New User Questions

mbtopa · April 2009

Ok..so I am new here..and I guess I am a little confused about how to use the site..I mean I understand the logging the food etc., but I logged my exercise today and my baseline calorie intake is 1,430 a day, but when I log my workout in, it now says my calorie intake should be 2,140? Is that right?And how in the world will I EVER lose weight taking in THAT MANY calories???:noway:

A little background...I was 400 lbs and lost 200 + of it in the last 2.5 years..I work out 6 days a week, I lift weights and do about an hours worth of cardio (usually running and/or elliptical machines) ..the lowest weight I have been able to reach was 186 lbs about a year ago, and then I began to gain the weight back..I am obsessively watching all calories/foods I take in and I still workout just as much as I always have, in fact I have began working out more now that I am back up to 200 lbs???!!!

A friend told me about your website and I really like it, but in the last two weeks I have gained 5 more pounds and have logged everything..mostly staying below the calories that this website says I need to meet for the day...

So am I reading this wrong...even when I work out should I be staying at that 1,400 calorie range? HELP! I am so discouraged..

Thanks ahead of time!

mbtopa · April 2009

Ok..so I am new here..and I guess I am a little confused about how to use the site..I mean I understand the logging the food etc., but I logged my exercise today and my baseline calorie intake is 1,430 a day, but when I log my workout in, it now says my calorie intake should be 2,140? Is that right?And how in the world will I EVER lose weight taking in THAT MANY calories???:noway:

A little background...I was 400 lbs and lost 200 + of it in the last 2.5 years..I work out 6 days a week, I lift weights and do about an hours worth of cardio (usually running and/or elliptical machines) ..the lowest weight I have been able to reach was 186 lbs about a year ago, and then I began to gain the weight back..I am obsessively watching all calories/foods I take in and I still workout just as much as I always have, in fact I have began working out more now that I am back up to 200 lbs???!!!

A friend told me about your website and I really like it, but in the last two weeks I have gained 5 more pounds and have logged everything..mostly staying below the calories that this website says I need to meet for the day...

So am I reading this wrong...even when I work out should I be staying at that 1,400 calorie range? HELP! I am so discouraged..

Thanks ahead of time!

Dave198lbs · April 2009

someone please link this person to the links about the calorie question

thank you

3babybeans · April 2009

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

There's a good start for you.

Welcome to the boards! :flowerforyou:

MOMOFTWO29 · April 2009

Hello and welcome to MFP, the best website ever. You will love it here. I

this site. It is so motivational, supportive, helpful, and everyone is so nice and friendly here. I just wanted to tell you good luck on your weight loss journey. You can do this.

:flowerforyou:

3babybeans · April 2009

I have a question for you. If you've already lost about 200 lbs., how have you done it so far?

adopt4 · April 2009

The calories that count are net calories. Net calories = daily calories taken in MINUS exercise cals. The more you exercise, the more you should eat to give your body the fuel it needed.

I was confused on this for a while, and every afternoon I would get really cold, and really tired, and HAVE to take a nap. I was cold all the time. Now I'm a big girl and not used to ever being cold! Turns out I was not eating back my exercise cals and was actually in starvation mode - hence the coldness, the tiredness... as soon as I made sure I was eating my exercise cals and making sure I never dropped below 1200 net calories a day, I felt fine, had more energy, and started losing weight fast.

beckyi88 · April 2009

I'm a newbie as well, so I don't have an answer for you as I'm still trying to figure the exercise/food stuff out as well.
But, I wanted to welcome you and give give you a shout out ~ 200 pounds! woohoo!!! That's awesome! You are amazing! :flowerforyou:

Usually plateaus are from our bodies adapting to our routine so if you've been on the same workout plan for quite a while it might be time to shake things up...maybe interval training in your cardio? There are lots of ways to shake up your workouts and that may be what you need.
I don't completely get the eating vs. not eating exercise calories because I'm averaging about 1000 calories a day *earned* by exercise which would put me over 2000 daily calories.

Anyway, I just wanted to say *welcome and awesome job!*

Becky

hiddensecant · April 2009

Wow, that's a lot of exercise and that's great!

In short, get a minimum of 1200+exercise and aim for 1430+exercise. Ideally, 1430+exercise is what your body needs to perform optimally. 1200+exercise is what your body needs to perform without going into starvation mode.

If you're exercising that much 6 days out of the week, plan for it and arrange your foods to expect to eat 2000 calories per day. Then once you get your HRM reading, add or subtract as needed.

If you want the long version with explanations, read:

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

mbtopa · April 2009

Thanks so much EVERYONE! The link is definately useful..I just figured I was doing everything wrong!

3babybeans - I did Herbalife for 160 lbs and then began to incorporate food back into my diet...and that went well until I got to 186 lbs and that was about 6-8 months or so ago.

adopt4 - Well that makes sense..LOL..I have been absolutely FREEZING and exhausted for about a year now...I had a dr. tell me that maybe it was my thyroid, but then the tests came back normal, then I had another dr. tell me I was menopausal..I am only 35!

beckyi88 - Yep..I have switched and switched again! LOL! I love interval training and that is what I am currently doing with my running (plus it definately makes it easier to get thru an hour when things are consistently changing)...but I just cant imagine that the body would go into a year long plateau..at least I hope not!

Thank you EVERYBODY...I am pretty shy and not used to expressing things to others, but I really love this site and I defiantely appreciate the welcomes and the support I am already receiving!! :blushing:

I will keep plugging on and maybe someday I can find a way to post my 400 pound pics and my current pics for you all! It is just hard to deal with still being considered obese when I went from a size 32 to a size 12!! UGH...it is so irritating to be at the 200 lb mark..BUT maybe I can find some relief in these boards..

Thanks Again!

kerrilucko · April 2009

cmriverside · April 2009

Hey, Thanks Kerri! You linked my link on the "Links" thread......very nice.

cmr:flowerforyou:

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