VickyRoschele's Journal, 05 July 2022

That's a hard question to answer, motivation wise I basically would look back at other people's success stories, especially our friends here in this fs community. To think about the harshness and hardship they've been trough for so long to get there is mind blowing. As for being hungry, I have no answer to that, lol. I'm always hungry too🤣. It's part of the process, I think🌻😊 

1200 calories per day is very hard to keep up with. I do it some days, and other days I eat more. I agree that you need to eat more lean protein. Like yesterday I ate two grilled, slightly over cooked hamburgers for lunch. I should have added a salad to make it a full meal, but I was full after the hamburgers. The other day I binge ate some red peppers with a bit of home made dip: light sour cream with toasted onions in it. It didn't really satisfy my binge, but I got full, so I stopped. I try not ot have things the house that are binge worthy and try to just have healthy things. This really helps prevent my binging. Make your own dressings for salads. This way you can control the amount of calories. Lots of ideas on line. Don't be afraid of good fats. They can help keep you full too. But also, don't deprive your self of things that you find tasty. Just find a way to make the serving sizes smaller. Like if you want some pizza, find a place that will sell it by the slice. Just don't be too hard on yourself. Try to move more, that way it will burn off more calories. That is part of my problem, I don't move enough and am a binge eater. I really have to watch it. We all have our demons. You are not alone in this. 

I find that the right kind of exercise reduces my appetite. I believe walking helps reduce my appetite, and it takes a while, so I am out of the house and I don't have the opportunity to eat while I'm walking. Although, the study that came out recently about the "exercise pill" research indicated that maximum effort sprinting (for 8 minutes) produced the most of a metabolite that reduces appetite. Exercise will also increase your calorie burn so you can eat more and still lose. Find what works for you. Also, I think 1200 is unnecessarily low for your weight.  

I stay as full as possible by eating lots of bulky foods. I love baby carrots, spinach, cucumbers, pasta zero (shiritaki noodles) broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms, berries all very low calorie. I also make sure to eat a ton of protein and fiber. not saying I'm never hungry but its Managable. good luck  

pleaaase eat more food. 1200 calories is on the brink of restricting yourself far too much. nourish yourself; never go so hard you end up crying ❤️ 

I find if I don’t get enough sleep I’m always hungry. There are some nice meditations on line for weight loss and sleep. Good luck. 

Up your protein. Low blood sugar can be better regulated by protein. I eat almonds but any nut will do. They are very portable too! Hang in there. You’ve got this!!❤️ 

here is some info I found regarding 1200 cal diet hope it helpts. To derive the maximum benefit out of this diet program, make sure you consistently follow these tips: Supplementation: Make sure you take vitamins D and B complex, as well as iron and calcium as prescribed by your nutritionist. Hydration: Take sips of water throughout the day to ensure you have about two to three liters of water every day. Ask your doctor if you have been advised of fluid restriction due to any health conditions, such as kidney diseases. Protein: Ensure you have enough protein each day by having half a scoop of protein powder with water or milk with breakfast or post-workout if you are planning to hit the gym or have a workout schedule. However, consuming protein powder is not essential if you are meeting your protein requirements through your diet. Avoid salt: Salt can make you bloat, crave food or contribute to “water weight” gain. Avoid salt as much as you can by replacing it with other seasonings, such as onion, garlic and chili powder. Free foods: Include free foods in your diet, especially as snacks, to avoid bingeing or feeling irritable all day long. These include iced tea, green tea, condiments, spices, celery, pepper strips, broccoli florets and cucumber slices. Stress management: Stress results in hormonal imbalances, metabolic upheaval and binge eating behaviors. Learn to manage your stress with meditation, yoga or indulging in your hobbies, as well as getting adequate rest and sleep. 

Listen to your doctor and their caloric plan for you. I often eat less than 1200 every day and I do lose - I have hypothyroid on medication. I agree that macros count - eat high quality protein and foods with fiber, and lots of water daily. 

