How many calories to eat. I did search first :)

sun33082

Ok. I know this is asked ALL the time and I did try to search the forums for an answer, but I'm still so confused.

I thought I had it figured out. Set MFP to recommended goals, eat back exercise calories. But it hasn't been working for me.

Background: I lost my 145 pounds through doctor supervision and a strict diet. I decided I want to do this "on my own" and use MFP. Since July 1 I haven't lost a single pound. I've been yo-yoing between 262 and 266. This week I'm at 264.8. I went back through my diary and found that I eat an average of 1701 calories/day. I burn an average of 358 calories/day from exercise. So I'm netting an average of 1343/day (yes I actually did the calculations in a spreadsheet lol).

Online calculators say my BMR is 1932
Online calculators say my sedentary TDEE is 2300ish
I set my goals in MFP to lose 2 pounds per week, so my calorie goal (before exercise) is 1560.

Am I not eating enough? Should I eat my BMR and not eat back exercise calories? Should I eat my BMR and eat back exercise calories? Or am I just being impatient?

Can someone spell this out for me in plain english, in possibly a short paragraph? I get lost in the 2000 word essays some people post on here

sun33082

anyone?

psuLemon

I am assuming your TDEE does not include exercise?

If you don't exercise at all, i would aim for 1850 calories (I prefer 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fat... seems to work for most). If you exercise, you should eat more. So if it's 3 times a week, then 2050 calories a day, if you exercise 5 days a week, then 2200 calories a day. Also, with this method, you do NOT eat back exercise calories as it's figured into your TDEE. Or you can eat 1850 and eat back your exercise calories.

Just an observation, for some reason a lot of your foods that you are tracking seem to be very low in carbs. It almost makes me wonder if those are recorded right. Like I know 14 baby carrots are more than 3 carbs (just looked on mine and it's about 9 carbs)

sun33082

I eat lower carb because I am insulin resistant. For the carrots, you have to pay attention to how many ounces I had (not what is in parenthesis). I had basically 1 oz, which is 1/3 of a serving, which is about 4 baby carrots. It was on my salad

lolagurlx0x0

Eating back calories? I don't like doing that- I do it sometimes to justify that extra something- but I don't do it as a rule. Here's my reasoning--- People in prison--- Get ripped- lose weight on only 3 meals a day with a set amount of calories- generally around 1800-2000 No matter their weight height etc etc. Construction workers and Hard laborers could not even dream of eating enough calories to eat back the amount they burn at their jobs unless they spent all weekend just eating. They would need tips from Phelps.

So I don't get eating back calories I guess? I feel It's counter productive- and uses just your BMR to burn your weight off for you. So maybe try experimenting? Like not eating back your calories? Or only doing it a few days a week? Im not certain- How long has it been since you stopped the HCG

GauchoMark

lol! The Prison diet?! You should market that and make a killing! However, I disagree about the logic - construction workers HAVE to eat what they burn, otherwise they would starve to death. They just probably spread out the calorie intake on their off days too.

To the OP:
Looking at your profile, it appears that you just came off HCG 3 weeks ago? If so, I'd say just keep doing what you are doing. That is such a dramatic calorie reduction, that your body is probably readjusting. It sounds like you are doing it right, with the exception of if your tdee is 2300 and you want to lose 2 lb/week then you need to create a 1000 calorie deficit (net 1300 calories). Right now you are set up to lose 1.5 lb/wk based on the numbers you gave. I would also recommend eating back your exercise calories ESPECIALLY if you are going to try to lose 2 lb/wk. Just keep at it and congrats on the huge loss!

sun33082

Barreria, technically I have been netting an average of 1300ish (see my OP). I was just concerned since that is almost 600 below my BMR and I've been seeing posts that say you should eat BMR. I just want to make sure I'm doing this right, but I am probably just being impatient. Not giving up or anything. I'll just keep on keepin on

yarwell

People in prison--- Get ripped- lose weight on only 3 meals a day with a set amount of calories- generally around 1800-2000 No matter their weight height etc etc

My inmates seem to get fatter by the week !

GauchoMark

Barreria, technically I have been netting an average of 1300ish (see my OP). I was just concerned since that is almost 600 below my BMR and I've been seeing posts that say you should eat BMR. I just want to make sure I'm doing this right, but I am probably just being impatient. Not giving up or anything. I'll just keep on keepin on

It is debatable about eating below your bmr. My opinion is that since you have 100 more lbs to lose, you would be fine to do so until you get down to maybe your last 30-40 lbs. However, I never said to actually only eat 1300 calories - you need to NET that many while eating back your exercise calories. So, log both your food and exercise and target your net.

evaker

I am doing PS1000 diet and eat between 800-1000 calories (i know it is low but I want quick and I know my body, on 1800 calories I will gain weight) I fee great doing it and have no hunger. I think it is all about doing it with the right kind of foods that dont make you crave more and are clean healthy and nutritious. I have lost 57 pounds so far and going strong! And when I told my doctor (after losing 50 pounds) what I was doing all she said if it works for you and obviously it does (blood pressure finally normal, have no knee pains and back pain magically disappeared!) do it because being overweight is much worse than consuming a few less calories.

