New Scale & Questions on Calorie Intake

jenathp

Bought a new healthometer scale which includes body fat monitoring. So, here is my question. I programmed the scale with my weight and height and age, etc. It says that I need to intake 3200 calories a day to maintain my current weight. (Wow!?) So, I'm assuming that by trying to stay down around 1200 calories a day my body is probably going into starvation mode...hence the not feeling well the last few days, lack of motivation and also the stagnated weight loss. Right?

So, should I adjust my daily calories to say 2000 and see if that helps? My average food intake includes a Lean1 Protein Meal Replacement shake plus 1 tbps of peanut butter for breakfast and either that again for lunch or a meal replacement Atkins bar and then a reasonable dinner where I fill my plate mostly with veggies and then eat meat and some sort of carb side. So my total calories for the day stay around 1200. I allow myself a cheat night on Fridays and Saturdays are pretty much the same, cheat dinner/lunch.

I bought myself some 5pound weights and have been doing the Biggest Loser Mile Walk 1 and 2. I started out with just 1 then added 2 recently on top of it. I try to walk 2-3 miles a day because my job is me working from home and on the computer most of the day.

I want to lose 2 more dress sizes (I've already gone down one). Thoughts?

enterdanger

I think your scale is probably wrong unless you are super tall. On MFP you might want to chose the 1lb a week weigh loss option if you only want to go down 2 sizes. If I set myself for anything above that I get 1200 calories a day and that just isn't realistic for me. You won't need to worry about starvation mode or anything. That is a myth. You'll just be miserable.

Make sure you add back some of your exercise calories to eat if you feel lethargic. Not knowing your stats I'd guess you probably burn about 200-250 calories walking 2-3 miles at 3mph at the most.

M30834134

I would hold off on the "starvation mode" diagnosis - you got to be really under eating for a really really long time. I'm not 100% sure the "starvation mode" exists, I do believe that our bodies respond in some way when we under feed our bodies. Large caloric deficit will not make you lose faster (it might at first, but then progress will slow down) - large deficit will make your weight loss infinitely more difficult, unpredictable, and exhausting. YOu will always be hungry, agitated, and moody and it just a matter of time before you give up.

Why not chose a healthy rate of loss - 1.5-2 lb per week - which would give you enough calories not to feel deprived and starving and enough for healthy steady sustainable weight loss.

Enter your stats into MFP, select 2 lb per week loss and allow MFP to set your caloric budget. Eat that budget for a few weeks (4-5) - then reassess and adjust.

jenathp

Stats are pretty dismal. BMI is 39. I am 5'3 and weigh 224. Body fat is 48%. I agree that the calorie count sounded high but the lack of weight loss when I'm staying around 1200 calories a day with exercise seems like my body might be reacting by storing food. If it wasn't a myth then I should be losing 2 pounds a week. Right? (2200 calories at resting doing 1200 calories a day is 1000 deficit over 7 days is 2 pounds). Am I missing something?

jenathp

Just trying to get ideas. I'm not sure if it's a diagnosis or not just throwing thoughts out there. I've been the same size for about 15 years (I don't yo-yo diet and this is the first time I'm seriously trying to lose weight). I know I'm getting older (38) so it's going to come off harder. I'll keep at it and maybe try to adjust some of my intake a little bit. Perhaps breaking it down or adding snacks inbetween. I have a hard time remembering to eat during the day. Drank the shake at 10am and that was the first thing I'd had all day and it's now 2pm and haven't had my 2nd replacement shake or anything. Thanks guys, I'll keep at it!

TeaBea

jenathp wrote: »

Stats are pretty dismal. BMI is 39. I am 5'3 and weigh 224. Body fat is 48%. I agree that the calorie count sounded high but the lack of weight loss when I'm staying around 1200 calories a day with exercise seems like my body might be reacting by storing food. If it wasn't a myth then I should be losing 2 pounds a week. Right? (2200 calories at resting doing 1200 calories a day is 1000 deficit over 7 days is 2 pounds). Am I missing something?

It "should" be 2 pounds a week, however there are many variables that mess with the scale.

TOM = water weight, higher sodium meal = water weight, sore muscles = water weight, bowel movements (or lack of) = extra weight.....weight loss will not be linear. The scale "lies" all the time.

You are looking for trends in weight loss....not exact numbers.

1200 + some earned exercise calories will have you losing weight. Don't eat back all exercise calories because calorie burns are estimates. Logging food is estimates too. Many people here use a scale to weigh portions. This gives the most accurate reading.

M30834134

@jenathp, I'm sorry, I did not mean anything by using the word "diagnosis" - I'm sorry if it came across as snobby, it was not my intent. I just meant that you should look at other factors first.

jenathp

@MasterVal it's OK. I didn't take it that way I just didn't want anyone to think I had a closed mind about what could be causing the problem.

M30834134

@jenathp, based on your stats, your BMR is 1700 calories range - and that's what your body needs at complete rest. Eating less than BMR by substantial amount and for prolonged period of time puts unnecessary stress on your body and it makes the weight loss unnecessarily hard and difficult mentally and physically.

You can continue to eat at 1200 and I'm sure the weight will start coming off sooner or later but can you really sustain this? If I were you, I would up my calories to around 1600-1700 which would result in slower weight loss but it will be mentally and physically easier on you which will give you better chances to succeed.

jenathp

OK. Even MFP says that my daily calorie intake should be 1200 a day to do 2 pounds a week. So maybe I should increase the calorie count a little bit and see if it helps with the mood and motivation. It's interesting that the scale is so different compared to other online calculations. It's still a cool scale and I'm hoping to watch my fat% go down on it. That is, of course, assuming that my electrical system is performing as it should.