Thoughts on how I ate before

Sojo15

I know it's a numbers game, so I am sure there is a formula, but: I really had no idea about how many calories are in certain foods. I was just eating along before, not exercising, frying in butter, baking and eating so many cakes, drinking... How am I not more overweight than I already am? I think I probably ate at least 2500 calories per day before. My maintenance is 1650, which I also can't wrap my head around really. How can it be so low? Was I eating 1000 calories over my maintenance before? How fast will the pounds pile on??

I just know that the 1200 limit is very very restrictive, but if I go over I think I will have no loss at all. I am probably logging wrong and really eating 1400. Will a 250 deficit really make me lose weight?? I know some people do Intermittent Fasting, that is just my nightmare. How do you eat 500 calories per fast day?? I am squeezing all taste and nutrition out of my 1200, and I fear I am not calculating right, and really eating more. I am worried I will not be able to lose weight because it is just so hard to keep the 1200 limit. I used to be 120 lbs. I am just wondering how on earth I can lose what I gained over the years. I was reading about the calories in restaurant food, I mean it is just really alarming.

MichelleSilverleaf

First place to start would be how you calculated your maintenance calories, or what your stats are and what number MFP gave you. Any deficit will result in a weight loss, how quick that will be comes down to how much you have to lose and your rate of loss. Anything with a label will help you decide calories and such, the USDA database can help with things like fruits and veggies and meats (there's a thread somewhere on how to use the database effectively). 1200 generally isn't necessary for everyone, too often people default to that number because they think they have to.

musicfan68

What are your stats? Did you set up your MFP profile that gives you your calories?

You probably can eat more than 1200 calories and still lose weight. And intermittent fasting is not eating 500 calories on a "fasting" day. I suppose there are "fasts" that do that, but I do intermittent fasting and it just means eating in a smaller window of time. I don't eat breakfast or lunch. I eat generally between 5 pm - 9:00 pm. I I have coffee in the morning that keeps me from being hungry until later in the afternoon. Some people find that if they eat in a smaller window of time, it helps them keep to their calorie limit.

Sojo15

Interesting, it is so much to learn still. I am 5.5, 43, 150.2 lbs (starting at 155 over Christmas). I try, but often fail, to do 30-40 min exercise per day. I work on my laptop but chase my kids around if that burns some calories.I don't remember how I got maintenance, it was some online calculator...I was talking to a friend about all this, and he described how he eats out every day, loaves of bread, alcohol. I am really worried he will die! He is already overweight.

lynn_glenmont

musicfan68 wrote: »

What are your stats? Did you set up your MFP profile that gives you your calories?

You probably can eat more than 1200 calories and still lose weight. And intermittent fasting is not eating 500 calories on a "fasting" day. I suppose there are "fasts" that do that, but I do intermittent fasting and it just means eating in a smaller window of time. I don't eat breakfast or lunch. I eat generally between 5 pm - 9:00 pm. I I have coffee in the morning that keeps me from being hungry until later in the afternoon. Some people find that if they eat in a smaller window of time, it helps them keep to their calorie limit.

musicfan68 wrote: »

What are your stats? Did you set up your MFP profile that gives you your calories?

You probably can eat more than 1200 calories and still lose weight. And intermittent fasting is not eating 500 calories on a "fasting" day. I suppose there are "fasts" that do that, but I do intermittent fasting and it just means eating in a smaller window of time. I don't eat breakfast or lunch. I eat generally between 5 pm - 9:00 pm. I I have coffee in the morning that keeps me from being hungry until later in the afternoon. Some people find that if they eat in a smaller window of time, it helps them keep to their calorie limit.

You're doing one form of intermittent fasting, but many people practice 5:2 IF, on which they eat at maintenance five days a week and "fast" on 500 kcals on the other two days, which works out to around a 3500 kcal deficit (one-pound loss) per week for people whose TDEE is in the low to mid 2000s.

Interesting, it is so much to learn still. I am 5.5, 43, 150.2 lbs (starting at 155 over Christmas). I try, but often fail, to do 30-40 min exercise per day. I work on my laptop but chase my kids around if that burns some calories.I don't remember how I got maintenance, it was some online calculator...I was talking to a friend about all this, and he described how he eats out every day, loaves of bread, alcohol. I am really worried he will die! He is already overweight.

OP, you've lost nearly five pounds in three weeks. That's 1 2/3 lbs a week. That's pretty fast for someone who was barely overweight when starting and has already slipped down into the top end of a healthy weight range for your height. You should add about 500 kcals/day to whatever you've been eating to slow your loss rate down to between a half pound and a pound a week.

MichelleSilverleaf

Sojo15 wrote: »

Interesting, it is so much to learn still. I am 5.5, 43, 150.2 lbs (starting at 155 over Christmas). I try, but often fail, to do 30-40 min exercise per day. I work on my laptop but chase my kids around if that burns some calories.I don't remember how I got maintenance, it was some online calculator...I was talking to a friend about all this, and he described how he eats out every day, loaves of bread, alcohol. I am really worried he will die! He is already overweight.

Well unfortunately you can't do anything for your friend. People either want to change or they don't, and while you can try and share your concerns ultimately it's up to him.

As for you, I would enter your stats into MFP here and see what number it gives you. Like lynn_glenmont pointed out you're already within a healthy range for your height, so I wouldn't go higher than 0.5-1lbs a week, probably more the first. Weigh everything. Use measuring cups and spoons only for liquids. Double check database entries with the labels on food and/or the USDA database to ensure as much accuracy as possible. Give that about a month and see how you're doing. If you're more or less happy with your shape and just want to fix areas you could look into recomp. With regards to exercise it helps most when it's something you know you can stick to. Don't like the gym? Look up home exercises. Like to run? Do that. Swim? Bike? Hiking? Yoga? There are many forms of exercise out there.