So confused about calorie intake - Help :(

Options
loserbaby84
loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've been eating 1400 cals more or less since the beginning of September. My diary is open!

One of MFP friends say I'm over dieting .. So, I went and calculated my numbers again.

Should I really be eating 2,000 cals a day?!?!

Stats:
Female
29
275lbs
5'7
Sedentary (two office jobs)

I haven't been exercising .. So, my first instinct was to compensate for that with my calorie intake. I realize this is a mental block and my thinking is probably dangerous but I need some information from someone who simply knows better.

Any and all comments/helpful criticism welcomed!
Thanks for reading :)
«1

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    That doesn't sound like too much to me. Just to put things into perspective, I'm 5'8", 30 years old, and 170 pounds and I eat 1600 to lose when I'm not working out. I think you'd definitely be safe eating more.

    Be aware that when you increase your calories you may see a slight gain on the scale as your body replenishes it's glycogen/water stores. This is normal and will taper off, but if it's going to worry you then you can increase your calories a little at a time until you get to a more comfortable level.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
    Options
    Hmmm I think 1400 sounds low and 2000 sounds high.

    I started MFP at 262, 5'8", sedentary and I think it had me a little over 1600.
    Now I am 220, sedentary and I'm still at 1420 or close to that.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Options
    You don't say why you are asking this question. Are you not losing weight, or not losing it as fast as you'd like?
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    I've lost initially .. and then gained. It's frustrating. I KNOW this all takes time but the 5lb fluctuation is soooo disheartening!
  • aaroncirilo
    aaroncirilo Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    i disagree with a "calorie is a calorie" idea.. not all calories are created equal. Start looking at the glycemic index of your intake. Breads of any kind should be cut for a while. More fruits and veggies. Increase lean proteins - to stay feeling full longer plus they help build muscle from your exercising. Stop all food intake 3 hours before sleeping. Cut out all drinks except water and so flavored teas unsweetened every once in a while. Make it a rule to exercise even 15 mins a day starting out... do it consistently.. no more than one day off a week.
  • aakaakaak
    aakaakaak Posts: 1,240 Member
    Options
    The very first thing to look at when you stop losing weight is to make sure you're tracking your intake correctly. Did you bust out a food scale for the peanut butter you had yesterday morning, measuring out 15g? Did you weigh the chicken breast and imitation crab, or did you guess? Even if you were over by a little, you were still over. All those "little bit over" guesses amount to a much larger number.

    Read this and watch the video:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    It's most likely not your glycemic index.

    You're most definitely not in starvation mode.

    You really should exercise. Find something you like to do. If you don't like it you won't do it. And you should do stuff 3-5 times a week.

    Edit: and if you're tracking 100% accurately and still gaining weight then you shouldn't trust a computer to tell you what the scale already knows: You're eating too many calories or not exercising enough. But remember, you can rarely, if ever, exercise away a bad diet.
  • sway1080
    sway1080 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    Just thought i'd throw this out there, I have lost 9lbs total so far in the past 30 days from when I started MFP.
    About 3-4 days ago I noticed I felt a little bigger like almost more bloated. I don't drink as much water as I should but I try.
    Then I noticed I was exactly 1 week before my monthly "friend". I can't speak for all women but i've always had this issue where 1 week before until about 1-2 days before finished (which adds up to about 2 weeks) I gain anywhere from 2-5lbs I am assuming water weight because right after it's done the weight flies back off. So once I notice this I DO NOT weight myself until I feel it's gone. So I will NOT do my weekly weigh in this week.
    Just a thought. Don't be discouraged. Keep going it looks like your eating is fine...maybe just start slowly on a bit of excercising. I do cardio 35mins a day everyday except Saturday's.
    :flowerforyou:
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Options
    i disagree with a "calorie is a calorie" idea.. not all calories are created equal. Start looking at the glycemic index of your intake. Breads of any kind should be cut for a while. More fruits and veggies. Increase lean proteins - to stay feeling full longer plus they help build muscle from your exercising. Stop all food intake 3 hours before sleeping. Cut out all drinks except water and so flavored teas unsweetened every once in a while. Make it a rule to exercise even 15 mins a day starting out... do it consistently.. no more than one day off a week.

    :huh:
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Options
    Why not eat 1700 which is what MFP is telling you is your calorie goal?!

