What's my best course of action at this point?

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serofex
serofex Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to get some advice from some more knowledgeable people on what you think I should be doing right now to optimize weight loss.

I started MFP at 140lbs, 5'6". After a few days of logging I realized I wasn't eating enough. I woke up in the morning, went to work, and usually didn't eat all day until I got home and ate a bunch until I went to bed. It wasn't enough but I went to bed full every night. This lifestyle maintained my weight at 135 - 140lbs for a year. Once I realized this, I made sure I got at least 1300 calories a day and in 15 days I lost 5lbs. I have been exercising every day (doing 30 day shred right now) and eat most of my calories back. I know it hasn't been long, but I'm hovering at 135lbs. My GW is only 125lbs, so I don't have very far to go... and some of what I'm reading indicates that I should possibly up my calorie intake for a bit.

Any suggestions? I haven't calculated my body fat % yet but intend to do so on the weekend, so if this question in unanswerable until then, I will get back to you. :P

Replies

  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    With only ten lbs to go, you need to be eating much closer to your TDEE.

    Calculate your TDEE using this calculator: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    Do TDEE-10% for fat loss and eat that number of calories.

    I ran your numbers and came up with 1800 calories to maintain your current weight. So you should be eating 1619 calories a day to lose weight. The closer you get to your goal, the closer to TDEE that you should be eating.

    A bigger deficit strains your body and makes it harder for you to lose weight. Up your calories a bit and you should lose about .5 lbs per week, which is perfect for the amount that you have to lose.

    Losing slowly means you will preserve as much lean body mass as possible, so you will look more toned when all the weight is off.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
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    Agree with ConcreteGirl. Also, try to incorporate body weight exercises or strength training into your routine. You will see some beginner gains from Ripped in 30 if you're not used to exercising, but to really build muscle, preserve lean body mass, and sculp a nice body which will burn more fat while you're at rest, you should try to incorporate resistance/strength training into your regular routine.

    You don't even need a gym. I suggest reading this first:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    Then possibly look into buying or borrowing this book:

    http://amzn.com/1583333398

    After that, there are many beginner dumbbell exercises you can find online. I found many dumbbells and barbells as well as weight plates at Goodwill for a very inexpensive price - you may try looking around your local thrift/donations store, maybe you will get lucky. :)

    *Craigslist is also a good place to check for ultra-cheap workout equipment. :D

    Best of luck.
  • alaskanaomi
    alaskanaomi Posts: 36
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    Thanks for posting those awesome links!
  • serofex
    serofex Posts: 23 Member
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    Okay, that's what I was afraid you'd say!

    It's going to be tough...I am already eating more than I used to and throughout my teenage years and earlier 20's I struggled with an ED and still have those tendencies/thoughts at time. But I'm determined to get into shape the healthy way. Is it okay to up my calorie intake a little bit each day until I reach 1600? I guess I should get some almonds or something to snack on throughout the day... or drink more smoothies?

    I don't suppose I can make up for it in wine? :P (kidding...sort of.)
  • serofex
    serofex Posts: 23 Member
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    Just getting into the links now, thanks a lot, I love the nerdfitness workout!
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
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    Okay, that's what I was afraid you'd say!

    It's going to be tough...I am already eating more than I used to and throughout my teenage years and earlier 20's I struggled with an ED and still have those tendencies/thoughts at time. But I'm determined to get into shape the healthy way. Is it okay to up my calorie intake a little bit each day until I reach 1600? I guess I should get some almonds or something to snack on throughout the day... or drink more smoothies?

    I don't suppose I can make up for it in wine? :P (kidding...sort of.)

    It is okay to gradually increase your calories over the course of a few weeks. You're less lightly to see a dramatic gain that way. Usually any increase in calories is going to cause your body to respond by retaining more water and holding on to the calories at first -- you may freak when you gain 5lbs suddenly, but if you wait it out, it will go away and you'll likely start to lose again. It's just your body adjusting.

    By gradually increasing your calories, you're giving your body more time to get used to it. I would increase by 100 calories every 1 to 3 weeks until you get up to a reasonable level. 1600 is a good start, but you may even try 1700 (doing the gradual increase method) if you find you are successful. It's all a game of numbers and seeing what works and what doesn't. Patience is the key. Don't weigh every day if it takes an emotional toll on yourself - the everyday fluctuations mean very little in the big picture.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Okay, that's what I was afraid you'd say!

    It's going to be tough...I am already eating more than I used to and throughout my teenage years and earlier 20's I struggled with an ED and still have those tendencies/thoughts at time. But I'm determined to get into shape the healthy way. Is it okay to up my calorie intake a little bit each day until I reach 1600? I guess I should get some almonds or something to snack on throughout the day... or drink more smoothies?

    I don't suppose I can make up for it in wine? :P (kidding...sort of.)

    If volume of food is your issue, look into more calorie dense foods. 2tbsp of peanut butter have more cals than a big chicken breast does... so you don't necessarily have to eat more food, just more calories. This like red meat, full fat dairy, nuts/seeds, etc are all good options.
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
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    Eat at TDEE for two or three weeks to determine that is TDEE sounds as if you are there... then kick the workouts up to more workout to get to where you want to be.
  • rvhorsburgh
    rvhorsburgh Posts: 53 Member
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    I will use this info too - Thanks!

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