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DelilahCat0212
DelilahCat0212 Posts: 282 Member
This might be more to hear myself babble but if someone is listening, I greatly appreciate it. A lot.

I've done Weight Watchers off and on for the last 20 years. I would get halfway to goal, give up at a plateau and gain it all back (plus some). I'd lose 1-2lbs a week (and I thought that was way too slow HAHAHAHA) and then it would slow down into a plateau. So I decided THIS TIME I'd lose it slow, and I'd lose it FOR GOOD. And I wouldn't give WW any more of my money. So I joined MFP. I have to lose the weight, it's not an option to just do nothing anymore. My size 16's don't fit. I'm borderline diabetic and I have high blood pressure. I'm too darn young for this.

36 years old
5' 2"
SW: 216 (that hurt to type considering I got down to 170 2 years ago...*sad*)
CW: 207.5

Weeks 1-3 - Started out at 1200 calories because that is what MFP told me to do. (I did the math and it equals the amount of points that WW would give me) Thought I was going to eat my own arm off. Keep in mind, this is the way that I felt on WW too and after a few months I got tired of being hungry and not losing and gave up. When I see threads about people complaining about not being able to get 1200 calories in (or people at my WW meetings not able to get in 29 points) because they aren't hungry, I want to go jump off a bridge. Lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks. I'm used to losing that much in the first week on WW but I accepted that this was going to be slower.

Weeks 2-4 - Realized that 1200 was not sustainable with my appetite (I am on an antidepressant that causes an increase in appetite so that didn't help) so I "let myself" go up to 1400. Still hungry but it is more "doable". Lost 1.5 lbs.

Weeks 6-10 - I've been losing and gaining the same 2 pounds over and over and over and over and over. Plateau already? Are you kidding me????? Considered going back to 1200. But then I started reading these threads on MFP about eating MORE...??

At the same time, I've been working on some health issues. I have godawful heavy periods and have had ultrasounds, biopsies, tests and there is nothing wrong with me physically, no fibroids, tumors, etc. I just have naturally heavy periods. My last hemoglobin level taken 2 weeks ago was a 6. They won't let you donate blood unless you are at least at 12. I should probably get a transfusion but since I'm not fainting all over the place, they are holding off and having me supplement with megadoses of iron. But I am exhausted all.the.time. Forget exercise, I am lucky I get out of bed and go to my desk job every day. I go home at night and collapse. It's that bad. And the options to "fix" these bad periods are either 1. too permanent for me right now or 2. not covered under my crap insurance. So I have this to deal with as well until my iron levels go back up.

So that brings me to now. So after all this babbling, I am thinking of going to 1600 until my iron levels get better. So forget about any weight loss for this summer. The whole 8.5 lbs that I lost already have me comfortable in my 16's for now. Should I go higher? 1800? I'm actually AFRAID. I was eating 3000-6000 calories a day when I wasn't on track, you would think at 1400 calories, the weight would be melting off of me by now, right? I'm so frustrated. And sad.

Thanks for listening.

Replies

  • mommamuscles
    mommamuscles Posts: 584 Member
    Hello and welcome to the group. You're in the right place =D
    First if all, I would go through the stickies and read them. Watch the videos. Go to the scoobysworkshop calculator and figure out your TDEE. I think 1600 is probably too low. It may be a good idea to do a mini reset for 2 weeks, then drop down to your cut.
    Feel free to message me with further questions.
  • bsinno
    bsinno Posts: 344 Member
    read and reread the stickies and successes here. head to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ to figure out your TDEE instead of just picking nice round numbers. most around here do the 15% fat loss cut.

    even if you upped to 1800, that would still be 1200 cals less then when you "let yourself go" and im betting you would still be at a deficit from your TDEE as well.

    it is scary, but it will help your health AND your waistline! you might gain a little at first but most people seem to balance back out after a few weeks and you'll feel loads better.

    sorry for your health issue and good luck eating more - you gonna luv it
  • epcooper
    epcooper Posts: 161 Member
    As counterintuitive as it sounds, you won't lose any weight if you're not giving your body enough calories to sustain itself day-to-day. Have you calculated your BMR and TDEE (outside of MFP)?? That's your first step. Once you know those numbers (and believe me, those are going to be the most important numbers in your entire weight loss journey), then you can calculate the number of calories you should be eating. To lost a healthy amount of weight, subtract 200-400 calories from your TDEE and aim to net that amount of calories daily. Just make sure that the number of calories you net is ALWAYS above the number you calculated for your BMR. Just by putting the few stats you supplied into the BMR calculator, and a goal weight of 150 I saw that your BMR would be 1680 calories. That's how many calories your body needs just to function! I'd be happy to help more if you need it, but this should get you started on a healthy weight-loss journey. :flowerforyou:
  • seobstar
    seobstar Posts: 169
    read some of the stickies (the posts on the board that have the little tack marks next to then)!!!! then go out here
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    and fill in your info!! you do NOT need to feel starving and deprived to lose weight! Hang in there!! I quickly plugged in your info and it looks like you eat atLEAST 1800 and still be slowly losing! Girl, don't do this to yourself!!! believe me, been there...done that! hang in there! =)
  • seobstar
    seobstar Posts: 169
    oh, and just to be clear...basically the problem is that you're not eating ENOUGH and your body is in "starvation" mode, holding onto every morsel of food, hence why you will not lose weight on 1400cal per day!
  • DelilahCat0212
    DelilahCat0212 Posts: 282 Member
    Thank you for the replies...thank you so much. I don't want to be a yoyo anymore.

    I knew someone would point out the round numbers. :-) I'm OCD and round numbers are one of my "things" so that made me laugh today.
  • bsinno
    bsinno Posts: 344 Member
    I knew someone would point out the round numbers. :-) I'm OCD and round numbers are one of my "things" so that made me laugh today.

    round numbers sure are pretty :) you can def round up or down...just make sure you're starting with the RIGHT numbers LOL