    *Edit, just saw that you've had a 5lb gain. I can gain that much in a single day due to salt, exercise, or that time of the month. Don't freak out about temporary gains. Look at the long term. If you've gained over several weeks and it's not dropping off, then I would look into how accurate your logging is. Someone posted a good post about you might be eating more than you think (almost everyone does). Give it a read.
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    i disagree with a "calorie is a calorie" idea.. not all calories are created equal. Start looking at the glycemic index of your intake. Breads of any kind should be cut for a while. More fruits and veggies. Increase lean proteins - to stay feeling full longer plus they help build muscle from your exercising. Stop all food intake 3 hours before sleeping. Cut out all drinks except water and so flavored teas unsweetened every once in a while. Make it a rule to exercise even 15 mins a day starting out... do it consistently.. no more than one day off a week.

    :huh:

    My thoughts exactly...

    I do not believe in 100% of what you just wrote here. Eating times do not affect weight, whole grain in bread is good carbs, you can drink ANYTHING as long as it fits in your cals for the day/week... Ugh. I've been here long enough to know bollocks when I see it. I'm kinda suprised you took the time to write this down... Just sayin.
  • IndigoRey
    IndigoRey Posts: 15
    Options
    1400 calories seems low

    eating less to compensate for not exercising is a difficult way to lose weight in my opinion

    exercise really is important..not only for weight loss..but for strengthening your body and vital organs

    maybe increase your calorie intake to 1600/1700 and start walking a few times a week? thats how I started off and now I refuse to skip exercising and hit the gym a couple of times a week plus other activities (swimming is great!)

    I start my morning with a protein shake
    1) 4tbs of hemp protein powder
    2) 200 ml of water
    3) add raspberries/berries, chia/flax seeds, some greek yogurt
    and blend it all

    It helps me think clearly and gives me a lot of energy
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    Options
    I agree that 2,000 sounds higher than MFP should be putting you at, though it may be close (1800-1900?). I'm at 313 right now, 5'9" and at 2050 a day, supposedly a pound and a half a week loss. It might seem like a lot, and it really is quite a bit of food! But in order to maintain my weight right now I'd need to eat 2750 a day. The calculations aren't meant to give you a drastic loss super quickly. It's meant to be slow, healthy weight loss, which is important to remember. Starting off at a higher calorie limit also helps you to stick to your goals, since you're not going from eating 3,000 calories a day to 1,500 right off the bat.

    Also, as my cousin pointed out, you don't need to eat all the calories it says you have. If you feel full, don't eat the extra calories. However, if you're really craving that 1/2 cup of chocolate ice cream, it's nice to know that you can do it without feeling guilty.
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    The very first thing to look at when you stop losing weight is to make sure you're tracking your intake correctly. Did you bust out a food scale for the peanut butter you had yesterday morning, measuring out 15g? Did you weigh the chicken breast and imitation crab, or did you guess? Even if you were over by a little, you were still over. All those "little bit over" guesses amount to a much larger number.

    Read this and watch the video:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    It's most likely not your glycemic index.

    You're most definitely not in starvation mode.


    You really should exercise. Find something you like to do. If you don't like it you won't do it. And you should do stuff 3-5 times a week.

    Edit: and if you're tracking 100% accurately and still gaining weight then you shouldn't trust a computer to tell you what the scale already knows: You're eating too many calories or not exercising enough. But remember, you can rarely, if ever, exercise away a bad diet.

    I have a scale and use it diligently. Logging my food accurately is definitely not the problem unless it is a problem with MFP's database, which makes you absolutely correct in saying that I cannot trust a computer.

    I'm planning to start exercising ASAP (Oct 1, 2013). The only reason I haven't yet is because of a roommate who is moving out by then. I know it's a poor excuse but I would perfer to start working out at home. Then, I will move to the gym when I "out grow" my current weights at home.

    Thanks so much for the input! I appreciate the help :)
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    Just thought i'd throw this out there, I have lost 9lbs total so far in the past 30 days from when I started MFP.
    About 3-4 days ago I noticed I felt a little bigger like almost more bloated. I don't drink as much water as I should but I try.
    Then I noticed I was exactly 1 week before my monthly "friend". I can't speak for all women but i've always had this issue where 1 week before until about 1-2 days before finished (which adds up to about 2 weeks) I gain anywhere from 2-5lbs I am assuming water weight because right after it's done the weight flies back off. So once I notice this I DO NOT weight myself until I feel it's gone. So I will NOT do my weekly weigh in this week.
    Just a thought. Don't be discouraged. Keep going it looks like your eating is fine...maybe just start slowly on a bit of excercising. I do cardio 35mins a day everyday except Saturday's.
    :flowerforyou:

    It is coming up to my time of month .. I wonder if you have something here!
  • jennifer_a00
    jennifer_a00 Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    Well, I started out at 275 pounds like you are at, and I'm your age and near your height and activity level, and mfp gave me over 2000 calories a day to eat at the beginning. It has since lowered to about 1900 a day as I have lost some weight, but I have personally found that as long as I don't go over the set number of calories, I lose weight. That's just my experience, hope it helps. It looks to me like you are under eating.
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    Why not eat 1700 which is what MFP is telling you is your calorie goal?!

