I can use your HELP

erkle1eka
erkle1eka Posts: 4 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I was introduced to the site about a month ago. I log my eating/exersice habits daily even when I feel guilty about over eating. I weigh about 165lbs today and want to reach a goal of 140lbs (for now), although as a teenager my doctor said 150-160lbs was where I should had been at the age of 15! I have always battled my weight being bigger boned, 200+lbs at 5'7" since the 5th grade. Im now in my mid 20s with no children, family, or friends - and so I feel that it is my prime time to make my dream come true of becoming lean-cut and an athlete - or at least the lifestyle of one.
I am alotted 1200 calorie/day according to this website and have been able to maintain this for about a week and a half and then crashing/consuming extra for a 1-3days. But I get these memos after logging my diary entrees of danger Im eating too few calories if Im just under 1200, or my weight will be more than I weigh today if i eat over 1400cal. I have not been able to manage eating super nutritious and healthy with my VERY small budget of less than $80/mon, my ability to cook, and my time management. But I can monitor the portions of what I consume fairly well as long as sweets arent brought to my attention at all! I grew up on 1-2meals/day and am familiar with this but limiting my calories I spread it out into 3 very small meals.
MY WORKOUTS: I can typically drive myself many days to just jog it out without thought with the - "just do it" theory in mind, but if I miss a day = I miss several and my consumption typically gets a bit worse during that time.
I enjoy taking long 10mile walks at about 3.5-6mph/pace and a 15-20min morning leisurely walk/daily, but I cant seem to get into any weight lifting or home routine workouts (they are too intimidating or I get distracted after a single set) - strictly stuck on walking or the occasional 8mile bike ride - It is almost as if my body is overly familiar with my attempts (ups/downs) I never meet my expectations when I try my Best, my body just doesnt seem to change.

Anyone out there have any pointers to help prevent me from 2000+calorie/day crashes or a boost/tips to get me closer to my goals? I feel the need to have a role model but havent got anyone in mind... hint hint ;-)
I guess I just dont know what else to do but keep trying - so I thought I would make a post to find out if anyone is listening and can help me reach or go beyond my goals? I am very open to sincere & constructive critisizm. Please help in anyway you think you can - even if it is just adding me as a friend out of support! Thanks for your efforts.. :-d

Replies

  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
    Did you set MFP to lose 2 pounds per week. If so change that to one pound a week. I am your grandma and I am set at 1240 per week, and have been successful. In your 20's, you're definitely going to need more calories than I do. You don't want your body to go into starvation mode, thereby shutting down your metabolism. So check your calorie intake to lose 1 pound a week.

    At your current height and weight do not expect to lose weight quickly. Only the super obese, those that are accustomed to eating 4 to 7 thousand calories a day, who cut back to less than 1500 can take off weight quickly. But even they slow down the more weight they lose.

    Welcome, be patient, you can do this. Calories in versus calories out.
  • flynn1975
    flynn1975 Posts: 3 Member
    I just started today. I am 1200 cal too. But, i ate 3 meals and snacks.. walked and still have calories left over. Fruit/veggies are usually pretty cheap, portable and available everywhere. Are you eating lots of fruit/veggies?

    Hang in there :) We are all in the same boat
  • erkle1eka
    erkle1eka Posts: 4 Member
    I switched it to 1lbs/week and it does make a pretty decent adjustment to1630 calories a day. I have read in a fitness magazine that limiting yourself to only 1200 calories for more than a week or two isnt healthy/dangerous, so I believe that this new 1630 is probably safer - yet a longer process that I can manage better without crashing. I am very eager to accomplish my goal, faster than the months that this website is telling me it will take.. so that I can start planning other future goals, but I am old enough to understand that the things that we truely desire take time effort and much dedication. I have plenty of experience rushing goals that only lead to failure. So taking it a bit slower (step by step) may help make it a lot more attainable, healthier, and successful. So thank you for your advise. :-)
  • erkle1eka
    erkle1eka Posts: 4 Member
    Oh and about the meals I consume its typically been chicken stirfry over brown rice/wheat noodles, tuna or tuna pasta meals, copper penny carrots I cant get enough of, scrambled eggs with any veggies I have left over, and protien bars. So the majority of what i eat have veggies in it Im not really big on fruit and fruit is typically a bit more pricey.
    Also I drink Lots of water or Amino Energy and coffee to surpress meals. 1200cal or even less does satisfy my hunger ussually but like i stated after about 2weeks or less I go through 2-3days of eating extra. Banana nut cake, kit kats, cheddar & sour cream potato chips and dreamcicles are my weakness on those days.
    But that is the sum of pretty much all I have stuck by for over a month. with an occassional fresco chicken soft taco or something fast food offers in reason. No sodas no juices no major junk meals :-d (typically)
  • erkle1eka
    erkle1eka Posts: 4 Member
    ... I glanced back at my food diary and well I have eatin a Wider variety of foods over the past month. In fact there were things I dont typically think of but habitually consume at least once a month.. which is probably partially why my bank accout went negative this month as well :-d uuh so its hard to specify when I have a wide range of random foods but still whatever I was eating either it was a day I caved in or still was monitoring my 1200 calorie goal, plus a few of those days I acounted my burned calories as consumable calories as well :-\ Which I try to avoid doing - I work out to be rid of not make room for more
  • ishiqa36
    ishiqa36 Posts: 37 Member
    I wore a body bugg for about a year to see how many calories I burn without working out and I burn over 2000 calories a day on a chill day. At that time I was 198 and my calorie goal was at 1200. I wasnt losing any weight which is why I decided to get the body bugg. Even though I am overweight I am a pretty hyper person. So I could never understand why I wasn't losing weight, and I eat pretty healthy since most of my meals I cook myself.

    I ended up raising my calories to 1600 and lost 50lbs over the course of 6 months with the only exercise being playing just dance on the wii. I got sick in march of last year and I couldn't do anything for months and just as I got better I got into a car accident in December. During this past year I gained back 25lbs which isnt bad I think since it took a year of doing nothing and not working to gain that weight. I tried again to do the 1200 calories and same results. No weight loss. I raised it back to 1600 and am doing much better.

    For me 1200 is never enough. I usually eat 1500 to 1600 calories and a lot of protein and I keep it under 80carbs max. That is a load of food. High protein foods such as greek yogurt, tuna, prawns, chicken and such are low in calories. As is with veggies. I cut down on fruit but i still eat apples ( i love watermelon the most ). Usually for breakfast when I feel lethargic. I realized that my sugar is too low at times and it makes me feel tired. When that happens ill eat an apple or some carrots. If you are going to eat bread try using fat free cream cheese as a spread instead of butter, You can use twice as much, its only 30 calories and contains 4g of protein so it will help keep you full longer. For fats eat what comes from nature like coconut oil and avocados.

    hopefully this helps a little. I know what works for me may not work for you. I do exercise now (physical therapy recovering from my car accident and walks) but weight is coming off much faster at 1600 calories for me.

    also, the days you crash and eat 2000 calories is okay. Just try not to do it often. 2000 is not that bad. After you change your diet and find alternatives to things you love even on the days you think you eat to much after you log you will realize it wasn't that bad. Once I craved ice cream so bad I ate 3 ice cream bars. I didn't want to log but surprisingly I only hit 1800. That was because I dont have any high calorie junk food in my home. Most of my junk food is quest bars, ice cream, sunflower seeds, boulder creek protein crisps, greek yogurt with stevia, seaweed, etc. I make hot cocoa a lot but I use unsweetened cocoa powder and almond milk and put stevia in it. Sometimes Ill make it into a mocha. Only 45 calories.

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