Is losing weight really so complicated?!
Yorda_x
Posts: 19
I remember when I thought everything was simple, eat less weigh less, right? I have been eating on average 1500 calories a day for a good few months now, occasionally going over or under by a few hundred calories, but I have lost over 20 pounds with relative ease. Anyway I was happy with my goal of 1500 calories a day until I learned about 'starvation mode' and now I'm stuck in this irritating place where I'm scared to go over 1500 incase I gain weight and scared to go under incase I gain weight and scared to stay the same incase I am in fact putting my body into starvation mode seeing as my bmr is about 1500 =/ so what's the deal? I don't know if I really buy the whole starvation mode stopping you from losing weight because it's just common sense that if you are starving you lose weight right? You don't get obese people in starving countries do you? I'm so frustrated, all I want to do is lose thirty pounds by June, I will do whatever it takes to achieve that I just want an honest answer from someone who has experience with losing weight. Thanks in advance.
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Replies
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I'm so confused I've spent this whole morning bingeing on purpose to try to stop myself going into starvation mode, then I thought oh crap if I already am in starvation mode my body will apparently store all that binge as fat! Noooo. I've worked so hard to get where I am today I couldn't bear to see my weight go up again =( without mentioning working out (sick of exercise lectures, I just want to know about calories), can someone please tell me how many calories I need to eat?0
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Go to this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
Input your information. It will then give you plenty of info, including your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories you currently burn. It will also give the amount of calories you should eat daily to lose weight. Set this as your calorie goal on MFP.0 -
What you are doing is working for you. Why change it now? (I wouldn't)0
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you have totally overthought the whole thing...
you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...0 -
Yup. It really is that simple. Keep on with what you're doing and you'll keep losing weight. Don't freak out and over-do it to hit some magical number by June, though. What if you get to that number and your body composition isn't what you want, what then? Goal weight =/= goal body.0
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This.you have totally overthought the whole thing...
you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...0 -
A little trick I like to use when I'm on my diet to give the metabolism a little kick so it doesn't get used to a 2800 deficit are 'refeed days'. Look into it.0
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Go to this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
Input your information. It will then give you plenty of info, including your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories you currently burn. It will also give the amount of calories you should eat daily to lose weight. Set this as your calorie goal on MFP.
this website said for me
Caloric Need:
Estimated Base BMR: 1206 Calories.
Estimated TDEE: 1447 Calories.
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.
not sure how accurate it is.0 -
Losing weight is simple.
Mastering your nature, rituals and daily habits is far more challenging.0 -
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.
not sure how accurate it is.
if its saying you should only eat 900 cals then its talking b*llocks!0 -
Ignore the myths and keep doing what works. There is so much misinformation out there that can trip you up if you let it.0
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I would love to be able to see your food diary, and know how much you are exercising.
I also would say please stop stressing about the number on the scale. I looked at your goal weight...120 is really low for 5'7
Are you taking measurements? I highly recommend doing this. I have dropped a pant size without seeing any loss on the scale from lifting weights and exercising.0 -
Go to this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
Input your information. It will then give you plenty of info, including your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories you currently burn. It will also give the amount of calories you should eat daily to lose weight. Set this as your calorie goal on MFP.
this website said for me
Caloric Need:
Estimated Base BMR: 1206 Calories.
Estimated TDEE: 1447 Calories.
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.
not sure how accurate it is.
I know my body pretty well and have tested how many calories I can take for maintainence. This calculator was pretty damn close.0 -
the theory of losing weight is easy. too much ebnergy in you gan weight. idf you have less energy input than you expend in the course of a day, you lose weight.
doing it is the problem for many people. And this is where businesses make their money on diet books and stuff.
I basically don't do anything but count my calories and stay away from foods that the body craves due to fat content, and
simple- carbohydrate content. cravings become hunger.0 -
I just tried this after reading your post, it says that to loose weight I should be eating just over 1400 calories a day as apposed to the 1200 I am trying to stick to. Do you think I should up my intake by 200?0
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losing weight is easy.
getting the body you want is hard.0 -
Go to this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
Input your information. It will then give you plenty of info, including your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories you currently burn. It will also give the amount of calories you should eat daily to lose weight. Set this as your calorie goal on MFP.
this website said for me
Caloric Need:
Estimated Base BMR: 1206 Calories.
