Advice needed badly

Big_Beanz

I am 371 lbs 6'2" male and MFP states that to lose 2 pounds a week my calorie goal should be 2420. This in itself supposedly is still too many calories for the average male. I think its 2200. The thing is that I can eat only 2200 calories and feel fine but I do rougly 5000 steps a day now and play basketball about 1 to 2 hours a day which suppossedly take up around 1000 to 1500 calories a day. My calorie goal gets boosted up by that much. After eating small for breakfast and lunch for instance yesterday by the time dinner came around after my walk and basketball i still had only eaten maybe 1000 calories. dinner was about 700 calories. So in total i ate about 1800 calories but burned roughly 1300 calories leaving me with a net calorie of 500. Should i maybe not exercise as much, eat more, what to do MFP. I wanna drop to 350 before school starts August 18. So thats a month. Thats 5 pounds a week? Is it feasible. What calorie goal should I do and what exercise should I do. Is my playing basketball for one hour really 1000 calories??

Much needed advice please

thegreatcanook

Congrats on starting! Your goal of eating 2200 is perfect for your height and weight. For some bizarre reason, MFP tells you to then eat more when you exercise. I ignore that. I went from 332 to 225 in 2 years (107 lost!!!) by eating 1900 cals and exercising 30-35 minutes per day.....male 6'1". If you stick with it, you will succeed! Add me as I'd love to cheer you on!

KarenJanine

... For some bizarre reason, MFP tells you to then eat more when you exercise..

That "bizarre" reason is because MFP has calculated a deficit into your calorie goal so you would lose weight if you didn't exercise. When you exercise you are therefore creating a larger deficit than is required for sustainable weight loss.


OP, it is not recommended for anyone to be losing more than 2 lbs per week . So no, 5 lbs per week is not feasible and would not be advised.


As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

(taken from: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets)

I highly recommend reading this post and the linked posts within it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Big_Beanz

Well Ive read that 1% of your body weight in week is most definately healthy and for people my weight who are well overweight that up to 2% of your body weight is healthy in a week. For me that would be 3.7 to 7.4 lbs.. 5 is in the middle there and I exercise rougly 1 hour to 1 and half hour a day which burns for a person my size a lot of calories.. Should i just continue eating like a pig and working out the same to keep that net goal of 2420 calories..

Big_Beanz

Well Ive read that 1% of your body weight in week is most definately healthy and for people my weight who are well overweight that up to 2% of your body weight is healthy in a week. For me that would be 3.7 to 7.4 lbs.. 5 is in the middle there and I exercise rougly 1 hour to 1 and half hour a day which burns for a person my size a lot of calories.. Should i just continue eating like a pig and working out the same to keep that net goal of 2420 calories..

_HeartsOnFire_

Everything I've learned in 2 years. I know it's a lot of info, start with the bolded first.


Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.
-Wayne Dyer

It's about moderation not deprivation. There are no good/bad foods, only bad eating habits. Do or do not, there is no try. You have to want it, you have to work for it, you have to realize that only you can do it.

Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1346163-change-your-mindset

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Topsking2010

I agree with MFP. I would eat about 2500 calories and do more steady cardio like swimming and cycling in addition to walking.

I would play basketball a couple of times a week but focus more on weight loss.

Big_Beanz

lots of links will read those now.. Please keep advice coming..

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/Big_Beanz

PAST 3 days of tracking please check them if you have time

skullshank

Everything I've learned in 2 years. I know it's a lot of info, start with the bolded first.


Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.
-Wayne Dyer

It's about moderation not deprivation. There are no good/bad foods, only bad eating habits. Do or do not, there is no try. You have to want it, you have to work for it, you have to realize that only you can do it.

Read these:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1346163-change-your-mindset

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

parkscs

Well Ive read that 1% of your body weight in week is most definately healthy and for people my weight who are well overweight that up to 2% of your body weight is healthy in a week. For me that would be 3.7 to 7.4 lbs.. 5 is in the middle there and I exercise rougly 1 hour to 1 and half hour a day which burns for a person my size a lot of calories.. Should i just continue eating like a pig and working out the same to keep that net goal of 2420 calories..

