Is losing weight really so complicated?!

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24

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  • MillerHighLife
    MillerHighLife Posts: 5 Member
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    No, it's not complicated.

    Move more. Eat less.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    I just tried this after reading your post, it says that to loose weight I should be eating just over 1400 calories a day as apposed to the 1200 I am trying to stick to. Do you think I should up my intake by 200?

    yes, but keep in mind that you are going to gain a little weight, just for a bit. i recommend upping your calories for a month, and avoid the scale at the same time.
  • bronnyd
    bronnyd Posts: 278 Member
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    1500 calories is a good number, and I don't think it is low enough to push your body into starvation mode. It sounds like you have just hit a bit of a plateau. There are a LOT of threads on here about how to get through plateaus, just run a search :smile:
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    That cordianet.com calculator came out WAAAAAY off from the data I was using. I wouldn't trust it. I got my numbers from "In Place of a Road Map" from the forums here. That seems to be remarkably reliable.


    USE THIS >>>http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12<<&lt; USE THIS
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Ignore the myths and keep doing what works. There is so much misinformation out there that can trip you up if you let it.

    THIS^^^ Don't be confused by all the conflicting info and fear-mongering you read on the forums. Just stick to the basics and keep doing what works.
  • McGruber03
    McGruber03 Posts: 113
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    You're not going to go into starvation mode by going over or under 1500 calories by a 100 or so. Starvation mode would be restricting to something ridiculous like eating only 100-1000 calories a day for a long time. Try not to obsess too much over it. It is impossible to stay RIGHT AT a certain calorie intake. If your 1500 +/- a few is working, keep it up. Good luck!

    (P.S. I'm not just talking off the top of my head, I am a registered dietitian)
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    you have totally overthought the whole thing...

    you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...

    Definitely! Just keep going and don't worry about "starvation mode." Unless you are hungry all the time or weak/dizzy, then you are doing great.
  • vegannlg
    vegannlg Posts: 170 Member
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    Calculators are ok, but I have found that I could use 4 different ones out there and get 4 different answers. The one posted did not go low enough for my height. Please first, relax! You won't go into "starvation mode" in a day, or on what you are eating by the sound of it. This is a sound, sensible article about calculating, eating and exercisitng towards YOUR desired goals.

    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.

    not sure how accurate it is.

    if its saying you should only eat 900 cals then its talking b*llocks!

    The computer simply figures your TDEE based on the info you enter and subtracts 500 from that number. It doesn't have a minimum built into it like MFP does. Further down, you will read this disclaimer-

    "Important Note:
    Regardless of what the calculator tells you, going under about 1000-1200 calories for a woman and 1300-1500 for a man can be detrimental to weight loss as this can cause your body to try harder to retain weight by slowing your metabolism. This is commonly called "starvation mode" and is a natural reaction to too low a caloric intake. As such, do not go lower than these numbers without the advice and consent for your physician. If the calculator gives you numbers smaller than this, it is probably because you are small in stature and not exercising much. If so, the best advice I can give is to increase your activity level and this will allow a more normal caloric intake."
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    you have totally overthought the whole thing...

    you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...

    Agreed
  • kikih64
    kikih64 Posts: 349 Member
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    First you need to know what you're burning each day. Use a calorie calculator like this:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Then based on your weight loss goal, say 1 pound a week loss - eat 500 calories less each day/ or burn 500/day or a combination.

    It's simple, really Just math, but you need to know your body too. 1 pound a week might be too drastic - as your weight gets lower, you need fewer calories to sustain it, so there are fewer calories to cut. You don't want to go below your BMR. I do a fast one day a week, so I do for that one day, but it's not where you want to go all the time.

    For me, I don't care about the number on the scale (well,not much)...I'm in my goal range. So, now I've set my food goal to be what I believe is my TDEE is. Seems to be working, I only fluctuate about 3 pounds off and on, which could be water, swelling..that sort of thing. I am now focused more on my body fat percentage, so I use the calipers more than the scale.

