Confused whether to eat more or not, approx 10lb til goal we

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sazziecee
sazziecee Posts: 143
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi

It has taken me since mid January to lose 14lb. I am 5ft 4 inches tall and currently weigh 142lb (clothed, I weigh in at a class, in the evening, in light clothing and my trainers so probably weigh 140lb naked)

MFP started me on 1230 cals per day, but as I have lost weight this has been dropped to 1200 for a 1lb weekly loss.

However on my weight loss journey I have had MANY weeks where I have maintained my weight, lots of 0.5lb losses and only a handful of losses that have been 1lb per week or more. The biggest loss in 1 week has been 2.5lb but I did a 40 mile charity walk that week!

I am wondering now that I am a healthy weight (just) for my height according to my BMI and probably only want to lose another 10lb or so, should I increase my calorie intake?

My diet club actually says I should be eating 1400 for my weight, but I tend to eat the MFP recomendation plus on exercise days I will eat up to the 1400 level. I excercise 5-6 days per week, usually aerobics, zumba, circuit training and walking.

I have just changed my goal to a manual 1400 cals per day and it has predicted a 0.6lb weight loss per week, but as my 1lb prediction was only making me lose 0.5lb a week on average, I am scared I will either not lose, or start GAINING!

Thanks for any help you can give me, I am just so confused! x

Replies

  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    I think that you will be able to continue to lose weight steadily at 1400. We have very similar stats (I'm 5'4 too) but I can only speak for what has worked for me, but I have been losing about .5-1 lb/week ever since starting on MFP and I have been netting 1400 the whole time (and that is with MFP predicting .6/week).

    When you have so little to lose, the math might say you should eat less, but our bodies don't work quite as simply as the math formula. You have to remind your body that you are, in fact, not in a crisis situation and that it can release the last 10 lbs of fat. The way you do this is by continuing to feed it.

    Just my thoughts. Try it out and see. I doubt you would gain on 1400.
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
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    By eating more, you'll probably find that you'll have less maintenance weeks and more loss weeks.
  • cktb4him
    cktb4him Posts: 56
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    I'm in the same boat! I'm just under 5'4" and weigh 125 and I want to lose maybe 10lbs more. But the MFP has me at 1200 cals and I am not losing anything just staying at 125! It's so frustrating! It's taken me about a year to lose the 52 lbs I gained during pregnancy and my husband (who was a former body builder and trainer) tells me to eat more. I'm just so afraid I'll gain back some that has taken me so long to get off! Let me know what you decide to do!
  • sazziecee
    sazziecee Posts: 143
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    Thanks ladies

    I have put it as the 1400 as from today, and will give it 2 weeks and see how I go! :)
  • sunnysashka
    sunnysashka Posts: 296
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    When I first started tracking calories on MFP, I have tried 1200 cal for a couple of days and just could not do it. I was starving. I went for 1/2 lbs a week as a goal to loose, which let me eat 1500/day. I ate 1600 or so on excersises days. I do Zumba 3 times a week and stair climber 2 times a week.
    So far I've lost 10 lbs in 2 month. Now, I think, I'm stuck for a while, but I'm not upset. I'm comfortable with this amount of calories per day.
    I think, you should be more then fine with 1400 cals/day.
    As long as you have a healthy lifestyle, you will be fine!:flowerforyou:
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I feel you. I have been at the same weight for a while now. 5'3" at 127lbs but 17% body fat. I think I would look great with 5-10 lbs less fat, but my body doesn't seem to agree and I've been at a plateau between 124-128 for 5 months. Once we get into vanity pounds like those posting in this thread are, we are fighting with our bodies, who naturally want some reserves. We will probably end up compromising a bit. I also have had a hard time getting enough calories, and am paying for it.

    I have heard some experts say someone lean should attack fat loss in a finite period, like one month, then go back to maintenance for a while.

    Here is an article encouraging you to eat more to lose: http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/diet_and_nutrition/eat_more_food_lose_more_fat

    We should form a support/eerimentation group
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    Here is an article encouraging you to eat more to lose: http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/diet_and_nutrition/eat_more_food_lose_more_fat

    Nice article! Thanks for sharing the link.
  • sazziecee
    sazziecee Posts: 143
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    I have just logged all the food I plan to eat today and I am still under 1400 calories (only by 20)

    But I think my diary today is healthy and balanced, I have even allowed myself a small treat of a WW dessert.

    I am just not sure I am gonna be able to eat my exercise calories on top of the 1400!

    Guess it just takes some getting used to :)
  • sazziecee
    sazziecee Posts: 143
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    Hi

    I lost 2.5lb this week.

    Not sure if it was too early for the 1400 cals to have made a difference as it had only been 4 days, but I am very happy :)
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Wow, congrats! I ate near maintenance and lost a pound, going to your calorie level this week.
  • MacguyverMommy
    MacguyverMommy Posts: 104 Member
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    I'm 5'4 117, but 21% body fat. Honestly, I dont care what the scale says... I care about how my clothes fit. When its hard to zip up my jeans or my muffin top is extra plumpy, then I know I'm gaining weight. I wish my body fat level would go down! I just stopped taking birth control 3 weeks ago, and I figure maybe all those extra hormones added on the extra fat layer... any of you notice this?

    My "goal" is 1100 calories a day btw, but I pretty much always go over. I also exercise 400-500 calories most days o the week. So, I am really eating way more than 1100, but the "net" is that much max. Works for me!
    (PS- totally slip up about 3 meals a week.... but after reading Bethenny Frankels new book, I am getting better and ENJOYING life and food!)
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Hey MissyCrissy, what kind of exercise are you doing? Sounds like you're fixing your too-low calorie goal yourself.

    I'm trying eat stop eat (24hr fasts in the middle of the week) while eating close to maintainance to try and get rid of these last few pounds. I'm kind of enjoying the fasting, but I don't know that it's working. :indifferent:
  • MacguyverMommy
    MacguyverMommy Posts: 104 Member
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    Yes, you can set any goal you want! I put mine at 1100 calories and i switched carbs to 45% 30% fat, 25% protein. But I dont really follow the %'s, they are more like guidelineS. I also limit my sodium to:happy: preferably below 1500mg and 35 grams of fiber. You can switch all that stuff up on this site, to personalize everything!
    I treadmill mostly. Elliptical everyone in awhile and I also take advantage of my DVR "exercise TV" free workouts. :bigsmile: REALLy cleaning you apartment (or home) for like 2-3 hours ends up burning about 150-200 calories too. So once a week thats an extra few hundred calories down the drain PLUS a clean place :love:

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