Q. I am 18 years old. I'm 5'2 and weigh 100 pounds. How many calories should I eat a day to lose 20 pounds? No criticism please.
I'm not trying to make anyone else feel bad about their weight so you shouldn't make me feel bad about my desire to lose some weight.Your weight is your private issue. I'm not trying to disrespect your opinions at all but I really don't need to hear them. Just trying to get some help. Thank you for your help.
I'm not trying to make anyone else feel bad about their weight so you shouldn't make me feel bad about my desire to lose some weight.Your weight is your private issue. I'm not trying to disrespect your opinions at all but I really don't need to hear them. Just trying to get some help. Thank you for your help.
A. It really depends on your metabolism, which will change if you drastically reduce your caloric intake. The body sees the reduction in food input and says, "OMG! I'm starving!" So it automagically lowers your metabolic rate to compensate and to try to conserve energy (since your body thinks its starving).
However, the only way to lose weight is to reduce your daily caloric intake below the rate at which your metabolism burns calories.
But, you need to reduce your caloric intake gradually and spread the weight loss out over a period of several months so as not to create the "I'm starving" reaction. Once that reaction is triggered, there isn't much you can do about it except to start eating heavily to convince your body it really isn't starving. And that will start a roller coaster ride of up and down weight changes that isn't healthy at all and could lead to a condition called bulimia.
A pound of weight loss per week is usually considered a good rate, so figure on 20 weeks or five months to lose 20 pounds. You need to find out what your current caloric intake is first. Before determining this magic number, weigh yourself with minimal clothing. Now keep a daily record of everything, and I mean everything, you eat for at least a week. Record serving amounts. Estimate or weigh each portion, or look it up on Micky D's website, or do whatever it takes to find out the caloric value of the food you are consuming during the week. Convert everything you eat or drink into calories. Add the calories up for an entire week of eating and divide by seven. That number is your daily caloric intake. Now reduce it by ten percent. So, if you find you are eating 2200 calories per day, knock off 220 calories and consume 2000 calories per day. Keep weight records, but don't weigh yourself daily. Once a week is enough. At the end of the first week, if your weight hasn't dropped, deduct another ten percent, in the example case that would be 200 calories. So consume 1800 calories per day for a week. If your weight still isn't dropping, repeat the process and deduct another ten percent. And so on until your weight starts to drop by about a pound per week. At that point you have the daily number of calories you should consume to lose weight at one pound per week.
As your weight drops you should maintain good exercise habits and eat a balanced diet. If this causes your appetite to increase, you may carefully indulge it, but don't exceed your "weight loss" daily caloric intake by more than five percent on any given day. As you approach your "ideal" weight, resist the temptation to eat less. In fact, you want to slowly increase your caloric intake until you are neither losing nor gaining weight.
Diet isn't everything. It is also important to exercise regularly. That can be something as simple as walking the dog for ten or twenty minutes every day, or a weekly game of tennis, or riding a bicycle a few miles once in a while. Just be consistent in your exercise and in your eating habits.
As to why you want to carry only eighty pounds on a 5'2" body frame, that's your business. But I would recommend you seek the advice of at least one health professional before starting to lose this much weight.
There is a very real danger of bulimia, a cycle of binge eating followed by starvation, if you begin such an extreme weight-loss regimen and fail to complete it. And losing twenty percent of your body mass is an extreme weight loss. Vee half zee concentration camps ver you vill lose much more than that, but zee government won't let us operate them any more. Be kind to yourself.
However, the only way to lose weight is to reduce your daily caloric intake below the rate at which your metabolism burns calories.
But, you need to reduce your caloric intake gradually and spread the weight loss out over a period of several months so as not to create the "I'm starving" reaction. Once that reaction is triggered, there isn't much you can do about it except to start eating heavily to convince your body it really isn't starving. And that will start a roller coaster ride of up and down weight changes that isn't healthy at all and could lead to a condition called bulimia.
A pound of weight loss per week is usually considered a good rate, so figure on 20 weeks or five months to lose 20 pounds. You need to find out what your current caloric intake is first. Before determining this magic number, weigh yourself with minimal clothing. Now keep a daily record of everything, and I mean everything, you eat for at least a week. Record serving amounts. Estimate or weigh each portion, or look it up on Micky D's website, or do whatever it takes to find out the caloric value of the food you are consuming during the week. Convert everything you eat or drink into calories. Add the calories up for an entire week of eating and divide by seven. That number is your daily caloric intake. Now reduce it by ten percent. So, if you find you are eating 2200 calories per day, knock off 220 calories and consume 2000 calories per day. Keep weight records, but don't weigh yourself daily. Once a week is enough. At the end of the first week, if your weight hasn't dropped, deduct another ten percent, in the example case that would be 200 calories. So consume 1800 calories per day for a week. If your weight still isn't dropping, repeat the process and deduct another ten percent. And so on until your weight starts to drop by about a pound per week. At that point you have the daily number of calories you should consume to lose weight at one pound per week.
