Less calories but too many carbs?

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hannahsharratt27
hannahsharratt27 Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I've become very focussed on my health and fitness over the past month and need to shift some weight and feel confident in my own skin and clothes again! I've put on MFP to lose 1 lb a week as I feel from going to eating what I want and no exercise to lots of exercise and too little food its too much and will almost definitely fail! I also try to gym at least four times a week which includes one cardio class, two days strength and one day cardio. I usually find it fairly easy to stay within my allowed 1400 calories gain, however I don't feel like i'm losing weight as fast as I should be? Trust me, I know I would never be able to lose a stone in a week! But I amn't losing the pound per week which I don't get as I assume MFP is losing that pound a week without taking the exercise into consideration as I have my activity as lightly active as I have an office job. I am 5'6 and by no means overweight, I just want to tone up as my clothes have stopped fitting and I no longer feel body confident, and have no definition which I would love to achieve!

The main point of this post, sorry for the lengthy background!, is that while I usually find it easy to stay within the 1400 or so calories, the carbs aim for the day is usually complete or well over. Is this preventing me losing the weight? Or am I just jumping the gun and as long as my calories are around 1400 or less I should lose weight at the correct rate? For example some days I will have a couple hundred calories leftover after exercising but the carbs bit will say -10g or something like that.

Thanks for reading and any help anyone you can guys can give me!

Replies

  • chispaza
    chispaza Posts: 153 Member
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    How are you tracking your intake? Do you have a food scale that you use for everything?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited December 2017
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    If you got your number 1400 from MFP - then focus on 1400 (before exercise). Keep in mind exercise calories are an estimate.

    Focus on meeting protein goals, this can help you keep lean muscle while losing weight.

    Dietary fat is necessary for many bodily functions (vitamin absorption for 1). Carbs are energy. Unless you have a medical condition you don't need to worry about carbs. If your protein is low......focus on protein.

    Weight loss is about calories. Macros - protein, fat and carbs are about nutrition, satiety, fitness goals....not about losing weight. Many vegetarians have high carb diets.
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
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    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    If you are "in no means overweight" as you say then a pound a week likely isn't a realistic weight loss goal.

    I agree.. I'm at a healthy weight right now and am finding it very hard to lose more than 1-2lb a month.
  • hannahsharratt27
    hannahsharratt27 Posts: 19 Member
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    I have recipes stored and weigh everything so it's as accurate as I can get using this app! I know BMI is not the best thing for weight, but for the purposes of this my BMI falls right in the middle of healthy at 21.3. I just have a lot of flab and nothing is toned so want to get fit. Taking what you guys have said into account, what would be a realistic weight loss goal? I'm fairly new to this so will take any advice I can get!
  • brittneyalley
    brittneyalley Posts: 274 Member
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    How much do you weigh?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I have recipes stored and weigh everything so it's as accurate as I can get using this app! I know BMI is not the best thing for weight, but for the purposes of this my BMI falls right in the middle of healthy at 21.3. I just have a lot of flab and nothing is toned so want to get fit. Taking what you guys have said into account, what would be a realistic weight loss goal? I'm fairly new to this so will take any advice I can get!


    Without knowing exactly what you look like (via pictures/video), I'd venture to say anywhere between maintaining your weight to maybe 1/2 lb per week.

    In either case, you'd want to incorporate some progressive strength/resistance training.
  • hannahsharratt27
    hannahsharratt27 Posts: 19 Member
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    I weigh 9 stone 6. To be honest scales don't matter much to me, its just the fact no trousers or jeans that I own fit me and I see my figure each morning and groan! I think if I got down to around 8 stone 10 (the last weight I remember having before not feeling good) I would be fine! I do get that muscle weighs more than fat, but I'm still not even seeing changes with my sight and my clothes aren't getting any easier to fit into. What kind of progressive strength/resistance training would be good?

