I HAD to up my calories.

CristinaAnne192
CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
edited February 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so I only have like 9lbs to lose, I am trying to lose them by my 21st birthday on November 3rd. :). I was eating 1200 for almost a week, honestly I'm in bed now, my Chest hurts so does my head and I am starving. I know I'll get faster results on 1200 but I don't think I can do it. Not on that low of a number.
I work out 5-6x's a week, only for 20mins.
On the weekends I work as a wedding hall server. It is none stop moving around for 7 hours.

So I put myself on active and MFP gave me 1330 calories a day + my exercise calories. This sounds a lot better! Hopefully ill reach my goal date too!

Replies

  • unFATuated
    unFATuated Posts: 204 Member
    That sounds very sensible. Were you eating back your exercise calories too?
  • lolsauce
    lolsauce Posts: 36 Member
    I know how you feel. I'm on a diet of 1200 calories and it used to be really hard to maintain. I just make an effort to eat a whole lot of fruits, veggies, and protein to keep me full.
  • CristinaAnne192
    CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
    With the 1200? Of course! I don't think I would have not been able too. I am small I am only 5ft 2. So everyone tells me I need to eat at like 1200, it just doesn't seem possible!
  • ahavoc
    ahavoc Posts: 464 Member
    you know what you need? you need a hrm, preferably a polar. If you can afford a new new one, go for it, If you can't get an f6 or f11 on ebay do it. I got a new f11 for $60 + shipping. It's awesome.

    Wear the HRM when you work, work out, all day if you have to. Find out what your real caloric needs are. I've recently found that I'm eating too little, and have to eat more, based on my calorie burn. Starvation mode and all that. Do a search on it, there's tons of threads with that topic. So yes, there's a good chance you need to eat more to lose.

    So what you really need to know is how many calories you are burning a day just by living. Once you know that, then you adjust for losing a pound a week. It might take a week of monitoring to get the info you need but it would be well worth it.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Good for you.

    I'm sure all those telling you to eat 1200, have the level of knowledge and experience regarding calorie levels, as someone that has seen 1200 as the only number. Meaning no experience in other words.

    This close to goal weight, not only would setting the activity level correctly (outside of exercise of course) be best, but setting it to 1/2 lb weekly goal loss too.

    Then when you log your exercise calories, take 10% off the figure too before hitting save and only eat back the reduced amount.

    This close to goal weight, you can do a lot more wrong than right, and get negative effects, and body will fight against any fat or weight loss.
  • Doone33
    Doone33 Posts: 171 Member
    well.. what I have learned about this is... we are all alike.. so there is a basic standard.. but we are all our own also... I am not sure why your posting this.. I guess your asking if that sounds right?|

    I would say I don't know.. try it for a week or two.. and if you get no results or find your loosing super fast... you may want to re-adjust your daily goals. Everyone can start with a basic number.. example 1200... cause other wise we would have those that start with 200 or those that start with 4000... but after that I believe you have to tweak it to your own needs and body style... Obviously... someone who is not really fit and is 5 2 would not need as many calories as someone who is extremely fit and 5 2 both weighing close to the same! ... You will figure it out.. just keep close to what's happening with your body.. I would measure myself and weigh every few days.. last thing you want to do is to start putting on weight!

    Goodluck!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    you know what you need? you need a hrm, preferably a polar. If you can afford a new new one, go for it, If you can't get an f6 or f11 on ebay do it. I got a new f11 for $60 + shipping. It's awesome.

    Wear the HRM when you work, work out, all day if you have to. Find out what your real caloric needs are. I've recently found that I'm eating too little, and have to eat more, based on my calorie burn. Starvation mode and all that. Do a search on it, there's tons of threads with that topic. So yes, there's a good chance you need to eat more to lose.

    So what you really need to know is how many calories you are burning a day just by living. Once you know that, then you adjust for losing a pound a week. It might take a week of monitoring to get the info you need but it would be well worth it.

    The relationship between your HR and the calories you burn is ONLY valid during steady-state aerobic exercise.

    The formulas for calculating calorie burn at HR's lower than exercise will be inflated, as will be anaerobic efforts, like lifting.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    i eat 1200, but i don't have a problem doing it. if i was starving, i would definitely eat more! good luck on finding that perfect balance!
  • CristinaAnne192
    CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
    you know what you need? you need a hrm, preferably a polar. If you can afford a new new one, go for it, If you can't get an f6 or f11 on ebay do it. I got a new f11 for $60 + shipping. It's awesome.

    Wear the HRM when you work, work out, all day if you have to. Find out what your real caloric needs are. I've recently found that I'm eating too little, and have to eat more, based on my calorie burn. Starvation mode and all that. Do a search on it, there's tons of threads with that topic. So yes, there's a good chance you need to eat more to lose.

    So what you really need to know is how many calories you are burning a day just by living. Once you know that, then you adjust for losing a pound a week. It might take a week of monitoring to get the info you need but it would be well worth it.

