The most common mistake women make!

girlinahat

My only criticism would be that you suggest that we 'choose' 1200 calories as a goal when in fact for the most part MFP has made that decision.

You do "choose" 1200 calories. It's all in how much weight you "choose" to lose per week. Of course, I fell for the same thing. Who wouldn't want to lose 2 lbs a week? When I put in 2 lbs a week, it automatically gave me 1200 calories. Yikes! I wanted to lose weight, but I DO like to eat and 1200 calories wasn't going to cut it for this girl. I actually turned away the 1400 calorie setting, too, and settled on a much more reasonable 1660 to start. I wanted to be successful at this, not miserable. I know there are plenty of women who set their daily calorie goal for 1200, exercise and burn 300-600 calories or more, then end up consuming 1400-1700 calories if they eat back even some of their exercise calories. I'd be willing to bet those are the women who are more successful at weight loss than the ladies who barely consume 1000 or 1200 net calories every night, and those are the people Dan was addressing, I'm guessing.

I confess that until yesterday I wasn't even aware I had made that 'choice'. I have 20lbs to lose, and of course I put in that I wanted to lose 1lb a week. Despite what is said about calorie deficits and BMI (ie. that the lower the BMI the lower and slower you should lose), MFP recommended 1200. I wish it had told me not to be so stupid, I really did, but then that is trying to put the responsibility on a website which isn't fair.

I am exactly the (not-in-the-least offended) girl in the OP. And I haven't lost a pound. So I went back, started again with MFP with a 1/2 lb a week loss and it gave me a goal of 1300 which is much better. Personally I doubt it is high enough but will give it a go for 6 weeks before UPPING my calories again.

So yes, I did 'choose' 1200, but I sort of thought MFP was recommending that. It takes a good thread like this to help understand.

Still working on the Veyron.......

jpeebs88

lol, the prius is the slow metabolic rate, the muscle car or exotic is the athletic metabolic rate, which I am sure you picked up on.

Yes, but then, If you were trying to make this an article written for women, maybe pick a less male-centric analogy.
When I read it my first thought wasn't a revving metabolic rate, it was how wasteful sports cars were in terms of money and natural resources.

FearAnLoathing

My only criticism would be that you suggest that we 'choose' 1200 calories as a goal when in fact for the most part MFP has made that decision.

You do "choose" 1200 calories. It's all in how much weight you "choose" to lose per week. Of course, I fell for the same thing. Who wouldn't want to lose 2 lbs a week? When I put in 2 lbs a week, it automatically gave me 1200 calories. Yikes! I wanted to lose weight, but I DO like to eat and 1200 calories wasn't going to cut it for this girl. I actually turned away the 1400 calorie setting, too, and settled on a much more reasonable 1660 to start. I wanted to be successful at this, not miserable. I know there are plenty of women who set their daily calorie goal for 1200, exercise and burn 300-600 calories or more, then end up consuming 1400-1700 calories if they eat back even some of their exercise calories. I'd be willing to bet those are the women who are more successful at weight loss than the ladies who barely consume 1000 or 1200 net calories every night, and those are the people Dan was addressing, I'm guessing.

I am very successful at weight loss and ive barley consumed 1200 net calories in over a year

jewelzz

Sooo not offended here,It makes total sence,women and I speak generaly tend to be so caught up in what society says we should be,me included.There is an extreme amount of pressure put on us to look and be a certain way.I dont believe this is true as much for men.I believe sometimes the want to look a certain way and measure up to the girl next to us at dinner or the women you just caught your husband or boyfriend looking at or the women thats shopping in the small isle that you catch a glimps of and start to think I want to shop that size and alot of us go home and start our workout and think "if i just exercise more and eat less I can look that way.We forget that thats not the way it works and mistakes are born right there and then.

Newfiedan

When i read some of your topics yesterday, i thought you sounded like you had some good advice , now i'm not so sure !

YOU have just offended 90% of the female population on this site!

For starts "The most common mistake women make" Just as many men, work out to hard and eat to little..

secondly we are not GUYS!

Your welcome to look at my diary , i don't starve myself..

I go to body pump twice a week , i know i don't do cardio , but i think i should do some...

Please if you are going to write post , for or about women , speak to some first!

Where did he call us ( women/people) guys?

i edited the post afterward to accommodate that complaint.

Newfiedan

Definitely want to take the time to read this. I'm a small girl who works out hard twice a day but I eat allll my calories. I take in anywhere from 1850- over 2000 on some days. Sure it can be tough for a few reasons but I do it to feed my body and fuel my work outs =]

you are a very intelligent woman, congrats.

Newfiedan

Ok people I decided to write this one for the women as they seem to make this mistake all to often as well as some men, but more so the women.
1) When they join regardless of how much they weigh or their stats they instantly go for that golden 1200 cal/day minimum.
2) They workout as much as possible and eat as little as possible.
3) They totally starve the body for fuel and nutrition this way and either have 0 weight loss or have a great start until the body adapts and then stops them dead in their tracks.

1) Wrong
2) Wrong
3) Went with MFP guided cals, who knew I shouldn't be eating below my BMR and starving myself.

OP You can check my diary to see how much I eat. Just add me.

This was meant as a GENERAL statement, not person specific so if you were to look at this board for even one day you will see that it is dead on the money for many, both men and women alike but I see it much more prevalent in the female populace on here.

sunshine79

bump

Newfiedan

Sooo not offended here,It makes total sence,women and I speak generaly tend to be so caught up in what society says we should be,me included.There is an extreme amount of pressure put on us to look and be a certain way.I dont believe this is true as much for men.I believe sometimes the want to look a certain way and measure up to the girl next to us at dinner or the women you just caught your husband or boyfriend looking at or the women thats shopping in the small isle that you catch a glimps of and start to think I want to shop that size and alot of us go home and start our workout and think "if i just exercise more and eat less I can look that way.We forget that thats not the way it works and mistakes are born right there and then.