Don't worry about the all-too-often-copy-pasted info about what you can "safely" lose - the problem with that chart is it stops at 75 pounds to lose and doesn't keep going. Don't worry about how much you're losing every week - go by how you feel, but know that right now it would be very difficult for you to undereat on any reasonable calorie target. If you're feeling hungry all the time, be a bit less aggressive with your calorie target, but hitting around 2400 calories should be fine as long as you stick with satiating foods. Just my $0.02, but I would aim for around 2400 gross calories for a bit and see how you feel. The key is to find something that you can stick with for the next year or so, and that means if you aren't happy with something about your diet, look to make changes while maintaining your calorie deficit. But don't worry about eating too little for now - get 2000-2400 calories, try to hit your protein macro and don't worry about it.

Big_Beanz

I try to cycle on the days I dont play basketball. The basketball is my exercise I feel at least. It is something i enjoy doing and I get a workout from. Is it not beneficial to weight loss?

CorlissaEats

Eat enough to fuel your activity. 5lbs per week is too much. Rapid weight loss puts stress on your internal organs, kidney failure and gallstones are just two examples of potential complications from sustained undereating. I have gallstones, trust me, you do not want to develop issues with your gallbladder. Stick to 2lb per week, its the industry standard for the max healthy weightloss rate. Eating at deficit of larger than 1000 calories per day over a sustained period of time (usually months) can also lead to metabolic syndrome, muscle loss, nail & hair deterioration, etc.

Bottom line: food is fuel. Eat enough especially if you arent hungry and if you are active.

KseRz

... For some bizarre reason, MFP tells you to then eat more when you exercise..

That "bizarre" reason is because MFP has calculated a deficit into your calorie goal so you would lose weight if you didn't exercise. When you exercise you are therefore creating a larger deficit than is required for sustainable weight loss.


OP, it is not recommended for anyone to be losing more than 2 lbs per week . So no, 5 lbs per week is not feasible and would not be advised.


As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

(taken from: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets)

I highly recommend reading this post and the linked posts within it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

It may not be advised but if it happens.....it happens.

Great Advice on the Sexy Pants Thread. I wish the Mods would make that a sticky topic.

OP, I am not sure when you started but so far you have the right idea. At your current weight I wouldnt worry too much about the difference between 2200 calories and 2400 calories. Either way you should be at a deficit. If you feel full at 2200 GREAT! Some days if you feel tired or just are really really starving bump it up to 2400 cals.

Another thing to keep in mind that I didnt see the sexy pants thread address is that as the weight does come and keeps coming off that you need to reevaluate yourself and adjust your intake / calorie burn accordingly. For that Scooby has created a Fat Loss Plateau Calculator. This is also especially useful for those that have been losing and hit that "weight loss plateau"

http://scoobysworkshop.com/fat-loss-plateau-calculator/

The tool is just a tool. Its not written in stone and if you input your data in and for some reason it doesnt work out perfectly, dont worry. Dont be afraid to play around with the numbers (the tool said I could eat 2348) and be at my goal weight of 205lbs in 50 months. Be flexible and dont get discouraged if you dont meet that 350lb goal by the time you want. Just keep at it and before you know it youll be at 300 and already have forgotten about 350.


ETA: The calculator can also be used for bulking. For other people. I selected that option and it gave me a warning that my BMI was already a bit high. :grumble:

parkscs

I try to cycle on the days I dont play basketball. The basketball is my exercise I feel at least. It is something i enjoy doing and I get a workout from. Is it not beneficial to weight loss?

Play ball and have fun man. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Aim for something like 2000-2400 calories per day and get sufficient protein, play as much ball as you want and try to stay active. If you find yourself going hungry or lacking energy, reassess your plan. Weight lifting is a great thing to get into as well. You don't need to go to an extreme of trying to cycle 6 hours a day while eating 600 calories (please don't do this), but 2400 gross calories with some recreational sports and maybe a bit of walking/cycling? That sounds great to me.

The important thing is to try and get yourself into a routine that you enjoy and that you can sustain, as you're going to have at least a year or two of cutting weight ahead of you. People always want to focus on optimizing macros, calories, workout routines and the like, but don't forget about your own happiness on a particular routine as that's incredibly important. If you're going to keep this up for 1-2 years, you need to enjoy what you're doing and it should not feel like a chore or otherwise make you feel miserable.

