A MESSAGE FOR ANYONE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT ESPECIALLY THE NEWBIES!!!
Replies
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1,500 calories would be maintenance for me. I need to eat 1,200 calories or lower to lose weight (and even then it’s very tough). I’m almost 46 and 5’4 and weigh 132. I have a desk job but workout 6 days a week. It gets very hard the older you get. I don’t think this is accurate to say we all need to eat more. I’ve tried eating more and it didn’t work.5
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I appreciated the message the OP was trying to convey.
And I also enjoyed all the resulting snark. Thanks for the entertainment! Feel free to now smack me down or insult my children. Lol
You don't think it is possible she insulted people who are losing weight at the appropriate 1200ish calorie mark for being stupid for not eating more?
If a 300ish pound person were eating 2400ish hundred calories and not losing weight would the same advice apply? Eat more.
What is the science behind fat "clinging" to your?
More likely than me not caring, it’s a matter of not taking random internet people’s comments to heart. Jumping on her for her opinion is that exact thing people are doing to her.
Thus my entertainment remark.
It’s really not that hard to comprehend.12 -
More likely than me not caring, it’s a matter of not taking random internet people’s comments to heart. Jumping on her for her opinion is that exact thing people are doing to her.
Thus my entertainment remark.
It’s really not that hard to comprehend.
You must not have read the same OP that I did because I didn't see opinions I saw instructions on how to lose weight.
You might be new to the internet but if you make wild assertions as statements of fact you should expect some blowback. It has only been that way forever.
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Is that true? I am 5'5" 175 lbs with a 1 lb/ week goal, lightly active and i have a 1270 goal. I usually get a couple hundred extra for steps, but if i don't move it docks calories ( no lower than 1200).
I worry I am going to get over hungry and binge, but so far i can stay close to the target without getting very hungry. My logging is not perfect but i am losing 11/2-2 calories/week.
I Don't understand the OP, that you lose when you eat more calories. I just think you can be reasonable and still get 1200 calories as a goal
Hi, Lori! Something is "off" if you put in for a 1 lb loss and are losing 1.5-2 lbs a week (I think that is what you mean). If it is working for you, that's great--if you aren't too hungry and have enough energy. Otherwise, it looks like you could increase your base calories and lose 1 lb week. Maybe you are more active than you think, or than MFP thinks
In any case, you are clearly creating a deficit of more than 3500 cal/week at your rate of loss. Good job and good luck!
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Is that true? I am 5'5" 175 lbs with a 1 lb/ week goal, lightly active and i have a 1270 goal. I usually get a couple hundred extra for steps, but if i don't move it docks calories ( no lower than 1200).
I worry I am going to get over hungry and binge, but so far i can stay close to the target without getting very hungry. My logging is not perfect but i am losing 11/2-2 calories/week.
I Don't understand the OP, that you lose when you eat more calories. I just think you can be reasonable and still get 1200 calories as a goal
Hi, Lori! Something is "off" if you put in for a 1 lb loss and are losing 1.5-2 lbs a week (I think that is what you mean). If it is working for you, that's great--if you aren't too hungry and have enough energy. Otherwise, it looks like you could increase your base calories and lose 1 lb week. Maybe you are more active than you think, or than MFP thinks In any case, you are clearly creating a deficit of more than 3500 cal/week at your rate of loss. Good job and good luck!
Thank you. I do have days when i go under, but i was thinking i was forgetting to log something or underestimating. I feel fine.3 -
I was 5'4" sedentary 40 year old 179 lb woman when I started using MFP. I was given a starting calorie goal of 1,340 to lose 1 lb a week. I lost 25 lbs in about 6 months. MFP did not give me the 1,200 goal until I was getting close to a healthy weight.
Generally, people should not start with the absolute minimum recommended calories and many people should be able to eat more than 1,200 and lose just fine. 1,200 is appropriate for some people.
People who say they are not losing on 1,200 calories should check the accuracy of their logging or get to a doctor.6 -
I wanted my weight loss to be relatively painless and, with 114lbs to a healthy BMI, I knew it wasn't going to happen overnight. I think the best decision I made was choosing to lose 1lb, week even though 2lbs would have been safe at the beginning. By the time I had to adjust my calories, I'd learned through trial and error how to make healthy, satisfying choices and still have room for a modest treat or dessert.
I'm now closing on the last 20lbs and losing 1/2lb a week on 1400 calories. (Actually losing on a bit more; 1400 is my sedentary target, but exercise lets me increase that.) And it's been a lot easier than my earlier attempts which often WERE 1200 or so.14 -
1,500 calories would be maintenance for me. I need to eat 1,200 calories or lower to lose weight (and even then it’s very tough). I’m almost 46 and 5’4 and weigh 132. I have a desk job but workout 6 days a week. It gets very hard the older you get. I don’t think this is accurate to say we all need to eat more. I’ve tried eating more and it didn’t work.
