higher-calorie foods comfortably in the future.

[IrishErin]

Well, I'm usually a big eater to begin with, so I don't think I'm eating too large portions or too much. And as for dressings and stuff, I count them in my calories too. But I try to avoid them altogether if possible. Honestly, I don't feel like I'm eating all that much when I write it down and look at it.