Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I just recently started trying to lose weight. I have about 20 lbs to lose.
I am counting calories and exercising. I did a couple calculations and found that I should be consuming about 1600 calories to be in a deficit.
At first I thought that sounded pretty good, but holy hell I am STARVING!
I am eating the proper food, no white stuff, no sugar, eating protein, carb, and a veggie at every meal. I am staying away from processed food, so the actual meals I am eating are healthy but the amount of food seems impossible to maintain.
I go to bed hungry and between my afternoon snack and dinner feels like eternity.
So I guess what I am getting at is, Does losing weight have to involve being hungry?
Will my body get used to less food?
Sorry for the long winded post, but hey I guess it's better that I am typing instead of eating! LOL!
I would recalculate. 1600 cals seems way too low. What is your activity level?
Up until recently I was sitting all day at my desk job. I am now walking at but that's about it for now.
In the next couple weeks I will add in resistance training with my own body weight as well as free weights.
Up until recently I was sitting all day at my desk job. I am now walking at but that's about it for now.
In the next couple weeks I will add in resistance training with my own body weight as well as free weights.
The sooner you add resistance training the better.
Quote:
What calculation would you recommend?
Trial and error: restructure your meals and reduce their size a bit. Continue to shrink your meals until you start seeing results. 1600 cals is very low. For your own sake, increase your activity level so you won't have to even drop calories all that much.
The sooner you add resistance training the better.
Trial and error: restructure your meals and reduce their size a bit. Continue to shrink your meals until you start seeing results. 1600 cals is very low. For your own sake, increase your activity level so you won't have to even drop calories all that much.
Are you male or female?
Well 1600 sure feels low!
Here are my stats:
Female, Ht 5'8", Wt 150
I also have a small frame and don't tend to carry my weight well.
Goal Wt. 135 give or take, really it's more about clothing size and looks for me.
I'm not suggesting you do a full on Atkins diet or anything, but protein and fat leave you less hungry, and they can still be considered healthy, like almonds or avocado for fat and turkey or salmon for protein.
They fill you up without adding too many calories to your diet.
The problem with salads is that they offer very little in terms of actual nutrition. Then, most people smother their salad with dressing that is not very healthy as well. I think most women at the beginning of their "get in shape" phase tend to think "I'll just have a salad" and not realizing that their body needs more to run.
If I must eat a salad, this is what my salads are made of:
Baby organic Spinach
Raw organic trail mix with craisins sprinkled on top
Half or a quarter of a grapefruit
Lemon pepper seasoning
This is a healthy salad. Not the crappy empty non-nutritional stuff made with iceberg lettuce, ranch dressing, bacon bits, etc.
The problem with salads is that they offer very little in terms of actual nutrition. Then, most people smother their salad with dressing that is not very healthy as well. I think most women at the beginning of their "get in shape" phase tend to think "I'll just have a salad" and not realizing that their body needs more to run.
If I must eat a salad, this is what my salads are made of:
Baby organic Spinach
Raw organic trail mix with craisins sprinkled on top
Half or a quarter of a grapefruit
Lemon pepper seasoning
This is a healthy salad. Not the crappy empty non-nutritional stuff made with iceberg lettuce, ranch dressing, bacon bits, etc.
I'm not talking salads the way that most people, well Americans (nothing personal) seem to mean salad.
Warm salads are huge here. I'll often make asian salad and then add sliced grilled meat to it.
My favorite has bean shoots, coriander leaves, grated carrot, julienne cucumber, vietnamese basil leaves and a small handful of crushed, roasted peanuts. I dress it with fresh lime juice and sometimes a little sprinkle of fish sauce and a small dash of oil, usually a good quality sesame oil. And then slice up chicken grilled with asian 5 spice sprinkled on. It's yum. If you manage a big plate of that, it's very tasty, good for you, and very filling. I keep the chicken at a regular serving of course. Well tossed the flavors are great and it's really no hardship to eat.
And of course there's always the standard greek style salad, with lettuce, capsicum, cucumber, kalamata olives and fresh sweet tomato drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We have that a couple of times a week. If the pasta we are having is vegetarian I usually add a small amount of crumbled low fat fetta to the salad.
Anyway, I didn't mean having the salad instead of, I meant have the salad as well as your protein, carbs and good fats. Oh and fruit of course!
The baby spinach sounds good, but I usually save the baby spinach salad for when I'm having grilled tasmanian salmon. Diced tomato and baby spinach, sliced baby mushrooms and crumbled grilled salmon with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and lots of cracked black pepper and I'm happy. Actually now that you mention it, that would taste awesome with pink grapefruit segments added! Thanks DeBeez!
I love salads and can't ever think up enough ways to make salad!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