Estimated TDEE: 1447 Calories.
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.
not sure how accurate it is.
If these were the numbers on the left side, then they are your numbers when you are at the suggested goal weight. That is also the sedentary numbers, so if you exercise, or move about much at all, then you will be burning more than that. You are probably pretty short to get those numbers. The suggested weight loss number is simply 500 cals below your TDEE for a 1 pound per week loss, and if you are not far from your goal weight, then you should be looking at a slower loss.
If you figure your numbers on the right side calculator, you will probably get a higher number. Somewhere in between the 2 is probably a good range for you.0 -
I just tried this after reading your post, it says that to loose weight I should be eating just over 1400 calories a day as apposed to the 1200 I am trying to stick to. Do you think I should up my intake by 200?
try it and see what happens. If it doesn't work, go back to 1200.0 -
I just tried this after reading your post, it says that to loose weight I should be eating just over 1400 calories a day as apposed to the 1200 I am trying to stick to. Do you think I should up my intake by 200?
Those calculators will give you the numbers for losing 1 pound a week. If you are shooting for 1 1/2 pounds a week, that is the difference in the numbers.0 -
This is pretty accurate as long as you are honest in your activity.Go to this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
Input your information. It will then give you plenty of info, including your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories you currently burn. It will also give the amount of calories you should eat daily to lose weight. Set this as your calorie goal on MFP.
this website said for me
Caloric Need:
Estimated Base BMR: 1206 Calories.
Estimated TDEE: 1447 Calories.
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.
not sure how accurate it is.0 -
No, it's not complicated.
Move more. Eat less.0 -
I just tried this after reading your post, it says that to loose weight I should be eating just over 1400 calories a day as apposed to the 1200 I am trying to stick to. Do you think I should up my intake by 200?
yes, but keep in mind that you are going to gain a little weight, just for a bit. i recommend upping your calories for a month, and avoid the scale at the same time.0 -
1500 calories is a good number, and I don't think it is low enough to push your body into starvation mode. It sounds like you have just hit a bit of a plateau. There are a LOT of threads on here about how to get through plateaus, just run a search
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That cordianet.com calculator came out WAAAAAY off from the data I was using. I wouldn't trust it. I got my numbers from "In Place of a Road Map" from the forums here. That seems to be remarkably reliable.
USE THIS >>>http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12<<< USE THIS0 -
Ignore the myths and keep doing what works. There is so much misinformation out there that can trip you up if you let it.
THIS^^^ Don't be confused by all the conflicting info and fear-mongering you read on the forums. Just stick to the basics and keep doing what works.0 -
You're not going to go into starvation mode by going over or under 1500 calories by a 100 or so. Starvation mode would be restricting to something ridiculous like eating only 100-1000 calories a day for a long time. Try not to obsess too much over it. It is impossible to stay RIGHT AT a certain calorie intake. If your 1500 +/- a few is working, keep it up. Good luck!
(P.S. I'm not just talking off the top of my head, I am a registered dietitian)0 -
you have totally overthought the whole thing...
you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...
Definitely! Just keep going and don't worry about "starvation mode." Unless you are hungry all the time or weak/dizzy, then you are doing great.0 -
Calculators are ok, but I have found that I could use 4 different ones out there and get 4 different answers. The one posted did not go low enough for my height. Please first, relax! You won't go into "starvation mode" in a day, or on what you are eating by the sound of it. This is a sound, sensible article about calculating, eating and exercisitng towards YOUR desired goals.
http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/0 -
Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.
not sure how accurate it is.
if its saying you should only eat 900 cals then its talking b*llocks!
The computer simply figures your TDEE based on the info you enter and subtracts 500 from that number. It doesn't have a minimum built into it like MFP does. Further down, you will read this disclaimer-
"Important Note:
Regardless of what the calculator tells you, going under about 1000-1200 calories for a woman and 1300-1500 for a man can be detrimental to weight loss as this can cause your body to try harder to retain weight by slowing your metabolism. This is commonly called "starvation mode" and is a natural reaction to too low a caloric intake. As such, do not go lower than these numbers without the advice and consent for your physician. If the calculator gives you numbers smaller than this, it is probably because you are small in stature and not exercising much. If so, the best advice I can give is to increase your activity level and this will allow a more normal caloric intake."0 -
you have totally overthought the whole thing...
you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...
Agreed0
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