Please Help...

psuLemon

To Psulemon.

I'm sorry if I sound stupid, but the site I was on (Mayo clinic) Its says to maintain eat 1612 calories. I don't want to maintain. I want to lose 1lb. So I have to eat 500 calores less to lose 1lb = 1112. They said my BMR is 1343. And because I am sedentary, (I don't always work out) they said to times it by 1.2 . That's where I came up with 1612. So to lose eat 1112. I am so confused. That's why I need help. I'm scared that (because I am so short) if I eat 1200 calories, I will only lose .04 a week. On myfitnesspal, they said I am to short to lose 1lb a week because they do not suggest going under 1200 calories. I know I am not making sense.... I am trying to work out and burn 400-500 calories Mon-Friday. Maybe if I start out with 1200 calories and on those days eat back the 400-500 calories back. On the days I don't work out, just eat 1200???? I just don't want to lose 2-3 lbs a month. I would like, at least 5lbs a month. Any other 40lbs over weight short people (4'7) here????? Thanks everyone for giving me good advice. I am so tired of failing........Sorry for talking so much.....

Being short has only has one disadvantage, you don't have as much surface area to have lean muscle mass. Here is the thing. You might be sedentary during the day, but exercise counts just as much as your daily life. If you include your exercise in your TDEE calculation, the number will change. What I showed you was a concept of including your exercise into your tdee calcuation. With your method, you would eat back your exercise calories which come up to the same numbers I posted. So you either include exercise into your TDEE or you eat back your exercise calories, it's your option. Also, just because you are short, doesn't mean weight loss concepts don't apply. My wife is pretty "bite size" as I call her, but she still eats 1400-1500 calories to lose weight.


The best thing for you and everyone else, is start lifting heavy weights. You want to increase or maintain the amount of lean muscle mass that you have. By weight lifting, you will not only burn calories during the workout, but continue to burn calories while your body repairs itself.

izzyissy

You said lift heavy weights... How much should I start off with????

psuLemon

You said lift heavy weights... How much should I start off with????

Lifting heavy means you can only do about 8-12 reps and then your muscles fail.

mkrone77

You could be eating to few calories and your body is going into starvation mode. It has noticed that fewer calories are going into your body so your body wants to hang on the few calories that it is getting by burning calories at a much lower rate. Make sure you eat foods high in natural fiber too.

gsager

I am so upset with myself. I need to lose 40lbs. If one diet doesn't work, I bounce to another one. I've been on Myfitnesspal, but, because I'm short, I was only eating 1120 calories a day (to lose 1lb). It seemed hard. So I went back to Weight Watchers. You get all fruits and veggies free. So, to me that was easier. But the weight is not coming off. (probably because fruits/veggies have calories too). I am 4'7 and need to lose 40lbs. I really want to lose 1lb a week. What is better Myfitnesspal or Weight Waters. Has anyone tried both?? Myfitnesspal is so much easier to log. The bar scan is fantastic. But I don't get that much to eat. I did start to work out and burn 400-500 calores 5x a week. So maybe I can do the 1120 calories and eat the 400-500 work out calories back. I will still lose weight, right?? If someone has been on myfitnesspal for a while, please help me. Thanks Issy

I've been on MFP for a while, lost 20 lbs. When I started I ate 1200 calories and didn't see a lot of results. Then I started eating back my exercise calories and the weight came off pretty fast. You should be eating 1120 plus the 400 you burn in exercise...if those numbers are right, you will lose the weight.

phyllisfergie1

hi im phyliis and need some help understanding this diet, are we counting calories, cabs or fat?? if i stay under the carbs then im not eating all the calories and it tells me i maybe in starvation mode. if i eat all the calories i go over the cabes??
i think im so woried about the hole thing that i dont eat. you cant tell me that there is balance to stay under the calories and carbs at the same time.

psuLemon

hi im phyliis and need some help understanding this diet, are we counting calories, cabs or fat?? if i stay under the carbs then im not eating all the calories and it tells me i maybe in starvation mode. if i eat all the calories i go over the cabes??
i think im so woried about the hole thing that i dont eat. you cant tell me that there is balance to stay under the calories and carbs at the same time.

Start eating stuff like eggs, chicken, cheese, nuts, avocado or having a protein bar or shake. And it's ok to go over your calories. Most of the time, people undereat their calories, so it adds stress to your body; yes, a calorie deficit is stress. The add stress release cortisol which is a mechanism that will maintain body fat as a source of energy. Also, if you under-eat, you risk the chance of slowing your metabolism (if eating below BMR) and losing lean body mass (which controls a lot in your body: metabolism, immune system, insulin control, etc..)

TeaBea

hi im phyliis and need some help understanding this diet, are we counting calories, cabs or fat?? if i stay under the carbs then im not eating all the calories and it tells me i maybe in starvation mode. if i eat all the calories i go over the cabes??
i think im so woried about the hole thing that i dont eat. you cant tell me that there is balance to stay under the calories and carbs at the same time.

Unless you have a medical condition that make carbs difficult for you to process, there is no reason to "cut" carbs. I don't cut "out" one category or another. Fat is not the enemy either, but some "types" of fat are harmful.

I'm trying to "improve" my eating habits, not do a complete 180° change. Some carbs are lower quality - added sugars, processed white flour - I'm trying to cut these out. Complex carbs HAVE protein & fiber which help keep you full longer.

Fat is necessary for many bodily functions, including absorbing vitamins. There are good healthy fats as opposed to dangerous (trans) fats.

Baby steps .....don't worry about making ALL the right decisions right now. Just keep plugging away, and over time your choices will improve.

SueInAz

hi im phyliis and need some help understanding this diet, are we counting calories, cabs or fat?? if i stay under the carbs then im not eating all the calories and it tells me i maybe in starvation mode. if i eat all the calories i go over the cabes??
i think im so woried about the hole thing that i dont eat. you cant tell me that there is balance to stay under the calories and carbs at the same time.

If you're just starting out, there's no real reason to worry about anything but calories. Later on, when you get more comfortable with focusing solely on eating less calories, you may find you want to tweak how much carbs/fat/protein you're eating. Leave that for a later day, though.