Need Advice AGAIN!!

Options
iamjude17
iamjude17 Posts: 40
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone.....I really need advice again. I asked before but I don't think I gave enough information. I think my food diary is open, so, feel free to look. Basically, I changed my eating habits/lifestyle on January 12th. On January 11th, I weighed in at 274. I juiced for the first week, and I'm talking, kale, spinach, beet root, tomato, carrots, cabbage, celery, apples, oranges, raspberries, strawberries, ok you get the idea....then the second week I started eating raw foods, fruits and veggies only, and at some point in February I started riding my recumbent bike, sometimes 30 minutes, sometimes up to and over an hour! I then started eating vegan, and now my diet consists of basically all three. I think I had a day about a week ago where I went over my caloric allowance, but for the most part, I eat/juice about 500-800 calories per day. Also, I do a protein shake after every bike ride, unless I eat something, then I don't. I ride every day now, no matter how I feel for 30 minutes, because an hour was causing severe pain in my back and hips. I am limited to only this type of exercise for the moment, as I've had 6 foot surgeries, so a BUM right foot, and I have several back problems, I live in a very cold climate right now, but I will start walking as it warms up. Also, I use a 5 pound weight while I'm riding, holding it with both hands and doing under arm toning. So I'M TRYING!!! I weighed in on February 14th, and even before getting on the scale I could tell I was smaller, people noticed the weight loss. The amount of weight I lost was 21 pounds. Yes, YAY!! HOWEVER....since then....and I'm doing EVERYTHING the same, I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything!!!! I admit, some days, I just don't even want to look at food....if you see my diary, those days will be pretty obvious, I was burning like 500 plus calories and only doing a protein shake....I know that was wrong, but I don't want to force myself to eat if I'm not hungry..I never want food to be in control of me again....I want to be in control of food!!! Ok, well....I think this pretty much sums it up....am I in a plateau? And what are all these abbreviations, M something, and TDEE...what is that? Ok...thanks guys!! Appreciate any help!!
«13

Replies

  • angleu
    angleu Posts: 140 Member
    Options
    your diary isn't open...
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    OK, It's open now......had it set to friends only!! SORRY!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    Why is your daily goal set to only 750 cals?? :huh: :noway:

    Unless you have a medical/health reason to be eating so little, you are NOT eating nearly enough food. You had great losses at first, sure, but your body is likely beginning to adjust to the lack of nutrition and fuel, and wanting to store fat rather than burn it.

    Great information for fat loss, explanations of BMR and TDEE, how to calculate yours and set your calorie goals here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    You really need to be eating the right amount of food for this to work - eat too little over a period of time and you end up slowing your metabolism, stalling weight loss, tired, burnt out and discouraged. Food is fuel!
  • angleu
    angleu Posts: 140 Member
    Options
    So if I understand you right you are eating 500-800 calories a day? Then you are working out on top of it? First of all why are you eating so little? I mean MFP, which gives too low of a caloric number, why would you be eating 500-800 calories?.. Are you on a restricted diet because of your DR?

    Secondly, you are not in a plateau you are on a , I don't eat enough food everyday slump..Seriously you cannot eat that way for the rest of your life so why not eat how you would if you weighed 150 now? I do still think you are letting food control you if you cannot eat a normal daily allowance of calories

    TDEE mean Total Daily Energy Expenditure.. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
    If you would like to eat at a normal range that's going to allow you to keep your muscles, hormones, hair and everything else in check this is the way to go.. or heck, just follow the guidelines of MFP and eat your calories back! Better then under eating..

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    *high fives angleu* :bigsmile:
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Options
    Why is your daily goal set to only 750 cals?? :huh: :noway:

    Unless you have a medical/health reason to be eating so little, you are NOT eating nearly enough food. You had great losses at first, sure, but your body is likely beginning to adjust to the lack of nutrition and fuel, and wanting to store fat rather than burn it.

