Don't Judge but 30/M going from 1200 to 1500 - Nervous

Nerdy_Rose

Fear of losing control, and using calories as a control mechanism is a symptom of eating disorders. Have you considered getting counseling?

EccentricDad

I have an honest question for you - how are your energy levels at 1200 calories a day? Are you able to remain awake and positive all day, or are you crashing into bed at night with absolutely nothing left?

Believe it or not, my energy levels are fine! Carbs are the world's solution to energy. I feel my energy level dipping down? Carb and protein; 2:1 ratio. I wake up around 7 am to get the wife up and off to work then I go to bed about 1am after I put the kids to sleep (again don't judge, it's summer vacation). Sure, 6 hours of sleep sucks, but I make it work (without coffee).

The only problem I had maintaining at 1200 or below is weighing my food out so I can make sure I'm not getting too much of one macro.

Right on - we're all built differently, I suppose.
I try to stay as close to 1600 as possible, which puts me at about a 30% deficit based on my BMR, and you appear to be more active than me during a typical day (I work a desk job). Even at 1600, I feel a little weak at times, and we have a very similar body type. It just surprises me, is all.

Have faith in carbs. You should have a snack at your desk with you the entire time you're there and when you feel your energy levels decrease, dig out some grapes or a banana and eat it with your nuts or some turkey bacon and you'll be back on your feet in no time.

But again, thank you for your concern. I am no pro but I am definitely getting results with dieting alone so I am trying to be cautious about my next strategic move. It looks like 100 calorie increases each week to reach 1500 is a good bet.

EccentricDad

There is a reason for which you are recomended to eat 1,500 calories to loose weight, and its because be eating so little you are definetively putting yourself into "starvation mode". Your body thinks that there is some type of shortage of food and it reacts by slowing its metabolism and consuming far less calories to work than normal.
Another serious issue is that under such a low calorie intake, you put your hormones into catabolic state and start consuming muscle instead of just body fat. This, in the long run, has its consequences including kidney disease.
Go ahead and increase your caloric intake. You've got to eat to get leaner... Not in excess of course.
What I really do recomend is to pay a visit to a nutritionist, and to do at least some excersice. Not just for loosing weight, but for health reasons.
I myself, am a man and I doo the cooking and washing at home, and above that I work 8 hours a day. And I have three kids. I'ts just 30 minutes every day (or at least every other day) and it will change your life.
Lets face it... If you have time to upload everything you eat here, and dedicate time to write this post, then you are already spending at least half an hour daily. It's really just a matter of choices, isnt it? You will get much better results by working out gentley just a little bit...
(written from my I Pas as I do 20 minutes of indoor bike at home)

Starvation mode only works if you're starving yourself. My body is happy the entire day and I am eating enough food to feed it nutritiously (because I don't eat all the grains and complex carbs that most of you do). Now I can agree that I am putting strain on my metabolism and that's why (now that I am near my goal) I am going to increase my caloric intake.

I'll try to figure out fitness, it's just a matter of finding time without getting yelled at by the wife and without getting further behind in chores... But thank you for replying, I realize you were only trying to help.

EccentricDad

you will see a slight gain in the scale at first. THIS IS NOT FAT. it is your body adjusting. It will take several weeks for it to adjust, as I am sure your metabolism as slowed down on such low calories. Be patient, give it time, and don't let the scale freak you out. Infact I suggest avoiding it all together for awhile.

check out the video "eat more to weigh less" on this youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/jaymebales83

I'll look into it, thank you

rodneyderrick

Fear of losing control, and using calories as a control mechanism is a symptom of eating disorders. Have you considered getting counseling?

I guess I'm not the only one noticing some serious issues.

EccentricDad

I have to question your weight goal.... 135 or even 145 that I read in a later reply... that sounds awfully low. I am female in my 40's, 5'4",weigh 145 and a size 10. A man of your height and that weight seems like you should be fine where you are. I am all for being healthy not skinny.

Technically, I could stop where I am at and start weight training, but I want to be in the middle of the Body Mass Index scale of "healthy" instead of on the far side close to "overweight" so this is a personal choice of mine.

FYI the BMI chart is a really outdated way to determine your healthy weight. it was created by an insurance company for rates. it does not take into account your lean muscle mass.

