Calorie Counting DOES work...
- Thread starter laurenmay
- Start date
Xtracute1
I'm Fabulous!!!
Hi Guys!!! Xtracute in the house, Newbie Alert!!!!!! Starting weight after 3 kids, (last just 7 months and still gnawing me) is 132kg, with a BMI of 40 somethin' yadda yadda....I'm actually registered on cambridge but was shoo-ed away by my consultant to pack up the breastfeeding first.(boo). So since I dont want to keep looking like a buddha princess (coz I'm cute anyway 
) i downloaded myfitness pal on my iphone and I'm here for support. I want to stay under 1,500 calories at least till I stop bfeeding (which seems like forever, lil tyke has no intention of releasing the twins, no end in sight:cry. I've been told that this is the place to be. Welcome me!!!!!! So....today is day 2 for me, yesterday was just 1000 calories, lotsa water and today I'm only just slightly beginning to feel some hunger pangs....
) i downloaded myfitness pal on my iphone and I'm here for support. I want to stay under 1,500 calories at least till I stop bfeeding (which seems like forever, lil tyke has no intention of releasing the twins, no end in sight:cry. I've been told that this is the place to be. Welcome me!!!!!! So....today is day 2 for me, yesterday was just 1000 calories, lotsa water and today I'm only just slightly beginning to feel some hunger pangs....
vivahate
Irregular Member
Hi Guys!!! Xtracute in the house, Newbie Alert!!!!!! Starting weight after 3 kids, (last just 7 months and still gnawing me) is 132kg, with a BMI of 40 somethin' yadda yadda....I'm actually registered on cambridge but was shoo-ed away by my consultant to pack up the breastfeeding first.(boo). So since I dont want to keep looking like a buddha princess (coz I'm cute anyway
1000 cals is too low. You need to eat at least 1200 for your body to function properly
welcome and good luck to you!
TracyGWill
Gold Member
Xtracute said:
Have you checked on what the minimum is if you're breastfeeding? 1,200 is the minimum recommended under normal circumstances (althougj I've never gone that low!), but you'll doubtless need more.
xx
Xtracute1
I'm Fabulous!!!
My CC put me on 1500 daily, with breastfeeding in consideration. The truth is its hard enough to keep from going overboard, so getting to 1200 is an enormous effort. After doing that I can't seem to make myself just eat something to make it 1500. I just want to get the hang of eating little first, hopefully I will be able to even it out eventually. My normal diet has always been in the 2500 to 3000 range, it's making me leery!
TracyGWill
Gold Member
Xtracute said:
The way to do it us to start higher, otherwise you'll eventually stop losing at that level and will have nowhere to go. I'm not sure how much you have to lose - with me it was 10 stone, so I started on 1,800-2,000 and now two years down the line am on 1,500 and still losing (albeit slowly as I approach the end, lol).
xx
TracyGWill
Gold Member
Xtracute said:
Well I've lost 9 stone so far doing it that way, so it does seem to work! What you would normally do is check your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and set a level somewhere between the two, depending on how much you want to lose a week. The thing I'm not sure of is how this would have to be adjusted for breastfeeding. There are a few threads lurking round in this section on how to set your calories, but there may be some in the pregnancy related sub-forums that deal with the breastfeeding issue. Good luck!
xx
Domane
Full Member
Calorie counting definitely seems to be working for me! Having been strictly sticking to my 1480 on my eating days, regardless of the amount of exercise I do, I'm delighted to report that I've lost 3.5lbs this week. Which means a total loss of 32lbs so far - AND puts me (a) into the "ten stone somethings" AND (b) finally puts me into the "healthy" BMI bracket.
I've got to be honest and say that I'm really not struggling now. My body is getting used to this WOE and my stomach seems to be reducing as I'm finding smaller portions are filling me up (FINALLY!!!) I met a friend in the week and treated myself to a medium sized Costa hot chocolate (without swirly cream on the top!) In the past I would have opted for large and it basically "wouldn't have touched the sides". I enjoyed drinking it but my goodness I felt SO sick and full afterwards. For the first 15 mins I really thought I would have to excuse myself and go to the loo and *vom* BUT, I use these experiences to learn from and now know to either abstain, or order a smaller size. I do drink Options occasionally and don't have a problem with those in a standard sized cup
I've got to be honest and say that I'm really not struggling now. My body is getting used to this WOE and my stomach seems to be reducing as I'm finding smaller portions are filling me up (FINALLY!!!
) I met a friend in the week and treated myself to a medium sized Costa hot chocolate (without swirly cream on the top!) In the past I would have opted for large and it basically "wouldn't have touched the sides". I enjoyed drinking it but my goodness I felt SO sick and full afterwards. For the first 15 mins I really thought I would have to excuse myself and go to the loo and *vom* BUT, I use these experiences to learn from and now know to either abstain, or order a smaller size. I do drink Options occasionally and don't have a problem with those in a standard sized cup 
Xtracute1
I'm Fabulous!!!
