Really Annoying Facebook Post
 

I just read a Facebook post from a friend of a friend....it says how she lost 17 lbs (didn't need to...now probably weighs 120===and is about 5'5) and has had to increase her calories to 1700 a day! I am eating between 1400 and 1500 cals a day, which is really hard for me to maintain and I often go through the day sad and hungry.

How is this possible?!? She is 39, just like me and has had children. She probably works out a couple more times a week than I do.....feeling a lot of resentment over that post! Any clue how many calories it takes to get to a highschool weight like that?

I wouldn't worry about what that chick is doing. Worry about you... I'm curious to what you are eating in those 1400 to 1500 calories that is leaving you sad and hungry. There is a lot of great food that can fill you up and leave you HAPPY. Whatch eating?

How is this possible? Well, I'm 5'5 and 130 now, and slowly moving my way back to 120.

1430 is my fat loss calories, which have been steadily decreasing (I was at 1525 at 140lbs). That's 500 calories below my maintenance. I have a baby too.

Once you are 5'5 and 120lb, 1700 is around maintenance calories. It makes sense that she is at 1700 to maintain 120.

You said she works out a couple times more per week and it is likely she is sticking to her nutrition plan... that's how it's done. I hear "embrace the suck" - when one is in fat loss mode, being a little hungry is normal, unfortunately.

I'm not sure why you think she didn't need to lose weight. We all have our own goals and ideals. A lot of women would KILL to be 5'6 and 148, your current weight. It's no different.

I hope I'm not being harsh, but I am in her position (and I was 5'5 and 120 for 6 years before the baby). Some people were resentful towards me - but I stuck to my meal plan (1600-1700) and was consistent with my workouts. There was no trick to it and I worked hard for it.

everyone is different and weight loss comes easy in the first few weeks that you start a plan after that it's a uphill battle the whole way. you can get full on 1500 calories a day trust me i'm a former binge eater it's just a matter of picking the right foods. i was very weak and hungry at first but the more i replaced processed foods with "natural" foods the easier it became. if it helps choose low calorie options for the first part of the day and eat a larger meal at night. i get really hungry in the evening so that's usually what i do. also try taking a supplement. i recently got green vibrance and it's been working wonders on my health and my hunger. also try drinking a low sodium V8 in the afternoon it's not only tasty but it's filling and very low in calories.

let's be honest some of us will never get to 120 without serious work and even then it's going to take a lot of time. just try to chill out and worry about your own health trying not to be envious is hard but if you stay focused notice all the little improvements you're making it will go a long way.

Originally Posted by :
She probably works out a couple more times a week than I do

^ This is how. It's simple math really. If you want to eat more then you need to burn more. I also second Lori, what are you eating that's leaving you hungry. I'm only hungry if it's TOM or I'm not eating the right foods to leave me satisfied.

It happens. Why can some people lose while eating unlimited carbs and others can't? Why can some people eat whatever they want and never gain weight? Its not always "fair" or equal but life is like that sometimes.

Focus on yourself. Maybe add a work-out in if you think that will help. Try to reduce the amount of processed foods you eat. You'll never know why her weight loss came....the only thing you can control is your own actions

First of all - not to knock your friend. But people have been known to fudge the truth a little when it comes to weight loss, how they are doing it, etc ;) Who is to say she isnt talking healthy to cover her own issues?

It is normal to be jealous. I remind myself of this every time Im shopping with my size 00 friend who is my age and eats like a horse and complains about how hard it is to find anything to fit it (it really is actually). My internal green eyed monster always want to tell her shut her pie hole! Same friend posted her WiiFit told her to GAIN 17lbs the first time she stepped on.

But ya know, I dont want to be my friend. I dont want her life or her body or her eating habits. I like mine.

And of course - it is entirely possible to eat that much and weigh that little. But it depends on a ton of factors: body composition, genetics, metabolism, etc.

