counting calories, it has to work right?

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  • Thedreamer1985
    Thedreamer1985 Posts: 18 Member
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    It is hard getting started, first off one can gain weight after a starvation diet which is less than 1200 calories - good luck!
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
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    If you are 'stuck' try a few days of low carb, up your protein and drink tonnes of water. I hadn't lost an oz in two months and tried this together with completely cutting out wine and I have lost 3lb... don't give up x
  • GoMizzou99
    GoMizzou99 Posts: 512 Member
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    1. Weigh and take measurements around the same time. A generalized consensus is to do it in the morning, sans clothes and after first bathroom visit.
    2. Reassess your calorie calculations. We all struggle to report accurately.
    3. Reassess your calorie burn on exercise, if you are eating back your calories. It is so incredibly easy to overestimate.
    4. Take measurements. Often times they will show you change is occurring when weight alone is not providing evidence.
    5. Stick With It! You didn't arrive here in two weeks. It takes time. There will be plateaus that are perfectly normal.

    You are not alone is struggling with disappointment about beginning results. This takes commitment and effort. You are already past the hard part; getting of your mental duff and starting. You can do this.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    Patience.

    Believe me - it Works! And you need more than 800-900 calories, unless you want your hair to fall out, your skin to look bad, damage your organs, etc...

    Also working out helps.

    You can do it.
  • smc864
    smc864 Posts: 570 Member
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    Yes it works!! Make sure you are logging accurately and weighing all your food. Don't give up!
  • slgthatsme
    slgthatsme Posts: 79
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    Someone once told me: lose weight fast, gain it back faster. You have done so well to lose the weight that you have so it IS working for you. I am not sure how long you have been working on a healthier lifestyle but it seems to me that you are doing well at it. I have been the person that ate really low calories simply because I wasn't working on being healthy and eating good foods. It was not at all unusual for me to exist on 500 or so calories a day. I didn't realise that it what I was doing because I wasn't tracking my foods. I was still heavy on very few calories but I am losing weight eating more. Don't give up - you owe it to yourself to be the man that you want to be physically, emotionally and in every other way. You can do this!
  • WhisperingCloud
    WhisperingCloud Posts: 28 Member
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    As someone who was eating 800-900 cals a day when I first started, due to a 1200 cal goal and not logging my exercise, I must warn you that taking your goal down this low will hurt you more than help you. At first, you will lose weight fast. You will also become grouchy, irrational, your skin will dry out, and you will stop pooping. You will lose energy, and thus motivation, and you risk a binge. MFP works, if you log accurately. Remember to log everything, even oil that you cook with, and you will see results! Good luck on your journey!
  • unapologetically_crystal
    unapologetically_crystal Posts: 278 Member
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    oh gosh so dont lower your calories that low. you would wreck your metabolism and possibly have the opposite results that you want. cuz your body would starve and hold on to any food making it fat because it would be freaking out.

    use a website like iifym or scooby calculator to get the proper amount of calories you should be eating. & actually eat that.
    www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    www.scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    eating less is NOT the answer.

    and just so you know, if you use myfitnesspal's calorie goal idea then you are supposed to eat all exercise calories. by lowering your calories or not eating exercise calories you make your deficit way too big.

    listen to your body, certain foods might react differently in your body. for instance i should stay away from alcohol because then im an empty pit and can literally down 3 days worth of food. and i gain gain mega pounds even if i stayed within calories with the drinking and eating. but yet i can eat ice cream or frosting every day within calories and LOSE weight. (lol not healthy.. but yeah)

    hang in there and keep learning. switch things up when you get bored with it.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
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    Just don't want to give up, I feel like its not working at all. About to attempt to lower my intake to 800/900 calories a day, if I don't see results I think I'm pretty much done.

    OP, I'm a 5'8" female and I'm losing weight on well over 2000 calories a day. There is NO WAY 800/900 calories is or will every be a healthy weight loss option for you baring a severe medical condition or doctor supervision. That being said there are several possible reasons why you may not be losing the weight you think you should at your current settings, but none of the experienced people here will be able to help you out without some further information:

    1. You need to open your food log
    2. Age/height/weight
    3. Are you logging and weighing everything and if so how?
    4. How much are you exercising?
    5. What do you have your calorie goal set to now and are you using MFP method or TDEE?
    6. How recently did you start and how long have you been in a plateau?
    7. If you are exercising, what, how long and have you made any recent changes to your routine?

    Also, for a full break down of how to use MFP successfully, I recommend this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
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    Food scale, no guesstimating. Tape measure your body. You can lose a size while not losing a lb.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    Just don't want to give up, I feel like its not working at all. About to attempt to lower my intake to 800/900 calories a day, if I don't see results I think I'm pretty much done.

    OP, I'm a 5'8" female and I'm losing weight on well over 2000 calories a day. There is NO WAY 800/900 calories is or will every be a healthy weight loss option for you baring a severe medical condition or doctor supervision. That being said there are several possible reasons why you may not be losing the weight you think you should at your current settings, but none of the experienced people here will be able to help you out without some further information:

    1. You need to open your food log
    2. Age/height/weight
    3. Are you logging and weighing everything and if so how?
    4. How much are you exercising?
    5. What do you have your calorie goal set to now and are you using MFP method or TDEE?
    6. How recently did you start and how long have you been in a plateau?
    7. If you are exercising, what, how long and have you made any recent changes to your routine?

    Also, for a full break down of how to use MFP successfully, I recommend this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1

    ^This is my thoughts too.

    I'm 5'3.5" 120 lbs and maintain around 2300 calories. 800-900? Breakfast, right?

    You'll do yourself more harm than good by going to the extreme. Read the link or open your diary. Make sure you're logging to a T. It absolutely works but it takes time and patience.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
    Options
    Just don't want to give up, I feel like its not working at all. About to attempt to lower my intake to 800/900 calories a day, if I don't see results I think I'm pretty much done.

    OP, I'm a 5'8" female and I'm losing weight on well over 2000 calories a day. There is NO WAY 800/900 calories is or will every be a healthy weight loss option for you baring a severe medical condition or doctor supervision. That being said there are several possible reasons why you may not be losing the weight you think you should at your current settings, but none of the experienced people here will be able to help you out without some further information:

    1. You need to open your food log
    2. Age/height/weight
    3. Are you logging and weighing everything and if so how?
    4. How much are you exercising?
    5. What do you have your calorie goal set to now and are you using MFP method or TDEE?
    6. How recently did you start and how long have you been in a plateau?
    7. If you are exercising, what, how long and have you made any recent changes to your routine?

    Also, for a full break down of how to use MFP successfully, I recommend this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1

    ^This is my thoughts too.

    I'm 5'3.5" 120 lbs and maintain around 2300 calories. 800-900? Breakfast, right?

    You'll do yourself more harm than good by going to the extreme. Read the link or open your diary. Make sure you're logging to a T. It absolutely works but it takes time and patience.

    Dammit, zombie thread. :grumble:

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