BrenIL1's Journal, 12 March 2015

1000 calories seems really low. If I tried to eat that amount I would fall over. Focus on eating healthy fats, veggies, fruits and meats. You will be surprised how little you eat because protein is so filling 

Ah cheat days. They are dangerous for me since I try to shove as much food into my body as possible before the next day. Then, my stomach is stretched and I'm starving the next day. A plus is that this could get your metabolism going so you lose more:) Enjoy your day, just not too much like I do lol. 

I get those days also when i get stressed and food is my friend, i would everything in sight and since i already cheated i would go on an eating rampage, but now if i do a cheat meal for some reason instead of messing the rest of the day and eating anything i want(junk food) i just try to minimize the damage doing some exercise and keep eating clean. That way it keeps me motivated and a cheat day doesn't turn into a cheat week destroying all my progress. 

I definately feel your pain! I can only lose if I stay around 1000 calories. I was told my metabolism is very "efficient" meaning you only use what you really have to. Very frustrating when you watch someone consume 2000 calories in a single meal and not be struggling with their weight! Hang in there! 200 calories is not a big change.  

Wow, 1000 does sound low, but if you're plateau-ing than I guess that would be something to try. Don't beat yourself up about the food either, we all have days (or in my case weeks) where food is the go-to-destressor. All I'll say is I am trying to actively drink an 8oz bottle of water before I put any food in my mouth. It helps to feel fuller sooner but it doesn't help so much with the stress. Anyhow, I know you can do it! Stick in there! :) 

Completely understand...food is a friend when stress kicks in...sigh. 

Hey Brenil...I agree that 1000 is very low...Have you ever try Atkins? I went on it May 2013 and went from 185 to 158 in 3 months and maintained it till a few months ago which I gained 7 pounds while on vacation in Florida...I went back on it March 1st and as of today I lost back 6 pounds.. I do not count calories at ALL, I eat a lot of protein, vegetables, but count only carbs...I absolutely do not have any cravings whatsoever...You may want to look into it....You may feel less deprived 

I understand totally- Thin mints are the BOMB ! But sometimes they weight us to generic.. be the size your happy with in a healthy way. ( small splurges are ok ) 

Hi BrenIL1... I have said this before, but guessing and hoping are not plans. 1000 cals is definitely too low for you. Sounds like you doctor is guessing too when she says "try cutting 200 cals a day and SEE if that helps"... there is no guessing here. Height being neglible and assuming you have the activity level of someone with a desk job, you can eat around 1950 cals per day and MAINTAIN your current weight of 217. So all you need is a 20% cal deficit to get your fat loss ball rolling, so you should be eating around 1550 cals per day and you will lose FAT (not just weight). That will get you almost 1 lb loss per week (without exercise)... that's 40+ lbs in a year! Do not be in a hurry... cutting more calories has negative effects... you will be starving yourself and damaging metabolism at 1000 cals per day... and you cannot sustain it. Looking at your meal log, I suspect your plateua has more to do with 1) unstable calorie intake OR 2) inaccurate calorie tracking. If your meal log is correct, you are all over the place from one day to the next with your calorie intake, so your body cannot get into a stable, fat burning groove. You should be eating around 520 cals per meal if you eat 3 meals a day. If you are a snacker, make that 400 cals per meal, but be sure to track those snacks too. Tracking is too easy with fat secret to NOT do it. Eventually, after you hit your goal weight, you will get pretty good at estimating... but for now you need to track your cals. I had 3 plateus in my 70 lb, 10 month journey, and they were from eating too little, or inaccurate calorie tracking. Once corrected, FAT loss continued as calculations predicted. See my profile for free resources and calculate your 20% deficit RDI. 

I'd like to echo what Minpower said. Rather than surrender and eat yourself silly on a cheat day, accept that you made a bad choice without sabotaging the entire day. One giant meal or indulging that sweet tooth does not necessarily have ruin everything. Sure, it is going to happen, but make the most of the rest of the day. I do try to keep things in balance, especially when I give into a craving. It is not always easy, but it helps keep me on track overall. 

lol- sometimes after I "pig out" I get so sick- I jump back on track !