Help! Confused and Frustrated- seeking public opinion
Dorothy4208
Posts: 53 Member
Me, today- 5'2", 5'3" when I stand up nice and straight, roughly 186 lbs and size 10 jeans (they're snug).
So, it's been a little over a week since I joined MFP, and I am so confused. I went to the IIFYM calculator, which someone suggested, and my TDEE (with little or no exercise) is 1787. It says for aggressive fat loss I should be eating 1488 calories a day. I do Pilates on a reformer twice a week, without fail, 50 mins per class. Gymnastics once a week (which, even when I eat dinner 1-2 hrs before, I am downright ravenous afterwards) and I like to rollerblade or take a nice walk (street or treadmill) once in a while. So. I just don't think 1200 calories, which is what MFP has me on, is realistic, according to all the threads I've read. At 1200 calories I feel hungry all the time.
But I also feel like since I quit smoking (11 mos ago) my body has just been completely dumbfounded as far as how to proceed. Prior to quitting I was getting fit and losing weight, and since I quit... nothing. I gained about 15 pounds and the scale hasn't moved at all since. I lost two or three pounds this week, but there have been slight fluctuations day to day. I want to be aggressive, because my brother is getting married on October 14th and those pictures will be around forever. But I am not a happy camper when I'm hungry. Oh.. and I LOVE chocolate.
One more thing... MFP says 50 mins (my class length) of Pilates burns 178 calories... I think it's more.
I just wanted to see what kind of general suggestions I may get. I feel very frustrated. I do get that two pounds a week is not bad, but I'm concerned about what this week will bring.
I upped my calories to 1400 and that leaves me room for dessert tonight, which makes me happy. Maybe I just need motivation and support? Not sure which thread to post this in. I don't know.
By the way, I really love this site in general and think you're all (mostly) pretty damn awesome
So, it's been a little over a week since I joined MFP, and I am so confused. I went to the IIFYM calculator, which someone suggested, and my TDEE (with little or no exercise) is 1787. It says for aggressive fat loss I should be eating 1488 calories a day. I do Pilates on a reformer twice a week, without fail, 50 mins per class. Gymnastics once a week (which, even when I eat dinner 1-2 hrs before, I am downright ravenous afterwards) and I like to rollerblade or take a nice walk (street or treadmill) once in a while. So. I just don't think 1200 calories, which is what MFP has me on, is realistic, according to all the threads I've read. At 1200 calories I feel hungry all the time.
But I also feel like since I quit smoking (11 mos ago) my body has just been completely dumbfounded as far as how to proceed. Prior to quitting I was getting fit and losing weight, and since I quit... nothing. I gained about 15 pounds and the scale hasn't moved at all since. I lost two or three pounds this week, but there have been slight fluctuations day to day. I want to be aggressive, because my brother is getting married on October 14th and those pictures will be around forever. But I am not a happy camper when I'm hungry. Oh.. and I LOVE chocolate.
One more thing... MFP says 50 mins (my class length) of Pilates burns 178 calories... I think it's more.
I just wanted to see what kind of general suggestions I may get. I feel very frustrated. I do get that two pounds a week is not bad, but I'm concerned about what this week will bring.
I upped my calories to 1400 and that leaves me room for dessert tonight, which makes me happy. Maybe I just need motivation and support? Not sure which thread to post this in. I don't know.
By the way, I really love this site in general and think you're all (mostly) pretty damn awesome
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Replies
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1) Lower your expectations
2) You didn't put the weight on in a few days, it won't come off in a few days.
3) Get rid of the "hangry". Calculate your TDEE-20% and eat at that religiously and faithfully. Go here and follow the steps: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
4) Invest in a food scale and a heart rate monitor. They're worth every penny.
It's fine to want to be aggressive, but this isn't a "quick fix", it's a lifestyle. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.
That's pretty much all of the advice I can give, good luck!0 -
Yoga and Pilates do not burn very many calories. They are for stretching and flexibility. I do both. Everything you are doing is cardio and you need to add strength training twice a week to preserve lean body mass. Cardio can't do that. You also eat back your exercise calories. When you enter them on the summary for your food journal the 3rd line that should exercise included is what you should be eating. As for the hunger - protein satisfies the longest followed by fat with carbs a poor last place. Carbs leave you hungy and tired in an hour. Up the protein and eat mainly complex carbs.0
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Forgot to add I wear a Body Media Core all day, except when I am showering or doing water aerobics. That's how I know the calories for pilates and yoga are low. Most people overestimate their exercise calories.0
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Yoga and Pilates do not burn very many calories. They are for stretching and flexibility. I do both. Everything you are doing is cardio and you need to add strength training twice a week to preserve lean body mass. Cardio can't do that. You also eat back your exercise calories. When you enter them on the summary for your food journal the 3rd line that should exercise included is what you should be eating. As for the hunger - protein satisfies the longest followed by fat with carbs a poor last place. Carbs leave you hungy and tired in an hour. Up the protein and eat mainly complex carbs.