I sense the challenges you are facing if you are seeing an endocrinologist. I am a survivor of medullary thyroid cancer. It is very difficult to keep my levels where they need to be. I gained a great deal of weight between 2020 and February of this year, but a pre-diabetes scare sent me seeking help and that is when I found FatSecret. You are going to have to experiment and recognize that you are going to have to adjust your thoughts about food for life. Try to take the weight loss at a slower pace now that you have lost the first forty lbs. Look at what works for others and find a method that keeps YOU satisfied. There are no “bad” foods, but some need to be eaten sparingly or in moderation to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some approaches that have helped me stay between 1600-1700 calories per day are: 1. I eat true whole grains and a tablespoon of olive oil at breakfast and lunch. This includes steel cut oatmeal, hulled barley and farro (not pearled or quick- cook) or Dave’s Powerseed Bread. The fat and fiber keeps me feeling full through the day. 2. Breakfast and lunch are my largest meals calorie-wise. 3. I eat adequate protein and vegetables at every meal I have no more than two servings of fruit per day (berries (fresh & frozen) apples, oranges, stone fruit in season; occasional banana, pineapple and mango) 4. I eat at least 1 serving of beans per day. (Use my instant pot to quickly cook beans and whole grains for several days) 5. When I eat a “high-calorie” day, I limit my calories to “maintenance” intake for my goal weight so that my mind and body adjusts to that amount of calories. 6. If I find I am feeling truly hungry, I plan meals at the upper end of target calorie range for a day or so, then walk the calories down to the lower end over the course of a few days. 6. I have completely given up processed foods, fast foods and frozen meals which had driven my sodium intake through the roof. 

Thank you all for the support and advice! I am seeing the Endo for hyperinsulinemia. I have lupus also. So exercising can be hard, especially after a full day of work. I do try to get out and hike, swim, kayak and walk whenever I can! I was drinking protein shakes to help I'm the morning but I was advised to stop them because of the lupus and kidney function issues that can arise. It's the same exact with fats and sugars. I'm trying to keep my head up and do this. I hate that I am just whining away to you guys when I know that we are all in the same boat on here. I really appreciate all the love and support ❤️ it means everything!  

When originally reading through your post and comments I was suprised at all the "advice" given even though we didn't know why you were seeing an Endocrinologist. I googled it and found that 3 types of diets are recommended, Meditteranean, Low fat, and low carb. High protein was not recommended. High protein diets are often high in fat. I know people mean well but since you specifically said your doctor, a specialist had put you on a restricted calorie diet my first instinct would NOT be to question the doctor. 

Please whine to us. That's what we're here for! Seeing others struggle helps us realize that we're not alone. This isn't Facebook; we're all here to discuss food, nutrients, exercise, discipline, habits, and the effort to keep it all in balance. 

@Fritzy. Any Dr that recommends 1200 calories is questionable in my opinion.  

I feel pretty comfortable with the advice I gave. Eating more protein doesn't always constitute "high protein," or "high fat." I eat a pretty moderate macro split of 40/33/27, so I fall into the higher protein range, but still manage to keep the fat moderate due to my protein choices. Of the three diets you googled, two of those diets end up being "higher protein" by proxy (low fat and low carb - the calories need to come from somewhere.) Mediterranean is pretty moderate on all fronts when it comes to macros, although it does tend to be carb heavy, which isn't necesarily good for Hyperinsulinemia. Even people with lupus-induced nephritis can eat up to 80 G protein/day given kidney function is monitored. Protein is essential for satiety, and satiety is a building-block of adherence. If a person is overly hungry, they won't adhere long term, and that has clinical ramifications in and of itself. A minor bump in calories - no more than 200 - may help. I've also listened to a room full of RD's bitch about doctor's giving over-zealous diet/nutrition advice, in turn making people feel lost, hopeless and overall demoralized. So while I am not discounting the importance of MD's in the care team (they are obviously at the center), I am inclined to take their advisement when it comes to nutrition with a grain of salt. 1200 calories looks good on paper. 1400 may be more realistic for long-term adherence. That's all I got. 

But I do agree, we should have asked for more info first.  

Are - I usually don't make comments that appear to be critical of others. And to be fair, she asked for advice or help. That's why I said I have a hot drink.I just respect my doctors so much that I wouldn't tell someone to basically disregard what the doctor says. And many people on this site have health issues that impact what they can eat and how much. I really thought it might be a thyroid issue. I know with hypothyroidism you just gain weight no matter how little you eat until you get the thyroid until control. I had hyperthyroidism and most people think that if you have an overactive thyroid you can't sit still and are skinny. But it also increases your appetite. Until I knew what was wrong with me I thought it was amazing I was eating cans of cashews and not gaining weight. And when I did try to lose weight I lost 5 pounds a week. I was told once my thyroid got back to normal I would gain weight. I did, no matter how little I ate until it had been a few months. 

@Fritzy, I wasn't meaning to be critical, I didn't take your comment as critical in the least. Sorry for that misunderstanding! Sometimes I feel like I can speak directly/plainly and I forget that nuance is lost on social media. Sorry for that. 

While I wouldn't disregard your doctor, this might be something you should discuss with them. I don't believe many people can sustain perpetual hunger, and maybe if you let them know they could work with you. I mean, this is a medical thing, and if you had an intolerable reaction to a drug they'd prescribed, you'd bring it to their attention, right? I'm curious about one thing -- you said you were able to do 1200 before without a problem. Has something changed? Are you eating the same types of foods you did the first time?