The irony of it

I joined CC 5 months ago because I wanted to lose weight. I find that I am now unable to let go of calorie counting because I am afraid to undereat. I have experimented a few times with eating as I would naturally during the day, and then logging in my calorie intake for that day. Each time, I was surprised to find that I ate somewhere between 1200 and 1400 calories, which is not going to be enough.

I would like to stop logging in the food I eat because it is quite time consuming, not a very spontaneous way of life, and also I find that I am focusing my attention too much on calories, as opposed to enjoying food for what it is.

Is there a way in which I can make sure I eat enough without using a calorie counter, knowing that I can't quite rely on what my appetite is telling me?

If not, I'll stick with it for a while longer. My first appointment with a mental health professional, for stress/anxiety, is imminent. My GP seems to think that the issues with food/weight are related.

You can adapt calorie-counting quite easily to 'portion-control' and 'food-type' and then you don't have to do all the laborious logging of calories.

I'll explain....  You can break a meal down roughly into four food types 1. Carbohydrates (C) 2. Proteins (P) 3. Fats (F)  4. Vegetables (V).     A 'portion' of carbohydrates is about as big as a tennis ball.... that covers rice, potatoes, noodles, pasta, bread etc.   A portion of protein is something about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand..... meat, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, eggs etc.  A  portions of fats is about a teaspoon .... oil, butter, margarine, mayonnaise, nuts, seeds.  Add in plenty of vegetables or salads and you've got the basics for a balanced diet

In addition you need 2 portions of dairy products .. lower fat being generally recommended.  You also need 2 or 3 portions of fruit.  And that's your day covered.  Example

• Breakfast....  Porridge oats (C), made up with milk (dairy), fresh fruit (fruit), some chopped nuts on top (F)
• Lunch...   Two slices of wholemeal bread (C), cooked chicken (P), some sliced tomato and salad leaves (V), mayonnaise (F)
• Snack.... A yoghurt (dairy)
• Supper.....  Pasta (C), canned tuna (P), lots of green salad and grilled vegetables (V), some olive oil dressing (F)
• Late snack... A banana (fruit), a slice of toast (C) with some butter (F)

Weightwatchers used to run a very similar system to this.  Once you knew how many C's, P's and F's etc. you were aiming for each day it was very simple.

Many thanks for this! It's a big relief actually, as I now want to go back to normal and not allow worry about food to dominate my life. It looks relatively simple! I suppose the idea is that extras such as chocolate, cereal bars, ice cream, etc. have to be very occasional and therefore not factored in... I am worried that if I don't have one or two such desserts each day I might end up craving them...

I'll give this a try anyway, and if I find that I am not ready and too anxious, I will wait for therapy to provide the support that I need.

Thanks again!

The system I described covers your basics ... and should form 80-90% of what you eat.  Things like chocolates and ice-cream (and other what I call 'fun foods') are nice to have as occasional treats and can make up the other 10-20%.  That mix would still give you a healthy balanced diet. 

Ah, I get it! Thanks for the additional post, you're very kind.

Hi there, I'm back!

First I wanted to say that the system you suggested GI-Jane is working very well for me, and has allowed me to free myself of calorie-counting, which was beginning to feel a bit obsessional. So thanks!

In the last four months, I have gained four pounds; not the end of the world, but I would rather not carry on gaining in this way.

I undestand that it takes a surplus of 3500 cals to gain a pound, so I estimate that I am eating roughly 120 cals extra a day, from what I should to maintain my weight. Is this right?

My second and last question is this: is this weight gain likely to carry on ad infinitum, or is it likely to settle at some point?

My BMI four months ago was 19.1 and it is now 19.8. I am 41 and a woman.

Cheers!

As you gain weight you need more energy just to do the same things.  You're still a very, very low weight and you're not exactly gaining at a rate of knots.  I would expect that, if you carry on the same way, your weight will get into that 'normal BMI' range of 20 - 25 and you'll stay there, no problem.

Thanks for your answer GI-Jane.

I think I know why I started worrying again. I read an article on Google News yesterday, claiming that the World Cancer Research Fund "recommends people exercise for 30 minutes a day, be as lean as possible without becoming underweight, avoid sugary drinks and processed foods and limit consumption of red meats while avoiding processed meats."

I exercise regularly, don't have sugary drinks or eat meat or processed foods, but clearly, I am approaching the BMI 20 mark and therefore will not be "as lean as possible without becoming underweight" for much longer...

It's a pity I read this, actually, because I was finally beginning to feel fairly relaxed about the whole food issue.

Hopefully, I can shake this off and not let anxiety take over once more!

Bye now!