Yeah, I'm just looking at the extra fat on my body really, but the BMI has been a concern of mine. I didn't have much muscle mass to start with so it didn't have much to take into account LOL! Thanks again for your response.

tjradd73

I think that increasing your cal content by 100 every week until you reach AT LEAST 1500 is a good idea (maybe even more), I also think that140 is the MINIMUM a guy your age and height should weigh, and I also think that to acheive the results that you listed in your "about me" section...you are gonna have to find time to add in workouts, and therefore will need more "fuel" for your body to be able to sustain them

EccentricDad

Also wanted to add, you don't really need a HRM in my opinion if you're not planning on outrageous exercises like marathons or heavy duty stuff (or you have some kind of heart condition). You can tell when you have reached your optimum heart rate. It will be slightly more than 2 beats per second, and you'll be sweating.

I never was athletic in the least bit growing up or even as an adult, so I think I have a grasp of what you're going through. The fear to even get engaged with this kind of stuff is crazy but all too real... :P

There was something else I wanted to say, but I've had a long day and it escapes me at the moment... LOL

A HRM would be good to link with my Endomondo app on my smartphone. That way when it thinks my trips to the store gave me 300 calories I can say "Uh, no way". But it really takes a lot to make me break a sweat these days; and the only time I feel my heart beat faster is when I'm scared (which happens a lot).

Yeah, I tried to do sports in high school but I never had the muscle mass to be good. And now that I'm trying to be healthy, I have to face that genetic flaw once more. Only this time I'm going to figure it out.

If your remember what you were going to say, send me a private message, this thread is retarded long now and I won't find it at this point! LOL!

Thanks again.

EccentricDad

As others have said, there are relatively cheap ways to add calories which are not gluten based. Nuts and nut butters are perfect for that sort of thing. Check out the flyers from your local grocery stores to see if anything is on sale that you think would be a good addition to your diet. As for when to eat is really just a personal preference. To me, I don't like eating large amounts of food at a time because it can get overwhelming so a fourth meal would be ideal. It could be more convenient just to add on to your current meals though. Try both and see how you feel. Weight loss is all trial and error, you have to find what works for YOU not everyone else. Even though it may be emotionally difficult to up your calories, you know it is the best thing for you to do right now so stick with it! Remember, it is impossible to gain fat on a calorie deficit, and any increase in weight is most likely water retention of some sort.

As for your goal weight being too low: just make sure you look/stay healthy. Although it seems to me you are at an ideal weight now, some people are meant to be lighter than others. (just saying, I have the same goal weight and I am a 5'7 female, who already looks "thin" at 147lbs) Be mindful of how thin you are really getting, and try not to get too caught up with the numbers.

I totally understand how it can be difficult to find time to exercise! Since school started, my exercise routine has pretty much stopped unfortunately. Ideally you should try to find some extra time (I know, easier said than done), but as long as you are eating well the lack of exercise won't cause weight gain.

I think it's great you are a stay at home dad! My dad works far too much and I'm jealous of my friends whose dads are always there for them.

Congratulations on your loss and good luck continuing!

To sum up your response: Thank you for your feedback! The fat on my face and on my stomach shows to me that I may be at an ideal weight but I'm not at the ideal body fat % and that's what I think I really want to look at. Exercise seems to be the only safe way to do it from here though since my resting calories is so low now after all the weight loss. So I will be climbing up to 1500 and eventually up to 1900 I think. It's just scary to climb when the goal was to sink for 5.5 months.

Sorry about your Dad. But trust me, being home isn't much better. They see my face more than they see me. I wish I could have more time with them but being a home maker is a 24/7 job. That's why the rich hire maids, butlers, and cooks.

Thanks again.

Masterdo

I don't have much advise on the diet part, but on the cheap workout options, I do.

