A little help- Banks I have read your post- still wary....

mlillie

A little help si vous plait.

I have been having trouble seeing much movement at all on the scale.
I track my food and exercise and dont eat below 1200.

For example- yesterday I was at 1700 total to eat- 1200 plus burned 567. But that seemed like a lot of calories to me. I ate them but felt weird doing it. It was actually a very hard emotional day for me so I ate some crap (terra chips and some other rice chips) that bumped my calories up in a hurry. But I have a hard time believing that I should be eating 1700 cal on days like that - even when I am eating healthier calories. This morning I woke REALLY hungry and am trying to keep in under control but sometimes when I have high cal days I end up being really hungry the next day.

I really want to let go of these last pounds and am just unsure if I am doing it correctly.
I am at least eating my 1200 and I exercise every day so I am to eat those calories as well (I have read Banks post several times now) And if I am doing that should I see some progress at some point? I am not gaining but I am working really really hard at standing still. Sometimes I do a lot of exercise and I have read other posts and it seems a lot of you do. Should I just try to keep my calories about 1400-1500 on the heavy exercise days or really eat more than that??

Any advice would be appreciated. Weight has been a lifelong process in my life.

I am 5'6 and as of this morning 141. I briefly was 139 but then went back up. I would like to be 135-130 and have been before. But really I just want to be healthy and fitter than I am now and fit into my clothes again.

mlillie

A little help si vous plait.

I have been having trouble seeing much movement at all on the scale.
I track my food and exercise and dont eat below 1200.

For example- yesterday I was at 1700 total to eat- 1200 plus burned 567. But that seemed like a lot of calories to me. I ate them but felt weird doing it. It was actually a very hard emotional day for me so I ate some crap (terra chips and some other rice chips) that bumped my calories up in a hurry. But I have a hard time believing that I should be eating 1700 cal on days like that - even when I am eating healthier calories. This morning I woke REALLY hungry and am trying to keep in under control but sometimes when I have high cal days I end up being really hungry the next day.

I really want to let go of these last pounds and am just unsure if I am doing it correctly.
I am at least eating my 1200 and I exercise every day so I am to eat those calories as well (I have read Banks post several times now) And if I am doing that should I see some progress at some point? I am not gaining but I am working really really hard at standing still. Sometimes I do a lot of exercise and I have read other posts and it seems a lot of you do. Should I just try to keep my calories about 1400-1500 on the heavy exercise days or really eat more than that??

Any advice would be appreciated. Weight has been a lifelong process in my life.

I am 5'6 and as of this morning 141. I briefly was 139 but then went back up. I would like to be 135-130 and have been before. But really I just want to be healthy and fitter than I am now and fit into my clothes again.

TNTPete

I feel ya, I truly do...
I just went back up a pound.. that I was sooo hopeful was gone! :noway:

I thnk just persistence when it comes to these last few pounds. I am trying to get down to 150 and I can't do it... I keep going around the 154-158 area. My body just doesn't want to let go. I eat my calories, most days, some days I just don't feel hungry and I can't... like today - I have like 400 to eat but really - I dunno if I will.

Good luck and let me know if anything works - wish I was more helpful! One thing I try to measure with is a pair of pants... how do they feel? how does that make me feel? That sort of thing.

shorerider

I track my food and exercise and dont eat below 1200.

For example- yesterday I was at 1700 total to eat- 1200 plus burned 567. But that seemed like a lot of calories to me. I ate them but felt weird doing it. It was actually a very hard emotional day for me so I ate some crap (terra chips and some other rice chips) that bumped my calories up in a hurry. But I have a hard time believing that I should be eating 1700 cal on days like that - even when I am eating healthier calories. This morning I woke REALLY hungry and am trying to keep in under control but sometimes when I have high cal days I end up being really hungry the next day.

Banks will chime in at some point but will probably say close to what I'm going say (plus Banks always says more and better!) Anyway---

You're not eating enough. 1200 calories is too few for you given your age and small amount you wish to lose. You should be looking at upping your calories. Do you know what your BMR is and what MFP says it takes to maintain your weight given your activity level? (look on your "goals" page, it says it there).

