SW 223 CW 212 GW 145 38F
Background:
I started a month ago of 18:6 (the month prior to that, I was cutting out snacking constantly prior to starting intermittent fasting) replacing with more whole foods and also using vegetarian options like plant burgers, tofu ect.
I don't always deny myself and will grab a handful of crackers from time to time and even had a few Christmas cookies a few days ago (but didn't go crazy and stuff myself)
I am prediabetic and sedentary, work from home. I am also on beta blockers for severe anxiety and BP,.(bp is normal however, still on the meds for anxiety) I am in therapy for other stuff and also realized how much I eat for emotional comfort. Some days are tough BUT most of the time I've noticed I'm not having as much as an appetite.
I started thinking about my calorie intake and honestly it's probably anywhere between 1100 and 1500.
I'm worried I'm not eating enough and my period is late as well.
I'm trying to lean towards a vegetarian lifestyle, and I'm wondering how important is calorie counting with IF? I heard you can get gallstones if you're not careful and also, I want to make sure I'm taking care of myself in a healthy and sustainable way. Any advice would be appreciated!
Answer
Without weighing and measuring your food and recording the calories of everything you eat (including every single cookie) for a little while, you are probably substantially underestimating the number of calories you are consuming. Studies have shown that’s typically the case.
So if you are thinking your daily calories are between 1100-1500 they are almost certainly more like 1500+. That’s a mild calorie deficit for a female, and nowhere near something that would affect your period.
In my opinion, anyone who can’t maintain a healthy weight through intuitive eating (such as myself) should calorie count at some point to see where the overages are coming from. It’s always unexpected and illuminating.
After five months of religious calorie counting, I have now memorized what my usual meals are worth, so I’m not so strict about recording it every single day. But that learning period was very important.