Now I know I'm not the only one...

meggyh20

I am on my 22nd day using MFP. A little background... I am a 30yo female, have one two year old child, and DH and I are thinking of trying for another. Well, I am about 50 lbs overweight - 5'5" and 195 lbs and I'd like to be healthier before getting pregnant again. DH is on this journey with me as he has about 30-40 lbs to lose as well. I was thrilled to find MFP and love using it. After the first week, I had lost 4 lbs. And that's where I have been since. Trying to stick to my 1200 calorie net and going just a little over occasionally when I work all day and don't have a lot of time to exercise. So the past week, I was sitting at my desk starving and debating whether to have a (healthy) snack or wait until dinner because I only had 450 calories left and I'd surely go over if I had a snack. I burn roughly 300-400 calories/day average taking walks and doing the arc trainer (elliptical) at the gym. At this point, I haven't been consistently doing any weight training.

So I was figuring, if this were just a simple formula, net calories in equaled weight gain or loss, I should be gradually losing and not gaining any back. I've been justifying the lack of weight loss with the fact that I was really out of shape and am gaining a lot of muscle back, which may be partially true, but I was so glad to discover this forum. My plan for the next month is to try to eat healthy but MORE calories. I think I will try for around 1900 since my BMR is close to 1700 and adjusted for activity is 2200. Are there any other tips that anyone here can recommend? I may not reach my goal weight of 140 before I get pregnant, so I'll have to adjust if that happens. But I feel better knowing that I won't be starving my body and just the added exercise along with eating nutritious food should help me become healthier. Thanks for any advice/support you can give! Happy to be here!

slammy1079

Welcome! I think you're definitely on the right track - especially if you're thinking about another baby, you want to keep your body good and strong so he/she has a nice place to call home for 9 months!

You hit the nail on the head - eat more calories, but make sure they are HEALTHY calories. Eat more protein, and be wary of processed food and watch your sodium intake.

Remember to let yourself have a treat here and there, too.

Good luck!

meggyh20

Thanks... I used to really have a problem with sodium because I ate so many processed food. DH and I have committed to an online meal planning service that has us eating a LOT more veggies and healthy fresh foods rather than frozen. Plus, I'm bringing sandwiches/salads to work instead of the frozen lunches. I'll keep an eye on the sodium just to be sure, but I think we'll be better off than we were just for those changes.

twoboys2012

One thing that i am focusing on and have read over and over again in this group is consistency ... Aim for your number and hit it consistently. Your body needs to believe that it will be regularly fueled. Tho body can hold on to food if it thinks that it doesn't know when the next meal will be coming. Also eat regularly like smaller and every 2 hours or so and watch sodium levels.

Be prepared for fluctuations in weight due to TOM, hormones etc so measuring is better. Do this right from the beginning and watch that as your progress.

meggyh20

I will be sure to space my meals a bit differently than I'm used to. Today I ended up eating over 2000 calories,but burned 400 so I'm still just below my BMR in terms of net calories. Is the rule of thumb for net calories to never dip below BMR? For my activity level, my TDEE is 2215, so TDEE-15% is 1883. But my BMR is 1617, so if I burn more than 266 calories, I should add the extra calories. right?

For example, today I burned 400 calories, so I should add 134 to 1883 and end up with 2017, just about what I ate today. I think I'm getting this. I just need to be sure I'm as consistent as possible... I want my body to get the message.

justagirl2013

I will be sure to space my meals a bit differently than I'm used to. Today I ended up eating over 2000 calories,but burned 400 so I'm still just below my BMR in terms of net calories. Is the rule of thumb for net calories to never dip below BMR? For my activity level, my TDEE is 2215, so TDEE-15% is 1883. But my BMR is 1617, so if I burn more than 266 calories, I should add the extra calories. right?

For example, today I burned 400 calories, so I should add 134 to 1883 and end up with 2017, just about what I ate today. I think I'm getting this. I just need to be sure I'm as consistent as possible... I want my body to get the message.

Yup! You need to net your BMR always, but definitely eat your cut amount all the time.

twoboys2012

I will be sure to space my meals a bit differently than I'm used to. Today I ended up eating over 2000 calories,but burned 400 so I'm still just below my BMR in terms of net calories. Is the rule of thumb for net calories to never dip below BMR? For my activity level, my TDEE is 2215, so TDEE-15% is 1883. But my BMR is 1617, so if I burn more than 266 calories, I should add the extra calories. right?

For example, today I burned 400 calories, so I should add 134 to 1883 and end up with 2017, just about what I ate today. I think I'm getting this. I just need to be sure I'm as consistent as possible... I want my body to get the message.

Eat 1883 every single day. On days when you have high burn or over 266 then you may need to eat some cals back to net over bmr.

I find it easy to hit one number every single day and just double check net just in case. But i have more wriggle room than you so you bets just keep eye on it. Keep it simple