lost and confused (please help)

stormydestiny

Ok, before i begin let me give you some history. I have been heavy my entire life, i have never eaten healthy, never worked out much, and never given any real effort to losing weight.Until now.

I started MFP on September 4th 2013 weighing 300 lbs, i am now stuck at 284.I do my best to work out 4 times a week usually doing c25k or walking for atleast 30 minutes on those days then do some sort of strength training (whatever i can find on youtube or nike training club)
Since I have never tried to lose weight before, i for sure know absolutely nothing about how i should go about it. As far as i knew until this point, was "if i wanted to lose weight eat less and do more". That's what I've been doing. More times than not at the end of the day my diary informs me i am not eating enough and my metabolism will be affected because my body goes into starvation mode and stores fat (perhaps why i cant get past 284?)
Don't get me wrong, I AM NOT trying to starve myself, i love food with a passion. I am guilty of being an emotional eater and at times even binge a little, but I'm far from starving. I'm just eating less than i was. I tend to eat like crap because that is whats available, but i don't over do it. My cal. goal is 1620, my average for the last six days is 1328 cals. before exercise and 1009 net. according to the info a friend gave me my bmr(?) should be 1101 so i'm not super far off which makes me feel a little better, but its still under 1200 is that a problem?
I want a lifestyle change not a diet, I want to do this right. i know nothing about nutrition or what is healthy or not and why, i truly need help and i don't know where to get it if anyone could help even a little i would appreciate it. also if you could explain in layman's terms it would be much easier to follow.

megsmom2

If you are netting around 1000 calories, you really need to eat more, and eat better. Don't eat crap just for calories, or just because its there...make good food choices. With a calorie goal of over 1300, PLUS eating back your exercise calories, you should have plenty of choices to eat very well indeed with a little planning and care. You only have one body...treat her right! At this point you aren't seriously under-eating, but its difficult to get sufficient nutrition to cover your macro and micro goals. "Starvation mode" is not a thing you need to worry much about...but improper nutrition can indeed make your metabolism adjust in ways that just make it that much harder to lose. You CAN do this. You probably know more about nutrition than you think you do...lean meats, fruits and veggies, whole grains..all those good common sense things are where you start. And there's no reason not to enjoy something now and then that isn't strictly the healthiest choice...if it fits your macros, enjoy!

Ready2Rock206

I want a lifestyle change not a diet, I want to do this right.

So eat better - cut the crap and eat at least 1200 net. Just try and make some better choices - you don't have to be perfect all at once. Swap out some of the "crap" as you said you eat for some healthier choices - fruits, veggies, nutbutters, etc.. You've got this. 15 lbs lost is a great start!

Ian_Stuart

I'm going to post this article that I always post when a woman asks how to make a change. I think it will really help if you read it. Especially if you love food the way I do.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Mr_Knight

My cal. goal is 1620, my average for the last six days is 1328 cals. before exercise and 1009 net. according to the info a friend gave me my bmr(?) should be 1101 so i'm not super far off which makes me feel a little better, but its still under 1200 is that a problem?

No, it is not a problem, there is nothing magic about the number "1200". You have a great deal of weight to lose, your body can easily handle that calorie level just fine.

Just be careful "eating back" exercise calories. Your walking is going to burn about 85 calories/mile, so make sure you aren't eating back too much.

And watch your macros - make sure you're getting a decent allotment of protein and sufficient fat.

MandyMason7

according to the info a friend gave me my bmr(?) should be 1101 so i'm not super far off which makes me feel a little better,

I absolutely GUARANTEE your BMR is WAY higher than 1101.

http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/

Ian_Stuart

Here is a good calculator for BMR and TDEE: http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

TheLadyBane

I started logging my food when I weighed 242 pounds and I netted about 1750 calories a day and lost weight at a quick and steady pace. Now I am 159 pounds. MFP and other calculators give me a target calorie goal of 1300 but I found that to be too low for me. Now I net about 1500 calories a day and am still losing weight at a steady, healthy pace.

Others may disagree but for me the quality of foods I eat is very, very important. I tend to make majority of my own meals. I eat out on occasion but look up nutrition information before going out so I can make choices that fit into my macros and calorie target. I also customized my macro targets to best suit my needs. On average I get about 30-34% protein, 45-49% carbs, and 20-24% fats, and over 35 grams of fiber. This works for me because it keeps me full and fuels my workouts.

Different people will find different things that work best for them. I have a friend who has been losing with me. She eats more carbs and fats because her preferred method of exercise is running and she finds that this fuel her better. While we both have lost at different paces and have different calorie targets and macros, we have found a happy medium we can stick with and have both seen great improvements.

I'd recommend eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. You can still indulge in your favorite foods but try to get them to fit into the targets you set. Give yourself some time and stick with eating at a deficit and moving more. You are right on the money there. That will work, just give yourself time to see the results! You can figure out the details of what works best for you as you continue to work on your health.

