Big guy, weightloss slowing a bit, looking for advice/tips/guidance.

kaeleywynsma

First congrats on beginning your health journey and losing the initial weight. However your body is going to go into starvation mode if you continue to eat that few of calories per day. I am 5'4 and I eat more than 1000 calories a day. Any questions feel free to ask I have several individuals like you that I have helped lose the weight and keep it off without starving themselves

TimothyFish

I'm not sure I can believe your are logging your food accurately, given that you are now losing at 2lbs per week. You shouldn't be trying to lose more than 1% of your weight per week and 2 lbs per week isn't bad for most people. It's probably going to take you a year and a half to get down to where you need to be. I realize that seems like a long time, but the alternatives are unhealthy.

curlsintherack

You don't want to hear this but your eating about 1/3 of what you could be eating and still losing weight about the same speed at which you are now. why xeny your body food when you don't have to?

I hate logging my calories but what I did was log and weigh everything for about a month then I just went by eyeball. I've lost 70lbs since last May eating around 2500 calories a day. If I have a day over 3000 or a day around 2000 I don't stress. I've been fluctuating 5lbs or so for the last couple months. my clothes are getting bigger instead of shrinking so I'm heading in the right dirrection even though the scale doesn't move.

In looking at your diet logs I see a ton of prepackaged or fast food I used to log things I'd make as fast food options sometimes if I couldn't find the exact thing I wanted or build those calories but I can't tell you enough to make your food at home. Use the money that you save to buy better quality foods or your new clothes that you probably already need. I like to just make my lunch at the same time we are cooking dinner from the night before.

It seems simple but it really does work.

kal900

Id agree with most of the replies.. Im 5 10, started at 280 odd.. and this year ive got back on it.. steadily losing 2lbs a week since jan. My calories allowance is 1280... and that is still on the low side. I bump it to 1400 or 1600 sometimes to keep my body guessing and am looking into carb cycling. I weigh EVERYTHING!
Eating healthy calories will be so much better for you than the same amount in processed food, and you need to up your allowance, i cant see as mfp would set you a limit that low..
And exercise.. its working doing at least an hour cardio (my knees are shot so cant do hiit) and some weights.. just started to feel up to a couple of classes and also doing intervals rowing now.. still happy to sit on my bum working the rest of the time... but its working! Take it slow and steady, adjust your calorie goal and squeeze some extra exercise in along with better foods... you'll be grateful in the end, coz youll hit your goal, and keep it off because youve not rushed it.
good luck

cheryljanine

In looking at your food list, you may want to add in some fresh produce. Salt will come into play as well as the low calories in hindering your progress. You're doing great BTW, don't discount what you've done, Kudos on the initial weight loss and just for being aware. Find a fruit that you love, bananas are a great go to, apples, oranges, berries, whatever you like, carrots and celery are great as well. I too eat the same things but a lot more fresh than packaged. See if that helps. Way to go! and carry on. You will get there.

saifmustapha63

Hi I just started my weight loss program today. Could someone give me a simple tips to achieve my goal nice and healthy. I weigh 188lbs / 85kg

hughbrown

The application of knowledge is power. If you want to educate yourself I've found that this website has high quality information with no fads, supplements, or other crazy "lose quick" schemes: http://scoobysworkshop.com/losing-weight-and-building-6-pack-abs/

It's obviously written from a bodybuilder's perspective, but the nutrition facts are the same for everyone regardless of end goal. The information on the website is basically the same as the information I'm getting from the nutritionist I've begun to work with. Drawing a rough conclusion after using both resources I would say that the bodybuilders' perspective is just a more focused application of both nutrition and exercise used together towards the specific goal of being beastly (in a good way). In the end both resources tell me that this isn't a "diet," it's a lifestyle change; get on board and do it or pay the price. You might want to go see a nutritionist yourself if you can if for no other reason than to learn how to read those blasted food labels and understand what you're really eating. Working with a medical professional is probably one of the most important decisions you can make these days. At the minimum it will keep you from hurting yourself out of ignorance.

