What I'm learning about my body.....

Good Morning!

I was just going back through myfitnesspal .com to see my food for the last week.  I'm trying to see what had me drop some weight, then go up a bit and maintain there.  A bit is only up 1/2 pound, but it's up.  I started eating Atkins style on January 10th, keeping carbs under 25 (on a high day).  Since then I've dropped 6-7 pounds, depending on the day.

So what seems to be true for me, and I've seen this in other weeks is that I need to keep my calories under 700, carbs under 25,  with a minimum of 60-90 minutes of exercise for several days in a row to let go of a pound.  I dropped 1 pound on Saturday but I had three workouts on Friday.  (walk 3+  miles outdoors, 1 hour yoga class, Couch to 5K for 30 minutes)  My calories for several days were under 700.  Ok, so that gives me an idea of what it takes for me to let go of a pound or even ounces.

I've been eating 700-800 calories since then and I can't get that 1/2 pound back off that I was up on Sunday.  I've exercised daily.  Yesterday I walked 6 miles and was so hungry that I ate 928 wholesome calories.  Still up that 1/2 pound.

I've read about some surgeon's recommending staying between 600-800 calories to get to goal but I know that my calories in months 10-11(holidays) crept more to 900-950 and the weight loss completely stopped for me. Didn't lose a pound.  Went up and down 2 pounds depending on how many carbs I ate the day before.

My surgeon doesn't give calories/protein/carbs goals.  He just says eat protein first, then a little veggies with one meal, fruit with the other and I can have a slice of whole grain bread with the meal.  No protein supplements, no snacks.  I haven't done a good job sticking to that plan.  I don't eat the grains or the fruit and sometimes I have protein pudding and sometimes a snack of protein in the afternoon.  I've been known to occasionally or eat a protein bar, which I haven't had since January 10th when I lowered my total carbs to under 25.

So this post isn't about judgement of myself.  This is just me analyzing my reality with my food/exercise and how my own particular body responds.  My protein has been low this week, so I'm going to focus on pounding the protein this week to see what difference it makes.

Have you made any cool discoveries about your body?

Wow, that's very restrictive... I can keep my calories below 1200 per day (on average).  Not sure how do you do that....
But what ever works...

Hi Hala,  I'm not sure it works but it is my reality.  Yesterday I upped to 1200 calories and was up a pound this morning.  I've been experimenting with everything but yesterday was my highest calories in a year.  All good calories, no junk, high protein etc.

How many calories do you generally eat in a day?

I am currently getting 1400+ on average. Or rather 1600 per day. and then some.
I am not losing or gaining.  Most days I do not count calories, but when I do,  aim for 1400-1600.
Also I do not exercise a lot. But I do have a heavy-large frame and muscles.  I do exercise - but it is not very consistent and no cardio. I have Reactive hypoglycemia and cardio makes my blood sugar drop and then i have to take carbs... etc... so I choose low impact, muscle things: yoga, walking, some isometric muscles exercises. etc.

I hope that I can eat that many calories someday!!

Well I had a recent epipheny, discovered the reason I was craving carbs was because I was hurting so bad from my fibro and arthritis. Now that I know that I can stop and question if that is why I want the junk food. I guess it makes sense tho, when in pain I want comfort food.

I can understand wanting the comfort food.  I find that I'm having to change what's comfort food for me.  Right now, something like chilli really feels like comfort.  Higher in carbs than I usually eat but so soothing.

What I keep learning about myself over and over again is that I am very undisciplined when it comes to food.  I want what I want when I want it.  Sometimes I can fight it and sometimes I can't.

When it comes to low carb, I will do OK for a while and then my stomach will refuse to eat another low carb meal for a while.  Carbs are so easy to digest.  When my stomach feels a little hinky I want bread, potatoes and crunchy car by things.  After a while meat and veggies cry out for me to avoid them.

Someday, I will find what will work for me in the long term and hopefully I will be able to enjoy eating that way.

I am doing OK so far today and tonight I am going to have boneless pork chops and a nice salad with full fat sesame dressing.  I always love my salads no matter what.

Edited because spell check sucks.

What I have learned about my body is that no matter what, I will keep returning to sugary carbs.

But I have also learned that my body can be tricked into better behavior if I give it artificial sweetener, carefully doled out, and keep my fat intake high.

Wi**** wasn't so.  But I do know that I will always find a way back to sugar.  So I have to really limit its availability at my home.  Because I will ALWAYS ALWAYS go back to it.