Is this a good idea?
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Chrysalid2014 wrote: »
You need to go read the post again. You are deliberately saying she is saying something she didn't say.brianpperkins wrote: »
Please go read the OP's initial post. She isn't proposing 1200 with no exercise. She is proposing under 1200 then punishing herself with one hour of exercise if she exceeds 1200 coupled with a far too aggressive loss rate for the amount she has to lose. She is exercising five days per week ... according to her thread started on the 16th.
My question to you is why are you trying to defend her unhealthy plan when it requires ignoring her own statements to do so?
I just re-read it. She proposed 1000-1200 with exercise added if/when 1200 was exceeded.
This is why I don't think the plan is necessarily unhealthy:
1. She could easily meet her macro/micronutrient needs on 1200 if she consumes nutrient-dense foods exclusively.
2. The time frame proposed (three months) is relatively short – would it not be highly unusual for the metabolic slowdown and other negative side-effects people have mentioned to occur so quickly?
3. She proposes to add exercise if/when 1200 calories are exceeded. This will initially motivate her to get into the exercise habit (as we know she will be hungry after a short while and will want to eat more). Hopefully in the process she will discover that exercise is also enjoyable and it will become a lifelong habit.
4. Of course the desired rate of weight loss can't be guaranteed, but as we know everyone loses at different rates, so she'll have to try it and see how she goes. Some people simply can't get motivated unless they set themselves a very ambitious target.
1. Eating only 1200 calories is far too aggressive for her amount to lose and that is the upper limit of her eating plan ... total, not net.
2. To reach her goal in that time frame requires eating far below 1200 and risking lean mass.
3. She has a five day per week workout plan which makes the extra hour for 1200 calories seem even more like punishment ... search does wonders. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10164353/trying-to-lose-my-college-weight-is-this-a-good-exercise-regimen
4. Encouraging an unhealthy goal is never the right course of action.0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »The search function does wonders. Using it reveals the OP's thread from May 16 where she talks about her five day per week workouts. (Actually, reading that post shows the OP states "...I was 'thinking' about...", suggesting she has not yet begun any sort of exercise regimen.)
Running her numbers through multiple calculators shows that 1000-1200 is too low.
Regardless of the calculators used, at 5'6", 1200 calories is not an unreasonable starting base. IF she is working out five days a week and burning X number of calories in addition to her base, she has a calorie target of up to perhaps 1800 calories or so, including the exercise calorie burn. But the 1200 calorie base is still a sustainable standard. And, when she reaches her target area, this can be adjusted to find her best maintenance range.
Naturally, her activity level, which the OP indicated was sedentary, has a big effect on what is her best calorie target. Again, however, a 1200 calorie base is a reasonable, and sustainable, starting point for her. For someone more than twice her weight, obviously the starting base would be higher.
This isn't Army boot camp and she is not going to be burning 3,800 calories before breakfast. There are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration before making any broad, all-encompassing statement.0 -
You are looking for any excuse to encourage a bad idea. You are assuming what the OP will do, a stranger that you know nothing about. Your encouraging her is just as bad as her plan is.
You appear to be someone who always assumes other people have bad intentions. But you haven't actually explained what you think are the flaws in my points above (apart from assuming good intentions on the part of the OP).0 -
ReeseG4350 wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »The search function does wonders. Using it reveals the OP's thread from May 16 where she talks about her five day per week workouts.
Running her numbers through multiple calculators shows that 1000-1200 is too low.
Regardless of the calculators used, at 5'6", 1200 calories is not an unreasonable starting base. IF she is working out five days a week and burning X number of calories in addition to her base, she has a calorie target of up to perhaps 1800 calories or so, including the exercise calorie burn. But the 1200 calorie base is still a sustainable standard. And, when she reaches her target area, this can be adjusted to find her best maintenance range.
Naturally, her activity level, which the OP indicated was sedentary, has a big effect on what is her best calorie target. Again, however, a 1200 calorie base is a reasonable, and sustainable, starting point for her. For someone more than twice her weight, obviously the starting base would be higher.
The problem is... The OP probably has NO intention of eating any exercise calories back. So she isn't going to be netting a nice healthy 1200 (debatable) calories anyway! So no it's not reasonable or sustainable. She used the word "punish" That's a concern all on it's own.
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ReeseG4350 wrote: »Wow! There have been some pretty harsh, and some questionable responses to the OP. First of all, so much depends upon the person's current weight as well as height, gender, metabolism, and a number of other things. In this case, apeyboo states that she is 5'6" and weighs 180#. She also states that she is sedentary.
Her post gets immediate perception of a 'punishment' for eating over 1200 calories and others are screaming that 1200 calories is not enough to sustain her healthfully. All of this is probably incorrect to some degree. For instance, while 1000 to 1200 is the 'recommended' minimum caloric intake for a woman, this would change appreciably based on height. In apeyboo's case, the 1200 target is probably a pretty good goal.