Ì recently read both books Convict Contitioning and Convict Conditioning 2. They are really great books that focus on calisthenics, or bodyweight exercise. Today it sounds pretty strange to workout like that, but it's been around for thousands of years, it's crazy efficient and it's free... It might sound like a "beginner's" class since it doesn't involve weights, but it's really not. By the time you are done with just the first book, able to do real one handed push-ups, one handed pullups, handstand pushups, leg raises, etc... You'll be one heck of a beast, and probably won't find the need to even go beyond that... but if you do, there is plenty of information too on how to do that

You are basically carrying all day long all you need to do a world class workout, anytime anywhere, and it's free. I like that freedom from that workout program. I have the means to pay for a gym membership, I have for the past 5 years, but this is better. Give it a shot if you want a cheap but nice option

Good luck sir!

EccentricDad

I have to question your weight goal.... 135 or even 145 that I read in a later reply... that sounds awfully low. I am female in my 40's, 5'4",weigh 145 and a size 10. A man of your height and that weight seems like you should be fine where you are. I am all for being healthy not skinny.

Technically, I could stop where I am at and start weight training, but I want to be in the middle of the Body Mass Index scale of "healthy" instead of on the far side close to "overweight" so this is a personal choice of mine.

BMI is a terrible indicator. Most NFL players are considered obese by BMI standards. Body fat percentage is a better goal. You should start lifting heavy now. There is really no need to wait until you weigh a certain amount to starting lifting heavy.

I'll try to get lifting in my routine ASAP. But I already have a pec injury from trying to do a chin up using the iron gym (got it on sale for $10) so now that I know I am at the point of my life where injuries are REAL, I need to take this thing slow. If I lift, I will probably start with Barbie weights and work up slowly. I know you may disagree, but I don't have health insurance so this is what I must do to be safe.

restoreleanne

Im a stay at home mom of 3 I had a HRM of a week without doing anthing but housework, and takeing care of my kids I burn about 3000 cals a day. I do wear a pedometer and I have 27000 step in (part is my morning walk). you may want to think about what you do.

EccentricDad

You aren't going to gain any weight at 1,500 calories. You'll still lose about a pound a week; however, it's possible that you'll have a hard time making it to 135 pounds. Your body type will factor into this at some point. A BMI of 23% with eighteen percent body fat is okay, if you're doing the neck and waist measurements. By going down to 135 pounds, you'll need to visit your doctor to see your real body fat measurements using some of the more precise scales. The only reason I'm saying this is because your organs need fat to work.

To catch you up, I'm changing my goal to 141-145. The weight isn't the problem though, the problem is the fat on my face and my stomach. I have about 6 to 7% more body fat to lose before I'll be satisfied and eat at my daily required or below. But I will increase my calories to 1500 and eventually to 1900 where my daily required will rest. I do appreciate your response though, when I get health insurance again I will definitely see a doctor to make sure I'm doing all this the right way.

tjradd73

Jillian Michaels DVDs are great ways to get introduced into lifting. you can start with as low of weights as you want and go up to as high of weights as you want!! The Shred, Ripped in 30, and No More Trouble Zones are all great DVDS, and her adjustable set of handweights (from 2.5-12.5/wt) are only about $60 at walmart

tjradd73

also...alot of community centers will do wellness checks and can give a general idea of healthy weight and body fat % and maybe some tips on where else you can get free or cheap help! they usually are no more then $10/check!

EccentricDad

You don't need to "exercise" when you are staying home with the kids!!! You get PLENTY of exercise you don't realize! You can track cleaning house, cooking, etc on here. Put that in as your exercise and see!! Thumbs up to you!! My husband is out of a job right now and I am working my butt off. I am still paying for daycare for our 1 year old. He does nothing but sit on his butt online all day. No cooking after I have been gone 12-14 hours a day, hardly any cleaning unless I get pissy! Your kids and significant other are LUCKY!!! :-)

Depression can strike any person who lost their identity through job loss. That's what got me to 219 to be honest. I lost my job and then I started to pack the pounds because I wasn't ready to change careers. I'm sorry that you are working so hard to support him in his identity crisis but he loves you for the effort and he will pay this back when he realizes that this isn't the end of the world. That's what it took for me, I had to realize that the male stereotype was just that - a stereotype. And while it still affects my wife as the "breadwinner", the fact is, I am damn good at cleaning the house and taking care of business. But the inevitable will occur after the kids go back and the fight for who stays home will be rekindled so my situation is quite a bit different.

