Newbie struggling with Calorie target

[Rosie173]

Please I need some help........ I'm really struggling to hit the recommended calories ....... I don't eat much and I've been forcing myself to eat to get to the daily target...

I understand about eating more to lose weight, I found the video and articles really helpful, psychologically..... but physically eating that amount of food I'm really struggling, which is leading me to get stressed about hitting calorie target .... which is resulting in lacking motivation to eat...... please any help/ideas

I really need to,lose this weight and I'm trying to focus on only this week, but if I can't get through week 1 hitting daily target, I will struggle to keep motivated

[Tiggerr]

This is only your first week and there are many more to come. Try waiting to see what your first weigh in is and plan accordingly. There's no rush and I think you'll find that many people here have had to adjust as they learn what doesn't and what does work for them.

Eat what you can for now and see how you go over the next few weeks. If you find that nothing's happening then maybe take a gradual approach to trying eat a bit more over a period of time.

Don't panic. We didn't become overweight overnight so it makes sense to take a long term view to knocking it back.

Good luck!

[Rosie173 in reply to Tiggerr]

Thanks for replying, I think it hasn't helped that the few people I've chetted with this week have pulled a face at how many calories I'm eating, which set off alarm bells and I started to panic. But I found the video and article on here about eating more to lose weight, up then I was already in panic mode, which set off my anxiety around eating ....... gosh it's exhausting

I think I know most of my triggers, but it's been bugging me all day, if I don't hit my target I won't lose weight ...... which brought back memories of asking for help at SW and just being told to eat more super foods...... not helpful when I'm already struggling to eat what I'm eating,, , if that's makes sense ...

Thank you, I will see what mondays weigh in brings !

[Tiggerr in reply to Rosie173]

A lot of the people here know way more than I do and most likely have gone through more than I ever will, so what they've been saying is intrinsically the way to go. But like I said there's no rush to get this spot on in double quick time. In fact I reckon that personally I've made huge changes almost every week as I keep re-evaluating what's working and what isn't.

I also think that JiminyCricket has a good valid point about moving to more calorie dense foods. If you don't feel you can go down that road now then at least bear it in mind for later on, if nothing has changed.

[George56 in reply to Rosie173]

Good luck & one week at a time. I'm sure you can get there with the support of the group. Best wishes from G☺

[JiminyCricket 7lbs]

Perhaps you could try to find meals which are small but calorie dense - things like nuts or avocados are full of goodness and will boost your vitamin/mineral intake as well.

But don't get stressed as that wont help at all - just see how things roll this week, and get into the habit of counting calories and writing everything down. Lose or gain, that isn't time wasted - if you have an accurate and honest food diary for the week you can see where you can make adjustments and get the numbers right for you. Its not a race.

[Rosie173 in reply to JiminyCricket]

Thanks that's a really good idea, I will investigate further on that idea.

I've been using My Fitness Pal, which has been great for recording everything,

thanks for the advice xx

[nteapea]

Do you enjoy cooking? The Hairy dieters are great cook books and they do recipes for breakfast lunch and dinner which taste great but would help you to achieve your calorie goals.

[Ceals in reply to nteapea]

I really like the Hairy Dieter cook books too, so many nice things that are really tasty. Well worth checking out.

[Rosie173 in reply to nteapea]

I really don't, I find food a stressful topic in general and get overwhelmed unsleeping it's very simple and basic, also vegitarian and limit dairy and wheat/gluten due to ibs issues.

Eating is pretty much a chore to me, equated to filling the car with preto. I can identify when it happened and I've just muddled along really ever since, eating begrudgingly, knowing I have to and not really enjoying it.

