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nothing for 3 weeks? am i doing this wrong!?

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  • Posts: 363
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/sep/19/exercise-dieting-public-health

    That doesn't prove anything hoss. It says in the article that they ate food to compensate the burned calories. Weight loss is simple.. Burn more than you put in.
  • you weigh 224 and are surviving on 1200 calories?! eek... that's just brutal. Think about how much you were eating before your lifestyle change and try to cut that ammount by 500 calories a day (this should include a substantial ammount of exercise). There is just no excuse for not exercising enough... trust me... if you want the time in your day, you will find it!
  • Posts: 363
    you weigh 224 and are surviving on 1200 calories?! eek... that's just brutal. Think about how much you were eating before your lifestyle change and try to cut that ammount by 500 calories a day (this should include a substantial ammount of exercise). There is just no excuse for not exercising enough... trust me... if you want the time in your day, you will find it!
    You don't even have to join a gym.. You can't go outside because the weather doesn't cooperate, you can do prisoner squats, push ups, curls.. The sky's the limit.
  • Posts: 351 Member
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/sep/19/exercise-dieting-public-health

    Wow. That is the first time ive ever read an article opposed to exercise. I completely disagree with it based on my own personal experiences, and I think its pretty silly to post on a FITNESS website....but if it works for someone else, I wish them well.
  • Posts: 2,066 Member
    I think a lot of people jump in too fast to the diet part, and too slowly to the exercise part. Figure out your maintenance calories (what it would take to maintain your current weight.) BMR calculators can tell you that.

    Sorry gotta clarify this- BMR does NOT tell you what you burn in a day. No, it tells you what you would burn in a day in a coma, keeping your basic functions going. To get the amount of calories you burn in a typical day, go to the "My Home" tab> Goals On the right hand side it should say "Diet Profile" and there should be a number "Calories Burned...From Daily Activity" THIS is the number from which you should be subtracting 500 calories. NOT your BMR.

    I actually use my BMR as my guideline to steer away from triggering starvation response- I make sure my NET is roughly enough to support my basic bodily function and exercise. So my lowest is 1300+exercise and my highest is 1400+exercise.
  • Posts: 328
    I just took another look at the BMR on MFP and it only calculates basic life function needs, so don't take 500 calories off that number! Some calculators factor in activity and give a maintenance calorie number, that is the one to take 500 off of. You could use the BMR number on here as your actual daily goal, no math needed.
  • Posts: 2,549 Member

    Sorry gotta clarify this- BMR does NOT tell you what you burn in a day. No, it tells you what you would burn in a day in a coma, keeping your basic functions going. To get the amount of calories you burn in a typical day, go to the "My Home" tab> Goals On the right hand side it should say "Diet Profile" and there should be a number "Calories Burned...From Daily Activity" THIS is the number from which you should be subtracting 500 calories. NOT your BMR.

    ^^This^^

    Do this to find what MFP calculates your maintenance to be and subtract 500 a day to lose 1 pound a week. BMR is NOT what you base your deficit on.
  • Posts: 982 Member
    The article I posted is not opposed to exercise. It only points out that exercise is of minimal importance as a weight loss tool.
  • Posts: 363
    The article I posted is not opposed to exercise. It only points out that exercise is of minimal importance as a weight loss tool.
    I'm no doctor, but I strongly believe that exercise is an important tool. You've got to get your blood to flowing somehow. That's just me.
  • Your'e eating 1200 a day? Is this what MFP told you to eat when you entered in your height/weight/etc? Follow what MFP suggested and eat that NET calorie amount. If you can't eat that much, plan your foods out and force yourself to eat it. You're doing more harm than good by not eating.

    Something to remember is that you can't rush losing weight and if you do, its not healthy or pleasant, and you won't look as good as the next person who lost it slowly. Stick to 1-2lbs a week.

    If you lose weight fast, especially with minimal exercise, your body will burn a lot of your muscle off. This leads to an undefined body.

    1. Eat your NET Calories. (At your weight I don't think 1200 is the right amount)
    2. Exercise (At least 3 times a week)
    3. Eat your fats, carbs, and proteins.
    4. Take a multivitamin
  • Posts: 982 Member
    Your'e eating 1200 a day? Is this what MFP told you to eat when you entered in your height/weight/etc? Follow what MFP suggested and eat that NET calorie amount. If you can't eat that much, plan your foods out and force yourself to eat it. You're doing more harm than good by not eating.

    Something to remember is that you can't rush losing weight and if you do, its not healthy or pleasant, and you won't look as good as the next person who lost it slowly. Stick to 1-2lbs a week.

    If you lose weight fast, especially with minimal exercise, your body will burn a lot of your muscle off. This leads to an undefined body.

    1. Eat your NET Calories. (At your weight I don't think 1200 is the right amount)
    2. Exercise (At least 3 times a week)
    3. Eat your fats, carbs, and proteins.
    4. Take a multivitamin

    Yes, however, burning substantial amounts of lean body mass as fuel will only happen if the OP is severely malnourished and below 6% body fat. That's not something most people here on MFP will ever experience while bringing down their weight.

    The other way would be to fast a little more, not less, but do this in a structured way, if this is something the OP can sustain mentally.

    http://ifdiet.blogspot.com/2007/11/one-meal-day-vs-intermittent-fasting.html

    heresy, I know, but it's simply an alternative approach.

  • Yes, however, burning substantial amounts of lean body mass as fuel will only happen if the OP is severely malnourished and below 6% body fat. That's not something most people here on MFP will ever experience while bringing down their weight.

    The other way would be to fast a little more, not less, but do this in a structured way, if this is something the OP can sustain mentally.

    http://ifdiet.blogspot.com/2007/11/one-meal-day-vs-intermittent-fasting.html

    heresy, I know, but it's simply an alternative approach.

    I hope you're not suggesting that exercising isn't important. We need to get out of the mindset that we need to "lose weight". What we need to do is "be healthy".

    With minimal exercise and large weight loss, you'll have a lot of loose skin. Your body won't be very toned.
  • Posts: 982 Member

    I hope you're not suggesting that exercising isn't important. We need to get out of the mindset that we need to "lose weight". What we need to do is "be healthy".

    With minimal exercise and large weight loss, you'll have a lot of loose skin. Your body won't be very toned.

    That's not what I'm saying. However, as a weight loss tool, exercise is of very limited benefit.

    I'd say we definitely need to eat fewer calories.

  • That's not what I'm saying. However, as a weight loss tool, exercise is of very limited benefit.

    I'd say we definitely need to eat fewer calories.

    The OP is eating 1200 calories, thats already eating fewer calories than she is recommended to do. Also weight loss shouldn't be the only goal here.
  • Posts: 982 Member

    The OP is eating 1200 calories, thats already eating fewer calories than she is recommended to do. Also weight loss shouldn't be the only goal here.

    That is true as well.
  • Posts: 250 Member
    well 1250 is what MFP has told me!!

    so confused! my brm is around 1700 should i go up to that?
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