Please Help. I'm So Confused!

nabamukhtar

Hi, everyone. I'm new to MFP and dieting/exercising in general. Yesterday, I decided to put myself on a 1200-calorie diet and ended up eating 1260 calories, so I'm going to have to eat a little less today. I don't know if I can keep it up without cheating.

Here's a little info about me: I'm a female college freshman on a meal plan, and the caf doesn't have a ton of variety when it comes to healthy food (on top of that, I can't eat meat other than seafood and I'm a picky eater). I was not physically active in high school, but in mid-September I started exercising 5 hours a week (although I don't know how many calories I burn doing so). I'm 5'6 and weigh 130 pounds. My goal weight is 120 pounds.

It's crazy how quickly calories add up. Even an apple has around 80 calories. I'm not sure whether I just need to control myself and get used to dieting or if I need more than 1200 calories a day.

Calliope610

I'm just gonna leave these links here. Everything I needed to know in order to successfully lose weight is contained in these posts.

(sorry, put since MFP "updated" the forums, the links don't work - you will have to cut & paste the URLs, but the info is well worth the effort)

Read these:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Want to lift heavy things?
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Stronglifts Summary
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

Stronglifts Womens Group
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

jacksonpt

nabamukhtar wrote: »

I'm not sure whether I just need to control myself and get used to dieting or if I need more than 1200 calories a day.

probably both.

1200 cals is pretty low - most people can (and IMO, should) eat more and still lose weight.

Changing your eating habits is hard, and it takes time. Be patient, accept that there will be good days and bad days, be patient and work for consistency over the long run.

TossaBeanBag

Better to burn off the fat than try to starve it off. It sure looks better if you keep some muscle. You've got some good links above.

laconrad2013

1200 is not enough calories! Focus on health, not numbers. Get your blood work done, visit a gym and get a fitness assessment. Have them determine your body fat percentage. Base your goals on health - for example aim for a healthy body fat percentage - because you're already a healthy weight. Also consult a dietician. No dietician would ever put you on a calorie restricted diet unless they had zero credentials. By focusing on health your weight and body shape will become what you desire as a byproduct of health. By focusing on weight your health may suffer - anemia, loss of lean muscle tissue which will actually cause you to gain weight more easily - and you may do more harm than good.

laconrad2013

Consider a plant based diet :-)

TossaBeanBag

laconrad2013 wrote: »

Consider a plant based diet :-)

Yeah, not.

Jecka987

What every one else has said + know that 60 calories over is teeny - you are probably that amount under/over EVERY day from counting errors, you are still in a big deficit eating slightly over (maybe too big as some people have said). I would think about putting your cals up a little - it is better to lose more slowly but sustain it. And if you exercise you can eat more calories too Good luck

acorsaut89

Or stop looking for attention & validation and consult a doctor because this is troublesome for a young woman. Sorry but when people post things like this they're usually looking for the "OH MY GOD - you need to eat more hunny, you're not going to lose weight that way" and they need the validation that eating more is ok.

Guess what? Eating 1,200 calories is for 4'8 bed-ridden woman basically. You know what's good for your body. Even if you're the self-proclaimed "picky eater" the wonderful thing about food is that there so much variety out there - if you look, you can find things that will fulfil your nutritional requirements and fill you up. I'm a pretty picky eater too but I manage to get 2,000 calories into my diet daily.

I would suggest talking to a doctor/nutrition specialist regarding your needs as we are not qualified to help you here, we're here for support however support runs thin with the need for validation

nabamukhtar

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like I wanted validation/attention. It's just that I do see a nutritionist, but she hasn't been too helpful and I thought it might help to hear other opinions.

jacksonpt

acorsaut89 wrote: »

Or stop looking for attention & validation and consult a doctor because this is troublesome for a young woman. Sorry but when people post things like this they're usually looking for the "OH MY GOD - you need to eat more hunny, you're not going to lose weight that way" and they need the validation that eating more is ok.

What wrong with looking for some reassurance? How long has society been battered with the starve yourself to lose weight mentality? Seems like this is a very reasonable need/question for someone new to all this.

StaciMarie1974

Step 1: Set reasonable goals. If you need to lose 12 pounds then .5-1 pound per week is a reasonable goal. If 12 pounds is just an interim goal and you actually need to lose 75-100, then 2 pounds a week is a reasonable goal.

Step 2: Start tracking, logging your food honestly & accurately. Then start looking for things you can change. Smaller portion of X. Substitute Y for a larger serving of veggies. Less fried food, more baked/grilled food. Etc.

Step 3: Find an activity you enjoy doing. Walking, dancing, whatever. Losing weight is about how much you consume, but being active has benefits for your health as well.

kimny72

Considering your age and height you should be able to lose weight on more than 1200 calories, assuming you are logging accurately. Since you only need to lose 10 lbs, you should tell MFP you want to lose half a lb per week. I would think your goal will be more like 1500-1600, especially including your exercise. It takes a little trial & error, so don't kill yourself if it takes a couple of weeks to find a calorie number where you feel satisfied AND you start to lose weight. And read those links Calliope gave you - they will help! Good luck

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47Jacqueline

Another 1200 calorie post.

Marianne802

I've started on this journey too. I agree, get some professional advice regarding calorie intake. I went to a naturapath and she put me on approx 1214 cal, I'm 5 foot, 77kg and 42 yrs old. Calorie requirements reduce as you get older . My calories are made up of 35% protein, 40% carbs, and 25% good fats. I find the high protein helps carb my appetite big time, I don't get cravings, have crashes, etc. A little bit more prep work and planning involved in protein foods, constantly hunting for new quick ideas for breakky.

Good luck though, you've already made a positive first step.

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nabamukhtar

Honestly, I'm only on Day 2 of my 1200-calorie diet and I'm dying. I guess I'll have to take in more calories after all. Do you think 1500 calories would work?

Calliope610

please read the following links; they will help you determine the appropriate daily caloric requirement for your weight loss goals.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Anonycatgirl

You're already a healthy weight, just trying to get from healthy to exactly where you want to be. See what MFP gives you for half a pound a week; you'll be a lot happier.