One thing to keep in mind

TamTastic

I know a lot of you have started this program at 1200 calories and while that is not a bad thing exactly, it doesn't leave you a lot of room to change things up a bit should you hit a plateau.

I know if you only have a few pounds to lose, 1200 isn't an unreasonable number. BUT, just keep in mind that you can eat significantly more than that and still lose regularly. I am down to 187 as of this morning (down 83 lbs since September), and on days I work out and burn around 700 calories, I eat at least 1800 calories and days I don't work out, I eat around 1450 calories. When I first started this, I was eating around 1700 calories even when not working out.

My point is that I have slowly lowered my calories as I have lost and gotten to a lower weight. And even at 1450, I still have room to lower my calories should I hit a plateau. I lost 2 lbs this week eating that.

I am not saying this exact combination will work for everyone but don't be opposed to starting with your calories a little higher and slowly bringing them down as you need to. You don't want to hit a plateau at 1200 calories and have nowhere to go to shake things up a bit.

Just my bit of advice!! hehe

Tami

TamTastic

I know a lot of you have started this program at 1200 calories and while that is not a bad thing exactly, it doesn't leave you a lot of room to change things up a bit should you hit a plateau.

I know if you only have a few pounds to lose, 1200 isn't an unreasonable number. BUT, just keep in mind that you can eat significantly more than that and still lose regularly. I am down to 187 as of this morning (down 83 lbs since September), and on days I work out and burn around 700 calories, I eat at least 1800 calories and days I don't work out, I eat around 1450 calories. When I first started this, I was eating around 1700 calories even when not working out.

My point is that I have slowly lowered my calories as I have lost and gotten to a lower weight. And even at 1450, I still have room to lower my calories should I hit a plateau. I lost 2 lbs this week eating that.

I am not saying this exact combination will work for everyone but don't be opposed to starting with your calories a little higher and slowly bringing them down as you need to. You don't want to hit a plateau at 1200 calories and have nowhere to go to shake things up a bit.

Just my bit of advice!! hehe

Tami

B4baby3

Congrats on your weight loss...that is awesome! Can I ask what you are doing for workouts to burn 700 calories? Also, how often are you working out. I feel that I have hit a wall, I was losing at a pretty good pace for a few weeks and I haven't lost anything in three weeks and I am very frustrated. I am currently eating 1340 a day when I don't work out and about 1500 hundred when I do. I weight less now than I have in about 3.5 years and I haven't weight much less than this in the last 8 years, so I am not sure if my body is just revolting to this lower weight or what....

BikeChick

Great news! I didn't even consider that, and when I go over my 1200 I feel like a failure. That is great advice, and I feel quite a whole lot better about this now. For awhile I was worried about trying to stay right at 1200 every day, but that makes perfect sense. There is a lot of random exercise a person can get that isn't easy to factor in on this site. Thanx for the tip! :happy:

ali106

Good advice girl!!!

hugs and YOU ARE SUCH AND INSPIRATION!
Ya!!
Ali

TamTastic

Congrats on your weight loss...that is awesome! Can I ask what you are doing for workouts to burn 700 calories? Also, how often are you working out. I feel that I have hit a wall, I was losing at a pretty good pace for a few weeks and I haven't lost anything in three weeks and I am very frustrated. I am currently eating 1340 a day when I don't work out and about 1500 hundred when I do. I weight less now than I have in about 3.5 years and I haven't weight much less than this in the last 8 years, so I am not sure if my body is just revolting to this lower weight or what....

I work out on the elliptical at the gym for an hour (55 min on random setting, level 18 + cool down). I have slowly worked up to that. The machine actually said I burned about 820 but the machines aren't super accurate, so I always bring it down to around 700. I also did a bit of strength-training but didn't include that. I do that 4 days a week, and on those days I eat around 1800 cals. The 3 days I don't work out, I eat 1450ish.

TamTastic

Good advice girl!!!

hugs and YOU ARE SUCH AND INSPIRATION!
Ya!!
Ali

Thanks girl!!!
ya too!!!!

beep

You are such an inspiration. Thanks, Girl.

kimber607

Hi

Good point
I also started this program eating 1400 cals..lost 25 pounds...I'm up to 1600 and still loosing

Kim

TamTastic

Great news! I didn't even consider that, and when I go over my 1200 I feel like a failure. That is great advice, and I feel quite a whole lot better about this now. For awhile I was worried about trying to stay right at 1200 every day, but that makes perfect sense. There is a lot of random exercise a person can get that isn't easy to factor in on this site. Thanx for the tip! :happy:

Hey! I just saw on your profile that you are 22 and looking to lose 75 lbs. Knowing that, you can definitely eat more and still lose. I am not an expert of course and everyones body responds differently but I would say you could eat around 1600 and lose nicely (and eat even more than that when you exercise). Often the more weight you need to lose and the younger/active you are, the more you can eat. As your weight gets lower and lower, at least you have room to tweak your calories a bit.

