Continuing weight loss progress without exercise

Dori_B_84

So I have done the weight loss thing through managed diet and a consistent exercise programme before and made good progress (lost 25kg) and managed to maintain my weight for a good 5 years (hurrah!). Earlier this year I put on about 8kg I don't really need courtesy of being pregnant and eating like **** after a very late term miscarriage. I had gotten myself back on track to loosing the weight by dropping my calories back to healthy level but I was very physically active. I Crossfit about 3-4 times a week and jog at lunchtime 2-4 times a week, I also dance but it doesn't really feel like exercise comparatively.
Things were looking good for being 'back to normal' by Christmas.

Then I got pregnant again and had an ectopic pregnancy and had to have surgery. I am now not allowed to exercise (other than walking) for 6 weeks after which I will be allowed to start running and after 8 weeks I'm allowed to start weight lifting again, though am supposed to start slowly (meaning light weights ). Needless to say the high intensity type workouts and heavy lifting I'm used to are out of the question for some time.

So my question to others really is: How do manage with your weight loss without exercise when you don't have tons to loose. When I first started getting healthy and had 25kg to loose just managing a good diet was quite adequate but now that I am used to working out - and so is my body - I am really worried that nothing much will be happening.
MFP has calculated the same 1200cal limit for me with or without my weekly activity entered in (presumably because it adds exercise calories via my actual exercise tracking which I do via fitbit). But even though, previously (incl exercise) my daily calorie limit was around 1300-1600 depending on what I'd been up to which doesn't seem like a big difference.
I am very anti starving myself and 1200 already seems quite low but I also don't really want to spend the next 3 months making no progress.

Thoughts?

VelveteenArabian

Sorry for your losses.

I would talk to your doctor first because I think you should focus on healing more than anything.

1200 is really low and not sustainable for a lot of people, so perhaps the TDEE method would work better for you. If you go here: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ Use that to calculate your TDEE then go 20% below that for your daily caloric intake.

hortensehildegarde

I find it very hard to believe that MFP would have your calories at 1200 WITH your old level of activity entered in.

It sounds like maybe you have it set to 2lb per week loss. If you set it to .5 per week loss what does it give you?

You can burn calories walking just fine, it just takes a while. You can do 3 20 minute miles in a hour (pretty darn leisurely walk) and you'll see different amounts set for such a walk but it should be at least around 210 calories for the 3 miles.

You definitely don't need a lot of intensity to burn calories, the intensity level is more to improve fitness. You may need a little time though.

Kalikel

When you say "except for walking", does that mean around the house or can you walk a mile or two outside? If you can go for walks, problem fairly solved.

Otherwise, it's all about the calories. You might not lose as quickly, but if you're eating 1200 cals/day, you should lose, especially if you have muscle.

Remember that the exercising will be there when you're ready to get back to it. Taking care of you is the most important thing! You don't want to end up in the hospital. Talk about getting no exercise. And you never know WHAT kind of roommate you'll get.

I'm so sorry you've had so much trouble with your pregnancies. I will say a prayer for you and hope that some very good things happen for you in the future.

ana3067

Weight loss is entirely about a caloric deficit. Exercise is not needed for this.

You've likely been using MFP wrong if you've been eating too little. Either you are entering in unrealistic goals (2lb/week is not realistic for the majority of people) or you are not eating back exercise calories at all, or both.

So for now, just rest up and recalculate your caloric needs with a lower deficit to enable better recover (15% would be the lowest I'd go). Exrx.net and health-calc are both good websites to check out - be honest with your daily energy expenditure averages to get a more accurate caloric needs estimate, then subtract 15% from that. Once you're doing better, recalculate if you've lost any weight and change to 20% deficit if you'd like. If you use MFP method of eating net and eating back exercise calories, then simply log exercise nad eat back your desired portion. If you prefer to do TDEE method then recalculate to include your new exercise activity averages and subtract 20% and have that as a daily goal.

ETA when sedentary I do not recommend using drop-down websites to estimate caloric needs. They will liekly estimate too low unless you literally are bed-ridden most of the time. Although if exercising, I'd only recommend scoobysworkshop calculator. I've used IIFYM and it estimates low for many people, including myself.

Dori_B_84

hortensehilde: Sorry I wasn't very clear re the MFP calculation. It calculate at 1200 with my activity level at sedentary (which I have set because I have a desk job) but it did add extra calories on top of this (to eat back) when I logged my workouts usually landing me at around 1450-1500 calories (on average).

I have discussed all this with my doctor who tells me that I need to work these things out for myself or they can refer me to a nutritionist (which I am, pretty sure I don't need). So they are pretty useless at diet advice but have recommended strongly against exercise which is advice I am following. I also have regular check ups to make sure everything is going well and the doc has been more than happy with my recovery so far.

Re walking: Yes I can go for longer walks and I have started doing a fair bit just to get some fresh air. I live one block from the beach so it's easy to do, especially now that it's warming up (excluding today's spring hail storm I guess.). However it really doesn't feel like exercise and I never logged my walking before but I've always done a fair bit just for the pleasure of being outside.

VelvateenArab: thanks for linking the TDEE calculator. It looks like it'd be a useful comparison tool - I got about 1950 on that and the site suggest 15-20% drop for weight loss which would be just under 1600.

I guess it might just be best to try and stick to a calorie limit somewhere between the 1200 and 1600 and see if there's any progress even without working out and being prepared to lose weight a little more slowly than I had been (which was about 0.5kg/week pre surgery). It's just quite frustrating having made such good progress and now feeling like I am potentially stuck with waiting till I am physically back to normal.

annietud

Weight loss is entirely about a caloric deficit. Exercise is not needed for this.

You've likely been using MFP wrong if you've been eating too little. Either you are entering in unrealistic goals (2lb/week is not realistic for the majority of people) or you are not eating back exercise calories at all, or both

Excuse me for jumping in, should you always eat your exercise calories back please can you explain why? I'm trying to get out of "diet mindset" and need info. Thank you

sijomial

MFP has calculated the same 1200cal limit for me with or without my weekly activity entered in (presumably because it adds exercise calories via my actual exercise tracking which I do via fitbit). But even though, previously (incl exercise) my daily calorie limit was around 1300-1600 depending on what I'd been up to which doesn't seem like a big difference.
I am very anti starving myself and 1200 already seems quite low but I also don't really want to spend the next 3 months making no progress.

Thoughts?

The biggest impact on what MFP gives you as a calorie goal is the rate of weight loss you have chosen. If you choose 2lbs a week (as seems sadly far too common even when inappropriate for the individual concerned...) then you are very likely to end up at a tiny daily allowance.
What weekly weight loss goal have you chosen? What happens to your calorie goal when you change it to a slow weight loss goal (which would seem to be sensible if you don't have much to lose)?

sijomial

Excuse me for jumping in, should you always eat your exercise calories back please can you explain why? I'm trying to get out of "diet mindset" and need info. Thank you

Primarily because that's the way this tool is designed. If you do a significant amount of exercise and don't account for it you won't be eating the appropriate calories to hit your goal.
Have a read of this....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

La5Vega5Girl

i lost our baby, then 2 months later had to have a hysterectomy so i was on bedrest for 12 weeks. it was awful because i had been in the gym for 2 years at that point. I FOLLOWED DR'S ORDERS and i did exactly what she said. it is far more important to focus on healing. you can always exercise later. (by the way, i couldn't even WALK as exercise for the first 6-8 weeks)