Eat Healthy; Get Fit; Lose 100+ New Group 1st Weigh in Jan.

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  • Christie422
    Christie422 Posts: 120 Member
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    I can't believe I totally forgot about the Friday weigh in! I started this on 12/27 with a weight of 251. My weight this morning was 244.5 lbs.

    I am so glad for the inspiring stories and support here!
  • DavesGal
    DavesGal Posts: 17
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    WOW! That is fabulous! I am so impressed. Are you doing anything special?
  • getnhealthy101
    getnhealthy101 Posts: 34
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    Wow! You've lost 6 pounds already?! How are you doing it? I'm also inspired by everyone's stories. Just getting started so will weigh in next week. I started a 30 minute walking/day regimine yesterday. I'm eating healthy and staying under my calories (1200). I did extreme low carb before, but gained it all back plus some. I think diets don't work because they have an end date. I need permanent lifestyle changes. Thanks everyone for sharing. I'm gaining strength and determination from you all.
  • Christie422
    Christie422 Posts: 120 Member
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    Thanks guys! I'm not really doing anything special at all, just being careful about what I eat. I've been having a high protein slimfast shake for breakfast and then usually one other one at some point throughout the day. That helps a lot with the chocolate cravings! I also cooked up some turkey chili, some french onion soup and grilled chicken breasts. I had it all portioned out into an ACTUAL serving size (and was shocked at how much more than a serving I had been eating!) so when I was hungry there were healthy choices available. I also made a batch of smoke house almonds so I had a healthier option for when I was craving chips or something. I've also been making sure to drink plenty of water. For me spending a day cooking and portioning out meals really helps. Its easier to plan my calories and it makes it possible to grab something good for me when I get that "I'm starving and have to eat NOW" feeling instead of stuffing my face with cookies and chips.
  • Angwie
    Angwie Posts: 14
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    I'm in. Trying to get back on track after the holidays has been a huge struggle. I'm new to the site and this is the first group I've joined. I've got 133 lbs. to lose to be at my ultimate goal.
  • thicansxy
    thicansxy Posts: 66
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    2 days late but not a dollar short. I to need to lose 100+ lbs but my goal is 56lbs because I don't want to get frustrated. This is the first message board I have applied to. I think it is because I am afraid of what people might think, but I think if I can became friends with people in the same boat as me it wont be so hard. I mean I have the support of my friends and family but I dont want them to hear the bad things I have done or judge me if it doesn't work (again).

    My mom got the lap band and lost 100 pounds but now all she can eat is junk food. My brother has lost 50 in the past year just eating right and exercise. So my little brother (of 10yrs) is my inspiration.

    So if any of you need support please add me cause I know I need it too. I have yahoo messenger, myspace, and facebook. Screen name to all Thicansxy would love to share receipts, fun and new exercises, and encouraging words.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    About exercise calories:

    People like us who have at least 100 pounds to lose don't have a lot to worry about when it comes to our bodies going into "starvation" or "survival" mode. Our bodies are carrying so much extra fat it's very unlikely our bodies will try to conserve fat. So, I think as a general rule, it's not nearly as important for people with a BMI over 30.0 to eat back their exercise calories.

    The reason it's important to consider eating your exercise calories is that your body needs a certain number of calories (your BMR) just to function each day. For people who don't have much weigh to lose, it's possible their bodies will begin to try to conserve and store fat if their NET calories for the day drops below their BMR. So, say someone was eating 1300 calories a day and they exercised to burn 400 calories. That puts their NET calorie intake for the day at 900. Their body may start to freak out because it realizes it can't normally function on 900 calories a day. Their body will start shutting down functions to conserve energy & store fat. That person will stop losing weight.

    But, if that same person was eating back some of their exercise calories, their body wouldn't freak out because it would be receiving enough calories/energy to function, so it would more willingly let go of extra fat stores because it was receiving enough fuel each day.

    Read the links at the top of the General Diet and Exercise Help forum They'll help you understand why its important for some folks to eat back some of their exercise calories. But, like I said, it's important to note that those of us who are carrying a LOT of extra weight can get away with having higher calorie deficits each day so generally it's not that important for us to eat our exercise calories.

    As you lose weight, you will need to go in to reevaluate your goals. My daily calorie allotment started out at 1400 something when I weighed 270 and is down to 1210 now but your calorie goals don't adjust automatically, you have to go in and let MFP know it needs to reevaluate your numbers. I almost never ate any exercise calories at 1400 something, but as you can imagine, I often eat 100-200 of my exercise calories now that I'm only given 1210 each day.
  • becca2010
    becca2010 Posts: 26
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    Good post, jlb. Since you've had success I'm going to ask you about something I posted yesterday. I said I bumped my starting daily calories up to 1800 so that I could go down as I lost weight and maybe avoid plateaus. Sounds like you have done the same thing via MFP recommendations, but have just gone down in smaller increments than I was talking about. Can you tell me whether you've had any problem with slowdown or plateaus? If it has worked well for you, I think I may take my calories back down to the originally recommended amount.
  • DavesGal
    DavesGal Posts: 17
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    Hi all... I have a question too. I am starting at 245 and MFP started my calories at about 1725... that sounds a lot higher now that I read other posts. Is this correct?
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    Good post, jlb. Since you've had success I'm going to ask you about something I posted yesterday. I said I bumped my starting daily calories up to 1800 so that I could go down as I lost weight and maybe avoid plateaus. Sounds like you have done the same thing via MFP recommendations, but have just gone down in smaller increments than I was talking about. Can you tell me whether you've had any problem with slowdown or plateaus? If it has worked well for you, I think I may take my calories back down to the originally recommended amount.

