Real Expectations on MFP

jlewis1981

Ladies and Gents...
Here's the deal.. I have to lose more than 2 lbs a week. I know that it sounds crazy, that I'm impatient, and un-realistic for long lasting results, but I just can't handle the slow pace that this is going. I see people wearing normal clothes, shopping at normal stores, and it just drives me bonkers, that I have to go find a 42" pant somewhere and squeeze my big butt into it.
I don't know what to do.. I've started doing cardio and sticking to the plan calories... but I just can't drop much of anything weight wise.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

-Jeff-

dearprudence1964

I feel your pain! I have been keeping a food diary on and off for over a year now. I managed to lose a size, but my weight is only down like 5 lbs total. I started with my fitness pal a few weeks ago, and I have lost 2 lbs. Loss is good, but it's frustrating. I am recording EVERYTHING and measuring everything and have been exercising steadily for a year, and still minimal loss. At my current weight, I should be passing out at the level of calories I eat, and yet, it seems my body just adjusts. The less I eat, the less I need to eat, and so the less weight I lose. If you ever find the secret, let me know!

sjcply

dont eat less calories or your body will go in starvation mode! When I "upped" my calories and increased my exercise, it came off! Make sure and eat healthy grains, veggies and fruit, drink water and exercise as much as possible and be patient! You didnt gain the weight overnight, you wont lose it overnight either.

Good Luck to you both! :happy:

meggonkgonk

First- the speed at which you can safely lose is determined by your current size. HEre's a chart I got from one of the more seasoned MFPers(SHBoss):

With a BMI of 32 and over a deficit of 1000 calories is generally correct (about 2 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)

But essentially, you should stick with it and focus on living healthy. It sucks. We've all been there and it sucks.

I have a question for both of you- are you eating ENOUGH? Sometimes, esp when starting out, people eat as little as they can deal with in hopes of speeding along weightloss, but your body needs a minimal amount of calories per day. This generally eating all of or a portion of your exercise cals. PM or friend me if you need more info (it always turns into a debate on the boards)

Good luck!
Meg

dolphinstar106

I understand what youre going through dude. I too was once a 42'' waist. I can only say that hard work does eventually pay off. Im now a 32'' waist, and some 5 stones lighter snce starting on my determined goals.

Ive tried quick diets, ive tried slow diets. Ive tried Atkins, ketosis based diets, appetite supressants, carb restrictors, fat restrictors, supplements, the works.

But to be honest nothing feels better than a good amount of exercise and kjeeping track of what youre putting into your body. I recently plateued and coudlnt lose any more. Now im eating more and doing more, and hopefully the last stone I need to lose will go.

Its hard, but then again youre being hard on yourself not to want to achieve these things long term. Long terms goals mean long term changes. Short term goals are pretty much the same. (they only last a short time).

dearprudence1964

dont eat less calories or your body will go in starvation mode! When I "upped" my calories and increased my exercise, it came off! Make sure and eat healthy grains, veggies and fruit, drink water and exercise as much as possible and be patient! You didnt gain the weight overnight, you wont lose it overnight either.

Good Luck to you both! :happy:

This becomes so confusing, because I just read a huge thread on here that cites articles stating that "starvation mode" is a myth.

Mindful_Trent

dont eat less calories or your body will go in starvation mode! When I "upped" my calories and increased my exercise, it came off! Make sure and eat healthy grains, veggies and fruit, drink water and exercise as much as possible and be patient! You didnt gain the weight overnight, you wont lose it overnight either.

Good Luck to you both! :happy:

This becomes so confusing, because I just read a huge thread on here that cites articles stating that "starvation mode" is a myth.

And if you read through the multiple pages of that thread, you'll see some very informed users explaining why it is NOT a myth.

To the OP - I know it sucks, but you just have to stick with it. Aim for 2 lbs a week and you will likely find that your body surprises you! Some weeks I "should" have only lost 2 lbs, but I ended up losing more. It took awhile to put the weight on, so it's going to take awhile to take it off. It's just how it works. It's not worth risking your long-term health to get that weight off quicker. It's also commonly promoted that slower weight loss is easier to maintain once the goal is achieved.

Negative effects of losing weight too quickly include loss of energy, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, gallbladder problems, hair loss, etc.

Only you can make yourself change your attitude and accept that faster is not always better.

meggonkgonk

Yes, for the most part those people are crash dieters. Starvation mode is not a myth. There is a point at which your body does in fact believe you are starving. It may not be exactly 1200 for everyone, but it seems to be roughly 1200 for many.

Did you also do a search and find all of the articles with citations that it is NOT a myth? Any of these ought to do.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo


But hey you want to eat 700 calories a day and lose excruciatingly slowly or worse put on 5lbs the first time you cave and have pizza, me and my 1400 calories are gonna be over here, steadily losing a lb a week.

BryanAir

Think of it this way, you can rush through it, lose some weight in an unsustainable fashion and then gain it back plus some over a few years because you can't keep dieting. Or you can do it correctly right now. You'll be much happier this time next year if you take the slow and steady course.

crystal_sapphire

You could try something different with your diet $ the percentages of macronutrients to change your weight loss up a bit

sjcply

dont eat less calories or your body will go in starvation mode! When I "upped" my calories and increased my exercise, it came off! Make sure and eat healthy grains, veggies and fruit, drink water and exercise as much as possible and be patient! You didnt gain the weight overnight, you wont lose it overnight either.

Good Luck to you both! :happy:

This becomes so confusing, because I just read a huge thread on here that cites articles stating that "starvation mode" is a myth.

This is definately no myth! It is proven that if you eat less than your body needs, it will hang on to the fat you have instead of burning it off. If you are exercising, and you do not eat the appropriate amount of "fuel" you will not be able to perform at optimal level nor will you have the energy to even finish your workout!
I can not stress the difference in the way I feel when I eat more calories and exercise everyday! I feel better, energized and sleep like a rock!
I was eating a minimum of 1200 calories and exercising 3 days a wk and not losing. BUT when I upped that to 1300 and ate half of my exercise calories back (averaged 1500 calories a day) when I exercise daily, the weight started coming off....not to mention the inches that melted away.
If you are not getting results just try to increase your calories slowly BUT you have to exercise or it wont work!

iplayoutside19

Pateince. That's my only advice.

....and I would be ecstatic if I got to a size 42.

jlewis1981

I plan on sticking with it... for a good while.. I very much appreciate the advice and tips.
Right now MPF is telling me to eat around 1900/cal a day and I have been sticking to that. I have been doing some cardio (3 x's a week) and have tried to not eat any of those calories. Next week I start with a personal trainer.. so hopefully she'll kick my butt into shape a bit.

Thanks again everyone!
-Jeff

meggonkgonk

You should be eating at least a portion of your exercise calories. I'm not 100% sure what the base number is for guys is, but I think its 1500- and that's NET. So you should have an equation on your homepage Goal Food-Exercise=Net. That Net number should be at least over 1500.

Good luck!