This.
Additionally, 2-3 lb per day water weight fluctuations are completely normal. If you weigh yourself daily you will soon see that the scale shifts all the time, but the overall monthly trend will be downward.
Just relax and trust the process. It works.0 -
1) Lower your expectations
2) You didn't put the weight on in a few days, it won't come off in a few days.
3) Get rid of the "hangry". Calculate your TDEE-20% and eat at that religiously and faithfully. Go here and follow the steps: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
4) Invest in a food scale and a heart rate monitor. They're worth every penny.
It's fine to want to be aggressive, but this isn't a "quick fix", it's a lifestyle. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.
That's pretty much all of the advice I can give, good luck!
This exactly. It's what I did as well....it took a year to lose the weight, but it was well worth it. I also followed "in place of a road map" and found it to be easy to understand & it made great sense to follow.
Good luck to you.
*Edit for typos.0 -
1) Lower your expectations
2) You didn't put the weight on in a few days, it won't come off in a few days.
3) Get rid of the "hangry". Calculate your TDEE-20% and eat at that religiously and faithfully. Go here and follow the steps: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
4) Invest in a food scale and a heart rate monitor. They're worth every penny.
It's fine to want to be aggressive, but this isn't a "quick fix", it's a lifestyle. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.
That's pretty much all of the advice I can give, good luck!
Well said. This is something new to me and I'm doing so much better by keeping this philosophy in mind - daily. I don't care if I lose a quarter of a pound a week as long as I'm averaging downward and not upward on that scale. And it's not a diet - it's a lifestyle. Diets don't last - but changing my lifestyle will. Thank you!0 -
This blog post was written by MFP's Most Supportive member.
Read it.
All of it.
It should help.
Your welcome OP
Day 1: THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!! I'm gonna make it happen this time!!! Vacation is in 7 weeks and I want to look hot and amaze everyone. I've got this!! YAY!!
Day 2: Friend me for motivation!!! I'd love to have more moms that are 5'4" and in their 30s that can do this with me. Let's do this everyone!
Day 3: Who wants to do some Jillian Michaels with me?!?! I saw a friend on Instagram mention it and she looks amazing.
Day 4: I think I lost two pounds SUCCESS STORY PARTY!
Day 5: I'm super cranky but I can't eat my 1200 calories anymore, not even in cake, because sugar.
Days 6-10: HALP, IT'S A PLATEAU!!!!!! I've been sticking with this program for a week and only lost two pounds.
Day 11: Lost half a pound guise, so good to break that plateau!
Day 12: I hate Jillian Michaels. No workout today. Felt bad because no workout, binged on two apples. Guilt consumes me. Am I the only one?
Day 15: Trying this TDEE thing! Love all the extra calories! I'm going to eat an extra South Beach diet bar today.
Day 16: Up half a pound again, TDEE is bogus.
Day 17: How about a cleanse? My insides feel cleaner already! Can you believe that the human body has 7 pounds of poop in it? Which cleanse worked best for you? Can I do these every week?
Day 21: Went to dinner with a friend. I ordered fish and a light salad but she ordered cheese sticks for appetizers and only ate one so I had to eat the other six. Sabotage, right? She is jealous and wants me to stay fat.
Day 22: I want to eat all the foods, hold me back! Can you exercise during TOM?! Is this extra weight water or is it the cheese sticks from last night? What's everyone's favorite chocolate? Wait, don't tell me. Someone who is not me might see it and be tempted.
Day 23:
Day 24:
Day 25: User has not logged in for three days, she may need some encouragement
Day 27: ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME AT ALL? No, not that one.
Day 30: Maybe next year will be my year.
