I'm 5'2" and eat anywhere between 1600-2200 calories a day. If you're trying to get skinny, starve yourself. But if you're trying to be fit, you need to eat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm short and gain weight if I eat much more than 1300 calories a day.

Try giving up most carbs, all sugar and most dairy. Eat mostly meat and vegetables. If you stick with that it is much easier to lose.

Guys, come on. OP feels crazy at 1700 calories a day. She's not going to cut out entire food groups, etc. That's not realistic and a recipe for yo yo'ing.

OP, find lower calorie (but not processed) filling snacks. Apples. Eggs. Grilled chicken. TONS of water (seltzer is ok too, and VERY filling). Eventually you'll figure out how to be full with fewer calories.

Yup, that's my fear also. Less food I can do. No dairy I cannot.

Anonymous wrote:I'm short and gain weight if I eat much more than 1300 calories a day.

Try giving up most carbs, all sugar and most dairy. Eat mostly meat and vegetables. If you stick with that it is much easier to lose.

Guys, come on. OP feels crazy at 1700 calories a day. She's not going to cut out entire food groups, etc. That's not realistic and a recipe for yo yo'ing.

OP, find lower calorie (but not processed) filling snacks. Apples. Eggs. Grilled chicken. TONS of water (seltzer is ok too, and VERY filling). Eventually you'll figure out how to be full with fewer calories.

I'm short and gain weight if I eat much more than 1300 calories a day.

Try giving up most carbs, all sugar and most dairy. Eat mostly meat and vegetables. If you stick with that it is much easier to lose.

Anonymous wrote:2000 calories is way too much for women over 35 trying to loose weight. I agree that 1700 is a lot of food, no reason to go above that. I consume about 1700 and also skip dinner several times a week, no alcohol.

It's lose, and that's not healthy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just some advice, as I'm in the throes of losing baby weight:

-Do you exercise? I work out four times a week and this activity keeps me motivated to eat well.

-Keeping busy helps me not think about food so much. As a SAHM it's easy for me to grab snacks out of boredom, but doing things like tackling little projects at home, meeting a friend, going for a walk or even just window shopping at the mall keep me distracted - and more active!

-I also struggle with a very strong sweet tooth. By gradually cutting back on sugar so that sweets and treats are only consumed on special occasions - cake at a party or dessert after a nice dinner out - it has come to lose its grasp on me.

OP here. It's very hard to exercise when I am so hungry. I'm not sure if I should eat more so that I have the energy to exercise, or continue to lay low and wait for my body to adjust to this new lower calorie intake.

Even if it's "too much" by external standards, it sounds like the current set up will cause you to crash and burn. Instead of trying to eat 1700 calories and no sugar right away, find a way to gradually reduce. One less snack today, skip dessert tomorrow, add more veggies to your meals Wednesday etc until you are able to craft the kind of daily diet that's both satiating and sustainable for weight loss.

That is a better idea. The sugar, I know, pretty much has to be cold turkey because of the addiction. It seems to be the only way to go. I'll look up some savory snacks and be on my way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just some advice, as I'm in the throes of losing baby weight:

-Do you exercise? I work out four times a week and this activity keeps me motivated to eat well.

-Keeping busy helps me not think about food so much. As a SAHM it's easy for me to grab snacks out of boredom, but doing things like tackling little projects at home, meeting a friend, going for a walk or even just window shopping at the mall keep me distracted - and more active!

-I also struggle with a very strong sweet tooth. By gradually cutting back on sugar so that sweets and treats are only consumed on special occasions - cake at a party or dessert after a nice dinner out - it has come to lose its grasp on me.

OP here. It's very hard to exercise when I am so hungry. I'm not sure if I should eat more so that I have the energy to exercise, or continue to lay low and wait for my body to adjust to this new lower calorie intake.

Even if it's "too much" by external standards, it sounds like the current set up will cause you to crash and burn. Instead of trying to eat 1700 calories and no sugar right away, find a way to gradually reduce. One less snack today, skip dessert tomorrow, add more veggies to your meals Wednesday etc until you are able to craft the kind of daily diet that's both satiating and sustainable for weight loss.

