Confused please help

hopemc061915

Kay stupid question but I keep getting confused. I'm 21 ans 5"11 and weigh 200. I'm trying to lose weight but have not seen any results. I eataround 1400 calories a day sometimes less. I probably burn about 300 a day on the treadmil. I cutout bread and sugAR and try to keep my sodium level low. To lose weight do I need to burn 1400 calories a day ? Calorie in and calorie out or what ever it's called. Because 300 calories on the tread mil is already hard for me because my 6 month old daughter doesn't let me go longer then 40 min before she's tired of being in her jumper.my goal weight is around 140 150 but I haven't lost a pound yet and it's almost been a month of hardworkouts and eating way Heather

SumanaBhattacherjee

hi,,
I think 1 month is too short time to get hopeless. Your body needs time to understand what is going on. I am also trying to loose weight and reduce 6 lb in 2 months. I think you are on right track,, best of luck my friend.

LKArgh

hopecuthbert wrote: »

Kay stupid question but I keep getting confused. I'm 21 ans 5"11 and weigh 200. I'm trying to lose weight but have not seen any results. I eataround 1400 calories a day sometimes less. I probably burn about 300 a day on the treadmil. I cutout bread and sugAR and try to keep my sodium level low. To lose weight do I need to burn 1400 calories a day ? Calorie in and calorie out or what ever it's called. Because 300 calories on the tread mil is already hard for me because my 6 month old daughter doesn't let me go longer then 40 min before she's tired of being in her jumper.my goal weight is around 140 150 but I haven't lost a pound yet and it's almost been a month of hardworkouts and eating way Heather

1 month and not losing means you are eating probably closer to double what you think you are eating. There is something wrong with your logging. Open your diary so people can help you figure out what is off.

Equus5374

Get a food scale. Weigh and measure everything that goes into your mouth. Don't forget things like coffee creamers, cooking oils, etc. Don't go by the package measurements - those can be off by several grams. The most important thing however, is TIME and PATIENCE. You didn't put this weight on in a month, so why do you expect it to come off in a month? Permanent weight loss is a slow process; keep at it.

19Remco80

Be careful that you don't eat less. Calculate your BMR and TDEE (e.g. http://www.iifym.com/).
Maybe this wil give you some insight. Like equus5374 sais: weigh and measure your food.

Yi5hedr3

1400 sounds a bit low for your age, height & weight..... Also I agree you may not be accurately counting what you are eating. 40 mins is too long on treadmill. Do a 20 minute "Sprint 8" HIIT program instead. Much better results. Also be sure to pump iron 30 mins twice a week!

lynnstrick01

watch out for that "it's only a bite so I don't need to log it" I'm not saying you ARE doing that, I just know that I was until one day when (just for curiosity) I did try to add up all those (it's just a bites) it was over 400 calories just in the AM.. and with a 6 month old it is easy to do without even realizing it, Do you feed the baby and take just a bite of what you are feeding her?

callsitlikeiseeit

hopemc061915

I will try to do that but from what I use to eat ( fast food probably 2 a day) to what I eat now I figured I'd at least lose a couple pounds but nope

hopemc061915

Can someone explain the calorie in and calorie out thing. Am I burning enough calories a day 300 or should I aim way higher

star1407

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest
I promise you, reading these posts will answer any and every question you might have!

enterdanger

Hi Hope. Your body burns calories (energy) just living. This is what MFP uses to calculate your calorie goals, based on the activity level you set yourself out. So, if you said you were sedentary, 5'11" and 200lbs and wanted to lose Xlbs a week, MFP will suggest how much you should be eating. It doesn't take into consideration any extra burn from exercise. Many lose weight on here without ever exercising.

1400 is likely too low for a 21 year old who is as tall as you. I'm 37 and 5'3" and weigh 204 to lose 1.5lbs a week I'm set at 1260 plus I eat back any calories burned through exercise. If you are breast feeding baby you will need also need to add in the calories going to your little nugget. Probably 350-500 a day.

You could be eating more than you think if you aren't diligently logging your food. I struggle from that. Trust MFP. Eat what it tells you. Don't set too high a weight loss goal. 1lb a week is probably enough to set yourself at. Eat back about 1/2 of your exercise calories and all calories earned from breast feeding.

Send me a friend request if you like. I'm a mom and so are most of my friends on here. One of us should be able to help you.

JennieMaeK

hopecuthbert wrote: »

Can someone explain the calorie in and calorie out thing. Am I burning enough calories a day 300 or should I aim way higher

Calories in Calories out means that you have to eat less calories than your body burns in a day to lose weight. Exercise can help burn more calories, but really it comes down to the amount you eat. If you've entered your info into MFP it should give you a daily target to reach. It calculates a deficit based on your goals. Don't be too aggressive or you might not get enough nutrients and calories your body needs.

For example, I am slightly active during the day with my job. I have my goal set to lose 1 lbs a week. MFP recommends 1600 calories a day. Eating that will mean I'm at a deficit. Any exercise I do will help, but isn't really necessary for weight loss (great for overall health and fitness).

Remember, weight loss isn't linear. Your weight will fluctuate normally, but if you maintain a calorie deficit you will see progress.

This is my weight loss of 60 lbs from last year. Some ups, but mostly downs.

TeaBea

hopecuthbert wrote: »

Can someone explain the calorie in and calorie out thing. Am I burning enough calories a day 300 or should I aim way higher

You don't have to burn anything thru exercise. But, exercise is so very good for your health. Your body is using calories 24/7 even without exercise. 19Remco's post has a link for you to find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).....or maintenance.

Maintenance is the number you subtract from (500 for 1 pound a week....750 for 1.5 pounds a week) etc.

If you are eating 500 calories a day less than maintenance for 7 days (500x7 = 3,500). You should lose 1 pound. Weight loss won't be linear though. Water weight, waste, TOM .....lots of factors can mess with the scale. For weight loss it's best to look for trends.

beatyfamily1

As long as you're eating at or under your calories (not by a lot) you should be losing weight by now. I disagree that it takes more than a month to see at least 1 pound lost. I suggest getting a food scale. You are probably eating more than you think. When I first started losing weight I never heard of a food scale. I was not on MFP. I just ate smaller portion sizes. I only walked for 3 miles at the time. I lost 57 pounds and then plateaued. It was over the course of 10 months and most of the weight came off toward the beginning. Sometimes I would gain weight. After I got the food scale I got my weight loss under control and now I'm down 62 pounds.

fishnpro001

Hope
Make sure that you are logging everything in even what you are drinking. A lot of people forget that what you are drinking can really affect your calorie intake. Try drinking only water and logging your every bite and I garunntee you will lose weight.