My weightloss meal plan starts at 3200 calories?

munda_jamesSWP

Yeah. I thought that was crazy as hell when I first saw that when I purchased the meal plan. But then I came across this on the FAQ list:

Q: What happens if I don't lose weight?

A: No big deal just go to the next week (lower caloric deficit: 3000 cal). I started the calories high for
metabolism purposes. Its best to start too high in calories; instead of too
low in calories

Metabolism purposes: makes sense to me.

I sent this curious email to the trainer. Let me know what you all think:

One of the questions I have that I did not see on your FAQ:
What if I can not hit 3200 calories on my first day/week because I normally do not eat that much? If I cook a meal similar to a #2 at McDonald's (double patty burger and fries) to reach my caloric intake for the 1st week, is that okay? Macros will be crazy off, but I will hit the 3200 calories.

Thanks for your input, in advance.

debrakgoogins

Before we can answer any of the issues you have, we need more information. What is your current weight, height, age, gender and activity level? Are you planning to eat back your calories earned for exercise?

munda_jamesSWP

Thanks.

I am 5'10", 303.6 lbs, male and I am 4-6 days frequently in the gym.

debrakgoogins wrote: »

Before we can answer any of the issues you have, we need more information. What is your current weight, height, age, gender and activity level? Are you planning to eat back your calories earned for exercise?

ellie117

3200 seems high for anyone trying to maintain a deficit. Especially since you say you don't normally eat that much now (how do you know, are you tracking already?)

You said the next week goal is 3000. Does your plan drop the calorie goal each week? What is the calorie goal when it stabilizes? 2000? Less than 2k? 2000 may give you a deficit, or you may need to go lower, depending on your stats.

Are you significantly tall, very obese, and male? If you're not all 3, I'm not a professional but you might have difficulty losing weight at that high of a calorie goal. If you have a lot of weight to lose, then perhaps this could be an ok starting point in order to take your deficit slow and steady so mentally it will be easier to build from and maintain.

If your plan decreases week over week until it hits a number where you start seeing a loss, perhaps this could make sense.

debrakgoogins

Based on those stats, if your 4-6 days in the gym are strenuous cardio, that number doesn't seem unreasonable as long as you're not eating back any of the calories you earn for exercise. If that is weight lifting or strength training, it is likely too high for weight loss goals. How old are you?

Unknown

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munda_jamesSWP

I am 33 years old. I am going for weightloss. I gained 40lbs+ (260->300) during my last semester of school (18 credits). During that time I definitely did not eat more than 2000 cal, but I rarely worked out. Looked back on my iPhones work out log, in Feb. I only worked out once.

I logged my food intake yesterday and it was 1300 calories and I kind of felt like I was stuffing myself. This has been a common number during my previous episodes of logging my food though.

What I am basically trying to get at is: if I am trying to reach 3200 cal by adding a whopper meal, etc. just to reach the goal, is that ok? Because it is high in calories and will get me from 1300 -> 3200 quick!

Here is an example from his FAQ section:

Q: Can this meal plan last longer then just 8 weeks?
A: Hell yes it can! What you would have to do is have some patience.
Instead on going from one week to the next and automatically dropping
calories. Just wait until you hit a sticking point and go to the next week. For
example: If you lose 3 pounds on week 3 then just stay with that week of
macros, then once you only lose a pound or less go to the next week. If you
do it this way you will be able to lose more fat as well.

debrakgoogins wrote: »

Based on those stats, if your 4-6 days in the gym are strenuous cardio, that number doesn't seem unreasonable as long as you're not eating back any of the calories you earn for exercise. If that is weight lifting or strength training, it is likely too high for weight loss goals. How old are you?

munda_jamesSWP

He has a great track record, from what I have seen. No bad videos (on YouTube: Pumpchasers) from people who have tried his plan and he emphasizes on macros consistently.

swierzbik1 wrote: »

If the dude has got good credentials and proved track of success with several clients, just trust him. 3200kcal for over 300lbs dude is nothing. I have 115lbs female athletes eating 3000-3100kcal.
However if he has not put any priority on macros but only calories in your case, you might work with a moron, but I hope that's not the case.

janejellyroll

munda_jamesSWP wrote: »

I am 33 years old. I am going for weightloss. I gained 40lbs+ (260->300) during my last semester of school (18 credits). During that time I definitely did not eat more than 2000 cal, but I rarely worked out. Looked back on my iPhones work out log, in Feb. I only worked out once.

