Out on a limb, looking for insight
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poke987
Posts: 348 Member
Hi. New to the forums, using the app I didn't even know they existed until a few weeks ago... Since then lurking, reading and learning a ton!
Back story, and then a few questions:
Been heavy all my life- chubby kid, awkward overweight teenager, then freshman 15... Was just over 200 lbs upon college graduation and decided to do something. Lost 50 lbs working out at my local curves, felt very supported there, and living on my own "dieting" was easy. Used their lower calorie/carb diet... But that was a long time ago, and I lived a very different lifestyle... With only myself to worry about I could eat chicken for dinner every night... And clearly, it wasn't a lifestyle change. Fast forward 12ish years and I found myself back over 200 lbs. SAHM to 3 "bonus" children, plus our 2.... Well, life is very different now.
While pregnant the second time, my final few OB appointments I didn't even look at the scale. After the birth of our second son, at my 6 week postpartum I was 213. Unhappy with that, I struggled and then in January decided to do something... I logged into MFP and my first weight input was 209. I weighted, measured, tracked and lost! At the end of May I was 157. In hindsight, I wasn't really getting it... Wanted to take the summer "off". You can see where this goes?! By November I was back to 177. Ugh. How do you like them apples?! Lesson learned. I'm ready this time. So, now here I sit, having lost those stinking 20 lbs again, and feeling pretty good about myself... Approaching my first goal of 150 (I was 152 last week at my weigh in) Then I find the forums, start reading and learn. Learn I've been short changing myself big time! While I'll be thrilled when I hit that 150 mark, my ultimate goal, I'm assuming will be somewhere 130 or so. I'm 5'5 34 years old. So, with where I've already come from in mind and what work I've got left to do I ask you to come in:
Just starting in a spot of "need" I used MFP to get my #s, and have been sticking pretty well to my allotted 1200 calories. I didn't do any research, picking the app to help me keep a food diary like I kept on paper last time I lost weight. I started working out; cardio and some resistance training, watching my net calories drop with my workouts and feeling pretty good about my hard work. The scale has been going down, 1-2 lbs, most weeks, some more, some less and a few weeks here and there with no loss (and one with a gain that dropped off the next week) thinking I understood, I was feeling pretty happy with my progress but now seeing I could have been doing it so much differently... And wondering if I've done some metabolic damage. Using the scooby site I get a TDEE of 2160 and a BMR 1393. In the past week I've been eating back most of my exercise calories, but I didn't know to do that at first... I have developed a liking for running, and enjoy the "me" time I get at our local Y so most weeks I average 6 workouts, somewhere from 400-600 calories on my HRM. So, given that for 6-8 weeks I was netting 600-1000 calories a day, and before that I had a pretty significant yo-yo what would you do? I'm doing ok. The number on the scale is going down, I'm down a few clothes sizes, my fitness is accelerating... I feel pretty darn good... But, with my reading here I see I haven't done myself any favors (except shedding 56 lbs... Which is really more like 76 with the 20 I lost twice) and I want this to be it. I don't want to do this again. I foresee myself logging and tracking to some degree forever, I have a much better grasp on exercise for fitness not diet, and hopefully a better understanding that this is a lifestyle not a diet.
Should I assume that I'll continue to loose if I make my goal somewhere around1500 net calories daily? I certainly want to make this as easy on myself as possible, and treat my body as best I can as I figure this all out. I feel like I have a good understanding of calories in/calories out and eating to a deficit.... Just misunderstood MFP and maybe should have done a little more digging before I jumped in. Thanks if you've stuck thru my saga... Opinions, help and insight is much appreciated!
Back story, and then a few questions:
Been heavy all my life- chubby kid, awkward overweight teenager, then freshman 15... Was just over 200 lbs upon college graduation and decided to do something. Lost 50 lbs working out at my local curves, felt very supported there, and living on my own "dieting" was easy. Used their lower calorie/carb diet... But that was a long time ago, and I lived a very different lifestyle... With only myself to worry about I could eat chicken for dinner every night... And clearly, it wasn't a lifestyle change. Fast forward 12ish years and I found myself back over 200 lbs. SAHM to 3 "bonus" children, plus our 2.... Well, life is very different now.
