Registered Dietitian in TX here to answer questions.
Replies
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Hi Tony,
I've been here for 5 weeks now and have lost 10lbs so early progress is good. So far all I'm doing is watching the calories and not worrying too much about the macros, though I do keep an eye on saturated fats and fibre.
I'm 46, 5-3 tall and am at 182lbs with another 41 to lose to take me to the very top of my BMI range. My health is good, though I do have problem knees and feet which i'm hoping weight loss will help with. The only exercise I can guarantee is 2 x 15 minute walks each weekday, though I do more than that wherever possible.
Would you recommend that I actually start paying attention to the macros, or making any changes to them? Is there a good/typical carb/protein/fat ratio for general weight loss?
Grateful for any advice.
Eventually, you'll want to start paying attention to your macros. Do this when you're ready and when you think you can be consistent and keep up with long-term compliance.
I recommend 1g protein per pound of lean body mass up to 1g per pound of bodyweight. .45g of fat per pound of LBM up to .45 to .5 per pound of bodyweight, and fill in the rest with carbohydrates.
This usually comes out to be between 25-35% for each macronutrient category.
Thanks for this Tony. Just one more question. When you talk fat, are you talking about fat generally, or just saturates?
Just fats in general. Avoid artificial trans fats and get a good variety of MUFAs PUFAs and Sat. Fats.0 -
Hi Tony,
I'm 5'7 / 173 lbs / Medium frame / 43 years old. How much should I weigh for my age group?
Using the Hamwi method, your weight should be about 135 give or take 10%. I would pay more attention to bodyfat% though because bodyweight doesn't tell you how much muscle you have. 20-25% bodyfat is a healthy range to shoot for your age.0 -
Hi Tony,
I am female, age 36, 5'0 and weigh 127 lbs. Back in 2009, I lost over 30 lbs and dropped from 138 to 106. Granted at 106, I was a bit too skinny but I was really fit and also worked briefly as a personal trainer (but it wasn't the career for me). I have gained back over 20 lbs from what I lost and no matter what I do I can't seem to lose, I just keep gaining. My goal is now to be 112-115 lbs which I believe is healthy range for my height/frame. I work out 5-6 days a week (weight training and cardio both in the gym and with at home DVDs) and track my calories and ratios. I am only eating 1200 calories per day which is the lowest I can go even if all the calculations for my height may say to eat under that.
Is there something else that could be causing me to consistently gain? I have lost before and now in a total rut!
Thanks!!
J
Bumping this up as I think Tony missed my post.
J,
Sorry I missed your question. Assuming you're in good health, your weight gain is due to eating too many calories. It sounds like you're already pretty active, so I would start with creating a deficit by eating less calories. Calculations are a good reference point, but they are just estimates. Don't be afraid to cut calories if you plateau. Also consider that 1200 may actually be more due to misestimations.0 -
thank you so much for offering your time and expertise. that truly is very generous of you. and especially helpful to us who lack insurance so we can't consult a doctor.
My desire is to maximize my weight loss as quickly as is both possible and "safe" ie I want to push the edge but not cross it.
I have tried to learn about all this BMR and TDEE stuff but I don't think the normal stuff applies to me since I get some crazy numbers (like I need 4300 cals a day just to survive?? that makes no sense way too much)
I have JUST started. I can't even give you an accurate weight yet since I am too fat to weigh on normal scales (got one coming in the mail)
I am in very good health. (very fortunate) I have a good body and immune system but I know factually if I don't make dramatic changes that won't last. my body will eventually fail under this load.
I am 36 6'4" tall reasonable well built but very out of shape. I weigh approximately 455 pounds (guessing between 450-460)
my profile is wide open. I know I am not eating "well" but I am sticking to under 2000 cals pretty well for the last two weeks.
I also try as much as possible to ride at least 5 miles a day on my bike my heart rate tends to stay over 140 while doing this continuously for around 45-50 minutes (trying to work up to over 1 hour every ride getting their)
right now my pop is ill (gall bladder) so I am working an insane number of hours. because of the long drive (90mintues one way) I "stay" down here 3-5 days at a shot to conserve gas and save those 3 hours a day driving. I bring the bike with me to ride here.