How do you resist binge temptations? I spent a whole hour smelling that packed free takeawaylunch that I couldn't wait to eat it all up! Then I had pastries. Then biscuits. Than sandwiches. Then another diet Pepsi. Then a malt drink. Went to bed with a very serious tummy ache and eventually had a joyful time in the toilet literally emptying my guts. Never have I been so stuffed, even when not on a diet. And it's simply because my mind says: ur on a diet, ur gonna starrve!!!. Well today so far so good, just had a 500 cal breakfast, planning on a similar lunch, a snack and a similar dinner to stay on 1500 today. No sneaky free lunches lurking anywhere so far. Any suggestions on what to so when they come coz I am afraid of what happened yesterday to repeat itself! Thanks ladies!
Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins.com mobile app
Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins.com mobile app
Domane
Full Member
Xtracute..... I've been a yo-yo dieter for years but this year I totally reviewed my eating habits, reduced my ginormous portion sizes and finally... FINALLY.... my stomach is getting used to reduced rations. It has also betrayed me by giving me indigestion if I eat anything too sweet and rich cry .
I guess turning 50 in June was a bit of a wake up call and I realised that I'm now getting to the age where I could get heart disease, diabetes, etc. And I wanted to get fit too. When I feel myself weakening I ask myself "What do you want more? The <insert food temptation here> or to be thin?" And so far, I always want to be thin more than I want the food.
Because I calorie count and log everything on My Fitness Pal, if I eat something "bad", I either reduce my intake for the rest of the day or have a lighter day the next day. For example, this morning I went to a horse sale and bought a bacon roll. So for my tea tonight I had a low calorie egg salad to balance out my earlier "sin" (and very lovely the sin was too! I'm only human) I don't forbid anything, I am just learning to be strong enough to first think whether I REALLY want it and to either say no... or "just a small piece". I also use "tomorrow" meaning that I won't today, but if I still fancy it tomorrow I will then... and usually find that I don't actually want it so much then.
I didn't realise it at the time, but I used to be a compulsive over-eater (why eat only 2 or 3 biscuits when the rest of the pack is there) but I realised that I was letting my emotional stomach rule my REAL stomach and that I was eating out of boredom. Once I acknowledged that I had a form of eating disorder and faced it, I've learned coping mechanisms and distractions.
I also do the 5:2 intermittent fasting so that has taught me that I can go 24 or even 36 hours without food and without dying. It has also taught me that hunger comes in waves and doesn't get worse as the day progresses. And that distraction will make it go away. And that a pint of water will fool your stomach for a while.... as long as you have lots of loo roll for inevitable copious trips to the toilet!!! So when I think I fancy a snack in between breakfast and lunch on a normal eating day, I think "if you can go all day without eating, you can certainly go between meals without snacking!!!!" For me it is all about thinking rationally.
I no longer buy cakes and biscuits but have a fridge full of fat-free yoghurts and fruit. I do buy some treats so that I don't feel like I'm missing out, my current faves are Jumbo caramel Snack-a-Jacks, which give me a sugar hit but are far less calories than a bar of chocolate. Or Chocolate Fudge Alpen Lite bars are only 70 calories and are scrummy....
cry . I guess turning 50 in June was a bit of a wake up call and I realised that I'm now getting to the age where I could get heart disease, diabetes, etc. And I wanted to get fit too. When I feel myself weakening I ask myself "What do you want more? The <insert food temptation here> or to be thin?" And so far, I always want to be thin more than I want the food.
Because I calorie count and log everything on My Fitness Pal, if I eat something "bad", I either reduce my intake for the rest of the day or have a lighter day the next day. For example, this morning I went to a horse sale and bought a bacon roll. So for my tea tonight I had a low calorie egg salad to balance out my earlier "sin" (and very lovely the sin was too! I'm only human
) I don't forbid anything, I am just learning to be strong enough to first think whether I REALLY want it and to either say no... or "just a small piece". I also use "tomorrow" meaning that I won't today, but if I still fancy it tomorrow I will then... and usually find that I don't actually want it so much then. I didn't realise it at the time, but I used to be a compulsive over-eater (why eat only 2 or 3 biscuits when the rest of the pack is there) but I realised that I was letting my emotional stomach rule my REAL stomach and that I was eating out of boredom. Once I acknowledged that I had a form of eating disorder and faced it, I've learned coping mechanisms and distractions.
I also do the 5:2 intermittent fasting so that has taught me that I can go 24 or even 36 hours without food and without dying. It has also taught me that hunger comes in waves and doesn't get worse as the day progresses. And that distraction will make it go away. And that a pint of water will fool your stomach for a while.... as long as you have lots of loo roll for inevitable copious trips to the toilet!!! So when I think I fancy a snack in between breakfast and lunch on a normal eating day, I think "if you can go all day without eating, you can certainly go between meals without snacking!!!!" For me it is all about thinking rationally.
I no longer buy cakes and biscuits but have a fridge full of fat-free yoghurts and fruit. I do buy some treats so that I don't feel like I'm missing out, my current faves are Jumbo caramel Snack-a-Jacks, which give me a sugar hit but are far less calories than a bar of chocolate. Or Chocolate Fudge Alpen Lite bars are only 70 calories and are scrummy....
