Looking for Friends and Support!

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I joined MFP a few weeks ago... But just figured out that you can have friends.
I am 22, married, and I have a 17 month old daughter. My husband and I just started Insanity two weeks ago. We have been pretty consistent... But a few nights I have to taken breaks from pure exhaustion because my wonderful daughter pulled all nighters (compliments of teething molars). But never missed more than 1 day in a row. I'm also doing low calorie diet... Eating about 1200 calories a day +or- 200. This is new because I lowered my caloric intake from 1500 to 1200. And mind you, these arnt all fruit, veggie, lean meat, and oatmeal calories... There are a few treats but for the most part good. No juice, soda, chips... But I slip in a Sees Candy every now and then. I don't have an exact weight goal, I just want to feel better, and look better. I want to lose all this extra baby weight, so I can have another baby! Crazy I know, but I was 105 before baby, and 2 weeks after giving birth I was 125 and the scale hasn't budged since. And afraid to have another baby and be stuck at 150 or more. So this is for my husband, my daughter, my kids yet to come, and myself!

I also don't understand the calories. Do I just need to stick to a calorie intake number? Or does it have to be all fruits and veggies and healthy stuff to lose the weight/fat. And do I eat the caloric number amount, or the net amount?
Also when do the Insanity results start to show? Or am I eating to bad to have any results at all?

Thanks.

Replies

  • struggletodiet
    struggletodiet Posts: 149 Member
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    hello, ok so the calories at the start of each day is the amount you can have each day, i generally stick to this amount, I would suggest tracking everything you eat not matter how small, this way you will get an idea of whats good and whats not good if you look at the nutritional section on the app or profile, as for the net amount of calories i just leave them as it how you can maintain your weight, but if you want to lose you must burn more calories than you eat. but just make sure your getting enough healthy food in your diet,

    hope this helps
  • LeahBluitt
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    To lose weight I need to burn MORE than I eat? So if I eat 1200 a day I need to be burning that and then some? How does one even do that?? I take 2 miles walks with my daughter to the park 2 times a week usually, and then Insanity burns about 200... Totally (if I a walk that day) only about 350. I can't imagine doing more? Maybe I'm lame or lazy but that seems crazy!
    Will excerise and a low calorie diet achieve anything?
    I can tell I'm getting stronger. I can't see it, but it's easier to run, wake up in the morning, and breathe. I have a dud lung that kept me from many things, and now I can't even notice when before I would literally pass out I can now complete a whole insanity video.
  • ramyad1
    ramyad1 Posts: 16
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    No you don't burn more than you eat. I'll try and break it down for you.

    Your body uses energy (calories) to function. This is called your "Resting Metabolic Rate". It is your internal organs using energy.

    You move about, doing your daily thing so you use additional energy. Taking the number from RMR and adding in your activity level gives you a "Basal Metabolic Rate" (BMR).

    You can get rough estimates for RMR and BMR from this website: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php, click on the link for RMR and BMR. It tells you how many calories your body needs to function and do your daily thing (BMR),

    This BMR calorie number is the total number of calories you should consume to maintain your current weight.

    Once you know your BMR calories per day, you then should decide by how many calories you should reduce that number by, that is not eat OR exercise (or both). to start to lose weight.

    My BMR is around 2400 calories per day to maintain my current weight. So I try and under eat by 600 calories (1800 calories per day) to start losing weight. I do exercise to bring that number down a little more so I lose weight faster.

    As 1 pound of fat is approximately 3500 calories, you can then calculate how long it will take you to lose the weight you wish to.

    Hope that helps. Send me a message if you would like to clear anything up.
  • LeahBluitt
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    Okay. I think I'm starting to understand. I looked into BMR and TDEE. In order to maintain my weight I would be eating about 1700 calories, but I want to lose so my new caloric goal is 1200. And then I do insanity and I burn about 300-450 calories. So do I leave it as such... Or do I eat back those calories to have a NET of 1200?
  • ramyad1
    ramyad1 Posts: 16
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    So do I leave it as such... Or do I eat back those calories to have a NET of 1200?

    You're supposed to consume so that you have a net of the 1200 calories. However, I never did that first time round. Following is my experience and I'll leave it at that:

    Last year (2013), during May I consumed approx. 1500-1800 calories and exercised daily using 600-800 calories. That produced a net of from 700-1200, which for a male is a little low. After 4 weeks I lost a LOT of weight. Over 40 lbs. I did 70% strength and 30% cardio, ate a lot of protein, to keep my muscle loss to a minimum.

    Nearly a year later and I have kept that weight off and gone done a little more. I'm going to try and do that again because I refuse (read hate) doing weight loss over a long time.