1200 calories is usually only for those with a lot to lose--myself for example--but even I'm not doing 1200 anymore but 1300.

You might wish to consider simply toning what you've got, too. Sometimes we're at a healthy weight for our bodies and just need to tone our muscles to achieve the look we want.

If you haven't read these posts of Banks, please do--

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20035-just-because-you-can-have-a-2-pound-per-week-goal

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/12250-1000-calorie-deficit-not-for-people-with-healthy-bmi

lotusfromthemud

I'll jump in, too. I'm your height, and originally had the exact same goal.

Right now I'm 140(ish). . .I haven't been on the scale in a couple months. About six months ago, I upped myself to maintenance calories minus a 100 calorie deficit. I eat almost every exercise calorie. Here's the deal: I'm getting smaller. In the past six months, I've gone done a pants size, two sizes in shirts, a dress size and a bra cup size (I'm the rare girl who thinks that is really cool). As far as I know, I haven't dropped a pound.

My advice would be to quit concentrating on pounds (I know this is not an easy transition) and start concentraing on body fat % (or just how the clothes fit.)

Just my two cents. . .:flowerforyou:

banks1850

Here here, I agree with both Shore and Viv.

When you're close to goal, your pounds are arbitrary. You would be much better off focusing on how you feel, how your clothes fit, and maybe, if you like this, body fat %.

Weight is not a good judge. Every person has different densities for their body. I.E. I might have slightly denser bones then you, you may have slightly denser muscles then me, joe schmoe might have slightly denser blood then mary jane.

When we are overweight and out of shape, weight is ok as a good judge because we are talking about large amounts of weight. But the human body is too variable a system to look at single pounds. I.E. "ooh look, I lost a pound this week!" Really is an empty statement. If you string 5 or 10 of those statements together over a month or so, then they are relevent, but 1 single one or 2 isn't really meaningful because the body adds and removes weight every single hour of every single day depending on what it needs at that particular time.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone, basically all I'm saying is that you should put it in perspective and then ask yourself, where did I come up with this goal number? Is this number right for me? Many people set unrealistic expectations. I think Viv is doing it perfectly (coincidentally, I'm right about where she is too, I'm doing 250 Cal deficit, but I'm also 50 lbs heavier then her. )

Once you get into that 24 - 20 BMI range, IMHO weight should not even play a factor any more.

I hope this helps. Our bodies change for us, we need to be flexible enough to recognize those changes and change how we view them too!

Best of luck to you!

-Banks

SherryRH

I am in the same boat as well. I just started today and upped my calories. I think next week I will make an appt at the gym to have my bodyfat % tested and gauge from there where I need to be. My bodyfat scale tells me a number and I do not like that number. Hopefuly, someone at the gym can come up with something better.:laugh:

natalie1

I've lost only 5-6 lbs in 2 months of being on MFP. It is probably perfect according to time frame but is still feels to slow for me. I want it now!:grumble: But, I have to admit, even though my scale is not really moving too much, I am much more comfortable in my own skin. I lost 1,5-2 pants sizes and I am loving it.
Keep it up! It will pay off

banks1850

I've lost only 5-6 lbs in 2 months of being on MFP. It is probably perfect according to time frame but is still feels to slow for me. I want it now!:grumble: But, I have to admit, even though my scale is not really moving too much, I am much more comfortable in my own skin. I lost 1,5-2 pants sizes and I am loving it.
Keep it up! It will pay off

just remember, the faster you lose it, the more likely you are to have loose skin, and the harder it is on your body internally. If you lose slow and steady, it will be easier on you mentally, and on your body.

heartshapdworld

I think Vivakay, Shorerider and Banks are correct-you sould focus on how you feel and how cloths fit you. I know for myself that the scale has moved very little; however, everyone has noticed how fit and toned I am. I can now fit into jeans that I couldn't wear last year-at this same time and at this same weight. I am smaller because of the muscle tone, which doesn't have anything to do with the number on the scale.

While I may lose a pound, and be excited about that sometimes I wonder if at some point the number on the scale-or rather what I think it should be-is just arbitary. Maybe you could re-evaluate your goals to be more inclusive than a number on a scale?

