WTF???

princesspea234

Thanks again for all the great advise.....I knew that opening up my dairy I would get some back lash about my eating (which is fine) and I am NOT making excuses just telling the truth on why I haven't logged in.I did do the pen and paper thing but I got lazy. I do need to STOP eating junk and I guess up until I didn't think that I eat that much, thanks for pointing that out, that's why I posted in the first place.

I am not working right now and I cannot afford to buy the things I need, I know it sounds like more excuses but it is my reality. Same with food at the moment. Circumstances aside, I WILL try to make this work. I do want to be around for my loved ones. I really cannot tell you how grateful I am for all the responses. Your advise will be taken!!

Farmer's markets are in full swing right now. Look up one close to you and you're probably going to spend quite a bit less than you spend at the grocery stores. Many of them sell fresh produce, meat, eggs and cheese.

Also, I would start logging your calories ahead of time and planning your meals. That way there aren't any surprises along the way when you do log and you always stay in the correct range.

And if you know you are going to have to eat out or have a treat... Find a way to fit it into your calories... Either by omitting something else from the day or looking at the restaurant's website and picking something low calorie prior to going out. Soon... you'll be able to remember what's healthy at key places and it'll become second nature.

LOG EVERYTHING... EVEN GUM! Switch to diet soda...It may be hard at first, but then when you try to drink a real soda in a month or two it'll taste WAY to sweet. It's about making good habits and changing your lifestyle. It seems like you haven't made this a priority yet. It's like drinking... An alcoholic won't quit drinking for his loved ones or his job... Not until he realizes it's a life and death situation and becomes willing to change his WHOLE life will he change.

Also, it seems that seeing a nutritionist would be a good idea. They can discuss the proper balanced diet for you and help you to develop a diet plan with the right amount of calories. Often, colleges will have students that will offer their services to you at little to no cost. At this point, you can't afford to continue to make the food choices you're making.

I wish you the best of luck! We're all here to support you!

princesspea234

You seem like a very nice lady, so I hate to question your honesty, but do you really tread water for 90-120 minutes? That's an awful lot of work. I don't think I could do it for more than a few minutes myself. If that's a typo or an overestimation, you are "earning" a lot more calories than you should probably be consuming.

This too... I work out consistently... zumba, weights, running, full day hikes... I weigh a little under 125 pounds and when I went to the lake this weekend, I treaded water for a little over an hour.... with breaks holding onto the hubby's kayak for a few minutes at a time and I was exhausted.... Felt like I could eat a horse.... Needed to sit and relax the rest of the day.

The next day I hung out in the lake and just kinda splashed around in an inner tube, floated on my back and did some moderate swimming.. It was tempting to log it the same way as I had the day before, but I would've been lying to myself.

SonicDeathMonkey80

Be consistent in your logging.

The daily Faygos and high-sodium (crap) foods are going to bloat you like a tick. Sure, you can lose weight eating Little Caesar's and drinking the orange nasty, but I prefer to get more nutrition for my calories. And I like to eat. A lot. Your body is only going to perform as well as the fuel you put into it.

Be consistent in your logging.

Don't overestimate your calorie burns. It might make you feel like you're accomplishing a grand feat, but you're really falling into a false sense of security.

Did I mention "be consistent in your logging"?

danarandallreed

Thanks for all the replies. I was wondering about the calories earned. I have been eating them, but it did not seem to make sense to me. If I am truly hungry, it will eat them, but if not...I am going to cut back to the calorie intake I should have without exercise.

QueenWino

A swimming note: I have a huge pool and swim regularly. I am 42, 280.5lbs, and also wear a polar ft7 heart rate monitor when I am swimming. I do freestyle, butterfly, side stroke, etc as hard as I can, for as long as I can, until I am red faced, arms falling off, legs vibrating, gasping for breath, and I've sustained it as long as possible before I think one more second and I might die. This isn't play swim, grab a kid, laugh, toss in the water, swim after, grab, laugh, rest w/o realizing it, have fun time, this is brutal time. The most my HRM has ever read is 332, and that is because I am so out of shape I can't get my body to go harder, longer. I have worn my HRM while treading water for hours and it won't even register above 100. It sounds like you aren't in a position to buy an HRM right now so please don't log the swimming at all in your log, It is giving you a false sense of calorie deficit that won't help you. Good luck.

