How long til you see some results?

manique45

That is what MFP told me to eat! 1200 cals! I eat my workout calories back if I can!

Google Scooby calculator... Find your TDEE

MY TDEE to LOSE weight is around 2000 cals a day!!! Yes that is me restricting my cals... I plateaued very quickly eating 1200 cals using MFP's guide... MFP is awesome for tracking cals not so much for telling you a calorie allowance...

imp8tient1

HI, need to eat more calories...you exercise a lot....take advantage of it! Like others say....eat back your workout calories....it really does work, especially since you are only needing to lose 20 lbs....your body will fight it if you don't eat enough. I don't think that 1200 calories is enough. Need to establish your resting metabolic rate then go from there. For instance, I am 5' 6" and mine is 1500. So for sure I need to eat more than that each day, especially when exercising.

cwolfman13

In short, it's a long process...it's just best to get that through your head right now...it's a marathon, not a sprint...you don't just wake up one day miraculously at goal weight. There are going to be a lot of trials and tribulations...weeks with no loss...weeks with more losses...weeks with gains, etc. There are going to be all kinds of ups and downs and moments of weekness and times when you just can't get your *kitten* up to workout. There are no magic pills or potions.

Bottom line, don't focus so much on the time...focus on the process...focus becoming a better you...focus on proper nutrition and fitness. When you focus on the results, you rarely see the change; when you focus on the change, you always see the results...eventually.

CorrynneS

Hope you don't mind me jumping in on your post but noticed a couple twin moms commenting here. I too have two year old B/G twins and a 5 year old son. To you ladies - any luck getting rid of that twin skin? My stomach is SCARY!

radargab

"I eat my workout calories back if I can!"

So do you want to lose weight or do you want to be in shape? Seriously. Which is the top priority? If you're running around and all sorts of fun stuff at 5'6" 156 congrats you're already in shape!

But you want to lose weight. Come to terms with the fact that you can't work out as much on reduced calories. (remember, goal is to LOSE not gain muscle) Do not eat your workout calories. In fact don't even log your workout calories, consider that extra. When I'm losing (in the same range you are... I'm not one of the obese people who can apparently cut out soda and drop 15 pounds), I actually stop all cardio workouts (strength training can stay).

Cardio is for maitenance; not for losing. Losing is all about how much food never passed your lips that week. When I attempt to go from 135 to 130 in October I will probably cut out all cardio again (as well as carbs at 40-60g a day).

thisismeraw

With only 20lbs to lose set your weekly loss goal at 0.5 lbs. You can't sustain a large deficit since you are closer to your goal weight. I'm guessing you put in a weekly goal of 1.5 to 2lbs per week which is too fast for your current weight.

Ensure you eat all your calories... along with at least half of your exercise calories. Make sure you are using a kitchen scale to weigh your food. Do not use measuring cups and they can be quite off. Only use measuring cups for liquids. Make sure you track everything. It's easy to forget that bit of cream in coffee, the little tastes while cooking, the snack of a cookie, etc.

Get your exercise in and switch it up now and again. Lift heavy weights. Take your measurements.

Lifting heavy I have noticed gives more noticeable results faster. Give anything at least 4 weeks to see if it's working. Take pictures. You won't notice changes in the mirror since you look at yourself daily but two pictures side by side will show progress.

born2drum

Usually at least a month to see noticeable results. I say this because others will see results before you do. I saw myself as the same fat guy and still do while others think I'm some buff guy lol. I have fot boy syndrome lol.

But, generally, 30 days should be enough to see a noticeable change in physique.

supposedtobeapril

MFP calories of 1200: That's simply the lowest # that will be shown, as it's the lowest calories to be safe. I initially went with the MFP # of calories, because I wasn't educated on BMR, TDEE and associated information.

Keep an open mind to the person that suggested you eat more calories, they are trying to enlighten you. There's lots of strings on MyFitnessPal on this subject, and I decided to follow that advice. I was scared. But I studied the posts, did other internet research on the subject and decided to try it.

Result: using 1,500 a day as my # (I'm really short, 5'3"). I continue to lose over a pound a week. I'm really happy. Those additional calories, each day, have prevented me from feeling hunger, fatigue or just cranky. Did it show down my weight loss? Not at all. Matter of fact, I jump around from eating 1,500 (non-exercise days) up to 1,700+ (on days I exercise). Purposefully, I'm not being consistent, so my body doesn't get accustomed to any particular # of calories.

In your corner, you don't have many pounds left to go (and you never let your weight get totally out of control). For that, you're awesome. So, staying at 1,200 for a month or two, may be hard, but because you don't have much longer to real goal.

I am blown away that my body, in sleep mode or comatose for 24 hour period, still burns approx. 1,570 calories. So, remember, when you're up, walking to & fro, cleaning house, standing and all other movement, you are burning more than 1,570 (in my case). Then, when you exercise, you burn even more calories. Guessing, my body's real #, each day, counting movement, is more like 2,000 calories per day without exercising (and I am "sedentary", office job, stuck at my desk all day). So, even if I eat 1,500 calories, I'm still 500 under each day or 3,500 for a week (without exercise), and that's enough for at least a 1 lb. loss.

