annmarie1987's Journal, 16 Nov 15

I'd wait, I found losing the last couple of lbs really tricky. I did cheat more at weekends though lol, might have something to do with it.  

I agree yeah need to wait till I get there. Just lad year everytime I would lose id get over confident and eat whatever and put bk on. I'm more determined this year. I want to be at my target by christmas. Think I'm being unrealistic that I wont gain over Christmas so need to stay with dieting till after and then worry about maintenance xx 

try and gradually increase calories while watching your weight and appetite. If you starve, add 50 calories and increase exercise. If you think it is enough, simply adjust your calorie intake-burn ratio 

Thank you 😊 I used to exercise every other day but try and do a bit each day now I have an exercise bike. Weekends are hardest and I live by so many take aways  

In my opinion, you should always listen to your body! It will tell you exactly what it needs, may it be more calories or exercise. Avoid excess salt consumption and eat in moderation when hungry. 100 cal. snacks between meals usually work! What I do is to start my day with 200 cal at 8.00, 100 cal. snack at around 11, another 100 at 13, lunch of 450 at 16, snack again at around 19 (100 cal), dinner at 500 cal. and a small snack before bed 100 cal. again! Totally usually around 1600-1800. Plus, you don't HAVE to have a steady intake, on the contrary! Keep some variety :) Hope it helps 

Thinks that where I go wrong I don't snack and probably over eat when I do eat because been hungry before meals. I will add snacks in-between to slowly increase cals and help with hunger. I used to eat 6 smaller meals but gave up I need to tho k of it as healthy way of life and not diet 

Yes, the thing is never to get too hungry- when in starvation mode, your body also resists in weight loss as it thinks you are trying to commit suicide and/or dying out of hunger. Be careful- after all you want the results to last. 

Thank you yes that my biggest fear is that I will put it on. I have added a snack in and instead fruit after meals in going to have them as snacks to eat more often is it every 3 hours that is recommended? 

calculate tdee of lean mass, that will show you where intakes should be. don't listen to your body's pathetic attempts to tell you that you need food. You know more than it does. 

The rule is to not stay hungry- try to eat at least every 5 hours. That will depend on your daily schedule and needs. For me, every 2-4 hours works best, but it is due to the fact that I work in an office where I can snack often, so it helps a lot. I would suggest, without being an expert, to prefer veggies and fruit rather than processed carbs, low fat dairy and some healthy fat and fiber. Here are a few 100 cal (or less) snack ideas: 1 medium egg, hard-boiled with some salt and pepper and a small tomato 1 apple with 1 almond half a cup of fat free yogurt with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey 1 zucchini with 1 slice of low fat cheese 1 whole wheat bread slice with 1 tbs of low fat spread cheese 1 prune and 2 walnuts 1 pancake made with 2 egg whites, 1 tbs of oat bran, 1 tbs greek yogurt and some spices salad made with 1 cucumber peeled, 1 tomato, 1 green pepper and basil 30g gummy bears 20g of dark chocolate 2 gingerbread cookies 25g of oatmeal cooked with stevia and cinnamon (you will need around 1/2 cup of water) 1 apple with 1 slice of smoked turkey 10 peanuts 1 glass skimmed milk with 1 tbs cocoa powder and stevia Does it help? About gaining weight, don't worry. If you do not consume excess calories, it's not possible to gain weight. Also, first of all your metabolism has changed, so your body will keep burning fat if you exercise often, and, second, you need to keep that weight, so you must, eventually, adapt to this new lifestyle. You cannot be on a diet for the rest of your life! Maintain a healthy meal plan routine and everything will be great. And don't forget to give yourself small treats- may it be some chocolate or even a small brownie from time to time, a slice of pizza or some chips- ALWAYS in moderation 

thank you so much