At my wits end, really need some advice.
Replies
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The OP has consistently consumed approx 1200 for eleven months. Nearly a year.
I've read the OP twice and also the reply where she said she would try 1400 as a reduction from 1800 calories that she stated in the OP. So nowhere does she appear to be consuming 1200 as you claim.
If you're going to pull some net calorie stunt about her exercise needs then you also need to understand her TDEE etc which isn't made clear. You also need to consider that with at least 30 lbs of excess fat to go at the OP can supply over 900 calories a day from adipose tissue which is (many of us believe) the objective of weight loss.
So eating 1800 plus 900 from fat makes 2700 available to "fuel the machine" or whatever bro-speak is coming next, dropping to 2300 with the proposed food reduction.0 -
Any questions ask me. Keep the formula on the Miffins setting. On the fat loss part, if you're just trying to lose weight slowly, check the box that says cautious. For a little faster loss, hit textbook. If you want to lose it fast you hit the aggressive option,*Note this allows you about 300cals less than the first option*
Fr protein, keep it set to 1g per lb
For fat keep it set to .450 -
No study has ever found a point at which anyone loses more by eating more. It becomes less efficient to reduce intake at some point (removing 10 more calories might only add 7 to the deficit as metabolism slows) but it never starts going the other way. NEVER.
The OP has lost a huge amount of weight on what calculates to be extremely minimal on a long-term basis. Then for the past five months has survived on approx 1200 cals a day, which is never maintenance for a 5ft 7 person by the way. Please explain how reducing even more would benefit the OP in any way, shape or form. Doing this would have only negative effects as food = fuel. There is no arguement for that. Surely you can't believe that metabolism reduction is a positive thing?
She said she doesn't WANT to eat more or exercise more. That leaves eating less or exercising harder as the other two things to try. I have do idea why the OP hasn't lost weight, but I'm guessing it's a miscalculation somewhere that might be corrected by eating less. I personally wouldn't try to eat less than 1,200 (or even 1,200 calories for that matter). I would be crazy uncomfortable eating that little.0 -
I broke a long plateau by taking a total diet break for almost 3 weeks. Ate just under TDEE and thankfully didn't gain weight over the period. It seems to have sped up my metabolism, which I guess slowed down due to calorie restriction for many months. Once I started restricting again, the scale started to move, albeit slowly.
I plan to do this every three months or so.0 -
Do this and you *will* lose weight:
1) Eat mostly to get the nutrition your body needs, and less for enjoyment. Establish a healthful diet and find pleasure in other things.
2) Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's it. No snacks, and no "in between" meals.
3) Give up sugar. No sugar in coffee, soda, or on cereal. Give up fruit juice -- it's mainly just another form of sugar. Water is the only liquid you need.
4) In the beginning, establish a very regulated moderate calorie diet. Don't follow any sort of fad. Just pick a selection of foods that add up to a normal balanced diet -- whole grains, veggies, fruit, dairy, a little meat, etc. But start out by having exactly the same three meals each day -- the same foods and the same amounts. Weigh the portions on a scale. Consider frozen dinners. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Smart Ones, and probably other brands have several that are low in calories and saturated fat, 25% daily value or less of sodium, and high in fiber.
5) Weigh yourself every day on a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale. Your weight should go down over every two or three days. If it doesn't, eliminate items from your diet or reduce the size of portions until your weight does go down. (If you don't have a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale, I'd recommend the EatSmart Precision Plus Digital Scale, which is sold on Amazon.) Don't obsess over the scale — let it be your friend and point the way to a weight losing diet.
6) When you have achieved a weight losing diet, then you can start making adjustments to add variety, but make sure that you keep losing weight.
7) Maintain your exercise program.0 -
OK I'm totally confused now. TDEE?Adipose tissue?
I'm really not sure what to do now. Eat more? eat less?
I'll try eating less for a while if that doesn't work i'll try eating more om my exercise days. I'll around with it till something clicks....
