Seriously Obese

ILoveJesus72
ILoveJesus72 Posts: 181 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am on a limited calorie plan with lots of protein. My target is 1000 calories a day. I've been reading alot of posts on here that say I am consuming too few calories but I am just following the plan.

I started out at 266 lbs and I am down over 24lbs. Am i headed for serious problems with these calories or will it be ok because I am seriously overweight and have lots of fat to burn?

I'd love some advice.

Mar

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    What "plan" is this that you are on? Are you under your doctor's supervision?
  • Are you doing medifast? I'm doing it and love it!!
  • drasticmeasures
    drasticmeasures Posts: 5 Member
    Hi! Keep in mind that you must eat a larger amount of calories and as you loss you will need to decrease. This also adjust when you add exercise to the equation. My calories during one day are very high but I don't eat all that I am allowed...at 500 less than allowed. MFP gives you the calories that you need in a day based on your weight. Go by this to esure that you don't hit a plateau and then get discouraged.
  • hanniejong
    hanniejong Posts: 556 Member
    I really believe you are not eating enough calories, I am at 193lbs am allowed to eat 1540 calories and more when I add in my exercise. Go by the calories they say here I am sure it would tell you to eat more. Friend me, I would love to encourage you.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    I started out at a similar weight to you, and I started on 1200 cals.

    I lost 20kgs (about 45lbs) before my weightloss stalled, I started feeling dizzy/faint, I couldn't concentrate well and my hair started falling out.

    I took a 3wk break (went home for Christmas) and then came back and started doing a bit of research about TDEE and BMR and upped my calories to 1700.

    After the first 2-3 weeks where I gained/maintained I have been losing SAME amount of weight each week that I was on 1200 cals, and I feel MUCH better.

    In my opinion, if you are happy doing what you are doing, then keep it up... however there WILL be a time when your weight loss stalls, and then you'll have to figure out to to get it moving again... you could slowly up your cals now, or you could, like I did go through a 3 week transition period.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I started at 560 lbs. and my dietician had me lose at a pace of 1 to 2 lbs. a week even though I was super morbidly obese.. She said our goal is long sustained weightloss and this was the way to go about it even at my extreme weight. So I bought into her way of thinking and we adjust my carb and calorie intake to mirror that weight loss each week.. Now the first few weeks I lost big (Week1- lost 11 lbs. Week 2- lost 8 lbs. Week 3- lost 5) and by Week 4 I crested off and from there was losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week. My calories back then was 2500 and 280 carbs a day... 34 months later down 305 lbs. and I am eating 3200 calories a day and 340 carbs... I am still losing a pound a week on average.. (Only 10-15 pounds from my goal before skin surgery) you need to watch going to low on your intake.. Sure you will lose weight fast on low calorie diet but it will eventually catch up with you..... Best of Luck....
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
    Are you hungry?
  • ILoveJesus72
    ILoveJesus72 Posts: 181 Member
    Are you doing medifast? I'm doing it and love it!!

    I'm guessing it's very much like Medifast. It's called Healthy Figures. The focus is on protein. I can only have 2 fat/2sugar/2 carb
  • ILoveJesus72
    ILoveJesus72 Posts: 181 Member
    No I'm not hungry. I take my vitamins and amino acids that come with the plan. There are some nights I eat a bit more at dinner but I always opt for the better option.

    I'll ride it out a bit longer and see how it goes. Thank you all so much for the words of wisdom.
  • mommyjgo
    mommyjgo Posts: 19 Member
    There's not really any diet to replace eating right and exercising. 1000 calories is too little, unless your only counting non-veggies...Fad diets catch up with you eventually. I've learned this all through working my butt off for 2 years to lose this 100lbs. I wish you the best of luck, but just keep yours eyes open. I don't trust any of those things...
  • mommyjgo
    mommyjgo Posts: 19 Member
    Btw, MFP is not completely accurate in calories you need to consume. This is the appropriate equation. It's called the Harris Benedict Formula.

