Haven't a clue what I'm doing!

TumTumT
TumTumT Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
I've never paid much attention to my weight. In fact, I was weighed a couple of months ago at the doctors and was EXACTLY the same weight as the last time they weighed me, 10 years ago. That would be fine, if it wasn't actually around 2 stone overweight! A recent body analysis also showed a high fat percentage and for the first time in my life my blood pressure was heading towards high.

So, yep, time to stop kidding myself that I'm OK and do something about it but having never counted calories before, or tried to loose weight before I haven't a clue what I'm doing!

MFP says to aim for 1200 calories a day but other sites say that's too low, I'll plateau quickly and then I'll have to retrain my body before I can loose any more. 1200 seems to be a fairly average amount for people to be living on though?

Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Welcome! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself? how tall? how old? How much DO you weigh?

    In the meantime, read this. :smile:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • wimpywrx
    wimpywrx Posts: 103 Member
    Well you have already done the first correct thing towards weight loss and thats joined MFP. I am sure there will be many people on here that will guide you through your opening days and will still be there as you enter you first month and beyond. Welcome to the start of the new you.

    Iain.
  • Silvermist16
    Silvermist16 Posts: 34 Member
    I find 1200 calories low, that is what I am on too. It is hard and I am often a little over but still have lost about 1 pd a week.:smile:
  • TumTumT
    TumTumT Posts: 5
    Sabine_Stroeh, that would help wouldn't it! See I don't know what I'm doing! :) I'm 5'3 and weight 160lbs. I'm 34. Thank you for the link. Shall have a nosey.

    Hi Wimpywrx! Thank you.
  • sanfly
    sanfly Posts: 207 Member
    I'm pretty much the same stats as you, height, age and less than 2lb difference.

    I've been aiming for about 1400 cal per day, some days I struggle to get above 1200, some days I'm eating back all my exercise cals

    I've been doing a challenge for this month to exercise every day for minimum 20 min, log everything I eat, and stay within my calorie goal every day. I really needed a kick in the pants as I put on a few kg in the last 6 months and exercise was sporadic at best. I'm doing good, 22 days in and have managed to meet my goals every day. So far this month am 2.9kg down

    I think what your calorie goal is will really depends on what kind of exercise you like, and what your end goal is. When I get down to about 63-65kg I will probably increase cals and do more weights etc to build muscle, reduce body fat percentage more and tone up.

    Add me if you like
  • diggy415
    diggy415 Posts: 1
    Hello everyone, today is the day i decided to join here after a recommendation from a friend. i currently am counting carbs, calories now, watching what i eat. My will power was low but when you spend money on clothes that don't fit time and time again you get tired of it, or when you see pictures of yourself YUCK!! so with the help from the dr and myself, i am hoping to do something this time around. i am 5-4" weight 219 as of yesterday and my goal for now is 170. I know it will be hard and look forward to talking with others in my situation. i am also glad i don't have a chocolate craving anymore. I work at a prison and am constantly walking and barely sit down, i have a bad right knee and it prevents me from jogging or running, on the weekends i do go out in the desert to chase wild horses as i am an avid photographer.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    I am 5' 6.5" and weigh 165 and am losing about a pound/week on 1350 net calories. 1200 is hard for me, but it's more psychological than physical. I find a walk at lunch buys me an extra 100 calories/day so I'm eating about 1400. Welcome to MFP, you will find the help you need here and good luck!
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    If your hungry eat more if your not you will not "starve" on 1200. But you've got to find something that works for you, if eating more doesn't work the shoot for less. All that you'll go into "starvation mode" if you eat 1200 calories is BS...at least it was for me. I ate about 400 less than that for 2 years and have just now, well 2 months ago, quit losing. So I upped my calories and I'm doing Intermediate Fasting so I'm eating 1200 or so for 5 days a week and 500 or 600 2 days a week and I'm back to losing, so for me right now this is working and I'm good with it. But don't think that one week of not losing means you need to give it up, you need to give anything more than a 2 week try before you see something work or not work. You will get tons of conflicting advise on here, some good some bad, take what you see you might want to use and leave the rest alone. You have the 1200 group that swears it works and you have the "eat more to weigh less" group that will swear their way is what works best, decide what's best for you and friend those people and enjoy it. But remember you can always change your mind and what you want to do, just never give up

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