I'll keep of everything really carefully.0 -
For what it's worth the block could be mental
Try researching Louise hay, shakti Gaiwan, and Joyce reynolds to help your mind / body relationship accept more weight loss.0 -
OK I'm totally confused now. TDEE?Adipose tissue?
I'm really not sure what to do now. Eat more? eat less?
I'll try eating less for a while if that doesn't work i'll try eating more om my exercise days. I'll around with it till something clicks....
I'll keep of everything really carefully.
Lol. Don't get too discouraged. Celebrate the little things, like getting stronger, having more energy, noticing a little more definition.0 -
Do this and you *will* lose weight:
1) Eat mostly to get the nutrition your body needs, and less for enjoyment. Establish a healthful diet and find pleasure in other things.
2) Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's it. No snacks, and no "in between" meals.
3) Give up sugar. No sugar in coffee, soda, or on cereal. Give up fruit juice -- it's mainly just another form of sugar. Water is the only liquid you need.
4) In the beginning, establish a very regulated moderate calorie diet. Don't follow any sort of fad. Just pick a selection of foods that add up to a normal balanced diet -- whole grains, veggies, fruit, dairy, a little meat, etc. But start out by having exactly the same three meals each day -- the same foods and the same amounts. Weigh the portions on a scale. Consider frozen dinners. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Smart Ones, and probably other brands have several that are low in calories and saturated fat, 25% daily value or less of sodium, and high in fiber.
5) Weigh yourself every day on a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale. Your weight should go down over every two or three days. If it doesn't, eliminate items from your diet or reduce the size of portions until your weight does go down. (If you don't have a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale, I'd recommend the EatSmart Precision Plus Digital Scale, which is sold on Amazon.) Don't obsess over the scale — let it be your friend and point the way to a weight losing diet.
6) When you have achieved a weight losing diet, then you can start making adjustments to add variety, but make sure that you keep losing weight.
7) Maintain your exercise program.
This is quite methodical. You must be an engineer!0 -
I agree. I was hoping not to have to dedicate my entire life to this as a scientific endevour. :laugh: But I really do appreciate everyone's suggestions and interest so Thanks.
I am very pleased with how my body has changed in other ways such as fitness and muscle tone, my original aim was to get fitter and stronger and that has and still is happening.0 -
OK I'll try eating less for a couple of weeks and see how I get on. I'm not going to mess with my exercise too much as the classes are designed so you don't get used to them and they are still a challenge for me so I'm fine with that. I try to change a couple of things each week anyway for variety.
If I don't lose weight after a couple of week on 1400 cals I think I will just leave it and be chubbby and happy as this is getting unhealthy mentally.
Thanks for your replies.
For exercise right now, I only do two things; Couch to 5k three days a week and Yoga Meltdown dvd four days a week. I also eat about 2010 calories a day. It could be you are doing to much or trying to hard. But, I am not experienced enough to tell you what you are doing is wrong. I think that you have just not found what works for you.0 -
OK I'm totally confused now. TDEE?Adipose tissue?
I'm really not sure what to do now. Eat more? eat less?
I'll try eating less for a while if that doesn't work i'll try eating more om my exercise days. I'll around with it till something clicks....
I'll keep of everything really carefully.
The early advice of trying to eat less is solid.
You were derailed (as these threads usually are) by someone with the opinion that in some way eating more would be beneficial. Such people completely ignore the calories you can get from your fat reserves (adipose tissue) and seem to believe that you have to eat to offset your exercise - which eliminates the exercise from contributing to your calorie deficit.
TDEE is the total calories you burn in a day living and doing your stuff including exercise.
If you want 10 different opinions, ask one question here ;-)0 -
Do you weigh your food using a digital scale?0
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First of all, making your diary public would help people help you better.
Second, are you sure you're eating 1800 calories? Because if you're not using a food scale, you're likely underestimating your intake.0 -
Yes I use a digital scale to weigh food, it was the first thing I did. Essential bit of kit.0
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Everyone has their own opinion, eat more, eat less...
Just pick something to do differently, whether it be a workout, or calories or whatever. Try it for a month. If that doesn't work, try something else.0 -
Yes I use a digital scale to weigh food, it was the first thing I did. Essential bit of kit.