Be the healthiest, best you that you can be! If you and your friend are close, buddy up for the gym and get some of her great tips! And dont feel too bad about having a little jealousy, totally normal on your part :)

I agree that you're not seeing/hearing the whole picture about your friend. But really, that is neither here nor there.

You need to do what you need to do to keep you healthy and not compare yourself to any one else.

I also wonder what you're eating that's leaving you hungry and sad.

For me, being hungry is not an option. That's what I MUST make my calories highly nutritious ones. Fiber, fiber and more fiber and low fat proteins - zero garbage - ta da - no hunger.

I am also eating delicious foods. Delicious. BUT - they happen to be lower calorie ones and ones that work for my body and don't leave me overweight. Nothing to be sad about. I'm not eating chicken parm, but I am eating lemon chicken and chicken with wine, onions, mushrooms, rosemary and thyme. I'm not eating french fries, but I am eating roasted string beans with onions and garlic, roasted brussel sprouts, cauliflower poppers and on and on and on. Nothing to be sad about. These foods taste incredible and they're incredible for me. Nothing to be sad about.

Make your plan enjoyable so that it's no hardship to *be on*. Look for the joy in this, not the sadness.

Can you give us an example of what you would eat in a day at 1400-1500? You might be able to make some improvements to help you stay full longer. Fiber, as robin says, is a good one. Spices and herbs make a huge difference for me. Lemon juice, etc.

Originally Posted by Steelers Fan:
If it really bothers you, unfriend her or hide her posts. I know I have people on my friends list for their connections so I just hide their posts so I don't have to deal with them or their Mafia Wars posts.

I do that (hide their posts). I have quite a few friends that are all about negativity and how bad there life is or brag brag brag about going to the gym twice in one day or losing this much in a wk. Both types of posts affect me and my way of looking at things so i just hide them and focus on what I need/have to do and what will make ME happy :)

Chin up and be proud of your own accomplishments :)

Thanks for the advice. Here's what I'm eating on a typical weekday (calories logged on Livestrong): Breakfast is one of the following brown rice and 2 strips of precooked bacon; 1 piece toast w peanut butter; cheerios w/2% milk. Lunch usually consists of a pack of Austin Peanut Butter Crackers and maybe an apple, or a Dr. Seigal diet cookie (oatmeal raisin). Dinner varies and is my biggest meal of the day. Tonight I am going out for mexican and will probabaly have a taco and enchilada with rice and some salsa/dip. p.s. I rarely include sweetened or diet drinks. Usually stick with H20 or unsweetened tea.

I know how you feel, because I'm feeling some envy towards you as we speak! You're 5'6" and at 148lbs....uh, have ya seen my profile?? I would love to be at your weight and I'm so much shorter than you. You know the old saying...the grass is always greener.....I would like to be happy where I am, but I'm not. I'm also not so sure I'll ever lose the last of my weight. Dieting has actually become an unhealthy obsession with me and I'm often depressed over the thought of food.

But that's me....and I need to get over it. And you will too! Enjoy where you are right now, because it sounds pretty awesome. When you feel pangs of green jealousy hit you remember me! Then smile.

Originally Posted by sacha:
"embrace the suck" -

I LOVE that :lol:

That's going to be my new motto :write:

Now that you posted your diet, right off the bat I see several issues you could address to likely lower caloric intake and increase satisfaction and overall health too :) I am not a dr or nutritionist, and we each have our own needs so take everything I say with a grain of salt!

1) Why is dinner your biggest meal of the day?! If you are mostly sedentary after, and if you are sleeping within a couple hours of eating most of your calories...no wonder you are hungry the rest of the day. I refuse to ever eat after 9pm and try to make dinner on the small side but with good protein, even if I work out that evening.

2) At first glance, your fat content sounds high (bacon, peanutbutter). Nothing wrong with fat, but those arent great fats. And they are calorie dense without optimizing protein content. Again, this makes me understand why you are hungry.

