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Allic1971
Allic1971 Posts: 145 Member
I just wanted to share my journey with you.

I started here on MFP on the 20th Feb this year weighing in at 88.8Kgs (195.36 pounds) the heaviest I had ever been!

I started by cutting calories, exercising my *kitten* off and only netting 600-1100 calories, I was losing weight, but I found out a few weeks later THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY!

I struggled to lose any more, I exercised more the scale was up and down... arrr what is happening??

I was gaining and losing the same few pounds every week...

On the 21st April I weighed in at 79.7 Kgs (175.34 pounds) I had, had enough I took a weeks break off the merry go round these cardio sessions were out of control!

I bought 4 books, Burn the fat feed the muscle, New Rules of lifting for women, The body fat soloution and Jillian Michaels Master your metabolism.

What did they all say.... you need to fuel your body in order for it to be able to work how you want it too....

So I got back on the exercise regime, and upped my calories, so I was now netting 1400, arrrr it happend again, I was still gaining and losing the same pound every week...

I then joined this group, did I need to up my calories again?? YES of course I did, i still wasn't eating enough, so I now net 1600-1700 calories, did I put on weight, YES I did , I upped my cals on May 8th, and by May 15th I weighed 80kg (176 pounds) I was starting to have a little panic at this point, but being consistant is the key, 1 low day un~does all your hard work, my scale has been down now for 3 days in a row and today I weighed in at 79.5kgs (174.9 pounds).

I also bought a body media fit, to help me understand what I was burning, I thought I was only lightly active... it seems I was so very very wrong, My BMR is 1529 and my average TDEE for this week is 2488 before the 15% cut, some days I burn 2800 cals, other days like Mother's day i was sat for the whole day, my burn was 2072... You see I didn't do it right at first, but the light bulb has now been switched on!

Do not be afraid to eat, if you look at my numbers, if I was burning 2800 in a day and only eating 1400 cals, when I really needed 2114-2380.

Do not compromise your metabolism, lose weight the sensible way, do your research, now go check your TDEE and see what you should be eating! and by the way i burn nearly 500 cals in my sleep from midnight to 7am....

Good luck everyone!

Alli
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Replies

  • Mandys_Getting_Fit
    Mandys_Getting_Fit Posts: 70 Member
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    Thank you so much for this!

    I just joined this group after only eating between 1300 and 1400 calories daily for longer than I'd care to admit. Starting today, even though I am SCARED lol, I'm upping my calories and avoiding the scale for a while.
  • ddiestler
    ddiestler Posts: 353 Member
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    A very big thank you for posting this. I realized I am NOT fueling my body at all! When I go back and look at my food diary I am netting 800-900 calories a day...that is NO way nearly enough. I've increased my cals this week and have seen a gain on the scale. I too am panicked a little. But, I vow to always NET my bmr.

    I am hoping with time it will un do what I've done. I've done it the wrong way for a long time. I had the thinking eat less burn more..except I ate way too much less and had big burns. Today, after running 10 miles this week already and netting 800 cals I am EXHAUSTED, my body aches, I feel dehydrated, every muscle in my body aches. I believe it's from not enough fuel.

    Thank you for the encouragment..my scale has lost and gained the same 10 pounds since Christmas..encouraging to say the least

    Dawn
  • curiousheathy
    curiousheathy Posts: 108
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    Very inspirational! Thank you for sharing! I'm pretty new and like most, I netted between 1000 and 1300 a day! I'm now almost at 1900 (hoping to make a final jump up to my TDEE by Saturday) and while I feel bloattteedddd - I have so much more energy. I feel happier.

    I hid the scale since mentally, I know it would hurt me. Since its been hidden, I feel so much better!

    I hope to have success like you!

    Thanks again! :)
  • 2BeHealthy4Life
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    This is wonderful news..... This just confirms all the testimonies on the goup EAT MORE TO WEIGH LESS. I am soo happy to be on board with eating more. I just love my 2000 calories a day.I have so many choices.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr
    http://www.youtube.com/user/EatMore2WeighLess?feature=mhee
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
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    YAY Good job!!
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
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    You do not realize how much I needed to hear this!!! Thankyou!
  • Jessies_journey
    Jessies_journey Posts: 131 Member
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    Awesome!! Love hearing these stories!
  • missdimpley
    missdimpley Posts: 192
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    Love the story you share! Keep them coming! These stories inspire me. I am so scared to face the scale.. not plan on seeing it until next week.. is there anyone who is not seeing scale? I am scared if it end up a 10 lbs GAIN.. oh gosh! lOL :) go girl!
  • Allic1971
    Allic1971 Posts: 145 Member
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    Thank you to all of you, I am firm beliver in paying it forward, why keep what we learn to ourselves?

