I'm trying to lose weight by going on a restricted calorie diet. Based on my BMR, it looks like 1200 calories per day would allow me to lose about a pound a week responsibly.
Googling around, I found this meal plan that purports to do just that. I was especially attracted to the plan's balanced approach. Nothing is strictly forbidden, it's just reasonably portioned.
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_meal_plans/7_day_diet_meal_plan_to_lose_weight_1200_caloriesI'm now about halfway through Day 6 of 7. After almost a week following the plan (with about 90% accuracy), I am actually up 2 lbs from where I was a week ago. Two pounds could probably be explained by changes in water weight, difference in clothing, cheap scale, natural fluctuations, et cetera, but I "feel" like I have either gained a little or maintained.
Frankly I'm not surprised because I have felt so full moment to moment. I usually skip breakfast and don't typically snack until I get home from work. Now I have been eating throughout the day. Furthermore, the dinners are not that much different from what I might typically make for myself except the portion size seems even greater than I would typically serve myself.
(Full disclosure: I additionally consume coffee with skim milk and artificial sweetener throughout the work day. I did have some wine this week but less than I typically consume. I hope to abstain from booze entirely during the next few weeks.)
So here are my thoughts/questions:
1) Is this meal plan fundamentally flawed? Should I just throw away any meal plan that has cheese/pasta/meat/dairy in sight? I have not felt deprived at any point this week but maybe that's just a sign this isn't a big enough adjustment to see any results.
2) Is snacking throughout the day just a bad idea for me or will my body adjust and be better for it given more time? Would it be better to follow my internal sense of hunger and skip a snack or reduce a meal size if I just don't want it? Or does skipping a snack set me up to overeat later?
3) I suspect my sense of serving size is skewed too large. Would it be worth it to buy a cheap kitchen scale, convert the volume units to an equivalent mass, and then weigh my food instead? Or should I just "round down" when I approximate how much veggies to chop.
4) I don't have an exercise routine. I walk short distances regularly and always take the stairs, but nothing that maintains an elevated heart rate. I hate exercise and I will never like it as long as I live. I was hoping to achieve weight loss with diet alone but this may not be possible. I can trick myself into doing it with gamification and the right routine. Does anyone have any good recommendations on this front?
Thank you so much for your time.