Hi Vicki ~ I hope you'll help to keep our team humming! Research shows that people who connect with others - for example, reading and posting on message boards - are much more likely to stick with their programs and reach their goals.
About your food plan ~ I'm not a dietician, but from my experience and what I've read, I strongly recommend you eat a higher number of calories each day - much higher. It will help you stay on track and reach your nutritional goals; but most of all, you need more food (fuel) for your basic well-being and health.
Experts say the absolute minimum ANY woman should eat is 1200 calories a day; otherwise, your metabolism will be affected. Your body will go into "starvation mode," slowing down its fat-burning process, and holding on to as much fat as possible. However, when you do eat more, your body doesn't return to its original metabolism, but stays slowed down. This is why people who Yo-Yo Diet find it harder and harder to lose weight.
Staying as low as 1400 calories a day simply isn't enough for your body to function. The minimum a person needs at your weight - even at a low level of fitness - is 2000 calories. That doesn't even take into account the calories burned during exercise. Although, how many calories we "burn" even at the highest cardio are low in comparison to what our bodies need just to breathe, sleep, sit up, stand up, talk, eat and digest.
Here's a coincidence: we're EXACTLY the same age AND weight!
Over the past three years, I've slowly reduced my daily calorie goal from 2800 to 2300, dropping 100 calories every 6-9 months. In that time, I've gone from 297# to 254# - not in a straight line, but fairly consistently. This is what I mean by taking it slow. If I didn't have the freedom and flexibility to eat naturally, and work in splurges (which are also very natural), I know I would gained instead - as I did 6 years straight before Spark.
For portion control, as well as learning the nutritional content of your food, the nutrition tracker makes it easy. Every day, I try to get to the food tracker around Dinner. I enter my food-so-far, so I can see where I stand. This helps me to choose my food for the rest of the day. I see what I need, and experiment with different combinations of what I'd like to eat (and have in the kitchen) to reach my daily goals. This gives ME the "Power"!
For example, if I need more calcium and protein, but have enough carbs, I'll eat cottage cheese. If I need fiber, but already have enough fat, I'll eat fiber cereal with skim milk and fruit. It may seem confusing, but with practice. it comes very easily to mind. That's another thing: explore SparkPeople, and try the different sections. Don't worry about being "skillful" - there's nothing you can do that can't be undone or deleted if you want.
We talk about building a healthy lifestyle. Please ask yourself this:
Can you do what you're doing now every day for the rest of your life?
Another long post... Sorry to take up so much of your time again!
I feel adamant about knowing you can reach your goals this time;
but it's better for you to go much slower - baby steps, baby steps...
The Bottom Line is: BE KIND TO YOURSELF.
Take care, Elizabeth ~
My son Scott's memorial:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AopgOKaOUwY Co-Leader on LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN Team
"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy.
I'm telling you it's going to be worth it."
"Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
but how to dance in the rain."
| Pounds lost: 58.0 |
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