    I will open up my diary so you can see what I do if that helps anyone then mission accomplished!

    I have more energy now I don't need to go to bed in the middle of the day because I am tired!

    I am a stay at home mum and workout at home! if you don't have weights then keep some plastic milk jugs and fill them with water, i did before I got my weights, or sand LOL.

    You just have to get over the metal aspect of eating more, and of the right foods!

    Good luck everyone!
    Alli
  • Evelynandchris
    Evelynandchris Posts: 140 Member
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    So encouraging! Reading things like this calms the monsters in the back of my head!
  • Takes2long
    Takes2long Posts: 367 Member
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    :flowerforyou:

    So very glad this is working for you!! I need to find some quiet time to sit and figure this all out, again! Figure out my one wek BF total burns. Average it all out (TDEE) and eat that number for a week. Then, after a week, maybe more, of easting at my TDEE, do the cut. Hopefully the scale will cooperate. but, if it doesn't, the tape measure should. I better get new measurements :blushing:
  • TiffyChick
    TiffyChick Posts: 89 Member
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    Love it, love it, love it!!! You are awesome and I am SO getting that gadget! LOL! : )
  • rebekahgo
    rebekahgo Posts: 235 Member
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    Love it! Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work.
  • Allic1971
    Allic1971 Posts: 145 Member
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    Love it, love it, love it!!! You are awesome and I am SO getting that gadget! LOL! : )

    It is a really cool gadget, I must say, syncs with the smart phones, so no more guess work, I found that the scooby calc also is in~line with my numbers from my bodymedia fit link.

    You kind of forget what you really do in a day, housework, shopping, ironing, cooking, it's all movement and you are burning calories!
  • KarinFit4Life
    KarinFit4Life Posts: 424 Member
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    Thank u for sharing and sooo glad you feel so good! :-)
  • Taffyali
    Taffyali Posts: 17
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    It's so good to hear stories like this! I'm going through a bit of a wobble after increasing my cals - first few weeks I had the expected gain, followed by a lovely 3lb loss but unfortunately this has been followed by 2 small gains :(

    I'll keep going though!

    These are my numbers if anyone would care to comment:

    Age: 44
    Height: 63 inches
    SW: 183lbs
    CW: 151lbs
    GW: 147lbs possibly 141lbs to reach healthy BMI

    Scooby Figures:

    BMR: 1394
    TDEE: 1917 (based on 1-3 hrs a week of light exercise)
    Daily Cals Based on 15% reduction: 1630

    I have been eating (weekly average) between 1517 and 1638 cals – what do you guys think?

    Keep going?? Eat more?? Eat less?!?
  • KarinFit4Life
    KarinFit4Life Posts: 424 Member
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    It's so good to hear stories like this! I'm going through a bit of a wobble after increasing my cals - first few weeks I had the expected gain, followed by a lovely 3lb loss but unfortunately this has been followed by 2 small gains :(

    I'll keep going though!

    These are my numbers if anyone would care to comment:

    Age: 44
    Height: 63 inches
    SW: 183lbs
    CW: 151lbs
    GW: 147lbs possibly 141lbs to reach healthy BMI

    Scooby Figures:

    BMR: 1394
    TDEE: 1917 (based on 1-3 hrs a week of light exercise)
    Daily Cals Based on 15% reduction: 1630

    I have been eating (weekly average) between 1517 and 1638 cals – what do you guys think?

    Keep going?? Eat more?? Eat less?!?

    Hi!
    I'd say stick with a FIXED 1630 for the next few weeks. That is IF you really are doing 1-3hours exercise and not more. If its more, or you start doing more maybe, then you'll have to eat more.
    If your exercises are MORE than 240 calories burned per day, you will have to eat back those extras (over 240). Say your burn 300 cals per exercise, then you'll have to eat the extra 60 cals to net above your BMR.

    Lets see what the other say though, I'm still learning too. :smile:
  • witrixie2011
    witrixie2011 Posts: 224
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    Fantastic!! keep up the good work!
  • rubybeach
    rubybeach Posts: 529 Member
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    Wonderful! Keep up the good work!
  • Allic1971
    Allic1971 Posts: 145 Member
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    I would say chose moderate exercise as I thought I was light I was very wrong.

    Like I said I have the body media fit and my reading for last night was 2728 but I only ate 2049 way to big a deficite.

    You will be surprised by how much you are infact burning.

    Good luck
    Alli