Food! Help :(

jacquiroxx

I've been working on living a healthier lifestyle since September, but started getting hardcore about it in the beginning of December.  It's been a month and I've lost 1.5 pounds.  I work out consistently.  I started running 3 days a week and can run a mile without stopping for the first time in my life (super exciting milestone for me!).  I strength-train 4-5 nights a week, do yoga on one of my non-running days, and cross-train on another non-running day.  I would say that fitness wise, I'm good.

The problem for me is food.  And it's not that I'm over-eating.  I'm pretty sure I'm under-eating.  I've struggled with eating disorders from the time I was in second grade and recovered after my third year of college.  Now that I am trying to get healthy, I find myself just eating too few calories.  It's not intentional- not consciously anyway.  I just go over what I've eaten at the end of the day and I definitely know I'm not eating enough.

So my question is: how much is enough?  I was told to multiply my current weight by 13 and then subract 500 and aim to eat that many calories a day.  Is that right, even if I'm running and working out so much?  I am just frustrated because I am working so hard, avoiding unhealthy food choices, and not getting anywhere.  Help!!

AdeleDazeem

Go over to The Daily Plate (Google it) or Sparkpeople.  You can type in your daily activity level, age, weight, height, and weight loss goals.  It will give you a good estimate of how many calories you should be eating every day.  These sites also allow you to track your calories and workouts every day.  They're awesome!

For daily activity level, don't lie.  I walk back and forth to work every day (~ 3 miles a day) and don't have a strictly desk job.  I picked "moderate" for my activity level.  Any other working out I did, I added in to my daily calories separately.

The number these websites gives you for a daily calorie intake should be what you eat every day TOTAL.  Meaning, if you're given 1350 as your daily limit and you eat 1350 then burn off 400 in a workout, you have to go back and eat 400 more calories. 

This process works really well.  If you find you just aren't meeting your calorie goals and still aren't hungry, try subbing in higher calorie foods where you can or adding in healthy foods (like avocado) to your sandwich or salad.

Good luck! 

quiggels219

I agree you should get a tracker and track what you're eating throughout the day so you can know how you're doing. I feel like we have similar food backgrounds and when I'm in a mode where I'm more conscious of what I'm eating (like wanting to tone some for the wedding) I tend to eat too few calories and over estimate in my mind and then my body just holds onto everything because I'm not eying enough. My fitness pal has really helped me with this. I have the app on my phone. I usually plan my day for the most part in the morning And i put it into my fitness pal to make sure I get about 1300 calories a day. The morning works best for me because when I add it up at the end of the day I found I was only eating about 900 calories a day and then it would be late at night and I'd know I should eat more but I wouldn't want to, doing it in the morning helps you spread it out and keeps your metabolism going. Good luck!

teralicious

I think weight is pretty pointless to go by. I work out consistently gained 15lbs (muscle weighs more than fat) but I lost two inches on my waist and lost inches elsewhere as well. You shouldn't worry so much about how much you are losing. Take your measurements and take your progress that way. Also eat 5 small meals per day and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.

jacquiroxx

Thanks for the suggestions ladies!

Joy2611- I used spark people in the past, but for whatever reason I didn't stick with it.  I really like The Daily Plate though, so I'll try that for a little while.

quiggels219- I really like the idea of plugging it all in in the morning and then just following your plan.  I would end up the same way, too, and I don't want to have to have a last-minute calorie binge before bed.  Good suggestion!

teralicious- Good suggestion.  I do my measurements on the first of every month (as in, I did it today) and haven't lost much.  The most improvement is in my legs, and I'm sure that's because of running.  Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat (1 lb. of muscle = 1 lb. of fat), but muscle is more dense.  I knew what you were saying   Unfortunately, it also takes longer to build muscle than it does fat: on average, a person who strength trains 2-3 times a week typically only gains a pound of muscle in a month.  So considering I've only been really gung-ho about my new healthy lifestyle for about a month, there's no way I've added more than a pound or two of muscle.  I'm trying to not get frustrated and will continue to measure myself monthly.  I use the scale only as a guide at the end of the week to see if I'm on track or not.  It's just getting frustrating seeing the same number

Thanks again for all your advice!  I really appreciate the input and hope that your suggestions & my new tools will help me shed fat so the evidence of my hard work can shine through

AdeleDazeem

I liked the Daily Plate much more than Sparkpeople, too.  The calorie limits are also a bit higher and I like eating :-)

Good luck - I lost seven pounds (and several inches) last year by strictly counting calories.  Worked like a charm.

harnish

This site really helped me with my diet plan - It automatically calculates your daily caloric limit by entering in your weight and height... plus once you enter a meal plan it can generate a shopping list for you - it makes staying on your diet super easy! hope it helps!

http://www.shoppinglistgen.com/

iloveu4ever

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_food-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:bd0ba929-0ed4-48f8-97a4-f9f0492b9198Post:e6e50b1d-b141-49a3-9ba4-eff713706395">Re: Food! Help :(</a>:
[QUOTE]I think weight is pretty pointless to go by. I work out consistently gained 15lbs (muscle weighs more than fat) but I lost two inches on my waist and lost inches elsewhere as well. You shouldn't worry so much about how much you are losing. Take your measurements and take your progress that way. Also eat 5 small meals per day and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
Posted by teralicious[/QUOTE]

Good Job So far I have lost 30lbs in 6 months. I guess not bad.

mercy4

If you are having trouble eating enough calories, maybe you can set a few healthy days or breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and just rotate so you eat enough without letting calories consume your life.