So confused

hakes87

This is why I never wanted to start on a diet program before this...so many different points of view and ways to lose weight. I put in my information and MFP calculated 1200 calories per day. I have gone over everyday this week since starting to log my food. So I am reading threads and come across the TDEE at IIFYM--by their calculations I should have 1811 calories per day. But when I change that MFP estimates I will only lose less than one pound per week and that's with working out 3 days a week for an hour. I am already ready to give up. I am approx. 70 lbs overweight and granted I am only 3 days into this whole thing but I am ready to give up. Can someone please shed some light on this whole diet thing for me.

Luuvy

I understand that you are confused but Why are you ready to give up? I was on 1200 calories a day and it worked but as I started to work out more I eventually had to go up to 1500-1600 calories. Everyone is different so you have to find what works best for you:-)

Ninkyou

First, I would suggest you lower your expectations. 1 lb a week is a HEALTHY loss. It's not recommended to lose more than 2 lbs a week.
Secondly, don't think of this as a diet, think of it as a lifestyle change.
Thirdly, 1200 calories is the bare minimum recommended for a woman. If you *choose* to follow 1200 calories, do not, and I emphasize this, DO NOT undercut it and go below 1200. You'll be treading dangerous territory if you stay below for too long. That being said, choose a goal that you feel would be sustainable for you. If you're doing TDEE, and you're obese, you can be a little more aggressive and go as much as taking a 30% cut instead of 20%, but if you stall out/plateau, you'll have to bring the calories back up a bit.

I *personally* have my goal set to 1500, and when I exercise, I eat most/all of those calories back. MFP already works your deficit out for you, so it's recommended you eat your exercise calories if you follow the MFP method. Personally, my MFP and TDEE-20% end up being pretty close, once I've exercised. I eat a good amount of food, I don't even feel like I'm "dieting". It feels like normal life... just with counting my calories and exercising alot. Just sayin' :P

Also, make small goals for yourself. Don't focus on how far you have to go, focus on how far you've come. You're 3 days in, it's way too early to throw in the towel. Now that you've logged for 3 days, make a goal to log in for 15 days. Make a goal to lose 5 lbs. Celebrate the mini-goals. The rest will come in good time.

Mokey41

If you're going over your budget everyday and you really seriously want to do this and lose weight then you have 3 choices. Either make better food choices (6 pcs of french toast?) so you stay in budget, change your loss per week to 1 pound so you get more calories and are able to stick to them or give up and carry on as you have been.

It's really a choice you have to make for yourself when you're ready to make the commitment. If you really want to do this then you have to log everything by weighing and measuring it and you have to do it for every bite you eat. Some people just aren't ready to make the commitment and you'll know when the time is right because it won't be something that you want to quit after a couple days.

Territravel

I know it's confusing, but don't give up yet! A few suggestions; don't wait until the end of the day to log your food, log as you go along. That way you know how many calories are left for dinner and snacks. You may want to give up soda's and eat smaller portions.

allshebe

Veggies are your friend. They help fill you up without adding very many calories. You can eat an almost unlimited amount of non-starchy veggies without getting close to your calorie limit. There is nothing wrong with eating enough that you aren't hungry, as long as you make the "right" food choices - go for nutrient dense rather than calorie dense for at least 70-80% of what you consume and you'll generally lose weight.

mjrkearney

Ditto on the fruits and veggies with a strong leaning towards taking a good long look at what you eat before you eat it. Much easier to do when you cook for yourself.

3dogsrunning

Keep in mind you are using two different calculators.

The way MFP is set up, it expects you to log exercise and eat those calories. So when you put in the number you came up with from TDEE, it does not account that that includes your exercise.
In other words, MFP is correct. If you ate that 1800 calories and didn't exercise you could expect to lose 1 lb a week. However, you will be exercising, therefore creating a larger deficit and can expect to lose more.
Basically if you are going to use TDEE ignore MFP numbers and its prediction

SherryTeach

Ditto what everyone else is saying. I'd take a second look at 720 calories worth of mushroom soup and 475 calories of mashed potatoes. No wonder you are going over and are still hungry. Nothing wrong with those foods; I make and eat mashed potatoes frequently: 150 calories worth, filled out with a bunch of green veggies and lean meat. You want to choose foods that pack an enormous nutritional punch, have enough volume to fill you up, and carry a lower calorie load.

flashovernow

Start doing some research, educating yourself on lower calorie alternatives to some foods you already enjoy. Instead of thinking about how long it takes to lose 70 pounds, worry about one meal at a time, one day at a time. Set some mini goals. Connect with friends that are also changing their lifestyle with healthier eating habits. I find some of what I read here a little confusing, but not to the point of changing my commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Good luck.

gigglesinthesun

is giving up really going to improve matters? Is it frustrating? YES! Does that mean you should stop? NO. Take it as a challenge and keep at it.

