Approaching my FIRST WEEK!

WindHauler

Hello, I am new to MFP. It is great to see an online community based on this. I have worked out since Tuesday and lost about 500-850 calories each day. I've been 250-450 or so calories under my limit. How am I doing? Should I lose more then 2 pounds a week? I need some inspirtation and motivation. I truly appreciate the support. Thanks!

WindHauler

Also, really quick how do you add your weight badge on your forum signature? Where is the forum signature? Thanks!

Edit: Nevermind, just found it. Wahoo!

Ms_Natalie

hi there and welcome to the forums :flowerforyou:
Make sure you are eating all of the calories MFP has allocated to you...you will still lose weight but wont put your body at the risk of entering starvation mode. Try and eat at least some of your exercise calories too :flowerforyou:

You're doing fantastically....you may find that you lose a little more than 2lbs (although this is dependent on how much weight you need to lose) I lost about 5lbs in my first week and much of the first weight lost is water weight :flowerforyou:

Good Luck for your weigh in.

I would also suggest you start taking measurements and during the weeks where no weight loss is witnessed...you will often see the inches dropping off...this makes you less dependant on the scales.

Also, drink plenty of water...I drink 5 pints a day and I find that during the weeks where my water intake is high, I tend to be far more successful with regards to the scales :flowerforyou:

All the best,
Natalie :flowerforyou:

WindHauler

Thank you that information is extremely helpful, I apprecaite it! Great work so far to you aswell!

WindHauler

How many pounds is it possible to lose in 5 weeks. If I REALLY work at it? I'm aiming for 25 in 5 weeks. What do you all think?

Ms_Natalie

How many pounds is it possible to lose in 5 weeks. If I REALLY work at it? I'm aiming for 25 in 5 weeks. What do you all think?

I think that is too much to try and lose, in all honesty! The first couple of weeks, you could hit quite high significant numbers...however, this will soon slow down to the 1lb/2lb weight loss per week,. Don't be disheartened though...that is the best way to lose weight...and you are far more likely to keep the weight off then. :flowerforyou:

Remember to look at this as a lifestyle/health change rather than a diet....go steadily and the results will be amazing. Try some toing exercises too to tone the body and pull everything in...this sometimes gives better results than the actual weight loss.

Although I have lost 21lbs, I have been using MFP since April...therefore it's taken me 3 months of healthy eating and exercise to get here...and I wouldn't want it any other way. My arms are toned, my hips are 5inches smaller and my clothes are hanging off me! If you rush into this, you could potentially restrict your eating too much and are therefore far more vulnerable to damaging food binges...:flowerforyou:

WindHauler

Wow, that's fantastic. Keep up the good work. Thank you for the information. I'll defintley try to lose atleast 2 pounds after my first 3 weeks, so I don't potentially make it unhealthy. Thanks again, best of luck!

robin52077

The best advice can be given by looking at your diary. Knowing what you are eating can help suggestions be more tailored to YOU, and not general statements.
Will you make it public so we can have a peek? Or if you have it "friends only", will you add me?

WindHauler

Of course! I made it public. I don't know how it got set to private, but I believe that I should have it public so people can see. I also sent you a request. Thanks!

leftyy2k4

Of course! I made it public. I don't know how it got set to private, but I believe that I should have it public so people can see. I also sent you a request. Thanks!

You need to seriously go over your diet. You should be eating 4-6 small balanced meals. You must be starving looking at your diary.

Look at mine, fruts veggies leans meats, grains ,etc. Every day.

As was said before if you act like you can cash and lose weight you will do more harm than good. If you truley want to be who you want to be you need a LIFESTYLE change. See my diary? I will be entering my food and eating like this the rest of my life. I am full and enjoy my meals.

No one can enjoy 6 salty crackers as a breakfast no one. Plus it's not healthy at all.

robin52077

OK, you have only logged one day so it's hard to critique anything.
But I thought about what I think you need to hear, so here it is:


Eat about 6 times throughout the day, spread it out. Don't get a thousand calories at one sitting and nibble the rest of the day. Your blood sugar spikes and drops that way, leaving you feeling weak, dizzy, hungry, etc. The goal is to achieve an eating plan that makes you FEEL GOOD that you can maintain for the rest of your life.

Get your water in!
8 cups a day, that's 64 oz. I do 12 most days it's not hard. I have a 24oz cup and go through it 4 times, that's 12 right there...

Eat fruits and veggies. Apples, strawberries, grapes, oranges...broccoli, carrots, etc. If you are constantly nibbling something healthy you never get a CHANCE to feel hungry.
Honestly, I was hungrier eating over 2000 calories a day of crap food than I am now that I eat 1600 of good food. My energy is up, I am less crabby, and I want to DO things instead of sit on the couch.

Eat a real breakfast. Good carbs and lean proteins. Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day.

Good carbs= whole grains....bad carbs= refined sugar or bleached flour.

GET YOUR WATER IN!
So important. Can't say it enough...

Keep the sodium low, especially if you don't get all your water in.

Eat lean meats: grilled chicken and fish, some steak every once in a while, but not the hamburgers and hot dogs...
I go by the rule: ONE serving a week of things that walk on 4 legs.
Which means as much seafood and poultry as you want, cooked properly (boneless skinless chicken breast on the george foreman grill as opposed to fried chicken!) But pig and cow only ONCE a week.

Feel free to examine my diary. But remember, look over it like a month back overall, not focused on any one day, because I am 1 lb BELOW my goal so I am eating maintenence, not to lose.
Like today I had a party at work and ate till I was stuffed of junk food, but I am 114 lbs, so I can right now...
But I still LOG it all, even if it is way over. A month ago would be a better example because I was still losing then.

ALSO, KEY POINT:

your calorie goal is your goal to MEET, not to be UNDER. If you chose 1 lb a week then you already have that 500 calorie deficit BUILT IN to your goal, if you chose 2 lbs a week, then you have 1000 a day deficit BUILT IN to your calorie goal. You need to get as close to that number as possible, being under is not "good", it is possible starving yourself. They already subtracted some FOR you, you need to actually eat that number.
And eat back what you burn off in exercise also, or you are starving yourself.

You have a goal of 1820. Yesterday you ate 1496. But you exercised for a burn of 1018? Leaving you with 1342 left to eat!
1496-1018=478 NET. So you essentially only gave your body 478 net calories to live on for the whole day. Go to the BMR calculator under "tools", and see what yours is. I bet it is WAY WAY more than 478 (maybe close to 2000?). That number is the number of calories your body NEEDS just to breathe, make your heart beat, reproduce cells, etc. The number you would need even if you were in a coma. You need to eat a net of at least that number or you are going to be weak and tired because you are essentially "starving".
So please eat your exercise calories and eat up to your goal number, MFP has already created the one or 2 pound deficit FOR you, don't create a bigger one, and sabotage your efforts. Slow and steady is the only healthy way to do this.
The first week you can lose 5 or 6 pounds but it's just excess water flushing out, after that nothing more than 2 pounds if you want to do it healthy. If you starve yourself you will NOT lose because your body will hold onto the fat stores for dear life because it thinks it NEEDS them. You need to convince your body it can LET GO by keeping FULL on healthy food. Does that make sense to you now?


:flowerforyou: I hope you take this to heart. You are making it harder than it has to be. EAT! :laugh:

WindHauler

Thank you Robin and Lefty for the advice. I really appreciate it. I will defitnley eat more. Thanks!