Worried about the calories

Hi,


I posted a thread some time back saying I had lost a substantial amount of weight. Of course I am happy about it, but I am terrified of putting it back on again.


I lost a lot of it by exercising and limiting the amount of sugar, salt, fat and carb intake per day. A month back, I slowly introduced all these things into my diet but in small quantities.


But iI noticed that I would leave those bad foods on my plate and not eat them and each time I even THINK about eating something, my immediate reaction is NO NO NO! WORKED SOO HARD TO GET IT OFF!


Actually I wanted to know if someone can tell me what is the calorie content of a salad for example- I believe if I understand the nutritional value of the foods, I will not be giving myself such a hard time.


Here are the things I eat in a day:


Breakfast: 1 toast & smoothie (65 calories)


Lunch: Green Salad with meat (either 4 small slices of grilled chicken or 4 medium slices of smoked salamon)


Afternoon: 2 tbsp of hummus dip (no oil) & carrot sticks (x6-8) & half an orange + half a grapefruit


Dinner: Either 3 tbsp of rice w/. steamed or stir fried veggies (maximum of half tsp oil) OR 5 tbsp of pasta with tomato sauce (made from fresh tomato and basil).

Ms. Pacman, I am no dietician but honestly it does not seem as though you are eating enough to meet your nutritional needs. I can certainly understand your concern about regaining the weight you so obviously worked so hard to loose but don't now go too far in the other direction and develop an eating disorder. There are websites aplenty that will give you information on calorie and nutritional values of foods. Also you can probably obtain guidance from your physician.

Thanks b&p. While I have lost a bit of weight, I doubt if anyone would believe I have an eating disorder based on my current size... but seriously, I am afraid that if I allow myself the "no no" foods once in a while, I will end up throwing it out the window and return to my peak weight (230lbs!).


My previous mistake was eating the biggest meal at dinner, and this hugely contributed in my rapid weight gain, which is why I portion control my dinner.


The strange thing is, I do not feel hungry after eating all that food in a day, which at least helps in stopping my snacking.


I know all of this sounds very silly. I am not looking to be skinny like a stick. In fact I like the curves I've got now. I just don't think I can bear being heavier again. It was a painful experience once already, I am not prepared to go through it a secong time.

Will second the suggestion to speak to dietician, especially if you think you will want to continue to lose weight. I can say, as a biologist, that eating such a small amount of food for very long is likely to send your body into "starvation mode" where your metabolism slows down considerably, and that will make further weight loss MUCH more difficult. And until you can see somebody with more training than me, I'd suggest adding significantly more fruits and veggies of various kinds -- they are high in vitamins, fiber and water, so will help with the weight loss while making sure that you're not depriving yourself of necessary vitamins.

Congratulations on losing weight through diet and exercise!


To keep those pounds away, introduce more variety of healthy food into your diet, and an occasional "treat" will not send you back to your previous weight. Being obsessive with your caloric intake packs some negative emotion (fear)about your eating habits. Relax. Eating should be a way to nourish your body, not punish your mind.


Include weight training in your exercise routine. Engage in calorie-burning activities that you enjoy--swimming, hiking, brisk-walking, badminton, tennis.. Make small lifestyle changes: instead of taking the lift, take the stairs if going up a few floors only... Carry your groceries sometimes(only if you can) instead of having them delivered. There's a lot of healthy tips in the internet that you can follow like this one:


http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=69


And lastly, enjoy! Life is more than just counting calories. Stay positive :)

I don't think she starved, Cara. She ate/eats 4 small meals during the day, and is comprised of good choices--some protein, carbs, fiber, but unfortunately, no fat. It's the amount and frequency of what she's eating that's inadequate.


True, her diet doesn't seem substantial and varied enough to sustain long-term..and does not provide enough energy if she exercises..I just felt that congratulations are in order because it's a mean feat to lose the weight she did without resorting to pills, starvation (going WITHOUT food)and surgery.


But I agree with you Cara that she needs professional help to work out her issues with food, and to help her eat a nutritious, balanced meal.