Help me!!!

smarziii
smarziii Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started trying to lose weight again, I started at 198 and now I’m 202.

Has anyone had this issue where dieting backfires on you?

I just started incorporating fiber (chia seeds, flax meal, ) into my diet to try to stay fuller but it’s stopped me up pretty much.

How many calories should I be eating a day?

I’m lost.
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Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    How many calories did this website give you?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    This thread is written by a personal trainer who is very knowledgeable. If you do the things he lays out, you'll be on your way!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    So MFP saying my target is 1200 for 2 pounds a week
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    So MFP saying my target is 1200 for 2 pounds a week

    PLUS any exercise calories (and that was probably also because you put the lowest activity level which is more or less bed ridden).

    You can also start with 1lb/week to give you more wiggle room.

    Get a food scale, start weighing all foods other than liquids. liquids use measuring spoons/cups.

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    So MFP saying my target is 1200 for 2 pounds a week

    How much do you have to lose? 4lbs could easily be in the realm of fluctuation and not actual fat gain.
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    @MichelleSilverleaf I'm 200 so I have about 40 to lose ....I'm ure its not actual fat gain, I havent been eating crazy, I just cant get the scale to go down!!!

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    @MichelleSilverleaf I'm 200 so I have about 40 to lose ....I'm ure its not actual fat gain, I havent been eating crazy, I just cant get the scale to go down!!!

    How many calories are you eating?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    This thread is written by a personal trainer who is very knowledgeable. If you do the things he lays out, you'll be on your way!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    @Panini911 Bought one yesterday! I'm going to use it this weekend when meal prepping!
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    @quiksylver296 I ate 1900 yesterday because i am trash lol

    You're not trash, but if you're eating almost 1000 calories over your goal, yes, that means you're not going to lose weight. The deficit needed for 2 pounds a week would be 1000, so you pretty much negated that.

    Would you be willing to open your diary so people can help you?
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Your constipation is contributing a little to the weight gain since the extra waste in your system has weight. Try cutting back on the new foods that made you constipated, and if you want to eat more fiber, increase your fiber intake slowly instead of all at once.
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    @collectingblues yes i made it public
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    @apullum, good idea, my body probably wasn't ready for that
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    lalalacroix wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    @quiksylver296 I ate 1900 yesterday because i am trash lol

    Reading this just made me sad. Overeating on your diet is not a moral issue and you don't trash if you didn't have 100% adherence for one day, a week or even forever.

    Weight loss is a process and for many of us, it's a big learning process. It isn't always easy to eat at a deficit.

    You haven't said how tall you are, but 1200 calories per day may be too low for you. I'm currently losing at 1550 and that is sometimes difficult for me. You may need to drop the amount you are losing each week so that you can eat a bit more.

    As far as not losing yet, are you weighing solid foods and semi-solid foods with a food scale? Have you started a new exercise routine? Lastly how long ago did you begin your deficit? Sometimes it takes a few weeks until a person's weight starts to shift



    Yeah, I think maybe that's the cycle I'm in. Trying to eat so little and end up starving and bingeing.

    I've been lifting weights and running for about 6 months. I've lost about 5 inches on my waist but NOTHING on the scale. It's driving me insane.

    I do have a food scale that I'm going to use more diligently, just bought it.

    I JUST started again deficit. How long do you think it should take to see a difference, so that if im doing the wrong thing I can correct it?


    I'm 5'4
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    @MichelleSilverleaf I'm 200 so I have about 40 to lose ....I'm ure its not actual fat gain, I havent been eating crazy, I just cant get the scale to go down!!!

    With only 40 pounds to lose change your weekly weight loss goal to a pound a week and enjoy the extra calories. Otherwise, it is quite likely that this will happen:

    binge-low-calorie-diet.jpg

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/



    I love that you said "only" 40 pounds!!!!! Makes it sound easier than it feels haha!

    Maybe I can up my calories to 1500..... Just to not feel like a failure at the end of the day...

  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    @collectingblues yes i made it public

    You've logged 4 days this year.

    Start by logging everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Bonus points for using your food scale.

    After you've logged completely and honestly for a week or so, look back over your food diary. Which foods kept you full and happy? Keep those. Which foods did not keep you full or didn't make you happy? Either they weren't very good, or were too calorie dense, or you were hungry again an hour later? Swap those out for other foods. Hit your calories target most of the time, but don't freak out if you have a higher day.

    Yes, I haven't been diligent with it. I have been tracking in my head mostly. I'm going to be more consistent.
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    @MichelleSilverleaf I'm 200 so I have about 40 to lose ....I'm ure its not actual fat gain, I havent been eating crazy, I just cant get the scale to go down!!!

    With only 40 pounds to lose change your weekly weight loss goal to a pound a week and enjoy the extra calories. Otherwise, it is quite likely that this will happen:

    binge-low-calorie-diet.jpg

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/



    I love that you said "only" 40 pounds!!!!! Makes it sound easier than it feels haha!

    Maybe I can up my calories to 1500..... Just to not feel like a failure at the end of the day...