The real problem is the issue of being sedentary. And THAT, apeyboo, is where you need to start adjusting your lifestyle. Have a sit down job without opportunity to get up and move around? Take a walk at lunchtime! Join a gym and stop before or after work for an hour. Get up an hour early and walk or workout. (alternating days with a mile walk around the neighborhood and days of crunches and push ups on the bedroom floor and do wonders!) Join a yoga or a Pilates class at the local Y. There are any number of ways of incorporating exercise into your everyday life. You just have to be directed enough to make it stick. And that means you have to determine that you are worth it and you deserve the positive results that will come of it. Eventually, you may even learn to love it. It becomes a positive part of your day.
But you truly have to want it for yourself. So you give yourself an hour of workout everyday - not because you ate too much but simply because it is good for you! Now, whether you eat back all of those exercise calories every day is not that important. Consider that, you gained the extra weight from eating more than the proscribed 1200 calories. So you have already cut back on your calorie intake! This, in and of itself can give you about a half pound to a pound of weight loss every week, depending on how much you weigh to start with.
You have been eating about 1500 to 1600 calories a day? You've now cut back to 1200? You have successfully cut out 300 - 400 calories a day! On top of that, if you exercise an hour daily, you are cutting out another 400 - 600 calories from your diet. So now you've cut out anywhere from 700 to 1000 calories from your diet daily, thus guaranteeing a weight loss of about a pound to a pound and a half a week, more if a person is exceedingly overweight.
Now... you want to lose 30 pounds by the end of August? THAT probably is not really a reasonable goal but it can be done. But you would have to be extremely diligent in your exercise regimen and your diet program. You've got about 13 weeks and that's looking at more than two pounds a week. Pretty extreme given your height and weight. And I would certainly not advise it. You can get close to that target and probably lose inches - an equally important but too often ignored factor - by your target date. Bear in mind that, while you exercise, you are not only shedding fat, you are building denser muscle mass. A pound of muscle takes about one third of the space of fat tissue so you can lose two pounds of fat, but gain two pounds of muscle. You stay the same weight but you just dropped a dress size! (In other words, the number on the scale is not really the most important one so don't obsess over it.)
If you stay on your exercise program, by the end of August it will have become a habit for you... a natural part of your everyday routine. And you will have achieved a more realistic goal than just a particular number of pounds. Then, when you look at the person in the mirror, you can be proud of the person you see.
Good luck. And... keep us posted.
This person clearly has disordered behaviors around food and exercise, and you're encouraging her to exercise more, when it's clear from her original post that exercise is a form of punishment for eating what she perceives as too much (1200 calories, no doubt).
Exercise is not necessary to weight loss anyway.
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Chrysalid2014 wrote: »
You need to go read the post again. You are deliberately saying she is saying something she didn't say.brianpperkins wrote: »
Please go read the OP's initial post. She isn't proposing 1200 with no exercise. She is proposing under 1200 then punishing herself with one hour of exercise if she exceeds 1200 coupled with a far too aggressive loss rate for the amount she has to lose. She is exercising five days per week ... according to her thread started on the 16th.
My question to you is why are you trying to defend her unhealthy plan when it requires ignoring her own statements to do so?
I just re-read it. She proposed 1000-1200 with exercise added if/when 1200 was exceeded.
This is why I don't think the plan is necessarily unhealthy:
1. She could easily meet her macro/micronutrient needs on 1200 if she consumes nutrient-dense foods exclusively.
2. The time frame proposed (three months) is relatively short – would it not be highly unusual for the metabolic slowdown and other negative side-effects people have mentioned to occur so quickly?
3. She proposes to add exercise if/when 1200 calories are exceeded. This will initially motivate her to get into the exercise habit (as we know she will be hungry after a short while and will want to eat more). Hopefully in the process she will discover that exercise is also enjoyable and it will become a lifelong habit.
4. Of course the desired rate of weight loss can't be guaranteed, but as we know everyone loses at different rates, so she'll have to try it and see how she goes. Some people simply can't get motivated unless they set themselves a very ambitious target.
You are looking for any excuse to encourage a bad idea. You are assuming what the OP will do, a stranger that you know nothing about. Your encouraging her is just as bad as her plan is.
Man, I so agree with this.0 -
LegendOfErin wrote: »It's possible to lose 10 lbs per month, which would take you June, July, and August. You could easily do it without being drastic.
Heavier people can lose at faster rates. OP only has 44 pounds to lose overall (per her profile.) It is unlikely that she could maintain a 2+ pound per week rate of loss for 3 months straight. You may be losing at that rate now but as you get closer to your goal your weight loss will slow down.
Why in the blue F was this post flagged?0 -
chelsy0587 wrote: »Original Poster...
Some of these posts might come across as harsh, but they are being honest.