3) How much protein are you getting? Your above info on diet seems to indicate you get a little protein in the am, maybe under 10g...then almost none til dinner. I am to get 60-90g a day and to space it out evenly. More than fiber, getting good protein really helps me feel full and not even think of food. Try chicken, fish, beans, low fat cheeses, and good whole grains.

4) How much fiber are you getting? Women need at least 20g a day. I aim for more, evenly spaced thru food not fiber supplements!

5) Where are your fruits and veggies?! Apples are great. But we need at least 5 servings a day of veggies, and a lil fruit. Aim for a variety of colors in your produce to maximize nutrients and antioxidants.

Here is a little sample menu to illustrate some changes...

Breakfast:
Steelcut oatmeal with berries and flaxseedoil (300cal, 15g protein, 10g fiber)

Snack:
Apple, large (100cal, 0g protein, 5g fiber)

Lunch:
4oz shrimp Cajun style (100 cal, 25g protein, 0g fiber)
4 stems asparagus (13 cal, 1g protein, 1g fiber)


Snack:
String cheese (100 cal, 8g protein, 0 fiber)

Dinner:
Spinach salad w/ tangerine slices, sprinkle of almonds, 1/2oz goat cheese, 3oz salmon (400 cal, 35g protein, 4g fiber)

total: 1013 cal, 84g protein, 20g fiber (and still a couple hundred calories for a treat!)

Just thought that up off the top of my head based on what I often eat, Im sure it could still be optimized.

You have a very poor diet. No wonder you are hungry. Protein keeps you feeling full and satisfied the longest, followed by good fats. Carbs leave you hungry after an hour. Plan your meals ahead and you too can be full and satisfied.

I too see lots of room for improvement. I too would be hungry (& sad) on that menu.

You need to bulk up on veggies, veggies, veggies and protein.

Dr. Siegels cookies, peanut butter crackers, cheerios, empty calories that won't leave you full for very long.

Thing rich, hearty veggie soups. No sugar added yogurt, partially frozen with some Fiber One cereal thrown in. Enormous salads - romaine hearts, baby spinach, grape tomatoes, red onion, mango, slivered almonds, shredded carrots, cubed grilled chicken, with a Red raspberry vinaigrette.

Think enormous egg white omlettes, loaded with sauteed peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and onions.

Think spicy chicken, turkey or black bean burgers with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. With a HUGE side of spicy cauliflower poppers or homemade crispy beet chips - or heck - have em' both.

Think talipia, cooked with diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and wine. Served over a huge portion of spaghetti squash.

The possibilities are endless.

Every meal and snack should contain fiber and/or protein to keep you full. And should be yummy too. No deprivation. No hunger. No sadness.

Currently I'm eating about 1400 calories a day with a typical day something like this:

Breakfast: 3/4 cup 2% cottage cheese and about 100 calories of fruit (1 cup of strawberries or blueberries for example), 6 oz. espresso, 2 tsp agave nectar, 2 TBS fat free half and half

Snack: 2 oz low fat string cheese, 1/2 to a cup of raw veggies (pepper strips, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, celery - it varies)

Lunch: leftovers from the night before. 1/2 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup peas, 3-4 oz shrimp, small tomatoe OR spring mix, carrots, radishes, celery, cherry tomatoes, cooked green beans, alfalfa sprouts, 3-4 oz. steak, chicken or fish. 1 tsp olive oil based salad dressing.

Snack: cucumber rounds with 2TBS to 1/4 cup hummus OR 100 calories of nuts OR almond butter on two light rye wasa crackers

Dinner: 3-4 oz lean protein, 1 to 1-1/2 cups vegetables. 1/2 cup of some type of beans (if I haven't already had some)

Snack: fruit - fresh peach or pear

Originally Posted by xty:
Now that you posted your diet, right off the bat I see several issues you could address to likely lower caloric intake and increase satisfaction and overall health too :) I am not a dr or nutritionist, and we each have our own needs so take everything I say with a grain of salt!