Thanks all.

I'm realizing how much I relied on food to get me through the day. The constant eating gave me the energy to make it through the day with "two under two", and I need to change those habits. In the meantime, though, I'm left absolutely starving.

I have to count calories in order to make myself aware of what I am eating.

I will look into adding more protein and fat.

Any other tips on how to survive diet/eating overhaul and not lose my sanity?!?

Anonymous wrote:I could be wrong,, obviously, because I don't know you, but protein and fat and IF are only going to get you so far.

Cutting out sugar is the main cause of your lament. It is hard, but you will adjust with time.

The rest is very likely psychological. The continual thinking about food via tracking and calorie cutting leaves you feeling hungry because it's always on your mind.

Why not try just cutting your portion sizes, which you indicate was the problem. Snack all you want on vegetables and Instead of tracking, just try to reduce your normal, healthy diet and don't focus on it.

Between that and adjusting to no sugar ( and I'd you cut fruit, ass it back in to help with the added processes sugar withdrawal), I bet you'll be fine.

This is what I suspect also. I am also similar to the binge eater in the other thread. I couldn't have just one luna bar...it was 4. It took a lot to satiate me. I'm trying to break those habits.

Anonymous wrote:Just some advice, as I'm in the throes of losing baby weight:

-Do you exercise? I work out four times a week and this activity keeps me motivated to eat well.

-Keeping busy helps me not think about food so much. As a SAHM it's easy for me to grab snacks out of boredom, but doing things like tackling little projects at home, meeting a friend, going for a walk or even just window shopping at the mall keep me distracted - and more active!

-I also struggle with a very strong sweet tooth. By gradually cutting back on sugar so that sweets and treats are only consumed on special occasions - cake at a party or dessert after a nice dinner out - it has come to lose its grasp on me.

OP here. It's very hard to exercise when I am so hungry. I'm not sure if I should eat more so that I have the energy to exercise, or continue to lay low and wait for my body to adjust to this new lower calorie intake.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm a registered dietitian. Are you doing this under some sort of medical recommendation? 1700 calories is barely enough for anyone. Try bumping up to 2,000, adding in more fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Really? Us shorties (5'1") can't actually afford much more than that.

OP, I'm a registered dietitian. Are you doing this under some sort of medical recommendation? 1700 calories is barely enough for anyone. Try bumping up to 2,000, adding in more fiber, protein and healthy fats.

hey RD, my BMR is south of 1100 calories a day. So yeahno.

OP, it may just be habit. you will get used to it. the sugar weaning is hard. make sure you're eating enough fat. that helps with satiety. and, well, I just dont eat breakfast and only have one snack a day--unless going out to dinner: morning coffee and tea, then I eat a meal around 11:30 (eggs/whites, spinach, avocado, cheese omelet, or a turkey sandwich or yogurt berries and granola), small snack in the afternoon (apple and almonds for ex) only if I'm really hungry, and a light dinner (salad with salmon).occasionally a square or two of dark choclate. that's it. my vice is alchohol.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm a registered dietitian. Are you doing this under some sort of medical recommendation? 1700 calories is barely enough for anyone. Try bumping up to 2,000, adding in more fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Oh stop. Perfectly normal (and even high) baseline calories for many people.

Just some advice, as I'm in the throes of losing baby weight:

-Do you exercise? I work out four times a week and this activity keeps me motivated to eat well.

-Keeping busy helps me not think about food so much. As a SAHM it's easy for me to grab snacks out of boredom, but doing things like tackling little projects at home, meeting a friend, going for a walk or even just window shopping at the mall keep me distracted - and more active!

-I also struggle with a very strong sweet tooth. By gradually cutting back on sugar so that sweets and treats are only consumed on special occasions - cake at a party or dessert after a nice dinner out - it has come to lose its grasp on me.

^^looks.like the poster above me has the same ideas!?