COMPLETELY LOST?

emilybrown0422
emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! I just started losing weight.
I'm 18 (going on 19) in June, female, 5'2, and weigh 250 pounds. I recently went from 260 to 250.
I'm just SO confused when it comes to how many calories I need to be eating while safely losing weight.
I unknowingly (before I did my research) have been consuming WAY under my caloric needs with too much exercise and eating only about 1700-1800.

I have been doing this for two weeks.

I'm only confused though when it comes to how much I should be eating. Some say 1900-2100, and another one said I should be eating 2400!

Can anybody help me figure out my caloric needs?
I exercise 3-5 times a week.

Also, I've found out that my BMR is 1944.6.

Apparently my maintenance is 3014.13.
If I only eat 500 less, I have to eating about 2500, right?

Also, one more question.
Will my undereating from the past two weeks have messed up my metabolism already, or can I begin eating the right amount and still be fine?

Thanks so much everyone.

Replies

  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    Actually, depending on how tall you are, 1700-1800 sounds about right. Give it time. You've already lost 10 lbs.
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Oh, let me clarify, I'm 5'2!!!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Oh, let me clarify, I'm 5'2!!!

    what did MFP give you when you entered your stats? That is a good place to start.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    Well,according to your BM, your maintainence intake should be about 2000. To lose, you should eat at a deficit of about 500 a day. So you should probably lower your daily intake to about 1500 and eat back about half of what you burn. So eat 1500, burn 400 and eat back another 200. Make sense?
  • ywalchle
    ywalchle Posts: 101 Member
    if you have done anything like stop drinking soda, you are going to drop weight FAST. I lost 11lbs in about 15 days just dropping how much soda I drank. Since than I've stopped getting on the scale and have noticed a difference in how my clothing fits. I'm actually looking forward to an upcoming doctors appointment to find out how much HIS scale says I've lost.
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Well MFP told me that I should 2500, I think.
    I just feel like that's a lot.

    And 1500?? Are you sure? Sorry, everyone, i'm just so new at this, and bad at math. I just don't want to hit a plateau.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    I'm thinking you've put in your numbers incorrectly. At 2500 you would gain weight rather than lose it. Did you make your options to lose a pound a week or gain a pound a week? I would recheck your settings and make sure they are accurate.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    One element of MFP where a lot of people go wrong is choosing how many pounds per week to lose.

    Here is a guide to choose the correct amount of weight loss to shoot for.

    If you have 75 or more pounds to lose, choose 2 pounds per week
    Between 40 - 75 lbs lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs lose 0.5 lbs range

    MFP will deduct a flat rate of calories from your estimated calorie needs, depending on which of these settings you choose. Everyone wants to lose 2 pounds per week, but that is not appropriate for everyone. Not sure what your goal weight is.

    Now once you set MFP correctly, how many calories does it say to eat?

    The other thing to know about MFP is that the calories it gives you in that daily goal does not include exercise. This is so you would lose weight if you never did any exercise. When you do, you need more fuel for that (MFP will add in more calories for you to eat whenever you log exercise). But be aware that people say that MFP estimates on exercise burns are high so some people only eat some of those additional calories it gives.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    1. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    2. If you aren't already using one, get and use a food scale. Weigh all solids. Measuring cups/spoons are not accurate:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    3. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Ok, I think I changed the settings correctly.
    If I want to lose 2 pds/week, to go from 250 to 150, I should be eating 1,990 cals a day...
    So this doesn't include exercise...?

    So I work out about 3x a week for 40-60 mins.

    ... so then whatever I burn off I'd have to make sure I get back up to 1,990?
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    Ok, I think I changed the settings correctly.
    If I want to lose 2 pds/week, to go from 250 to 150, I should be eating 1,990 cals a day...
    So this doesn't include exercise...?

    So I work out about 3x a week for 40-60 mins.

    ... so then whatever I burn off I'd have to make sure I get back up to 1,990?

    1,990 is wrong.
    I put in your stats and got 1,330.
    Idk what you're doing wrong o-o
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Ugh... I don't know :(
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    Ugh... I don't know :(

    1,330 is sedentary.
    I would guess you are lightly active.

    Go to your goals page.
    Put in your height, age, and weight properly.
    Select lightly active.
    Select how much weight you wish to lose each week.
    It should give you something between 1,300 and 1,500.
    I have no idea how it was skewed so badly.

    Edit - remember to choose the correct gender too.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Ok, I think I changed the settings correctly.
    If I want to lose 2 pds/week, to go from 250 to 150, I should be eating 1,990 cals a day...
    So this doesn't include exercise...?

    So I work out about 3x a week for 40-60 mins.

    ... so then whatever I burn off I'd have to make sure I get back up to 1,990?

