Sorry if this isn't in the right place to post this, I'm not sure. It's really long but please read! =]

I've been struggling for years with losing weight. I get really determined and lose 10 pounds in two weeks then I just stop. I gain the weight back, go off my diet for a month then do it all over again. I'm SO sick of yo-yo dieting. Everytime I go on a diet, I'm like "YAY. I'm doing so good. This WILL be the time I lose weight." And then it doesn't happen. I always feel deprived when I'm on a diet and get really tired.

I think I know what my problem is. I do weight watchers- but it's hard and impossible to count points in a lot of foods. Therefore I end up eating lots of low-fat Tv dinners and it gets lame eating the same thing (I'm 17, live with my parents, and we wouldn't be able to afford to prepare me my own meals). WW is suppose to let you eat all the food you normally do, but it's sort of hard to measure out the points in sauce, noodles & meat in spaghetti after your mom makes it. So I really don't get to eat normal food. This goes with counting calories too, ya know?

I never eat lunch at school because I hate eating in front of people. But I get out of school at 11:07 everyday so now I can eat lunch. I'm also getting my treadmill hooked up. This time around, I'm NOT counting calories or points. I'm going to get in my cardio and buy weights and eat small small portions.

I'd eat breakfast, lunch, have a snack of veggies and whatever my mom cooks for dinner but very little of it. Like, instead of having two huge plates for dinner, I'll have half of one. I'll cut portions small for every meal (1 sandwhich instead of two, 1 small bowl of cereal instead of two, 1 slice of pizza instead of 2-3, etc) and eat a fruit with lunch and a veggie with dinner. And I'm going to try and cut down on red meat and eat mostly chicken/turkey for meat. I'll limit fast food to like 2 times a month and it'll be happy meals when I do eat it.



Do you think this is okay? It's mainly just getting healthy. I don't think it's depriving myself if I have 3 small healthy meals. I want to eat everything I eat now, but a lot less of it (because deprivation really doesn't work for me & it'd be easier to stick to). It won't slow down my metabolism, right? If I cut back portions, will I just eventually stop losing weight while I'm still big or will I keep losing weight until I reach my goal? (because I'm not cutting calories as I'm losing weight, would that be a problem? Some days I might have 1500 calories, some days I might have 1,000. I wouldn't be counting, I'd just be full & satisfied but not too full).

I think the varying of calorie intake will help my metabolism, that way my body won't get used to the same amount of calories all the time and learn to burn everything. Idk, just my theory. What do you think?

Thanks!! =]

I think at your height and weight, you should be eating around 1700 to 1800 calories, maybe even more.

It's really important that you make sure you're not getting to FEW calories. It maybe difficult to count calories that are in a meal like spaghetti, but could you ask your parents to maybe leave it seperate and let you put together your own? For example, let you choose how much sauce/noodles/meat you get.

If it's something like a casserole it's harder to guess, but it's important to try and do your best to make sure you're not getting too few or too many.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

i like the plan you have set for yourself--- i would just start it by cutting down to it without doing it all at once--- you know get yourself used to the smaller portions ===maybe start with the one plate for dinner instead of two and add the fruit and veggie u mentioned above---

then the sandwich and the extra bowl of cereal really arent that bad for you anyway--- just watch what you put in that sandwich ---opt for healthier options then it wont really matter if you are still having two-- if they are better for you --- say lean meats and eliminate the mayo or opt for fat free mayo--- maybe use mustard instead --i dont really have that problem since i dont like mayo anyway-- but i know lots of people who love that stuff --so just watch how much mayo u put on your sandwich
i would cut down to the one sandwich next and then the cereal if you like--- or even just eat the 2nd bowl of cereal later in the day --- as a snack-- to curb your appetite

Thanks so much you two! I'm considering asking my mom to keep the meal seperate, at least until I make my plate and that way I can give WW another try. Or I might stick to this plan, I'm not sure yet. Maybe I'll try both ways for a couple weeks at a time and see how that goes?

Thanks again =]

Your mom probably tends to make many of the same items over again. Perhaps you could work with her to find out her recipes, then calculate the calories for the whole dish. Then calculate the calories for a known sized serving.