Newbie...help with numbers, please...

arobed53

Sounds good. Slow and steady is good and easier to stay with.

segacs

alskarani wrote: »

Honestly, eating more is going to be really hard for me. I've eaten 1,088 calories today, and mentally it's hard to think about eating more! But I really want to do this!

If that were true you wouldn't have gained the weight in the first place. All of us gained it the same way -- by eating more calories than we burned. That means that at some stage, you were eating way more than 1,088 calories per day.

You need to develop a healthier relationship with food. Food isn't good or bad, it's just food. Eat too little and you'll have nasty health effects like hair loss, nutritional deficiencies, hunger pangs, tiredness, headaches, a short temper, loss of your period, and maybe even slowing of brain function. Eat too much and you'll gain weight and have other health risks. It's like Goldilocks and the three bears: You gotta find the amount that's "just right".

alskarani

Yup, at some point I did. Then I developed disordered eating and lost a bunch of weight, and some of the other things you mentioned. Then I tried to "recover" and gained a lot back.

I've started losing again, the bad way, and want to stop. But at the moment, I've been restricting to anywhere from 400 to 1000 calories. I want to stop this, so here I am.

segacs

In that case, please see a counselor. You're still demonstrating disordered eating behaviour, and believe me, this isn't a judgment or a condemnation -- we just want to see you get well and healthy. Getting some help and support is the #1 best thing you can do for yourself.

alskarani

What is disordered? I don't understand! I'm trying to get better!

I am going to a counselor. They aren't an ed specialist, but I'm doing what I can...

segacs

alskarani wrote: »

What is disordered? I don't understand! I'm trying to get better!

I am going to a counselor. They aren't an ed specialist, but I'm doing what I can...

That's great that you're trying to get better, really!

What I meant was, if you're struggling to eat more than 1000 calories, then you're still dealing with some of your disordered eating behaviours that you referred to in your last post. If your only two settings are to eat extremely low or extremely high calories, and you struggle to eat a normal amount, then that's an ED.

How about talking about some of this with your counselor?

MelodyandBarbells

Here's where to set macro percentages, and you can always change it in the future if you want: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_custom

You can consume more calories without necessarily eating a ton more volume: oil, salad dressings, peanut butter, avocado, try different types of meat other than boneless skinless chicken breast if you eat meat, etc. If you do a search you'll come up with tons of ideas

But yeah if the struggle is more mental than just wondering how you'll physically cram more food into your day, I agree you should see if your counselor can help you sort through some of that

alskarani

Yes, I am still struggling. I really thought this would help...channel some determination into getting better. I have a lot of fear foods and fear of eating too much, but I thought to set a goal and try to achieve it would help.

I'm talking about it in counseling, and start at a treatment center soon, but wanted to try to make progress even before.

Counting calories is the only way I can think about doing this! Everything seems really out of control otherwise!

yirara

Looking at your entries from yesterday it looks like you're not weighing your food. Please use a food scale and weigh everything. I have what I would describe as a smallish banana in front of me and it weighs in at 115 grams without peel. That's 98 calories, though if I logged it as a small banana it's 90 kcal. Sure, it's a small difference, but it all adds up. You also had 8 tablespoons of hummus. I know that hummus is quite high in calories (and very yummy). What is the definition of the person who entered hummus in table spoons into the data base and how does that differ with yours? Did the person enter the information use a tablespoon full of hummus and wiped off everything that's higher than the edge? What did you do? There really is a good chance that you're eating more than you think.

alskarani

I weighed the hummus out in grams. I had 112 grams, or 4 ounces, or 8 tbsp, according to this entry. (It listed grams and tablespoons in comparison). I made my own hummus, added very little oil, and chose a hummus with a high amount of calories per 28 grams, or ounce, to be on the safe side.

I estimated the banana, and put in more than I thought it was, because I didn't have my scale with me. If I can weigh it, I do.

So I'm pretty sure I'm not that far off. I'm pretty exacting. For better or worse.

