Basic about me - I used to be super fit and healthy. I think exercise helped keep my diet healthy as I didn’t want to undo the good work! I then got an auto immune condition (mainly joint inflammation but also nerve damage leading to sciatica and damaged knee from muscles not working) and that led to no exercise and a little weight gain. Then I had a baby and all diets were off and as per typical story I’ve gained the mum pounds. Breastfeeding did naff all to help me lose weight just made me ravenous and now I’ve stopped breastfeeding I’m still eating way way too may calories because I’m (a) used to it and (b) there isn’t much else to do with baby then go and eat cake!
Basically I have a control problem I loathe my body right now. I’m 62.3 kg used to be 52kg but would be happy in between say 56kg. I’m 5ft 3 and a tight size 12.
We move country in 12 weeks and I want to lose 0.5kg a week for that duration so I go feeling like it is a fresh start.
I need drastic measures and I can’t portion control so wanted to just take food out of the equation but know that’s not sensible nutrition wise.
Hence tying Huel!
So help me here. With a sedentary lifestyle I’m apparently meant to consume 1083 calories a day to lose 0.5 kg / 1lb a week. Whaaaaaat??? How is it humanly possible to do so!!??
I’m thinking of Huel breakfast and lunch and then around 600 cal for dinner so is that like 1.5 scoops? reading forum that won’t fill me up!
Any advice guys?
Don’t want to fail before I start and that just seems super low
TDEE calculator with a subtraction of 500 for a deficit it seems. OP is a small person (no disrespect!) at only 5ft3 and (previously) 52KG.
OP - This seems correct, but I’d start at a safer 1300 or so and monitor weight loss very closely. As you probably know, you’ll lose a lot in the first week as water weight due to glycogen depletion. After this, weigh every single day at the same time (after first toilet trip just after waking up?) to ensure you’re not losing too quickly.
You seem to understand the basics so you’ll likely be successful. However, be warned that you’re going to feel hungry A LOT in deficit. I’ve dropped back into a 500 deficit this week (3200 down to 2200) and am ravenous 24/7. That’s just how it is, your body acknowledges the deficit and wants filling up. Consuming pints of water helps.
Thanks for your replies guys! Yes it is from the calculator.
1300 as a start is a good suggestion and I may be doing more than sedentary without realising it. My boy is nearly 10kg so I guess lugging him around burns calories!
Thanks for the honest warning about feeling hungry. I’ve seen the “honestly I’m so full” comments and thought I bet I won’t be! I want to mentally prepare. But I think feeling hungry will be good for me for a change! I need to get control back in my life instead of just picking at food literally all the time and if I can get my brain to think real food only comes at end of day I’m
Hoping for a switch around week 2!
I’ve never understood the “I’m so full” comments… I can have 200g of Huel in a bottle with 700ml of water and still be hungry enough afterwards for a couple of chicken breasts! I guess people are just different.
Heya! I have similar stats to you – 5’1 and 60.5kg – so I really get the whole I loathe my body now thing unfortunately.
I don’t have any tips, but I’m here on this journey with you! I’m starting to use Huel tomorrow and am aiming for around 1400-1500kcal. It’s annoying that with our height, we have a lower TDEE, but I’m trying to accept that even a slightly slower weight loss would mean that the weight is less likely to come back on so long as we’re consistent!
