Looking for ways to jumpstart my weightloss

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  • maybeazure
    maybeazure Posts: 301 Member
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    I'm going to go against the "eat more to lose more" crowd. When I look at your diary it looks like maybe you are eating over your calories. I see a lot of liquid calories...I try to avoid those because they aren't as satisfying as food calories. Many people swear by the TDEE method. I just use the MFP defaults. If you do the TDEE method, my understanding is that you do not eat exercise calories back.
  • charleydanger
    charleydanger Posts: 16
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    Well my MFP defaults to 1200 calories, but people told me that was way less than what I needed to be eating. These last couple of days, I've been trying to eat around my TDEE target of 1661. But so far I don't see anything happening...
  • Kymwho
    Kymwho Posts: 183 Member
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    Hi there! You mentioned you eat Lean Cuisines for lunch... just from my personal experience as I used to eat them daily as well, they contain A LOT of sodium, which can lead to water retention. Perhaps this is what is causing your shifts back and forth in weight...? Regardless, I hope you soon pass this roadblock and continue on toa successful journey! :smile:


    Yep!!!! ^^^^^ Exactly what she said! I was doing the same with the low cal frozen dinners.. Too much sodium. I've cut my sodium to 1,500mg per day and try my best to stay within that range. If I don't, I gain between 3-6lbs!! Insane how much I retain water!
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
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    Alrighty, so I found out my TDEE is 2161 and my BMR is 1523. Does that mean I can eat 1523 calories but if I burn 430 at the gym I need to eat them back? Or does that mean I need to eat 1661 calories (2161-500) and not worry about eating the calories I burn? I'm terribly confused!

    You need to eat at least your BMR, those are the calories your body needs just to bump blood etc.. You are correct that you would want to aim for 1661. With TDEE it takes into account your activity level, so as long as you went with the right activity level you would NOT eat back exercise calories. Does that make sense?
    Well my MFP defaults to 1200 calories, but people told me that was way less than what I needed to be eating. These last couple of days, I've been trying to eat around my TDEE target of 1661. But so far I don't see anything happening...

    Anytime you increase calories you won't see a change immediately. You may see a gain, but not always. I suggest increasing slowly at first to allow your body time to adjust to the increase and avoid or at least minimize the gain.

    My own personal story.. I am 5'3 184lbs eating 1760. I work out 3-6 times a week, just depends how motivated I am that week. I was at 1200 a few months ago, and for the last 2 weeks I'm at 1700-1760. I didn't gain at all in the increase, the losses this months have slowed but have finally started picking back up. I was like you felt counter productive to eat more. But, it does work.

    I hope this helps. Best of luck
  • charleydanger
    charleydanger Posts: 16
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    Thanks! I hope it's all water weight! I'm going to try to ignore the scale for the next couple of weeks and see if there's been any improvement after I cut down my sodium intake.
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
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    Thanks! I hope it's all water weight! I'm going to try to ignore the scale for the next couple of weeks and see if there's been any improvement after I cut down my sodium intake.

    It is mostly water weight. It takes 3500 surplus of calories to actually gain a pound. I think avoiding the scale, or at least disregarding the results for a few weeks is a good plan. Maybe still weight 1x a week as a base line. TDEE isn't perfect, so you may need to go up or down. If you are losing more than 2lbs a week, increase 100cals a week until you are at 2lbs a week. Just be sure you are eating at least BMR from today forward.

    Best of luck.
  • lei24lei
    lei24lei Posts: 2
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    the only foods i know that help are fruit and veg...try snack on berrys, celery ,carrot sticks and apples(apples make you feel full) ice pops also help...and non of the above are fattening or bloating...try it see how you get on i garenteee this will help :)
  • charleydanger
    charleydanger Posts: 16
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    Thanks for the advice! I'm willing to try anything at this point! Well except for not eating!

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