Top 3 things I should focus on?

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  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    edited October 2014
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    So 365....that brings me to a question. myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. My BMR is 1431. So.....now I'm confused.


    I doubt it that MFP said you need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight....unless you're like 4 1/2 ft tall.

    You only have 10lbs to goal, what weight loss per week did you enter?
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    I think MFP tells everyone to eat 1200 a day. It told me the same. I personally manually lowered mine to 1,000 (which it has been giving me "warning" messages about - I sit ALL day - I personally know I don't need 1200 calories). Anyhoo - I think their idea is 1200 is the minimum healthy amount to eat - and they expect you to build in FITNESS - hence mFp ? Just my theory. I am a newbie to all this.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    LosinMama1966 wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    So 365....that brings me to a question. myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. My BMR is 1431. So.....now I'm confused.


    I doubt it that MFP said you need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight....unless you're like 4 1/2 ft tall.

    You only have 10lbs to goal, what weight loss per week did you enter?

    You don't get it, huh? MFP is INFAMOUS for saying that. I'm 5'5" and weigh 177 pounds and it said the same thing to me...so please, don't even start.

    I guess I will start...

    MFP won't tell a 30 year old F with 10lbs to lose that they need to restrict to 1200 calories to lose weight, unless they are tiny..... 2lbs per week....now that's different.
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    LosinMama1966 wrote: »
    DeeJayD2014 wrote: »
    I think MFP tells everyone to eat 1200 a day. It told me the same. I personally manually lowered mine to 1,000 (which it has been giving me "warning" messages about - I sit ALL day - I personally know I don't need 1200 calories). Anyhoo - I think their idea is 1200 is the minimum healthy amount to eat - and they expect you to build in FITNESS - hence mFp ? Just my theory. I am a newbie to all this.

    So, you do absolutely NO exercising whatsoever during the day?

    A little bit of walking during the work day but mostly I sit at a desk for about 12 hours a day. Sometimes for hours at a clip. I have to squeeze in time before work and after work to exercise. I also try to walk at lunch whenever possible. But - it's a LOT of sitting (and stress! lol).
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    DeeJayD2014 wrote: »
    I think MFP tells everyone to eat 1200 a day. It told me the same. I personally manually lowered mine to 1,000 (which it has been giving me "warning" messages about - I sit ALL day - I personally know I don't need 1200 calories). Anyhoo - I think their idea is 1200 is the minimum healthy amount to eat - and they expect you to build in FITNESS - hence mFp ? Just my theory. I am a newbie to all this.

    I'd seriously recommend you figure out your TDEE.
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    Let's keep it positive and happy folks. :) It's just weight loss. hehehe.

    I am losing right now - but thanks RGv2. Once I get stuck I will alter it if needed.
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    SueInAz wrote: »
    Frankly, if you're just getting started, try not to make it too complicated and take baby steps. Sure you can figure out your TDEE and BMR (whatever those mean, right?) or you can just let MFP tell you how many calories to eat by giving it your goals.

    My initial advice to someone just starting to use MFP is to take the first few days and just log what you eat. Get used to the whole idea of entering every single piece of food and things you drink into the tool. It'll give you a really good idea where you're starting from and how much, or little, you're really eating every day. Most people are pretty shocked and it becomes apparent how they've put on the pounds by eating the way they were before.

    Once you get used to that, take a good look at the things you've logged and find where you can make some simple changes that will make a big impact. 250 calories in Coca Cola every day, twice a day? Replace that with a glass of unsweetened iced tea with lemon. A Snickers bar every day at 2:00pm? Replace that with a 50 calorie apple. You get the idea.

    Try to add one new habit or change every week and it'll be a lot easier to maintain than to join a gym, try to eat 1200 calories every day, cut out all sugar, eat "clean" (whatever that is) all at once and get overwhelmed and frustrated.

    Most of all, try to make these changes something you can stick with for the rest of your life. Good luck on your journey!

    thanks so much Sue!!! Great advice!
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    anna_jewel wrote: »
    I was also confused and a beachbody coach mentioned- that on another reputable website had me 1466, MPF 1200. They expect you to be doing workouts (higher calories then) where as MPF has you at a lower calorie rate, no workout and then ups the calories after your workouts. Hope that helps. :)

    that makes sense. thanks for this!!
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    awesomedjmcvey wrote: »
    This is what I think, I read a book called Do Life by Ben Davis. The quote there that I think it is the most important part to our journey is "learning how to eat to live rather than living to eat". I am not dieting I am eating the way I want to for the rest of my life. I am eating to sustain life. So to answer your question, I would say what do you want to eat is the most important thing to focus on.

    Second, what do you like to do for excersize.

    Third, Support group. Add friends on here and build you a positive group of friends. That has been the best thing for me... I love everyone on here and I am glad to be sharing my journey with them.