I logged my food intake yesterday and it was 1300 calories and I kind of felt like I was stuffing myself. This has been a common number during my previous episodes of logging my food though.

What I am basically trying to get at is: if I am trying to reach 3200 cal by adding a whopper meal, etc. just to reach the goal, is that ok? Because it is high in calories and will get me from 1300 -> 3200 quick!

Here is an example from his FAQ section:

Q: Can this meal plan last longer then just 8 weeks?
A: Hell yes it can! What you would have to do is have some patience.
Instead on going from one week to the next and automatically dropping
calories. Just wait until you hit a sticking point and go to the next week. For
example: If you lose 3 pounds on week 3 then just stay with that week of
macros, then once you only lose a pound or less go to the next week. If you
do it this way you will be able to lose more fat as well.

debrakgoogins wrote: »

Based on those stats, if your 4-6 days in the gym are strenuous cardio, that number doesn't seem unreasonable as long as you're not eating back any of the calories you earn for exercise. If that is weight lifting or strength training, it is likely too high for weight loss goals. How old are you?

Something sounds off here. If you gained 40 pounds eating less than 2,000 calories a day, then jumping to 3,200 to lose weight isn't going to work. Even if you're adding workouts, few workouts are going to add that many calories to your daily intake.

If you truly felt like you were stuffing yourself at 1,300 calories, my first thought would be: are you sure you're logging correctly? Because 1,300 calories isn't a whole lot of food.

It sounds like you're paying someone for a meal plan. If you'd like to choose your own foods, then maybe paying for a meal plan isn't the best use of your money. Plenty of us prefer to choose what we are going to eat, so we just log the foods we enjoy and make sure we hit our calorie goals (and get enough protein and fat for our needs).

If you have excess weight, you shouldn't have to come up with tricks or hacks to get yourself to your calorie goal. None of us gained weight because we weren't able to eat enough food.

munda_jamesSWP

The plan starts from 3200 calories -> 1800 calories. I am 5'10" 300lbs. Just googled and, yes, I am obese.

Below is an example of how to utilize his plan from his FAQ page.

Q: Can this meal plan last longer then just 8 weeks?
A: Hell yes it can! What you would have to do is have some patience.
Instead on going from one week to the next and automatically dropping
calories. Just wait until you hit a sticking point and go to the next week. For
example: If you lose 3 pounds on week 3 then just stay with that week of
macros, then once you only lose a pound or less go to the next week. If you
do it this way you will be able to lose more fat as well.

ellie117 wrote: »

3200 seems high for anyone trying to maintain a deficit. Especially since you say you don't normally eat that much now (how do you know, are you tracking already?)

You said the next week goal is 3000. Does your plan drop the calorie goal each week? What is the calorie goal when it stabilizes? 2000? Less than 2k? 2000 may give you a deficit, or you may need to go lower, depending on your stats.

Are you significantly tall, very obese, and male? If you're not all 3, I'm not a professional but you might have difficulty losing weight at that high of a calorie goal. If you have a lot of weight to lose, then perhaps this could be an ok starting point in order to take your deficit slow and steady so mentally it will be easier to build from and maintain.

If your plan decreases week over week until it hits a number where you start seeing a loss, perhaps this could make sense.

munda_jamesSWP

Noted. I guess I will see how this week goes.

I appreciate the feedback.

janejellyroll wrote: »

munda_jamesSWP wrote: »

I am 33 years old. I am going for weightloss. I gained 40lbs+ (260->300) during my last semester of school (18 credits). During that time I definitely did not eat more than 2000 cal, but I rarely worked out. Looked back on my iPhones work out log, in Feb. I only worked out once.

I logged my food intake yesterday and it was 1300 calories and I kind of felt like I was stuffing myself. This has been a common number during my previous episodes of logging my food though.

What I am basically trying to get at is: if I am trying to reach 3200 cal by adding a whopper meal, etc. just to reach the goal, is that ok? Because it is high in calories and will get me from 1300 -> 3200 quick!