    Good luck on your journey. Sounds like you're making excellent progress!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    That cordianet.com calculator came out WAAAAAY off from the data I was using. I wouldn't trust it. I got my numbers from "In Place of a Road Map" from the forums here. That seems to be remarkably reliable.


    USE THIS >>>http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12<<&lt; USE THIS

    It was *way* off for me too! It gave me a TDEE of 1800, even though I'm losing at 2150 calories. My true TDEE (calculated from my food diary) is 2500.

    It's a good reminder that these calculators are simply estimates. This is why OP should simply stick to what is working, and stop worrying. :wink:
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
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    'Starvation Mode' comes up a lot around here so a couple of months ago I did some research and learned that it is not really something to worry about. It takes a long time on a huge defecit to cause starvation mode. It's also going to happen to someone who has a low body fat %--like 14%. I think until you lose the weight that you plan on losing than you need to worry about it. This is one of the many links that taught me this.

    http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/
  • lucasriggs
    lucasriggs Posts: 131
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    I'm an 18 year old male and at the moment I eat around 1500 calories worth of food. This is because to lose 1.5lbs per week.
    When I get to around 15-20lbs to lose I will go down to losing 1lbs per week instead(therefore eating 2000 calories).

    1500 calories will not put you into 'starvation mode'.
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
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    you have totally overthought the whole thing...

    you were eating 1500 cals and losing weight without any problems... so carry on, it IS that simple...

    Agreed

    also agree.... starvation mode comes from eating at an *EXTREME* calorie deficit for an *extended* period of time. 1500 is hardly extreme... keep doing what your doing..you will be fine :)
  • Poods71
    Poods71 Posts: 502 Member
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    I just tried this after reading your post, it says that to loose weight I should be eating just over 1400 calories a day as apposed to the 1200 I am trying to stick to. Do you think I should up my intake by 200?

    yes, but keep in mind that you are going to gain a little weight, just for a bit. i recommend upping your calories for a month, and avoid the scale at the same time.


    You might not put any on. I upper from 1200 to 1400 and lost straight away. I upper again this week but not on purpose just been really hungry and lost 0.8lb.
  • Poods71
    Poods71 Posts: 502 Member
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    Oh and to the OP, like a lot of people have said, don't overthink it. What you have been doing has been working so stick with it. If it stops working then you can look at changes.
  • Hazel2005
    Hazel2005 Posts: 175 Member
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    [/quote]

    if its saying you should only eat 900 cals then its talking b*llocks!
    [/quote]

    What does Sandra have to do with this? lol (sorry, coudn't resist!)

    OP don't stress and over think this. That in itself can slow your progress. I derailed some time ago doing the same thing. Healthy calories in/exercise calories out. If you don't lose weight move more, don't eat less - it is that simple. Oh, and definitely don't give yourself a specific date, your body can't tell time. If you don't reach your desired goal by that time are you a failure? NO! But you will be a lot closer and healthier!
  • princessd84
    princessd84 Posts: 121 Member
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    If it's not broken, don't fix it!
  • fimary
    fimary Posts: 286 Member
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    Go to this site: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

    Input your information. It will then give you plenty of info, including your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories you currently burn. It will also give the amount of calories you should eat daily to lose weight. Set this as your calorie goal on MFP.

    this website said for me

    Caloric Need:
    Estimated Base BMR: 1206 Calories.
    Estimated TDEE: 1447 Calories.
    Estimated Daily Caloric Need For Weight Loss: 947 Calories.

    not sure how accurate it is.

    If these were the numbers on the left side, then they are your numbers when you are at the suggested goal weight. That is also the sedentary numbers, so if you exercise, or move about much at all, then you will be burning more than that. You are probably pretty short to get those numbers. The suggested weight loss number is simply 500 cals below your TDEE for a 1 pound per week loss, and if you are not far from your goal weight, then you should be looking at a slower loss.
    If you figure your numbers on the right side calculator, you will probably get a higher number. Somewhere in between the 2 is probably a good range for you.


    Thanks, I am short 4ft 10, the number on the right was 1002?

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