Finding a balance between being thin and being smart?

[Anonymous]

How do I do this? I want to be thin yet when I eat to be thin I end up with zero energy, struggling to not faint most of the time and my brain doesn't work. Yet I can't eat normally or I'll get fat. What do you eat? What would be a good meal plan idea? Should I include snacks? I want to be able to work to the best of my ability academically but I also want to be thin so I'm so torn... I'm 5'5, 123sh lb naturally, 113-115lb atm. My BMR is pretty low I think.. like 1200 or 1300 calories

[just_tired]

omg... The low calorie intake is the root of ALL your problems.

Feeling weak, fainting, brain doesn't work: Body isn't getting enough nutrition so it's shutting down less vital areas and it's holding on the last bit of fat "for a rainy day" hence no energy to keep yourself moving or studying.

Weight gain if eating normally: Because you have starved yourself, your body's metabolism is as low as it can be because it's shutting the body down. So when you eat normally you gain weight, BUT this will normalize in a week or two which you should do because that is an extremely unhealthy diet.

Losing fat is hard: Basically what I explained in the first problem. Your body doesn't want to lose the last bit of fat because it thinks you are living in poor conditions and not getting enough food.

My advice: Normalize your diet and start over with a HEALTHY diet. You'll succeed academically, eventually lose weight in a healthy manner and you're actually able to maintain that weight because your metabolism isn't f***ed up. Excuse my french.

[Asker]

But if I eat a healthy diet without a calorie deficit Ill be stuck with my natural weight which is fat. If I was to eat at my BMR Id be able to function and only gain a little weight from what I am now right? Not sure I want to do that though...

[just_tired]

What are you talking about..? You CAN have a healthy diet and lose weight. You just eat a little less than your BMR (NOT less than half) and exercise. You ask any nutritionist or doctor anywhere and they will tell you the exact same thing I did. You don't have to be self-destructive to lose weight. Like I said, your current diet is EXTREMELY unhealthy, seriously!

[Asker]

I mean that say I ate 1500, I'd eventually reach a point where it plateaus and it'll plateau at a higher weight than I am now because I'd initially gain weight because I'm eating more. I can't lose weight just with a healthy diet. It has to be low calorie too and to overcome a plateau and reach my goal weight I need to create a bigger deficit. And tbh I think the self-destructive part is half the appeal to me.. :/

[just_tired]

So you would seriously risk your academic life, stay unhealthy and keep feeling weak just to be enough thin... Enough thin for whom? How long do you think you can keep that up? You can never eat more and feel better if you want to keep that weight. That is not a stable solution. A lot of guys don't even like girls to be too thin. It's just an illusion girls have because of media.

[DeepBlue]

Find yourself a good multivitamin. Eat foods that are dense with nutrition. Quality not quantity. If you really are forced to choose though, go with your academics over being model-thin. Nothing wrong with a smart girl who is carrying a few extra.

[Asker]

But how many calories? I'm on about 800 on average atm and still need to lose more weight...

[risingphoenix201011]

First of all if you're 5'5 and a 123 lbs then you shouldn't be trying to get any smaller. And that height weighing 113-115 is underweight and unhealthy. No wonder you are fainting, you are starving yourself and not giving your body enough nutrients. Your meals need to be balanced. Breakfast, lunch, snack, then dinner. You can look up healthy meals to prepare for yourself. And take a multivitamin but don't just rely on that to get your nutrients.

[Asker]

Both weights are normal though.. I'd have to be 111lbs I *think* to have a BMI of 18.5. But I don't know how many calories to aim to eat to allow myself to lose weight but not have it drain me of all my energy/ability.. any ideas..?

[risingphoenix201011]

18.5 is the bare minimum before you reach the underweight range. And consuming only 800 calories a day is too little. Your body needs at least 1200 calories a day to function properly. Calorie intake is not a good way to gage weight loss. You need proper diet and exercise. If you eat healthy and exercise right you will stay at a good weight and your body will look nicer. Don't ruin your academics by trying to be super skinny. Most guys don't like stick thin girls anyways.

[risingphoenix201011]

Oh and your diet you described to one of the above answerers is not healthy either. You virtually are getting hardly any calcium or protein. A 100 calorie bag of crisps for lunch is NOT healthy. Your body right now is actually trying to store fat because you eat so little and so unhealthy.

[throwit]

drink lots of water, I always forget to drink ( I never really drink anything..) and it always makes me light headed, dizzy, tired, and hungry when I dont.

[Anonymous]

...If you were smart, you'd realize that your actual health is more important than being 10 pounds skinnier. I hate to sound like I'm lecturing but questions like this just frustrate me. When you're old and on your death bed, are you going to be thinking, "Gee I wish I had spent more time obsessing over my body"? Let your body be at the weight that makes you feel physically and mentally good.

[Asker]

Probably not but I want to be happy in the present and I can't be happy at my natural weight

[Opinion Owner]

You need to get to the ROOT of that problem then, not just struggle to get to the temporary solution. I know it seems impossibly hard, but it's so much better in the long run if you figure out how to feel good about yourself regardless of the number on the scale. A huge burden is lifted.

I don't know if it helps (or if you're even willing), but I started by not reading magazines anymore and questioning myself whenever I looked in the mirror and felt bad about what I saw.

[lucky24]

you have to eat the right foods

can you tell me what you eat and at what time?

[Asker]

Usually:

Breakfast-

Ive only recently started eatting breakfast because I heard it helps stop you binging later and keeps your metabolism up so Readi Brek (children's porridge sort of stuff) and maybe/rarely a glass of juice

Lunch- 100 calorie packet of crisps or a banana chopped up with toffee sauce as a dip. Sometimes both

Dinner- Varies alot.. Mostly always one or two handfuls of veg, I don't eat potatoes, and some sort of meat.. not always the healthiest but I never finish it & I never

[Asker]

try to go over 1000ish calories a day so if I ate more during the day Id eat less at dinner or if I knew dinner would be a bit fattening I'd eat less in the day or maybe skip breakfast

[lucky24]

that sounds horrible... no offense

no wonder you feel horrible. Your diet needs way more protein and nutrients. If you are really worried about getting fat start working out don't starve your self like this, its just not healthy.

breakfast is okay but add a glass of milk to it too cause you aren't getting any calcium. for lunch eat more and get a greek yogurt for snack between lunch and dinner at the least.

[lucky24]

your weight is perfectly normal for that height no need to do something like that

[lucky24]

by the way with your current diet you will start looking/being frail a lot sooner

you will definitely not age well and it will cause a lot of medical problems in the future

if you really want to lose weight talk to a nutritionist, he can guide you in the right path

i know some things about nutrition so feel free to add me and ask questions but its only for vegetarian men (since I studied it a bit for my self)

[sfauo]

Eat lean meats, healthy snacks, exercise. Very simple, yet takes time to find what's right for you.