Here is an example from his FAQ section:

Q: Can this meal plan last longer then just 8 weeks?
A: Hell yes it can! What you would have to do is have some patience.
Instead on going from one week to the next and automatically dropping
calories. Just wait until you hit a sticking point and go to the next week. For
example: If you lose 3 pounds on week 3 then just stay with that week of
macros, then once you only lose a pound or less go to the next week. If you
do it this way you will be able to lose more fat as well.

debrakgoogins wrote: »

Based on those stats, if your 4-6 days in the gym are strenuous cardio, that number doesn't seem unreasonable as long as you're not eating back any of the calories you earn for exercise. If that is weight lifting or strength training, it is likely too high for weight loss goals. How old are you?

Something sounds off here. If you gained 40 pounds eating less than 2,000 calories a day, then jumping to 3,200 to lose weight isn't going to work. Even if you're adding workouts, few workouts are going to add that many calories to your daily intake.

If you truly felt like you were stuffing yourself at 1,300 calories, my first thought would be: are you sure you're logging correctly? Because 1,300 calories isn't a whole lot of food.

It sounds like you're paying someone for a meal plan. If you'd like to choose your own foods, then maybe paying for a meal plan isn't the best use of your money. Plenty of us prefer to choose what we are going to eat, so we just log the foods we enjoy and make sure we hit our calorie goals (and get enough protein and fat for our needs).

If you have excess weight, you shouldn't have to come up with tricks or hacks to get yourself to your calorie goal. None of us gained weight because we weren't able to eat enough food.

debrakgoogins

Eating a whopper meal will give you protein, carbs and fat...not the highest nutrition or a great macro balance but it will definitely get your calories in. However there a few things to consider. You are likely taking in quite a few more calories than 1300. 1500 is the absolute minimum a male your size should eat to just get basic nutrition. It would be nearly impossible to gain weight based on your stats if you are eating only 1300 calories without some type of medical issue causing the gains. Use a scale to weigh your food and religiously log to get a true picture of how many calories you are eating.

If you believe that this person can help you there is no harm in trying it but you can lose the weight without the extra cost. Personally, if I were you I would give My Fitness Pal a try and save your money for food. I can understand if you feel like you need more structure and support though.

What do you do for a job, is it an active job or a desk job?

munda_jamesSWP

Design engineer, so I am always at my desk. But I take frequent breaks for 2 x 0.5 mile walks. Consistency is important, and that is something I have not been great with. We will see what happens by Sunday.

Thank you for your feedback.

debrakgoogins wrote: »

Eating a whopper meal will give you protein, carbs and fat...not the highest nutrition or a great macro balance but it will definitely get your calories in. However there a few things to consider. You are likely taking in quite a few more calories than 1300. 1500 is the absolute minimum a male your size should eat to just get basic nutrition. It would be nearly impossible to gain weight based on your stats if you are eating only 1300 calories without some type of medical issue causing the gains. Use a scale to weigh your food and religiously log to get a true picture of how many calories you are eating.

If you believe that this person can help you there is no harm in trying it but you can lose the weight without the extra cost. Personally, if I were you I would give My Fitness Pal a try and save your money for food. I can understand if you feel like you need more structure and support though.

What do you do for a job, is it an active job or a desk job?

Unknown

This content has been removed.

munda_jamesSWP

Thanks, homie.

Noted.

swierzbik1 wrote: »

munda_jamesSWP wrote: »

He has a great track record, from what I have seen. No bad videos (on YouTube: Pumpchasers) from people who have tried his plan and he emphasizes on macros consistently.

swierzbik1 wrote: »

If the dude has got good credentials and proved track of success with several clients, just trust him. 3200kcal for over 300lbs dude is nothing. I have 115lbs female athletes eating 3000-3100kcal.
However if he has not put any priority on macros but only calories in your case, you might work with a moron, but I hope that's not the case.

Guy is on juice (which is totally fine for me) and claims natural (this I cannot accept). I wish you good luck and hope you will reach your goal but I don't have a good feeling about that, sorry, and based on other info you provided later, this plan sounds like a template *kitten*.

nighthawk584

3200 calories used to be what I consumed when I was obese. I was in the 280s before starting my weight loss. 6'1" in height and was consuming around 1800 calories to lose weight plus eating back about 1/2 my exercise calories. I exercised at least 6 days a week....There is no way I would lose on 3200 calories base. just sayin.

munda_jamesSWP

Noted.

