I've noticed women who have high cal diets...how?

DebbieLyn63

Loving the replies of women who are eating more and seeing good results! I am not a fan of anyone starving themselves as it can lead to a damaged metabolism and weight loss stall..


My question is this: How do I (or do I even try to) approach this subject with a friend at work. She is around my mother's age and has never worked out before. Her age, by the way, is only important because I feel she may not take advice or suggestions on her health from someone who is younger than her own son. And she is stubborn as hell to begin with. Basically, she is starving herself throughout the day at work eating only an english muffin for breakfast (120 cals) and greek yogurt for lunch (140 cals). I don't know what she eats for dinner, but I assume she eats more than this while at home.

She will sometimes complain to me about wanting to lose weight, but not being able to do so. She is not obese by any means, but you can tell that she has very little muscle and a high BF%. She has recently been having health problems related to bone loss/bone density and I know that her diet and lack of exercise have contributed to this. I feel that when she complains, I should say something, but I don't. So.... What should I do? Should I offer some suggestions or some articles to read on the subject? Or should I let her doctor inform her of what to do??

Well, as woman probably around your mom's age, I can tell you that at this age, the average woman who isn't working out a lot, needs fewer calories than younger women, and especially younger men, so she probably isn't eating too few calories, so I wouldn't suggest that she simply needs to eat MORE. However, she probably doesn't have enough protein and calcium in her diet, and that, added to the lack of exercise is most likely the cause of her bone density probs.
Whatever you do, don't approach it as a weight loss issue, cuz we are very sensitive about that. You could perhaps find some articles about the connection between exercise, protein, and muscle and bone development and give them to her to read. Stories of women around her age that have good bone and muscle health are very inspiring.
If you approach it as a bone health issue, she is more likely to not be offended and possibly to even look more into it. Tread very lightly tho, to make sure you don't come off as attacking her diet and lifestyle. She probably is just not informed about the importance of diet and exercise on bone health as we age. Or like so many of women my age, thinks it is just part of getting old and there's nothing they can do about it.

yoovie

because calories in calories out is a crock. Quality calories and workouts are a whole nother story...

I very strongly disagree with it being a "crock". As evidenced by my complete body transformation. It really IS that simple.

i love how every woman is just so different and we can all only find out what works for our own pretty little body by trial and error ♥

TR0berts

I feel that when she complains, I should say something, but I don't. So.... What should I do? Should I offer some suggestions or some articles to read on the subject? Or should I let her doctor inform her of what to do??

Simply ask her if she wants some advice. If that pic in your avatar is you, then she'd be smart to at least consider what you have to say. If she does, then help her out. If she doesn't want your advice, then don't worry about it.

DebbieLyn63

How are you losing weight eating 1700 to 2100 cals a day? I mean not that I'm jealous or anything:sad:

Many of them are also eating at or near maintenance. They are not trying to lose more than a couple of pounds a month. If you need to lose a lot of weight and want to lose 2 pounds a week, then you must eat at a higher calorie deficit. That means either eating less, or exercising more, or a combination of both. It is all about choices.

morkiemama

Loving the replies of women who are eating more and seeing good results! I am not a fan of anyone starving themselves as it can lead to a damaged metabolism and weight loss stall..


My question is this: How do I (or do I even try to) approach this subject with a friend at work. She is around my mother's age and has never worked out before. Her age, by the way, is only important because I feel she may not take advice or suggestions on her health from someone who is younger than her own son. And she is stubborn as hell to begin with. Basically, she is starving herself throughout the day at work eating only an english muffin for breakfast (120 cals) and greek yogurt for lunch (140 cals). I don't know what she eats for dinner, but I assume she eats more than this while at home.

She will sometimes complain to me about wanting to lose weight, but not being able to do so. She is not obese by any means, but you can tell that she has very little muscle and a high BF%. She has recently been having health problems related to bone loss/bone density and I know that her diet and lack of exercise have contributed to this. I feel that when she complains, I should say something, but I don't. So.... What should I do? Should I offer some suggestions or some articles to read on the subject? Or should I let her doctor inform her of what to do??

Other posters had some good points. Offer to help, if she doesn't want it, she'll let you know. :P lol Broaching it as a bone issue is a good approach. We can be sensitive about weight.

Other than that, I find older women like my mum, prefer books over the Internet. Point her to The New Rules of Lifting (NROL)series. Perhaps NROL for Life, since it is geared toward an older audience it may focus on bone health (I'm not sure). Or, if you are close enough, you could pick it up for her as a gift (maybe late Christmas or her b-day?).

Good luck! It is nice that you want to help her.

