I need weight loss advice!!! :)

dc139512
dc139512 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone,

I really enjoy reading your posts and seeing everyone accomplish their goals. Also, I love that everyone tries to help one another out with advice. So basically, I am 23 years old, 5'7', & I weigh a whopping 220 pounds. Well, that is what my scale said about 2 weeks ago, now it is fluctuating between 212 and 210.

My point is that I need some advice. I just recently started exercising and eating healthy because I was tired of feeling fat and always indulging heavily on food. So now I count my calories and walk, clean, and exercise every day except for Sunday. I love my life now!! :love: MFP tells me that my daily goal should be 20 minutes of exercising, but for instance today, my dog and I powered walked for 60 minutes.

I usually don't eat until 2 pm or so because I am not that hungry but when I do, I consume between 500-700 calories between fruits, veggies, meats, proteins, grains, and crystal light. Then I eat around 9 p.m.(another 500-700 calories) and might stay up until 1 and have a 300 calorie snack. At first, when I started almost 4 weeks ago, 2000 calories didn't seem enough and I wanted more, now my calorie intake of 1,200 seems enough, but MFP doesn't recommend having a calorie intake that low, that is why I eat that late night snack.

My question is…. At 212 pounds with an intake of 1500 calories a day and exercising at least 60 minutes a day, 400+ a week, will I lose up to the two pounds a week like I want to??? I mean, I already feel like I have been losing weight and I feel healthier, but I just want to know if I am putting myself into starvation mode because MFP is saying I should eat about 2200 calories a day!! I would rather avoid that many calories and stick to the 1,500 calories if at all possible and still be able to lose the 2lbs!!

Any advice or comments are welcome!! Please help!!

:smile:

Replies

  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
    hmm you sound like you're on a good start, I dont love how long you go between your first and second meal, but whatever your comfortable with is what I always say. I reeealy dont like the sound of the crystal light, I've never been a supporter of those drinks. If you want a flavored water try like a flavored sparkling water. zero calories and sugar and its more interesting than plain water.

    Also, you soud like these changes are making you happier. FOCUS on the please!! So many people here make the huge mistake of focusing on the scale and letting themselves get so discouraged just because they are not losing the weight they want. I suggest taking measurements, it's much more accurate. Remember, we didnt gain the weight over night, we wont lose it over night either. Focus on staying happy and making the best choices you can.

    I cant give diet advice because my diet is specialized and I dont expect anyone to just do it because I am.
  • dc139512
    dc139512 Posts: 7
    Hey...

    Thanks for the advice and comment!! You should really try crystal light. I always would see empty packets on the street and would be like, "EWWWW that has to be gross!" But it is actually pretty Great! It is also only 5 calories a cup!! Also, thank you for the suggestions!! :happy:
  • jlynnm70
    jlynnm70 Posts: 460 Member
    I won't knock the Crystal light - because once in a while I do use the liquid stuff (mio, crystal light) in water for something different - It also helped me give up soda and I don't like the flavored sparkling waters (my daughter loves them tho).

    It sounds like you are off to a good start - maybe break up the meals into smaller ones throughout the day - it will keep you from getting so hungry in between.

    Good luck to you!
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
    Hey...

    Thanks for the advice and comment!! You should really try crystal light. I always would see empty packets on the street and would be like, "EWWWW that has to be gross!" But it is actually pretty Great! It is also only 5 calories a cup!! Also, thank you for the suggestions!! :happy:
    oh I've had it. 5 calories is nice and all but I also look at the ingredients of what I put in my body. It has aspartame, which I'm sensitive to in general (i cant have stevia either), but its also just one of the worst choices when it comes to an artifical sweetner.
    But again, in the end its whatever works best for you and makes you happiest.
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    Congratulations on your new-found happiness and healthier lifestyle!

    I looked at your diary for the past few days and a few things stuck out:

    1 - You are eating A LOT of processed foods. While the bottom line for weight loss is caloric deficit, a lot of what you are eating is high in sodium which will make you retain water and cause frustration when you weigh yourself.

    2 - Are you drinking any water aside from what you mix in with the Crystal Light? Someone else had suggested flavored waters, and I think that is the way to go. You drink A LOT of Crystal Light (do you own stock or something? :tongue: )

    3 - I see a lot of Quick Add calories, ranging from 3 calories to 1300 calories. Be REALLY careful with that - it is tough to lose weight when you estimate portions.
  • LisaAG5
    LisaAG5 Posts: 17
    I agree with not going so long in between eating. Not sure of your schedule but it's much easier to be on an eating schedule when you have a family to feed. Although I feel like I'm ALWAYS in the kitchen! Anyway, I find it much better for me to eat breakfast after I workout around 9 or 10, lunch anywhere between 12:30-1:30 and dinner is between 5:30 and 6. Apples always make good snacks as well as a few pretzels.
  • dc139512
    dc139512 Posts: 7
    Thank you all!!