AliceDark

There's not a huge difference between 2420 calories and 2200 calories per day -- that's an extra 1540 calories per week, so the most you'd lose is an extra 0.5 pound per week if you hit 2200 every day. I honestly wouldn't worry too much about it, because you'll still lose at a decent rate at 2420.

Here's the argument for picking the higher target...

Weight loss is going to take you a long time, and you're going to have to lower your calorie target more than once during your journey. If you can lose weight at a higher number for awhile, take advantage of it. It'll help with adherence at the beginning, which is the #1 thing you should be concerned about. It's not about trying to find how low you can go in the short term, it's about finding the "sweet spot" that you can stick to for the next six months until you can drop your target lower.

This part of the argument applies more to people who want to start with ridiculously low calorie targets, which isn't you at this point, but...if you start off at the lowest number of calories you can stand, what would you do when you have to drop your target? You can't live on air and salad greens. It's okay to give yourself some breathing room when you first start out in consideration of your future self.

Big_Beanz

I am more asking about what to do when i eat like 2000 calories and burn 1300 calories and have a net of 700. Do i eat back up to 2000 calories or jus continue on.

parkscs

I am more asking about what to do when i eat like 2000 calories and burn 1300 calories and have a net of 700. Do i eat back up to 2000 calories or jus continue on.

When I said 2200-2400 calories, I was talking total calories. I would use that as your target and don't eat back exercise calories for now. If you decide to do a 6 hour cycling tour or something extreme like that, then sure eat a bit more on that day, but generally speaking I would not worry about your net calories if you're eating 2200-2400 calories per day and doing recreational exercise.

Hornsby

I am more asking about what to do when i eat like 2000 calories and burn 1300 calories and have a net of 700. Do i eat back up to 2000 calories or jus continue on.

When I said 2200-2400 calories, I was talking total calories. I would use that as your target and don't eat back exercise calories for now. If you decide to do a 6 hour cycling tour or something extreme like that, then sure eat a bit more on that day, but generally speaking I would not worry about your net calories if you're eating 2200-2400 calories per day and doing recreational exercise.

I tend to agree. I would add that maybe on the days that you net something like 700 it wouldn't hurt to try and get that number up to around 1200 or so just to ensure you don't binge. The weight loss thing is a long road and the key is making it sustainable.

SueInAz

You have a lot of weight to lose. Honestly, I think that as long as you aren't feeling hungry, deprived, cranky, etc., and are still seeing a loss, then just keep doing what you're doing. I don't know if you could actually sustain a 5 pound per week loss and whether you'd actually be happy with the results if you could. Ever see one of the "Biggest Loser" type shows? The ones where they end up with yards of loose skin at the end? You don't really want that to be you, do you? Losing more slowly will prevent that because your skin will better be able to keep up with your loss and shrink with you. The number on the scale isn't, and shouldn't be, the end all and be all of getting more fit and healthy.

cookmtn

One other note: I looked at your diary and you seem to be weighing a lot of things which is great, but I noticed you had a couple entries for peanut butter and jelly that were measured in tsps/ tblspns. These should be weighed on a scale as well, if you aren't. You might be eating more calories than you realize if you measure this way. That may not be a bad thing for you at this point! Accuracy is always helpful, though, when trying to track weight loss and making adjustments. Good Luck!

JenniferIsLosingIt

Well Ive read that 1% of your body weight in week is most definately healthy and for people my weight who are well overweight that up to 2% of your body weight is healthy in a week. For me that would be 3.7 to 7.4 lbs.. 5 is in the middle there and I exercise rougly 1 hour to 1 and half hour a day which burns for a person my size a lot of calories.. Should i just continue eating like a pig and working out the same to keep that net goal of 2420 calories..

OP you have to listen to your body. And your doctor. Sooo many of the lovely folks here on MFP try to come off as experts but I lost right at twenty pounds my first month really trying. I ate plenty (over 2000) and exercised (walked two miles) every single day! Big folks lose more to begin with and to top it off your a man which means you will lose it easier because of your muscle/fat ratio is different than a womans.