pandsmomCheryl

The maximum amount possible to still see the results on the scale.

drmerc

Why not go back on your doctors plan if it was working?

ifyouwanttosingout

Looking at your diary, I'd recommend cutting back on the sodium.

meshashesha2012

The maximum amount possible to still see the results on the scale.

this is what i was going to say :laugh:

OP eat as many as you can especially if you have a lot to lose because doing it that way will be more helpful in the long run in terms of keeping it off for good since you want have too much of a struggle once it's time to maintain.

everyone person i've known who has successfully lost a ton of weight (like 60 pounds or more) and kept that off for years has done it with a gradual and non drastic change to their diets and moderate exercise. yeah it might have taken them up to 2 years to do it, but that's better than doing it in 6 months, gaining all the weight back and more in another 6 months and having to srat all ver from scratch. i've also seen people go through that as well

PLUMSGRL

Read this:

http://www.oxygenmag.com/Community/Expert-Q-A/How-does-starvation-versus-eating-fewer-calories-affect-fat-loss.aspx

http://blog.metaboliceffect.com/2012/03/10/weight-loss-or-fat-loss-which-would-you-rather-have/

mermx

Awww honey, I know it is so hard ;-((

If you want to add me as a friend then please do :-)

I do read diaries and I do try to offer advice good or bad but be sure I wil try to motivate you!

grubb1019

do it because being overweight is much worse than consuming a few less calories.

I have to disagree with this. Consistently eating extremely low calories does damage to your organs. My mil ate below 1200 daily for years and now has kidney failure. You have to fuel your bodily functions.

lolagurlx0x0

lol! The Prison diet?! You should market that and make a killing! However, I disagree about the logic - construction workers HAVE to eat what they burn, otherwise they would starve to death. They just probably spread out the calorie intake on their off days too.

To the OP:
Looking at your profile, it appears that you just came off HCG 3 weeks ago? If so, I'd say just keep doing what you are doing. That is such a dramatic calorie reduction, that your body is probably readjusting. It sounds like you are doing it right, with the exception of if your tdee is 2300 and you want to lose 2 lb/week then you need to create a 1000 calorie deficit (net 1300 calories). Right now you are set up to lose 1.5 lb/wk based on the numbers you gave. I would also recommend eating back your exercise calories ESPECIALLY if you are going to try to lose 2 lb/wk. Just keep at it and congrats on the huge loss!

DEFINITELY Ill market it as the Folsom County Diet-- MILLIONS. Two parts imprisonment One part horrible food. You're welcome world.. And they don't actually, They definitely eat more than their BMR- but not the calories they use to work. I don't mind if you disagree- thats what forums are for- and it seems with weight loss everyone thinks they have the "Right" way, and you have to have that kind of confidence most times to keep going.



To the OP: Ok- your HCG diet probably made it more difficult for you to lose weight on your own- The HCG diet that I am educated on had a person on 500 calories a day of nothing but fruits veggies and lean meat- That type of diet will make going back to regular dieting very very hard. My sister did the HCG diet- she lost some weight and when she came off of it she was plateaued for 2 months-- but eventually she started losing again. I don't know if this is similar at all.

lolagurlx0x0

People in prison--- Get ripped- lose weight on only 3 meals a day with a set amount of calories- generally around 1800-2000 No matter their weight height etc etc

My inmates seem to get fatter by the week !

LOL- *Shrug* I must go to a different prison lolol

sun33082

I know switching up the way I'm eating will take time for my body to adjust to. I'm not so much complaining that I haven't lost any weight in 3 weeks, but more I just want to make sure what I'm doing is what I should be doing.

I know my sodium has been high, that's one reason why I track it. I've been doing little things to try to cut it, but some days are higher than others. (10 out of the last 22 days have been over)

Someone just private messaged me this link and it kind of surprised me. I knew with the diet change and with me having PCOS and Insulin Resistance that weight loss is going to be a challenge. However I didn't realize that my BMR might possibly be lower than someone with my same stats but no PCOS or IR. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18678372

ExplorinLauren

I asked this too a couple days ago... you can check out the answers I got ....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/673351-can-someone-please-dumb-it-down-for-me?hl=dumb+it+down

bms34b

Why not go back on your doctors plan if it was working?

My question, too.

If you definitely don't want to go back to the dr., I would really suggest just keeping on what you're doing for a few more weeks or adding a few hundred calories. Or even look outside of your diet, like at stress. Are you extra stressed lately, are you getting enough sleep, drinking enough water? Sometimes these matter too.

Other than that....congrats on all your loss so far! That's awesome and don't let this plateau stop your momentum!

sun33082

I don't want to keep following the plan I was following because it was a VLCD and I want to be able to do this on my own with something I can follow for life. The VLCD worked great getting me out of what I would consider morbidly obese. I want to be able to exercise and you can't on a VLCD.