If I was you I would cut out the nuts (perhaps substitute with plain popcorn i.e without butter or salt). I'd also try to have less of everything and add veggies to help with the appetite. Make your own mushroom soup and see whether you can make it with less calories. You could substitute the cheese you are eating with one that has less calories.

How are you determining your exercise calories? I think the walking calories at MFP are okay, but the others are sometimes overinflated. Not sure 8 min on the elliptical really burns 113 calories since studies found that the rate at which calories are burned on an elliptical trainer is similar to that on a treadmill.

Adjusting your diet is a process though, that takes time. If you don't go about it slowly you are unlikely to keep the weight off long term.

I have also just realised that my banana entry has less calories then yours for the same size, so I might have to investigate this :-)

symonspatrick

It sounds like your goal is to be between 1200 and 1800 calories. Less calories means faster weight loss, more calories slower weight loss. It is your choice as to how fast or slow you want to lose weight and you are the only one that is qualified to make that choice.

hakes87

Yeah I didn't realize how many calories were in that soup until I had already made it. Yeah, won't be having that again.

hakes87

Can you give me examples of "non-starchy" vegetables.

hakes87

So how do I know what is a "nutrient dense" food? Sorry for all these questions...I really am new to eating right.

hakes87

I am surprised you say to cut out the nuts because what I keep hearing says that almonds are good for you. And the same with the cheese...is there a cheese with lower calories? I thought that was pretty good too. Thank you for the advice and help...I really am grateful for all the help I can get but this is what is so confusing...one says one thing and another says another so it really does make your head spin. I really want to do this...I am not a quitter but I have watched my mother (and now my sister) fight their weight all her life yo-yo dieting and I refuse to do that. I know it takes some getting used to but how to do you fight through the different opinions and know what's right? Thank you for listening and giving any help you can to this struggling human being.

Luuvy

I just googled no starchy vegetables and this is what came up The following is a list of common non-starchy vegetables:

Amaranth or Chinese spinach
Artichoke
Artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Baby corn
Bamboo shoots
Beans (green, wax, Italian)
Bean sprouts
Beets

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chayote
Coleslaw (packaged, no dressing)
Cucumber
Daikon
Eggplant
Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
Hearts of palm
Jicama
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Pea pods
Peppers
Radishes
Rutabaga
Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)
Sprouts
Squash (cushaw, summer, crookneck, spaghetti, zucchini)
Sugar snap peas
Swiss chard
Tomato
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Yard-long beans

Luuvy

It takes a lot of time and work to figure out what is best for you. You have to make healthier food choices. I started by looking up everything I was going to eat and if it was high in calories or fat I would not eat it, I would find something better. Here is an example...instead of eating fried foods I would opt for something grilled with lots of veggies. There are foods that are good for you that are high in calories so you have to be careful and log everything as you go and try to avoid large amounts of high calorie foods. Research is key, you have to do your research but whatever you do don't quit, keep going and you will get where you want to be. Good luck:-)

hakes87

I just googled no starchy vegetables and this is what came up The following is a list of common non-starchy vegetables:

Amaranth or Chinese spinach
Artichoke
Artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Baby corn
Bamboo shoots
Beans (green, wax, Italian)
Bean sprouts
Beets

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chayote
Coleslaw (packaged, no dressing)
Cucumber
Daikon
Eggplant
Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
Hearts of palm
Jicama
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Pea pods
Peppers
Radishes
Rutabaga
Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)
Sprouts
Squash (cushaw, summer, crookneck, spaghetti, zucchini)
Sugar snap peas
Swiss chard
Tomato
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Yard-long beans

THANKS!!!!!!!

