Help - I am completely lost again.

sarahmaryjane

Hi everyone!

I was hoping for some advice - maybe even someone to just say "do it like this!"

I am 29 years old (female), 191 lbs, 5'4". I have been overweight forever and just trying to figure out the magic numbers to help me actually lose weight. I have tried so many different things, some that confuse my body (HCG diet) and some that I just don't understand. I've done the equations, tried to figure out if eating more or eating less will work for me, but I just don't know what to do anymore.

The thing that really and truly helped me lose almost 30 pounds last year was being on phentermine. I do NOT want to be on it if I don't need to. I am trying to not put any chemicals that aren't necessary in my body. I went from 205 to 178, which was lovely, but like I said, I don't want to be dependent on chemicals that aren't needed. I stopped seeing the doctor because I didn't feel as if she supported me as much as I needed/wanted and only gave me a 10 minute appointment, so of course, no more phentermine (I stopped in May 2012).

I've been eating at 1200 calories/day, working out 4 - 5 days a week (training for the Bataan Death March and doing tabatas). I use my Nutribullet every morning (for almost a month) with spinach, oatmeal and various fruits, take Biotin, Caltrate, vitamin D, multivitamins and acidophilus, and try not to combine protein with carbs. No sodas at all but I have a soy latte 3 - 4 times a week.

When I do the equations online, it gives me a MUCH higher number than 1200. However, when I was seeing an MD and getting the phentermine, she told me that women NEVER need more than 1200 calories a day. I have been reading the boards and seeing what works for everyone, but I just have no idea what to do for myself and am getting discouraged big time. Again.

Any ideas? I can't afford Jenny Craig, did Weight Watchers online and didn't really care for it, but have a supportive husband who is willing to work out with me, eat what we need to, etc. Have I ruined my body/metabolism trying to do TOO MANY things? Any ideas for change? Thanks.

medeamama

I don't know how far over weight you are, or how much you want to lose, but I can talk about my own experience with MFP.

I started with numbers that were higher than 1200, and when you count in exercise, it goes even higher. I have been pretty successful using the formulas here, even if I don't eat back ALL of my calories.

That said, everyone is different. And it takes patience, which is sometimes frustrating because of shows like Biggest Loser and ads on TV that make it look like it should happen so much faster than it does in real life. And everyone is different with how quickly they progress, so it might take one person longer than another to be successful in getting healthy than another with the exact same numbers.

Give this plan a try and be honsest and really stick with it for a few months. See if you can lose a few pounds and tighten up and feel good.

Hey, it's free, right?

axialmeow

The "M.D." you saw who said women never need to eat over 1200 cal/day sounds like a complete quack. I am a woman and was on 1200 cal/day and lost so much hair and eventually stalled out. In fact, lots of women need to eat more than 1200 calories a day, esp. if active.

sugboog29

I would go with the number MFP gives you. Are you eating back your exercise calories? You need to fuel your body for exercise...not starve it!

gpizzy

I think it may be good for you to see a different doctor, and listen to what they have to say. There is potentially a chance you may need to get your metabolism back on the right track.

Otherwise, just keep trying. Keep making good choices, eat when you're hungry and take your time to get full. Sometimes, the stress of it all can affect your ability to lose weight. Try to chill out.

wolfchild59

I'm 33 and 5'5" and I lose weight much better when I'm eating 1400-1600 calories a day during times when I'm not working out. And when I am working out, I lose weight when I net 1600-1800.

There's nothing wrong with eating carbs and protein at the same time.

Try adding more veggies and protein to your smoothie instead of more fruit.

Nothing wrong with the lattes, as long as they fit in your calories/macros for the day.

At your stats, your BMR is higher than 1200, so unless you have a severely slowed metabolism that truly isn't functioning correctly, you'll want to be putting more than 1200 calories into your body.

Keep in mind that after eating at 1200 for so long, you may see an initial weight gain as you up calories (do it slowly, 100 a week or so), but once your body gets used to the fact that it's being fed well again, it will start dropping weight again.

You will have to do trial and error to find your perfect number, but TDEE -20% is a great place to start. And always remember to give any new adjustment a minimum of a month to set in, and try to give it two to really see if it's working or not. Your body needs time to adapt and adjust to changes, one or two weeks of time is not enough to truly know if something is working or not, especially when upping calories.

It's scary, trust me, but it's a good first place to start. Keep working out like you are, make sure that you are netting the higher calories, not eating them as a total amount. And stick with it. We didn't gain this weight in just a few months, or even a year or two, so we need to always make sure to give it time to come off in a healthy way that can be maintained after the loss is complete.