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I weigh 9 stone 6. To be honest scales don't matter much to me, its just the fact no trousers or jeans that I own fit me and I see my figure each morning and groan! I think if I got down to around 8 stone 10 (the last weight I remember having before not feeling good) I would be fine! I do get that muscle weighs more than fat, but I'm still not even seeing changes with my sight and my clothes aren't getting any easier to fit into. What kind of progressive strength/resistance training would be good?

    You are not going to lose a pound a week at 132 lbs. As mentioned previously, 2 lbs a month is reasonable.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I weigh 9 stone 6. To be honest scales don't matter much to me, its just the fact no trousers or jeans that I own fit me and I see my figure each morning and groan! I think if I got down to around 8 stone 10 (the last weight I remember having before not feeling good) I would be fine! I do get that muscle weighs more than fat, but I'm still not even seeing changes with my sight and my clothes aren't getting any easier to fit into. What kind of progressive strength/resistance training would be good?

    How tall are you?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    edited December 2017
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I weigh 9 stone 6. To be honest scales don't matter much to me, its just the fact no trousers or jeans that I own fit me and I see my figure each morning and groan! I think if I got down to around 8 stone 10 (the last weight I remember having before not feeling good) I would be fine! I do get that muscle weighs more than fat, but I'm still not even seeing changes with my sight and my clothes aren't getting any easier to fit into. What kind of progressive strength/resistance training would be good?

    Virtually anything from the beginner section here that looks interesting that you are able to do. If you don't want to go to a gym, then one of the bodyweight programs would be good. edit: See sardelsa's post below for link, as I forgot. Oops./edit

    I'm not necessarily suggesting to follow her way of doing things specifically, but here's a good read on how strength training can help with body image/composition: https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I weigh 9 stone 6. To be honest scales don't matter much to me, its just the fact no trousers or jeans that I own fit me and I see my figure each morning and groan! I think if I got down to around 8 stone 10 (the last weight I remember having before not feeling good) I would be fine! I do get that muscle weighs more than fat, but I'm still not even seeing changes with my sight and my clothes aren't getting any easier to fit into. What kind of progressive strength/resistance training would be good?

    if you had more muscle than fat sure you may weigh more but you would be smaller in size because the muscle takes up less space than the fat. . if your pants are getting too small maybe your scale is broken and you weigh more than you think?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    If you want to tone up, as mentioned, definitely look into a weight training program
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Also losing 0.5lb a week will be reasonable for you.. and at some point you may want to consider recomposition (maintaining your weight to lose fat and gain muscle over time).

    As long as you stay within your calorie goal, get adequate protein and fat, how many carbs you eat will be personal preference.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    If you want to tone up, as mentioned, definitely look into a weight training program
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Also losing 0.5lb a week will be reasonable for you.. and at some point you may want to consider recomposition (maintaining your weight to lose fat and gain muscle over time).

    As long as you stay within your calorie goal, get adequate protein and fat, how many carbs you eat will be personal preference.

    LOL. Thanks for posting the link. I had meant to in my last post, but I guess I forgot.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    'too many carbs' is only a problem if:
    • if they make you go over your calories (a lot of the 'carby foods' can be calorie dense, or are items that people crave more of, and some people aren't fully sated by them for the calories). - This isn't an issue for you since you are keeping within your calories.
    • if you are undercounting your calories. (People can be really, really bad at measuring out a portion of things like rice and pasta - you may want to weigh these out to make sure this isn't you).
    • if they are crowding out protein and fat, and you are not getting the recommended quantities of these. (can lead to extra loss of muscle while losing weight or various health problems)
    • if you have some pre-existing medical condition (like diabetes) where they might have too high a glycemic load.
  • hannahsharratt27
    hannahsharratt27 Posts: 19 Member
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    I am 5'6 so am a perfectly healthy weight, my friends and family keep staying I STILL look good despite putting weight on but they don't see me under the clothes! I got weighed at the doctors yesterday and it matches my home scales. I just know my body isn't as good as it once was so am really wanting to get back to it.