I get the gym thing. Sometimes you just feel like a hamster, especially if you use machines. Pounding on a treadmill or stair-climber is a) boring b) probably not as valuable as it's cracked up to be. If you're going to do the gym thing do it with sound advice from a knowledgeable trainer to start with and. Physics is King in the gym and hinges and levers are his counselors. You don't want to learn you've been doing it the wrong way after you destroy a muscle, ligament, tendon, etc. Another tactic is to get a gym buddy and hold each other accountable.

Try googling up bodyweight training/calisthenics and decide whether or not that's more interesting to you. No gym necessary, your equipment is your body and it goes wherever you go. Naysayers shush, this stuff obviously works and has worked for a long time...just go through military boot camp, if you don't believe it. This guy has some good information: http://store.stewsmithptclub.com/bafipl.html.

Either way, stay away from fads and the "latest, greatest thing." You're technically a beginner. Most important thing is to BE A BEGINNER doing basic things for as long as it takes. You don't want to rush into massive gym routines and harsh exercise or nutrition regimens that will only cause you to quit, slack off, or injure yourself. I'll put it on you like the nutritionist put it on me...this is a lifestyle change, not a race to drop x number of pounds. Educate yourself in both nutrition and exercise. Figure out a way to make the change and enjoy doing it because you need to do it for the rest of your life.

SusanMFindlay

Verity1111 wrote: »

SusanMFindlay wrote: »

Your calories are way way too low.

The reason that your weight loss has slowed down (from insanely fast to just plain fast) is that you've lost weight. In losing those 50 pounds, your body is burning several hundred calories less than it was before.

But you're still undereating.

Also, you will have lost a lot of water weight at the beginning - which is "easy" weight and doesn't correspond to fat loss.

But you're still undereating.

Please increase your calories to a reasonable level (likely over 2000 calories/day) and adjust your expectations as to how fast you can safely lose weight. To put this in context, my husband weighs more than 100 pounds less than you and has lost 30 pounds in 6 months eating about 3,000 calories/day.

That's not typical though. 3000calories a day for most people under 300lbs they would gain weight. My BF is about 6' and in the 200s and he definitely can't lose eating 3000 lol

I wasn't suggesting that the OP copy the example. I was using the example to point out how insanely low his calorie intake is. Someone who weighs 245 at 6'1 and 49 years old (my husband's starting stats) has a BMR in the ballpark of 2,200 cals/day and burns 2,600 even when sedentary. Throw in a couple of young kids and a daily walk, and it's not that difficult to get the daily calorie burn up over 3,000.

Now, plug the OP's weight into that same calculator. (I didn't have height or age so left those the same.) BMR shoots up to 2733 calories/day and sedentary burn goes up to 3280 calories/day. So, yes, the OP could lose weight eating 3,000 calories/day. Throw in a little exercise and he could lose a lot of weight eating 3,000 calories/day. Until he gets lighter, of course, and would need to adjust the calories down.

Roothlus

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll check out the links provided and try to educate myself a bit more. Right now i know keep calories low and protein high. I still need to fill in all the other blanks in my mind haha.

I work alot during the week, going out the door at 6am and don't get back til almost 9pm, so i have a hard time prepping alot of meals, so i do frequent Subway, JimmyJohn's, and a few others. I figured as long as it's chicken/turkey with veggies and no cheese/sauces that it's fairly healthy. But i'm aware that these meals also come with alot of sodium generally. I'll try to work on cutting back on them and making something on my own at least a couple days a week.

I'm going to push myself up to the 1500c range for starters. I think the overall message here was that I'm averaging too low. I relalize that this is still low but i'll go with this and see how i feel and make a decision on where to go after a couple weeks at that level.

So, 1500c/day for now, and make more meals/snacks at home/go to the gym more.
Thanks again for all the help. I'm off to go research more now

BodyByYouChicago

Roothlus,

Like everyone mentioned, calories are definitely too low.

A lot of people do that. They will under eat, do a ton of cardio, and then they hit a plateu and have nothing to adjust and stop losing weight.

Even 1500 calories a day is still way too low for someone like you my friend. Especially days that you are going to the gym, those days they need to be a bit higher dependent on what you're doing.

[Edited by MFP Mods]