New and need help please

raynarayne

I'm new to the boards and I have a question. I have been so focused that 2014 will be the year I lose weight. I have been reading up on things to help me and I keep getting very different amounts of calorie totals I need daily. I'm around 330lbs 5'9 female at the moment with not a lot of physical activity (that WILL change) I want to lose 1-2lbs a week and my goal weight is 160/170ish...I keep getting my calorie intake daily needing to be anywhere from 1200 to 2400 I'm so confused about which one to follow. If anyone can help me if appreciate it. Thank you.

Sarauk2sf

You are probably getting confused by the MFP 'eating your calories back' method vs the "TDEE' method. See here for an explanation of the difference: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

Here is a great read to set you off in the right direction. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


With the amount of weight you have to lose, you can very safely set yourself at a 2lb a week target loss (1lb a week is fine also). You should not however end up at 1,200 calories no matter what method you use.

ktsmom430

As with any weight loss/exercise program, please check with your health care provider.

You may want to experiment a little bit to find out where you are comfortable within that range of calories and monitor the results and how you are feeling, and what works best for you. I have found that what works for one person, may, or may not, work for another and we need to find what works best for each of us.

Many people will tell you not to eat 1200 calories, and for some that is definately not enough. Many here have been successful sticking to 1200, myself included. I found that going over that amount of calories resulted in my gaining. My doctor advised me that for me, at my age, that it is fine to continue with what I am doing. I try to make healthier choices, a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meat, low (not no) carbs, limit alcohol and processed foods. Check with your health care provider for advice on this. Take advice from an internet formum for what it is worth. Most of us are not professionals.

I did not begin to even do any walking (outside of the normal everyday moving around) until I had lost 90 pounds. Not surprisingly, my knees were horrible from carrying around so much excess weight. I was winded walking up a single flight of stairs. I am in better health now than I have been in decades.

JesterJoe

I am going to agree with one and disagree with the other. See your doctor and a nutritionist. You need to have your health and progress monitored by professionals to keep you on track. Getting a trainer helps as well. Money may not be that big of an issue as most healthcare plans cover the doctor and nutritionist. Trainers as most gyms, including the "Y" always give advice to those working out.

First, drink plenty of water, 8 to 10 8-ounce glasses each day.

Second, MOVE! You don't have to move far or fast to get started, just move. I started just walking around the block and gradually built to running a 5K every other day. One step at a time.

How many calories you need each day to be healthy and lose weight is definitely a question for the doctor and nutritionist. I lost mine on a very low carb, high protein diet with exercise. You must do both. I hope this helps. Feel free to send me a friend request if you like.

raynarayne

Unfortunately I have no insurance and won't for a few months. So seeing a doctor is out for right now. But I do know getting this weight off will only help. I do understand I doctor would give me better understanding of how many calories to have daily but when I looked it up on here AND other sites it gave me a big difference in numbers.
I know I'm not able to go run and do a lot of physical actives but I did have a gym membership (can't afford this anymore) and I was walking the treadmill each day 1 mile and using the bike for 20mins so I know I at least have that in me.

kelsully

Unfortunately I have no insurance and won't for a few months. So seeing a doctor is out for right now. But I do know getting this weight off will only help. I do understand I doctor would give me better understanding of how many calories to have daily but when I looked it up on here AND other sites it gave me a big difference in numbers.
I know I'm not able to go run and do a lot of physical actives but I did have a gym membership (can't afford this anymore) and I was walking the treadmill each day 1 mile and using the bike for 20mins so I know I at least have that in me.

What if you logged exactly what you are doing right now. Log for a week or two, and just log what you are eating. First of all, the act of logging will often times subconsciously prompt you to make better decisions. Second, you can have a base number as to what you are eating now and the approximate average calories you are consuming daily. I think a good, sustainable thing to do would be to subtract 500 from that average for the 2 weeks to see how that goes, so if you were averaging 3000 calories a day, shoot for 2500 calories a day for a few weeks. After you get adjusted to logging and making better choices, I would reexamine your TDEE calculators etc. I have always wet my goal as the maintenance calories for my goal weight. So if maintenance calories set by MFP for a 170 lb woman is 1700 and eating back exercise cals, then I would set my target to that.

gringuitica

At your height and weight, I don't think you should be anywhere close to 1200 calories. What does MFP set you at for sedentary, 1 lb loss/week? 1.5 lbs/week? 2 lbs/week?

I know the numbers and calculators are confusing. MFP put me somewhere around 1450 cals, but that was under my estimated BMR and, honestly, I didn't think I'd be happy at 1450 calories a day. I knew being happy - feeling satiated and not deprived - would be key to achieving my goals, so I ended up choosing a daily goal (1650) just above my BMR, and eat back most of my exercise calories when I'm hungry for them. That has worked for me.

The good thing about this process is you can always readjust. If you find you're losing lots of weight but are always hungry, you can up your calories. If you're losing very slowly, you can adjust your cals down. Or up your exercise, when you're ready. (But do be sure to stick with one goal for at least a month, to truly gauge how it's working for you.) Your goals are adjustable, always.

My point is that you shouldn't get so hung up on the starting number that it delays your start. For simplicity's sake, I'd recommend going with what MFP suggests and get started today. Log everything you eat. Take a short walk around your neighborhood. Start building good habits. The weight will come off. And if it doesn't, or doesn't fast enough, you can adjust your goal in January.

raynarayne

1,790 is what I'm getting on here. I checked settings made sure everything was up to date.
Thanks everyone for feedback. I guess I'm just nervous because I don't want to fail. And I have been reading on here and on weightloss blogs as it tends to get confusing for me. As far as nutrition goes I'm drinking just water and cutting out all processed foods. I'm eating more "clean" although I think that term is way overused now a days lol

BazingaSC

Hello! I think for now you should figure your calorie intake at your current weight and then subtract 500 cals from that each day for 1 lb a week and up to 750 for 1.5 lbs and max 1000 cals less for 2 lbs for a healthy loss. Once your body gets in the swing of it you may fluctuate here and there. 1200 seems extremely low. I know with adding exercises it changes the formula. Don't worry about the exercising it will come in time and diet is most important ! You can do it!!