    These numbers are the ones for women to calculate what they should consume.

    It says:
    Step 1: Multiply your weight x 4.36 = ____
    Step 2: Your height (inches) x 4.32 = ____
    Step 3: Your age x 4.70 = ____
    Step 4: Step 1 + Step 2 - Step 3 = ____
    Step 5: Add 655 = ____
    Step 6: Multiply #5 sum x (Activity Level) ____ = _____ <-- {What you should b eating}

    Activity Levels:
    1.1 - Very Light - Done while sitting w/ little arm movement.
    1.2 - Light - Done while sitting and requires moderate arm movement or while standing and requires little arm movement.
    1.4 - Moderate - Done while sitting and requires vigorous arm movement, or while standing and minimal arm movement.
    1.5 - Such as scrubbing, waxing, walking fast or gardening.
    1.7 - Such as continuous lifting or pushing and pulling of heavy equipment.
  • IseLedon
    IseLedon Posts: 20 Member
    I started at 560 lbs. and my dietician had me lose at a pace of 1 to 2 lbs. a week even though I was super morbidly obese.. She said our goal is long sustained weightloss and this was the way to go about it even at my extreme weight. So I bought into her way of thinking and we adjust my carb and calorie intake to mirror that weight loss each week.. Now the first few weeks I lost big (Week1- lost 11 lbs. Week 2- lost 8 lbs. Week 3- lost 5) and by Week 4 I crested off and from there was losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week. My calories back then was 2500 and 280 carbs a day... 34 months later down 305 lbs. and I am eating 3200 calories a day and 340 carbs... I am still losing a pound a week on average.. (Only 10-15 pounds from my goal before skin surgery) you need to watch going to low on your intake.. Sure you will lose weight fast on low calorie diet but it will eventually catch up with you..... Best of Luck....

    This is amazing. You're an inspiration. Congratulations on your success!
  • Abrowe313
    Abrowe313 Posts: 189 Member
    I started at 560 lbs. and my dietician had me lose at a pace of 1 to 2 lbs. a week even though I was super morbidly obese.. She said our goal is long sustained weightloss and this was the way to go about it even at my extreme weight. So I bought into her way of thinking and we adjust my carb and calorie intake to mirror that weight loss each week.. Now the first few weeks I lost big (Week1- lost 11 lbs. Week 2- lost 8 lbs. Week 3- lost 5) and by Week 4 I crested off and from there was losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week. My calories back then was 2500 and 280 carbs a day... 34 months later down 305 lbs. and I am eating 3200 calories a day and 340 carbs... I am still losing a pound a week on average.. (Only 10-15 pounds from my goal before skin surgery) you need to watch going to low on your intake.. Sure you will lose weight fast on low calorie diet but it will eventually catch up with you..... Best of Luck....


    you sir are inspirationa;! i cant imagine how it would feel to be that close to my goal!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    I started at 560 lbs. and my dietician had me lose at a pace of 1 to 2 lbs. a week even though I was super morbidly obese.. She said our goal is long sustained weightloss and this was the way to go about it even at my extreme weight. So I bought into her way of thinking and we adjust my carb and calorie intake to mirror that weight loss each week.. Now the first few weeks I lost big (Week1- lost 11 lbs. Week 2- lost 8 lbs. Week 3- lost 5) and by Week 4 I crested off and from there was losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week. My calories back then was 2500 and 280 carbs a day... 34 months later down 305 lbs. and I am eating 3200 calories a day and 340 carbs... I am still losing a pound a week on average.. (Only 10-15 pounds from my goal before skin surgery) you need to watch going to low on your intake.. Sure you will lose weight fast on low calorie diet but it will eventually catch up with you..... Best of Luck....

    DAMN SON!

    Great job.

    To the OP : why eat so few calories if you dont need to? Why be in such a rush to LOSE the weight? It took years to gain it. If you're at all interested in losing the weight and keeping it off, then eat more calories! Eat somewhere higher than your BMR but lower than your TDEE.

