need help with diet

[LuckyAmy1986]

Started calorie counting Monday - 1600

Typical day is greek yog with seeds, nuts, fruit, honey
Lunch - egg on sourdough with avo or feta/ lentil chilli
Dinner - seabass, sweet potato/some sort of grain with veg

evening - snack around 100 cal with a chamomile tea (can't not do this because if I have too long between meals, my acid flares up like crazy overnight)

have also started counting my steps so I wear a watch for my outside walks (after each meal) but take it off inside so probably doing 12kish - this is all i'm doing exercise wise.

So.... my aibu is........aibu to think that I should feel ok on this?

I don't! I am very hungry and I feel almost weak.

I have done 1200 a couple of times in my life (when younger) when I have needed to lose weight, so this should be easy, but it's not and I can't work out why.

I am 40. 5ft 5 and 12.7 stone. I want to be 10.7 stone ideally.

TIA for any help/advice

I hear you OP. I’m 41, 5 foot 6, weight fluctuates but early 11 stones, and I aim for 1500 calories. I feel starving on that. I do work out a fair bit (4 workouts a week, mix of running or weights, but it’s quick 30-45 minute sessions, I’m not doing mammoth calorie burning sessions, just active).

When I was younger and a size 8 I would eat 1200 calories to lose weight. I would not survive on that now, 15-1600 is a struggle!

I also want to be 10.7 stone so we are fairly similar. That was my happy weight where I felt slim and as if I looked good in my clothes but could still have the odd weekend treat.

Hi I'm currently maintaining for the last 14 months after loosing over 4st.
I follow Nutracheck, calories based ,bus so easy to follow.

Are you drinking lots and lots of water ?

Your stats give a daily calorie requirements to maintain weight of 2000 to 2200 per day, depending on how fast you do those steps! So you have room to up your calories to 1500- 1700 and still see a good steady loss.
You're feeling rubbish because you're going too low.

yes, trying to!

sorry I don't know what you mean? are you saying 1600 is too low?

1600 doesn’t seem that low for your weight and height and exercise level, and the food looks ok so I guess there is something else going on ?

Are you sugar sensitive? Because then fruit and honey and white carbs might be giving you surges

or just under the weather this week ?

See i could not work out doing this, no way! I think i'd pass out!

I'd be starving too, I need fruit or veg between meals to keep me going if i hit at least 10k steps a day (and some of that is usually at a higher intensity than just walking)

The calculator I use - assuming the the steps is minimal exercise which is sounds to me - says weight gain on 2000

No, not that I know of. I don't get it! I feel good as well. just don't understand why my body is struggling so much. Unless it needs more time!

Could you add some snacks during the day to keep you going between meals? Cucumber slices with little cubes of cheese would be fairly low calorie and give protein, or carrot and pepper sticks, a piece of fruit.

Can you incorporate some oats into your breakfast to provide you with some more energy?

So more of a, little bit here and there approach? I could try that (think ill still be ravenous though) but an idea thank you

ah so the fruit yoghurt thing I have a seed and oat mix at the bottom so it does have a little bit of oats already. perhaps porridge would be a better breakfast idea...

The consensus here though is that I should be able to manage on this though right? I am not dangerously depriving my body or anything? (Which is what it feels like!!😂)

I misread and thought you were eating 1200, which is too low. If you're feeling unwell on 1600 that may also be too low.
Why not try having a cooked chicken breast in the fridge, and eating a chunk of that when you start to flag? Or if like me, you don't eat meat, then peanut butter with veg sticks.

Could be an option. You'd probably still want to have some protein though, as that can stave off hunger for a bit longer too.

I mean, if it's making you feel weak, you might want to have a little something between meals, like fruit, nuts or tea/coffee with some kind of milk. You shouldn't have to endure feeling like crap!

Ah I see. Yes I am feeling unwell and it's unexpected tbh. Ok that's actually a really good idea. Thanks!

Thank you. I'll give it a few more days, but maybe more little and often and some snacks. Think i'll change breakfast to porridge too for now. I'll have to up it if i feel like this next week, no way could I carry on!

so annoyed with myself!

Calories should be calculated based on how much energy you'll be using for each day, so each day will be different.

Of course it needs more time! You only started on Monday and it will take at least 2 weeks, often longer to adjust to a lower calorie regine.

You get used to it!

I eat similar to you - yoghurt and granola for breakfast (7am), nuts for a snack mid-morning (11am), lunch is either soup and bagel or veg/rice/meat leftovers (home cooked healthy) and fruit (1pm) then dinner I cook a healthy meal (7pm). I don't snack in the evening but do have a glass of wine or a hot chocolate. I'm 5ft11 and mid 40s. I'm on my feet all day and do about 12k to 15k steps. I also do kick boxing twice a week.

I used to work shift work in a factory and it took me AGES to get used to the pattern of not eating for 4 hours at a time as you couldn't leave your station. I would be counting down the minutes until I could have a break and eat! After a few weeks I realised I wasn't starving any more and my body adjusted to the gaps between eating.

Just give your body far more time to adjust.

Ok thank you 😀