How low can I go in calories if I am overweight? I can't really do damage then, right?
Replies
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sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.0 -
Given your history with an ED and your heart issues, you really should check in with your doc so they can give you advice that's specific to your needs. Be honest with them, let them know you were in treatment for a previous ED and you don't want to slip down that road again, and see if they can refer you to a registered dietitian who can set you up with some nutritional guidelines.0
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Wahbluffet wrote: »I'm pretty damn overweight. I've calorie restricted a hell of a lot in the past but since I was a kid, I didn't do it "right." I would eat a lot of junk and wonder why I was still skinny fat (too many carbs) or I would try and starve myself for a week and binge the next. I went down to 82 lbs before. And I've ballooned up to 174 lbs before (please be sensitive, this is hard to say).
I'm a young adult now and am ready to give it a go the second time around and not screw up. So I know about BMR, TDEE, and all that jazz, but what if I wanted to know how low can I go in terms of calories to jump start my weight loss? I am 147 now, and that's horrendous for someone that's 5'2. I have 30% body fat. If I eat 1200 calories a day (100 under my BMR) and work out for 45 minutes on the elliptical ( i for one get pretty sweaty and shakey and red-faced after using this machine, so i think it definitely works for me, although i hear treadmill is better, i'm too fat to run right now/get chest pains ) would that destroy me and make me feel starved? i have tried SO so hard to eat maintenance, but it just makes me gain weight because when i eat maintenance and i have one huge slip up day every few weeks, I easily blow through my small calorie deficit and am back to square 1.
do you guys think ill become groggy or destroy my heart if i eat 1200 and exercise? my heart has been destroyed before. i have dipped so low i had cardiac issues. now i dont know what to do cause im so fat and im scared that i dont have a good system in place. i just cant do maintenance or close to it any more, its not working. i need the buffer of going low for a day when i want to have a snack, or when i have a social event and am forced to have wine and cheese or people say "why aren't you eating? eat!!!" please help.
The best advice anyone can give you is to take things slow and get into a better place mentally with food. I would also see a cardiologist if a treadmill gives you chest pains.
Whatever you do, don't try to rapidly lose - you only have about 10 pounds until you're in the normal range, and if you go too fast, you'll end up "skinny fat" again - that isn't because of carbs, it's because you lost a ton of muscle mass along with losing the fat mass, which very commonly happens with aggressive weight loss. Your body doesn't just burn fat when it needs calories, it burns both fat and muscle, and it's actually a lot harder to rebuild the muscle than to just take your time and lose the fat slower, while working to maintain muscle.
Aggressive loss is fine for someone like me, who started this journey well over 300 pounds and has over 100 pounds of body fat to support aggressive loss, but certainly not when you're as close as you are. A 250 calorie per day deficit is probably all you want. Eat back half of your exercise calories.0 -
Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.
well i mean they literally wont let you in for treatment if you dont meet the requirement of being underweight, but you probably dont know much about that world. its messed up. i was denied from a couple programs way back when. but you're missing the point.
The overweight can have ED issues.0 -
I would go for a goal higher than 1200. The loss rate might be a tiny bit slower but you'll be happier being able to fit in a bit more food (maybe even a few treats here and there!) which will reduce the risk of binging/giving up. Remember, it's about building lifelong habits for a long life.0
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Well, you are not "pretty damn overweight." You are about 10 pounds above the healthy BMI range. Yes, we're short so that 10 pounds is more obvious on us than other people but it's not even obese. Losing it slowly is your best course of action.0
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I maintained a 54 pound loss for four years, and I lost 20 pounds before that, total -74 pounds. (I'm here because of a slight regain after injury). My advice is: slow and steady wins the race, you've got to be like the tortoise here, not the hare.
Instead of setting a -2lb goal, set your goal for -1lb or -0.5 lb per week. It is MUCH more doable. That way, you'll be able to fit in more treats and not beat yourself up about it. You'll still lose, and it'll feel SO much better while you're doing it. Switching to maintenance will be easier, too.
And don't go under "just in case", or for the weekend. If you go over, you go over. A new day's a new day.
