I really need help with this!!!

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cprudden
cprudden Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so I need some help.

Starting August 2010 I weighed 221 pounds and for the first year I did everything healthy I never counted calories and would workout 5 times a week it wasn't crazy or anything I still treated myself so I got down to about 165ish and then started counting calories and was eating probably 1000-1250 a day on top of exercise and I never had a problem I knew I was hungry a lot but I wasn't really listening to my body. Then by my 21st birthday (april of this year, 2012) I weighed 130lbs. from Jan-April I didn't ever have a cheat meal I was really strict with myself then once my birthday hit I kinda went a little crazy on the weekends drinking and eating bad, I tried not to eat bad but sometimes that wouldn't work out, I would still eat right during the week and exercise but was still eating below what i should have been.. I decided not to weigh myself because I KNEW I had gained and I didn't wanna see that so I just weighed myself about 3 weeks ago (late july) and I weighed 139 I didn't think I had gained that much but oh well.. I was reading online and researching and basically figured I had slowed down my metabolism so I tried eating more calories for the last probably two weeks and this morning (august 15th) I weigh 141.2 and it's really depressing me. I want to eventually get down to about 125lbs.

My question is basically how long should I be eating more calories.. I heard a month, 8 weeks, 12 weeks.. I don't know when I should stop eating at my maintenance (2100-2200 calories) then cutting it down by 30% to start losing again? I'm just lost I've read a lot of differenrt reviews.. lol

Or how many calories should I be eating? I'm just so lost.. lol :(

I go to the gym usually monday-saturday I always do AT LEAST 30 minutes of cardio and do a little bit of weights..

I'm 5'5
BMR: 1466
TDEE: 2260

Anything will help, thanks!!

Replies

  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    I would eat at your maintance cals for a few weeks (say a month) and than drop down and see what happens (Even two weeks may help). You will gain at first since your body isn't used to those extra calories.
  • mamaomefo
    mamaomefo Posts: 418 Member
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    I eat my TDEE minus 550 calories. Just a thought.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    From what I recently read in a study with excellent measurement properties (just reported in the NY Times), you can't. As you get thinner you need fewer calories. Exercise uses calories but does not 'speed up' your metabolism.

    One exception to this is long periods of sitting still. It DOES matter that you sit for long periods without getting up. Your body thinks you're asleep and does use calories differently. You should walk 2 minutes an hour to get around this. (Go to the bathroom, walk to the window, whatever).

    Both sets of research were used to support a newer model of weight loss that seems to work better and does help address why that last 10 pounds is hardest to lose. Both were recently reported in the NY Times in the Wellness column.

    BTW, way to go with the weight loss! And find an amount of calories FOR YOU that at whatever level of exercise you chose keeps your weight stable. We're all different and you've done a great job. The hardest part is keeping it off. Yo Yoing is the worst and it really will mess you up.
  • libertyfaith
    libertyfaith Posts: 12
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    I joined MFP per suggestion of my doctor. I was faithful everyday to write down my food intake and exercise. For me I was getting stressed about it. I had not been on here for weeks. Two weeks ago, I started The South Beach diet. I was skeptical at first, but tried it, and lost 16 lbs in the first two weeks. Phase 1 of the diet. Phase 1 is for two weeks, very strict, no carbs, or sugar. Phase two is slowly adding carbs and sugar ( fruit, bread ) to the diet until you lose all the weight you need too. I have been on phase 2 for two weeks and lost another 6 lbs. Some are skeptics that it's too much weight to lose in that amount of time, but for me it's not a diet, it's just knowing how to eat the right foods. Whatever you decide to do, Good Luck to you! Losing weight is very hard, I have been trying for years. SBD works for me.
  • rhondagraymond
    rhondagraymond Posts: 43
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    You need a diet that can help stabilize your weight and keep it from yo-yoing. Different people have different calorie requirements but in my opinion, a high protein, low-carb oat bran diet plan (http://www.dukandiet.com/The-Dukan-Diet/Oat-Bran) could help you lose the weight AND keep it off. You need to eat the right kind of carbs found in whole grains (oat bran, rye, barley etc) and fruits and veggies and eat lean meats to get your daily protein requirement. Exercise helps fuel the weight loss so I’d recommend about an hour of exercise at least 4 times a week. I lost 30 pounds on this diet last year and have kept the weight off ever since.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    There's a thread in the forums somewhere about what to expect when increasing calories that deals with this topic. Definitely worth taking a look at.
  • justiningham
    justiningham Posts: 139 Member
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    I have just changed to 1900 base and eat back calories from exercise to 2200 sedentary.
    I am 6ft and 220lbs!

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