Good luck!

sarahmaryjane

Thanks guys - I really, truly appreciate it! I know it's not magic and it can't all happen at once, but it gets super frustrating when you think you're doing everything right and not seeing ANYTHING. You all are wonderful and I love the support I get from this site! Thanks again.

yowza101

I started with the average for me 1800 to 2000. Then I went down to 1400, with my work out and adding calories because of what I burn, I decided that the 1400 is good. Even when they add calories because of my work out, I just try not to go over 2000 since that is the normal calorie range for me. Remember too, if your toning up, your gaining muscle, so even though it may not say much on the scale, your clothes say otherwise. I wouldn't go by what the MD said about 1200. When I had my health coach and had to the calculations, it took me to the 1800-2000 for daily calories for me. It all depends on what you weigh now and where you are trying to go. Sometimes if you're eating below your calories, you are doing more harm then good. Have to remember that we didn't put on this weight over night, so it's going to take a while for us to get this off.

cbuggy75

I'm 33 and 5'5" and I lose weight much better when I'm eating 1400-1600 calories a day during times when I'm not working out. And when I am working out, I lose weight when I net 1600-1800.

There's nothing wrong with eating carbs and protein at the same time.

Try adding more veggies and protein to your smoothie instead of more fruit.

Nothing wrong with the lattes, as long as they fit in your calories/macros for the day.

At your stats, your BMR is higher than 1200, so unless you have a severely slowed metabolism that truly isn't functioning correctly, you'll want to be putting more than 1200 calories into your body.

Keep in mind that after eating at 1200 for so long, you may see an initial weight gain as you up calories (do it slowly, 100 a week or so), but once your body gets used to the fact that it's being fed well again, it will start dropping weight again.

You will have to do trial and error to find your perfect number, but TDEE -20% is a great place to start. And always remember to give any new adjustment a minimum of a month to set in, and try to give it two to really see if it's working or not. Your body needs time to adapt and adjust to changes, one or two weeks of time is not enough to truly know if something is working or not, especially when upping calories.

It's scary, trust me, but it's a good first place to start. Keep working out like you are, make sure that you are netting the higher calories, not eating them as a total amount. And stick with it. We didn't gain this weight in just a few months, or even a year or two, so we need to always make sure to give it time to come off in a healthy way that can be maintained after the loss is complete.

Good luck!

^^^^^ Great Advice^^^^

jaylas_mom21

I am 5'4" and weigh in the 120's. At one point, I had upped my calories to 1600 and was still losing weight. At 1200 even at my size I was WAY too hungry. I could tell it wasn't healthy for me and I knew I needed to eat more. I think you need to experiment with eating at least 1400 or 1600 (maybe more) and see how that works for you. At this point, I believe you are probably starving yourself. Also if you're exercising, you need to net this many calories not just eat that many.

tnsons

I am 5' 3 and started at 170 ` I average about 1200 cals a day and do not eat back my exercise calories. I usually do the elliptical for 30 min a day and try and get 10000 steps in daily. I have had nice steady weight loss. I think if you want to loose weight then you need to stay around 1200 cals. I feel if you dont loose around a 1lb a week you will get discouraged. I have never felt better. Obviously when I get close or to my goal I will have to up my calories but I plan on staying here until I do. I have taken no weight loss supplements and don't do anything special with my diet - I will eat the occasional lean Cusine or similar product. The biggest best thng I have done is to eat slooooooooow ~ I cannot stress this enough. I love food - love the taste! So I eat the tiniest bites and take as long as I can to eat my much smaller portion. When I am done with dinner - I immedietly go take a long bath - (tmi) I call this my" keep me out of the kitchen bath" this gives me time to realize I am full!!!! You can do this!

XXXMinnieXXX

Im 5ft 6, 213lbs. I eat 1700 when exercising, i wouldn't have the energy on less calories! 1200 seems way too low when your exercising 4-5 times week. This can be done without pills...im proof. For me its in the macros. I do 35% carbs, 35% fat and 30% protein, whilst zig zagging the calories and carbs a little. Id also advise watching sugars if your making smoothie type things. I stick to 35g or less, because for me it does make a difference.

Zara :-)

Muddy_Yogi

The "MD" you saw should have their license revoked! 1200 is the minimum that ANYONE should eat. Most people's bodies cannot function on that amount.

cbuggy75

Im 5ft 6, 213lbs. I eat 1700 when exercising, i wouldn't have the energy on less calories! 1200 seems way too low when your exercising 4-5 times week. This can be done without pills...im proof. For me its in the macros. I do 35% carbs, 35% fat and 30% protein, whilst zig zagging the calories and carbs a little. Id also advise watching sugars if your making smoothie type things. I stick to 35g or less, because for me it does make a difference.

Zara :-)

More great advice!

skinnyinnotime

What does she mean by "women never need more than 1200cals a day" Well whatever she meant it's a load of crap. A 6ft woman and a 5ft woman are going to have very different needs!!

bizco

I plugged your stats into MFP's BMR calculator and your BMR is 1,576 calories. This is the number of calories you would burn if you were in a coma. Never eat below your BMR.

MFP is a "dumb" tool in that it sets your calorie limit based on your inputs even if that calorie limit is unhealthy (i.e. below your BMR).

You can manually adjust your calorie limit by going to My Home>>Goals>>Change Goals>>Custom. Overtype the calorie number. Save your changes.