Can you open your food diary. It will be easier to see what may be going on.0 -
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Open your diary--"Come on Clare you know you want to just do it...promise you won't laugh" yes Breakfast Club--but just open it and take the guessing out of it. If Sara has interest just listen to her. She knows her SHAT!
O-P-E-N the diary and all will known....no more potentials, but some definite answers once you open it....0 -
I'm sorry if you addressed this already, but if so I must have missed it...
What about your inches? Your weight is stable, but your body might be getting smaller all of the time. Muscles weigh more than fat, so maybe you're burning your fat, though the scale doesn't show it.
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Can you open your food diary. It will be easier to see what may be going on.
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Can you open your food diary. It will be easier to see what may be going on.
I've only been using this site since Friday so I wouldn't want to open my food diary yet as I would prefer it to be maybe a weeks worth to represent things properly. But to be honest I would also be concerned that if I made my diary public it would just be open season to comment and pick over everything I eat and do and that actually it wouldn't be helpful.0 -
Are you sure you are burning over 6,000 calories a week? That is a TON of calories. Where did you get that estimate?0
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Join the Eat Train Progress group. Read all the stickies and maybe post your question there. Will help weed out the broscience.0
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Can you open your food diary. It will be easier to see what may be going on.
I've only been using this site since Friday so I wouldn't want to open my food diary yet as I would prefer it to be maybe a weeks worth to represent things properly. But to be honest I would also be concerned that if I made my diary public it would just be open season to comment and pick over everything I eat and do and that actually it wouldn't be helpful.
How were you tracking your food before?0 -
I didn't say 6,000 calorie a week. I said 4,500 cals. Its based on the average calorie burn for my exercise classes and calories burned from walking based on my height, weight, speed and distance.Are you sure you are burning over 6,000 calories a week? That is a TON of calories. Where did you get that estimate?
Last week i 'earned' 90 activity pp on Weight Watchers.
Of course it will vary each week to some degree but not wildly.0 -
How were you tracking your food before?
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Yes Ive been doing Weight watchers since last June0 -
I did lose inches as I lost weight ,I've gone down several clothes sizes, although my legs and arms have pretty much stayed the same as I've put on muscle . My measurements also seem to be staying the same now although i don't track them as much as my weight, Ive been the same clothes size for several months now too.I'm sorry if you addressed this already, but if so I must have missed it...
What about your inches? Your weight is stable, but your body might be getting smaller all of the time. Muscles weigh more than fat, so maybe you're burning your fat, though the scale doesn't show it.0 -
Okay, so no diary. What we do know is you have gained muscle. We also you do not measure frequently which isn't good or bad. I'd suggest measuring calf, thigh, neck, chest, waist, and hips. If you do not have a scale which measures BF% I'd consider buying one. If over the next two weeks you maintain a diary you could friend Sara and let her see it. You do not have to open it the public. Why Sara--well you have to get know her and once you do you'll realize the story, the woman, and what she brings to your MFP world will make you an infinitely better person for listening and asking. Good luck with goals.0
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I usually l do Body attack and Body pump 3 times a week each plus Body balance and walking outside. I work really hard in my classes and I'm now much fitter and stronger.
I don't feel I can exercise more than I am and I don't feel I need to eat more. What am I doing wrong?
You don't feel you can exercise more? You're just doing classes. No real strength training and no intense individual cardio.
Here's the deal with classes. They're easy. Sure, they may seem hard at first, especially if you're out of shape. But all classes have to be geared to the middle. They have to be easy enough to be accessible to the newbies at the gym that are most attracted to them, while be juuuuust difficult enough that moderately in shape people feel like they've done something. But they are never so hard that people in above average shape are sufficiently challenged by them.
You mastered Zumba and moved on. Now you've mastered Body Pump and walking and whatever and it's time to move on again. Buy New Rules of Lifting for Women to learn the ins and out of lifting weights and why it's a great idea for you. If you're physically able, it's time to start trying to run. If you want to get to the next level, you've got to exercise at the next level0
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