Someone Please Help Me!

samairon
samairon Posts: 46
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5'1" and weigh 114, well I did until the past few days and now I've gained over a pound. I started 30 Day Shred and today will be my 4th day. MFP says 20 minutes of circuit training for me burns 138 calories. My problem is I don't know how many calories to eat.

TDEE on sedentary is 1565.
BMR is 1304.

I also have the problem of not feeling hungry at all! This has been going on for about 6 days now. My diary is set to 1250 and I can't even reach that most days. I just feel bloated and stuffed!

Truth time: when I first started mfp I logged everyday and soon found myself going by the way of the anorexic, so I quit logging and ate what I wanted and kinda calculated in my head but I have no clue how many calories I was really getting. Now, I started logging again about two weeks ago, everything was fine the first week and I still lost half a pound, but now I don't feel hungry, I'm gaining and doing 30 Day Shred.

Someone please tell me how many calories I should be eating and why I feel stuffed all the time!

And before anyone says, yes my ticker does say I want to get to 100 lbs but that's not true, I don't know what I want to get down to yet.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Open your diary and someone may help. My guess is you've selected what you think are "diet" foods and are filling yourself up with green leafy veggies and low cal, low fat foods so you're getting volume with no calories.
  • berthabunny
    berthabunny Posts: 251 Member
    I can't help you much, but I wanted to make sure somebody does, so bump!

    For my two cents worth, work yourself up to eating your TDEE minus a small amount. You need to fuel your body. I have heard from many people that exercising can decrease your appetite (not at all true for me personally), so maybe that is why you are less hungry. Since you just started a new routine, it will take your body time to get used to it. Also, a pound or two up and down is totally normal variation. I have ranged five pounds in one day. Did you weigh the same time? Did you eat a lot of sodium the day before (helps retain water)?
    Don't stress it, give your body time to adjust and make sure you eat above your BMR at all times.

    To get more calories in with less food, eat calorie dense foods sch as full-fat milk products, avocados, nuts, etc...
  • freelancejouster
    freelancejouster Posts: 478 Member
    It could be that you're gaining muscle. You're very small already, even if you haven't the proportions/size you desire. Maybe you should go more by how your body feels and any change in inches rather than weight?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    It could be that you're gaining muscle. You're very small already, even if you haven't the proportions/size you desire. Maybe you should go more by how your body feels and any change in inches rather than weight?

    She didn't gain a pound of muscle in 4 days of 30DS. :wink:.


    However, OP, your weight can (and will) fluctuate by as much as five pounds on any given day. If you haven't overeaten 3500 calories, then it is likely caused by water retention - which can in turn be because of sodium intake, exercise, sleep patterns, hormones, sugar, injury, illness...the list goes on.

    Keep doing the right things and you will see results. Be patient. This is all about patience with yourself and the process.

    *edit spelling.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
    If your doing 30DS then your not sedentary. More like light to moderate active. So you need to recalculate your TDEE. Set your macros to 30%C/30%F/40%P this will allow you to have a nice balanced plan. Hard to tell how your doing with a closed diary.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight or gain weight or just get more fit? I can't tell. (Confession: I am not a careful reader.)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    If your doing 30DS then your not sedentary. More like light to moderate active. So you need to recalculate your TDEE. Set your macros to 30%C/30%F/40%P this will allow you to have a nice balanced plan. Hard to tell how your doing with a closed diary.

    Where did you come up with 40% protein? That's really high, and unecessarily so IMO.

    OP the general recommendation if you aren't going to stick to the MFP way is to go 40/30/30 - with Carbs being the 40%.
  • samairon
    samairon Posts: 46
    I opened my diary. I don't think it's muscle lol. my ratio is 40/30/30. I'm trying to lose body fat and get fit.

    ETA: I changed my calories from 1300 to 1250 back to 1200 in the space of a few days, when I realized I just couldn't stuff it in anymore. Everything you see, I've basically ate just to try to reach my calorie goal instead of because I was hungry.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    I opened my diary. I don't think it's muscle lol. my ratio is 40/30/30. I'm trying to lose body fat and get fit.

    ETA: I changed my calories from 1300 to 1250 back to 1200 in the space of a few days, when I realized I just couldn't stuff it in anymore. Everything you see, I've basically ate just to try to reach my calorie goal instead of because I was hungry.

    At your weight you should be eating at Maintenance minus no more than 200-300 calories. WIth the exercise, I'd bet you should be at more like 1800-1900. Unless you are older and 5 foot nothing, I doubt your TDEE is as low as you think. And you are NOT Sedentary.

    If you're having trouble eating enough, plan ahead. Eat more early in the day. Start using full fat dairy, add oils to your salads and rice, add avocado and nuts. An apple and peanut butter makes a great snack, is not too filling, and adds 300 calories.

    You have to eat more. You're shooting yourself in the foot.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less


    *edit to fix quotes
  • heyyoudontgiveup
    heyyoudontgiveup Posts: 64 Member
    I had a hard time eating enough calories before. My calorie goals are pretty similar to yours. What I started doing was making sure I ate every few hours, regardless of if I was starving or not. Get snack foods like string cheese, pepperoni sticks if you eat meat, protein bars that are around 200 calories, fruits and vegetables, individual yogurts, and just make sure you eat one every few hours. My diary is open so you can see how I get to 1200-1300 calories a day. I never feel stuffed and I work out hard. Anyone can PM me if they have questions. Hope this helps.
  • TainaLeirmoe10
    TainaLeirmoe10 Posts: 41 Member
    Have you thought about tracking your macros?
  • samairon
    samairon Posts: 46
    Have you thought about tracking your macros?
    I do.
  • samairon
    samairon Posts: 46
    I had a hard time eating enough calories before. My calorie goals are pretty similar to yours. What I started doing was making sure I ate every few hours, regardless of if I was starving or not. Get snack foods like string cheese, pepperoni sticks if you eat meat, protein bars that are around 200 calories, fruits and vegetables, individual yogurts, and just make sure you eat one every few hours. My diary is open so you can see how I get to 1200-1300 calories a day. I never feel stuffed and I work out hard. Anyone can PM me if they have questions. Hope this helps.

    I do eat constantly. Every couple of hours I eat but it almost makes me feel sick; I feel so full all the time.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    New workout routine = increase water retention from muscles you haven't used previously, different body movements.. at your height/weight I would start to focus on BF% and not scale weight.
  • samairon
    samairon Posts: 46
    New workout routine = increase water retention from muscles you haven't used previously, different body movements.. at your height/weight I would start to focus on BF% and not scale weight.
    Thank you! I think you're right considering my calves alone are an inch bigger than they were. And I've ordered calipers.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    I opened my diary. I don't think it's muscle lol. my ratio is 40/30/30. I'm trying to lose body fat and get fit.

    ETA: I changed my calories from 1300 to 1250 back to 1200 in the space of a few days, when I realized I just couldn't stuff it in anymore. Everything you see, I've basically ate just to try to reach my calorie goal instead of because I was hungry.

    At your weight you should be eating at Maintenance minus no more than 200-300 calories. WIth the exercise, I'd bet you should be at more like 1800-1900. Unless you are older and 5 foot nothing, I doubt your TDEE is as low as you think. And you are NOT Sedentary.

    If you're having trouble eating enough, plan ahead. Eat more early in the day. Start using full fat dairy, add oils to your salads and rice, add avocado and nuts. An apple and peanut butter makes a great snack, is not too filling, and adds 300 calories.

    You have to eat more. You're shooting yourself in the foot.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less


    *edit to fix quotes

    QFT

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