    I've just been following what MFP recommends for the most part except that at this point I pretty much never eat all my exercise calories. I almost always eat 1200-1400 calories a day regardless of how much I exercise. But I know that after I get down to about 180 I'll probably start eating more exercise calories & expecting my weight loss to slow.

    I haven't really had too many issues with plateaus. I've had a couple weeks I've lost a pound or less but those usually follow or are followed by a week where I lose 3+ pounds so it evens out. Whenever I feel like my weight loss is slowing, I consider having a a day when I "shock" my metabolism (which basically means I eat a meal of something I've been craving like Mexican food. yummm). Shocking my metabolism hasn't failed me yet & my weight loss always peps up after I do it.

    DavesGal - MFP calculates your calorie recommendation based on whatever information you put into the system. When you were setting up your goals, if you put that you were moderately active, MFP factors those calories into your calorie allotment. For example, when I set up my goals, I entered that I was sedentary under activity level. In reality, I'm pretty active because I exercise for 60-90 minutes most days. BUT, since I enter in that exercise into MFP under the "exercise" tab and it allots me those calories when I enter them, I don't want to essentially count them twice by telling MFP I'm moderately active in my settings.

    So, if you're already counting your exercise and enter yourself as anything other than sedentary when you set your goals, you shouldn't count your exercise again by logging it under the exercise tab otherwise you'll be counting your exercise calories twice (and eating your exercise calories twice which, of course, wouldn't be a great idea if you're trying to lose 2#/week). What you enter as your "activity level" under settings should involve what you do on a normal daily basis omitting any exercise. That way, when you exercise, you can add it to the exercise tab. If I sit behind a desk 8 hours for my job, I'm probably sedentary. If I'm a waiter, I may be lightly active. If I'm a construction worker, I may be moderately active. Then I would add my exercise as I do it, no matter what my normal daily activity level is. Make sense?
    So, I think most of us have a job that involves sitting most of the time, so we're probably all sedentary. If you're a construction worker, you'd be allotted more calories than the rest of us because you'd normally burn a lot more calories just doing your job.
  • becca2010
    becca2010 Posts: 26
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    Allison-- well, whatever you're doing, looks like it's working! : )

    I'm starting at 306 pounds and was given 1490 calories, but I didn't commit to exercising. My guess is that you probably got more calories because you put in that you'd be exercising? I don't know, I'm curious, too.

    It's not that I don't plan to exercise, I'm just trying to make one change at a time, and for right now, it's the food.

    I tried Weight Watchers awhile back and when I did a rough estimate of how many calories were in the points they gave me, it looked like about 1800-1900, and I lost 20 pounds in one month at that level, with no exercise. I quit WW for budgetary reasons and because I prefer counting calories to points, but knowing I could lose weight at that calorie level, I opted to start my MFP calories at 1800 when I started a couple of days ago. Still debating whether to leave it there or not. I may leave it there till I say how my weight loss goes.
  • becca2010
    becca2010 Posts: 26
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    Thanks, jlb, that's really helpful. I like your idea of the "shock" days, too... I have heard that changing things up both calorie-wise, carb-wise and exercise-wise keeps the body more responsive. And clearly, you're having great success.
  • becca2010
    becca2010 Posts: 26
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    Sorry for the repeat, but "save changes" button wasn't working there for a minute.
  • llowry
    llowry Posts: 144 Member
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    This group is exactly what I have been looking for!! I weighed in this morning at 258lbs and would like to be some where between 150 and 125. With all the support on the site I believe I might have a chance.:flowerforyou:

    Thanks for all the support
    Lisa
  • DavesGal
    DavesGal Posts: 17
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    Becca - I haven't lost anything yet. I think my signature was deceiving so I made a different one.

    I changed the settings and they are still suggesting 1725-1780 calories for me per day. Maybe this is good because I have been struggling with dinners pushing me over the top. My husband is such a great cook! I think I am going to leave it as is for now and then, when I start losing, bump it down or let MFP recalculate it for me.

    Thanks for the input :smile:

    2 days down, 2 days of exercise :smile:
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    Becca - I haven't lost anything yet. I think my signature was deceiving so I made a different one.

    I changed the settings and they are still suggesting 1725-1780 calories for me per day. Maybe this is good because I have been struggling with dinners pushing me over the top. My husband is such a great cook! I think I am going to leave it as is for now and then, when I start losing, bump it down or let MFP recalculate it for me.