I firmly believe I am dead serious about making this work. I hope I can stick with it. I think I have the will power to make this work.
I don't mind a little pain and suffering as long as its not permanent and as long as it won't harm my health. its why I cycle and not run. running would result in me having no knees by the time I hit 40. I am just to heavy for that. even my pops doctor said do not run. sadly my best option swimming is no option. there is no local swimming facilities that I can afford withing an hour of me. (the YMCA is around the corner but I don't have the $600 a year they want)
I finally managed to find a bike I could afford that also would not kill me. I got a semi recumbent. the full seat and back rest and semi recumbent posture means I can now ride with almost zero pain. So far the bike is holding up well. Already broke the seat but I repaired and reinforced it.
I am hoping this weekend to take a shot at pushing to 10 miles (longest ride so far is 8.8 miles) I just don't want to overdo it and harm myself (though I have a feeling I could go a lot further without harm and am being overly caution) the problem is I do't know what danger signs of pushing to hard to look for ??
at my mass getting hurt would be really bad.
so while I am not eating "well" I am eating under calories (is 2000 ok?)
suggestions? what should I do? what should I eat?
once I am home again I plan to make veggies a huge portion of my food intake (I love veggies) I am drooling right now thinking about cooking up that broccoli I have in the fridge at home. for the first time in a few weeks I will be home for 4 days straight !!
my profile is wide open. I appreciate any advice you can give.
if at all possible and safe I would like to try and lose 150 pound by next September (when I plan to take a shot at the MS150) I need to lose a total of around 200 pounds. (end goal is under 225)
I am not loaded with cash. in fact very cash strapped. I only got this bike because it was $400 and the seller was FANTASTIC in letting me make payments !!
but I will do my best to follow whatever advice you can give me.0 -
Hello Tony,
I am currently 449 lbs, 6'3"-6'4". MFD has me at 2880 calories...should i stick with that? How many calories a day would you recommend and for the time being I work a desk job and am pretty sedentary...about to start exercising very soon though!0 -
Also, consider using alcohol as a diuretic.
Thank you. Nirvana reached.0 -
Hey Tony, really appreciate all the free advice.
I'm 35, 5'11", 198.6 lbs this morning. BMR calculator websites say its's 1966. I excercie about 3x/wk, so my maintenace caloric goal is 3000 or so. I've been aiming for 1800-2000/day, and usually hit it. What are the negative consequences of eating below your BMR?0 -
I'm 5'8.5 and weigh about 110- 111. I'm 18, female and my life is stressful. Based on that info alone my nutritionist recommended I eat (net) 2480 calories a day to maintain my weight. I still have trouble believing that. Especially because, today, after burning about 450 cals, I've only been hungry to eat about 1850... or a net of 1370ish. Should I trust those numbers? I don't know if they're just going to make me suddenly gain ten pounds. Not that I don't need to gain weight, it's just that she said that I wouldn't start gaining until I hit a net of 27-2900 a day.
It all depends. I'm sure your nutritionist has a better insight into all the factors that made her choose those values. I have a female client right now that does bikini fitness competitions and she is maintaining her weight at 2500 calories.
You have a very low body weight for your height. If you plan on gaining weight, which it sounds like you eventually are, I would recommend taking up a good weight lifting program so that you can build some good lean muscle in the process.
Yeah, I am planning on taking up weight lifting sometime soon. Thank you so much for the response! And for answering all of these questions. It's been so helpful to all of us!0 -
Bump, too much to read in such a small amount of time!0
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Hello!