(special thanks to _waffle_ and capt_apollo and dopeitup, who gave me suggestions, some of them without realizing it.)0 -
I think you need to decide if you want dessert tonight, or nice wedding pictures in October. I don't think you can have both. Decide and proceed accordingly........:o).0
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bump0
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First let me congratulate you for quitting smoking. Best thing in the world you could do for your health. period. I smoked for many years and quit almost 5 years ago now. I retained fluids for quite a while, (not sure 11 months but a while) drink lots of water. Whichever calorie reduction method you select i.e. 1200 cal/TDEE - 20% pick one that works for you. Eat back your exercise calories and invest in a good food scale and HRM to track your food and calories burned.
Good luck and if you want support and I can help, add me to your friends list. 0 -
Me, today- 5'2", 5'3" when I stand up nice and straight, roughly 186 lbs and size 10 jeans (they're snug).0
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I copied this from here. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week
This is a great post to learn how to fit in treats. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity
I hope this helps. Congratulations on quitting smoking!!! :flowerforyou:0 -
Thanks, everyone for the advice. I am still confused a little, I read some things about the TDEE but still wondering how does it differentiate between a 150lb person who is mostly muscle and a 150lb person who is mostly fat? Won't they have different TDEE? Also, are macros more important than calories? And someone said somewhere that all my stuff is cardio? Really? I really thought PIlates was strength, especially since it's on the reformer.0
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Just wondering...how can you weigh 186 and fit into a size 10...I am the same height and same weight and I fit into 16 and they can be snug and some makes more comfortable in 18......just wondering0
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Thanks, everyone for the advice. I am still confused a little, I read some things about the TDEE but still wondering how does it differentiate between a 150lb person who is mostly muscle and a 150lb person who is mostly fat? Won't they have different TDEE? Also, are macros more important than calories? And someone said somewhere that all my stuff is cardio? Really? I really thought PIlates was strength, especially since it's on the reformer.
TDEE is an estimate. It's just a starting place.
People vary on their opinion of the importance of macros. With a little sniffing around here you will find lots of recommendations. The default protein setting is low, treat it as a minimum. Some people find lower carbs help with satiety.
Just wanted to mention, MFP would have set you at 1200 as a baseline before exercise, so any of the workouts earn you more calories (as reflected in your changing goal), which you should eat. That would put you closer to the 1400-1500 recommended by the TDEE site. If you eat your exercise cals, the MFP way and the TDEE way workout to be the same.0 -
@Diane Fisher... my thoughts exactly. I'm not that big, but I am a little flabby. And I made a mistake. the jeans I'm wearing now are an 8 Medium, Lee Relaxed Fit, At The Waist. They are definitely snug, though. I will post pics if I can figure it out, but I've been a little shy about that. I do have some muscle but... I don't know. Someone said I need more strength training. How do I do that? Is that what's missing? I don't know!0
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Umm, tried to look in "help," cannot figure out how to post a photo. It may just be me.0
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Thanks, everyone for the advice. I am still confused a little, I read some things about the TDEE but still wondering how does it differentiate between a 150lb person who is mostly muscle and a 150lb person who is mostly fat? Won't they have different TDEE? Also, are macros more important than calories? And someone said somewhere that all my stuff is cardio? Really? I really thought PIlates was strength, especially since it's on the reformer.
TDEE is an estimate. It's just a starting place.
People vary on their opinion of the importance of macros. With a little sniffing around here you will find lots of recommendations. The default protein setting is low, treat it as a minimum. Some people find lower carbs help with satiety.
Just wanted to mention, MFP would have set you at 1200 as a baseline before exercise, so any of the workouts earn you more calories (as reflected in your changing goal), which you should eat. That would put you closer to the 1400-1500 recommended by the TDEE site. If you eat your exercise cals, the MFP way and the TDEE way workout to be the same.
That makes a lot of sense, if I were exercising every day (which I don't always). Thanks!0 -
Umm, tried to look in "help," cannot figure out how to post a photo. It may just be me.
First copy the link to your photo. Then come here, paste the link to your post, and type [ img ] link to your picture [/img ] around the link, minus the spaces before and after the brackets.0 -
Umm, tried to look in "help," cannot figure out how to post a photo. It may just be me.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/540392-posting-pictures-on-the-boards-tutorial0 -
Just wondering...how can you weigh 186 and fit into a size 10...I am the same height and same weight and I fit into 16 and they can be snug and some makes more comfortable in 18......just wondering
I'm confused by that as well. I'm 181 and 5'7", while I can button and zip 10s but I won't wear them with as much muffin top as they cause.0 -
to lose weight it's 70% diet 30% exercise, and like everyone has said here you are making a lifestyle change not just a diet. I've tried many diets and always hit a wall where I can't lose anymore weight but any single cheat food I eat will bring me up on weight.
