Seriously need help

teresadutton

I am pretty confused by all of this. I am a fairly smart person but this is totally kicking my butt lol I just cant seem to wrap my head around it all.

So here is alittle back history.....I start my journey May 1, 2012. I have been very serious about it. I started at 215.8 pounds. I have been eatting VLC, I usually eat about 750 to 850 calories a day, I excersise 4 days a week 1 hour ( cardio and weights).I dont eat excercise calories back. I have lost 40 pounds doing all of this. I now weigh 173 and seem to have stopped plus seem to be holding water. So that brings me here!

I went to the scooby site and here is what it says:

I did 3-5 hours mod exercise
20%calorie reduction

BMR 1514
TDEE 2347
Daily calories based on goal in step 6 1877

So does that mean I should be eatting 1877 calories a day? Do I log exercise? Do I eat back exercise calories or just make sure I am netting 1877? How much would I lose a week eatting at 1877? Dont even get me started on what in the world is the whole reset thing!! If someone wants to explain that, feel free. I am sure I have messed up my body alittle eatting so low cal for the last 12 weeks. I have 20 to 25 pounds left to lose and I am ready to get it off. Thanks so much for any and all help. I am sure you guys get tired of explaining and reexplaining all of this! but thank you!!!!

bsinno

I went to the scooby site and here is what it says:

my heart skipped a beat when i read 800 cals a day LOL!

I did 3-5 hours mod exercise
20%calorie reduction - most around here rec 15%, but its up to you!

BMR 1514
TDEE 2347
Daily calories based on goal in step 6 1877

So does that mean I should be eatting 1877 calories a day? YES
Do I log exercise? UP to YOU! i log it to keep track but i alter the cals burned to 1 calorie because NO you do not...
eat back exercise calories
How much would I lose a week eatting at 1877? - em2wl is a slower process but a lifestyle, not a quick fix. you are STILL EATING AT A DEFICIT, but it is smaller so your body can actually FUNCTION happily!

the reset is a personal choice. many choose to reset if they have been vlcd for a long time and want to repair and regain the body's trust. some skip it. many skip it and then go back and decide to do it anyway and wish they just had at first!

hope this helps...its scary for sure. keep at it, read the stickies and educate yourself! Even though i have yet to do the exercises, i found reading "New rules of lifting for women" really made this idea stick. i totally understood the science behind it and will never again go back to a low calorie quick fix!

good luck, hope that helps!

geordiegirl27

Now I'm confused I thought you dont eat back calories UNLESS you burn do much that you net drops below BMR in which case eat some to get to BMR, this is what I've been doing as my exercise days often bring my net right back down?

alcon79

You're correct geordiegirl....exercise is calculated within the scooby #s.

Raynn1

First, we recommend a 15% reduction, not a 20.. 20% can be too much of a deficit, and especially if you are coming from a VLCD, your body will likely not like you with only a 20%.. We recomend 15% because it s ahealthy deficit to lose weight, but its not going to deprive you or slow your metabolism further.

You can log your exercise. You do not eat back those calories though, UNLESS your net is below your BMR amount of 1514. You eat your Cut value daily, regardless of your burn.
Some people choose to log exercise as 1 calorie burned so it doesnt mess with the numbers..

A reset is when you eat at your TDEE level (maintenance) for a period of 4-12 weeks. This is the best way to ensure your metabolism is burning properly and that you are able to eat your cals at the higher levels and see losses. Most people from VLCDs end up on a reset at some point. Many start by jumping to their cut, but find after a few weeks or so, nohing happens and their body is still not giving in and letting go. The only way to correct it, is by eating at TDEE and giving your body a chance to heal. It is a personal choice, but having said htat you did come from a VLCD, You may want to invest your time in a reset for a bit so your body can remember what real eating is. I have no idea how much damage a 12 week VLCD can do overall, but is is long enough to cause damage. If you arent ready for it, then go to your 15% cut and eat there for 4-6 weeks and see what happens. If things are trending down nicely, then keep going. If thingd have stalled out, you may want to reevaluate the reset.

You will probably have to take a step back in the weight loss department until your body adjusts to the higher cals. Gains are inevitable when you first begin. Take your measurements because that is where you will see change more.

Hope this helps

Raynn1

Now I'm confused I thought you dont eat back calories UNLESS you burn do much that you net drops below BMR in which case eat some to get to BMR, this is what I've been doing as my exercise days often bring my net right back down?

You are correct. You only eat back exercise cals if they net you below BMR

Greenrun99

Hey,
I would say since you have just been eating 800 calories and probably burning half of that away, you should just focus on eating 1 number.. that 1877 sounds like the number (if your not doing a reset).. Now with you basically netting 500 or less calories a day you are probably going to see a gain, so just brace yourself for that.
Once your body is used to eating again, at a 20 cut you should probably lose 1-2lb a week.. but you may need a reset eating for 2-3 months at that low of calories.

teresadutton

Thanks so much for the responses! I havent quite decided if I am going to try this yet. I really am scared to death to up my calories sooooo much, I cant imagine how much I will gain by doing so. It just freaks me out to do this and gain5 pounds when I will just have to turn around and lose those 5 pounds when I have already worked so hard to lose those same 5 pounds! Ugh this weight loss journey is so frustrating! Anyway thanks again and if anyone else has something to add please do!

bsinno

Now I'm confused I thought you dont eat back calories UNLESS you burn do much that you net drops below BMR in which case eat some to get to BMR, this is what I've been doing as my exercise days often bring my net right back down?

You are correct. You only eat back exercise cals if they net you below BMR

thats what i said! but in a confusing way obviously LOL SORRY! dont eat them back unless they take you under your bmr

geordiegirl27

Now I'm confused I thought you dont eat back calories UNLESS you burn do much that you net drops below BMR in which case eat some to get to BMR, this is what I've been doing as my exercise days often bring my net right back down?

You are correct. You only eat back exercise cals if they net you below BMR

thats what i said! but in a confusing way obviously LOL SORRY! dont eat them back unless they take you under your bmr

thanks I am so confused by it all, I dont eat much (at the moment although I'm working on it) and my exercise days I am very near the 1000cal burn - cals taken from my HRM so at the moment all I'm trying to do is keep my cals above BMR - that is hard enough! thanks for clarifying :-)

HeidiHoMom

I understand being afraid to gain back those 5 pounds that you worked so hard for but what you're doing right now is not healthy and probably not working for you anymore otherwise you wouldn't be here.

You have to remember that this is for life, you are trying to make a positive change for the rest of your life...so what is a few weeks in the grand scheme of things??

sassylm22

I agree with Heidi. You are eating way to little and putting your body in starvation mode. Even if you gain some back because you increased your calorie intake, in the long run in will benefit you greatly and less harmful to your body. you need the energy, especially all the good carbs.

Just keep exercising like you've been doing, increase your cal intake and you will see you still can lose the weight. Remember you are burning calories all day, including when you sleep. So all that factors in as well.