I am from TX myself.. I just have one question. If you calorie goal is 1500 and you eat them but work out and burn 1000 calories at night is it a must to eat back all those calories even if you are full? I am asking because I usually work out at night and if anything i am able to have a snack before bed because I eat dinner before my work out. Thank you for reading 0 -
Hi Tony--my question is more a general question. Is a calorie just a calorie? In other words is a "bad" calorie (as in junk food, empty calorie, chocolate or sweets) the same to your body when it comes to weight loss as a "good" calorie (as in nutritionally balanced, a good diet)? As long as you stay under your BMR or at a calorie deficit, does it matter where the calorie comes from? Can or does your body differentiate a bad calorie from a good one? Dieters seem to obsess about eating a bad food--shouldn't have had that slice of pizza, or candy bar, or ice cream but as long as the total calorie for the day remains within the number of calories (1000, 1200, 1500) does it matter where the calories come from?0
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bump0
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I don't know if you can answer this, but I figure it's worth a try.
I am eating gluten free. Recently I was looking at 2 packages of turkey polska kielbasa (not the healthiest thing to eat, I know, but in moderation and I make a big dish with lots of veggies, apples and sweet potatoes baked in oven... so not as bad as it could be).... anyway, the Butterball specified that it was gluten free. The other brand did not. The only difference I could detect was "modified food starch". Just because a food does not say it is gluten free does not mean it contains gluten (e.g. I buy orange juice which is not labeled gluten free <g>). But, I erred on buying the one labeled GF to be safe....
Do you know what "modified food starch" is? Can it be gluten?0 -
Oh yeah, and another question on daily potassium needs. According to MFP, I should be eating like 3500 mg of Potassium daily. I am always WAY under that, by hundreds if not thousands.
I am 5' 9" weigh 213 age 45 female. My recommended caloric intake is 1200 to lose 2 pounds a week goal.
I use almost no salt and use the product NoSalt which is potassium-based for my seasoning needs. So, I would think that would help. I tried to buy a potassium supplement in addition to my multi-V, but together they only total like 200 mg... nowhere close to 3500. Is that number legit? If yes, what should I be eating to get there?0 -
How accurate is MFP's recommendation for daily amount protein? I am consistently 20-25gm over the recommendation but don't feel like I eat too much protein. For breakfast I will eat a serving of PB, a hard boiled egg or a cup of greek yogurt. For lunch and dinner I have a 3 or 4 oz serving of meat. Occasionally I will have cottage cheese or a fiber/protein bar for a snack. To me, that doesn't seem excessive. Am I mistaken?0
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Hi Tony,
I am 42 female, currently weigh 182-187 on average 5' 4".
I have been on MFP since 2010. I have lost 50lbs but gained/lost same 5lbs fish over last six months
Cannot get under 180's
My work is a real mix of active and a few days which can be relatively quiet no two days are same!
I have two young children and travel to work with one of them. I have had a fit bit since Feb and its giving average
Cals per day around 2100. I walk at least 12000 steps a day av is 15000.
I have tried upping cals for 6-8 weeks, tried lowering them again for at least 6-8 weeks.
I do a 5k run most weekends but it might be fast (for me) or a slow plod if my three year old wants to come as
Our weekends are definatly family events.
I do not have ability to go to gym, I power walk or sometimes run not very often as my walk is faster than my run.
Husbands work means I am often stuck at home with kids.
I did walking half marathon at weekend in 3 hours 13 minutes so not hanging around.
What sort of numbers should I be looking at as a base to start from do I factor in work etc or only count when I do
Go out to exercise on purpose?
I do have polycystic but doesn't give me huge problems I don't think, took over ten years to be diagnosed with it.
I still need to loose about 30lbs
Thanks for your time
That's a lot of info, but you need to create a bigger caloric deficit if you want to continue to lose weight.0 -
How long of a medium intensity workout do I have to do in order to burn 40 carbs? Treadmill, rowing machine, small amount of weights, about an hour total, and not so hard of a workout that I thought I would die, but definitely too out of breath to hold a conversation.