    Yes, yesterday I did eat a lot of processed foods! I don't really know how to cook baked chicken or anything and I am afriad to try, so I buy the Tyson chicken ready meat and it is good and not that bad in calories. I really am not concerned with sodium or anything like that, but more on calorie intake. I don't really get too hungry in between meals. I eat when I get hungry and don't go over 1500 rarely. On Saturday and Sunday, you probably saw my drinking intake from alcohol LOL and you probably saw me get lazy with the calories, but I try to at least log my calories. lol Thanks for the advice. I think I will be good with sticking to my plan being that I used to eat probably 3-5000 calories a day!!!
  • dc139512
    dc139512 Posts: 7
    Congratulations on your new-found happiness and healthier lifestyle!

    I looked at your diary for the past few days and a few things stuck out:

    1 - You are eating A LOT of processed foods. While the bottom line for weight loss is caloric deficit, a lot of what you are eating is high in sodium which will make you retain water and cause frustration when you weigh yourself.

    2 - Are you drinking any water aside from what you mix in with the Crystal Light? Someone else had suggested flavored waters, and I think that is the way to go. You drink A LOT of Crystal Light (do you own stock or something? :tongue: )


    3 - I see a lot of Quick Add calories, ranging from 3 calories to 1300 calories. Be REALLY careful with that - it is tough to lose weight when you estimate portions.


    lol I bought a whole bunch of crystal light. I dont like plain water and the calories I put in are stuff that are hard to find on the calorie adding app. Like radishes for instance are only 1 calorie a piece, so I just put that in. Plus, some of the things I add are because of the calories being different on the calorie adder!! Also, some days I do drink excessive amounts of alcohol maybe twice a month(but only eat 700 calories in food) and then the next day I generally eat what I want to(greasy food). You have to have a little fun(not to say that is my only access to fun) :tongue: , but over all I have cut over 2000+ calories from my regular diet. I used to eat probably 3000-5000 calories a day!!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    2lbs a week is sustainable if you are trying to lose over 100lbs

    If you enter reasonable goals into MFP (1-1 1/2 lbs for you) MFP will give you a reasonable calorie deficet..making sure your activity level is set correctly as well, and this does not include the exercise you "plan" on doing...just what you do on any given day.

    Then log your exercse and eat back 50-75% of those.

    After that it's about logging accurately...which means the following:

    1. Weighing your solids/measuring cups for your liquids
    2. Not using quick adds...
    3. choosing the correct entries (not those with homemade, generic or an asteriks in them) and if you can't find one make it.
  • theJTfitness
    theJTfitness Posts: 142 Member
    Congrats on your decision to create a goal and go after it. I wouldn't put too much stock into the whole starvation mode idea. Metabolic rates do drop with excessive calorie deficits, but it won't drop so much to offset the deficit to any discernible amount. So basically, don't worry about it too much :)

    As far as meal timing. Eat whenever you want. As long as you are getting the right amount of calories it's all good. The only reason I would do smaller meals is if helped you with satiety. But you sound like you have a schedule you are okay with, so I'd stick to it! Keep fighting the good fight!
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    The thing with the "Quick Add Calories" function is that it doesn't give you any other nutritional information. While you're not concerned with carbs/fat/protein/sodium/etc. right now, and that's absolutely fine while you're starting out, you may come to a point when you need to track that information more carefully. If you get into the habit of using "Quick Add Calories" now, it can screw up your tracking later on.
  • dc139512
    dc139512 Posts: 7
    2lbs a week is sustainable if you are trying to lose over 100lbs

    If you enter reasonable goals into MFP (1-1 1/2 lbs for you) MFP will give you a reasonable calorie deficet..making sure your activity level is set correctly as well, and this does not include the exercise you "plan" on doing...just what you do on any given day.

    Then log your exercse and eat back 50-75% of those.

    After that it's about logging accurately...which means the following:

    1. Weighing your solids/measuring cups for your liquids
    2. Not using quick adds...
    3. choosing the correct entries (not those with homemade, generic or an asteriks in them) and if you can't find one make it.

    So I'm supposed to eat the net calories burned or what? Or the goal in my food log before the exercise is added and added extra calories?

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