Need some CONSTRUCTIVE advice

Jessamyfrm
Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
in Health and Weight Loss
!!!!!!! None of this "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG, YOU'RE STUPID" comments that I've seen a lot on here lately. That's patronising and not helpful !!!!!!!

MY STATS:

18 years old
Female
5'4
127lb
Active

So those are my stats. I had been battling with weight almost all my life but I am so close to my goal now that I want to carry on losing FAT whilst building muscle. Pro fitspo not thinspo ftw.

I lead an active lifestyle. I am a childminder so I do the school run twice a day and run around after the kids all afternoon. I have 2 horses which I ride every evening. I work part time up the farm and in the butchers shop so I'm constantly *doing a mans job* lifting heavy objects. Most evenings I also make time for cardio whether it's running, cycling or zumba. I unfortunately don't have the money to kit out my room with a home gym or even pay for a membership so I have to make do with what I have.

Recently updated my stats on here and it said I should be netting 1310 calories daily (which includes eating back exercise calories). Now I never know whether MFP calculators are reliable or not due to the mixed views on the forums. It doesn't take into account that I want to up my protein to retain muscle whilst I'm still losing fat.

I haven't been eating back my exercise calories so have been netting 800 calories a day even though I eat 1300 calories, is this why I've hit a plateau? I've done so well up to this point, when I was 15 I was originally 178lb.. It's the last few lbs that have been a bugger!

I'm not starving myself, I eat six small meals a day so I'm constantly feeling full. I'm not ill looking or pale, I am a picture of health and recently even though I've seen no change in the scales (which isn't the be all and end all) looking through my progress pics I have a lot more muscle and definition showing through.

Any HELPFUL advice would be very much appreciated!

Replies

  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    u NEED to up those calories . gonna mess up all ur hormones nd lbm will drop :0 atleast NET 1200
  • Kellyeee2013
    Kellyeee2013 Posts: 221
    If you are that active and eating 800 calories a day, this can put your body into starvation mode.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG

    EAT MORE
  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
    If you are that active and eating 800 calories a day, this can put your body into starvation mode.

    I don't eat 800 calories a day.

    How about you read through my post again and reply with some helpful and constructive advice I could take on board :)
    YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG

    EAT MORE

    I will eat you!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    If you are that active and eating 800 calories a day, this can put your body into starvation mode.

    I don't eat 800 calories a day.

    How about you read through my post again and reply with some helpful and constructive advice I could take on board :)
    YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG

    EAT MORE

    I will eat you!

    people who starve themselves get mean and nasty
  • SonicaBE
    SonicaBE Posts: 151 Member
    try carb cycling...
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    try carb cycling...

    LOL
  • xidia
    xidia Posts: 606 Member
    Netting ~1300 sounds about right/low to me for your stats, so if you're only netting 800, the first thing you should do is increase to 1300. Try that for a couple of weeks, and see what happens.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    Netting ~1300 sounds about right/low to me for your stats, so if you're only netting 800, the first thing you should do is increase to 1300. Try that for a couple of weeks, and see what happens.
    precisely , u can even double your calories and still lose weight with all the activity u do
  • FunkBunny
    FunkBunny Posts: 417 Member
    Add in about 400-500 calories so you are at a net of 1300, rather than a net of 800. Add lean protein, as this will help and encourage your body to build muscle. You are very active and very young, your body should respond well, but it will take time,. Give it 4-6 weeks on a set plan before changing for something else.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    go to mfp goals
    set yourself to lose 0.5lbs per week, as when you are so close to your goal this is the only healthy option
    then change activity level to active, log your cardio and eat back the calories

    I hope you won't skip this CONSRTUCTIVE advice just because you don't like it, and waste me time...

    edited for spelling
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    If you are NETTING 800 calories a day, you aren't eating enough. NO ONE should net under 1200. There's no reason to. It's not going to make you lose weight faster, it's not going to make you better looking. The only thing it will do long term is give you brittle hair, nails, sallow skin and feel very tired. You need to fuel your body for all your activities, netting 800 calories daily, day in and day out will not help your body AT ALL.