    Thanks for the input :smile:

    2 days down, 2 days of exercise :smile:

    Allison, are you set to lose 1 or 1.5 pounds a week? I'm set to lose 2, so that could very well be the difference. :flowerforyou:
  • Nicole718
    Nicole718 Posts: 12
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    Hi everyone,

    I would like to be a part of the fun! I started on 12/27/09, which is probably a crazy time for anyone contemplating weight loss. Oh well, thanks to the accountability factor here, I have already lost six pounds. My starting weight was 298 and I am now at 292. I know I won't be losing six pounds every week, but it is a great kick off!!

    I was always thin and never had more than ten to twenty pounds to lose after the birth of my children. However, after being hit by a drunk driver in February of 2001, I have struggled with pain and other medical problems. I have had countless surgeries. The great reduction in activity, several medications and discouragement have brought me to this weight. The first hundred or so were put on in the first year. The rest accumulated over the following four years. I have been at this weight for the past few years.

    In August, my oldest child and only son is getting married. I know it is not my day, but I would still love to turn heads as I walk down the aisle to light my son's unity candle. I am only 44. I do not want to be the mother of the son, walking down the aisle in a big, ugly dress that makes me look far older because of my size. I know that if I don't make any changes, my thoughts are going to be focused on how horrible I feel on that day. Instead, I want to be focused on my son and his beautiful bride, along with the formation of our new family.

    So bottom line, I really need the encouragement of working with others who are facing a weight loss of 100+!!

    Best of luck to everyone!
    Nicole
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I set mine to sedentary and lost 2 lbs a week when I joined in late October. I am losing about 10 lbs a month. I used to be a Taco Bell loving, total carnivore, downing a gallon or two a week of milk. I have made major changes in my diet, including going cold turkey on both milk and soda. I now drink water instead, and easily get 60-120 oz in a day. I also eat a whole lot more fruit and veggies. Taco Bell has been replaced with homemade stir fry (new fave). We (my husband & I) have also discovered that it's a lot healthier, and cheaper, to make all our favorite restaurant goodies at home. We bake our own pizzas, conjure up our own Chinese foods, and mimic Tex-Mex. Let's see Pizza Hut beat 600 calories and 800 sodium in half a large, 6" deep pizza!

    Anyway... one more thing to watch on your journeys, friends, is sodium. You can customize your meal plan to lower the sodium MFP allots you. Personally, I think MFP gives waaaay too much. I lowered mine to 1500 a day. It's a struggle, but you find your way around it. I eat a lot of Healthy Choice meals (many which have less than 600 sodium for their whole meal, and are very filling!), and Ensure. I've also found a really yummy, sodium free cranberry cashew mix at Target. It's expensive, but worth it!
    I recently discovered sodium free/low sodium breakfast cereals. Check out & compare Malt O Meal frosted mini wheats to cheerios or rice crispies some time, you might be surprised what you find!

    So I feel like I'm rambling now, but just wanted to share some of the things that have really helped my progress so far.
  • becca2010
    becca2010 Posts: 26
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    It's exciting how many people are joining in here! : D I work at home, which can get kind of isolating, so the friendship and support is wonderful.

    {{{{{Nicole}}}}}}-- big hug... so sorry to hear about your accident and the subsequent pain and weight gain. You're off to a great start with that 6 pounds, though, wow. And by August I'm sure you will be a stunning mother of the groom!

    Trish, thanks for all the tips about food, those are much appreciated. I'm going to look for the cranberry-cashew mix for sure, I love both those things. And if you've got any simple instructions for how you make your stir-fry, pizza, or anything else, for that matter, I could sure use them. I have really gotten away from cooking over the years and feel like I'm starting from scratch, kind of... or more accurately, I WANT to start from scratch, and learn to make more things at home instead of buying them prepared, for both health and budget reasons. As far as the sodium, that's pretty scary that you think MFP has high allowances for sodium, because I'm going over those allowances. I need to work on that, for sure, and hopefully cooking more from scratch will help. Thanks for the heads up.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I have several yummy recipes that are super easy to make. Stir Fry is probably easiest.

    Super Easy Stir Fry:

    Ingredients:
    1 lb chicken
    1 bag frozen stir fry veggies
    1 jar La Choy duck, plum, or sweet & sour sauce (or make your own)
    1/2 cup La Choy crunchy Chow Mein Noodles
    1 cup rice (will make 2 cups)

    Chop up chicken, toss in pan with olive oil. Cook through. Add veggies. Add sauce (or make your own). Cook rice as directed.
    Place 1 cup rice in bowl, top with meat, veggies, and sauce. Add crunchy noodles on top. Enjoy!

    The way I've found easiest to keep my calories & sodium under control is to know what my biggest, baddest meal of the day is going to be, and log that first. Then you just plan everything else around it.

    Any time you need an idea for dinner, drop me a line. We plan our meals out for 2 weeks at a time, and I'll be happy to give you one of the recipes.

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