As your weight drops you should maintain good exercise habits and eat a balanced diet. If this causes your appetite to increase, you may carefully indulge it, but don't exceed your "weight loss" daily caloric intake by more than five percent on any given day. As you approach your "ideal" weight, resist the temptation to eat less. In fact, you want to slowly increase your caloric intake until you are neither losing nor gaining weight.
Diet isn't everything. It is also important to exercise regularly. That can be something as simple as walking the dog for ten or twenty minutes every day, or a weekly game of tennis, or riding a bicycle a few miles once in a while. Just be consistent in your exercise and in your eating habits.
As to why you want to carry only eighty pounds on a 5'2" body frame, that's your business. But I would recommend you seek the advice of at least one health professional before starting to lose this much weight.
There is a very real danger of bulimia, a cycle of binge eating followed by starvation, if you begin such an extreme weight-loss regimen and fail to complete it. And losing twenty percent of your body mass is an extreme weight loss. Vee half zee concentration camps ver you vill lose much more than that, but zee government won't let us operate them any more. Be kind to yourself.
What happens when you are admitted to the hospital for suicidal ideas or self harm?
Q. I'm not going to lie, and say that this is out of curiosity. I have a lot of suicidal thoughts and I've been cutting myself for four years. I also have really disordered eating habits, meaning sometimes I don't eat for long periods of time and then sometimes I tend to binge/purge really often. I'm considering getting myself serious help but I want to know first what would happen if I were to admit myself to a hospital, in detail.
A. I commend you for wanting to get help with this difficult issue.  When you admit yourself to a psych ward, you typically have more say in what goes on with your treatment then if you were to be committed.  Most hospitals will put you on a 72 hour hold, where they will get your history, conduct individual and/or group sessions with you, and assess your behaviors and thought process while on the ward to determine the appropriate course of treatment.  You will be searched for contraband before you are admitted and some items may be confiscated.  This is for your safety and the safety of the staff and other patients as well.  You won't be allowed to have anything that you could potentially use to hurt yourself (belts,shoelaces, etc.). You will meet with your treatment team every day, and the treating psychiatrist may even start you on medication.  They will most likely have a schedule of activities for the day, as most psych wards rely on this structure and security to help the patients get through their rough times.  You will have certain groups and meet individually with providers through the day.  There will also be personal time to do things such as write, use the phone, watch t.v., play board games, or talk to other patients.  Once the 72 hour hold is up, they will determine if it is safe for you to go home and follow up as an outpatient, or if you need to stay inÂ
the hospital for a while.  They may refer you to a special unit to deal with your specific issues.  If you decide you want to go home, it would be easier to get out if you admitted yourself.  They typically don't "lock you up" unless you are acutely psychotic and are an immediate danger to yourself or others.  I don't know where you live, or what type of hospital you are looking into, but the
 overall experience is really not that bad.  It's hard to be in a strange place and open up about such personal things, but your life is more important than anything else.  I hope this has been useful to you and I wish you the best of luck.  Stay strong.
the hospital for a while.  They may refer you to a special unit to deal with your specific issues.  If you decide you want to go home, it would be easier to get out if you admitted yourself.  They typically don't "lock you up" unless you are acutely psychotic and are an immediate danger to yourself or others.  I don't know where you live, or what type of hospital you are looking into, but the
 overall experience is really not that bad.  It's hard to be in a strange place and open up about such personal things, but your life is more important than anything else.  I hope this has been useful to you and I wish you the best of luck.  Stay strong.
Tips on how to avoid eating when I'm stressed or bored?
Q. I've got to fit into a smaller size than usual for a special occasion (dress) and have to combat problems of wanting to eat more when I'm stressed and/or bored. I have replaced high calorie foods with healthy snacks to help limit the damage. But I need to stop altogether.
A. Make a hunger diary. Record your daily intake. Include a list of calories, if desired.
Recognize patterns of eating. Do they coincide with boredom? Is there a time of day when you are more likely to be bored?