    Great information for fat loss, explanations of BMR and TDEE, how to calculate yours and set your calorie goals here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    You really need to be eating the right amount of food for this to work - eat too little over a period of time and you end up slowing your metabolism, stalling weight loss, tired, burnt out and discouraged. Food is fuel!

    ^Listen to this lady. She knows what she's talking about and is offering good advice here. 750 cals is not enough.
  • doubleduofa
    doubleduofa Posts: 284 Member
    Options
    I agree with the other posters - why are you eating so little? I know you say you aren't hungry, but 500-800 (or just a protein shake) is not enough. You will lose weight, but your metabolism and brain will catch up to you at some point, which means a slowed metabolism and possible binge behaviors.

    Also, have you always been vegan or is this a new thing? Are you doing it for dietary purposes or because of ethical reasons? Either way, perhaps relax a bit and start with being vegetarian. This way, you have a greater variety of foods until you can slowly eliminate dairy and eggs.

    NEEDING to be in control over food is disordered thinking. I'm not saying you have an eating disorder, just that if you don't watch your behavior closely, and focus on making healthy habits now, you could easily fall into an eating disorder. Needing control and only eating fruits and veggies to the tune of 5-800 cals/day is the beginning of a problem. I've been down these roads before. :-( Do this the healthy way - you can still eat vegan (or vegetarian), but you need to bring your calories up. Nuts, seeds, oils - all are healthy and vegan.
  • lildee55
    lildee55 Posts: 28 Member
    Options
    I agree with the other posters - why are you eating so little? I know you say you aren't hungry, but 500-800 (or just a protein shake) is not enough. You will lose weight, but your metabolism and brain will catch up to you at some point, which means a slowed metabolism and possible binge behaviors.

    Also, have you always been vegan or is this a new thing? Are you doing it for dietary purposes or because of ethical reasons? Either way, perhaps relax a bit and start with being vegetarian. This way, you have a greater variety of foods until you can slowly eliminate dairy and eggs.

    NEEDING to be in control over food is disordered thinking. I'm not saying you have an eating disorder, just that if you don't watch your behavior closely, and focus on making healthy habits now, you could easily fall into an eating disorder. Needing control and only eating fruits and veggies to the tune of 5-800 cals/day is the beginning of a problem. I've been down these roads before. :-( Do this the healthy way - you can still eat vegan (or vegetarian), but you need to bring your calories up. Nuts, seeds, oils - all are healthy and vegan.


    This^^ please listen.
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    Ok, went and read about BMR and RMR and I set my calorie intake level because I just assumed I would lose more weight! I am not on any restrictions from my Dr. I am not diabetic or have any other health issues like that, so, I guess I'll go back to the place where is tells me how many calories I should be eating. Going through my diary...funny, but I lost that 21 pounds eating more!!! I just feel so guilty when I eat!!! I probably do still have a food issue, I just wanted to get some weight off before my son comes home from Afghanistan....I wanted to surprise him, and i hope I still can!! I'm going to go see what MFP says my BMR should be, and I guess I'll juice more and eat more healthy foods to try and reach my ideal caloric intake. I have one more question though....if it says I should be eating say, 1300 calories per day, and I burn off 200 riding the bike, so I have to eat an additional 200 calories?? I thought the idea was burning more calories that you eat? Ok...well....I appreciate the input. I'm gonna go set my BMR (gosh I think thats the right letters!!) and see what that says.
    Thank you!:smile:
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    Being Vegan is a totally new thing!!! My husband and I are doing this together and the weight is falling off of him, but me, not so much anymore. Um, yes. I have a problem with food. I have used food for emotional satisfaction to being the type of person that can't eat one piece of pie, gotta eat the WHOLE pie!! I just don't want food for comfort or boredom or for any other reason but to keep my body healthy and lose weight. I really don't WANT to eat dairy or anything with a mother....I watched a documentary called "Forks Over Knives" and it just totally convinced me that I don't need to eat that stuff, and actually, when I have had my slip ups and eaten (i think it was a rye hoagie bun) I was SO sick from eating it, that I just figure I've gotten my body used to eating these foods now.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    funny, but I lost that 21 pounds eating more!!!
    BINGO! :bigsmile: The body likes to be properly fueled!

