Posting some General Advice for my Friends. :)

TinGirl314

I got a lot of requests with questions so I just decided to make it a post....:)

I am not a doctor or a trainer, just someone who has invested a lot of time in learning about food.:flowerforyou:

What calorie amount should I eat per day?
Ok, for this one ...there is no real answer. While it's true that for everyone, moving more and eating less will result in weight loss, I've found that there are so many factors to take into consideration, no one can give you an answer for your body. You have to take things into consideration, here are a few I look at when trying to help my friends:
Height
Previous Medical Issues (See: Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, PCOS, Insulin resistance, Celiac's...you get the point.(If this is you PLEASE come up with a diet plan with your doctor!))
Lifestyle
Macros (I had no idea what these were when I first came to the site...it's the ratio or carbs/protein/fats.)
Also the content of your calories is really just as (If not more important) then your calorie limit. Even if I eat 600 calories a day (I chose 600 because I believe it to be unhealthy unless directed by a doctor) of just carbs, I will probably still gain weight. It makes my insulin levels go up, makes me want moar food. Yes I spelled that incorrectly on purpose. Lol.

I had a bad day, did I just gain my 5,10 pounds back?
In order to gain 5 lb of fat you would had to have eaten 17500 calories PLUS your normal maintenance calories.
If you HAVE eaten 17,500 calories in one day...well you're prolly going to end up in the emergency room soon. I would pack a bag. But I ate at olive garden last night and gained 10 pounds! No you practically ate a block of salt and your retaining water. Don't forget ladies, during TOM you can fluctuate insanely too....I can gain 12 pounds of water weight (This is the highest I've recorded) before and during my cycle, and then I get a week or two where the scale just sits there looking back at me and not moving. Even in getting as unhealthy as I have I have NOT gained one pounds per week for the duration of me being overweight. Sometimes the loss isn't going to show either.

I've been doing everything right and it's not coming off.
Ok tough love time. You cannot do everything right and not see some type of result. Maybe you only lost four pounds in a month but a loss is a loss. If you're not losing as quickly as you like, tweak things around. Change your workout routine, lessen or add on to your calories. Try strength training if you only do cardio or vice versa. Log every condiment, DRINKS (Omgoodness drinks have so many calories...) Sure it was only one Starbucks latte you didn't log, but the darn coffee was 600-900 calories. Also if you're not doing SOME FORM of activity...yes you still can lose weight, but you're not going to reap the health benefits. The being able to climb 20 flights of stairs or walking 4-6 miles and not being out of breath. If you're not trying to be healthier, I really feel like you're cheating yourself, you might look great in that swim suit but if you get stuck in the ocean and you're not fit, you're prolly still going to drown so to speak. Lol.

I feel hungry all the time, why am I not full after my calorie allowance?
It's most likely because of what you're eating. Getting foods high in protein and fiber have really been what's kept me on track. You know how when you have a bowl of pasta and you're hungry an hour later? That's your body giving you a hint: 'I've processed all this because it's stripped flour, milk , and cheese.' Your body doesn't have to work to process it, it's just all shot out to the body at once. WHAT you're eating is as important as how much. Study, the whole internet is in front of you.

I can't stick to my ultra restricting diet and I feel miserable.
You don't need an ultra strict diet unless you have a medical reason. I would much rather sit here and eat a little bit of a bunch of different foods then only eat..eh vegetables. That would drive me insane, I'd be searching for a cheeseburger by noon. Personally my goal is something long term, a lifestyle change that is sustainable in the long run. It maybe be a bit slower and less perfect, but I don't want this to come back.

Now I am not telling anyone to do what I do.
I'm telling everyone to educate themselves.
I'm telling everyone to find what works for them, have realistic goals, and this will happen.

You can do it!:drinker:

TinGirl314

Bold tags don't seem to work, sorry about that.

anifani4

Good advice or anyone trying to get thinner and healthier. Ani

AllTehBeers

Also the content of your calories is really just as (If not more important) then your calorie limit. Even if I eat 600 calories a day (I chose 600 because I believe it to be unhealthy unless directed by a doctor) of just carbs, I will probably still gain weight. It makes my insulin levels go up, makes me want moar food. Yes I spelled that incorrectly on purpose. Lol.

This is incorrect. If fat usage exceeds storage in the long run, you can not gain fat.

Also, the tags use [ ] brackets, not the < > brackets. If you edit your post with them, it should work.

Otherwise, not a bad post.

TinGirl314

Also the content of your calories is really just as (If not more important) then your calorie limit. Even if I eat 600 calories a day (I chose 600 because I believe it to be unhealthy unless directed by a doctor) of just carbs, I will probably still gain weight. It makes my insulin levels go up, makes me want moar food. Yes I spelled that incorrectly on purpose. Lol.

This is incorrect. If fat usage exceeds storage in the long run, you can not gain fat.

Also, the tags use [ ] brackets, not the < > brackets. If you edit your post with them, it should work.

Otherwise, not a bad post.

Thank you!

alesnie

This is great!

babysteps2skinny

Thank you for the advice! Great post.

TinGirl314

Thanks guys.