My choice was to reach my goal of over 100 lbs loss with a plan that kept me happy and healthy throughout the entire process. I could tolerate 2-3 months of 1,200 calories a day. However, why would I when I can eat about 33% more calories every day, with the same weight loss result? No smugness intended here, I am in the early stages of my journey and I am excited to stay the course and see if my decision was the right one for me. For now, I have seen no negative effects, only good ones (physically and emotionally). I needed this so that I wouldn't panic and immediately "shave off "those calories again.

thisismeraw

But you want to lose weight. Come to terms with the fact that you can't work out as much on reduced calories. (remember, goal is to LOSE not gain muscle) Do not eat your workout calories. In fact don't even log your workout calories, consider that extra. When I'm losing (in the same range you are... I'm not one of the obese people who can apparently cut out soda and drop 15 pounds), I actually stop all cardio workouts (strength training can stay).

Cardio is for maitenance; not for losing. Losing is all about how much food never passed your lips that week.

You can workout while in a deficit. Working out helps to lose and it helps to be healthy. If eating based on MFPs set up and numbers you should be eating your exercise calories back. Creating too large of a deficit will increase muscle loss along the way. Losing muscle means a slower metabolism, more loose skin, having to consume less and less calories to lose and making it harder to keep the weight off.

Lifting (heavy lifting) is very important while losing weight but so is cardio. Lifting heavy while trying to lose weight will help retain more muscle mass along the way. You will not gain any real amounts of muscle while eating at a deficit. Cardio is important as well... How else are you going to keep your heart and lungs in shape? Cardio is not just for maintenance.

CaliforniaBarbie

annstan12

Thanks everyone! I had no idea I would get such a huge response! I lost weight once before, 10 years ago, and it was basically burn what I ate, but I was training for a 1/2 marathon. I was trying that approach again. I am just gonna stay the course, exercise and try to eat super healthy. But, oops, just had 1/2 a jimmy johns sub. But, did work out before! I did the calorie calc on the Scooby site and it said daily calories was 1800. I guess if stay around 1500 daily, I will be okay and focus on working out 30-1 hour 4-5 times a week. If I don't see results in 6 weeks or so, something else must be wrong!

pawnstarNate

TOPIC: How long til you see some results?

Tomorrow

qtgonewild

Hey there!

It's great you have little ones, so congratulations are in order there. As a youngster myself, I have no personal experience but my mother was my fitness partner for awhile and I can give you her story.

My mother always complained about her "stubborn weight" and "bad metabolism". But when I wanted to start going to the gym she went with me and did purely cardio work (elliptical, swimming, jogging) for about a 6 weeks before any significant weight ( 5 lbs lost since we started) was lost. At that time she said she noticed a /little/ difference but nothing to write home about.

She didn't notice a huge difference in her clothing until the second month, this is when we were shopping and found out her go-to brand size 12 jeans were far too big. After that though, people started to notice. (I.E. she would get "you look great, have you lost weight" by her co-workers)

So I think it's safe to say that weight loss isn't necessary a guarantee in the first three-four weeks of working out. There are just so many variables at the beginning. But if you are really working hard on eating right and doing enough workouts a week then IGNORE THE SCALE and just concentrate on doing well, the results will follow.

i needed to hear this today! thank you so much!!!

Momjogger

Thanks everyone! I measure... I had too much fun at a Mexican Restaurant on Tuesday and measured every last painful calorie. So, I am trying to be good and hold myself accountable. The problem with eating back my cals is that I am always eating them at night. I workout at lunch and it is the only time I can do it bc of the babies! So, I end up having 1000 cals at night which is too much for the evening, so I don't eat them all. They are 15 months now and I work full time. But, I must do this. I have about 100 dresses in my closet that don't fit, and about 10 that do!

Then you need to pack healthy snacks that you can eat throughout the day. This is NOT hard to do. Fruit (bananas, apples, peaches), cheese sticks, granola bars, yogurt, 100 calorie packs of nuts (I make my own in snack baggies), carrot and celery sticks with little containers of hummus, etc. These are quick things you can throw in a cooler bad and keep with you. Good luck, you can do this!

annstan12

I am NOT in shape even a tiny bit. I can only run 1.5 miles before taking a break and that kills me, and then running another 1.5. I used to hammer out 4-5 miles in 45 mins. So, I really want to do both! I can workout and push myself running or on an elliptical, but really want to be able to do it without feeling like I might die after!

annstan12

Love it. Keep on trucking!

Kari121869

I try to never eat back my burned cals - I try to eat my original 1500 as per my TDEE-20% and the lbs are slowly but surely coming off....

Can i ask why you would want to eat back the cals you burned?? seems to defeat the reason of exercising to BURN/LOOSE cals/lbs no?

mander8282

I have been at it for about 6 weeks now. started @ 130 ish pounds......the lowest i have seen is 125......but my scale likes the 127 number the best. Been walking/running 4-5 days a week, eating healthy and lifting my 10 pound dumbells. Scale is not moving much, but everything fits better and my arms and legs are very muscular. Belly is being stubborn....but thats always the last to go.

annstan12

and the reason I was eating back my burned calories is bc 1200 cals is tough, so eating closer to 1600 with exercise was much easier!

KathyK0113

Don't get discouraged! You know you are eating better and burning more and it will all catch up. I started about 6-7 weeks ago, went down a little, up some and then in one week dropped 5 pounds!

I am 43 and things just take a little longer to take root..

Friends are helping me stay focused on the little accomplishments like eating a salad at that dinner party, or not tasting the food while I am cooking! Woo Hoo! It all adds up to pounds dropped...

"Just keep it up! You can do it!" :flowerforyou: