Trying to do this the right way

kelsiesco

For the past few months I have been losing weight mostly by restricting calories, and working out. I have recently hit a plateau, and in trying to figure out why, and how to get through it, I have realized that I am going about this in an unhealthy way. Sure restricting calories did help me lose some weight and inches, but I am being detrimental to my health and most likely when I stopped my "diet" I would just gain back all the weight that I have lost.

I feel like joining MFP is a good first step, and even with my very casual quick browsing of some message boards I have gained some new insight.

I am just having a hard time with my relationship with food. When I was younger I used to do dance and gymnastics, so food has always been a bit of a sensitive subject. I used a website recommended by someone on this site to figure out what my actual daily caloric intake, as well as my macros should be so that I am losing about 1.5 lbs a week, and I'm not gonna lie I am kind of shocked by how high it is. I can't make my head believe that eating more than I have been the last few months is going to help me lose weight, but at the same time I know that my body can't sustain itself with what I was giving it.

Does anyone have any advice, or suggestions? Not just about with the food thing, but about losing weight, and changing lifestyles in general. I would really appreciate it.

kommodevaran

Google "what is normal eating", and read the link from Ellyn Satter.

snickerscharlie

Welcome to MFP!

First off, how are you measuring your caloric intake and exercise burns?

Also, what did you mean by, "I have realized that I am going about this in an unhealthy way"?

A few more details will help us pinpoint the issues and offer relevant possible solutions.

kelsiesco

I was in the "calories in, calories out" mind set, and wanting to lose as much weight as I possibly could as fast as I could. I was starting to restricting my calories to less than 1200 a day, and I lead a pretty active lifestyle, I was getting dizzy spells, and my energy levels were at an all time low for me. Food, calories, how many calories I was burning and my weight where always on my mind, it was taking over my life.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

This is the website that someone on here recommended to try and figure out what your nutrition intake should be based on what you want to do (i.e. lose fat, gain muscle, maintain), and I have started using a food journal/app, but we will see how that goes.

snickerscharlie

kelsielynnscoggins wrote: »

I was in the "calories in, calories out" mind set, and wanting to lose as much weight as I possibly could as fast as I could. I was starting to restricting my calories to less than 1200 a day, and I lead a pretty active lifestyle, I was getting dizzy spells, and my energy levels were at an all time low for me. Food, calories, how many calories I was burning and my weight where always on my mind, it was taking over my life.

Calories in versus calories out *is* the basic process behind all weight loss. If you eat less than you burn in a day, you'll lose weight. No exceptions. There are, however, extremes that one can go to, and I'm glad you've realized the direction you were heading, because long-term extreme deficits can have some life-threatening and even fatal consequences.

1200 calories per day is the bare minimum recommended for women, and that's exclusive of exercise.

What are your current stats? (Height, weight) What is your goal weight?

kelsiesco

I am 5'2, and current weight is 170, that is down from 199.

I'm not sure I have an exact goal weight in mind, maybe around 125-135. I am trying to step away from the scale for a bit so that I don't start obsessing over a number again, I am going more on how I feel, and how I look.

I feel like people all carry weight differently, when I was almost 200 lbs even my family had a hard time believing that was my actual weight. So if I get down to 150 and I feel healthy, and if my doctor is satisfied, then I'll be good. If I ended up weighing less than 125 Sane story. The running joke at this point is that my goal is the weigh what my driver's licence says I weigh, which is actually only five pounds away at 165.

snickerscharlie

kelsielynnscoggins wrote: »

I am 5'2, and current weight is 170, that is down from 199.

I'm not sure I have an exact goal weight in mind, maybe around 125-135. I am trying to step away from the scale for a bit so that I don't start obsessing over a number again, I am going more on how I feel, and how I look.

I feel like people all carry weight differently, when I was almost 200 lbs my family had a hard time believing it. So if I get down to 150 and I feel healthy, and if my doctor is satisfied, then I'll be good. The running joke at this point is that my goal is the weigh what my driver's licence says I weigh, which is actually only five pounds away at 165.

You absolutely don't have to weigh yourself to make this work - how you look, feel, and how your clothes are fitting are very valid indicators of progress! Many people get waaaay too hung up on the number on the scale, which, especially as a woman, can fluctuate daily based on things like sodium intake or where you are in your menstrual cycle. For me, a salty dinner can increase my weight by about 3 lbs overnight! The good news is that additional weight is from retained water, isn't 3 lbs of fat, and dissipates within a few days.