hakes87

It takes a lot of time and work to figure out what is best for you. You have to make healthier food choices. I started by looking up everything I was going to eat and if it was high in calories or fat I would not eat it, I would find something better. Here is an example...instead of eating fried foods I would opt for something grilled with lots of veggies. There are foods that are good for you that are high in calories so you have to be careful and log everything as you go and try to avoid large amounts of high calorie foods. Research is key, you have to do your research but whatever you do don't quit, keep going and you will get where you want to be. Good luck:-)

Could you give me an example of one food that is good for you but is high in calories, please....and if I am understanding you correctly it's ok to eat them but just in smaller portions. Again thank you for helping me work through this...I will definitely be doing my own research but help from people who have already done some of the leg work is tremendously appreciated as well. I hope I can share what I learn with someone someday.

Ninkyou

Peanut butter. Good for you, higher in calories. Avacodo, Nuts, Cheese, Greek Yogurt (not high calorie, but has good protein).

Mokey41

Your best friend right now is logging. Log your food before you eat it or make a plan, enter it and see if it's going to work. A lot of us have been doing this for a long time and have mini calorie calculators in our heads. Eggs are a great food, about 70 calories each, lots of nutrition, good source of protein and will keep you feeling full longer. Full fat dairy, including cheese, you just have to watch your portions. Weigh and measure before you eat it. Nuts are great, 10 or 15 almonds, not a whole bag full are a great snack food. Lean meats, weigh out 3 oz before cooking and that's a portion. Supplement all your meals with lots of veggies. Fill your plate with veggies. Have fruit for desserts and snacks.

Mostly though, plan ahead. You seem to be making your food choices then checking later whether it was a good idea. You can look up just about anything in the food database and if you enter it and want to delete it and make a better choice just click the red circle and it's gone again.

gwenr

One suggestion that has helped me with portion sizes is buying individual portions of foods like the nuts that you mention. I buy Blue Diamond Almond 100 calorie packs and eat one per day. That way I'm getting the nutrition of the nuts but not overeating calories. I also concur with prelogging all your foods, that way you can plan your food for the day. At least at first until you get comfortable.

rosemary98

I am surprised you say to cut out the nuts because what I keep hearing says that almonds are good for you. And the same with the cheese...is there a cheese with lower calories? I thought that was pretty good too. Thank you for the advice and help...I really am grateful for all the help I can get but this is what is so confusing...one says one thing and another says another so it really does make your head spin. I really want to do this...I am not a quitter but I have watched my mother (and now my sister) fight their weight all her life yo-yo dieting and I refuse to do that. I know it takes some getting used to but how to do you fight through the different opinions and know what's right? Thank you for listening and giving any help you can to this struggling human being.

Nuts are high in calorie...that is all. they are nutritious, definitely. Also, it is easy to eat more nuts than anticipated. I had to give up nuts, because when i though i was just going to eat 100 calories...i ended up eating more like 700 calories. i believe they sell nuts in 100 calorie packets, so if portion control is an issue for you--that might help. I also had to ditch my peanut butter. Again, a healthy, high protein food...but caloric. I replaced it with a peanut butter substitute with 1/4 the calories.

oops...i pretty much repeated what the poster said above me.

I_Will_End_You

I don't see any reason to get rid of almonds or nuts. Just pay attention to how many you're eating.

sassymanatee

I highly recommend making a goal of just one pound a week. It requires more patience, but rapid weight loss will lead to sassy excess skin for certain.

ToFatT0B3S1ck

Your biggest mistake: Actually believing MFP when it comes to your calories and how much you "will" lose. I am also supposed to eat 1200 calories in order to lose 1.9 pounds a week. Do I do it? No. I eat 1500 a day and I lose about 3 pounds a week. I keep my daily calorie goal for maintaining my weight, that way if I get hungry I know how many calories I can eat without gaining. Also don't believe the "You will weigh _____in 5 weeks" when you close out your diary for the day. This has always been wrong for me. 5 weeks? HA try 2 weeks.

Katla49

This is why I never wanted to start on a diet program before this...so many different points of view and ways to lose weight. I put in my information and MFP calculated 1200 calories per day. I have gone over everyday this week since starting to log my food. So I am reading threads and come across the TDEE at IIFYM--by their calculations I should have 1811 calories per day. But when I change that MFP estimates I will only lose less than one pound per week and that's with working out 3 days a week for an hour. I am already ready to give up. I am approx. 70 lbs overweight and granted I am only 3 days into this whole thing but I am ready to give up. Can someone please shed some light on this whole diet thing for me.