While pregnant the second time, my final few OB appointments I didn't even look at the scale. After the birth of our second son, at my 6 week postpartum I was 213. Unhappy with that, I struggled and then in January decided to do something... I logged into MFP and my first weight input was 209. I weighted, measured, tracked and lost! At the end of May I was 157. In hindsight, I wasn't really getting it... Wanted to take the summer "off". You can see where this goes?! By November I was back to 177. Ugh. How do you like them apples?! Lesson learned. I'm ready this time. So, now here I sit, having lost those stinking 20 lbs again, and feeling pretty good about myself... Approaching my first goal of 150 (I was 152 last week at my weigh in) Then I find the forums, start reading and learn. Learn I've been short changing myself big time! While I'll be thrilled when I hit that 150 mark, my ultimate goal, I'm assuming will be somewhere 130 or so. I'm 5'5 34 years old. So, with where I've already come from in mind and what work I've got left to do I ask you to come in:
Just starting in a spot of "need" I used MFP to get my #s, and have been sticking pretty well to my allotted 1200 calories. I didn't do any research, picking the app to help me keep a food diary like I kept on paper last time I lost weight. I started working out; cardio and some resistance training, watching my net calories drop with my workouts and feeling pretty good about my hard work. The scale has been going down, 1-2 lbs, most weeks, some more, some less and a few weeks here and there with no loss (and one with a gain that dropped off the next week) thinking I understood, I was feeling pretty happy with my progress but now seeing I could have been doing it so much differently... And wondering if I've done some metabolic damage. Using the scooby site I get a TDEE of 2160 and a BMR 1393. In the past week I've been eating back most of my exercise calories, but I didn't know to do that at first... I have developed a liking for running, and enjoy the "me" time I get at our local Y so most weeks I average 6 workouts, somewhere from 400-600 calories on my HRM. So, given that for 6-8 weeks I was netting 600-1000 calories a day, and before that I had a pretty significant yo-yo what would you do? I'm doing ok. The number on the scale is going down, I'm down a few clothes sizes, my fitness is accelerating... I feel pretty darn good... But, with my reading here I see I haven't done myself any favors (except shedding 56 lbs... Which is really more like 76 with the 20 I lost twice) and I want this to be it. I don't want to do this again. I foresee myself logging and tracking to some degree forever, I have a much better grasp on exercise for fitness not diet, and hopefully a better understanding that this is a lifestyle not a diet.
Should I assume that I'll continue to loose if I make my goal somewhere around1500 net calories daily? I certainly want to make this as easy on myself as possible, and treat my body as best I can as I figure this all out. I feel like I have a good understanding of calories in/calories out and eating to a deficit.... Just misunderstood MFP and maybe should have done a little more digging before I jumped in. Thanks if you've stuck thru my saga... Opinions, help and insight is much appreciated!
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Replies
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Maybe Saturday night wasn't the best time for posting?!
Didn't research MFP and didn't know I was wrong.... Used the MFP numbers which put me at 1200, got good at weighing and measuring, tracking everything... then started working out... Didn't eat back my calories. Didn't know I should. Now, wondering if I should start aknew tomorrow with a higher calorie goal, but I'm worried about just jumping from the 1200 I've been doing, even though I wasn't eating back my exercise calories, so netting as low as 800 some days. I feel good, have energy and have been loosing, but don't want to continue now I know this isn't the best approach. Gradually up myself until I'm at a more realistic number? Go up to my TDEE for a bit, then back to a better #? Ideas? Thanks!!0 -
You have 18 lb. to go. (Congratulations!) Set your goal to .5 lb. per week, and be patient. The smaller deficit will help you transfer to maintenance.
Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0
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