    I will have to check out that book. His name sounds familiar. I think he has a blog on Tumblr too?
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    So 365....that brings me to a question. myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. My BMR is 1431. So.....now I'm confused.


    Sorry, just saw this now.
    The thing about MFP is that it simply follows what you want to lose. So if you have a BMR of 1431 and a TDEE of 1800 (we're assuming you're super sedentary here) yet you set MFP to let you lose 1lb per week, it would bring you below your BMR to meet your goals because eating to your BMR you would only have a per day deficit of around 350 cals versus the 500 you need to lose an lb per week.

    I think BMR/TDEE is the most reliable way to lose weight personally, but that's simply because I like to have control over the speed I'm losing and completely understand why my body can and can't process things the way I'd like it to. Its also a lot more manageable because you don't get the same intense cravings or suffer binges in the same way as those who are being really restrictive.

    Basically short answer is your goals on MFP don't match eating to your BMR, so MFP assumed that you wanted to lose whatever you set it to anyway and put you at the lowest recommended calorie rating it legally could.
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    SingRunTing wrote: »
    Calories, calories, calories.

    How many calories you eat is most of the battle with weight loss. Start with calories. Focus on the macros (fat, protein, carbs) if you can, but its ok if you just need to think about calories at first.

    Good idea. I was getting worried about CARBS CARBS. But for now I think you are right calories and overall healthy choices. Thanks ! :)
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    DeeJayD2014 wrote: »
    Let's keep it positive and happy folks. :) It's just weight loss. hehehe.

    I am losing right now - but thanks RGv2. Once I get stuck I will alter it if needed.

    Of course you are....you're only eating 1000 calories a day.
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    RGv2 wrote: »
    DeeJayD2014 wrote: »
    Let's keep it positive and happy folks. :) It's just weight loss. hehehe.

    I am losing right now - but thanks RGv2. Once I get stuck I will alter it if needed.

    Of course you are....you're only eating 1000 calories a day.

    On the days I sit for like 12 hours yes. On the weekends - when I hike for 3-4 hours I would be definitely eating more. :)
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    edited October 2014
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    LosinMama1966 wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    LosinMama1966 wrote: »
    RGv2 wrote: »
    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    So 365....that brings me to a question. myfitnesspal recommends that I eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. My BMR is 1431. So.....now I'm confused.


    I doubt it that MFP said you need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight....unless you're like 4 1/2 ft tall.

    You only have 10lbs to goal, what weight loss per week did you enter?

    You don't get it, huh? MFP is INFAMOUS for saying that. I'm 5'5" and weigh 177 pounds and it said the same thing to me...so please, don't even start.

    I guess I will start...

    MFP won't tell a 30 year old F with 10lbs to lose that they need to restrict to 1200 calories to lose weight, unless they are tiny..... 2lbs per week....now that's different.

    It tells a whole lot of people that the should be eating 1200 calories a day to lose weight, whether you should believe it or not...smh

    So it tells a lot of people (In this case a 30 yr old F w/ 10 lbs to lose) that if they enter in a goal of .5 - 1 lb per week they'll get 1200?

    They must have changed their calculation. When I helped my wife set hers up, 32yrs old, 25lbs of baby weight to lose, 5ft 1in, 1lb per week we got 1400ish...., I remember 2lbs per week was around 1230...smh.
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    There is a whole questionnaire - how much you plan to exercise, how much you want to lose. how old you are - how much you currently weigh - etc. Then it asks for your current activity level - sedentary, active - etc. and It comes up with a calories per day. So if I had time (and desire haha) to workout 2 hours a day every day I am sure I could up my calories to 1400 or more even. But frankly my lifestyle doesn't permit that personally. So - I believe 1200 is there "safe" low amount - as another person mentioned -probably the lowest they can recommend legally without issues.
    Hope that explains it better. :)
  • DeeJayD2015
    DeeJayD2015 Posts: 53 Member
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    sushi549 wrote: »
    Hello & Welcome! :)

    My Top 3 Recommendations:
    1. Log EVERYTHING! - Healthy, Unhealthy, Flat-out empty nutrition yummies Log it ALL There's just something about SEEING what we put into our bodies that wakes some of us up. LOL
    2. Be Consistent! - Whatever exercise regime or eating trend you want to experiment with just be consistent with it & make sure it is something that you can truly integrate to your life.
    3. Grain or Salt - All the members on MFP that I have crossed paths with has the best intentions and would never purposely steer you wrong. HOWEVER, please understand that EVERYONE is different and this whole weight loss journey is rather individual. There are some general things which applies to most, but not all. Always try to keep advice in perspective to how it does or does not apply to you, based on your lifestyle, height, & age.

    Best of luck to you! <3

    this is GREAT advice... thank you!! xoxo

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