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Afraid of eating 1200 calories...

The only way I have ever really been able to lose weight is by restricting my calories immensely. Yet I want to be able to eat things -- healthily, the amount that I should be, etc. But I feel guilty when I approach this goal of a healthy amount of calories -- I'm afraid that, even though others have been able to lose weight this way, since I haven't I will actually gain weight or at least stay where I am yet not tone up (which is ultimately what I would like).

Over about 2 - 3 weeks I lost close to 12 lbs. So right now my current stats are: 5'6'' -ish (maybe slightly shorter?), 19 years old in a few weeks, and about 123 lbs. I know this is a healthy weight, and I would like to stay around this. However, I'd like to tone up. Flatten my stomach more, etc. I'm paranoid, however, that by eating the 1200+ calories I know I should be eating, this goal of toning up or even losing more will be out of reach. (Yes, I know this state of mind is unrealistic...but like I said, I am paranoid.)

What should I be doing, to get over this fear, maintain or lose weight, tone up, etc? I'm so lost.

Am I reading this right?  You eat less than 1200 calories?

Did you know that when you restrict your diet that much there are serious health consequences?  Even death?

Your BMI is 19.9, which is perfect.  Your minimum, sedentary burn is 1620 and your light activity burn is 1860. If you are more active then you need even more calories.  That means, if you are eating only 1200 calories, your deficit is 420 to 660, enough to lose a pound a week.  If you are eating less than 1200, you may not be getting adequate nutrition.  It's counter productive to eat too little and unrealistic (also unhealthy) to try to lose more than 2 pounds a week.

However, since you are already very thin, you will have a very hard time shedding any weight.  I can't help but wonder why you don't simply maintain your already very healthy weight.  You don't need to lose more.

Words like afraid and paranoid lead me to believe you might have an emotional/psychological problem rather than a weight problem.  You should think about getting help about that - just my opinion of course.

I understand, I think that may be where I AM AT!

Sadly I can't give much help since I am struggling myself...

I really like where I am but... I am not losing that much (if any now) on a diet of 1150-1200 calories a day, so I fear trying to boost it any more than that will make me start gaining right back to where I was over time...

I seem to have a mind set that I must eat 1200 for the rest of my life if I wish to stay at my current weight, and wether or not this is true, I am not sure?

How many calories I eat, lately at any rate, is rising. A few weeks ago I doubt I reached 600 calories. I basically lived off of fruit and very little grains, etc. Today my food log says I ate about 1145 or something close to that, though I assume it was more like 1200 because I had some bites of little things here and there that probably added up. I would say, on average, I am eating between 900 and 1200 calories a day.

And yes, I do know that there are health consequences. I had a similar experience almost two years ago, lost my period for nearly 6 months, almost fainted at work, etc. I am making sure not to have that happen, and have not been weak this time -- nor am I going, in my opinion, as overboard as I previously have.

I also know I am at a healthy weight. I am pleased with my weight, but it is when I look into the mirror and see so much that I just hate that I want to lose more, tone up, etc. And I become paranoid with what I am eating. Like mawata said, I'm afraid that if I start consistently eating 1200 calories or more a day again, I will gain the weight I lost and become even less happy with myself.

I do agree that I probably have an emotional/psychologyical problem more so than a weight one. Really, I always have. But I don't know how to fix that either and...the whole thing is just a mess, really!

I think it is hard sometimes when your not necessarily an anorexic&nb sp;or whatever but never the less your eating is indeed disordered and even your mind set on it, but this mind set also prevents most people (such as me) from going to get 'help' in fear that it will in turn make us the exception whether or not we are, and our fears will come true. 

Knowing this I for one can not be the one to tell you to seek medical help on the issue because if you really are how I am, you'll feel that it's probably best but just completely ignore it.

But I wish best of luck that both of us can find a happy and healthy "middle-ground"

and I have to say congrats on even coming this far, I remember when I thought going onto 1200 would take a risk at weight gain. Now I am eating that now, who knows maybe it's just one step at a time kind of thing until we realize everything will be fine?

Original Post by lunaropal:

I do agree that I probably have an emotional/psychologyical problem more so than a weight one. Really, I always have. But I don't know how to fix that either and...the whole thing is just a mess, really!

 For me it took 2 years of twice a week psychotherapy with a great therapist to reach the emotional place where I could lose weight and be happier with myself.  I was obese and didn't know what to do about it, but had the therapy to resolve other problems in my life.   We didn't talk about weight, just the things that were weighing my mind down and making me unhappy.  Once those issues were resolved, I suddenly realized that I really did need to lose weight. 

You need to go deep and get to the bottom of your mind, and you can't do that alone.

good luck

I think you have to be very, very careful.  The way your post is phrased and your attitude to food and body-shape are not exactly normal.  Someone who was already a healthy weight to drop 12lbs in two weeks is not eating enough and if you're struggling to get to 1200 even now, you're potentially looking at a lot of problems.  Women under 21 should never let their intake go below 1500 and that's only if they're completely sedentary.

http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html

Try entering your stats into this link which is specifically aimed at people under 21.   Read off the appropriate activity level and then aim to get that amount of calories from now on.

If your weight goes up when you're eating properly and if you can only maintain your current weight by severely restricting calories then it is very likely that your current weight is too thin.

• Do you make yourself Sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
• Do you worry that you have lost Control over how much you eat?
• Have you recently lost more than One stone (14lbs or 6.5kgs) in a 3 month period?
• Do you believe yourself to be Fat when others say you are too thin?
• Would you say that Food dominates your life?

If you can answer 'yes' to two or more of those questions you should make an appointment to see your doctor and discuss whether you're exhibiting disordered eating behaviour.  With your past history, I think it's highly likely.

Toning up is a great way to increase self-esteem while making yourself look great. However, I hestitate to even suggest you do this until you increase your calories. A goal of 1200 isn't even sufficient as a teenage girl needs no less than 1500 calories.

Your thought process in this and other threads indicate to me that you might want to seek some outside help for disordered eating patterns. I cannot be sure but it would be good to talk to someone I think ... before the damage becomes TOO GREAT to fix.

Eating less than 1200 calories is really only doing you great harm. The fear you have shouldn't be of 1200 calories but instead the DAMAGE you are doing to your body.

Please seek outside help as soon as you can from a trusted adult, school counselor/nurse, parent, clergyperson, aunt/uncle etc.

Calorie-Count is all about healthy and sustainable weight management.

Since you are a teen, here are some links with a calculator and lots of information for teenagers:

calculator and calorie information for Teens 

Nutrition, Exercise & Weight Management for Teens

More Nutrition & Health for Teens

Dieting & Metabolism (explains starvation mode and why undereating is counter-productive)

The Body Neglected (explains what happens when you undereat a long time)

Something-Fishy.org (information about eating disorders)

We hope this helps, but we must advise you that that this website does not and cannot support unhealthy eating disordered behaviour from those who are unwilling to get help for themselves.