your input...please?!

hgirl1021

so...i've been on MFP since the end of August and i LOVE it here you guys are all so inspiring, helpful and encouraging. so thank you for that!! so i figured where better place to go for help with my questions, right?? :bigsmile:

since january, when i was my highest 145 lbs, (i'm 5'4") i have lost 15 lbs. a few due to surgery, a few to depression, and the rest from MFP and monitoring everything! yay. i'm currently 129 lbs and looking to lose 9 more lbs. i know for the last 10 its harder than it was in the beginning. I'm being extremely patient and trucking through my daily regimen with very little to no slip ups....

i just purchased a polar f6 hrm and working on determining my calories out during a normal day (which is 1770, exactly as MFP calculates for me) and periods of exercise. i agree with the whole 'eat your exercise calories.' so i just reset my goals...to reflect a mini goal of 125lbs losing 0.5lbs per week, with an estimated 4 days of exercise at 45 mins each. my calories went from 1270 to 1520 per day. its hard enough for me to get in my 1270!! so i'm wondering if anyone has input if this sounds reasonable and if i should give it a go for the next week and see what happens? or does it seem like i should readjust my goals back to reflect my ultimate goal of 120, where my calorie intake would be 1270 per day? i've been losing consistently until the last 2 weeks...so i'm wondering if i'm in a starvation mode since i've started strength training/circuit training?

your input/suggestions would be sooooo appreciated!! thanks guys :flowerforyou:

rachelmommy1

i'm so not good with all the technical stuff, but i will say that you may want to change up your workouts a little. try some different moves, take up running or kickboxing or something you haven't done yet. they also say that weight training is really good for getting out of your plateau phase.
i do know, also, that depression/stress produces a hormone that makes it harder to burn fat. i'm sure someone else here can explain it better than me but basically stress hormones can totally sabotage your weight loss.

congrats on the progress you've made so far!!!

justdoingit

I have the same exact weight goal you have and am also 5'4"--It sounds like you may not be eating enough calories. Try upping your intake for a couple of weeks to see if you start loosing again. I am at 123 now and what seemed to help me was taking liquid B12. Good luck!:flowerforyou:

hgirl1021

i'm so not good with all the technical stuff, but i will say that you may want to change up your workouts a little. try some different moves, take up running or kickboxing or something you haven't done yet. they also say that weight training is really good for getting out of your plateau phase.
i do know, also, that depression/stress produces a hormone that makes it harder to burn fat. i'm sure someone else here can explain it better than me but basically stress hormones can totally sabotage your weight loss.

congrats on the progress you've made so far!!!

i've def changed my workouts. i'm limited due to recent ankle surgery...but i started just walking on a treadmill for 30-45 mins. no i do the elllpitcal for 15 mins, then strength/circuit train for 45 min then elliptical or treadmill for 30-45 more mins. i've had a lot of change in my body since i've started changing it up...but anything with impact (running, jogging, kickboxing, etc) i'm not allowed to do :ohwell: oh...and the depression thing was temporary due to my surgery...i had to sit on the couch for 3 months straight. but now that i'm up and moving again, i feel GREAT!!! :happy: thanks for ur thoughts....

Poison5119

I would suggest you go with the higher number. If you're working that hard at 45 minutes of exercise, you should be trying to eat enough to fuel that exertion.

Also, give it more than a week to see any changes - up to 3 weeks. Your body needs that much time to respond to the change.

SHBoss1673

yeah, absolutely try to keep the 1520. One thing to note though, if you're currently at 1270, make the change gradually, don't just up your calories by 230 in one day, I would do about 100 a week for the next couple of weeks, give your body time to adjust.

Also, the last few pounds are definitely the hardest to beat. Make sure you're doing different kinds of exercises, added in some good anaerobic high intensity stuff, as well as full body weight training as well. Losing weight is great, but you want to make sure you're also building up muscle density, not only does it look better, it also keeps you healthier and stronger.

hgirl1021

thanks guys!

i guess the boss has spoken so i shall try this and see what happens. i would have totally upped it in one day, so thanks for the advice on the calories banks.

heres hoping