Am I doing this all wrong?

hunteranderson13

I am an 18 year old male and trying to go from 195lbs to about 170lbs. I have always been very impatient so I'm trying to get to my goal as fast as possible. The thing about this is I may be doing it wrong. I get some sort of exercise every day whether it be basketball, riding my bike, running, and a lot of others. I'm doing all of this and taking in very little calories. Maybe 650-700 a day. I am eating 3 times a day, just not food with a lot of calories. Is the a recipe for disaster and for me to just gain it all back in the end, or is this an okay way to do things. I have lost 3lbs in about 3 days.

rompers16

It sounds like you're starving yourself...you actually should be consuming more calories which will help you lose weight..I know that seems strange, but it's true.

supplemama

It's a recipe for disaster. You need to eat more. At least 1200 calories a day. 18 year old? I would say even more because men can grow until they are 21 so it's likely you are still growing.

PanaMericann

You're doing this wrong. You're pretty much starving yourself. I'm 18 (well 17 but...) and started at 181 (On MFP, 190 before). Eat the amount of calories it tell you to eat and exercise. You can't rush it. I lost 12 pounds in about a month. You have to weight train and do cardio. Remember don't rush and don't starve yourself, you kill your metabolism and you lose muscle rather than fat that way.

melaniecheeks

Your exercise and variety of it sounds great! Your diet sounds very very bad.

RES2333

The 650-700 calories a day is too low. Let me say that one again...that is too low. You need to up those calories.

Here is what is going to happen...you are active and trying to lose but you are restricting your caloric intake to a level that is so low that your body is going to react, but in a way you don't want it to. Your metabolism will slow down if you continue on that path. The body will go into "starvation mode". It thinks that now it is not receiving enough calories so it slows the metabolism down. That is opposite of what you want to achieve.

I would say increase your calories to a healthy level and spread those out over five or six meals per day. Look to eat about every three hours. The three meals a day is not conducive to keep that metabolism going.

Good job chaning things up with basketball, biking and running. You got the cardio in, may want to add weights to help too.

crzyone

Offtopic...sorry.

Is that a pet raccoon in your photo?

bobemmer

you are not eating enough - your body is in survival mode and will not allow weight loss- i am guessing you need 1800-2400 calories per day - hope this helps - bob

hunteranderson13

It's a lemur. We got to pet them at a zoo.

crzyone

Oh, okay!! Thanks

hunteranderson13

Very helpful. I always feel like the more I eat the worse off I am. Then that makes me want to give up and binge. I know that isn't the way to go. Definitely gonna work on it!

bpotts44

Eat more starting today you are doing real harm to your body. Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate which I would guess is between 1800 and 2000 and eat that. Then do exercise an average of 300-500 per day to lose.

shannond1980

Like everyone else said so far, up the calories and start adding strength training of some kind and you'll start seeing results faster.

crazy_mims

I also agree. I think you should be eating more calories. But I know it is easiest said then done. because I tent to have the same problem ( I'm so scared that the more I put in my body the fatter I'll get). So ya, I totally get you. But actually it is only mental. Because don,t forget that by doing your normal daily activities you are still burning calories. If your body enters a starvation mode it will slow down your metabolism and you could hit a plateau with your weight loss or even maybe gain some weight. But I am having the same problem. so maybe we can help and motivate eachother. keep it up .

hunteranderson13

MFP says my calorie limit is only 1510. Should I stick to that?

Anna800

MFP says my calorie limit is only 1510. Should I stick to that?

Yes. And when you exercise you can eat more.

RES2333

That is before exercise calories are burned. If you are doing your cardio and adding weights, you can increase it some.

Definitely start with that as that is a healthier number than what you doing. But you are young and active and like someone else said above, you are still growing so can add more than that.

Log your food and exercise daily and see what is working.

hunteranderson13

Awesome! Thanks everyone. I know a lot of much needed information now.

yoovie

yeah cause going as fast as possible is ALWAYS the answer! woohoo for doing it all wrong and not getting the results you want from the work and time you aint putting in!

high five!

be smarter.

taso42

Am I doing this all wrong?

Maybe 650-700 a day. I am eating 3 times a day, just not food with a lot of calories. Is the a recipe for disaster and for me to just gain it all back in the end, or is this an okay way to do things. I have lost 3lbs in about 3 days.

yep. all wrong.