Good Luck

kerrilucko

When you only have 10 or so pounds to lose, it is going to come off very slowly. And by very slowly I mean you'll be lucky to see a pound or 2 fall off every month. Lowering your calories isn't the answer at all. Lets assume your settings are set to lose 1 pound per week. Thats a 500 calorie deficit, which is much too low for you. Try manually setting your deficit at about 200-250 calories. Allow your body time to lose the amount you want it to. rushing through this will not only not work, it will reak havoc on your metabolism as well.

Thrust

I've lost only 5-6 lbs in 2 months of being on MFP. It is probably perfect according to time frame but is still feels to slow for me. I want it now!:grumble: But, I have to admit, even though my scale is not really moving too much, I am much more comfortable in my own skin. I lost 1,5-2 pants sizes and I am loving it.
Keep it up! It will pay off

just remember, the faster you lose it, the more likely you are to have loose skin, and the harder it is on your body internally. If you lose slow and steady, it will be easier on you mentally, and on your body.

Additionally, too low of a calorie deficit and you'll end up burning muscle for energy (especially if you're working out). You'll eventually move the scale down but it will be from lost muscle. Thus, when you do start to return to a maintenance diet, you'll have less muscle to burn those calories and will gain fat QUICKER and easier.

Slow and steady wins the race!

mlillie

I totally agree that the number isnt what I want to be after at all but since it is used so much here I was using it too and when I fit into my clothes a year ago I was 133-135ish.
Maybe I will measure myself and try it that way. I just want to fit into my clothes again, really. So if I saw movement in inches I wouldnt care what the scale was saying. But things are feeling tighter not looser in some regards.

I am not giving up because this IS a lifestyle for me. It just feels odd to be counting my food so much and not seeing much movement since I started.

I think I will try to focus on goals- the pushup challenge, work on my running and continuing to track my food and continue to weigh in but not care as much at the scale going down and up and up and down. I would be so thrilled with 1-2 a month loss!
Some days it just feels like I am working and working and working and counting and counting and........just holding on to stand still. It can get a little hard (or a lot depending on the day) to keep motivated doing all that.

I just wanted to check in and see if there was something I was missing and couldnt see myself. I will just continue and keep posting and working on goals and see how it goes.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond. I appreciate it.

banks1850

*Sniff* I'm so proud. I'm all choked up.

Viv, Shore, aren't you guys proud. Our little ones are learning.
I was nervous for a while, so many people were skeptical at
first, but the weight of success and conviction are finally turning
the tide!

Woo Hoo. Good work folks!

shorerider

*Sniff* I'm so proud. I'm all choked up.

Viv, Shore, aren't you guys proud. Our little ones are learning.
I was nervous for a while, so many people were skeptical at
first, but the weight of success and conviction are finally turning
the tide!

Woo Hoo. Good work folks!

lotusfromthemud

*Sniff* I'm so proud. I'm all choked up.

Viv, Shore, aren't you guys proud. Our little ones are learning.
I was nervous for a while, so many people were skeptical at
first, but the weight of success and conviction are finally turning
the tide!

Woo Hoo. Good work folks!

When we all look super buff, we can go to the fair together and fool the "guess your weight" carnies.:flowerforyou:

banks1850

lol

2day4ever

I think most of us have the fundamental problem of a lifetime of bad info and un-learning it is really, really hard. Every diet plan out there is all about restricting so NOT restricting feels really "wrong". I suspect most of us are on this site b/c our past attempts didn't work. So, now, changing it up (eating more to prevent starvation) is sooooo counter-intuitive.

So, Shore and Viv and Banks, thank you thank you thank you for helping reinforce and tirelessly repeating the message that this whole effort has to be about more than numbers on a scale. Those numbers don't capture all the pieces that vary from one person to another.

And Banks, in particular, I really appreciate your comment about how bones and muscles also affect weight. Weight is not just about fat. But fat can influence inches and tone and those other "soft" measures (literally -- LOL!) of fitness.

So, thanks, Guys! I think what you say makes sense and it has helped me re-structure my old, misguided ideas. It's still hard but I have to challenge my beliefs every single day. It's getting easier as each day passes though.