DebbieLyn63

I have a question about how to figure my tdee. What activity level should I enter? I am a stay at home mom so I think I am sedentary other than when I workout. Most days I am sitting doing school with my kids (we homeschool). I do the normal chores of housework, but those aren't strenuous. I workout about 6 days a week for 40-60 minutes. Burning anywhere from 300-600 calories per HRM. What I have done is put my activity level in as sedentary and then I try to eat back most of my exercise calories. So, right now I eat 1600 calories + exercise calories. I am 5'6" and 197 lbs. If I enter my activity as working out 3-5 hours per week the calculator tells me I can eat about 2000. Is that the same as what I am doing now?

If you have lost your weight so far at this calorie level and are continuing to lose now, then stick with what works for you. If your weight loss has stalled, then you might need to lower your cals just a bit to see if that helps.
I am 5'6" and 197 now after losing 31 pounds since August. I am 49, so probably a few years older than you, and my TDEE without exercise is around 1600. I eat around 1200 to lose less than a pound a week and burn an average 250-300 per day extra without eating them back to give me another 1/2 pound loss per week.
You being younger, probably have a higher BMR than I do. My BMR is only 1300.

Erica_theRedhead

How are you losing weight eating 1700 to 2100 cals a day? I mean not that I'm jealous or anything:sad:

It's all math. Figure out your BMR and TDEE and stay within your desired range for weight loss. When I started at 290 pounds my range was 2100-3200/day, and I ate about 1700-1900 cals per day. That, with exercise led to about a 2 pound loss per week. I'm closer to goal now at 185 with a range of 1700-2500, and still can eat 1500-1600 cals per day. I'm sticking to a 0.5-1 pound loss per week. Also keep your macros and junk food/alcohol in check. Nothing throws off the math like a good salt bloating... Best of luck!

Sarauk2sf

I have a question about how to figure my tdee. What activity level should I enter? I am a stay at home mom so I think I am sedentary other than when I workout. Most days I am sitting doing school with my kids (we homeschool). I do the normal chores of housework, but those aren't strenuous. I workout about 6 days a week for 40-60 minutes. Burning anywhere from 300-600 calories per HRM. What I have done is put my activity level in as sedentary and then I try to eat back most of my exercise calories. So, right now I eat 1600 calories + exercise calories. I am 5'6" and 197 lbs. If I enter my activity as working out 3-5 hours per week the calculator tells me I can eat about 2000. Is that the same as what I am doing now?

If you have lost your weight so far at this calorie level and are continuing to lose now, then stick with what works for you. If your weight loss has stalled, then you might need to lower your cals just a bit to see if that helps.
I am 5'6" and 197 now after losing 31 pounds since August. I am 49, so probably a few years older than you, and my TDEE without exercise is around 1600. I eat around 1200 to lose less than a pound a week and burn an average 250-300 per day extra without eating them back to give me another 1/2 pound loss per week.
You being younger, probably have a higher BMR than I do. My BMR is only 1300.

I find it interesting how much variation there is with how much people can eat to maintain.

My TDEE, excluding exercise is about 2,000 - I am 45 years old, 5 6", 152lb and have a desk job.

jennaworksout

How are you losing weight eating 1700 to 2100 cals a day? I mean not that I'm jealous or anything:sad:

They work their butts off! You can eat more calories if you burn them off. No magic formula.

yep ^^^^^ :bigsmile:

DebbieLyn63

You should never eat under 1200 calories or better yet eat under 1400 calories....why??? Your body enters into starvation mode and your body will hold on to the fat and make it into fat because it doesn't know when you will eat again.

There is so much wrong with all of this.

DebbieLyn63

How are you losing weight eating 1700 to 2100 cals a day? I mean not that I'm jealous or anything:sad:

Like others have said, I eat AND lose weight. First of all, I'm 5'10 and 170 pounds, so my body definitely could not survive on 1200 calories per day. To lose 1 lb per week, I eat 1810 calories, and that's not including exercise. Since I exercise 6X per week and usually for an hour or more, on average during the week I eat 2300-2600 calories. And they are delicious.

It took me very little time to learn that reasonable goals + realizing that slow,consistent, and sustainable nutrition changes were the only way that this would be a complete switch in lifestyle instead of a yo/yoing pattern like the past.

So did it take you 18 weeks to lose your 18 pounds?

