Those last few pounds

[withoutcolour]

Hi there, glad to see there's a Wellness, Diet & Fitness section.

So over the last year I lost 40 pounds, which I'm very proud of. I'm 4'9 and I now weigh 127 lbs.
My dilemma is as such: I want to lose around 15-17 more pounds, and I know it sounds unhealthy to weight 110 lbs, but I'm very short, haha.
I currently eat around 1000-1200 calories a day and I power-walk on the treadmill 45 mins around 3-4 times a week. Considering that, I should be losing weight but I'm not... I'm not sure what else I can really do. Right now, eating that few calories in a day is leaving me starving, and I do not have a lot of time to work out (I work and go to college full-time -- and meditate on the public bus ).
I guess the real question is, What can I eat that's more filling? I want to consume the correct amount of calories but I don't want to be miserable from being hungry. I usually eat healthy stuff, like fiber granola bars, fruit, rice cakes, salads with grilled chicken, yogurt, veggie stir fry with rice, eggs, english muffins, etc.
Any suggestions so I can reach my goal weight?

Metta,
-wc

[Mukunda]

You could be eating too little. Often when caloric intake falls below 1200 calories per day, the body compensates by slowing down the metabolism. I suggest consulting with a nutrition or weight loss specialist.

[Ben]

Hi withoutcolour

Try decreasing your intake of carbohydrates and slightly increasing your protein intake.
And as Mukunda suggested, anything you do should be in accordance with the advice of a dietitian.
Kind regards

Ben

[withoutcolour]

Thank you for your fast replies!!

Two things.
1. I eat a lot of small meals during the day to keep my metabolism up. But I still end up with stomach pain
2. I can't really afford to go to a dietician. I don't know how much they cost, but I'm assuming my meager $200/wk paycheck won't cut it. Haha.

Anyway... thanks so much for your advice, both of you.
Just as a little update: I ate a little more for breakfast than I normally do. I try to eat an egg in the morning, because I read in a few different sources that if you eat an egg for breakfast you are less likely to overeat during the rest of the day. So today's breakfast was: 2 eggs, a wheat english muffin with low-fat vegetable cream cheese, and a 100-calorie cup of blueberry yogurt. Yum yum.
Time to hit the treadmill!!

-wc

[withoutcolour]

Another update:
I tried to eat more than I normally do and gained a little weight back. Ooops!
That also may be attributed to the fact that I was terribly stressed out the last two weeks and didn't have a lot of time to work out.
Back to the drawing board I guess!

[Ben]

Hi Withoutcolour
Sorry I haven't been back to check on your progress. My experience with health and nutrition is that often, two steps forward - one step back!
Keep gping!
A couple of pointers that you might find beneficial...
- reduce your consumption of animal-based fats
- A high protein breakfast will give you that sense of fullness that will keep you going during the day.
- reduce your intake of carbohydrates, particularly simple carbs like white flour, pasta and sugar
- Live by the maxim of having a breakfast fit for a king, a prince's lunch and in the evening, a pauper's dinner.
- Don't eat after 7.30PM.
Take care and don't forget to exercise!
metta

Ben

[withoutcolour]

Thanks for your reply.
It made me feel better when you said that nutrition is often "two steps forward one step back." Back on the horse, I guess!

Also, I think it might be a cool idea to find a way for other people who are attempting to get fit to post their progress too. Hmmm

-wc

[Vardali]

I just wanted to second what Ben is saying, especially regarding the carbs (pasta, bread, potatoes etc).
I found for everything goes well as long as I stay away from that stuff If you have to eat them, though, avoid them in the afternoon/evening.
Mind you, this is just my personal observation, I am no expert.

Good luck with those last few pounds

[withoutcolour]

Thanks Vardali!
I need all the advice I can get.

I'm trying to work out more often, and I'm eating more protein-rich foods, so I'll keep ya guys informed.

[shadowmib]

Have you considered weight lifting to increase your lean muscle mass? The more LMM you have, the more calories you will burn even at rest. Something to check into that a friend of mine suggested is using a kettlebell. It looks sort of like a cannonball with a handle.



Since you are so busy, this is a nice little think that you can bring with you and use during the downtimes, since it is so compact. When you are waiting on the bus, just pull out the kettlebell and work out with it. Just carrying around the extra 10-15 pounds should build a little muscle.

[withoutcolour]

shadow

its funny that you say that because i have a few weights that ive stashed at work and lift weights when things are slow haha

and im actually losing weight now, woo hoo

[questforstarfish]

Lentils, beans and chickpeas, my friend! Those 3 can be made into butter chicken chickpeas, various salads and indian/middle eastern foods, daal, vegetarian chili...they're crazy-cheap, healthy as can be and very hearty and filling with a minimal amount of saturated fats and a high amount of protein. I have just started cooking with them recently and have fallen in love