Do you keep track of your caloric intake daily, though?

Diatonic12

Digital scales are such a mind warp. They never weigh the same thing twice. You put them in the same place and get 3 or 4 different readings. Sometimes, I just stand on one foot and get a good result or lean forward or backward. It's all fun, really.

kelsiesco

I am trying to. I have the MFP app on my phone, and I am tracking through that. It seems fairly straight forward, although its making me think that I should probably invest in a food scale, sooner rather than later, to make my life easier. In the past I haven't been very consistent at it. But I've actually made that my small monthly goal, to track what I eat so that I have a better idea of what I am actually eating, along with being conscious of what kind of food I am choosing to eat.

Also I went back and read my first reply and I realized that I didn't elaborate on my rather unhealthy take on the "calories in, calories out" part. Other than the fact I was eating far less that I should, I was also eating foods that weren't nutrient-dense. As long as I stayed under the magic number of calories that I allotted for myself that day then I was happy with my progress. It didn't matter what type of food I was eating as long as it was low calorie, because low calorie=lower number on the scale, so I was running on fumes so to speak, I wasn't getting enough calories, or any other important nutrients.

brightresolve

OP glad you are here, this is a great place for sensible and sustainable weight loss WHILE counting those calories. We count them to be sure we are getting ENOUGH to sustain us long term and keep us healthy, as well as to be sure we are in a deficit so we will lose what we want to. Many of us allow some fun treats but make something like an 80-20 rule, like 80% of the intake is from flavorful colorful nutrient dense foods, and 20% is just for fun yums. Worked for me.

The majority of people who "diet" with the mindset you used to have - "wanting to lose as much weight as I possibly could as fast as I could" - have problems. They can't stick to it; or it starts making them feel exhausted and undernourished as you have described; or, "best case", they get to goal, then gain when the "diet" is over.

I am very glad you're here and taking steps to protect your long term health! You can do this slowly and sustainably in a way that supports your active lifestyle instead of undercutting you, and then you can ease into maintenance with the same good habits and much less fear (I won't say none!) of regaining ... Your plan to log calories as a monthly goal is awesome, and I love my food scale -- great learning tool.

You got this, keep listening to the experienced voices here and good luck!

emmamcgarity

I am 5'1" and MFP suggested a 1200 calorie target for me as well. I am a former Weight Watcher the old plan when I lost weight before the birth of my youngest child. (He's 12 years old now, yikes!) I had really great success on that program, but for financial reasons am not on Weight Watcher this time. What worked really well for me in the past was to focus on the Weight Watcher Good Health Guidelines which are freely published on their website. I consider those recommendations when making my food choices even if that means going over my calorie target some days. How that looks in practice is that I try to work in my fruit, veggie, and dairy servings in each meal. I choose lean proteins when possible and choose whole grains. I cook with olive oil or canola oil. Some days I am more successful at this than others. This week was more challenging due to social situations (birthdays, etc.).

I'll be one to echo the sentiments shared widely on this site that a food scale is the most accurate way to measure your food. That said, I don't own one. I may purchase one at some point if I am no longer losing weight. But, I have a bit of an obsessive personality, and I'm already a bit obsessed with what I am eating. So, for me it might not be a great choice right now. I prefer to measure my intake by volume. I bought several 1 cup, 2 cup and 1/2 cup storage containers. I pre-portion my fruit and veggies before packing my lunch for work. And this step of planning has helped me meet most of my nutrition goals daily.

I guess what I am trying to say is that for me, better nutrition is my first goal. Calorie counting on MFP is my way to keep myself accountable for how much I eat. My diary is public and you are welcome to peek at it.

VUA21

First, how long have you been on a plateau? A week or two is perfectly normal and happens all the time.

Second, tighten up logging. This is usually the culprit. Either you're underestimating calories in or overestimating calories out. Usually a combination of both.

Third, be patient. The less excess fat you have on your body, the harder it gets to lose it (by weight). A person with 200lbs of excess fat that loses 10% of that fat in a month would lose 20lbs, someone with 20lbs of excess would lose 2lbs in a month with a 10% drop.