    You are an active young lady and there's no reason to be eating that little of a calorie intake. When I started here I had the last 10 pounds of a 40+ pound weight loss goal. MFP gave me 1440 as a calorie goal (I didn't eat back exercise calories, just got as close to 1440 as I could without going over) and in 3 weeks I lost 6 pounds. Then the scale stopped. I did the same thing I did the previous 3 weeks but nothing was budging that scale, not 30ds, not running, not more elliptical. I started eating between 1500-1700 calories a day and the weight started dropping off again and I surpassed my goal weight by 11lbs. I never knew I could be this light...I'm going to be 34 Monday and I'm the thinnest and fittest that I've ever been. By starting good habits at your age you can avoid the "30 spread" like me and not have to lose 40lbs in your 30's...Good Luck to you...I wish you all the best!
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    I would take a look at the In place of a roadmap group which gives a great way of calculating your total daily energy expenditure and then gives you a cut figure based on how far you are from your goal weight. The key as I understand it is not to net lower than your BMR on a daily basis. Netting 800 sounds very low but given the amount of exercise you are doing I suspect you are probably eating quite a large number of calories in total - however I would suspect you need to eat more.

    At 5ft 4
    Age 36
    Bf% 26-27
    I get around 1700 calories a day and I sit between light and moderately active (I never net less than 1300 even on a high butn day).

    I don't use MPF calcs just set my goal and eat to that - but log my exercise to ensure I do not drop below the 1300 net.

    Not sure if that makes sense but as I said check out IPOFARM http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    Yes, please try to net closer to 1300. It may be hard to do all at one, so maybe go up a few hundred at the time? 1000 this week, 1150 next week, then 1300? You can go into goals and change it to say you need more protein. Sorry, don't know if someone has already told you to do this--lots of comments since I started reading--but if you need help with that, let me know.

    Also, it will be hard to gain muscle while losing fat at your size, so may have to re-evaluate that goal.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Plus, all that cardio and no real strength training probably means that you lost a bit of lean muscle mass.. which makes it harder to lose/maintain weight.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    Here is how I figure it after reading a lot of internet sites on the subject. Eat ten calories per pound of your desired weight and you will eventually get there. So if you aim to be 125 you would eat 1250 calories per day. Add in 2-4 calories per pound because of activity level. This is your maintenance calorie requirement to maintain 125 lbs. It takes a LOSS of 3500 calories to equal one pound. Since you are so close to your goal and you are eating 1350 calories, it will take about 35 days to lose one pound.

    Some claim that you can't gain muscle without excess calories. I am not convinced. I believe the body is capable of shedding fat while putting on muscle, trading one for the other at the same time as long as the calorie level is slightly below your goal maintenance level. 500 calories per day won't give you the energy you need to put on muscle, 1200 will.

    There, now "the experts" will jump down my throat, not yours. LOL!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Take what you're eating currently, and change nothing but for the next 2-4 weeks add something small like an extra chicken breast with dinner or a tuna fish sandwish snack or some such. See what effect that has. If it's not quite what you'd expect, for the following 2-4 weeks add another small amount of calories to your daily intake.

    Change slowly, it'll benefit you in the long run.

    My $0.02
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    i am 5ft5, and 125lbs. i NET 1900 cals and am losing bodyfat thanks to a decent strength training regime 3x a week.

    i am not an expert, i am just relaying my experience...
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    If you are that active and eating 800 calories a day, this can put your body into starvation mode.

    What-if-%22starvation-mode%22-is-our-natural-state-and-our-bodies-are-just-trolling-us-by-making-us-want-to-eat..jpg
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Is that you in the picture? You look fantastic and, given your height and weight, you must be very 'dense' - strong muscles and dense bones from all that riding. Do you need to lose weight or are you really interested in more toning and muscle definition?

    In other words, are your goals correct? I would think carefully about that.

    Second, given how much you run around, you really need to up your calories. Weight loss is slow at the end and your body tends to hold onto those calories and that last bit of weight tenaciously. In other words, the research shows that even massive calorie reductions will not result in significant weight loss (until real starvation occurs) when you have low body fat. Given your height, weight, picture, and activities, I'm going to guess that's where you are.

    I don't know if eating your 1300 calories will increase weight loss. But I would strongly suspect it will not lead to weight gain - and it will be better for your health. It may also help your temperament - many people get snappy when on short rations because their blood sugar is low. Are you having that issue?

    Add strength training to what you're already doing and you should look fantastic - forget the weight.
  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Thanks for your input but I don't necessarily agree. I'm not looking to go into body building, I just want to be fit and toned. I lift dead pigs, cows, meat trays. I push wheelbarrows through muddy fields, carry jumps up the stables and other things on a daily basis which all weigh a fair bit. This has definitely worked for me when it comes to trimming down the fat and building muscle, but each to their own :)

    Thanks to everyone else for their advice also.
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
    i am also around 5'4-5'5 and 129 lb. I net about 1600 calories. you definitely could benefit from eating more, especially if you are so active. try this one too: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    I'm also doing a strength regimen and losing fat. I know because my bf % has gone from 27 to 24 in a year. I weigh the same but I'm a size smaller.
  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
    Is that you in the picture? You look fantastic and, given your height and weight, you must be very 'dense' - strong muscles and dense bones from all that riding. Do you need to lose weight or are you really interested in more toning and muscle definition?

