calorie limit for a 445 lb man for weight loss

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  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    I guess 80% of the weight loss information available is not meant for large people and i wish i knew that when i started...

    But everybody has to start somewhere (unique to their goals)…. There is a lot of information to absorb and it can be overwhelming at times. You are making positive steps, as evidenced by this thread. Keep at it.

    Read the link up thread and all of the links in it. It will take awhile, but it is absolutely worth it. (and I agree with having a chat with your doctor if you haven't done so already)
  • jardane1
    jardane1 Posts: 58 Member
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    No insurance :(
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    at the end of the day, all calculators are just estimates...

    start with a reasonable number - like 2500 - do it for 6 weeks, recording your weight and net cals each week. after the 6 weeks. if you are losing more than 2-3lb per week add 200 cals, if you are not losing take away another 200 cals... do this for 6 weeks, check your numbers again...
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    No insurance :(

    =< Risk of death

    At least go to one of those free nurse things that give "free health assessments" at some point in the next 3 months, ok? So they'll listen to your heart and take your bloodpressure. Surely they even offer this at work sometimes? If they don't ask your HR department about it.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
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    There are groups here with people looking to lose 100 or more pounds. Here's one for people that are looking to lose 200...maybe you could post your question there as well.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/744-200-to-lose
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
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    Are there no free clinics or anything where you are? When you're talking big long term loss massive health changes you likely will want to be monitored for your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

    It must feel off putting that a lot of the 'standard' advice doesn't work for you but that doesn't mean there aren't solutions out there.

    If you look at/get in touch with some of the people on the success stories forum, there are many that have lost 100+lb and may be able to share more relevant advice from their experiences. There are heaps on there!
  • Laurayinz
    Laurayinz Posts: 912 Member
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    There are groups here with people looking to lose 100 or more pounds. Here's one for people that are looking to lose 200...maybe you could post your question there as well.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/744-200-to-lose
    you might want to take a peek in here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/9291-300-400-pound-club

    they might be able to give you some tips. Hope that helps.

    Keep in mind that MFP often overestimates calories burned for cardio. You might want to use another app like runtastic or mapmyfitness, which would use a GPS and/or a heart rate monitor for a more accurate reading, and have it synch with MFP.

    Also remember that weight loss can stall, even if you're doing the same thing and the right things Bodies are pains in the *kitten*. Try not to get too frustrated or give up! :drinker:
  • lukewind
    lukewind Posts: 177 Member
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    I do 10,000 steps at least a day and eat around 2300-2750 calories a day and I lose 3-4 pounds a week on average. One thing to remember when you are as big as us is that our bodies will hold onto a lot of water weight and our weight will largely vary over the week. I don't weigh myself very often because my body goes up and down quite a bit, but as long as I stick with it I always end up losing at least 12 pounds a month, sometime more.

    If I was you I would start at 2500 calories a day and see if you can manage at least 60 minutes a day walking. And make sure at least 30 of those minutes are done with a brisk pace that gets your heart going. I notice that the weeks I don't get as much cardio I don't lose nearly as much, even if I burn the exact same amount of calories just from steps.

    One factor that the automated calculations don't take into account is muscle mass, some 400lbs+ men have a lot more muscle then others so they burn a lot more calories a day. I am lucky that I played sports and did some weight lifting when younger so I have a lot of muscle mass under my fat so I burn over 4K cals a day easy. You might be different.

    If you really want to get to the bottom of it go have a RMR test done, costs about 80-100 bucks and will tell you with more accuracy how many calories a day you are burning.
  • Laurayinz
    Laurayinz Posts: 912 Member
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    Do i add the calories burned from a collective 30 minutes of walking around work aka if i burn 300 calories from waking during my work day do i need to eat 300 more calories?
    I wouldn't count those walking minutes, unless they were a single event, like a lunchtime stroll around the parking lot. If it's just part of your day, walking down the halls to another room and back, then no. You could possibly change your activity level to "lightly active", versus "sedentary", but that'd be a stretch. can you fit in a single 30-minute stretch of walking in addition?
  • tarcotti
    tarcotti Posts: 205 Member
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    No insurance :(

    Yes, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go see a doctor. It's pretty unsafe if you have over 200 lbs to lose, NOT to get professional advisement. You shouldn't start any kind of weight loss routine without consulting a doctor. Your health is much more important than money in the long run! In my house we can't afford to buy all these fresh fruits and vegetables right now, but we are cutting our expenses elsewhere so we can buy them. Just my opinion, take it or leave it.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    No insurance :(

    Yes, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go see a doctor. It's pretty unsafe if you have over 200 lbs to lose, NOT to get professional advisement. You shouldn't start any kind of weight loss routine without consulting a doctor. Your health is much more important than money in the long run! In my house we can't afford to buy all these fresh fruits and vegetables right now, but we are cutting our expenses elsewhere so we can buy them. Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

    I am totally gonna do an aside here and rant about any country that thinks it's ok that a 445 lb man who actually wants to lose weight and get healthy, feels he has no access to basic health information or advice from the trained medical community.