So did those carbs I ate for lunch get burned, or are some still hanging around?0 -
[/quote]Hello Tony,
I currently weigh 165-170 (varies daily), 5'5'', 22 years old & 36% body fat (that's what it was last month at MEPS at least). Last year around this time I was at my goal weight of 145 and loved it of course.(I hurt my knee & hip during a soccer game and was unable to keep up with work outs which contributed to my weight gain) I now am trying to do it the healthy way though (No diet pills- Phentermine) and I just can't seem to get the weight off! I do Kickboxing for an hour mon & weds followed by 40 mins of yoga and I do a weight lifting class for an hour tues & thurs followed by 30 mins of cardio (usually bike or elliptical), Saturdays I do a 2 mile jog & attempt a few pull ups (pull ups are my enemy) I am currently enlisting into the USMC and have to drop 15 lbs in the next month and a half for my pre-leave Physical Test and then an additional 10-15 lbs to leave for Boot camp in a few months. I really want to do this the healthy way but I have to make the deadline.
Any suggestions on work outs, foods, supplements (natural), or anything at all please!
Thank you in advance
Oh also I drink around 4-5 bottles of water a day (28 ounce bottle) is this too much? I've heard that it can actually stretch out your stomach and cause you to eat more, true or false?
Just cut your calories about 20% and be consistent using the MFP. Drinking extra water will not stretch your stomach and make you eat more. You're already exercising plenty, you just need to reduce your intake.0 -
Hey Tony! I lost 40 pounds and am lifting weights to increase muscle. I am getting the RDA of protein according to MFP. Is there any advantage to also taking a protein supplement? Does it make any difference if protein comes from a supplement instead of food?
Protein from food or a supplement are the same- respectively. The advantage about protein shakes is that they are convenient and usually cost less than a steak. The advantages to eating extra protein are:
1. protein is very satiating
2. helps preserve lean body mass
3. slightly more thermogenic than the other macros0 -
My brother who has type two diabetes claims he can eat all the tomatos he wants. I say no...that all foods have a measured amt. that we should go by. All the tomatos he wants will make his blood sugar higher ! any take on the tomato issue ??? 0
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Hi Tony.
I am currently 10-15 lbs away from my goal weight. I'm 5'8" and 165 lbs. I'm really struggling right now. What has lost weight for me in the past (1200 calorie a day intake and at least 6 days a week working out) doesn't seem to be cutting it. I've been trying to keep my macros at 50% protein, 30%carbs and 20% fats. Nothing is budging. Ideas?0 -
bump0
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Hey Tony! I lost 40 pounds and am lifting weights to increase muscle. I am getting the RDA of protein according to MFP. Is there any advantage to also taking a protein supplement? Does it make any difference if protein comes from a supplement instead of food?
Protein from food or a supplement are the same- respectively. The advantage about protein shakes is that they are convenient and usually cost less than a steak. The advantages to eating extra protein are:
1. protein is very satiating
2. helps preserve lean body mass
3. slightly more thermogenic than the other macros
Thanks!0 -
Me too---BUMP. Very interesting.0
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Hi Tony, thank you for trying to help people on MFP.