Sued0nim

alskarani wrote: »

I weighed the hummus out in grams. I had 112 grams, or 4 ounces, or 8 tbsp, according to this entry. (It listed grams and tablespoons in comparison). I made my own hummus, added very little oil, and chose a hummus with a high amount of calories per 28 grams, or ounce, to be on the safe side.

I estimated the banana, and put in more than I thought it was, because I didn't have my scale with me. If I can weigh it, I do.

So I'm pretty sure I'm not that far off. I'm pretty exacting. For better or worse.

Hummus naturally has a lot of oil in it ...making your own you should use the recipe builder and use the calories from that ...particularly if you're cutting the healthy, satieting oils from it - choosing a normal hummus is simply cheating yourself and logging more than you consumed

Your problem is you don't eat enough for your health so I don't see how overestimating is going to help your body either

I would strongly advise a referral to ED specialists

alskarani

I know, I know! I'm trying to change that! I'm trying to figure out how I can eat properly. I have a referral, but waiting on the paperwork.

In the meantime, I'm trying to push myself to eat what I should. It's scary for me, but I really am trying. That's why I've asked for advice figuring out how many calories to eat, and what macros to shoot for. I didn't make my goal today, but it was my first day. I aim to keep trying.

jgt1942

Alskarani, as others have suggested 1000 cal a day is much too low. I suggest you check with your doctor. I'm an old fart and have heart issues. In 98 I had a quad bypass and my only complaint prior to the operation was that I felt that I got tired too fast. I was working a job that required almost zero activity and I was on a see-food diet, e.g. if I could see it I would eat it. After the bypass I got serious about my diet and counted calories. At that time I was not aware of anything like MFP. I followed the Body For Life program with respect to exercise and diet. I'm 6'1" and was about 215, after several months I got down to 185 and hit the wall. I stayed at this level for a few years and then moved from NC to AZ. Here in AZ I was building a house and fell off the diet and exercise program for a several years. No bypass is forever and a couple of years ago after some test it was confirmed that the bypass was basically wiped out and I had new blockages. Just over a year ago I became part of a research program for a stem cell injection. I think I got the good stuff but will not know until this Nov. Recently I switch heart doctors in my home town and he stated that I have heart issues on the back side and it is very unlikely that it will improve but I could reduce the changes of heart attacks by changing my diet He suggested a Mediterranean style diet and a calorie count of 1600-1800 per day and exercise.

Since the visit I've been using the MFP app on my smart phone, I have a chest pulse monitor and per his suggestion I keep my pulse below 110. I've been exercising on a Nordic Track Cross Country Ski machine. At first my pulse was difficult to keep below 110 and I had negative health issues as a result, e.g. I'd feel very sick, super tired, chest tightness, numbness in my right arm, tingle in my bottom teeth. I then reduced my efforts and really watched my pulse keeping it below 110. At the start it was difficult for me to exercise for 15 minutes and I was doing about a 13 minute mile. I try to exercise daily and just today I completed 4 miles in 30 min, 16 seconds, the entire time my pulse was below 110 and I have almost no negative issues. This was accomplished in about 4 weeks. My weight has dropped from 208.4 to 202.2 and my bodyfat is now about 25 percent. It was over 27 when I started. In that I have a lot of extra body fat I expect my future progress to be slow. When I weigh myself my scales display the percent body fat.

I suggest you first visit your doctor, get on a good diet and exercise program, set realistic goals, use the MFP app, track your results. When you can afford it get a good pulse monitor, chest straps are currently the most accurate although I really want to get the Fitbit Charger HR. If you watch the sales you can pickup stuff at great prices. I have a Big 5 sport store very close to me and picked up a Yoga mat for $14 that normally cost $30. They also had a chest strap monitor on sale for $59.

Best of luck and good health.

alskarani

Thanks. It seems slow is the way to go...I think if I can learn this, it will be good for both my body AND my soul...