You said a mouthful there, therein lies a problem that was ingrained to many as being the right path. You want to be a model? Then eat a leaf of lettuce as a lunch. For those offended by my statement I would love to see each and every one of you be a role model for the others of your sex to live up to. The bottom line here was to 1) get you motivated to respond and arouse some response good or bad 2) get the gears turning in your head towards what I said. Now some took it as a direct attack (funny as it was a general statement) and if you did so then please step back and take a breath for a second and think, do you think you would have read even the first 20 lines if I did not word it the way I did? Now some of you will say yes for spite. Whatever it does not phase me. It may have gotten lost in the posts prior but I did apologize for how it was worded. I got exactly what I was aiming to do which was get ppl to read it. Shock value, insults or whatever you want to call it, I produced the exact results I was aiming for.

donicagalek

Newfiedan, I just got off the phone with your mom. She swears up and down that the most common mistake women make is having children.

(I couldn't help it. I'm not a feminazi-man-hater, just extremely snarky and sarcastic and I tried to pass up on posting this comment but it was too funny. Don't hate me.) X-D

calmmomw3minimeez

I'm one of the non-offended women...I've been reading the thread since it was put up and you definitely described me. I chose the 1200 and 2lb a week because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I lost weight the first 3-4 weeks and have stalled out - even gained so I have since changed my goals(under the guidance of MFP again), and my calorie goal has been upped to 1470 and 1lb a week. This looks and feels more realistic and doable for me. I'm sure that my gain in wght is temporary and due to water retention(I'm used to that) and because I have also upped my weights for strength training. I was still trying to net 1200 after my calorie goal was changed, but since reading this I'm gonna try to be within the 1470 goal and I have actually started on the tips given in the first post and from your blog(like eating breakfast - gonna have to take it one step at a time):indifferent: :ohwell: ...if nothing else works, at least I'm not beating myself up anymore for going over every now and then, so thanks for the info...I appreciate it.

Newfiedan

Newfiedan, I just got off the phone with your mom. She swears up and down that the most common mistake women make is having children.

(I couldn't help it. I'm not a feminazi-man-hater, just extremely snarky and sarcastic and I tried to pass up on posting this comment but it was too funny. Don't hate me.) X-D

lol you made me almost choke on my coffee, I laughed pretty hard at this. good one.

ChitownFoodie

Being shorter than most women, the calculator said I should only eat 1200 calories a day. UGH!

Newfiedan

I'm one of the non-offended women...I've been reading the thread since it was put up and you definitely described me. I chose the 1200 and 2lb a week because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I lost weight the first 3-4 weeks and have stalled out - even gained so I have since changed my goals(under the guidance of MFP again), and my calorie goal has been upped to 1470 and 1lb a week. This looks and feels more realistic and doable for me. I'm sure that my gain in wght is temporary and due to water retention(I'm used to that) and because I have also upped my weights for strength training. I was still trying to net 1200 after my calorie goal was changed, but since reading this I'm gonna try to be within the 1470 goal and I have actually started on the tips given in the first post and from your blog(like eating breakfast - gonna have to take it one step at a time):indifferent: :ohwell: ...if nothing else works, at least I'm not beating myself up anymore for going over every now and then, so thanks for the info...I appreciate it.

I am happy to be of help, I will be adding an interesting new post to that blog today that I think you will find very helpful.

Peanut1026

May I add you as friend? You seem to give some excellend advice. I've read alot of your posts and they have helped me!

fanexgal

i read your post, well am on it as that was what my predicted goal was however i eat back anything i lose in the gym or while excercising so in reality i eat more than 1200 cal a day, that is ok right? Although i do feel like am hungry all the time, have not measured myself with a tape but i think that is what i need to do to see if it works or not, i can honestly say i can see changes in my body already am tonning up. Any help or advice will be welcome.

danyelle67

Thanks Newfiedan, and yes I am open to any help you can offer, such as what is good to eat and how often to eat. Some snacking ideas Please help!!! Summer is right around the corner I really want to put on that bikini!!!!!

bmreed0920

I really liked your analogy. I got the whole car thing. I'm not the least bit offeneded. I was thinking about it and realized that several of my friends have done everything you said. For me though I went to Jenny Craig and they set me up with a food plan and 1700 calories a day. I have been sticking to it, mostly, and it works great for me. 8 pounds down. Now my friends not so much. They cannot seem to lose anything. Plus they refuse to use MFP to track what they ate. I guess they dont want to know what they are doing to their bodies.

Newfiedan

i read your post, well am on it as that was what my predicted goal was however i eat back anything i lose in the gym or while excercising so in reality i eat more than 1200 cal a day, that is ok right? Although i do feel like am hungry all the time, have not measured myself with a tape but i think that is what i need to do to see if it works or not, i can honestly say i can see changes in my body already am tonning up. Any help or advice will be welcome.

Yes it is bang on actually, and a very intelligent thing to do. with the hunger deal I may be able to help you out there with some dietary tweaks, I had this same problem and still on occasion struggle with it. I have learned a few things that help out immensely though. If anyone wants to add me I am happy to do so but please put in the request why you wish to add me.

Newfiedan

I really liked your analogy. I got the whole car thing. I'm not the least bit offeneded. I was thinking about it and realized that several of my friends have done everything you said. For me though I went to Jenny Craig and they set me up with a food plan and 1700 calories a day. I have been sticking to it, mostly, and it works great for me. 8 pounds down. Now my friends not so much. They cannot seem to lose anything. Plus they refuse to use MFP to track what they ate. I guess they dont want to know what they are doing to their bodies.

awesome, congrats I an chalk you up as one who gets it.