Hi I'm new, I'm a bit confused at this.

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Amychang546
Amychang546 Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
Hi! It's my first time actually planning my diets!! I'm super excited to make progress and I'm hoping to lose at least 15 pounds. I've lurked around on the forums for a bit and I'm so confused at what to do with my calorie intake!!! I'm 5'0 at 117lbs currently, I also work as a server for 10 hours a day! I don't have much time to lift weights but I average in around 10,000 steps a day (it really depends on how busy it gets). I heard about people taking 1500 calories a day at my height!! I'm pretty sure I've been eating around that number before I started up my diet and I was wondering would that work? I've been eating around 1200, give or take 50 calories. A lot of help would be awesome, thanks! :)

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  • danibrosseau
    danibrosseau Posts: 45
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    Calculate your TDEE and subtract 15-20% to know how much you should be eating.
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    EDIT: I'm also a server, and 1200 is too few calories.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.
    -Wayne Dyer

    It's about moderation not deprivation. There are no good/bad foods, only bad eating habits. Do or do not, there is no try. You have to want it, you have to work for it, you have to realize that only you can do it.

    Read these:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1346163-change-your-mindset

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Want to lift heavy things?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Stronglifts Summary
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    Stronglifts Womens Group
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • Amychang546
    Amychang546 Posts: 5
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    Wow!! 1800 calories that's insane! It's nice being a server for all the included cardio. I'm afraid I'll gain a lot of weight with 1800 calories, I gain with just 1600 or so.. :c
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Wow!! 1800 calories that's insane! It's nice being a server for all the included cardio. I'm afraid I'll gain a lot of weight with 1800 calories, I gain with just 1600 or so.. :c

    How do you know this for sure if you've never tracked calories before?
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    Wow!! 1800 calories that's insane! It's nice being a server for all the included cardio. I'm afraid I'll gain a lot of weight with 1800 calories, I gain with just 1600 or so.. :c

    How do you know this for sure if you've never tracked calories before?

    This...

    I eat 2000 calories a day and lift 3x a week. I'm losing weight. I am 37 yo, 5'5".
  • rugrat1mi
    rugrat1mi Posts: 23 Member
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    Track your current food intake and activity and measure the results. If you aren't losing pounds or inches, eat a little less and move a little more. Lather, rinse, repeat
  • Amychang546
    Amychang546 Posts: 5
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    Yeah you're right, was just guessitmating. I'll be logging now so Ill be a bit more sure of how many calories Im actually consuming

    I read something about calorie cycling, does anyone know if that works? :)
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Yeah you're right, was just guessitmating. I'll be logging now so Ill be a bit more sure of how many calories Im actually consuming

    I read something about calorie cycling, does anyone know if that works? :)

    Just track your calories as the others pointed out. No need to muddle stuff up lol
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    Yeah you're right, was just guessitmating. I'll be logging now so Ill be a bit more sure of how many calories Im actually consuming

    I read something about calorie cycling, does anyone know if that works? :)

    Just track your calories as the others pointed out. No need to muddle stuff up lol

    This. Keep it simple. Do not overcomplicate it.
  • windstar57
    windstar57 Posts: 41 Member
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    I'm 5 feet exactly I started at 1200 calories a day. You have to stay honest with the calories. If you walk 10,000 + steps a day that should help you at the beginning…I have a feeling you may not have "estimated" your calories correctly in the past. Move forward and be honest and you will figure out if you can eat more or need to adjust less. I know when I go over even to 1300 calories I get myself into trouble, but everyone is different.

    Congratulations, BTW for joining and looking to move forward to a healthier lifestyle! :smile:
  • Amychang546
    Amychang546 Posts: 5
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    I'm 5 feet exactly I started at 1200 calories a day. You have to stay honest with the calories. If you walk 10,000 + steps a day that should help you at the beginning…I have a feeling you may not have "estimated" your calories correctly in the past. Move forward and be honest and you will figure out if you can eat more or need to adjust less. I know when I go over even to 1300 calories I get myself into trouble, but everyone is different.

    Congratulations, BTW for joining and looking to move forward to a healthier lifestyle! :smile:

    Thanks!! Are you still on the 1200 calorie diet and did your weight loss slow down after a while? :)

    Yeah I think so too, I'm now using the app. I look up the nutrients online and measure in oz so I know exactly how much food I eat away. I only estimated the amount of food I would eat BEFORE I started my diet.

    Everyone says I should do my recommended of 1800 calories but I'm so afraid I won't lose any weight :drinker:
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    I'm 5 feet exactly I started at 1200 calories a day. You have to stay honest with the calories. If you walk 10,000 + steps a day that should help you at the beginning…I have a feeling you may not have "estimated" your calories correctly in the past. Move forward and be honest and you will figure out if you can eat more or need to adjust less. I know when I go over even to 1300 calories I get myself into trouble, but everyone is different.

    Congratulations, BTW for joining and looking to move forward to a healthier lifestyle! :smile:

    Thanks!! Are you still on the 1200 calorie diet and did your weight loss slow down after a while? :)

    Yeah I think so too, I'm now using the app. I look up the nutrients online and measure in oz so I know exactly how much food I eat away. I only estimated the amount of food I would eat BEFORE I started my diet.

    Everyone says I should do my recommended of 1800 calories but I'm so afraid I won't lose any weight :drinker:

    Read the links. They will help you.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    If you have a birthday coming up ask for a FitBit - then you can be confident that you're aiming for a deficit in line with your true level of activity, mind you, with so little to lose the outlay may not be worthwhile. Make sure you have yourself set as active here to cover your work activity. 1200 sounds way too low. Weigh your food!
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

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