I'm a 43 yr old female, 5'9", last weight loss was in May @ 158, last weigh in a few weeks ago @ 163. I have several medical problems which pretty much make me bed ridden so no I don't do any exercise unless u count hopping sideways on 1 leg with the help of my walker to and from the bathroom. I have done better this year on dieting & eating at least 5 servings of fruits & veggies everyday. I'm very limited on the foods I'm able to eat since I have to be taken care if so I get one cooked meal a day usually & the rest of my food is kept @ room temp in my bedroom. Along with the fact that I'm a very picky eater, I was raised with horrible eating habits including being allowed to eat ice cream or anything else I want for breakfast since my my mom said as long as u eat something. Being overweight is on both sides of my parents families, however both my parents r under weight cuz my dad only eats one meal a day & my mom can go about 3 days before she has to eat, so she will take a bite or 2 & be fine. I can't do that, I like to eat plus since I had cancer I'm really trying to eat a healthy diet. Since I dont exercise MFP gave me 1200 cals & most the time when I've seen people eat less than the 1200 people start telling them along with MFP that u need to eat atleast 1200 cals. According to u, since I haven't loss anyweight for a long time I need to eat less. So how many cals should I be eating? Also I was told that I should change the % of the different types of food so what % should I eat of each of the types? I'm always too high on my sugar just with the fruit I eat at times, or cuz I eat bad cereal (even though lucky charms says it's healthy on the box), & I really like having a half cup of low fat ice cream in a cone every night. I would also like to know if there us anyplace on the web that I can type the foods that I do like & have the site tell recommend foods that I should try based on the fact of what I like. It's too expensive to just start trying random food plus I have to have someone get it for me. My oldest daughter works hard to overcome the family diet problems & she said I shouldnt eat too many carbs cuz they turn to fat if unused which they would be in my body & that I should eat my ice cream @ lunch & not eat after dinner @ 6. I'm starving if I do that & when I get too hungry in not eat something I want I end up eating way too much & not the right foods. MFP friends have been trying to help me get more protein and less carbs and no ice cream or diet soda in my diet but over the last few weeks I've been real hungry & I've gone over my 1200 cals that I use stay just around the 1200 mark I know this is a lot & I'm a mess but thank you for any help u can give me, I'd really like to weigh around 125-35lbs but I've been stuck at 159-6? On the diet & before chemo 180.0 -
Hi,
I have 30 more lbs til goal.
I weigh 173, and have for the past 10 months!!! I have tried eating more cals, eating less, zigzagging.
If my TDEE is 2500 (with exercise included) and my BMR is 1549 how many calories should I be eating?
Thanks 0 -
Hey, y'all. My name is Tony. I'm a RD and personal trainer in Flower Mound, TX. I enjoy answering questions on here and helping people out:
I've done this once before and I got overwhelmed with questions so please read these few points before you ask your questions.
Here's the last thread I did: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/755064-registered-dietitian-in-tx-here-to-answer-questions
1. I am not here to argue science, methods, or prove any advice I'm giving. I have a formal education in nutrition, keep up on the current research and have my own opinions. I welcome you to share yours, but I will not engage in debate, nor will your opinion be likely to change my positions. I will not be posting links to peer reviewed journals for my recommendations. I am aware of the laws of giving nutrition guidance online, etc. etc.
2. I am only going to answer questions for people in general good health. If you have questions about a medical condition or disease state (ie diabetes, thyroid disease, cancer) My answer is always going to be, "talk to your doctor and dietitian."
3. If you "have tried everything and cannot lose weight" or if you're eating "x amount of calories and still can't lose weight." my answer will always be the same- you are eating too many calories. Be consistent with your current intake and cut by 10-20% while making sure you are getting enough protein. Make sure you are correct with your portion sizes and choosing the right foods in the MFP. In other words, if you can't lose weight- you need to eat less and exercise more.
4. The more information you can provide me like your age, height, weight, bodyfat %, current workout program, etc. will help me help you.
5. I can't accept any more friends on myfitnesspal.com right now. If you want "bookmark" me to ask me a questions later, you can link up with me on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/Foodandfitness . I repeat: do not friend request me. I appreciate it but I can't keep up with everyone on here.
Ok, *whew* now that that's out of the way, fire at will!
If I don't get to your questions right away, I will do my best to come back on here.
I am 29 years old and am relatively healthy. I am not diabetic, and I don't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. I carry my weight from just below my waist to my knees. I am 5'3" and weigh 241.3 lbs. I have lost 54 lbs so far but I work shift work and spend 14 out of 16 hours on my feet at my job. What suggestions do you have for healthy snacks that I can carry in my pocket, as I am usually too busy or stressed out to eat anything heavy?0 -
Hi. I've been doing this for 2 months now but I have not seen any progress. I weigh and measure myself once a week and no loss whatsoever. My net calories is at 1350 and I exercise 6.5 hours a week. I don't eat very healthily but I try to and I love fruits and veggies. Any advice please?0
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Thanks Tony0
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bump and read later Thanks for coming on here to help!! 0
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