    Good luck!
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
    Btw, MFP is not completely accurate in calories you need to consume. This is the appropriate equation. It's called the Harris Benedict Formula.

    These numbers are the ones for women to calculate what they should consume.

    It says:
    Step 1: Multiply your weight x 4.36 = ____
    Step 2: Your height (inches) x 4.32 = ____
    Step 3: Your age x 4.70 = ____
    Step 4: Step 1 + Step 2 - Step 3 = ____
    Step 5: Add 655 = ____
    Step 6: Multiply #5 sum x (Activity Level) ____ = _____ <-- {What you should b eating}

    Activity Levels:
    1.1 - Very Light - Done while sitting w/ little arm movement.
    1.2 - Light - Done while sitting and requires moderate arm movement or while standing and requires little arm movement.
    1.4 - Moderate - Done while sitting and requires vigorous arm movement, or while standing and minimal arm movement.
    1.5 - Such as scrubbing, waxing, walking fast or gardening.
    1.7 - Such as continuous lifting or pushing and pulling of heavy equipment.

    Wow, this put me at 2200 cals, 1000 more than I am eating!
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
    No I'm not hungry. I take my vitamins and amino acids that come with the plan. There are some nights I eat a bit more at dinner but I always opt for the better option.

    I'll ride it out a bit longer and see how it goes. Thank you all so much for the words of wisdom.

    I'm not a dietitian or anything. I know not everything thing work for everyone. It sounds to me like, your getting your nutrition in, and you not feeling hungry or starving your self. Your losing weight, and as long as you don't got below 1000 I think your fine. So I would just keep with what you're doing.
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
    Btw, MFP is not completely accurate in calories you need to consume. This is the appropriate equation. It's called the Harris Benedict Formula.

    These numbers are the ones for women to calculate what they should consume.

    It says:
    Step 1: Multiply your weight x 4.36 = ____
    Step 2: Your height (inches) x 4.32 = ____
    Step 3: Your age x 4.70 = ____
    Step 4: Step 1 + Step 2 - Step 3 = ____
    Step 5: Add 655 = ____
    Step 6: Multiply #5 sum x (Activity Level) ____ = _____ <-- {What you should b eating}

    Activity Levels:
    1.1 - Very Light - Done while sitting w/ little arm movement.
    1.2 - Light - Done while sitting and requires moderate arm movement or while standing and requires little arm movement.
    1.4 - Moderate - Done while sitting and requires vigorous arm movement, or while standing and minimal arm movement.
    1.5 - Such as scrubbing, waxing, walking fast or gardening.
    1.7 - Such as continuous lifting or pushing and pulling of heavy equipment.

    According to this I should be eating almost 1000 more calories, than I am now. I am getting full from what I eat now. In fact, I feel sick from over eating today, and my calorie count was only 1419.
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
    I started out at a similar weight to you, and I started on 1200 cals.

    I lost 20kgs (about 45lbs) before my weightloss stalled, I started feeling dizzy/faint, I couldn't concentrate well and my hair started falling out.

    I took a 3wk break (went home for Christmas) and then came back and started doing a bit of research about TDEE and BMR and upped my calories to 1700.

    After the first 2-3 weeks where I gained/maintained I have been losing SAME amount of weight each week that I was on 1200 cals, and I feel MUCH better.

    In my opinion, if you are happy doing what you are doing, then keep it up... however there WILL be a time when your weight loss stalls, and then you'll have to figure out to to get it moving again... you could slowly up your cals now, or you could, like I did go through a 3 week transition period.

    This is great advice....please take it. Good luck to you in your journey!
  • amberforlife
    amberforlife Posts: 10 Member
    Btw, MFP is not completely accurate in calories you need to consume. This is the appropriate equation. It's called the Harris Benedict Formula.

    These numbers are the ones for women to calculate what they should consume.