I don't know if you meant you'd "punish" yourself for eating over 1200 calories but you must choose your words wisely when you post to such a large group of people with strong opinions.
That said, I probably weigh a lot more than you do and I usually eat about 1300 calories a day. I work out for at least an hour 6 days a week. BUT I do drink a lot of protein shakes and eat mostly protein rich foods. I really try to keep my intake to 30% protein, 20% fats and 50% Carbs.
I've not lost any hair, nor have I lost muscle. In fact I've gain almost 2% muscle for the last 4 months.
I don't think the end of August should be your goal, I think being healthy for a lifetime should be the goal. If you stick around here and really log your food you'll start to see what foods help you meet your goals and what foods should be kept as a treat.
Be kind to yourself, this is a very long journey that can be enjoyable.
Well said.0 -
Regardless of the calculators used, at 5'6", 1200 calories is not an unreasonable starting base. IF she is working out five days a week and burning X number of calories in addition to her base, she has a calorie target of up to perhaps 1800 calories or so, including the exercise calorie burn. But the 1200 calorie base is still a sustainable standard. And, when she reaches her target area, this can be adjusted to find her best maintenance range.
Naturally, her activity level, which the OP indicated was sedentary, has a big effect on what is her best calorie target. Again, however, a 1200 calorie base is a reasonable, and sustainable, starting point for her. For someone more than twice her weight, obviously the starting base would be higher.This is why I don't think the plan is necessarily unhealthy:
1. She could easily meet her macro/micronutrient needs on 1200 if she consumes nutrient-dense foods exclusively.
2. The time frame proposed (three months) is relatively short – would it not be highly unusual for the metabolic slowdown and other negative side-effects people have mentioned to occur so quickly?
3. She proposes to add exercise if/when 1200 calories are exceeded. This will initially motivate her to get into the exercise habit (as we know she will be hungry after a short while and will want to eat more). Hopefully in the process she will discover that exercise is also enjoyable and it will become a lifelong habit.
4. Of course the desired rate of weight loss can't be guaranteed, but as we know everyone loses at different rates, so she'll have to try it and see how she goes. Some people simply can't get motivated unless they set themselves a very ambitious target.
Reese and Chrys, it seems to me you are missing an important element here. Her goal is not to net 1200 calories, it is to net 1,000 or less by the end of the day. Besides trying to lose 30 pounds in a month, here is what she wrote:My goal is to consume about 1000 to 1200 calories daily. If I go over 1200 calories I have to workout for an hour.
Do you see what is going on here, and why advising her to carry on in this manner is harmful?
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Chrysalid2014 wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »
So you did things in an unsustainable manner and gained back but still tell people that ten pounds per month is a viable option?
Losing weight slowly doesn't guarantee you'll keep it off either. We already know most people will gain back all the weight they lose.
The OP's question is about weight loss, not maintenance.
I really don't understand all the objections to the proposed 1200 calorie diet with no exercise. Plenty of people on MFP are doing 1200.
I'm beginning to realize that you pretty much only post on here to argue with logic and encourage poor choices by newbies.0 -
asflatasapancake wrote: »I think I just landed in crazy town. How can anyone approve of this plan? Based upon what?
Based upon the idea that posters that have a pretty good handle on how to do this disapprove of this plan. Ergo, this/these poster(s) must take the other side.
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Apparently since some people eat 1200 calories on Mfp, it is healthy for all mfp members to eat 1200 calories even if they are continuing to exercise as punishment and not eating those exercise calories back. Because logic.0
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forgtmenot wrote: »Apparently since some people eat 1200 calories on Mfp, it is healthy for all mfp members to eat 1200 calories even if they are continuing to exercise as punishment and not eating those exercise calories back. Because logic.
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My goal is to consume about 1000 to 12000 calories daily . If I go over 1200 calories I have to workout for an hour."SLLRunner wrote: »Do you see what is going on here, and why advising her to carry on in this manner is harmful?
Actually, yeh. I do. She is looking to sustain a 1200 calorie daily intake. The part about going over the 1200 triggering the exercise mode to burn off the calorie intake over 1200 makes it a 1200 daily target. See?
Target 1200 calories a day (btw apeyboo, I wouldn't recommend the lower end of 1000 a day). You eat 1500 calories one day. You exercise to burn off your excess 300 calories to maintain the target 1200 calories. It's really not that complex.
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I do something like this.
If I go over I have to eat that much less the next day plus add in exercise to equal that amount. So if I am over for example today 100 cal then tomorrow I can only eat 100 calories less than normal and do my regular exercise plus burn 100 more. Keeps me from going way over because I like to eat and a day with no food is not good. If I stay on track for a certain amount of time I also reward myself with something non food. It could be new flip flops or a day out in my kayak ( rarely have the time). I however do not have my goal set at 1000 cal per day because even a little slip up would be bad.0
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