Dieting is horrendous

[SassyLemonFish]

Just looking for sympathy really.

I’ve a bmi of 28. I need to lose a lot of weight. For the last two weeks I’ve been good but MY GOD the hunger and sheer depressing nature of it all. My BMR is only 1600. Sticking to 1000 or less is so hard.

My husband, on the other hand, seems to have no hunger and amazing self control. Last night he ate a single sweet potato and declared that as his dinner. His BMR is 2700. I can see him visibly changing before my eyes.

I guess I’m just jealous.

That's impossible unless you are 4 foot 3 tall

1600 calories a day is also 'dieting' inasmuch as dieting means eating in a calorie deficit. You don't have to be starving to lose weight.

You're eating far too little, that is not sustainable. You should focus on what you are eating rather than calories. Cut out all ultra processed food. Lots of salads, veg, wholegrains, lean meat and fish.

Eating less than 1200 calories a day isn't advised. I don't know your individual statistics of course, but I suspect you'll struggle to maintain even if you do succeed in losing weight on such a restrictive diet.

I really love the advice to “just exercise more”.
With what time? OP may already have her days full (like me) or being tested for various health issues (like me) or just not be very fit at all and finds exercise even worse than dieting.
I personally am struggling through the Same hell to try and get my hysterectomy - except with my meds I’m so incredibly tired. I fall asleep at 8pm in my dinner plate!

Why on earth would you think the medication decimates your muscle and reduces your bmr. Surely even common sense would tell you it’s your diet not the drugs and you’re in the process of doing that right now.

how odd,

That's bollocks. My BMI would be 28 if I weighed 11st 9lbs. I'd be 18 lbs above the top end of the Normal BMI range. I am a lot taller than 4'3".

I lost over 5 stone easily on Slimming World- you never go hungry honestly it’s a great way to change your way of eating- low fat, lots of fruit and vegetables.

Good luck with learning to live with hunger and cravings 24/7. I’ve tried it for years on and off and it’s bloody miserable.

18lbs isn't 11lbs 😕

I am 5’3 and weigh 10 stone 11lbs. Healthy weight is around 8 to 10 stone or thereabouts. So just under a stone overweight.

Strength training boosts metabolism (and prevents muscle loss, obviously). Anyone dieting, whether in the traditional way or by using WLIs should also be doing strength training IMO.

Your BMI is 26.8 not 28

I just checked and it would appear you’re right. I don’t think I’ve had that since I was 20!

I hear you

1,000 a day, you must be miserable. But you can eat and still lose weight without the hunger. Vegetables are pretty much superb, fill you up, gives you vitamins and can pad out lots of meals. When I want to lose weight, I do things like have dips for tea, lots of raw veggies, salsa and a little sour cream. Or make a vegetarian chilli (which is so nice) or veggie curry. All that munching works. And I keep away from all sugar, with the exception of a banana as they are filling.
I also add beans for protein. Beans on toast, 2 pieces, no butter and it's about 350 calories and it's a fairly filling lunch.

Drink loads. Takes away any hunger pangs. Tea/coffee, sugar-free squash, water. But to be honest, I'd rather eat a bit more than your 1,000 a day but get out and get moving. Nice stomp around the neighbourhood, maybe dance in the lounge to fav music for an LP's worth (40-odd mins), do gardening and of course, other proper exercises if you have the energy.

have you tried slimming world? my mum and dh are doing well on it.

Thank you for all the comments.

If I ate 1600, then I’d lose nothing,because that’s what my body needs to maintain. I do mix in intermittent fasting, so that on the odd meal I can feel relatively normal. I also walk lots, to try to counter my sedentary job and go to the gym a couple of times a week.

Yesterday I had 3 scrambled eggs with a bit of cheese and veg for lunch = 500 cals. Then for dinner 4 rice cakes with cheese, salad and crab sticks = 500 cals.

No alcohol currently. I do absolutely love a G&T and snacks.

No, it really isn’t. You need to change your eating habits and up your exercise.

Cut out processed foods and sugar. Up your vegetable intake. Stick to protein and lean meats.

Cut out oily stuff.

I think sometimes it's the food that you eat as well which make it hared. You say had cheese twice yesterday - but I personally find I can't eat a lot of cheese. it's very calorific for a small amount. For the 'calorie cost' of say 1x cheese sandwich, I could have = 1 x tuna and salad sandwich or 1 x hummous and salad sandwich, bowl of raspberries, a yoghurt and a piece of melon for the same calories as the cheese sandwich which then keeps me far more full and not hungry. I am a cheese fiend, I love it, but I find it's just not worth it when I can eat so much more of other stuff... It's hard to get into but the less you have, the less you want. On the odd occasion I have a cheese sandwich but generally I try to find other foods that I can have more of that fill me up.

You can still have G&Ts, have slimline tonic and stick to singles.

Stop counting calories.

Try volume eating. When I lost a lot of weight, I would add a ton of veg and fruit to my plate and it'd make me feel as if I've eaten loads. Also more protein!! E.g. scrambled eggs on a slice of toast with half a melon for brekkie. Kept me going until lunch. Butternut squash also fab and v low cal

So 1600 is your TDEE rather than your BMR?

rice cakes are not filling. Look at slimming world. No cal counting, just stick to plan, Which is generous, especially with the new changes, my husbands consultant always moaning about the WLI its scary actually how many are on this now... She is against them. Husbands work pals mum died from using them as got pancreatitis and did not recover. Look at slimming world. It does work and I am surprised how much you can eat of the right foods for health. If you are not going to then try 1300 cals as you can not function on 1000 thats not healthy!

is 1600 BMR or TDEE? you state BMR in the OP but now are saying that is maintenance. BMR is what you body needs to function not maintenance. TDEE is maintenance.

If you are walking is gym three time a week, I'd strongly suggest 1600 is not maintenance and to look at the calculations again.