Good looking out!

nighthawk584 wrote: »

3200 calories used to be what I consumed when I was obese. I was in the 280s before starting my weight loss. 6'1" in height and was consuming around 1800 calories to lose weight plus eating back about 1/2 my exercise calories. I exercised at least 6 days a week....There is no way I would lose on 3200 calories base. just sayin.

heybales

munda_jamesSWP wrote: »

Thanks.

I am 5'10", 303.6 lbs, male and I am 4-6 days frequently in the gym.

debrakgoogins wrote: »

Before we can answer any of the issues you have, we need more information. What is your current weight, height, age, gender and activity level? Are you planning to eat back your calories earned for exercise?

If you did lifting 5 days avg @ 45 min, and another 15 min like walking cardio warmup, I'm showing around 3500 TDEE estimate with otherwise lightly-active life (walking to classes and around campus)

So that's not much of a deficit for weight loss.
At this point you could lose more while lifting and have good results you could not get when you have very little left to lose.

Just TDEE Please spreadsheet - better than rough 5 level TDEE charts from 1919 study.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G7FgNzPq3v5WMjDtH0n93LXSMRY_hjmzNTMJb3aZSxM/edit?usp=sharing

But starting too high and coming down is better than other direction as far as it concerns the body wanting to adapt in ways you'd rather it not.

As a guy you can do 2 week assessments to figure it out, a woman would take over a month.

jlhalley7835

I am the same height, and I was about the same weight when I started my weight loss journey in February. 3200 sounds like a lot. That is close to what my maintenance level calories were for my activity level. One number I based my goals on, is a number I got from a lot of different sources. 3500 calories = 1 lb. My goal was to lose 2 lbs a week until i hit my goal weight which equals a 7000 calorie deficit per week/1000 calorie deficit a day. I used several online BMR calculators to kind of average out what my daily BMR would be and subtracted 1000 calories from that number. At the end of the week, I totaled my caloric intake vs my weight loss and made adjustments from there. So far I've lost 65 pounds. I update my BMR and deficit based on my weight every week.

You hit the nail on the head as far as staying consistent. Thats the only way its going to work. Also the thing that will help you stay consistent are finding foods that you enjoy eating, but are also easy for you to look forward to eating. If you absolutely hate it, then there's a big chance of you not sticking to it.

As far as the whopper meal is concerned yes you can, but if fast food is the type of food that caused you to overeat, or gain weight in the first place (no judgement i was eating it 3-4 times a day several times a week) then it would be best to avoid those kind of meals. Macro's (fats-9 calories/gram, proteins-4 calories/gram, carbs-4 calories/gram) will play a huge part in your weight loss and something so heavy like a whopper meal in fat and carbs and lacking in protein will not help keep you satiated for very long. You could prepare and cook a turkey burger that is higher in protein and pretty lean especially compared to fast food options, and place it on a whole grain/whole wheat piece of bread and save calories, and it would serve as a way better option for you in the long run. It also helps you avoid refined carbs as well.

You want to hit your caloric goal, as well as eat the right amount of macros to maintain your lean body mass, as well as keeping you satiated throughout the day and losing weight. It keeps your body balanced in other words.

Wish you the best of luck brother! Keep up the good work!

ecjim

I would track what you eat now. Eat what would be a normal diet for you and log EVERYTHING you eat, wiegh it on a food scale . This will give you a starting point. do it for a week or more - you can skip Christmas if that will be a larger then normal eating day.
When you get that information you can figure out what a reasonable calorie deficit will be

Jeanette12566

I would be careful about eating fast, and highly processed foods just to be able to eat your daily intake of calories. Then again eating too few calories can and will put the body into "starvation" mode and inhibit weight loss - neither are good for the liver/kidneys etc. if you can stay consistent and try to adhere to Macros- recording honestly EVERYTHING you put in your body (inconvenient, I know) you will have wonderful results! I am a FIRM believer in the 80/20 rule
80% focus on consistent, macro balanced nutrition
20% focus on exercise
PLUS
trying to be perfect sets most people up for failure. SO if you are hitting your nutrition/exercise marks 80% of the time and only falling off the "wagon" 20% of the time... you will have great success - but only if you are honest about recording your exercise and nutrition.