*Edited to correct typo

Mr_Knight

according to the info a friend gave me my bmr(?) should be 1101 so i'm not super far off which makes me feel a little better,

I absolutely GUARANTEE your BMR is WAY higher than 1101.

http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/

With that much weight to lose, you have to use Katch-McCardle or you will get a serious over-estimate. Go here:

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

cafeaulait7

No, it is not a problem, there is nothing magic about the number "1200". You have a great deal of weight to lose, your body can easily handle that calorie level just fine.

Just be careful "eating back" exercise calories. Your walking is going to burn about 85 calories/mile, so make sure you aren't eating back too much.

And watch your macros - make sure you're getting a decent allotment of protein and sufficient fat.

Nah, her mile is probably a lot higher burn at her weight unless she walks really, really slowly

OP, I don't have much additional advice. I still eat crap, but I eat a lot of good stuff, too (more than bad). I never do well if I can't have any crap, because I don't get enough protein if I don't eat some 'bad' stuff, the way my habits/tastes work out. It's fine. I ate the same way last time and only re-gained out of sheer laziness, basically

Lots of people here don't eat clean all the time. Do try to eat more healthily, but it doesn't have to be perfect. Moderation is fine, imho.

Ian_Stuart

I guessed at a few things (You may not be 5'6", for instance) but these numbers should be in the right ballpark.

Your BMR at 284lbs is near 2300. This is the number of calories you would need to eat to maintain weight if you were in a coma and not burning any through activity.
Your TDEE (Total daily energy expenditure) is closer to 2700. This is how many calories you would need to maintain weight assuming normal daily activity
In order to lose, you should eat below the TDEE, but if you eat too far below it, you get into some negative effects, like decreased energy levels, etc...

When I am trying to lose, I typically go about 20% below my TDEE, which for you is about 2250 calories a day. This should prevent you from being too hungry.

stormydestiny

thank you everyone. according to IIFYM (Katch-McCardle) my BMR is1797 and TDEE is 2550...so how much should i be eating to lose? im sorry im just really confused,but i really enjoyed the article on nerd fitness shes my new hero.

questions...i feel like ive been quite active compared to what i was and i am eating less cals than my bmr, shouldnt i be losing weight? UGH IM SO CONFUSED! ...side note... im not usually hungry or tired im just not seeing any improvements.

Ian_Stuart

I would aim for 20% less than your TDEE (around 2050 calories) and if you log any exercise on MFP, eat at least half of what it says you burned doing the workout. (i.e. if you walked and burned 300 calories, eat an additional 150 to 300 calories that day.)

stormydestiny

so i would have better results eating 2050 than the 1620 MFP has me log?

Ian_Stuart

Yes. I'm really not sure how MFP even came up with that number.

Railr0aderTony

so i would have better results eating 2050 than the 1620 MFP has me log?

The difference is that with the 2050 (TDEE-20%) you do not eat back your exercise calories since it is figured in. So in fact they will be pretty close if you eat 1620 and your exercise calories.

Railr0aderTony

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Follow this and it will give you all the basics and help you out. It is great information

Ian_Stuart

The difference is that with the 2050 (TDEE-20%) you do not eat back your exercise calories since it is figured in. So in fact they will be pretty close if you eat 1620 and your exercise calories.

This is not correct! TDEE as MFP calculates it only includes basic daily activities. NOT workouts. So you wouldn't be right to add things like sitting at a desk, or driving, but you WOULD want to add exercise activities and be sure to eat some calories to account for that.

Railr0aderTony

The difference is that with the 2050 (TDEE-20%) you do not eat back your exercise calories since it is figured in. So in fact they will be pretty close if you eat 1620 and your exercise calories.

This is not correct! TDEE as MFP calculates it only includes basic daily activities. NOT workouts. So you wouldn't be right to add things like sitting at a desk, or driving, but you WOULD want to add exercise activities and be sure to eat some calories to account for that.

MFP does not calculate TDEE,

melaniecheeks

First up, ALL numbers are estimates, so don't stress about finding the exact number that will work.

Eating more than your BMR but less than your TDEE and you should lose weight. That gives you a good range to work within. Pick 1800, say. Try that for a few weeks and see how it goes. Make adjustments after you've given it a decent trial.

And - diet is much more important than exercsie in losing weight (though the exercise is good for you in many ways). So get your food diary right as a priority.

Railr0aderTony

2) BMR/RMR
Basal Metabolic Rate or Resting Metabolic Rate.
This covers all body functions outside of activity.
If you were in a coma and you were fed enough nutrients to keep you alive, Thats BMR.
Think "Baseline Calories" if you did absolutely nothing.
Sub-sedentary.
All vital organs are covered when eating BMR.

3) TDEE
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
This is the total amount of calories you burn in a 24hour period.
You wake up, brush your teeth, lift, run, play, work.....
You get the idea.
One thing I've noticed over the years is people underestimate activity.
They say "I'm sitting at my computer all day long so i'm sedentary!"
I'll ask "Workout routine?"
They say "Oh i run for 3 hours a day and do CrossFit all weekend long!"


If you sit all day and barely walk and dont workout, Sedentary.
If you workout 1-2x a week, Light.
If you workout 3-5x a week, Moderate.
If you workout 5+, active/very active.

Youll find these numbers at the bottom of the BMR page in Fat 2 Fit.
You can also use other calculators around the internet.