No one said to eat more in your thread. We suggested you set a realistic deficit and tighten your weighing & logging.
PS age isn’t an excuse - I lost 97 from 57 to 59. But it is harder when you don’t have a lot to lose because you have to be very accurate with your calorie logging.6 -
1,500 calories would be maintenance for me. I need to eat 1,200 calories or lower to lose weight (and even then it’s very tough). I’m almost 46 and 5’4 and weigh 132. I have a desk job but workout 6 days a week. It gets very hard the older you get. I don’t think this is accurate to say we all need to eat more. I’ve tried eating more and it didn’t work.
No one said to eat more in your thread. We suggested you set a realistic deficit and tighten your weighing & logging.
PS age isn’t an excuse - I lost 97 from 57 to 59. But it is harder when you don’t have a lot to lose because you have to be very accurate with your calorie logging.
I was referring to this thread where the OP says that no one should be eating 1,200 calories to lose weight and you need to eat more. That’s bs. The closer you are to your goal the closer you need to be to 1,200 calories a day to lose weight. And even then it’s going to come off very slowly.
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Closer in the sense that your calorie needs decrease as you get smaller. But I'm currently eating more like 1600-1700 to drop the last 20 lbs or so. (1400 as sedentary, but long walks and strength training give me more calories.)1
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I do see a lot of people reporting that they are eating 1200 or less. For the most part, that is probably too low. So, I get your point. Some people have a low BMR and TDEE even with being active and cant lose on higher amounts. I'm 5'0". My TDEE is 1450 on a more sedentary (4000-5000 step day) and 1750 on 10000ish steps per day. So, I wont lose much if any on 1600-1800 like you will. Everyone is different.0
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Lola_Mercury wrote: »MFP usually says to eat 1200 calories a day but in my opinion, unless youre already 120 pounds that is WAY TOO LOW. I started around 187lb eating 1200 cals a day and working out vigorously, my body clung to the weight and it resulted in me only losing 7 pounds in 4 months. I was exhausted, malnourished and discouraged, all that hard work for barely a budge.
Now, years later and much wiser Ive listened to my body, I eat 1500 BARE MINIMUM and usually 1600-1800 sometimes more sometimes less and I'm losing average 6lb a month. I only walk for 30 mins 5 times a week as exercise and I eat pretty much what I want within reason but try to stick to the healthy choices.
IF YOURE DOING EVERYTHING TO LOSE WEIGHT AND ITS NOT WORKING, OR YOU FEEL EXHAUSTED AND STARVING AND LOSING WEIGHT AT A SNAILS PACE, I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU EAT MORE!!!
Eating more, making healthy choices and not really restricting one specific thing has been working wonders for me. Not looking or asking for advice, just want to help new people who think they have to starve themselves or even aim for 1200 calories a day. Its not good for ANYONE to eat that little and its not realistically sustainable!!
GOOD DAY!!
When I first started out on MFP I stuck to the 1200 cals a day. I ate the same things most days as I couldn't fit most things I wanted to eat in the plan. I was so scared to up my calories thinking I'll never lose weight if I eat more. I did lose the weight on 1200 a day, but put it all back on again.
This time I'm eating more around 1400 cals a day, more when I exercise and still loosing the same 2lb a week I was loosing before on 1200 a day. Plus I'm eating more foods I love, a wider variety of foods and enjoying it.6 -
For the lurkers - this is how MFP actually determines your calorie allowance......
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@tinkerbellang83 i love your guide. Thank you very much1
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Is that true? I am 5'5" 175 lbs with a 1 lb/ week goal, lightly active and i have a 1270 goal. I usually get a couple hundred extra for steps, but if i don't move it docks calories ( no lower than 1200).
I worry I am going to get over hungry and binge, but so far i can stay close to the target without getting very hungry. My logging is not perfect but i am losing 11/2-2 calories/week.
I Don't understand the OP, that you lose when you eat more calories. I just think you can be reasonable and still get 1200 calories as a goal
Hi, Lori! Something is "off" if you put in for a 1 lb loss and are losing 1.5-2 lbs a week (I think that is what you mean). If it is working for you, that's great--if you aren't too hungry and have enough energy. Otherwise, it looks like you could increase your base calories and lose 1 lb week. Maybe you are more active than you think, or than MFP thinks In any case, you are clearly creating a deficit of more than 3500 cal/week at your rate of loss. Good job and good luck!
Thank you. I do have days when i go under, but i was thinking i was forgetting to log something or underestimating. I feel fine.