I see the words, "I am ready to give up" more than once. I hope it isn't true because you'd be giving up on yourself. There is a lot to learn in order to make a permanent lifestyle change, and that is what you'll need to do for long term success. There is also more than one "right" answer, and more than one "right" way to do things. You will need to be patient with yourself and find what is right for you. This takes bone deep commitment to becoming healthy and willingness to let things happen slowly. It takes some self-forgiveness because everybody messes up now and then.

People here are generous with their time and personal expertise. They share things that have helped them become successful, and you get to pick and choose the strategies that are right for you. It is a long term learning process, and a lifelong change in eating habits if you hope to lose the weight and keep it off.

Here is my best advice:

There are two strategies that seem to do the most to help people successfully lose weight, portion control and abstaining from trigger foods. A combination of those two, plus moving more and drinking more water will do the job well. When DH and I started we bought a food scale and dishers. We were already choosing healthy foods, but we were eating too much. The food scale and dishers keep us honest about how much we are eating. We bought the food scale from Amazon for a modest price. We found the dishers at a restaurant supply business. Dishers look like ice cream scoops and come in different sizes. We bought 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/2 cup dishers for our use. We still use them frequently or our portion sizes tend to sneak up.

If you are a family woman you'll need to eat what the family eats. Making two separate meals is not realistic for the long haul. Bottom line, plan nutritious meals for your family and eat what they eat. Measure your portions so that you have a moderate calorie deficit and you will lose weight. There is no harm, and a lot of good, in gradually substituting healthier foods into the family diet. It will help everyone in the family, including yourself. This will happen naturally as you learn more about health and nutrition, try new things, and find what helps you feel good.

Snacking at work and at home is a problem for many people. If you are a snacker, substitute healthy snacks for chips and sweets, and plan the calories into your total for the day.

I let MFP set my calorie goals for me, and as I've lost weight the calories they allow have gradually gotten smaller. I have not felt like I was starving or suffering at any time. In the MFP system, I can earn more food or special treats by exercising more. I find that very motivating, and it helps me avoid getting discouraged and resentful. I've never been tempted to try the TYDEE approach because it seems more complicated to me. Many people here use it, and it works, too.

Exercise is wonderful. I exercise and DH doesn't. He has health problems that get in his way. We've both lost enough weight that people comment and compliment each of us, although I've lost more because I can exercise. Choose exercises that you can do and enjoy, that will fit into your available time and budget. Cardio exercises will do the most to help with weight loss, but there is a place for weight training, too. It helps with your overall appearance and fitness. You want to end up fit, not "skinny fat.”

Good luck.

xoeva

I know it's confusing, but don't give up yet! A few suggestions; don't wait until the end of the day to log your food, log as you go along. That way you know how many calories are left for dinner and snacks. You may want to give up soda's and eat smaller portions.

don't wait until the end! that's really good advice...or as you go along ....or even better...when I can I log on BEFORE I start the day so I can plan (flexibly) what I'm going to eat...especially helps when I'm going out or celebrating someone's birthday....

sarfran27

I know this has been stated over and over again, but I thought I'd just reiterate - You have to learn what works for you. It is a long process (which noone likes to hear), you have to have patience and a will to succeed.

Set yourself small goals, rather than huge goals which seem so far away. Move more, get outside, find something that you enjoy doing to keep yourself active.

Do your research on healthy, nutritious food. Enjoy treats, but in moderation - I tend to have a treat meal/dessert/drink on a saturday.

Weigh everything and log it on MFP before you eat it. If you can, plan the next days meals in advance - I find this helps keep me on track.

Accept that this is not going to happen quickly.

The very fact that you have decided to live a healthier lifestyle is amazing - so please please don't give up. Believe in yourself, know that it is acheivable, but it will take hard work and dedication. Keep going!

AprilMae1975

I am 1200 and it's working great for me. Some days I go over and others I just don't make it to the 1200. I mostly use it as a guide so when I log I can see how calorie filled some foods are. You need to do what works for you. My scale and body are reflecting what I'm doing. I feel great. Do what works for you and give it time.