PittShkr

yeah cause going as fast as possible is ALWAYS the answer! woohoo for doing it all wrong and not getting the results you want from the work and time you aint putting in!

high five!

be smarter.

What she said!

LorinaLynn

Recipe for disaster. Recipe for losing a lot of muscle mass, feeling like crap, having now energy, and looking flabby and soft at your "goal weight" without reaching your goal body.

Eat more. You're a young active man. I lose weight eating a total of 1800-2000 calories a day and I'm a small 40 year old woman.

Maude_Lewbowski

Is this a troll?

Hksalex

MFP says my calorie limit is only 1510. Should I stick to that?

let me give u a basic break down of my "usual" day

Breakfast - 7am - Usually around 330 - 500 cals

Snack - 9am-10am - I keep it low, usually fresh Fruits 150 - 200 cals

Lunch - 12:30am - Usually around 330 - 500 cals

Snack - 2:30pm - 3:30pm - I keep it low, usually fresh Fruits 150 - 200 cals

Dinner - 5:30pm - Usually 330 - 500 cals

Snack - 7:30pm - I keep it low, usually fresh Fruits 150 - 200(sometimes I wont have a snack at this time, as im not as hungry)

Totals: 6 means a day

Calories Total: Lowest - 1440
Highest - 2100

again all my meals I eat DEPENDS on my hunger.

NOW i usually work out for 30minutes every morning 1hr after breakfast, I normally net about 500-600 calories burned (HIIT and Weight Training) and I also work out for 30mins every night 1hr after dinner (HIIT and Weight Training), I normally net about ANOTHER 500-600 calories.

so that's 1200 calories (estimated) burned.

your probably wondering OMG your over working your body etc. etc. no, I just have a GOAL and like you I want to reach really fast, so i have to work hard, and keep going forward.

hope this helps you

Disclaimer : this was just What works for me

erickirb

MFP says my calorie limit is only 1510. Should I stick to that?

That and eat back the cals you burn from exercise. so if you burn 600 cals from exercise, eat 2110 (1510+600)

hunteranderson13

yeah cause going as fast as possible is ALWAYS the answer! woohoo for doing it all wrong and not getting the results you want from the work and time you aint putting in!

high five!

be smarter.

Sorry for being uneducated in this matter. I'm so happy that there are rude people like you to help me out. I'm not going fast because I knew that was the answer. Maybe that's why I asked if it was or not before doing something stupid. Be smarter.

ArroganceInStep

NOW i usually work out for 30minutes every morning 1hr after breakfast, I normally net about 500-600 calories burned (HIIT and Weight Training) and I also work out for 30mins every night 1hr after dinner (HIIT and Weight Training), I normally net about ANOTHER 500-600 calories.

so that's 1200 calories (estimated) burned.

Bet you a dollar your estimation is off. THAT is why it's working for you

Hksalex

NOW i usually work out for 30minutes every morning 1hr after breakfast, I normally net about 500-600 calories burned (HIIT and Weight Training) and I also work out for 30mins every night 1hr after dinner (HIIT and Weight Training), I normally net about ANOTHER 500-600 calories.

so that's 1200 calories (estimated) burned.

Bet you a dollar your estimation is off. THAT is why it's working for you

i did say estimate im just going based off what the HRM says

kmm7309

Very helpful. I always feel like the more I eat the worse off I am. Then that makes me want to give up and binge. I know that isn't the way to go. Definitely gonna work on it!

It sounds like there are some other issues there, kid. This sounds psychological. You might want to talk to a psychologist or therapist about these feelings. I don't hit my calories every day but I eat and eat. Mine is not psychological- mine is a genuine feeling of fullness.

ErinBeth7

MFP says my calorie limit is only 1510. Should I stick to that?

That and eat back the cals you burn from exercise. so if you burn 600 cals from exercise, eat 2110 (1510+600)

And then keep up your activity. I completely understand that you want to lose the weight as fast as possible. I want to shed it all right now, but I know that it is not the healthiest way to lose. It is really hard for me to be patient, but it is key for weight less and maintaining it afterwards.

carrigsl

Not sure if this point has been made, but be thoughtful of what you are eating. Yes, you need to consume more calories, but think about the types of foods you are eating too. Try to stick to lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains for carbs. Drink your water and try to avoid sodas, energy drinks (lots of sugar), and those frozen drinks at Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. The hidden calories can in drinks can pack a ton of calories and fat which not what you want to consume.