What is your height by the way??

lina1131

Tamim, you are my superstar! I want to be like you when I grow up. I am at 183 right now and I eat appx 1450 a day before exercising and a little more if I do exercise.

Something has to change though because I feel like my body is getting too comfortable.

BikeChick

Great news! I didn't even consider that, and when I go over my 1200 I feel like a failure. That is great advice, and I feel quite a whole lot better about this now. For awhile I was worried about trying to stay right at 1200 every day, but that makes perfect sense. There is a lot of random exercise a person can get that isn't easy to factor in on this site. Thanx for the tip! :happy:

Hey! I just saw on your profile that you are 22 and looking to lose 75 lbs. Knowing that, you can definitely eat more and still lose. I am not an expert of course and everyones body responds differently but I would say you could eat around 1600 and lose nicely (and eat even more than that when you exercise). Often the more weight you need to lose and the younger/active you are, the more you can eat. As your weight gets lower and lower, at least you have room to tweak your calories a bit.

What is your height by the way??

Well, my height is FIVE FOOT EVEN. So I believe that classifies me as "morbidly obese"? :sad: I HATEHATEHATE that term! That is great to hear, though, because I have gone over my calories several days in a row, now! I'm trying really hard to be positive about it, and not beat myself up when I do go over. Thanks again! :happy:

bonkers5975

This is so true, and I think it is boogey man behind my weightloss failure for the past 10 years!

I am 32, 5'10" and started out at 340. I'm eating between 2000 and 3000 calories a day, and losing 2 lbs a week. My workouts all revolve around horses right now, I am starting to walk regularly, but that's it. I can't believe it's working.

Now I'm really good, I stick right at what mfp tells me to eat. I've been under by as much 500 calories on a couple of days, and gone over once (choco binge... bad me!)

:happy:

TamTastic

Great news! I didn't even consider that, and when I go over my 1200 I feel like a failure. That is great advice, and I feel quite a whole lot better about this now. For awhile I was worried about trying to stay right at 1200 every day, but that makes perfect sense. There is a lot of random exercise a person can get that isn't easy to factor in on this site. Thanx for the tip! :happy:

Hey! I just saw on your profile that you are 22 and looking to lose 75 lbs. Knowing that, you can definitely eat more and still lose. I am not an expert of course and everyones body responds differently but I would say you could eat around 1600 and lose nicely (and eat even more than that when you exercise). Often the more weight you need to lose and the younger/active you are, the more you can eat. As your weight gets lower and lower, at least you have room to tweak your calories a bit.

What is your height by the way??

Well, my height is FIVE FOOT EVEN. So I believe that classifies me as "morbidly obese"? :sad: I HATEHATEHATE that term! That is great to hear, though, because I have gone over my calories several days in a row, now! I'm trying really hard to be positive about it, and not beat myself up when I do go over. Thanks again! :happy:

Morbidly obese is just a stinkin word! I hate it! I have gone from 270 to 187 in 8 months and my BMI has gone from 45 to 31.1 or still "obese". But I am very active, healthy and energetic. So, whatever! Stupid word!! HAHA!

Also, I am sorry to keep nagging you, but what is your current weight? That will help you to figure out your BMR and from there you can have a better understanding of the deficite you need to lose weight. You may have already done all of this but I just want to make sure you are informed on how your body works. That is a huge part of weight-loss success I think.

TamTastic

Tamim, you are my superstar! I want to be like you when I grow up. I am at 183 right now and I eat appx 1450 a day before exercising and a little more if I do exercise.

Something has to change though because I feel like my body is getting too comfortable.

Love the new pic!! Very glamorous!!! Ohhh la la!!

Maybe just up your exercise a notch. Maybe up the level or add another 5 minutes or switch machines. Your food intake seems to be good. I know...remember me a few weeks ago?? I was all down in the dumps. Happens to all of us when our body isn't responding the way it should.

lina1131

Tamim, you are my superstar! I want to be like you when I grow up. I am at 183 right now and I eat appx 1450 a day before exercising and a little more if I do exercise.

Something has to change though because I feel like my body is getting too comfortable.

Love the new pic!! Very glamorous!!! Ohhh la la!!

Maybe just up your exercise a notch. Maybe up the level or add another 5 minutes or switch machines. Your food intake seems to be good. I know...remember me a few weeks ago?? I was all down in the dumps. Happens to all of us when our body isn't responding the way it should.

Yeah, I think i'll give that a shot!