    Thank you all so much, as I'm so new I was just picking that but never thought about any of this so thank you!! If 2 lb a month is more reasonable, should I change my MFP goal to lose 0.5 lb a week or keep it at the losing 1 lb a week? Another probably very stupid question, am I to eat the 1400 calories (or whatever it will be after altering the goals), and then exercise but keep the food at 1400, or is it that if I burn off say 200 calories, I am to then eat 1600?

    I'll have a look at the recomposition stuff, so that once I am back able to fit into my jeans/trousers without having to suck in to get them on and then unzip them after having a tiny snack I can build more muscle as its a body I would love to get after seeing so many girls in the gym looking like that. Thank you all again for the patience I'm sure these are all painful to read!
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I am 5'6 so am a perfectly healthy weight, my friends and family keep staying I STILL look good despite putting weight on but they don't see me under the clothes! I got weighed at the doctors yesterday and it matches my home scales. I just know my body isn't as good as it once was so am really wanting to get back to it.

    Thank you all so much, as I'm so new I was just picking that but never thought about any of this so thank you!! If 2 lb a month is more reasonable, should I change my MFP goal to lose 0.5 lb a week or keep it at the losing 1 lb a week? Another probably very stupid question, am I to eat the 1400 calories (or whatever it will be after altering the goals), and then exercise but keep the food at 1400, or is it that if I burn off say 200 calories, I am to then eat 1600?

    I'll have a look at the recomposition stuff, so that once I am back able to fit into my jeans/trousers without having to suck in to get them on and then unzip them after having a tiny snack I can build more muscle as its a body I would love to get after seeing so many girls in the gym looking like that. Thank you all again for the patience I'm sure these are all painful to read!

    Keep in mind that body dysmorphia is also a thing -- you may not see yourself as others see you. Which means that maybe you *do* look fine, but you just don't see it.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    hannahsharratt27 wrote: »
    I am 5'6 so am a perfectly healthy weight, my friends and family keep staying I STILL look good despite putting weight on but they don't see me under the clothes! I got weighed at the doctors yesterday and it matches my home scales. I just know my body isn't as good as it once was so am really wanting to get back to it.

    Thank you all so much, as I'm so new I was just picking that but never thought about any of this so thank you!! If 2 lb a month is more reasonable, should I change my MFP goal to lose 0.5 lb a week or keep it at the losing 1 lb a week? Another probably very stupid question, am I to eat the 1400 calories (or whatever it will be after altering the goals), and then exercise but keep the food at 1400, or is it that if I burn off say 200 calories, I am to then eat 1600?

    I'll have a look at the recomposition stuff, so that once I am back able to fit into my jeans/trousers without having to suck in to get them on and then unzip them after having a tiny snack I can build more muscle as its a body I would love to get after seeing so many girls in the gym looking like that. Thank you all again for the patience I'm sure these are all painful to read!

    you eat at least half your exercise calories back .so if you burn 200 you can either eat half back and see how that goes for a couple of weeks or all of them back. as for the bodies those girls in the gym have it can take years and most of them eat a lot more than 1400 calories to look like that. it takes a lot of hard work,and dedication as well as time. not to mention genetics play a large part in how your body will look. recomp will change how your body looks but it may take many bulk and cut cycles to look like some of those girls at the gym especially the more muscular ones
  • itsaboutthattimeagain
    itsaboutthattimeagain Posts: 36 Member
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    "As long as you stay within your calorie goal, get adequate protein and fat, how many carbs you eat will be personal preference" (Sardelsa). THIS Right here. I love how she says "adequate" as some may try to push their macro ideas on to you.


    As long as you are in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. Years ago, I was losing weight off of eating fast food everyday and still toned up nicely with strength training. AND, my last time on here 3 years ago, I ate wheat bread, rice, etc. every day and still toned up good lifting heavy. Do what works for you and what is sustainble. Sometimes, you have to play with your macros to know what is right for your body to achieve your goals.

    Good luck! Hang in there, you got this.

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