[nteapea in reply to Rosie173]

That is tough, have you thought about talking to someone about it? I completed a course of CBT recently and it really helped me with some stress and anxiety issues😀 For now follow moreless advice as they are really simple tips for bulking up the calories. Let us know how you get on 😀

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi Rosie,

I'm probably one of the biggest advocates of eating enough calories and apologise if I've added to your stress, but JiminyCricket has absolutely hit the nail on the head, by suggesting calorie dense foods. Here are some simple examples

1 tablespoons olive oil - 120 cals

2 tablespoons double cream - 102

25g cheddar cheese - 100 cals

1/2 large avocado - 180 cals

That's 500 extra calories, for very little volume of food.

I hope this helps to alleviate some of your stress, but remember, baby steps

[Rosie173 in reply to moreless]

Not at all! It's me, I overthink things then panic that I will crash in a couple of weeks and not continue and go back to 1meal and a couple of snacks, which I know is not good for me and I really don't want to spiral into that pattern anymore.

Thank you, I will be looking at meals later, and yes I think JiminyCricket has hit in a great way forward for me xx

[Minniewinny 5 stone Maintainer]

Cheering you on Rosie173 , whatever recipe you choose... try to focus on the joy of preparing, cooking and eating your allowance with the suggestions made here... you will be a dab hand very soon and shrinking nicely... Keep going... We are all here cheering you on... 🎉🎉🎉

[George56 in reply to Minniewinny]

Hi Minnie. Good afternoon & hope you are doing well today. I'm very happy with the weight loss on Saturday. Probably just fluid! Got my 7lbs. Badge. Loads of support. Even my daughter is giving me a well done for walking around yesterday. Can't buy the support we get from the group. ☺ Happy Sunday.☺

[lucigret]

Hi Rosie173 , I have had long conversation with moreless today regarding upping my calories, I found it quite frightening to think I would be eating such a huge volume of food, but I now realise that it doesn't take much to up them. I am going to have butter on my bread again instead of margarine and I won't be frightend to have an egg fried in olive oil instead of 'dry' frying now and again. It also means that I can have more nuts, such as almonds or cashews. This will be a scary week for me, so maybe we can try it together and see how we go. If your struggling, keep posting and you will get loads of support to keep you motivated. Good luck

[Rosie173 in reply to lucigret]

Yes lucigret that would be great. I feel like I'm just splashing around not really sure what I'm doing/ if I'm doing the right thing .... and it just takes one person to say, oh you shouldn't be doing that and it sets my alarms and self doubt off!!

[lucigret in reply to Rosie173]

I know the feeling, I will ask moreless to send you the link she sent me yesterday. You may have to read it several times! I had a whole conversation with her in a post called feel good Friday weigh in, yesterday. If you scroll down through the posts you'll see a green frog, click on that and scroll down through the messages, quite a long way through, you will see our conversation, you may find it a useful read. I will also follow you, feel free to message me if you want to.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to lucigret]

Here's the link to the Friday weigh-in and the other link you were wanting, lucigret

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

phcuk.org/wp-content/upload...

[lucigret in reply to moreless]

Thank you @moreless, must learn how to do links! Rosie173 it's all here

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to lucigret]

To do links, lucigret, you need to

right click on the URL (the long list of words and numbers at the top of the page, which on the site starts, healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

choose 'copy link address'

click where you're wanting it to go

right click

choose paste

there's your link!

Hope that helps

[George56 in reply to moreless]

T M I. 🤗 I'm to slow with all the technical stuff! Rather be out in the field. I'm trying hard to learn though. Even at college I struggled. Get some practice on the laptop. Thanks Moreless for putting up with me! 🙂G

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to George56]

George, we all have to learn and, believe me, I'm a technical numpty too!

It's definitely easier on a laptop, than on a phone!

Together we'll get there

[George56 in reply to lucigret]

Well done for helping out. I do miss a fried egg! I'm looking at the posts & great to see the support from all & the Admin. Are fab. One day I hope to get a go on the iPad but the girls are on all the time! Lol. Have a great Sunday. 🙂G

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to George56]

There's nothing wrong with a fried egg, George!