unforth: (Default)
unforth ([personal profile] unforth) wrote2007-03-21 01:47 pm

Diet Advice?


Okay, so I've been dieting since August, and I've lost 15 pounds or so. That's good, and it pleases me immensely.

HOWEVER. I've been eating 1200 cal/day for like 3 months. According to online calculators, this should equal about 2 lbs/week in weight loss. Instead, I've been holding pretty much steady except for in January, when I lost a bunch. This is starting to piss me off pretty seriously, mostly because it takes constant control to eat that little and it's maddening that it's not really producing results. I'm starting to think that it's too little. I'm walking 30 min/day now with the Jonie dog, and I'm really starting to think that my body is hoarding calories instead of burning them because I'm eating too little. Does that actually happen, ya think? According, again, to online calculators my body should be using about 1900 a day; I'd have to have no metabolism to speak of to not lose weight eating as little as I do.

So I've been thinking that I should up my intake to about 1400 per day. If it doesn't work, I can always go back down, right? I'm just worried that I'm running out of patience and won't give it enough time...it's not that I'm running out of patience for dieting, it's that I'm running out of patience for giving changes I make enough time to really settle in...

Right. Anyone have any thoughts on any of this? I'm not sure what I'm really trying to say, I'm just frustrated and I want to be 140 lbs again, dammit!.

[identity profile] squishymeister.livejournal.com 2007-03-21 08:05 pm (UTC)(link)
1200 is not too low, it's just about right for a young woman (no-pregnant) dieter.
Lulls happen in diets, it's because your body has adjusted to it. I'd recoment changing something, anything. You can increase for slightly for a bit, and then decrease again. Sometimes it's worth it to gain 5 and lose 10, instead of treading water. Also, your excersize is ok...but how fast are you walking? Is your heartbeat getting up to 155-165? cause if not then you aren't really getting a cardio workout. It's still excersize and healthy! But you aren't burning any fat. You also need to futz with your metabolism. You can do that by gaining muscle mostly. Also, eating sugar, even if your watching your calorie intake is bad for you.

Cassie is right, water will also help a bunch, and it'll help keep the hunger in check. Don't eat 3 hours before going to bed, try to get your excersize in early in the day (once you start, you keep burning for the rest of the day, so the earlier you get to it the longer you'll be burning) Switch to whole grain, cut out sugar, and get your heart pumping.

[identity profile] unforth.livejournal.com 2007-03-22 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
My understanding, from reading I've done, is that 1200 is about the minimum that a female can eat and still be healthy. I'm gonna try to change things up like you suggest. The walking isn't really something I'm doing for exercise, I'm doing it because Jonie needs to get out of the house more. Also, I eat very little sugar, and most of that is splenda, so I probably don't have loads of problems there. :) Otherwise, thanks for the advice!