Walking burns only like 10% fewer calories than running, last time I checked (could be slightly wrong but not by much). Don't run if you have heart issues. Don't do more than 1 hour of walking a day, to burn it off, either. Just be consistent.0 -
Also, if you're really concerned about being "skinny fat", I'd swap out some of the cardio you're doing for strength training three days per week (taking at least one day between of rest). The "toned" look isn't just lower fat, but higher musculature. Cardio won't do much to preserve muscle mass, but strength training will.0
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Eating disorders go in the other direction too. It's not always starving your body, but it can be things like binging.Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.
well i mean they literally wont let you in for treatment if you dont meet the requirement of being underweight, but you probably dont know much about that world. its messed up. i was denied from a couple programs way back when. but you're missing the point.
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Wahbluffet wrote: »I would go for a goal higher than 1200. The loss rate might be a tiny bit slower but you'll be happier being able to fit in a bit more food (maybe even a few treats here and there!) which will reduce the risk of binging/giving up. Remember, it's about building lifelong habits for a long life.
yeah very true! i just have been doing 1400-1600 and still binging! so i thought if i did 1200 and then still did a binge every couple of weeks, it would be ok cause i went that much lower. and when i binge, it is over the course of three or so days, and might be like 2900 calories OVER my tdee -_- i am really mad at myself and embarassed to admit that.
What are you eating when you're not binging? Or what are you typically eating the days before a binge? Maybe focusing on satiety (protein, fiber, fat) will help you stay on track at 1400-1600.
I think setting your goal to 1200 will make you MORE likely to binge, not less.0 -
Wahbluffet wrote: »I'm pretty damn overweight. I've calorie restricted a hell of a lot in the past but since I was a kid, I didn't do it "right." I would eat a lot of junk and wonder why I was still skinny fat (too many carbs) or I would try and starve myself for a week and binge the next. I went down to 82 lbs before. And I've ballooned up to 174 lbs before (please be sensitive, this is hard to say).
Being overweight isn't the end of the world. You have identified the desire to rid yourself of that excess. See the positive in it, and don't beat yourself up. Look at some of the Success Stories here, and you'll realize that many people have started their journey at much higher weights proportional to their height.Wahbluffet wrote: »I'm a young adult now and am ready to give it a go the second time around and not screw up. So I know about BMR, TDEE, and all that jazz, but what if I wanted to know how low can I go in terms of calories to jump start my weight loss? I am 147 now, and that's horrendous for someone that's 5'2. I have 30% body fat. If I eat 1200 calories a day (100 under my BMR) and work out for 45 minutes on the elliptical ( i for one get pretty sweaty and shakey and red-faced after using this machine, so i think it definitely works for me, although i hear treadmill is better, i'm too fat to run right now/get chest pains ) would that destroy me and make me feel starved? i have tried SO so hard to eat maintenance, but it just makes me gain weight because when i eat maintenance and i have one huge slip up day every few weeks, I easily blow through my small calorie deficit and am back to square 1.
As above, accept your current weight and don't beat yourself up. Then chart a healthy and sustainable course towards changing it. You obviously know some of the terminology involved and have done some research. Please do the same research regarding healthy loss rates, and don't lower your calorie goals below that. It's much safer to lose at a slower rate, and if you are having any chest pains you should see a doctor.Wahbluffet wrote: »do you guys think ill become groggy or destroy my heart if i eat 1200 and exercise? my heart has been destroyed before. i have dipped so low i had cardiac issues. now i dont know what to do cause im so fat and im scared that i dont have a good system in place. i just cant do maintenance or close to it any more, its not working. i need the buffer of going low for a day when i want to have a snack, or when i have a social event and am forced to have wine and cheese or people say "why aren't you eating? eat!!!" please help.
PLEASE don't risk your health and push things when it comes to your heart. Be cautious and see a doctor. Being alive and heavier than you desire is much more healthy than being dead, don't you agree? As for the buffer you speak of, you can indulge with a plan. If you are cleared for exercise than you can "bank" calories with your exercise, and eat things you like within reason.
I often exercise more and eat light on certain days so I can go out and indulge later in the day. Just be careful with your health, and in your case especially the heart issue.
Stay healthy, stay happy, win the long term battle.0 -
A commonly accepted rule of overall good health in weight loss, not unique to MFP, is that adult women eat a minimum of 1200 calories a day. Period.