    /end rant

    Sorry OP, this has nothing to do with you. Just me and my frustration with the general state of health care and information in the U.S., which is I assume where you live.
  • jardane1
    jardane1 Posts: 58 Member
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    I am working on getting a 15 to 30 minute bike ride in 1 to 3 times a week and also getting more walking in during the day. I don't feel like i should count my normal activity at work because it's only short spurts that don't get my heart rate up. I don't think i will subtract calories from walking but i might from bike riding because i burn a lot more doing that.

    On the 4th of july i biked 20 minutes to the beach to watch fireworks and then 20 minutes back and that was roughly 1200 burned according to MFP app. Stuff like that i will track but anything smaller like walking i don't think i need to.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I am working on getting a 15 to 30 minute bike ride in 1 to 3 times a week and also getting more walking in during the day. I don't feel like i should count my normal activity at work because it's only short spurts that don't get my heart rate up. I don't think i will subtract calories from walking but i might from bike riding because i burn a lot more doing that.

    On the 4th of july i biked 20 minutes to the beach to watch fireworks and then 20 minutes back and that was roughly 1200 burned according to MFP app. Stuff like that i will track but anything smaller like walking i don't think i need to.

    That may be part of your problem man - you almost certainly did not burn 1200 calories in 40 minutes of cycling. However you approach it (be it not eating back exercise calories and/or reducing your overall caloric target), you need to eat less to see the pounds come off. The big reason to see a doctor or a free clinic is to try and determine whether your current weight is a result of a medical condition or just your past eating habits. I'd see a healthcare professional if you can but either way, reducing your calories is the place to start.
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
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    I'm on the 2,500 boat.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    i biked 20 minutes to the beach to watch fireworks and then 20 minutes back and that was roughly 1200 burned according to MFP app.

    I seriously question the accuracy of these numbers. Log them if you want, but I wouldn't eat back 100% of these calories. Not even if you are 100% certain you were traveling at the RPM, speed and incline depicted in the description. The MFP calculator can't possibly know the pressure of your tires, resistance of the road surface, what gear you were in, etc. Without a HRM, I would never 100% trust what MFP said I burned in an activity.
  • AJL_Daddy
    AJL_Daddy Posts: 525 Member
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    There are a lot of people here that try to OUTSMART MFP. With things like BMR, TDEE, IIFYM, not eating exercise calories, etc. But if you look at the majority of the success stories, they are people that followed the MFP suggestions. As I say in golf, KISS. Keep It Simple Senor!
  • AJL_Daddy
    AJL_Daddy Posts: 525 Member
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    Here is the only amendment I would make.

    Only eat back 50% of your exercise calories.

    2 reasons:
    1) The burns MFP gives you are proven bunk.
    2) Keep some in reserve for a rainy day.

    I see great things for you, my friend!
  • jardane1
    jardane1 Posts: 58 Member
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    I agree with reducing calories, i am going to try 2500 for a month and see where it gets me.

    I just honestly don't see the reason to pay so much money to go to a doctor to have him tell me i am overweight and try to put me on drugs i can't afford. All my free money is going to my wedding in september so i really don't have a single extra cent to spend on seeing a doctor.

    I know it sounds odd but i get a little offended when the first thing i hear when i am working on losing weight is "you need to see a doctor" despite my weight i have never really had any medical issues with my size and i resent the fact that people assume i have. I may be heavy but i am also rather tall, broad shouldered and have a very large body frame so my weight has not been as big of an encumbrance as you would expect.

    I am not losing weight because i hate how i look, i am not losing it because i feel like i will die if i don't i am losing weight because i want to and mostly because i to want find clothing easier. I honestly like how I look, even if i am big and if i choose to stay the same it's my choice so is losing weight.

    To say i will die because i am losing weight is a little offensive, to assume my health is poor because i am heavy is also a little offensive.

    sorry for the rant.
  • osothefinn
    osothefinn Posts: 163 Member
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    I started at 485, and I ate what MFP told me to lose 2 pounds a week. Did no exercise at all until I'd dropped like 50 pounds.

    Right now I'm eating 2300 based on what MFP tells me, and still losing, and I do workout classes 2-3 days a week (kettlebells, kickboxing, etc) and recumbent biking 3-4, with one rest day, still not eating back any exercise cals, unless I'm really hungry (and even then it's like 1-2 times a week, and I only eat back half of what my HR strap estimates).

    I have a cheat day occasionally, like the 4th of July, but get right back on the wagon the next day.

    If you're not losing you're eating too much, so either cut cals by like 250 a week until you start losing or stop eating back exercise cals. As others have said, make sure you weigh/measure everything, and log everything, even cheat days.

    Just eat what MFP tells you, that's all I've done for the most part, although I adjust the macros a bit for less carbs and more protein, but I stick to the calorie numbers. Don't worry about BMR, just keep on trucking. Good luck.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    To say i will die because i am losing weight is a little offensive, to assume my health is poor because i am heavy is also a little offensive.

    I didn't mean to offend. If your health is important to you, I urge you to monitor your BP, cholesterol, and have your heart and lungs checked by someone holding a stethoscope. Losing weight is tough on the body. I'm not implying you're unhealthy right now. I lost 100 lbs. I know what it's like to be obese and people assume you're unhealthy. I don't mean it as an insult. Not every doctor is a douchecanoe. And not everyone who urges you to get your health a check up is telling you you're unhealthy.

    Again, I'm sorry you got offended. Please consider our advice well-grounded in what's best overall.

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