    *Edit, just saw that you've had a 5lb gain. I can gain that much in a single day due to salt, exercise, or that time of the month. Don't freak out about temporary gains. Look at the long term. If you've gained over several weeks and it's not dropping off, then I would look into how accurate your logging is. Someone posted a good post about you might be eating more than you think (almost everyone does). Give it a read.

    I just changed my goal today based on the "you're not eating enough" comments I was getting. If you look at my notes, you will see that there. Sorry for the confusion in my diary!

    This has been happening over the month .. I get the "long term". I just want to know I'm headed in the right direction!

    Thanks so much :)
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    1400 calories seems low

    eating less to compensate for not exercising is a difficult way to lose weight in my opinion

    exercise really is important..not only for weight loss..but for strengthening your body and vital organs

    maybe increase your calorie intake to 1600/1700 and start walking a few times a week? thats how I started off and now I refuse to skip exercising and hit the gym a couple of times a week plus other activities (swimming is great!)

    I start my morning with a protein shake
    1) 4tbs of hemp protein powder
    2) 200 ml of water
    3) add raspberries/berries, chia/flax seeds, some greek yogurt
    and blend it all

    It helps me think clearly and gives me a lot of energy

    Can't get my head (or mouth rather) around the protein shakes, ick... I've tried. Maybe I just haven't found the right one, though!

    I'm researching a gym routine and will be starting my home exercises as of Oct 1, 2013. I know how important it is to exercise!!

    Thank you for your comments :) I currently have devoted myself to walking the 6 stories of my building instead of taking the elevator. I'm hoping this is helping some in the meantime!
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    I agree that 2,000 sounds higher than MFP should be putting you at, though it may be close (1800-1900?). I'm at 313 right now, 5'9" and at 2050 a day, supposedly a pound and a half a week loss. It might seem like a lot, and it really is quite a bit of food! But in order to maintain my weight right now I'd need to eat 2750 a day. The calculations aren't meant to give you a drastic loss super quickly. It's meant to be slow, healthy weight loss, which is important to remember. Starting off at a higher calorie limit also helps you to stick to your goals, since you're not going from eating 3,000 calories a day to 1,500 right off the bat.

    Also, as my cousin pointed out, you don't need to eat all the calories it says you have. If you feel full, don't eat the extra calories. However, if you're really craving that 1/2 cup of chocolate ice cream, it's nice to know that you can do it without feeling guilty.

    Great points.. Keeping that in mind when I look over my week vs daily calorie goal!
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    Well, I started out at 275 pounds like you are at, and I'm your age and near your height and activity level, and mfp gave me over 2000 calories a day to eat at the beginning. It has since lowered to about 1900 a day as I have lost some weight, but I have personally found that as long as I don't go over the set number of calories, I lose weight. That's just my experience, hope it helps. It looks to me like you are under eating.

    I appreciate the observation! Especially since you were me once!

    Thank you :)
  • Sporks42
    Sporks42 Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    Just thought i'd throw this out there, I have lost 9lbs total so far in the past 30 days from when I started MFP.
    About 3-4 days ago I noticed I felt a little bigger like almost more bloated. I don't drink as much water as I should but I try.
    Then I noticed I was exactly 1 week before my monthly "friend". I can't speak for all women but i've always had this issue where 1 week before until about 1-2 days before finished (which adds up to about 2 weeks) I gain anywhere from 2-5lbs I am assuming water weight because right after it's done the weight flies back off. So once I notice this I DO NOT weight myself until I feel it's gone. So I will NOT do my weekly weigh in this week.
    Just a thought. Don't be discouraged. Keep going it looks like your eating is fine...maybe just start slowly on a bit of excercising. I do cardio 35mins a day everyday except Saturday's.
    :flowerforyou:

    It is coming up to my time of month .. I wonder if you have something here!

    Second that, always put on a few before TOM and it slowly goes down during until I'm back where I was.

Categories