    MFP asks you how active you are. It is asking just day to day living, (not exercise). Do you sit all day, or are you chasing little kids, maybe you walk or bike instead of driving a car, what level of activity are you just normally not including intentional exercise?
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    OK...
    So here's my stats straight out if anyone can do anything with them to figure this out:

    -Female
    -18 (turning 19 in June)
    -250 pounds
    -Goal weight: 150
    -5'2
    -i'm moderately active -student at day, exercise 3-5x a week.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    OK...
    So here's my stats straight out if anyone can do anything with them to figure this out:

    -Female
    -18 (turning 19 in June)
    -250 pounds
    -Goal weight: 150
    -5'2
    -i'm moderately active -student at day, exercise 3-5x a week.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/my_goals

    Literally just fill it in...
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Ok, without exercise, I don't do a whole lot. I'm a college student, so I have to walk around campus all day, and that's about it.
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Ok, thanks! Sorry i'm being so lost hahaha...
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Ok... so now it says 1,610 Calories / Day
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    Ok... so now it says 1,610 Calories / Day

    That sounds reasonable. There you go.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Ok, without exercise, I don't do a whole lot. I'm a college student, so I have to walk around campus all day, and that's about it.

    Choose lightly active to account for just some walking. Choose 2 pounds per week weight loss.

    Now with this number of calories, you should lose 2 pounds per week without any extra exercise.

    When you do exercise and log it, MFP will add more calories to that. Some people say that MFP's estimates for exercise burns are high, so some people only eat half or 3/4 of those calories. At this point, since you have a lot of weight to lose, if you are not hungry, you don't have to eat them. But eventually you probably will have to eat more. This is more important when you have less fat, in order to preserve muscle mass when you are closer to goal weight.
  • EmmieBaby
    EmmieBaby Posts: 1,235 Member
    no need to appaulogize, everyone has to start somewhere

    one site that I found helpful to find out how much I need to eat is http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    I put it to no workouts out so that I have the number I need to eat normally and any extra calories I burn I would eat.

    so for me I am set to 1550 on normal days and I can eat up to 1800 on days I workout =)
  • FitSquirrelQueen
    FitSquirrelQueen Posts: 4
    I still have a hard time hitting my calorie goal some days (just not hungry lol). I do make sure to hit at least 1,200 (so that my metabolism doesn't mess up) and get protein in everyday.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    I still have a hard time hitting my calorie goal some days (just not hungry lol). I do make sure to hit at least 1,200 (so that my metabolism doesn't mess up) and get protein in everyday.

    LOL.
  • melissamarah
    melissamarah Posts: 168 Member
    Welcome! It's all kind of intimidating when you start. I'd recommend checking out some of the really helpful links. The "Sexypants" one (this lovely person put the link here) is a big help.

    You can do this! :flowerforyou:
    1. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    2. If you aren't already using one, get and use a food scale. Weigh all solids. Measuring cups/spoons are not accurate:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    3. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    I still have a hard time hitting my calorie goal some days (just not hungry lol). I do make sure to hit at least 1,200 (so that my metabolism doesn't mess up) and get protein in everyday.

    Always makes me nervous when I read such posts. We don't get overweight in the first place by being the kind of people who struggle to eat 1200cals so this is likely to be you trying too hard/being on a high and may result in too fast and too unsustainable a loss.

    Just my view of course and I wish you well.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I still have a hard time hitting my calorie goal some days (just not hungry lol). I do make sure to hit at least 1,200 (so that my metabolism doesn't mess up) and get protein in everyday.
    Your metabolism will not get messed up if you end up eating below 1200, though you might not feel great AND you are short changing yourself.

    In general, I don't think any of us who have lost/are losing weight should have any problem meeting our calorie goal because going over our goal is what got us fat in the first place. However, I fully admit that at first I had a lot of fear about eating to my calorie goals because I was sure my metabolism was slow and I would gain weight.

    Facing fear and letting go is a great motivator.
  • emilybrown0422
    emilybrown0422 Posts: 12
    Thank you so much! and thanks to everyone here who helped me, I really appreciate it! Thanks for bearing with me!
  • owenmhartley
    owenmhartley Posts: 220 Member
    Actually, depending on how tall you are, 1700-1800 sounds about right. Give it time. You've already lost 10 lbs.
    Well this is wrong as it will give a rapid unhealthy weight loss, you're right to eat a 500 calorie deficit from your maintenance, once your weightloss starts to stall then knock it down again, keep it up :)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Actually, depending on how tall you are, 1700-1800 sounds about right. Give it time. You've already lost 10 lbs.
    Well this is wrong as it will give a rapid unhealthy weight loss, you're right to eat a 500 calorie deficit from your maintenance, once your weightloss starts to stall then knock it down again, keep it up :)

    The OP has 100 pounds to lose. She is fine aiming for 2 pounds per week weight loss at this time.

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