calories, calories, calories

Dfracassa

So I'm working on accepting the fact that I need to eat more calories every day in order to lose weight. It goes against everything that's ever worked for me in the past, and certainly it goes against what the world tells to women. I initially set my daily calorie goal to 1000, but kept going over (of course), so upped it to 1200. I found that to be all right, but I keep reading, on here, that even that is too low, so I went up to 1300 today. I just found a TDEE, BMI, BRM and RMR calculator and got some numbers back that I wasn't expecting: TDEE of 1394, BMI of 25.3, BMR of 1538.65 and RMR of 1515. I...don't know what to do with any of that. I'm worried that if I actually try to eat that many calories a day I'll just end up filling my body with popcorn, chocolate covered raisins or chicken wings. Or something. And anyway, I'm not ever that hungry throughout the day, so how am I supposed to do that, anyway? It just seems counterintuitive, but I am open to learning.

lelaspeaks

Mmmk - here are my rules (they seem to be working for me so far):

1. Set your realistic activity level. What do you do for a living? If it's a desk job - sedentary, if it's a teacher - lightly active, if you're running around all day - active, etc. You get the point.
2. Set your profile to lose 1 pound a week.
3. Eat your exercise calories back... never NET below 1200.
4. Never eat below your BMR... Don't know what it is? MFP has a calculator for you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator. If your 1 pound a week weightloss is below your BMR, do light physical activity to get you there. Once again, never eat below BMR.
5. Think about your macros - I like a 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) split.
6. Monitor your salt and fiber intake. I have my three macros referenced above and these two items. Go above the salt recommendation and you'll most likely hold or gain water weight. Fiber keeps your digestive system moving.
7. Start weight lifting... this will make you solid.
8. Expect to gain weight when you first start adjusting your calorie intake. If your body is used to being straved it will hold on to nutrients like crazy... wait about 2-4 weeks for your body to adjust and then watch the magic happen! I've lost 4 pounds in two weeks and I'm eating between 1500-1800 a day.
9. Worried about what you'll eat? Plan your meals out the day before. I always do this and it leaves very little up to chance.

KEEP IT SIMPLE! Really, just do what your counter says to do. It works. Don't overthink it.

Also - there are plenty of calorie dense foods to help you reach your goals - peanut butter, eggs, cheese (YES - you can have cheese!) etc.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Dfracassa

Yeah, I think I'm keeping it simple and I know I'm keeping it realistic. I have been lifting weights since high school, and I still do it regularly. I also add in cardio, like the stationary bike in my basement, and in a month or so, outdoor training for the Warrior Dash 5k. The thing is, I've been trying to lose weight for years, and it seems as though I just keep gaining. When my fiance and I bought our house three years ago, I was a size 8, and I've been stuck at an 11/12 for two years. I mean, come on! The year before we bought the house I was a 7. That's all I'm asking for: to be a 7 again. I plan my meals out, I bring my lunch to work every day (eating out maybe once or twice a month) and my fiance and I don't even eat together at night, really, because he gets home at 3 and I at 5, and we're on our own different weight-loss paths right now. I stop eating 2 to 3 hours before bed, I drink a protein shake on mornings I know I'm going to work out, and I even wear a pedometer at work (desk job, pretty sedentary, so not much progress there). I don't know. I'm going to keep at it, but I'm so tired of hearing that I can get smaller and stay the same weight. I don't want to be this weight!

lelaspeaks

Well - from the looks of your diary, you were starving yourself until very recently. It will take a little while for your body to adjust. I would recommend looking at salt and fiber (women should have no less than 25 grams a day).

Remember - never NET below 1200.

Also, do you have a heart rate monitor. Those help you determine calories burned a little more accurately... always take 10% of what it tells you though, chances are it's overestimating.

Dfracassa

I was technically starving myself, yeah...I was using these silly HCG drops and following the 5-600 calorie diet plan. It sucked! I was constantly hungry and there was nothing for me to eat. Anyway, I stopped them after a week and am trying to adjust. But before that, I was doing just what I'm doing now.