1) Why is dinner your biggest meal of the day?! If you are mostly sedentary after, and if you are sleeping within a couple hours of eating most of your calories...no wonder you are hungry the rest of the day. I refuse to ever eat after 9pm and try to make dinner on the small side but with good protein, even if I work out that evening.

2) At first glance, your fat content sounds high (bacon, peanutbutter). Nothing wrong with fat, but those arent great fats. And they are calorie dense without optimizing protein content. Again, this makes me understand why you are hungry.

3) How much protein are you getting? Your above info on diet seems to indicate you get a little protein in the am, maybe under 10g...then almost none til dinner. I am to get 60-90g a day and to space it out evenly. More than fiber, getting good protein really helps me feel full and not even think of food. Try chicken, fish, beans, low fat cheeses, and good whole grains.

4) How much fiber are you getting? Women need at least 20g a day. I aim for more, evenly spaced thru food not fiber supplements!

5) Where are your fruits and veggies?! Apples are great. But we need at least 5 servings a day of veggies, and a lil fruit. Aim for a variety of colors in your produce to maximize nutrients and antioxidants.

Here is a little sample menu to illustrate some changes...

Breakfast:
Steelcut oatmeal with berries and flaxseedoil (300cal, 15g protein, 10g fiber)

Snack:
Apple, large (100cal, 0g protein, 5g fiber)

Lunch:
4oz shrimp Cajun style (100 cal, 25g protein, 0g fiber)
4 stems asparagus (13 cal, 1g protein, 1g fiber)


Snack:
String cheese (100 cal, 8g protein, 0 fiber)

Dinner:
Spinach salad w/ tangerine slices, sprinkle of almonds, 1/2oz goat cheese, 3oz salmon (400 cal, 35g protein, 4g fiber)

total: 1013 cal, 84g protein, 20g fiber (and still a couple hundred calories for a treat!)

Just thought that up off the top of my head based on what I often eat, Im sure it could still be optimized.

Wow... you really drilled down on this issue with ease, didnt you? I'm impressed and overwhelmed.

I sure have a lot to learn...

It's amazing how ignorant I am about food and nutrition. I dont just need 'support', I need a full-on education.

Thanks, that was eye-opening :)

Like has already been said, I would be starving and sad on that diet too. The carbs for breakfast + the carbs for lunch would leave me a total witch all afternoon, then I would feel too full after dinner and not sleep well.

I am 38, just shy of 39. I'm 5'5.5". I lost at 1600 cals, continued to lose until I raised them up to about 1900 average, actually. I got down to 117 at one point on those cals, at eating 1850 I maintain at 127-128ish, but have built some muscle the last two years so am in 2-4 sizes.

You definitely need to add more protein, more fiber, things that will fill you up and leave you happy. I can't say it any better than XTY & Robin already did. Good luck.

I'd be hungry all day too on that type of eating. Then I'd eat everything in sight once I got home.

I try to keep my calories aroung 1400 when I'm losing weight well.
I spread my calories out throughout the day, trying to get the majority in before dinner-dinner is about 400 calories and try not to eat after dinner.

Breakfast is eggs and veggies or flaxseed muffin-eggs and flaxseed microwaved
midmorning -cup of coffee with cream (my indulgance) and sweetener
lunch is somesort of meat from dinner the night before-with 3 cups of stir fry veggies, 1/2 C beans.
snack-1 piece of fruit~2:00, ~4:00 I eat some raw sliced veggies with hummus so that I don't eat everything in sight when I cook dinner.
Dinner is brown rice and some sort of veggie/meat I divide my plate 1/2 cooked veggies, 1/4 meat, 1/4 rice.

I try to keep my intake about 30:30:40 30% fat and protein and 40% carbs I tend to get ~>40g of fiber a day. Fiber is your friend.

I don't do dairy (cream for coffee only) or wheat because of allergies-I have terrible post nasal drip that causes a annoying tickle makes me cough all day long. If I cut out the wheat and dairy it gets much better.

