[freethetoys]

i need to go swimming :-( but somthing i can look into seriously this week. I had such a fun productive week. College work has gone great, they gave me a £100 bonus for my good work and attendance which was great, but had the dinner party around my bed as part of my project and it was such bad food, and i got considerably drunk i think i counted about 3000 cals

my weight isnt going anywhere im eating about 1200-1300 a day which is less then normal to scare the weight off (apart from yesterday) and its getting annoying. any ideas what to do, do u think if i exercise apart from walking everyday it will start to shift?

[bits]

I'm dead chuffed today because I've lost another 3 lbs! Not bad since I had a night and two days away, and had a delicious Cheese and bacon burger with potato wedges at the pub!

Am I too late to set an Easter target and start the challenge? If not, I would love to lose another 14lbs before Easter...think positive and all that!

[Doughnut]

Bits - well done! I love it when you get a reward like 3 lbs but you still manage to have treats. OK, only happened to me once but I share your joy!

Hello Toys - don't think we've "met" before. If I were you (which I'm not so feel free to disregard this) I'd up your calories a bit - say to 1400-1500 a day but you've got to exercise more. I think if you're not exercising now then to do so on the same number of calories as you're having at the moment is just going to make you really tired - 1200 is quite low. Hopefully 2frustrated will check out this thread again - I've noticed from other forums that she's really good at this sort of thing.

[Sarah Ann]

Will done Bits - - its NEVER too late to join the Challenge.

Toys - I think Doughnut is right - you need to increase your cals to the equivalent of your BMR. If you have a look at www.fitday.com you can work out what your BMR is or, if you like, you could tell me how tall you are and your age - and I'll look it up in the chart at the back of my Rosemary Conley book. Its probably somewhere around 1500 to 1600 cals. I think what quite a lot of us do now is 'zig-zag' our calories - the theory is that, in time, your metabolism adjusts to function at the reduced amount of calories being eaten and when you zig zag this adjustment doesn't happen. Calories are worked out over the week rather than over the day - so some days have higher amounts and other days are lower. There's a zig zag calculator at the bottom of THIS page. I generally have my higher calorie days at the weekends and on DH's day off and my lowest calorie day on Wednesday before weighing myself on Thursday mornings.

[bits]

Oh good, that'll give me something shorter term to work towards then I was lucky this week that it was only my second week. Next week I have 3 nights away which usually equals at least one pub meal and two 'take-aways' from Tesco or the local petrol station whichever one I can find! Might have to take some cup-a-soups and things with me instead or I'll regret it next Saturday!!

[freethetoys]

thanks sarah, i had a look, popped in my pounds (213) and it said i should be eating like 1700-2045 thats crazy, I dont think my body needs that much. Honestly ill get home and somtimes if i have a 170 brek fast a 400 lunch of fruite and cereal bars and a dinner of salad protein and a bit of carbs im usually full. I have lots of water and if im huingry ill have a small ice cream for about 30 cals or some more fruite for about 100 cals, so im eating about 1100 and my body doesnt want anymore......

do u reccommend i eat more aof a certain food? if so what? and when?

i usually go up to 1400-1500 cals on weekends, so thats 3 bad nights and 4 good nights a week. And i am exercising i walk about 4 miles on average travelling to college, but i guess my body must be used to that strain now???

i will start swimming but i was loosing SO MUCH offf just dieting before christmas 2-3 pounds a week, it was like fat dripping off bacon. I dunno just a bit disheartening.

any advice would be very appriciated.

[mary27]

Hi everyone -
well done to eveyone who's lost this week
for those who haven't.

I've stayed the same this week

My report would say - "Mary needs to stop bunking off PE and do some exercise!" - come to think of it - that IS what my school reports used to say!

Joined a leisure club with pool/gym this week so hopefully better results next week

[Sarah Ann]

Free - that really does sound like your metabolism has adjusted to the lower calories. I think you have taught your body to not want any more - but your BMR means your body needs more than you are eating just to stay alive - and thats without any kind of activity at all.

I wish I had your appetite - it must be me... I find it absolutely no problem to get through 1500 cals a day! I could probably get through double that without a problem....

I'm not a nutritionist but most of the articles/books I read all seem to recommend the following:
A substantial breakfast with dairy/protein, carbs and fruit (mine is about 400 cals)
A mid morning fruit snack (50 cals)
Lunch with carbs, protein and veggies (400 cals)
A mid afternoon fruit snack (50 cals)
Dinner which should be mainly veggies with protein and not so many (if any) carbs. (500 to 600 cals)

You should aim to have at least three portions of dairy a day - especially at your age - to ensure you don't get brittle bones as you get older. Also there has been research showing that low fat dairy helps your body get rid of fat.

Rosemary Conley says to have a 100 calorie treat each day and a 100 calorie glass of wine - but both wine and treat are optional.

Good luck!

[Clydegirl]

Sarah I went to fitday and registered.

Where does it tell you what your BMR is? Can't see it

[freethetoys]

so should i increase my cals to loose??? im confussed?

[Doughnut]

Yep - you have to eat more to lose weight. Not like mad amounts but basically, like Sarah said, if your body believes more food's coming (based on you starting to give it more) it won't be so cross about giving up the fat. If you zig zag the theory is (I haven't tried this yet) that you'll confuse your body sufficiently into just keeping up wih you instead of knowing exactly what to expect and adjusting to that. I would say that for your age and weight you are eating too little and your body's now trying thang onto its insulation.

[BritinNJ]

Just having a left brained moment, but what is your BMR? Maybe I'll go to fitday and see....

[Doughnut]

I like your new picture NJ.

BMR is your basal metabolic rate - the number of calories your body needs to keep you alive if you stayed in bed all day and never moved. Mine's apparently 1456.

[BritinNJ]

Thanks Doughnut... I couldn't think of it at all...I like my new pic too, sent it to lovely hubs and told him to buy me one for Valentines day....

Did you ever find it on fitday CG?

[freethetoys]

ok ill try it, i just hope i wont put on weight :-(