Diet Advice?

[unforth]

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!.

Comments

[moonartemis76.livejournal.com]

yes, your body can get too few calories and start saving them. - you asked.

*what* you eat is very important. I was forced onto a medical diet a few years back and what I learned is that counting calories won't do a thing if you aren't eating the right stuff. Alot of lowfat/low cal food is very highly processed. read that as: machines have already broken it down so your body doesn't have to. Eat foods that your bady has to work harder to process and your metabolism will kick up. ie instead of grabbing orange juice peel and eat an orange, instead of a lean cuisine role some chicken breast in spices and bake it with some broccoli. carbs are great if they are the right carbs - like 100% stone ground whole wheat! Pasta has been processed seven ways from Sunday. Celery and peanut butter is pretty good for snacks. Celery has negative calories and peanut butter has some protein.

Good luck - it's tough!! I've got some nutrition books if you'd like to read them.

you clearly have the willpower to do it though.

[d-c-m.livejournal.com]

Ditto and yes, you could probably up your calories and be fine. Give it a try and see what happens.

You are very pretty BTW. I'm wishing you well.

[unforth.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice, and for the support. It's not like I'm hungry all the time - in fact, I don't get all that hungry in general. I think it's support for the "my body is trying to do the best it can with what I give it" theory. I'm already pretty good about not eating processed food - I don't make TV dinners at all. Then again, I do eat pasta, so there is that. :) I wouldn't mind some nutrition stuff - I'm just glad it's not a medical diet, those are really tough from what I've heard.

[fallenrose.livejournal.com]

Seconded!

[fallenrose.livejournal.com]

And I meant to say, remember to really chew your food, too.