If only I had known...

24

Replies

  • jaeone
    jaeone Posts: 649 Member
    Eating more and losing weight has been the best kept secret! Thanks for spreading the good news to those who want to listen!!
  • harmonychanter
    harmonychanter Posts: 3
    Because of how long I obsessed over my weight, I considered starving myself to get down. With the help of my mother (who specializes in weight loss and diabetes) we calculated my basal metabolic rate. It's quite low, ringing in at only about 1200. For me to lose weight, I don't think I can eat 1500 or more. I gain on that! I wish I could eat as much as all of you, haha.
  • bcriminger
    bcriminger Posts: 11 Member
    Thank you for posting this. While I don't struggle with this, I know several people who do. One is in and out of rehab (anorexia, not drugs) and the others exercise constantly and eat very little at meals. I'm sure there are many women and men that need to hear this. God made you beautiful, and while sometimes we ruin that with bad choices, it can be brought back without going to the extremes.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Because of how long I obsessed over my weight, I considered starving myself to get down. With the help of my mother (who specializes in weight loss and diabetes) we calculated my basal metabolic rate. It's quite low, ringing in at only about 1200. For me to lose weight, I don't think I can eat 1500 or more. I gain on that! I wish I could eat as much as all of you, haha.
    You don't gain above your BMR, you gain above your TDEE.
  • Hinxx
    Hinxx Posts: 93 Member
    I hope I don't sound like such a newbie but I have a question:

    Does this also apply to someone who's not very active?

    I ask this because I don't have a very active lifestyle and MFP calculated 1220 calories for me. I've been here for almost 2 weeks and I have lost 2.4 lbs but I always get confused with this whole low calorie thing.

    :ohwell:
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    Well said! :happy:
  • harmonychanter
    harmonychanter Posts: 3
    Just did that. Wasn't that great either. I am very sedentary and although I am trying to fix that, a person who does not exercise does not need as many calories.

    If you don't move, you don't need a lot of calories.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    Best post I've read in a long time. Congrats OP. Thanks for this, I think it will help a lot of folks.
  • iveyroze3
    iveyroze3 Posts: 89
    It took me a long time to realize you can't starve yourself. You do have to eat to lose weight. If you starve yourself it is no good emotionally or health wise. Well written blog.
  • Huzke
    Huzke Posts: 97 Member
    Awesome post and perfect time for me to run across this. I've been dieting down with really good success on very low calories. It's slowed up a bit and I didn't feel like I recovered from me workouts this past week as well as I'm used to so I know there's something going on. So I gradually upped me calories over the last few days and today I'm eating at -20% my TDEE. It feels like it's soooo much food trying to get 2000 calories in compared to what I was doing to myself before and it's made me feel kind of guilty ever since I went over what I would normally eat earlier this afternoon. So as I sit here consuming the last of my calories for the day it was nice to read this thread. Thank you!
  • rgohm
    rgohm Posts: 294 Member
    Nice Post!
  • citizencrp
    citizencrp Posts: 228 Member
    Yes and thank you for posting!
    Isn't reason and moderation just the best?!
  • citizencrp
    citizencrp Posts: 228 Member
    I hope I don't sound like such a newbie but I have a question:

    Does this also apply to someone who's not very active?

    I ask this because I don't have a very active lifestyle and MFP calculated 1220 calories for me. I've been here for almost 2 weeks and I have lost 2.4 lbs but I always get confused with this whole low calorie thing.

    :ohwell:

    Yes it does!!
    I'm not very active...but MFP settings for "sedentary" really apply to someone who doesn't move much at all. I don't exercise and I sit on my couch a lot and I have a desk job, but I started wearing a FitBit and I realized that "sedentary" was inaccurate, so I switched my setting to lightly active, I gained a couple hundred calories to my daily allowance but I'm still losing 1 lb per week. After 5 months!
  • jenno369
    jenno369 Posts: 24 Member
    This is a newbie question as well--how do you determine how many calories you can eat above what mfp recommends?

    Is it trial and error or is there an estimated number of calories over what mfp recommends that is decent to try?
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    This is a newbie question as well--how do you determine how many calories you can eat above what mfp recommends?

    Is it trial and error or is there an estimated number of calories over what mfp recommends that is decent to try?

    If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - It'll give you a detailed walkthrough (with pictures even) on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Or for a different version to figure out your TDEE, as well as some great advice...check out:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes

    For more information about fitness and nutrition, I highly suggest checking out and joining this group: (Read all the stickies. It's great information to know.)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
  • HollV
    HollV Posts: 9 Member
    I started dieting at 14 too and was an expert at all the fad diets. I yo-yo dieted for decades, but as I got older, the diets began to be less successful. Even when they worked, the weight loss was only temporary. I think MFP is a sensible approach. Good luck to all.
  • irishblonde2011
    irishblonde2011 Posts: 618 Member
    And let's be honest it is easier to do it right & once
    Instead of spending years going up & down
    Great post :)
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I hope I don't sound like such a newbie but I have a question:

    Does this also apply to someone who's not very active?

    I ask this because I don't have a very active lifestyle and MFP calculated 1220 calories for me. I've been here for almost 2 weeks and I have lost 2.4 lbs but I always get confused with this whole low calorie thing.

    :ohwell:

    I am pretty sedentary and I ate an average of 1420 plus exercise calories throughout my weight loss. Now that I'm done I eat close to 1800 to maintain.
  • krickeyuu
    krickeyuu Posts: 344 Member
    Slow and steady wins the race--short and long term. Eat food! Enjoy your life. Lose weight too. Great post.
  • CaliforniaSweetheart
    CaliforniaSweetheart Posts: 989
    I just recently figured this out...in the process of currently upping my calories. I'm up to 1200 a day vs the 400-600 I was eating daily. I'm nervous about weight gain, but a few pounds gained is better than the alternative.

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