Mgregory723

A swimming note: I have a huge pool and swim regularly. I am 42, 280.5lbs, and also wear a polar ft7 heart rate monitor when I am swimming. I do freestyle, butterfly, side stroke, etc as hard as I can, for as long as I can, until I am red faced, arms falling off, legs vibrating, gasping for breath, and I've sustained it as long as possible before I think one more second and I might die. This isn't play swim, grab a kid, laugh, toss in the water, swim after, grab, laugh, rest w/o realizing it, have fun time, this is brutal time. The most my HRM has ever read is 332, and that is because I am so out of shape I can't get my body to go harder, longer. I have worn my HRM while treading water for hours and it won't even register above 100. It sounds like you aren't in a position to buy an HRM right now so please don't log the swimming at all in your log, It is giving you a false sense of calorie deficit that won't help you. Good luck.

I think people have gotten the wrong idea about me swimming. I do not play in the pool the whole time. I do exercises I found online, plus; I kick my legs until they hurt, I swim back n forth in pool without a break until I am out of breath, and so much more. With that said, I am not going to log in my swimming anymore. I can see that it is not easy to figure out. Thank you for you comment.

Mgregory723

Be consistent in your logging.

The daily Faygos and high-sodium (crap) foods are going to bloat you like a tick. Sure, you can lose weight eating Little Caesar's and drinking the orange nasty, but I prefer to get more nutrition for my calories. And I like to eat. A lot. Your body is only going to perform as well as the fuel you put into it.

Be consistent in your logging.

Don't overestimate your calorie burns. It might make you feel like you're accomplishing a grand feat, but you're really falling into a false sense of security.

Did I mention "be consistent in your logging"?

LOL Yeah I got it "Be constant in logging" Stop drinking and eating crap.......Will do and thanks for your comment!

sweetcurlz67

You've gotten some GREAT advice on this thread! I won't repeat it, but just say: GOOD LUCK & YOU CAN DO IT!!!! :flowerforyou:

jljshoe1979

I am new here too. I am confused as to how many caloires i should be eating. My BMR is 1882 calories a day. My exercise plan shows buring approx. 350 calories a day - 4 days a week. I cannot excersise very strenously as i have low back and feet issues along with fibromyalgia. Anyway for my daily caloric intake should it be 1882 or should I be addng in my exercise calories and eat approx. 2232 a day.- which doesnt make sense. RIght now (only 4 days in) i am having trouble hitting 1200 a day. thanks for the help!

Here is the best explanation I've gotten recently for the "how many calories to eat back daily" delimma. Hope it helps (quoted from another post):

There is no debate if you understand the tool you are using. MFP is essentially a NEAT method calculator (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)...which means when you set your activity level, you do NOT include exercise...just your day to day job and hum drum. This makes exercise an extra activity that needs to be fueled. The NEAT method is often used for people unfamiliar with exercise as it gives them incentive to get off their fat *kitten* and move...but they don't have to...they can eat those 1200 calories (sedentary) and lose weight...but if they do happen to get off their *kitten* and move they are rewarded with add'l calories. This is how MFP works.

Other calculators like TDEE calculators incorporate your estimated exercise calories in you activity level...so you wouldn't eat them back. It works out 6 of 1 when you do it right. When I did MFP my NET calorie goal was 1850 to lose one Lb per week...with exercise I grossed about 2100- 2200 calories per day. When I switched to the TDEE method (which included my exercise in my activity level...TDEE = 2700...multiply that by 80% to get roughly 1 Lb per week loss goal...= 2,160 gross calories. See...6 of 1.

You just need to stick with a method...some people do MFP...some people set to maintenance and try to create a deficit with exercise alone..some people do TDEE - X%...you just have to understand which method you are using and what tool you are using.
Edited by cwolfman13 On July 23, 2013 12:16 pm