But again, thank you for the kind words. I hope that your situation gets better. All you can do is be supportive though and hope that he gets secure in his identity as SAHD and assume responsible for his 1 year old so you don't have to put them in daycare.

dave4d

First, I have to say my gut instinct is not to reply at all because this sounds like a trap. Based on your responses, you understand that your goal is based on inaccurate information and yet you are pursuing it anyway...

Second, anyone in this day and age who thinks about criticizing you for being a SAHD is not worth your time and certainly gets not respect from me or most other people. So you can definitely ignore anyone like that.

Third, I'm not a doctor, but I think you're not thinking straight... You are at the perfect weight to start working out at home (yes, you can make the time; it's just a matter of priorities). You don't need any special equipment really other than possibly a couple of barbells you can purchase anywhere (including Wal-Mart and sometimes even Goodwill).

I understand about being poor, trust me. This is the first year my wife and I could even think about spending money on gym and personal trainer. My wife is a SAHM, so we are living on my income alone. Because our health was deteriorating (we are in our early 40's, and she was right at 300 lbs and I was over 200), we knew we needed to take action (literally!). So yes, we are spending the big bucks and it aint easy... but she has lost 70 lbs and I have lost over 30 lbs so far since the beginning of the year. My trainer said (in essence) I am at a good weight to start focusing on strength training now and less on weight loss. I am only 5'7" and weigh 176 -- so you can see where my concern for you comes from. I am not a large framed person. My current profile photo shows me at my heaviest (216 lbs). I look nothing like that now (except the hairline! :P).

So don't worry about 1500 calories. I would even bump it up to 1600 or maybe more, try to get your heart rate up to around 140 or so for 30 minutes a day and do some core exercises and you will be a knockout in no time. You can find exercises all over the place on the internet now (including Men's Health online; they have some great stuff!).

Good luck, and be healthy.

I understand your skepticism and I respect it. There are very few people out there as naive as me that would openly admit it but we exist. The internet gives voice to introverts like me, and while most introverts use it to release anger and rage, I use it to constructively figure out my life and get good advice.

I plan on going up to the 1500 after seeing all these comments, I just needed some support. Being highly sensitive brings a lot of fear with it; I can't help that I am naive and very easily tricked into believing things that aren't true (gullibility?) so I have to figure most things out on my own and then ask a board of professionals to set me straight.

I will incorporate exercise as soon as time permits. Even bodyweight exercises (like suggested above) sound affordable to do; it's really just about time at this point. Tonight I am sacrificing 2 hours to this when I should be doing laundry, vacuuming, getting school supplies at a 24 hours supermarket, cooking meat for the morning, and getting the kids to bed (11pm here). So to be responsible for so much with no help makes life a bit difficult to find time alone.

Thank you again for your advice though, I appreciate it.

2 hours for exercise? Most of my workouts never exceed an hour, in fact if you are doing weight training, it is recommended to limit your workout time, because you need to eat something to replace your glycogen stores, and to help your body get the proteins to start repairing the muscle.

Many exercises you can do with your kids. They might even enjoy it. If they are little, take them to the playground, and while they are playing, do a couple of sets of pull ups on the monkey bars, dips on the park bench, and push-ups on the sidewalk or grass. Lunges around the perimeter of the playground, or jump squats work well, too.. Youtube has some tabata exercises that can be done outside, your kids may even want to try them with you.

EccentricDad

Bananas might be a good idea for food as well. Very sustainable, healthy, high in calorie. :happy:

Also, try not to see everything in a bad light. Be positive about what you did so far!

I do love me some bananas!
Can't eat a banana without protein though. Must be balanced.
I'll make this work, it's just scary trying new things.
Thank you again for the encouragement and support.

EccentricDad

You'll be fine. Though you should know that at the very beginning you will probably jump a couple pounds. Dont worry about it, your body will readjust and continue losing again soon.

Thank you for your encouragement and reassurance. It's just scary trying new things sometimes.

chojolitos

I'm not a judge but you look great in your profile pic. Good job in your recent weight loss.I saw your food Diary and looks great maybe you can increase your food intake by adding 100 calories snacks every week until you get to 1,500. Exercise i would recomend you walking , easy , low impact to star.
Good Luck and Keep up the good work!!!
Best regards,
Vio