    I actually have a hrm, my exercise calories come of my polar ft4 :) honestly I didn't think about wearing it to work (even though that seems likes such a painfully obvious and easy solution) haha. Thank you for the advice! :))
  • CristinaAnne192
    CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
    well.. what I have learned about this is... we are all alike.. so there is a basic standard.. but we are all our own also... I am not sure why your posting this.. I guess your asking if that sounds right?|

    I would say I don't know.. try it for a week or two.. and if you get no results or find your loosing super fast... you may want to re-adjust your daily goals. Everyone can start with a basic number.. example 1200... cause other wise we would have those that start with 200 or those that start with 4000... but after that I believe you have to tweak it to your own needs and body style... Obviously... someone who is not really fit and is 5 2 would not need as many calories as someone who is extremely fit and 5 2 both weighing close to the same! ... You will figure it out.. just keep close to what's happening with your body.. I would measure myself and weigh every few days.. last thing you want to do is to start putting on weight!

    Goodluck!

    I guess I am asking if it sounds okay? Your right! The last thing I want to do is gain weight! :)
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Your plan sounds good.

    And honestly, you'd lose faster on 1200 for a little while, but you'll also plateau faster and get stuck. And then you'll regain faster. Your plan is better.
  • CristinaAnne192
    CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
    Thank you! That makes me feel better about eating more calories! :)
  • FitCurves444
    FitCurves444 Posts: 169 Member
    Give yourself permission to eat more calories on the weekend to fuel your non-stop moving as a server.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Nom away. The weight management industry sells a distorted view of practical eating - in reality, the guided setup here uses a set of formulas that were the product of studies designed by folks with mad credentials. Feeling sated doesn't equal weight gain, and it's possible to have a lulzy log full of pizza and energy drinks and still watch the pounds fly off.
  • CristinaAnne192
    CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
    I am just nervous I won't reach my birthday goal. Gah! But I don't think I can continue doing so little eating
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    I think you're probably lightly active if you only have that job on week ends, to be fair.
  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    Well, if 1200 calories of good nutritous food and you are really hungry, then add a little more good nutritous food including protein. My that i mean, fruits, veggies and some kind of protein. You probably need more. The add needs to be more good stuff not crap.

    If you are wasting some of your calories on stuff like sweets, breads and junk then don't add calories, change them.
  • stacyward714
    stacyward714 Posts: 6
    MFP has recommended me to eat 1200 calories :-(
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    You have 9 pounds to lose by early November?

    That's <1lb a week. You can so do this!
  • awlosing30
    awlosing30 Posts: 38 Member
    It takes a litle while to get used the low calories....I did 1200/ day for about 6 months last year and barely lost anything (with exercise). So I dropped it to 1000/day and am finally starting to see results. The trick like Ann262 said is to not waste a single calorie on something that won't fill you up. I wanted to drink chocolate milk this morning with my banana for breakfast....but it was a struggle to spend 200 calories on one drink! So...i'm going to the gym tonight! Try to snack on things that take a while to eat like an apple - eat it off the core instead of cutting it up. Tuna, tomatoes and flat out bread are my faves! I'll snack on the flat out bread for an hour and the whole thing is only 90 calories. (I have a desk job, so not much activity). It's eaither eat less or work off more. You can do it!!
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    Well, if 1200 calories of good nutritous food and you are really hungry, then add a little more good nutritous food including protein. My that i mean, fruits, veggies and some kind of protein. You probably need more. The add needs to be more good stuff not crap.

    If you are wasting some of your calories on stuff like sweets, breads and junk then don't add calories, change them.

    I looked over your food diary for the past week and you seem to mostly eat snack type food - pretzels, protein bars, dried fruit and nuts. Try something more substantial like a well rounded meal - lean protein, veggies, a serving of grain, maybe some fresh watery fruit like melon. I hate saying certain foods are better than others or that processed foods are bad because I don't really believe that, but going for more bulk and less calorie-dense food might help you feel better.
  • charleyreedto175
    charleyreedto175 Posts: 60 Member
    I think that lifestyle, age, and how hard you work out all play a major factor. Also those last few pounds become hard because THEY ARE THE LAST FEW Pounds. I eat about 1,200 cal per day and I have a very hard time just doing that. My work outs tend to be about two hours long with the focus on walking for warm up and then running. I burn about 700 to 1,400 cal each work out and that puts me over the hump each week. For me I am used to the punishment of running and I like it. I am build like a tank to speed is never my goal. Moving and sweating is. Change your work out, add time, and move around what you eat. It will work out.
  • CristinaAnne192
    CristinaAnne192 Posts: 62
    Thank you to everyone for the advice.

    What may be the cause of me being so tired lately was, I never changed my weight on my hrm, from when I was lighter. Therefore I was only burning like 140 cals during my workouts. I up dated it today and burnt 214. I can live with an extra 214 calories. Which means I was netting at less then 1200. not on purpose though.

    I do my best to eat right. I recently just went food shopping at trader Joe's and bought fish, fruit, spinach, hummus.

    I do enjoy thin pretzels. but I don't want to eliminate the things I enjoy because this is for life... not that i am planning on eating 1200 cal fro my whole life. you get the idea. :)

    I might end up staying on 1250 then + my exercise calories. eating them ALL back. since the deflect is already in there.

    :) thank you too everyone!
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