[Harrypotterrocks]

I went on vacation this week, and for 3 days I must have eaten at least 3500 calories each day. So of course when I weighed myself this morning, I was 5 pounds heavier. I'm pretty sure it's real weight too. I want to take the weight off as quickly as it came on. I think I can do it. Today I ate about 1,080 calories, and did half an hour on the stationary bike. I'm just wondering, is it bad to eat a huge amount of food, and then drastically reduce calories the next day? I don't want to do any damage to my metabolism

But it was really healthy food that I ate today. Vegetables and grilled chicken and rice and eggs. So I think I'm ok but I'm not sure.

[JulesMarion]

Less than 1200 calories a day will put your body in starvation mode and will mess with your metabolism. Eat at least 1200, even 1500 when exercising. Otherwise you risk messing yourself up in the long run.

[msgooch]

When I go away like that and gain a few pounds I just go back to plan and exercise and the weight comes off quickly, usually within a week.

I stick to 1500 calories a day and exercise an hour a day, 5 days a week. Remember, it's a long term goal, not a hurry up and be perfect every minute.

[Harrypotterrocks]

Thanks.

I have a doctors appointment coming up in a week, and she is obsessed about my weight. I've lost about 5-7 pounds since the last time I saw her 3 months ago. I really want to be below 170 when I see her. That is why I am trying to hurry.

I'll up my calories to 1200. I do not want to mess with my metabolism. I can't do anymore then 1250 though. I tried going up to 1350 calories, and the scale would not budge. But when I ate 100 calories it started moving again. It's still not moving as much or as quickly as it did when I was 60 pounds heavier. I only have about 30 more to lose. I'm definitely not losing the 2 pounds a week they say is ok to lose.

[JulesMarion]

I'm in the same boat, the last 30 are hard to lose! It comes off so slow because as you near your goal, it takes a greater deficit to lose.

In high school I was anorexic and bulemic and my body was stalled out and would not budge with weight. I'm the same size now that I was then, and am still losing and am eating 2200-2500 calories per day. I run or do the elliptical every day - and the difference now is that I lost all (100+ pounds) steadily and healthy, over a period of 1.5 years. I haven't messed up my metabolism and am happy that I can still eat and lose!

I know it's probably been said many times, but your weight is YOUR weight. Not your doctors, not your moms, dads, bosses, etc. Dont let their comments or desires control what you want for your life. You've already made huge strides in getting healthy with 60 pounds lost. As you near your goal, you should try altering your habits to more maintainable lifestyle habits, not crash dieting and near starving yourself - because as the rest of the world and the weight problem epidemic out there shows, that kinda thing doesn't stick. Slow and steady will not have fast results but it does win the race. Also, try weighing in like once a month, that way you're not discouraged by hormonal weigh ins and fluctuations.

[Harrypotterrocks]

Thanks. I weighed myself today, and I was 7 pounds less then on Saturday. I weighed myself on two different scales. I'm not sue if the 174 was just water weight or what. But this is the not the first time this has happened. My clothes fit a lot better then they did on Saturday. I should have gained weight with everything I was eating last week. It's just werid that it came off after two days of hard work. I gained all my weight from anxiety medication. I am off those now, and that's when the weight started coming off. I'm wondering if I just reworked my metabolism.

[JulesMarion]

Congrats!
3500 calories for 3 days wouldn't realistically cause an increase of 5 lbs so it was probably mostly water weight! And if you have been restricting calories for a while, your body appreciated the increase in calories.