Help...
ZozoMonster
Posts: 270 Member
When I started using MFP it told me to eat 1200 calories... So I did. At first it was difficult, then it got easier. Now, 27lbs down, I've hit a plateau, and people have been telling me it's because I need to eat more. So, I changed my weight loss goals to losing 1 pound a week instead of 2 pounds. In turn this has upped my calories to 1490. Because I've been eating at 1200 for so long now, I am seriously struggling to eat more. Today, I've practically been force feeding myself. I haven't eaten because I was hungry, I've eaten because I 'had to'. This, plus the amount of exercise I do (which in turn is giving me even MORE calories to consume) is proving really difficult for me. Usually at the weekends I would go over 1200, but in general I am stuck in a bit of a rut. Whoever thought it would be hard to eat more!? But I also feel guilty for eating over my calories, like instead of enjoying a treat I'll look back and think 'darn, I wish I hadn't eaten that'... I honestly don't know what to do 
I think I've become obsessed. I'm scared to eat more than 1200 now because I think it will make me put on weight...
I think I've become obsessed. I'm scared to eat more than 1200 now because I think it will make me put on weight... 0
Replies
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Eating more can be such a hard concept. While the principles of it are simple, wrapping our brains around it and believing it after years of believing that we must feel constantly deprived in order to lose weight is really really difficult.
You've taken the right step in upping your calories. Would you mind sharing your stats so that I can run some numbers for you and figure out BMR (the bare minimum of what you should consume), TDEE (your maintenance number), and CUT ( what you should eat to lose fat).0 -
Hey, thanks
I'm 21, 5ft 7, 150 lbs, goal weight - 140 lbs.
Anything else you need?0 -
How often are you exercising, how long, how intense, etc...?0
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If your finding it hard to get your calories try adding olive oil or avacado to a meal. Its healthy fat and extra good calories. Once you can wrap your head around the concept, you are gonna love it. I am eating 1800 cals a day if not more and am losing lbs and inches.0
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I exercise every day - can be anything from casual; walking the dogs (45mins), endurance; elliptical (10-30 mins), or intense; swimming (55 mins)
I use the elliptical and walk the dogs almost every day of the week and go swimming week days only.0 -
I ran your numbers per Scooby (www.scoobysworkshop.com). Here's what I got with moderate activity level.
TDEE -2351
BMR - 1517
10% CUT - 2116
15% CUT - 1999
I would suggest setting your MFP diary at 2116 or 1999. The reason I ran a 10% cut is because you don't have a lot to lose and some people do better with a smaller cut when they have less to lose. With being so close to your goal weight, do you mind sharing your goals? Are you looking for a certain size clothing, definition in your body, etc...? Another thought is that you might consider eating at maintenance (TDEE) and switch out a few of your cardio days for strength training days.
I know that number probably looks insane to you! If you choose to set your diary to one of these numbers, do not eat back exercise calories unless you have a high burn that causes your NET calories for the day to fall under your BMR. Never eat below BMR. Eat at either of the cut levels or your TDEE level, even on rest days.
Does this give you an idea of the direction you'd like to head?0 -
So does that mean if I did no exercise what so ever I would just have to eat 1517?
I would like to focus on getting body fat down to maybe 15% (atm I'm 26%), I want to see abs, or at least a lot more definition in my tummy, lose the love handles, hopefully see a bit of a bigger gap between my thighs, and more definition/slenderness in my upper arms.0 -
I have a long, long way to go with my weight loss, so I'm certainly no expert. But from everything I've read, it sounds like you need to cut back on the cardio and start lifting weights to get the tone and definition.
As for eating more ... it does take a bit of getting used to, especially when you are in the diet mindset. The healthy way to do it would be to add some nuts, peanut butter, avocados to your diet. Because I'm somewhat of a junk food junkie, I also allow myself some dark chocolate, healthier Kashi cookies and the occasional fast food meal (within reason).
BTW ... welcome to Eat More to Weigh Less.0 -
Thank you for the welcome I have just been looking at this website http://thefitnessrecipes.com/ for healthy recipes and some of them are awesome like protein chocolate brownies and truffles etc, so still healthy but deffo a treat!
I would like to start weight training but I have a ripped disc and disc bulge in my lower back and my osteopath says it's a no go! I am so annoyed at my stupid body. It's like catch 22. I want to be fit and healthy but in turn for doing exercise my back screws up. I don't want to be a lazy and pathetic because of my back but sometimes I can barely even walk haha0 -
Not sure where I've seen it, but I know there are people doing not a lot physically and just working on eating in their sweet spot and having success. Maybe someone else can chime in here.
Also, if you do have injuries, maybe you should just rest as much as you can while eating close to your TDEE so that your body can focus on healing and repair. Just a thought, and welcome!
- Amanda0 -
So does that mean if I did no exercise what so ever I would just have to eat 1517?
I would like to focus on getting body fat down to maybe 15% (atm I'm 26%), I want to see abs, or at least a lot more definition in my tummy, lose the love handles, hopefully see a bit of a bigger gap between my thighs, and more definition/slenderness in my upper arms.
No. BMR is basal metabolic rate. A simple explanation is what your body would burn while you laid in bed all day and kept your vital organs functioning. So you need to eat more than that! If you prefer to add in exercise calories vs. setting your diary to an amount that already accounts for exercise calories, you could use lightly active which would be 1877 calories and then add in your exercise calories from there. I know there are some who prefer that method.
As far as your body fat % goal, here's a chart with the ranges for men and women. http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/library/blbodyfatcharts.htm
15% bodyfat could lead to all sorts of problems. Especially being a woman, this could lead to jacked up menstruation, hormones, possibly infertility down the road. It sounds like you're wanting definition. You have a lot to work around in terms of injuries and I couldn't begin to advise you on what to do as I just don't have knowledge in that area. I'm hoping someone hops in here who has more knowledge in working with back injuries. Do you work with a physical therapist at all? I guess that's the first thought that comes to my mind.0 -
I go to an osteopath, that's all. I have an MRI scan tomorrow though so hopefully that will reveal something...0
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You can eat at a reasonable deficit (reasonable for no lifting being less deficit than reasonable with lifting), and eat more than recommended protein (1 g per lb of LBM), and studies have shown no loss in LBM.
Now, studies on people very obese, so that may change if not at that extreme a level.0 -
Zsudds....I have 2 bulged disks but I'm slowly building up the weights and feel stronger as a result....it may not work for you, but it does for me.
When you have the mindset, like most of us had, that less calories equals weight loss and long term happiness, its hard to get your head around eating more and it does take time for your body to work out what the hell we are doing to it and the changes we make, but I do believe its worth persevering with. I'm a relative new comer to the concept but I'm still convinced of it...so give it a go but be patient and take things slowly.
Others will help here, but I think if you have had a low cal intake for a while, you may need to shake up your metabolism by slowing increasing and increasing your cal allowance to your full daily allowance, ignoring any deficit you may aim for in the future.
Good luck and welcome
:-)
Kay0 -
Thanks Kay Maybe I will have a chat with a PT or something and see what they see, if they are any good they should create a customized plan for me taking my back into account! 0
