Advice Needed

sarajeffery92 · February 2013

So I need to lose 20kg by mid September for my wedding. This is end of week 2 and I have gone from doing nothing to gym/swim 4 times the first week and 6 times the second. According to the machines I lose around 300 calories at the gym and I am trying to eat 1200 calories, but never seem to make that even on the days when I dont gym or swim.

I really dont know if I am doing right on not eating back the calories I lose at the gym, as my brain tells me the more gym I do the more weight I should lose. Its weigh in day tomorrow and I havent lost anything this week, tho my partner who is doing the same, just with more calories has lost over 2 pounds this week.

Can you look at my diary and let me know where I am going wrong, and if I need to eat more please?

Any constructive advice would be great.

Thanks

cchatman74 · February 2013

1200 is the very least you should probably be eating. You may not be losing because you aren't eating enough so in your case you might want to try eating back the calories and see what that does. Also if you are on some kind of restricitng diet you might want to reconsider since you are working out now.

mbellypdx · February 2013

Based on my quick look at yor food diary, I world recommend adding more fresh fruits and veggies. You have low cals but quite a bit of it appears to be processed or protein. Can you squeeze in baby carrots or an apple as a snack here and there? (Advice I'm giving myself by the way. A mid morning banana has been my first step.) Also, you calories are really light in the morning and increase as the day goes on; maybe try balancing it out a bit more so that you are eating 350-400 at very meal. That way you're not eating your biggest meal late. Of course, that would also change depending on when you exercise too. I go after work and tend to have larger dinners right after working out No workout=lighter dinner. Also, I really recommend a heart rate monitor if you can spring for one. The calorie counters at the gym are not accurate and if you have a 20lbs goal by Sept, the more you can see your real numbers, the more information and control you'll have.

Congratulations! This is a great way to start a long, healthy life together- in addition to looking fabulous on your wedding day!

sarajeffery92 · February 2013

But how do I know what I should be eating calorie wise? and surely if I eat more I wont lose the weight? Sorry to be so dumb but at 45 I am new to all this. I just read the post from the 44 year old who asks basically the same as me and got lost in all the short names

XX_Miss_RoseMary_XX · February 2013

Be patient!

I was so frustrated after week two of hardly any weight loss, but then it started coming off. It sounds like you are doing everything pretty right.

It takes your body a minute to register. It didn't take two weeks to put it on and it wont take two weeks to take it off.

sarajeffery92 · February 2013

Thanks

I am waiting for the FITBIT band to come out in the spring so will be able to monitor it a lot better. I work out after work so eat more in the evening. Problem with me is I really hate veggies/salad and I have tried the last week to try salad for the first time and was sick

I love grapes and I will buy some apples when I go food shopping on Wednesday and try that idea out. do you think I drink enough water?

himilayaneyes · February 2013

I noticed that you don't always net 1200 calories. Make sure you're eating at least that. Also buy a heart rate monitor as you may be burning more calories than you think and end up netting way too low. You have to eat to lose. Plus you may have to up your cal intake by 200 or so cal. Keep up the good work and buy some tape measure. Your body may be changing even though the scale isn't.

kfesta52 · February 2013

Try working through this to see where you might want to be in terms of calories:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

or use a web site like scooby's workshop to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), and eat at around 20% below that:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

(or do both and compare.) Both of these methods take into account your exercise levels, and then you don't "eat exercise calories back", you just eat a consistent amount from day to day.

Good luck!

mbellypdx · February 2013

Look for the post " in place of a road map". (Maybe someone who has the link can post please?) That has all the info you need on it - although it looks complicated and involves a lot of math. Print out his suggestions/formulas and use that to determine your personal stats. If you don't know where you are, moving forward will be based on guessing- which is not a way to success. I'm all about the numbers- they don't lie or judge. At our age, metabolic slow down is a reality and we need to keep kick starting our systems to get the pounds off.

beansproutmommy · February 2013

Also - remember that muscle weighs more than fat! So you may be losing fat (what we all really mean when we say we want to lose weight) but gaining muscle from your new workout schedule. I second the idea of using a tape measure to track changes - and if your gym has one use a scale that tracks body fat % too! That's always a nice number to watch go down when the weight number doesn't budge!

Abi_bug04 · February 2013

Try working through this to see where you might want to be in terms of calories:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

or use a web site like scooby's workshop to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), and eat at around 20% below that:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

(or do both and compare.) Both of these methods take into account your exercise levels, and then you don't "eat exercise calories back", you just eat a consistent amount from day to day.

Good luck!

^^^^THIS.

The road map is fantastic, and very user friendly! It helped me a lot!

sarajeffery92 · February 2013

Thanks Guys

Advice Needed

Replies

Categories