Very frustated and anxious... AM I Eating wrong?

FloJo9011
FloJo9011 Posts: 43
in Fitness and Exercise
According to Myfitnesspal meal calorie calculator... I have eaten around 1,400 calories which is a good amount of calories for my weight.... which is 163 5'6 (female)... I am trying to lose around 30 pounds in 5 to 6 months.

Tomorrow will be my first day at the gym.... plan to lose 500 calories there in the morning. Then tomorrow night walk the fitness trail by my house which is like 6 miles....

I've been eating bagels, whole wheat bread, peanut butter, milk, water, cranberry juice, eggs, yogart and baked chicken so far.

Although everything seems okay... I'm just still worried that I am eating wrong. It's 9pm now and I am so hungry but I have eaten all my calories today and I do not want to go over.

Can someone shine some light or some encouragement on young anxious girl like myself???? please is burning 500 calories in a hour even realistic?

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It would probably help if you'd open your diary for us to take a look. If you're comfortable doing this, you can go to Settings > Diary Settings > Public and then Save Changes.

    There are no foods that are particularly off limits for weight loss, as long as they fit into your goals. You'll find that foods with more protein, fat, and fiber help to keep you fuller and more satisfied longer. Protein helps maintain your lean muscle mass. Carbs give you energy. And fats help with vitamin absorption, cell health, and other important things. Depending on your particular goals and needs, you might try playing with the percentages of these macros.

    It's completely possible to lose weight without exercise. Remember that with MFP's method, when you log exercise the site is going to add more calories for you to eat. You're meant to eat these back, with the caveat that gym machines and MFP tend to overestimate the amount of calories burned with certain exercises. You may want to eat back only a portion of these (about 50-75%)

    There are a lot great guides around here, but I really like the Sexypants guide. If you haven't seen it yet, it's a lot of reading (and all of the linked posts are worth a read too) but full of good information to get you headed in the right direction: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    You lose weight by eating at a deficit. But your goal is unrealistic. With 35 lb. to lose, a healthy loss is 1 lb. per week. As you get closer to goal, your loss will slow to .5 lb. per week.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • FloJo9011
    FloJo9011 Posts: 43
    Thank you so much for the info... and I just made my diary open to the public.
  • FloJo9011
    FloJo9011 Posts: 43
    @editorgrrl I thank you for your answer... However, I was told by a trainer that 2lbs a week is acceptable and doable... Therefore, I wasn't going to try to aim at the 2lbs, just at least a pound a week.

    If I was to lose 2lbs a week for 6 months... that would be 40 pounds right?
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
    Today is your first day, I see. You also have 450 calories left since you worked out. Eat them!

    I find when I eat soups, it's awesome because the calories are relatively low and I still get to eat a lot! I also feel better when I'm eating enough greens and other things I can eat a large quantity and not too many calories.

    It's your first day. You'll figure out what works for you. Also, if you have been used to eating more, it could take a week or two to adjust.
  • FloJo9011
    FloJo9011 Posts: 43
    Today is your first day, I see. You also have 450 calories left since you worked out. Eat them!

    I find when I eat soups, it's awesome because the calories are relatively low and I still get to eat a lot! I also feel better when I'm eating enough greens and other things I can eat a large quantity and not too many calories.

    It's your first day. You'll figure out what works for you. Also, if you have been used to eating more, it could take a week or two to adjust.

    Thank you so much for the input... I am so used to eating after hours... I've let go of the junk food and soda so I am probably withdrawing.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Your BMR alone is somewhere around 1500 calories daily; that's why you're hungry. You probably burn well over 2000 calories daily without even exercising.

    Things you can do to feel more satisfied with a caloric deficit are these:

    Eat your protein. Aim for 100g daily.
    Eat your fiber. Get at least 25g daily.
    Eat real fat. Avoid fat-free/low-fat stuff. Get 30% of your daily intake from fat... a little saturated; mostly unsaturated.

    Combining fat, fiber and protein at every meal and snack will help curb your appetite when you're eating at a deficit. And drink water; I find it keeps cravings for sweets at bay if you're prone to them.

    But yeah if you only have 35 lbs to lose, don't try for 2 lbs/week. That's a 1000 calorie daily deficit... VERY hard to maintain for the long term. Adherence is more important than quick weight loss.
  • Klate2014
    Klate2014 Posts: 1
    Congratulations on getting started!! I just wanted to say that I have discovered greek yogurt. It really helps me to feel full between meals. I don't buy the kind with artificial sweeteners because I am trying to avoid that in my diet, so it's about 100 calories. For breakfast I make oatmeal, no sweetener at all, it is relatively low in calories and really fills me up.

    Good Luck!!
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
    @editorgrrl I thank you for your answer... However, I was told by a trainer that 2lbs a week is acceptable and doable... Therefore, I wasn't going to try to aim at the 2lbs, just at least a pound a week.

    If I was to lose 2lbs a week for 6 months... that would be 40 pounds right?


    Weight loss is not linear and as you have less to lose as time goes on it will slow down. Understand that your trainer is setting you up to have unrealistic expectations. Please really consider the advice being given here, as you don't have a huge amount of weight to lose. 1 lb/wk is a more realistic goal.

    As for what you should be eating? Eat at a caloric deficit, but not too large that you'll not be able to sustain the calorie deficit for long periods of time. Get plenty of protein, get enough dietary fat, and enough carbs to fuel your workouts.

    Good luck.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    We have a similar height and weight. A 500 calorie workout (one hour) is fairly intense for me. If you're not cranking up the intensity, though, for sure in 1.5 to 2 hours you should be able to hit that. What do you plan on doing?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    why so much on your first day? i'm a fan of two-a-days, but it's not something you can do right off the bat, or even that often. and a six mile walk is no small task.

    take it easy. you're in it for the long haul.
  • dm133
    dm133 Posts: 1
    Hi,
    We have a similar height & weight too! I have found that what I eat (or don't eat!) is making more of a difference than the amount of exercise. If you add in more veggies and less wheat, I think it will produce results! I have taken out sugar, dairy, and most but not all wheat. I have added in more varieties of raw and cooked vegetables and now use coconut oil instead of other types of oils. Sometimes I buy individual portions of salads at Whole Foods so it reduces prep time at home and also ensures I eat better! It's expensive but worth it I think. These changes made my weight go down (while keeping exercise constant (3 x 60 min cardio per week). I also think that when I have insufficient sleep more than a couple of nights in a row, that it slows down my weight loss. This is a tough one for me but am trying to get to bed earlier at night! I can tell you are really trying hard so wish you well on your journey.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Congrats on starting, but you should really listen to all the advice given here, as your trainer is setting you up for failure. Not all trainers know about weight loss and nutrition, and still give advice anyway.
  • learnerdriver
    learnerdriver Posts: 298 Member
    +1 on speed expected/ reduce your burn effort at the gym/add more movement during the day or you'll burn out fast

    Replace your simple carbs ie bagel with vegetables + protein, it'll keep you full longer, especially as you're undertaking a big change fitness wise.

    I'm on 1400-1500/day, 5"5' and I eat more on big burn cardio days- if I don't, it bites me on the bum for the next few days.
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
    You have been given good advise here.

    I agree you should eat more and plan to lose less per week (especially the closer you get to your goal, the first couple of weeks 2 pounds isn't so unrealistic). You are in a marathon, not a sprint.

    But, if today is a normal day, add more vegetables! And fruit. Also, eat a bit of protein with each meal. This with help with cravings and make you feel full.

    One snack I love is to add a bit of powdered onion dip to yogurt for eating veggies.

    Good luck.

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