    1500 PLUS exercise calories.

    So,

    If I burn 600 cal at OrangeTheory, (this crazy class that I love to go to) I can eat back those calories?

  • thepainmaker88
    thepainmaker88 Posts: 365 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    lalalacroix wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    @quiksylver296 I ate 1900 yesterday because i am trash lol

    Reading this just made me sad. Overeating on your diet is not a moral issue and you don't trash if you didn't have 100% adherence for one day, a week or even forever.

    Weight loss is a process and for many of us, it's a big learning process. It isn't always easy to eat at a deficit.

    You haven't said how tall you are, but 1200 calories per day may be too low for you. I'm currently losing at 1550 and that is sometimes difficult for me. You may need to drop the amount you are losing each week so that you can eat a bit more.

    As far as not losing yet, are you weighing solid foods and semi-solid foods with a food scale? Have you started a new exercise routine? Lastly how long ago did you begin your deficit? Sometimes it takes a few weeks until a person's weight starts to shift



    Yeah, I think maybe that's the cycle I'm in. Trying to eat so little and end up starving and bingeing.

    I've been lifting weights and running for about 6 months. I've lost about 5 inches on my waist but NOTHING on the scale. It's driving me insane.

    I do have a food scale that I'm going to use more diligently, just bought it.

    I JUST started again deficit. How long do you think it should take to see a difference, so that if im doing the wrong thing I can correct it?


    I'm 5'4

    Food scales are key! I'd really try to find a more sustainable calorie intake....Don't be so hard on yourself though if your seeing inches fall of your waist then there's a good chance you're loosing fat. Maybe the few lbs you've seen go up on the scale are attributed to muscle gain and/or water weight? Sorry to ask such a personal question but are you menstruating? I only ask because women can gain up to 5LBs of water around their period.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    Log everything - all foods and drinks (even those you feel guilty about), plus all DELIBERATE exercise - exercise classes, long walks/runs/cycles , exercise DVD sessions (but be realistic about whether you were walking fast, exercising vigorously etc). Use those scales for liquids as well - you'd be surprised how much liquid even a "small" glass holds - maybe that 100ml orange juice is actually 250ml. Also, if you know there is going to be a day when you are likely to go over - maybe its a special day like a birthday, or an anniversary meal - "save" some calories on the days leading up then check your calories over the whole week (the "nutrition" tab) - as long as you are in deficit for the week as a whole you will lose weight even if you had an extra few calories on one day.
    Theweight didn't go on overnight, it will not come off overnight. Setting too low a calorie goal is setting yourself up to give up. I'm 5'5 and I can lose on 1500 (when I started I could lose on 1600). On maintenance 1750-1800 is about right - if I find I'm creeping up then I cut the calories to 1650 and up the exercise for a few weeks. I've been maintaining (with the odd post-holiday blip) since November 2013 - it can be done, even if you are a bit older (as I am).
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    @collectingblues yes i made it public

    So, it looks like you're not consistently logging your food, which is another issue to work on. Accurately weigh and log and track *everything* for the next six weeks. See how that goes. Consider a more reasonable deficit, like the 1400 that it looks like MFP initially started you with. That should also help the urges/tendencies to overeat.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    smarziii wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    smarziii wrote: »
    @MichelleSilverleaf I'm 200 so I have about 40 to lose ....I'm ure its not actual fat gain, I havent been eating crazy, I just cant get the scale to go down!!!

    With only 40 pounds to lose change your weekly weight loss goal to a pound a week and enjoy the extra calories. Otherwise, it is quite likely that this will happen:

    binge-low-calorie-diet.jpg

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/



    I love that you said "only" 40 pounds!!!!! Makes it sound easier than it feels haha!

    Maybe I can up my calories to 1500..... Just to not feel like a failure at the end of the day...

    1500 PLUS exercise calories.

    So,

    If I burn 600 cal at OrangeTheory, (this crazy class that I love to go to) I can eat back those calories?

    MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1
  • smarziii
    smarziii Posts: 47 Member
    mazdauk wrote: »
    Log everything - all foods and drinks (even those you feel guilty about), plus all DELIBERATE exercise - exercise classes, long walks/runs/cycles , exercise DVD sessions (but be realistic about whether you were walking fast, exercising vigorously etc). Use those scales for liquids as well - you'd be surprised how much liquid even a "small" glass holds - maybe that 100ml orange juice is actually 250ml. Also, if you know there is going to be a day when you are likely to go over - maybe its a special day like a birthday, or an anniversary meal - "save" some calories on the days leading up then check your calories over the whole week (the "nutrition" tab) - as long as you are in deficit for the week as a whole you will lose weight even if you had an extra few calories on one day.
    Theweight didn't go on overnight, it will not come off overnight. Setting too low a calorie goal is setting yourself up to give up. I'm 5'5 and I can lose on 1500 (when I started I could lose on 1600). On maintenance 1750-1800 is about right - if I find I'm creeping up then I cut the calories to 1650 and up the exercise for a few weeks. I've been maintaining (with the odd post-holiday blip) since November 2013 - it can be done, even if you are a bit older (as I am).

    I think you're right. I'm going to aim for 1500. And exercise.

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