Very obese individuals (therefore, not you) can only safely go under this number briefly under close medical supervision.(Also not you it would seem.)
Stop looking for ways to feel 'special' and try following the accepted guidelines. That would be a HUGE step in the right direction.
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What I gleaned from your initial post is that essentially you understand the basics and are asking if it's OK to eat under your BMR and then add exercise on top of it. So you're asking if it's harmful to give your body fewer calories than it needs to minimally sustain itself if you were lying around all day.
Seems like you know the answer to that. It's a resounding "yes!"
At your stated height and weight your BMI is a little in the overweight range at 26.9 (below 25 is the normal range), so I wouldn't call that horrendous. Please be kinder to yourself!
Like other posters have said, I think you need to seek therapy for your food/body image issues. You don't have to live like this, but the first thing you need to do is admit you need help. Coming and posting here was a huge step forward as people told you what you need to hear, even if it was hard to listen to. Now, be brave and make the next move. Seek treatment again. Please!0 -
You say you've already had cardiac issues at your young age, so to address your question, NO, do not take the drastic measures you suggest.0
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People who had EDs should always get a treatment team onboard for their weight loss journey. Doctor, therapist, dietitian.
Some people disagree, but I'm in the "Once an anorexic, always an anorexic" camp. (Or bulimic or whatever.) You have to watch it and be careful about losing for life because dieting is uber-triggering. IMO. Even if I'm wrong, a treatment team can't hurt.
The most upsetting thing I read in your post was that you think they kicked you out when you reached a healthy weight because you were "too fat." Entering the healthy BMI does not make you fat, much less too fat! That's your BDD and disorder talking. A big NO on fat. I could see you thinking you were fat when they booted you, but as time goes on, you should realize that you were NOT fat. That's part of recovery, learning to see yourself properly.
Most insurance companies will pay for follow-up appointments for anorexics and many places toss the follow-up in as part of the original cost. Look into that stuff!
And PUHLEEZE spare me with the "skinny fat." You are skinny or you are fat. You're not both, no matter what kind of garbage you hear. That "skinny-fat" thing is inaccurate and a little offensive. It's an insult, plain and simple. You wouldn't call a friend names like that and you shouldn't do it to yourself. You should be kind to yourself because you deserve that!
I don't mean ANY of this to hurt you or gang up on you. Even the skinny-fat thing is more my frustration with that ridiculous term than it is with you. I sincerely am not trying to hurt your feelings, so please read this stuff with that in mind.
Get a treatment team and then begin your weight loss journey. If at any time you feel like it's getting obsessive or you start thinking "I like this empty stomach feeling! I've missed this!" it will be time to take a break. Be honest with yourself (but not unkind) and be honest with your treatment team.
You can successfully lose weight with an ED history. Plenty of people have! You just need support and to keep an eye on yourself so you can catch triggers before they send you spiraling back into hell.
I hope it's a total success. I am confident that with a good treatment team and a lot of honesty, you CAN do this!! 0 -
Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.
well i mean they literally wont let you in for treatment if you dont meet the requirement of being underweight, but you probably dont know much about that world. its messed up. i was denied from a couple programs way back when. but you're missing the point.
This may be beating a dead horse at this point, but the others are right. At the very least, you need some cognitive behavioral therapy because you describe your weight as "horrendous," which screams unhealthy relationship with your body and food. It doesn't matter what your weight is. Yea you do not meet the qualifications by the DSM of anorexia, but that doesn't mean your thoughts aren't disordered. I was a healthy weight but treated for bulimia. Weight, in a sense, doesn't have as much to do with it when it comes down to a mental illness. It's just one of the pawns to control, if you understand what I'm getting at.
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Wahbluffet wrote: »Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Are you seeing a therapist?
why is this your answer? why are you being salty?
You're kidding, right?
wait why are you people ganging up on me
Here's the deal, some people here either want to help and are just really bad at it, or act like snarky mean girls I suppose because it gives them some sort of satisfaction..You just gotta ignore those posts and sift through to find the genuine people.
