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Emma Brown
Nutritionist
Janet Aylott
Nutritionist
Kelly Marshall
Fitness Consultant
Hi, I have been following this diet for 6 weeks and lost 7-8lb so far. My target is 1450kcal per day and 200kcal in exercise. I don't usually hit my exercise target, I walk around 45 min every day at 3m/h speed and I try to make the rest of my kcal with cleaning and domestics.
I have already followed your advice and bought a fitness DVD, so I will start to do it soon, but this week at work I am working overtime and it will have to wait a couple of weeks. I usually don't hit my target, and in average I would say I have around 200kcal left everyday. I don't go over either, I had only one really bad day recently, but this was a one off. I was reading posts from other users who say that increasing their kcal target and reducing the weight loss per week has made them start losing weight again. I wonder if I am doing something wrong and I should force myself to eat and hit my kcal target.
As I am not doing exercise, I work 7h in my chair and arrive home and stay at the sofa, I thought that I didn't need to eat more because I am not burning kcal with exercise, and my body does not ask for more kcal. I have to say that I don't eat more because I am not hungry. I always eat if I am hungry, I never stop myself in that way, but I do choose carefully what I eat, and if eating a banana stops my hunger, I don't eat a sandwich or crisps instead. And if it doesn't then I have a banana, a yoghurt and whatever else makes me feel full with not so many kcal. I plan to start increasing my exercise activity soon, but I would like to know if the target the system gives us is the kcal we should consume, or if it is the maximum we should not reach. I honestly say that I am not feeling hungry, I have treats such as chocolate or biscuits if I want to (but again, choosing the lowest kcal options in the market), and I have increased dramatically my 5 a day intake, which was 0 or 1 before, and now it is around 3 at least. I also have had 2 weeks off sick, and I was getting up so late (around 11.30) that my breakfast was almost at lunch and my lunch was a snack to be able to eat normally at tea time with my bf. So this made my kcal intake look even lower. I want to know I am eating healthy and I am not messing with myself. I though I was doing all right, but reading other people's posts makes me wonder if I am as right as I thought. Thank you.
Thanks for your question and first of all I?d like to say that 7-8 pounds over 6 weeks really isn't too bad! Basically the calorie target we give you is a maximum, but at teh same time it is also the figure we would generally recommend that you try to achieve. Certainly getting within 100-200 calories of this guideline is usually necessary to make sure you feel full, lose weight efficiently and get the nutrients you need.
Having read your own situation, however, I would say you are doing absolutely fine, and not to force yourself to eat more. It?s not the case that you would lose more weight by eating more - this simply doesn't add up scientifically. Some people do find they lose weight better if they increase their calories slightly, but only if they also increase their exercise enough to use up all those extra calories and then some more on top.
Basically I think you are doing really well and possibly worrying too much! Try to increase your fruit and veg a bit more still, exercise when you can and you?ll carry on doing well in a slow but steady way, which is always the best!
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