Once you have TDEE you can decide what to set MFP calories to.
I recommend -20% for individuals who are Obese and under.
-30% for individuals who are Obese and over.

Ian_Stuart

TDEE is not supposed to account for your exercise routine. Just your daily life. Exercise should not be factored into deciding your TDEE or what is the point of logging exercises in MFP at all?
My TDEE is based on sedentary because my life is sedentary. My workouts are hardcore, so on the days that I do those, I log them and eat additional calories as appropriate. Ratcheting up your TDEE to account for workouts makes that entire section of this website meaningless.

Ian_Stuart

MFP does not calculate TDEE,

Of course it does! BMR calculations don't require you to input your activity level. MFP asks for Sedentary, lightly active, etc... No reason to ask that if you aren't calculating TDEE.

Railr0aderTony

MFP does not calculate a true TDEE, and you are partially right if you use the numbers from MFP you are supposed to eat your exercise calories back but if you use the numbers from an outside website then the exercise is figured in for a closer TDEE. We are arguing about apples and oranges here. It is silly.

jackielou867

bugger the numbers for a minute. how do you feel, and are you taking measurements. how much strength training areayoudoing, could you be replacing a little fat with a little muscle? that would explain static weight. are you seeing any difference in body shape.

if you are doing a reasonable amount of training you really have to eat those calories back to see some improvement in muscle tone. strength training done properly will make you lose weight more slowly, but you will still lose fat and inches.

the opposite happened to me. I went into overdrive to lose my last 2k, lost it really fast, then found I had burned muscle and increased fat.

a lot of people plateau after a few weeks, especially if on the lower end of calories. give yourself a couple of weeks off, eat maintenance calories, and let your body reset. I know everyone wants results super fast, but this seems to have worked for a lot of people, including me.

don't think that junk food is on just because you eat less and stay on calorie limit. junk is junk.
heres my philosophy, if the ingredients on the packet are not really available in the supermarket to add to your food at home, then why are good manufactures adding it.
except sugar, I know why they add this, because it is addictive, makes you crave more, and makes them loads of money.

come on girl, you have come this far, let's do it properly, eat wisely, your body will love you for it, and you will love your body :-)

stormydestiny

thank you i have lost four inches from my waist and hips. two from each arm and one on each leg. idk i feel good enerfized and such, not hungry and when i am i eat

TavistockToad

I would aim for 20% less than your TDEE (around 2050 calories) and if you log any exercise on MFP, eat at least half of what it says you burned doing the workout. (i.e. if you walked and burned 300 calories, eat an additional 150 to 300 calories that day.)

the TDEE calculation should include exercise so theres no need to eat them back.

BerryH

Congratulations on your weight and inch loss so far, you've made amazing progress!

The hard sums are difficult and confusing, but MFP uses similar calculations - I've never found mine to be more than a handful of calories different than those on other sites.

To keep things simple, I'd use MFP's default settings to lose 1lb a week (yes we all want to lose faster, but with a lot to lose it will come off faster at first and you won't have to make radical adjustments down the line) and eat back a good proportion of your exercise calories. I wouldn't personally count walking unless it's at a fitness pace that makes you properly out of breath.

Eat healthy food you love, do exercise you enjoy, realise this is along-term commitment to health, not an overnight weighty-loss fad, and Bob's your uncle :flowerforyou:

nylphia

You can Eat 1200 calories of lean meat or 1200 calories found in olive oil. do you think the difference will be the same. Its still 1200 calories right. Clearly the Oil will have a completely different effect. Try to make sure your calories are balanced. I read Dr. Phil Ultimate weight loss and his formula really helped me to change my eating habit and I see the results. Plan your meals and keep it simple but Stick to your calorie count for the day but break it up into Daily nutritional requirements.

3 servings per day - Protein
i.e. Breakfast (B) - EGGS - 1 whole or white- (moderate by calories) – whole eggs have more calories than white eggs so you get to eat more if you have 3 egg whites rather than three whole eggs.
Lunch (L) - Chicken breast / burger meat / fish , etc -
Dinner (D) - Lamb chop, chicken, fish, lean meat etc.

2 Servings - Dairy
i.e.- low fat cheese, yogurt, skim milk, etc

2 - 3 Servings of Carbs (whole grain or wheat when you can)
i.e. Oats, Bread, Bagel (half), muffin, Brown Pasta, Brown rice, High Fiber Cereal

2 Servings of Veggies

2 Fruit

1 serving of Fat
i.e. Nuts - olive oil - low fat oil can be 2 tbl spoon

A serving is measured by the label and not how much can fit on your plate. Good Luck.

maybeazure

You will get lots of advice on here telling you to eat more...especially from large muscular men. You can certainly try it, but my experience is that I can't lose on anywhere near what those TDEE calculators say I should eat.

However, you should be losing at 1200 calories, or probably 1500 calories. My suggestion would be to make sure you are really being accurate on your calorie count. Get a food scale, and weigh or measure everything, at least for awhile. Eventually you'll get pretty good at estimating portion size, but at first it's difficult.

stormydestiny

thank you everyone