My only advice is that it seems you have a medical history, and I'd suggest having your doc refer you to a dietician who can help you establish a healthy gameplan. Outside of that, just know this whole thing is a big game of trial and error, and it can take seriously long time. Keep at it, try to keep your chin up, I wish you the best of luck.
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Hi Sorry to hear your struggles... Most of us here can relate! And I'm sure you will get advice left and right... some might be contradictory... Here are my thoughts... I don't think eating around 1200 calories could hurt you IF you eat the RIGHT STUFF! I've been on MFP a looong time... and haven't yet succeeded at losing weight... mostly because I don't think I was "really ready" to make the commitment... I've reached that point now... I'm 5'9 and am 307 lbs (ideal should be above 170 at most) AND I have a 54 inch waist (anything about 35 inches is very dangerous!).... so I've started again... and this time I did it differently... I mentally prepared myself for a few weeks... I have a plan for the cravings I KNOW will come... I have safe guarded my environment so it is the MOST fail proof ever ... not only did I throw out all the junk... I REPLACED it with healthy stuff... .and I am following a plan that has been laid out more clearly than any other plan...
Look at my food diary for yesterday (Oct 19 2015).... I add just a tad above 1200... and in all honestly... I couldn't even finish my last meal... I was full... these foods that I'm eating... they ACTUALLY MAKE YOU FEEL FULL... FOR A LONG TIME! I thought... no way I can eat just that and not be hungry... but I wasn't at all yesterday!! I still had a few cravings... but I did what I had to do... brushed my teeth... completed a small task to distract myself (doing laudry, cleaning my car... wtv... something I couldn't do while eating at the same time)... and as strong as the cravings are in the moment... they really do pass!!
The key is to be prepared and have a real plan in front you... don't just jump in with this vague idea of "I want to lose weight".. plan it... picture it... imagine how you will feel when your weight doesn't suffocate you anymore!! Decide that that momentary pleasure of eating or escaping wtv it is is NOT WORTH IT ANYMORE... those little immediate "rewards" are actually punishments...They've trapped you in a body that is now unhealthy, heavy to bear, and makes you feel like you can't do the things you want to do (at least... that's how I feel... I can't go on roller coasters cause the seats are too small, I can't go zip linning cause I'm over the weight limit, I can't tie my shoes without getting dizzy, I can't even wear my seatbelt properly because it chokes me! grrr)... you deserve better than that! We all deserve better! But we are the only ones who can make that "better" happen... we have to start treating our bodies the way we deserve them to be treated!
anyways... sorry for rambling! lol
Add me to your friends if you want! I can try to tell you what I do each day and what I eat... since my diary is viewable by friends... and msg me if you have questions... I can also recommend the book I'm following... it is a great help so far and I carry it with me everywhere.... I've been memorizing it for weeks! lol... Anyone interested... just add me!
Good luck Wahbluffet! Don't give up... one day at a time 0 -
I am really not trying to mean girl anyone here... But why is the science flouted? No adult woman should eat under 1200 calories, period. And no 300+ pound woman should eat only 1200 calories without being under the supervision of a medical professional. Every day this type of stuff comes up here... are there really this many people suffering from EDs? I'm disturbed. I'm sorry. I don't think it is possible to succeed long term at healthy & lasting weight loss unless you accept certain biological facts. It feels like discussing when it's 'okay' to drive drunk with a pack of alcoholics! I hope you guys get better. I'll bow out now...0
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Wahbluffet wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »sayyestohealthy wrote: »"I have been to an ED specialist before but got 'kicked out' for being fat again (aka once you reach a healthy weight there is no reason to be there)"
I'm sorry but i think you need to seek help. From experience you're just going to gain and lose weight over and over again if you have a bad mental relationship with food.
Especially since you just compared being a healthy weight to being fat again.
Please just focus on your health and well being before thinking about weight.
Also the fact that ED specialist would not kick you out because you were fat.
well i mean they literally wont let you in for treatment if you dont meet the requirement of being underweight, but you probably dont know much about that world. its messed up. i was denied from a couple programs way back when. but you're missing the point.
Sorry I have to chime in. There are many therapists that will see you. Most are covered under insurance. Since you have a history getting a referral should be no problem. This is my suggestion to you and I speak from experience. Do not go down this road alone.0
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