Where am I going wrong in my diet?

[PrettyHungry]

I’ve been dieting since Jan 1st and have only lost 4lbs. I know to some that would seem loads but I would have expected a little more by now.

Ive been really strict. This is my average daily food:

Breakfast - sugar free latte from Starbucks (medium) - 150cals.

Lunch - slice of Jason’s sourdough, topped with smoked salmon and 2 eggs - 400 ish cals. No butter!

Dinner - M&S count on us range ready meal or home cooked dinner with salad. I always make sure half the plate is salad with no dressing - 500 ish cals.

I only have sugar free, zero calorie drinks like Pepsi Max. I only ever snack on berries and not every day, maybe 3-4 days a week if I’m a little peckish in between meetings or in the evening.

That’s just over 1,000 calories a day. Even with a little wiggle room to account for errors in weighing or underestimating, I’m still way under. Any ideas for how I can speed up my weight loss? I don’t like exercising so would rather diet related suggestions.

I’m 5’6 and 11st 4lbs.

Starvation mode has been debunked so many times by so many scientists for so long I'm amazed anyone still thinks it's a thing.

Someone who is anorexic and long-term calorie restricts severely will of course become very thin. At the same time their body will also do it's best to adjust to the severely low calories and do what it can to conserve energy. It allows muscle to go (muscle uses a lot of energy) grows extra body hair (to help maintain temperature) and leaves people wanting to sleep. People who are anorexic can survive on a remarkably low level of calories because of the adaptation. That also means that when they start eating more they put on weight more quickly than the next person, which is very scary and part of the reason why it's so hard to recover from.

Ime, most people suffering from anorexia do not severely restrict. That is a myth. They do what they call "high restriction" which is eating pretty much the way OP eats.

A calorie is a unit of energy, nothing more, nothing less. If you consume less energy than you burn, your body will burn fat and muscle for energy. I agree that it prefers to burn muscle because it is more energy-dense.

It's basic physics.

OP is losing what she is because her deficit is 2lb worth of fat and muscle less than she eats. She could eat nothing but Mars bars and Pringles and lose as long as she only ate 1000 calories worth.

@PrettyHungry FWIW, I agree your diet is shite and unsustainable long term. I would focus on eating lean protein and fresh whole foods. You will not be getting enough nutrition on what you are eating. If you want to lose more up the cardio and start strength training to protect and build muscle.

OP meant kindly but you need to get a grip of your lifestyle.

Intense restriction to lose weight. Drinking awful diet sodas and eating UFPs and doing no exercise even walking.

This is shit. Even if you lose weight you won't look your best. You'll look weak and skinny. That's the opposite of hot. And as you age you will end up hunched with prematurely aged skin and brittle bones. You'll shrink more than necessary too.

What a bizarre way to live your life.

Sorry I read she had 2 slices of sourdough which would be around 200ish

Use MFP to input all your calories. Saying 200ish etc isn't accurate enough as you could be 50 calories or more over which will add up.Include weighing butter,cheese,nuts etc as its easy to forget those things

I know not everyone is a fan, but WW has worked for me. I hardly eat any UPFs. Whole grain carbs at every meal otherwise I’m miserable. Lots of lean protein and about 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day. Very minimal fats and sugar. No alcohol.

Lost 20 pounds in 7 months and kept it off thus far. No fasting, starving or meal replacements. Also had some gains in that time because I allow myself meals out and celebrations. It’s a change of lifestyle rather than a crash diet and that’s worked for me. But it is hard work and needs focus. MFP and calorie counting didn’t work for me personally as it led me to disordered eating patterns.

I think you’ve had a lot of good advice on this thread. My suggestion would be to focus on eating healthy with portion control.

It was just a response to the fact that you described Coke as satiating. It isn’t, it’s the opposite - the sugar sets you up for a crash that will leave you craving more.

Fully agree with the general point you are making about taking a balanced view.

It might not be a scientifically accurate term but it’s generally understood that crash dieting like this disrupts your metabolism.

Drink water. Not fizzy drinks.

This diet isn’t sustainable long term.
Focus on protein for breakfast for satiety and to stabilise BGL.
Cook from scratch - you have control over what you are putting into your meals (ie. sodium content, using healthy oils)
Nourish your body - plenty of fruits and veg for antioxidants.
Drink water - 2.5 L per day.