Last night I was invited out to dinner amd accepted as wanted to get out and see people. Long story short we ended up at pizza hut amd went over my daily calorie allowance by 800 calories! The NHS plan says to try amd even it out by reducing your calories over the week. My daily calorie limit is 2200 (which although that sounds a lot is right at the bottom of my recommended range and I would struggle to eat less than that). I get quite hungry on less than 2100.
My question is, am I better trying to restrict myself over the Easter weekend and balance it out or just call it a bad day, draw a line under it and remember for next time?
All depends on if you really need to lose weight or if you are happy the way you are. Most of us feel hungry even when we eat whatever we want, whenever we want you have to make a choice. that is a load of calories for a diet though, may be wrong anyone else comment on 2100 dieting. Sorry you may be a chap but still high.
Just a thought, hunger happens because your system says feed me, but it may not really need feeding, it could be a glucose drop to normal levels. Plus there are ways to eat loads of food to keep your tummy and system full, that do not involve high calorie foods. Veg and lean protein will make your hunger slow down.
My allowance on the BMI chart also recommends around 2,000 a day. I have been getting by on between 1400-1600 with the occassional blip where I go just over 2,000.
Maybe it is the type of food you are having? I would draw a line under it and go back to normal, as long as you have been losing weight that is fine.
Well if it is week one and you hit pizza hut then don't be surprised that you did not lose anything I would start again, re-look at what you are eating that makes up your daily allowance and start to plan your meals.
Are you snacking between meals and if so what are these snacks? Add everything up with no cheating. I started at 17-12 and have managed to not feel hungry at all on around 1600 calories a day and have now lost two stones in ten weeks.
Try reducing your calories on a couple of days in the week to make sure you are OK?
It is too early to give up just look back at what you have eaten during the first week and write everything down in a diary too, I don't use any apps etc just manually work everything out and record it.
Good luck Natz, the 12 week plan does work you just need to make sure you are following it properly.
If you're only on Week 1 , and not lost any weight yet, I'd say forget that pizza and just start again. But do re-check your BMR , the level you state sounds more like a maintenance level to me, not a level required to actually lose weight. Lots of us swear by the "myfitnesspal " app, for our calorie calculations.
But if you find it really hard to eat less, just aim to reduce by 100 cals per day next week, then maybe 200 less the week after .... and, as said by others above, find filling high protein foods that aren't high calorie eg: a 3 egg omelette filled with chopped veggies would be a satisfying breakfast, lunch or supper for about 350cals.
Maybe try and do some exercise to combat the overeating, which BTW we all do at times - so don't beat yourself up about it.
Instead of eating something if you feel hungry why not try a glass of water first as your body might need that? Our bodies sometimes send out wrong messages when we diet!
myfitnesspal.com has a very extensive database of food, shop and home cooked. They also have a diary for you to fill in if it suits you.
It was certainly an eyeopener for me. I found that I was underestimating how calorific some foods were and was also eating too much fruit - taking me over the sugar allowance!
Another thing is weigh yourself once a week with the same clothes and at the same time of day to get a more accurate idea of how you are progressing
Take one day at a time - see the Pizza treat as a blip. After a while what is a day at a time will become the norm.
Good Luck !
I know 2200 calories sounds a lot but it is what both the NHS and MFP recommend for me, and I have lost weight at that amount previously. Any lower and I think I would struggle to stick with it as I'm used to eating 3000 - 3500 calories a day roughly so this is already a massive drop, which I think is why I'm feeling hungry all the time. I think the bottom line is I'm very overweight with a lot to lose so I can have a high calorie amount. If it doesn't work I will of course drop down.
I think you are right. if you are already cutting down drastically from you previous calorie level, then you need to leave some leeway for when you lose weight and may well plateau.
Then you can start to reduce. Try not to get hungry though as this will make it harder. Factor healthy snacks into your calorie limit.
treat the pizza as a blip & ignore it. I know some people look at the calories of restaurant chain foods and decide what they are having first. I tend not to, which is ok as long as you are not eating out too often.
I find it usually takes me a couple of weeks to settle into the lower calorie amount. My stomach is rumbling quite a lot until it gets used to the idea of less food/calories and gives up. I try to distract myself or have a drink of water (as others have said) and usually after a bit it stops. How about chewing sugar free gum? If we go out for a meal we usually try to go to a restaurant where I know I can get some lower calorie options and if its pizza then Pizza Express do a great menu called Leggera which gives you all lighter options (pizza, pasta and a couple of puddings!) most of the mains in the Leggera range are about 500 calories. Do what will work best for you. Easter can be tricky if you are off work or visiting friends/family and with all the extra food about. I would suggest just try to keep within your daily allowance and get your body used to that amount. Maybe try to do some extra exercise over the weekend to counteract the Pizza Hut extra calories. Hope that helps a bit, good luck.
I find the best motivation is the monday weigh in. It makes you stick to sensible foods and aim for something that is there to remind you and for everyone to see. You say very overweight, alot of us are on here, or where. You also have to make sure when you checked your BMR you truthfully put down your activity level. I know that using that check I would have gained weight because it was more calories than I would normally consume.
Please try and tell yourself, until you believe it, if you have eaten a meal with lean protein and lots of veg (not many starchy ones, pref non) you cannot feel hungry, your body has loads of stores that you are trying to use up by dieting that is what the fat stores are for. Drink lots of fluid, munch on a carrot, celery because if that does not stop the hunger then its not about your body saying hungry, its your brain saying you are hungry.
Above all its not going to kill you if you do feel hungry. Because of your high calorie intake pre diet, you have the potential to diet and get all the nutrients you need on 1600 and lose that weight fast especially at the start to give yourself a bit of motivation.
You can do this, you will do this, there is no option not to succeed.
Onwards and downwards
Thanks to everyone who's commented. This forum is exactly the kind of support i needed
I would draw a line under the day and stick to my calorie limit for the rest of the week.
Mmmmm, pizza.....
Does Pizza Hut show the calorific content of foods? That's something I've found very very helpful when I've been out. It's amazing the variations between different types of meals.
Welcome to the forum, and it's great to see you've had lots of great replies already. I'd like to give you the link to the Welcome Newbie post too, as it has lots of great information in it, and also you can read about the various challenges and also the Monday group weigh-in sessions too.
I hope you'll join in anything that you like the look of.
Have a lovely weekend.
Lowcal
Update: This week I think my appetite has adjusted amd I only seem to need 1500ish calories if I just eat when I'm hungry and stop when full. However, the NHS recommends I eat 1900-2400 calories per day ... What do you recommend I do?
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
feeling a bit disheartened given I'm only on week 1
Calorie placement
Calorie counting 
Confused about calorie allowance
Calorie counting
Newbie struggling with Calorie target
