want to be normal

Hi. I've just reached my goal weight a couple of months or so ago, and I am currently trying to maintain, but I know I am not doing it right. I basically reached my goal by eating about 800 calories one day, then around 250 the next, then I did South Beach for about a week and a half with no results. My problem is that whenever I try a diet where I can actually eat, I get no results whatsoever. So, this habit of eating and not eating is following me into the maintaining stage, it is the only thing that works! : ( I try to get out of this cycle, but eveytime I eat, I gain. Is there anything I can do, like a plan I can follow or something? The weird thing was that when I was on South Beach, I didn't lose weight but I maintained, but that was Phase 1 with no bread or starch, and when I added those things back into my diet, i started to gain little points at a time, I want to eat bread! I know my way of dealing with weight is tiring my body out, I just want to be normal and eat everyday like your supposed to. I'm a 19 year old 5'1" female.

Hi.

There's one thing you haven't mentioned: is your weight healthy, according to the stats?

I am afraid I have the same problem as you. I owe this to my very serious eating disorder, from which I have not recovered (completely) yet.  I started it because I felt exactly what you've mentioned: I tried every diet and food restrictions: nothing did the trick. I had a BMI of 22, approximately. Then, after several weeks eating about 600 cal and almost no fat at all - and no significant weight loss - I gave up eating for a couple of days.  And I did lose weight. A lot. I kept eating, but the portions were getting smaller and smaller, and I grew more and more demanding with my nutrition. I lost 37 kg. That's a lot. But it's not all: my whole family was depressed and I couldn't finish high school last year. My mind and thoughts shrank, everything was very dark. It's awful.

If you keep dieting obsessively, you will end up with an eating disorder, because it is already a troubled behaviour to cut on carbs every day. You must accept your body and look at yourself in a different perspective. Your metabolism won't start to work normally miraculously: you must choose. You can restart on carbs, and gain a bit of weight (your body will think it is so lucky to get those molecules every once in a while and will probably store) But if you keep it balanced, your body will finally rest and know that you eat properly. Then, it will spend more and your weight will stabilize.

Just so you trust me, I'll tell you that when I was at the hospital because of my low weight, for 4 months, my diet grew from week to week, to assure that I would gain. I started with nonsensical portions - and i really mean nonsensical! - and ended eating desserts in every meal, spreading olive oil all over the plate (so that i would gain faster), four breads/day with ham and cheese and one magnum ice cream. Scary enough? I gained 2 pounds/week, but my weight would've stabilized without changing my intake if I hadn't turned naughty again and cutting where I could. Believe me, my metabolism used to be very low.

If you just take the chance, you will be rewarded.

Good luck

(hope my answer was useful...) 

 

thank you for the advice : )right now, i am trying to maintain around 114 to 118. i lost 25 pounds. even though i never want to go through what i went through again losing weight, and i am scared of giving my body a chance to stabilize because i might see an increase on the scale, i'm going to try. is there any meal examples someone can give me to get started?? or how many calories would be good to start out with??

Unfortunately, when you've lost weight by starving or by dramatically reducing carbohydrates there's really no getting away from the fact that a) you need to eat more and b) you're going to gain a little weight back.   If you can accept fluctuations up or down in the interests of getting yourself back to normal then you'll do it. 

You have to increase by 100 cals a day until you get to a steady 1800-1900 cals a day.   A balanced diet (including some bread), with regular small meals and snacks is best if you're not used to large amounts.   Eating frequently means you'll be burning the energy evenly... .like feeding a fire with a little coal at a time.   As you eat more, your body will gradually adjust to more food.  There will be temporary gains as you replenish your carbohydrate stores but also losses.  So try not to weigh yourself more than once a week to give things chance to settle out.

An example of a light, healthy menu totalling 1400 cals

Breakfast.... Some porridge oats made with milk & water and sweetened with honey.  A glass of orange juice (300)

Snack... some nuts and raisins (100)

Lunch....  A mixed bean salad with some lean chicken, mayo and green leaves.  A low-fat fruit yoghurt (400)

Snack... A banana (100)

Supper... Some pasta with a tomato & mushroom sauce & a little parmesan/olive oil on top.   Ice-cream  (400)

Late snack.... Some hummus dip with vegetable crudites (100)

dont ever eat that low oif caloriues again u were startving urself women need 1200 cals if there sedentary not to starve them selves men need 1500 and teens need 1800 so ya dont do it again as its unhealthy

 

edit-one reason u may have gained is becuase once u stop starving urself u gain weight

is it a good idea to start on 800 calories a day, and work up to about 1200 gradually??