After so many tries, I've just calmed down and started working on changing what I eat, not how many calories I consume, and pounds have been dropping steadily, don't go crazy with all those calculations, just eat healthy.
maybe a good tip for you,
- when you're about to eat something ask yourself "would I give this food to my son/daughter?"
- cut down on sugar
- don't eat processed foods.0 -
I'm confused by that as well. I'm 181 and 5'7", while I can button and zip 10s but I won't wear them with as much muffin top as they cause.
Everyone carries their weight differently.0 -
Just wondering...how can you weigh 186 and fit into a size 10...I am the same height and same weight and I fit into 16 and they can be snug and some makes more comfortable in 18......just wondering
Depends on the brand. No way she could fit into a 10 at Nordstrom, but Old Navy might fit ok. I wear a size 2-4 at Loft, but a size 6 in most other brands.
It's best to just not think about the size, as it is really quite meaningless.0 -
I will post pictures as soon as I do the photobucket thing so I can do it. I will get body shots, me in the jeans, the label of the two pairs of jeans that I wear that are those sizes, because I have questions too. I will say that the last time I was this weight I was a size 14, but I was not fit at all. Right now I am in the best shape I've ever been in, even though I still want to improve.0
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Just wondering...how can you weigh 186 and fit into a size 10...I am the same height and same weight and I fit into 16 and they can be snug and some makes more comfortable in 18......just wondering
Yeah, I have to admit I was wondering about this as well. I am 5'4", and at 189 pounds I was in a 16.....a tight 16. Maybe you carry your weight different.0 -
Just wondering...how can you weigh 186 and fit into a size 10...I am the same height and same weight and I fit into 16 and they can be snug and some makes more comfortable in 18......just wondering
Okay, not being snarky, but i wanna know this too! Im 5'5 1/2 inches and 162 pounds and im BORDERLINE 10 & some days a 12!! & those bicthes are tight!
What gives or what brand are you buying.. because if i can buy a size 6 at my size.. im THERE! :laugh:0 -
Like I said, I will post pics as soon as I can. My boobs are huge, like 38DDD (they're real). My butt is big. My waist is smaller. I'm hourglass. Over the past year or so, as my numbers went up about twenty pounds, I only gained a size, but I'm not very firm. The brand is Lee Relaxed Fit, they say "at the waist" , but about four or five inches below my belly button. They are a size 8 Medium but the are a little long. Short pants don't fit right on me (most brands). They are quite snug. I can put them on and I can walk and bend, but it's not incredibly comfortable. My yoga pants are a size PM (petite medium). My favorite skirt is a size L. My shirts are an L or XL. Pics coming as soon as I figure out Photobucket or whatever.0
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I'm definitely curious to see pics too. Maybe you have a lot more muscle than you think you do. I had a pair of Lee Relaxed Fit, at the waist, jeans and at 5'5", 170lbs they fit perfectly at a size 14. And would get a little snug in the *kitten* and hips (I'm pear shaped) if my weight went up or I was bloated.
Have you actually checked your body fat percentage? Because you may feel like you're flabby based on how your prefer seeing your body, but you may not be as large as you think.
Also, the boobs probably do help with shifting some of the weight out of the midsection area, but I'm having trouble picturing a flabby size 8 in Lee jeans. (Don't take any of this negatively, please. It was all meant as positives with a touch of curiosity.
) 0 -
Thanks, everyone for the advice. I am still confused a little, I read some things about the TDEE but still wondering how does it differentiate between a 150lb person who is mostly muscle and a 150lb person who is mostly fat? Won't they have different TDEE? Also, are macros more important than calories? And someone said somewhere that all my stuff is cardio? Really? I really thought PIlates was strength, especially since it's on the reformer.
Speaking to Pilates....I don't even think it really counts as cardio. Maybe parts of an advanced class...don't get me wrong I LOVE Pilates reformer and do it pretty religiously every week at least 2x. I took 18 months off one time out of a 6 yr period and I'm still shaking my head at that stupid decision. It has probably been the best thing I've done health-wise in the past 10 years...that and joining MFP. Among other things, It has helped me with flexibility so so much and learning how to actually engage my core. I do 60 min Pilates classes and I think MFP tells me I burned 160. I go ahead and plug that in but I'm pretty sure I don't burn 160 cal...I have a pretty tough instructor too. I don't rely on Pilates to burn calories or as my primary form of strength training, but it's still so critical to my workout plan.0
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