DebbieLyn63

Very interesting! I certainly want to eat more and lose weight...the 1200 calories MFP set me at is killing me. I run and exercise a good deal (minimum 5x per week and often long runs). Most days I end up eating under 1200 a tiny bit and almost never eat all of the earned exercise calories. The scooby calculator says I should be eating 1809 calories per day. This is definitely scary! I will read up a bit more and educate myself on this and then plan to change my settings! I am trying to lose around 10-12# as a reasonable goal but if I can gain more muscle and get lower than that, eat more calories and sustain it I would be in heaven! I have always found that when I get to a particular weight (about 10# less than where I am now)- I can never stay there because I suddenly get consistently much hungrier. Thank you guys for answering my question that I had in my mind but had not yet asked!

If you only need to lose 10 pounds, and are working out as hard as you are, then you definitely need to eat more than 1200 cals. Eat back at least half of your exercise cals, if you are using a HRM to get an accurate burn number.

mamasmaltz3

I have a question about how to figure my tdee. What activity level should I enter? I am a stay at home mom so I think I am sedentary other than when I workout. Most days I am sitting doing school with my kids (we homeschool). I do the normal chores of housework, but those aren't strenuous. I workout about 6 days a week for 40-60 minutes. Burning anywhere from 300-600 calories per HRM. What I have done is put my activity level in as sedentary and then I try to eat back most of my exercise calories. So, right now I eat 1600 calories + exercise calories. I am 5'6" and 197 lbs. If I enter my activity as working out 3-5 hours per week the calculator tells me I can eat about 2000. Is that the same as what I am doing now?

If you have lost your weight so far at this calorie level and are continuing to lose now, then stick with what works for you. If your weight loss has stalled, then you might need to lower your cals just a bit to see if that helps.
I am 5'6" and 197 now after losing 31 pounds since August. I am 49, so probably a few years older than you, and my TDEE without exercise is around 1600. I eat around 1200 to lose less than a pound a week and burn an average 250-300 per day extra without eating them back to give me another 1/2 pound loss per week.
You being younger, probably have a higher BMR than I do. My BMR is only 1300.

I am curious to know how you calculated a bmr of 1300? I am 37 btw. I have tried to lose weight and preserve as much lean body mass as I can so that my metabolism will stay charged. Everything I have read says not to eat below bmr. Why do you eat below it? Do you gain weight if you eat above? Just curious.

loveswalking

bump to read later

Capt_Apollo

I have a question about how to figure my tdee. What activity level should I enter? I am a stay at home mom so I think I am sedentary other than when I workout. Most days I am sitting doing school with my kids (we homeschool). I do the normal chores of housework, but those aren't strenuous. I workout about 6 days a week for 40-60 minutes. Burning anywhere from 300-600 calories per HRM. What I have done is put my activity level in as sedentary and then I try to eat back most of my exercise calories. So, right now I eat 1600 calories + exercise calories. I am 5'6" and 197 lbs. If I enter my activity as working out 3-5 hours per week the calculator tells me I can eat about 2000. Is that the same as what I am doing now?

If you have lost your weight so far at this calorie level and are continuing to lose now, then stick with what works for you. If your weight loss has stalled, then you might need to lower your cals just a bit to see if that helps.
I am 5'6" and 197 now after losing 31 pounds since August. I am 49, so probably a few years older than you, and my TDEE without exercise is around 1600. I eat around 1200 to lose less than a pound a week and burn an average 250-300 per day extra without eating them back to give me another 1/2 pound loss per week.
You being younger, probably have a higher BMR than I do. My BMR is only 1300.

i'd look at your BMR on various different calculators. the ones i just used said your BMR was over 1500 calories.

jenmsu83

I am 29 y/o, 5'5'', 138 lbs and exercise 3-5 days a week burning between 300 and 600 cals during each workout (approximately - I do use a HRM).

I am able to LOSE eating over 2000 calories. I am trying to find my maintenance number right now and find that I can still lose eating at 2200, which I thought was my TDEE. I can't IMAGINE eating 1200 calories...I usually eat that much before dinner! :laugh:

A lot of people think they need a VLCD to lose weight and that just isn't true. I tried to eat as much as I could while losing so that I would be able to maintain eating a good number of calories and I achieved that.

ETA: forgot to put my weight!

jimmyalice1984

Another bump!!! (Sorry)

gimmegimmemoar

I'm not understanding this concept and I know its so repetitive and annoying... But I was eating around 1200 calories a day before workouts where I was burning almost 1000 Calories. Anyway, scale wasnt moving so I upped my calories to 1200 net, eating back what I burn each day. I'm losing inches but not lbs... And every cal calculator and app I've looked at tells me I need to eat wayyyy more than what I am. That just makes no sense to me what so ever. I don't feel like I could eat more than I am now... And I have a lot to lose and am sick of seeing the scales not moving and working my butt off!!!

DuhhMuffin

They probably work out a lot ;b

beachgirl172723

Best thread in the whole MFP.