Identify if you are actually hungry. Ask yourself, on a scale of one to ten, how hungry you feel. If the answer is seven or more, you should probably eat something. Otherwise, refrain from eating until you reach this point of actual hunger.
Satisfy feelings with other interests. Find other interests that are just as rewarding. Have fun with a friend.
Make an activity hat. Fill the hat with different activities and pull one out to do. This should relieve your boredom and the urge to eat.
Find an activity that occupies your hands. Try a manicure, needlework or typing. You can only do one activity at a time.
Concentrate on what you are doing. Force yourself to become preoccupied until the hunger subsides.
Go for a walk. This will take you away from the kitchen. Once your scene has changed, your cravings should subside.
Avoid buying certain foods. Identify the foods that you most commonly reach for and avoid having them in your home.
Avoid having food in your bedroom. Eat only at the dining room table. Stashed snacks can be a big temptation.
Choose nutritious food. Choose replenishing whole foods. Processed foods are deprived of natural vitamins and nutrients.
Schedule a small nutritious snack between meals. This may keep you from indulging at meals.
Eat celery or watermelon. They are mostly water, low in calories and can quench your thirst. You may burn as many calories as the celery contains just by chewing it. The sweetness of watermelon is very satisfying. They're both pretty healthy.
Drink a glass of water. Water is filling and may satisfy you for a period of time.
Chew a piece of gum. It's refreshing and low in calories. It may help to curb your appetite and actually burn a few calories.
TipsEnjoy eating. Savor your food.
Formulating healthy eating habits takes time, planning and discipline.
Periodically adjust to a more realistic diet routine throughout your life:
Give yourself a little freedom to indulge once a day or once a week. Try a small piece of chocolate or a smoothie.
Exercise may require an extra snack or a few more calories.
Calories may need to be limited later in life to prevent weight gain from a slower metabolism.
Consult with a dietician to formulate a plan suitable to your needs. Everyone needs professional direction now and then.
Overeating can be a symptom of underlying stress. Eating releases endorphins and provides for needed comfort. Weight gain and lack of control can lead to depression. Seek the help of a pyschiatrist, if needed.
Consult your physican with weight gain before it becomes a more serious detriment to your health.
Consult your physician with binge eating and other eating disorders.
Recognize patterns of eating. Do they coincide with boredom? Is there a time of day when you are more likely to be bored?
Identify if you are actually hungry. Ask yourself, on a scale of one to ten, how hungry you feel. If the answer is seven or more, you should probably eat something. Otherwise, refrain from eating until you reach this point of actual hunger.
Satisfy feelings with other interests. Find other interests that are just as rewarding. Have fun with a friend.
Make an activity hat. Fill the hat with different activities and pull one out to do. This should relieve your boredom and the urge to eat.
Find an activity that occupies your hands. Try a manicure, needlework or typing. You can only do one activity at a time.
Concentrate on what you are doing. Force yourself to become preoccupied until the hunger subsides.
Go for a walk. This will take you away from the kitchen. Once your scene has changed, your cravings should subside.
Avoid buying certain foods. Identify the foods that you most commonly reach for and avoid having them in your home.
Avoid having food in your bedroom. Eat only at the dining room table. Stashed snacks can be a big temptation.
Choose nutritious food. Choose replenishing whole foods. Processed foods are deprived of natural vitamins and nutrients.
Schedule a small nutritious snack between meals. This may keep you from indulging at meals.
Eat celery or watermelon. They are mostly water, low in calories and can quench your thirst. You may burn as many calories as the celery contains just by chewing it. The sweetness of watermelon is very satisfying. They're both pretty healthy.
Drink a glass of water. Water is filling and may satisfy you for a period of time.
Chew a piece of gum. It's refreshing and low in calories. It may help to curb your appetite and actually burn a few calories.
TipsEnjoy eating. Savor your food.
Formulating healthy eating habits takes time, planning and discipline.
Periodically adjust to a more realistic diet routine throughout your life:
Give yourself a little freedom to indulge once a day or once a week. Try a small piece of chocolate or a smoothie.
Exercise may require an extra snack or a few more calories.
Calories may need to be limited later in life to prevent weight gain from a slower metabolism.
Consult with a dietician to formulate a plan suitable to your needs. Everyone needs professional direction now and then.
Overeating can be a symptom of underlying stress. Eating releases endorphins and provides for needed comfort. Weight gain and lack of control can lead to depression. Seek the help of a pyschiatrist, if needed.
Consult your physican with weight gain before it becomes a more serious detriment to your health.
Consult your physician with binge eating and other eating disorders.
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