    In other words, are your goals correct? I would think carefully about that.

    Second, given how much you run around, you really need to up your calories. Weight loss is slow at the end and your body tends to hold onto those calories and that last bit of weight tenaciously. In other words, the research shows that even massive calorie reductions will not result in significant weight loss (until real starvation occurs) when you have low body fat. Given your height, weight, picture, and activities, I'm going to guess that's where you are.

    I don't know if eating your 1300 calories will increase weight loss. But I would strongly suspect it will not lead to weight gain - and it will be better for your health.

    Add strength training to what you're already doing and you should look fantastic - forget the weight.

    Yes that is me in the picture aha thank you, which is why I'm proof you can gain muscle whilst lose weight at the same time.

    It isn't necessarily weight I'm looking to lose I suppose, the scales is just a number I'm all pro tape measure. I'd just like to lose the final bits of fat around my thighs and upper arms and then focus on toning up everywhere else and building slightly muscle tone.

    Thank you for your help!
  • rek10
    rek10 Posts: 7 Member
    what about a 40/40/20 (carb, protein, fat) diet? and cutting back ur calories doesnt make u lose weight... it'll make you go into starvation mode. not sure considering how active you what it should be but i hope the above helps you reach your goal!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Thanks for your input but I don't necessarily agree. I'm not looking to go into body building, I just want to be fit and toned. I lift dead pigs, cows, meat trays. I push wheelbarrows through muddy fields, carry jumps up the stables and other things on a daily basis which all weigh a fair bit. This has definitely worked for me when it comes to trimming down the fat and building muscle, but each to their own :)

    Thanks to everyone else for their advice also.

    A,:If you are doing that day after day, then it's not strength training.. it's part of your daily life.

    B: You don't lift weights and magically body builder.. You lift weights to maintain muscle mass and lose fat. Bodybuilders train specifically for their sport.

    C. You are not building muscle at 1310 calories a day... Sorry. You need a calorie surplus and heavy lifting to do that.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,078 Member
    I am a little confused because you say your netting 800 cal but at the same time you say your eating 1300 cal.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I am a little confused because you say your netting 800 cal but at the same time you say your eating 1300 cal.

    After her exercise, it shows 800 net Ie what she ate-what she burned with exercise.
  • Jessamyfrm
    Jessamyfrm Posts: 89
    Food + Exercise = Net
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I lead an active lifestyle. I am a childminder so I do the school run twice a day and run around after the kids all afternoon. I have 2 horses which I ride every evening. I work part time up the farm and in the butchers shop so I'm constantly *doing a mans job* lifting heavy objects. Most evenings I also make time for cardio whether it's running, cycling or zumba. I unfortunately don't have the money to kit out my room with a home gym or even pay for a membership so I have to make do with what I have.


    With all you're doing throughout the day, I can't see a reason - other than you simply like to do it - to do the extra cardio at night. If you "run around after the kids all afternoon," you're getting plenty of cardiovascular work.

    Since you say you want to continue burning fat and building muscle, then you shouldn't discount dad106's advice - work on adding body weight exercises, since you can't afford weights and/or a gym.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    In order to build muscle, you need to lift weights... but since you can't have a home gym or a membership, look into body weight training.

    Thanks for your input but I don't necessarily agree. I'm not looking to go into body building, I just want to be fit and toned. I lift dead pigs, cows, meat trays. I push wheelbarrows through muddy fields, carry jumps up the stables and other things on a daily basis which all weigh a fair bit. This has definitely worked for me when it comes to trimming down the fat and building muscle, but each to their own :)

    Thanks to everyone else for their advice also.

    A,:If you are doing that day after day, then it's not strength training.. it's part of your daily life.

    B: You don't lift weights and magically body builder.. You lift weights to maintain muscle mass and lose fat. Bodybuilders train specifically for their sport.

    C. You are not building muscle at 1310 calories a day... Sorry. You need a calorie surplus and heavy lifting to do that.

    I'd agree that you might need more calories to build muscle. That said, the best muscle building activities are lifting heavy things. Sounds like you already do this all day (win for you since it's part of work and you won't have to dedicate extra time to doing it). Since you're already lifting heavy and not seeing quite the progress you want, it may be your diet. I haven't checked to see if your diary is open, but I would try to eat as cleanly as possible (whole foods that don't come in boxes, bags, or bottles) and as previously suggested, add in some more lean protein to boost your calories. Or hell, add a spoonful of peanut butter :)

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