    And yes, you should eat your exercise calories back - MFP is set up that you are already at a calorie deficit with the daily goal they give you. Meaning you could eat to goal, not do any exercise, and you would still lose weight, because the 1300 calories is less than what you're burning all day long. So when you exercise and burn off more cals, it's creating an even larger deficit, which is where you can run into problems of not consuming enough. You want your NET calories to be at goal.
  • AvsFreak
    AvsFreak Posts: 152 Member
    Options
    Please read this and readjust your calorie goals.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • pgoodt1994
    pgoodt1994 Posts: 32 Member
    Options
    The trainer at my gym told me not to eat my exercise calories. He said to just eat the calories MFP has told me I need for the day and leave your exercise calories alone.
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    Thank you all very much.....am going to adjust my settings now....gotta find out my BMR first and will set calories accordingly. :happy:
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    Please read this and readjust your calorie goals.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    Ok....I get it....and now I'm scared!! It was written about me, wasn't it???? Omg...that helped a lot, as did ALL of you....just an fyi, i weigh in again in 9 days. Hubby took the scale away, because I was the type of person that would weigh in every day, and if that scale number went up even one pound, I would get mad and just eat whatever, and then starve or take laxatives or something. You guys really need to understand, that I WAS horrible to my body....I'm really trying now to get on the right track MENTALLY as well as physically. Well, I'll be anxious to weigh in, I know I'm not going to see the same amount as the first month, but you guys have given me GREAT insight as to why. Thank you so very much for reading my post, and giving such great information!! Add me as a friend, I'm keeping diary open, so that, should anyone want to check up on me, you'll see my improvements and/or mistakes and let me know!:wink: ,
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Options
    The trainer at my gym told me not to eat my exercise calories. He said to just eat the calories MFP has told me I need for the day and leave your exercise calories alone.

    Is your trainer a nutritionist or dietician?
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    It says my BMR is 1849!!!! There is NO WAY I'm gonna do that many calories....omg, can that be right???? ok, if someone could help me find the RIGHT BMR for me...I'm 5'7" weigh 253 and female (obviously) and ride a recumbent bike minimum of 30 minutes per day now. Can someone help me out, cuz 1849 sounds like A LOT!!!!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Options
    It says my BMR is 1849!!!! There is NO WAY I'm gonna do that many calories....omg, can that be right???? ok, if someone could help me find the RIGHT BMR for me...I'm 5'7" weigh 253 and female (obviously) and ride a recumbent bike minimum of 30 minutes per day now. Can someone help me out, cuz 1849 sounds like A LOT!!!!

    Yes, that is probably absolutely correct.

    When I started a 230lbs (5'6") my BMR was around 1800. That's not alot. I eat 1900 now and I'm losing.
  • iamjude17
    iamjude17 Posts: 40
    Options
    It says my BMR is 1849!!!! There is NO WAY I'm gonna do that many calories....omg, can that be right???? ok, if someone could help me find the RIGHT BMR for me...I'm 5'7" weigh 253 and female (obviously) and ride a recumbent bike minimum of 30 minutes per day now. Can someone help me out, cuz 1849 sounds like A LOT!!!!

    Yes, that is probably absolutely correct.

    When I started a 230lbs (5'6") my BMR was around 1800. That's not alot. I eat 1900 now and I'm losing.
    ok, MFP set it at 1280....does that sound good? Cuz, I think I can do that...Ok, here goes.......hey, how do you guys add your weight loss tracker things at the end of your posts?
  • princessbee76
    princessbee76 Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    Yep. That sounds right for your BMR. I'm 5'7" and 197 and my BRM is 1583. MY TDEE is 1828. Your body needs good, healthy food to function - emotionally and physically. It's like the old comparison, your body is the car and the food is the gas. If you don't put gas in the car (or bad gas) the car won't function. Don't be scared of those calories! Make good, clean food choices and you will be feeling great in no time!! Good luck!

Categories