Still, at 5'4" and 132 lbs, 1.5 to 2 lbs a week seems overly aggressive, and thou should probably take one part of OP's advice and eat more
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For me it might be true. My husband set to lose .5lbs a week. I set out to lose at least 2lbs a week. He lost 20lbs within 6 months (he has an active job also) and I lost 5 and gained 20lbs more after giving up. He thinks the answer is exercise and not setting your goals too high.1
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Exercise is AN answer. In my case:
- It gives me extra calories to play with
- I'm a stress eater. Exercise relieves stress
- I'm a boredom eater. Exercise gives me something to focus on, so I'm not bored.
- I'm an emotional eater. (Not sure if 'stress' counts as an emotion.) Exercise helps my moods.
- I tend to get food cravings when TOM cramps are bad. Exercise, particularly core strength training, tends to reduce those cramps (and other symptoms). It could also be just the weight loss.
Calorie deficit is THE answer. How you achieve it is up to you, but for me it's been a mix of reducing calories and increasing exercise.8 -
scarlett624kh wrote: »For me it might be true. My husband set to lose .5lbs a week. I set out to lose at least 2lbs a week. He lost 20lbs within 6 months (he has an active job also) and I lost 5 and gained 20lbs more after giving up. He thinks the answer is exercise and not setting your goals too high.
A sustainable plan that keeps you in a calorie deficit for YOU is the answer. If you gave up and gained then you didn't make it sustainable. Better to lose weight steadily over time, making small changes that you can stick with to form better habits than to go hard and fast at it, end up starving and go back to all the things you did that got you overweight in the first place.2 -
tinkerbellang83 wrote: »For the lurkers - this is how MFP actually determines your calorie allowance......
@tinkerbellang83 to my embarrassment, this is the first time I really looked at your awesome graphic or the values used to calculate the activity settings. Silly me never realized that sedentary was a PAL of 1.25 on MFP. I always assumed it was 1.4 ( my manual PAL calculations put me closer to 1.5) ... no wonder I was gnawing off an arm trying to stick to my goal of late. It's making me under eat by a good 300kcals. (I ended up binging. Meaning I wasn't losing but steadily gaining and feeling like a failure).
Lesson learned: pay attention to the mechanics and formulas and adjust as needed...
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I appreciated the message the OP was trying to convey.
And I also enjoyed all the resulting snark. Thanks for the entertainment! Feel free to now smack me down or insult my children. Lol
You don't think it is possible she insulted people who are losing weight at the appropriate 1200ish calorie mark for being stupid for not eating more?
If a 300ish pound person were eating 2400ish hundred calories and not losing weight would the same advice apply? Eat more.
What is the science behind fat "clinging" to your?
More likely than me not caring, it’s a matter of not taking random internet people’s comments to heart. Jumping on her for her opinion is that exact thing people are doing to her.
Thus my entertainment remark.
It’s really not that hard to comprehend.
THANK YOU!! Im not taking any of it to heart, I made this message for people who understand it and whoever doesnt is really just backround noise wasting their time!! I appreciate you!! Peace and love to you!5 -
Lola_Mercury wrote: »MFP usually says to eat 1200 calories a day but in my opinion, unless youre already 120 pounds that is WAY TOO LOW. I started around 187lb eating 1200 cals a day and working out vigorously, my body clung to the weight and it resulted in me only losing 7 pounds in 4 months. I was exhausted, malnourished and discouraged, all that hard work for barely a budge.
Now, years later and much wiser Ive listened to my body, I eat 1500 BARE MINIMUM and usually 1600-1800 sometimes more sometimes less and I'm losing average 6lb a month. I only walk for 30 mins 5 times a week as exercise and I eat pretty much what I want within reason but try to stick to the healthy choices.
IF YOURE DOING EVERYTHING TO LOSE WEIGHT AND ITS NOT WORKING, OR YOU FEEL EXHAUSTED AND STARVING AND LOSING WEIGHT AT A SNAILS PACE, I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU EAT MORE!!!
Eating more, making healthy choices and not really restricting one specific thing has been working wonders for me. Not looking or asking for advice, just want to help new people who think they have to starve themselves or even aim for 1200 calories a day. Its not good for ANYONE to eat that little and its not realistically sustainable!!
GOOD DAY!!
When I first started out on MFP I stuck to the 1200 cals a day. I ate the same things most days as I couldn't fit most things I wanted to eat in the plan. I was so scared to up my calories thinking I'll never lose weight if I eat more. I did lose the weight on 1200 a day, but put it all back on again.
This time I'm eating more around 1400 cals a day, more when I exercise and still loosing the same 2lb a week I was loosing before on 1200 a day. Plus I'm eating more foods I love, a wider variety of foods and enjoying it.
SO HAPPY to hear this!! Best of luck to you!!!2
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