While you're on the customize screen you can also change your macro percentages, and you should. MFP's default for protein is dreadfully low at only 15% of total calories. Mine are set to 45/30/25 carbs/protein/fat. Increase your fiber to 25g per day. Choose what works for you and stick with it for 1 month before making further adjustments.

This is my weight loss bible:

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/weight-loss.php#section4

pzinzn

I lost about 35 pounds a few years back and I did it by sticking with a reduced calorie diet (1300-1400 per day) and exercising. However, what I think helped a lot was having one cheat day per week (anything at all you want). That way, the body doesn't go into starvation mode and it also helps get the cravings out of your system. I also just went strictly calories. As long as I was within my allotted calorie range, I was okay. I didn't worry about how much fat, protein, etc or whether I ate junk food. It ends up that you might treat yourself a little occasionally, but I found that if i made myself stick to the reduced calories, I ended up eating a lot of veggies and fruit at night or working out to make room to eat the snack I wanted. Over time, I came to crave the fruits and veggies and most fast food turned my stomach.
As for the 1200 calorie thing, you are never supposed to go below that value as you will first not get the proper nutrients and second, you can send your body into starvation mode, where it stores fat.
I hope this helps. And like the other poster said, just stick with it. If you keep it up, I'm sure you'll start to see results.
Oh, also take measurements, cause sometimes the scale's not moving but you'll find you've lost inches. Helped me to keep motivated.

Bettyeditor

Any MD who says that women only need 1200 calories a day is a Quack. Are you sure she didn't mean 2200? Science shows that 1200 is unhealthy and insufficient.

***In order to lose weight healthily on 1200 calories (i.e., not eat below your BMR), you would need to be a lightly active 96 lbs. woman (NOTE: "lightly active" does NOT include ANY exercise)****
***In order to maintain your weight on 1200 calories (eat your TDEE), you would need to be a lean, lightly active 56 lbs 8-year-old girl****

If you don't believe me, do the science for yourself. Plug in the numbers here: http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

FACT: The average woman needs at least 1800 calories a day to lose weight healthily (NOT counting exercise, which requires you to eat more calories). Read this article: http://www.jennifersygo.com/pdf/DangerUnderEatingUpdate.pdf

Bettyeditor

I plugged your stats into MFP's BMR calculator and your BMR is 1,576 calories. This is the number of calories you would burn if you were in a coma. Never eat below your BMR.

MFP is a "dumb" tool in that it sets your calorie limit based on your inputs even if that calorie limit is unhealthy (i.e. below your BMR).

You can manually adjust your calorie limit by going to My Home>>Goals>>Change Goals>>Custom. Overtype the calorie number. Save your changes.

While you're on the customize screen you can also change your macro percentages, and you should. MFP's default for protein is dreadfully low at only 15% of total calories. Mine are set to 45/30/25 carbs/protein/fat. Increase your fiber to 25g per day. Choose what works for you and stick with it for 1 month before making further adjustments.

This is my weight loss bible:

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/weight-loss.php#section4

^ amen ^

smn76237

I started by trying to NET 1200 (by eating back exercise calories) but I didn't have a heart rate monitor and I knew MFP's exercise calories were inflated, so I underestimated exercise calories and was only eating about 1500-1600 total and was still staaarving. You should not be eating 1200 gross calories if you are exercising. At a minimum, try eating back your exercise calories for a while so that you NET 1200.

You can also try the TDEE minus 20% way, which is roughly what I've been doing to lose the majority of weight without being starving or feeling like I'm "dieting." I used http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ to calculate my numbers and now eat a minimum of 1800 most days. My weight loss has been 1-3lbs per week. Last week I was over 2000 almost every day and still lost .8 pounds (I am very physically active). Oh I'm female, 5'0, 27 yrs old now at 180lbs down from about 200. I'm not starving or "hangry", in a good mood, and haven't had to sacrifice any foods that I enjoy.

I ran your numbers using that website and came up with a BMR of 1644, TDEE minus 20% of 1809 for lightly active (1-3 hours exercise a week) and 2039 for moderately active. Maybe try hitting 1800 every day and see how you feel after a few weeks.

srk369

Any MD who says that women only need 1200 calories a day is a Quack. Are you sure she didn't mean 2200? Science shows that 1200 is unhealthy and insufficient.

***In order to lose weight healthily on 1200 calories (i.e., not eat below your BMR), you would need to be a lightly active 96 lbs. woman (NOTE: "lightly active" does NOT include ANY exercise)****
***In order to maintain your weight on 1200 calories (eat your TDEE), you would need to be a lean, lightly active 56 lbs 8-year-old girl****

If you don't believe me, do the science for yourself. Plug in the numbers here: http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

FACT: The average woman needs at least 1800 calories a day to lose weight healthily (NOT counting exercise, which requires you to eat more calories). Read this article: http://www.jennifersygo.com/pdf/DangerUnderEatingUpdate.pdf

I liked that article. Thanks for posting!