    It says:
    Step 1: Multiply your weight x 4.36 = ____
    Step 2: Your height (inches) x 4.32 = ____
    Step 3: Your age x 4.70 = ____
    Step 4: Step 1 + Step 2 - Step 3 = ____
    Step 5: Add 655 = ____
    Step 6: Multiply #5 sum x (Activity Level) ____ = _____ <-- {What you should b eating}

    Activity Levels:
    1.1 - Very Light - Done while sitting w/ little arm movement.
    1.2 - Light - Done while sitting and requires moderate arm movement or while standing and requires little arm movement.
    1.4 - Moderate - Done while sitting and requires vigorous arm movement, or while standing and minimal arm movement.
    1.5 - Such as scrubbing, waxing, walking fast or gardening.
    1.7 - Such as continuous lifting or pushing and pulling of heavy equipment.


    Is that to mantain? or to lose weight?
  • ILoveJesus72
    ILoveJesus72 Posts: 181 Member
    I did the math, thanks to the poster for sharing that w/me!!

    It says I need 1796 per day.
  • myjourney2
    myjourney2 Posts: 424 Member
    My concern with your program would be how would you transition to real food when the weight loss part is done Once you start eating real food is it all going to come back?

    I started at 272 last November. Did weight watchers up until I joined MFP. I have lost 14 lbs since November (4 lbs on MFP) . It is coming off slow but thats ok with me. I have given myself a goal of losing all the weight within 1 year.

    You will find lots of support here on MFP.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Btw, MFP is not completely accurate in calories you need to consume. This is the appropriate equation. It's called the Harris Benedict Formula.

    These numbers are the ones for women to calculate what they should consume.

    It says:
    Step 1: Multiply your weight x 4.36 = ____
    Step 2: Your height (inches) x 4.32 = ____
    Step 3: Your age x 4.70 = ____
    Step 4: Step 1 + Step 2 - Step 3 = ____
    Step 5: Add 655 = ____
    Step 6: Multiply #5 sum x (Activity Level) ____ = _____ <-- {What you should b eating}

    Activity Levels:
    1.1 - Very Light - Done while sitting w/ little arm movement.
    1.2 - Light - Done while sitting and requires moderate arm movement or while standing and requires little arm movement.
    1.4 - Moderate - Done while sitting and requires vigorous arm movement, or while standing and minimal arm movement.
    1.5 - Such as scrubbing, waxing, walking fast or gardening.
    1.7 - Such as continuous lifting or pushing and pulling of heavy equipment.

    THIS FORMULA ABOVE WOULD INCLUDE EXERCISE. MYFITNESSPAL EXPECTS YOU TO ADD IN YOUR EXERCISE.

    So to say that this site doesn't figure it correctly is wrong. You just don't understand how this site works.

    From the MFP BMR calculator page:
    "Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor equations to estimate your BMR which is believed to be more accurate than the more commonly used Harris-Benedict equation."

    These are the Mifflin-St. Jeor equations (weight in kilograms, the height in centimeters, and the age in years):
    from: http://www.freedieting.com/calorie_needs.html

    Men
    10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (y) + 5

    Women
    10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (y) - 161.

    YOU are responsible for choosing an accurate activity rate. Don't try to speed up the process by choosing "Sedentary" just because it is an option.

    Almost no one is Sedentary. If you care for children at home, or go to school or have ANY type of job, you are not Sedentary. Choose accordingly.

    Use the site as it is set up. Don't over-think this. Re-evaluate in a month. In the meantime, educate yourself. There are lots of conflicting ways to figure your calories. This site does a good job if you use it honestly and don't be too aggressive. Set up your goals here like this:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


    Add your exercise. Eat the exercise calories. Just keep it simple!! It works.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/226404-bmr-maintenance

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/510406-tdee-is-everything


    The reason this site, Myfitnesspal, uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor equations is because this site allows you more flexibility in your added exercise. In reality, some people will not get much if any real exercise, and MFPal gives you the option to add this in as needed.

    That is why the Mifflin-St. Joer equation is a better tool than the more commonly used Harris-Benedict equation.


This discussion has been closed.