I'm also at 1430. Now, I'm not going to pretend that I never get hungry, because that is the nature of a calorie deficit (I'm not eating enough to sustain 130lbs), but it is reasonable enough that I can get through the day :)

Breakfast
1 egg (75), 2 egg whites (35), 1 cup diced veggies (40), 1 tsp olive oil (40), 2 slices weight watchers bread (100), 1 tsp margarine (35)
Total: 325 calories
19g protein

Snack
1 scoop ON Whey (120)
Total: 120 calories
24g protein

Lunch
5 oz chicken breast (230), ¼ cup dry quinoa (170), 1 cup diced veggies (40), 1 tsp olive oil (40)
Total: 480 calories
49g protein

Dinner
X oz of meat (220), 1 cup cooked brown rice (220), 1cup broccoli (30), 1 tsp olive oil (40)
Total: 540 calories

= 1,430 calories

Cauliflower Poppers?
 

Robin, could you post a recipe for cauliflower poppers? I'm trying to expand the variety of vegetables I eat.

Originally Posted by sacha:
I'm also at 1430. Now, I'm not going to pretend that I never get hungry, because that is the nature of a calorie deficit (I'm not eating enough to sustain 130lbs),

I almost never get hungry. Really. Well actually it really is never, but I hate to use that term *just in case* I've forgotten something.

When trying to create a deficit by taking in less calories than what you burn, you are still able to function and function well, because your body has turned to your stored fat to use for it's it's fuel. And for me, this process involves no hunger; provided of course my calories are 100% nutritious.

Originally Posted by ladynredd:
Robin, could you post a recipe for cauliflower poppers? I'm trying to expand the variety of vegetables I eat.

Recipe? No recipe really. Just something I throw together.

Cut up a head of cauliflower, I usually cut up two, (I like to eat),

Cover a large roasting tray with aluminum foil (easy clean-up).
Coat with about 1 tsp canola or olive oil. Spread it around well (I use one of the florets, less to clean).
Lay out the cauliflower and sprinkle generously with spices - garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, a hit of cayenne pepper.
I've also been known to dice and onion and chop some garlic and throw that on there as well, though it's not necessary.
Spray the florets with cooking spray.
Roast in the oven at about 400 degrees, turning a few times, for about 20 - 30 minutes or until desired doneness.

Thanks Robin! Cauliflower just got added to my shopping list.

I may have missed if someone has said this, but meals out are usually 900-1500 or more calories *in themselves*. In order to go out and not go over your calorie count, you would have to eat half the meal and take the rest home, or choose something with fewer calories (very difficult when eating out). My carefully measured homemade tacos have about 350 calories each (there is cheese and a big shell and mex-seasoned chicken in them and FF sour cream). I can imagine an enchilada with cheese and sour cream adding maybe 5 or 600 calories to that.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I guess my problem is I like convenience food and will have to start devoting time and energy to eating healthy and preparing lunch to take to work, etc. I am definitely going to take this all to heart and try to make better food choices. ps. sacha, your diet suggestions sound more my style...something I could eat in a typical day :)

Originally Posted by michelinwoman:
Thanks for all the great ideas. I guess my problem is I like convenience food and will have to start devoting time and energy to eating healthy and preparing lunch to take to work, etc. I am definitely going to take this all to heart and try to make better food choices. ps. sacha, your diet suggestions sound more my style...something I could eat in a typical day :)

The problem with convenience food, is that after it's over and done with you're left with no nutrition and hungry - which isn't too convenient at all. They're initially easier, but that's about it.

Yes, eating well requires time,thought, preparation. But unlike so called convenience foods, you are left satiated and healthy and slim. So you spend some additional time, but you are rewarded with an easier and more joyful and hopefully longer life. Sounds like a pretty good pay off!!

Once you realize that it is worthy of the time, once you realize it really, really matters and you make it a priority, you will become accustomed to doing it this way and wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Allow yourself to get into it. Find/devise/develop healthy foods that you love. Be creative. Become passionate about it. Don't look at it as a burden, but a means to free you up to have the best life possible. :smug:

Please keep us updated.