I cant eat what my report recommends

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catcrazy
catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I can't eat my calories, they are set way too high but have no idea how I can reduce this amount. I maintained my (hefty) weight on 1400-1600 calories for about 6 weeks when previously it was going up around 2-3lb a month. What the calculator doesn't take into consideration is a VERY sedentary life. Housebound, a flight of 13 stairs leaves me so breathless that i'm exhausted. I've recently been diagnosed with emphysema, and am soon to start a pulmonary rehab course so will know exactly how hard and far I can push myself but until then a 6 minute slow walk is about my limit without being so breathless i'm on the verge of an ambulance as my oxygen sats drop too low.

Basically do I just ignore the fact that i'm eating well under my recommended intake or is there a way to lower the recommended intake?

Replies

  • KristinaW
    KristinaW Posts: 42
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    you can visit your goal page and edit your daily intake goal as well as the amount you want to push yourself to exercise.. I had a problem with it to start cause i was ending my day with like 1k calories left out of my intake goal.. so i sliced my intake in half and am now ending about 50 to much. it works much better for me.
  • FitToBeFab
    FitToBeFab Posts: 537 Member
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    You can enter an amount in manually. That's what I did. I know that when I set my goals on here to lose one pound a week, I don't. I usually maintain. And when I set it for 1.5 pounds I week, I'm at 1200 cals which is very low and makes me cranky. So I put it inbetween.

    If you feel 1400 is too high, shoot for 1300 or 1250.
  • ileitch
    ileitch Posts: 99
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    I think you do what works and ignore the recommendations for now. Needless to say, talk to your doctor. Good for you for losing three pounds. Good luck. :flowerforyou:
  • pizzy
    pizzy Posts: 47
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    as long as you dont go under 1200 calories a day, then pick an amount around there and stick with it. so if yours says to eat 1700 eat 1300, just dont fall under 1200 a day
  • KarenBorter
    KarenBorter Posts: 1,157 Member
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    The absolute minimum you should be eating is 1200 calories/day anything below that and your body starts shutting down and you won't lose any weight. Even Jillian on The Biggest Loser says "you gotta eat to lose!" and it's true! Hard thing to wrap my head around as well.

    Try nuts, lean chicken, fish, pork etc.

    There is no way the site will put you below 1200 calories that is base.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
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    Thanks for the replies,

    ah...well in that case I guess i'm going to have to ignore it as i'm doing lower than the recommended lowest. If I can only maintain at 1400-1600 then 1200 would be too slow a loss to keep me motivated, even with a wonderful board full of support.

    I know very low calorie diets are not generally recommended but I NEED to get this off pretty quick as my health is declining, fast.
    Once I'm able to burn more calories with exercise I will be able to up it. My goal is 2 stone as quickly as possible as I know the last 2 stone I put on is where my health really declined. Once that is off and along with the pulmonary rehab course I should be able to up my exercise level greatly which will then allow a greater intake.


    Cat
  • DebbieDuffy09
    DebbieDuffy09 Posts: 22
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    good luck. Do what makes your body feels happy....
  • deshaine
    deshaine Posts: 195
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    The absolute minimum you should be eating is 1200 calories/day anything below that and your body starts shutting down and you won't lose any weight. Even Jillian on The Biggest Loser says "you gotta eat to lose!" and it's true! Hard thing to wrap my head around as well.

    Try nuts, lean chicken, fish, pork etc.

    There is no way the site will put you below 1200 calories that is base.
    this...
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    I would talk with your doctor if you plan on going below 1200. That may be appropriate for you with a very sedentary lifestyle.... I don't know. You may want to check into your BMR (under tools) too. That is what it takes just to keep going with a completely sedentary lifestyle.

    Are you on meds? Those can affect weight loss (and gain) as well. I credit the 3 or 4 rounds of prednisone I took for recurrent asthma flare-ups for some of my weight gain. :)

    I definitely think in your situation of having limited ability to exercise you should check with your doctor. You may also want to look at upper body workouts... if that is possible.

    My grandmother had really bad emphysema and so I know how debilitating that can be. :( I hope you reach a solution soon... my motto right now is that I just have to keep moving forward, no matter how slow those losses are.... otherwise I'll just gain more weght. It is definitely hard to keep motivated though!

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