Just Starting out looking for advice

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jenster540
jenster540 Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all. So I just re started my journey. Now I am using the app and when i first entered everything in, it gave me a calorie intake of 1360, my friend thinks that low? I am currently 255 and i can manage 10mins on my elliptical and a couple other short routines every other day, is this enough?

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Replies

  • kiara1066
    kiara1066 Posts: 119 Member
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    I am not an expert but I think it give you that calorie number because you wrote you are lightly active perhaps. I eat 1200 and I am sedentary most of the time. I am losing some weight eating this much. But I have been reading about TDEE? method also works for some people. Everyone is different try the 1300'ish calories for a week and see if it works for you.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    What is your height? Did you set MFP to lose two pounds a week? Is that why your friend is concerned?
    I agree about trying the 1300-ish for a week or two.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    As far as exercise, anything you can do is fine. You really don't need to exercise to lose weight. It's just calories in versus calories out. If you used sedentary on your settings MFP will adjust your calories based on no exercise.

    Exercise helps to lose weight a little faster, but really it's purpose is to get you physically fit.
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
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    I eat at least 1600 a day at 148 lbs but I'm pretty active. I recommend not going any lower than what you are at now and I'm guessing you set your goal at 2 lbs a week. Maybe see how that goes for a while but I would add more exercise (mostly for health benefits rather than weight loss) as you can and increase your calorie intake by setting your goal at 1 lb a week after a few weeks. That's just me though. Good luck to you on your path to fitness.
  • aubrie917
    aubrie917 Posts: 41 Member
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    1360 seems extremely low for someone weighing 255. I imagine you've been eating much higher than that so that's a drastic cut in calories. I suggest starting at like 1600 calories a day and go from there. Otherwise the cut is too drastic.

    As far as your working out goes, keep it up!! You can add a little more exercise as you get more fit

    Good luck =]
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
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    Can you tell us your height?

    I am 5'6' and 158 and I eat about 1400. I think it wouldn't hurt to start out a bit higher maybe 1500-1600 and see if you lose weight doing that. I say that for 2 reasons.... 1) like another poster said it is a drastic change and we want to make this as easy as possible in order so we can stick with it. 2) once you lose a portion of weight you may need to drop your calories a bit more, therefore its nice to have some wiggle room to reduce calories in the future.

    Good luck!

    You can do this - feel free to add me as a friend if you would like the support!
  • jenster540
    jenster540 Posts: 13 Member
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    I'm 5'3, my previous weight loss app told me 1700 calories. But I will definitely give it a try and see how I do. And yes I did set it to the 2 lbs per week. I also see people saying they are just taking 20% off which would put me up at 1888 so I'm unsure what I should start at. I felt fine by supper but the after supper tummy grumble snuck up
  • jenster540
    jenster540 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks for all the advice btw. Oh and my active level is set at sedentary
  • ronitperman
    ronitperman Posts: 25
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    I'm 5'3, my previous weight loss app told me 1700 calories. But I will definitely give it a try and see how I do. And yes I did set it to the 2 lbs per week. I also see people saying they are just taking 20% off which would put me up at 1888 so I'm unsure what I should start at. I felt fine by supper but the after supper tummy grumble snuck up

    Hey congrats as you mention you did set it to the 2 lbs per week. Its really good. Adding some more exercise in your daily routine will help you to lose more weight and be fit.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    1400 is likely too low. Yes, you're not all that active, but you're also heavier, which impacts how much energy your body needs to maintain your current weight. I like this calculator:
    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html

    I inputted your info and guessed some average hours spent for each level of activity and it estimates around 2600 to maintain your current weight. This calculator gives 3050; it definitely estimates high, but I've seen people recommend it as being very accurate:
    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

    I'm using that 2nd calculator myself for now because even at 2000 calories, which for me is a bit less than 20% deficit from what exrx.net estimates are my needs, I still feel like I need more food. I was really happy eating 2200 but I felt like it was a bit too much, soI'm doing 2100 which is right around a 20% deficit based on the 2nd calculator for me.

    I would recommend starting out with the lower estimate for a month or so and see how you feel. If you don't feel great - lacking energy, headaches, hard time sleeping, lethargic despite sleeping a lot, etc - then add in another 100 every few weeks and see how you feel and how your weight loss progresses. Give it at least a few weeks though, 2-3 would be good.

    Exercise is not needed for weight loss. It can help, since your body will burn more calories which means you can eat more food while still maintaining the same 15-20% deficit. Any amount of activity you are doing now though will help in regards to energy and how you feel. For now, 10 minutes every other day is more than none every day :) So every week or two, try adding in a few more minutes at the same intensity/resistance you are using now. Over time you'll find that you can work out for longer at that resistance, but then it will start getting easier. That's when you can increase the resistance a bit. It's not going to happen overnight, and I don't recommend that you focus on trying to get in an hour of intense exercise every day.. just do what feels comfortable for you. I work out 5 hours a week, almost all of that being strength training, whereas in the past I would work out closer to 8 hours a week! Way too much. But back then I was 200 lbs and my body fat was very high, doing a half hour on the elliptical at the default settings was ridiculously challenging. Over time I got to the point where I maxed out the settings on the elliptical and it was no longer a challenge (it's since become a challenge again after gaining some weight back and being inconsistently active for over a year).

    Just keep up with it, be consistent, re-evaluate your caloric needs as you change your activity levels, don't get too preoccupied with numbers, etc.
  • joanna_82
    joanna_82 Posts: 151 Member
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    Definitely recommend starting with a lower amount of weight loss per week until you get yourself into a good routine. It might feel a shock to be eating so 'little' calories compared to what you had before so be kind to yourself and do it bit by bit.
    Maybe try 1 lb a week and see what you get?
    The elliptical is great- keep up the good work and when you feel able, up the duration or the intensity of the workout.

    p.s I started at 181 and set mine at 0.5lb per week and got 1700 calories. I'm now down to 168 and my calories have reduced to 1620. Still enough for me that I don't feel starving but still losing weight :-)
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    Here is a great place to start
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
  • kalo88
    kalo88 Posts: 9
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    I started October/November last year at 306lbs. Fast forward to August this year and i'm at 227lbs (79lbs lost).

    I started on 1500 calories a day and for the first... 1 to 1.5 months didnt have a 'treat day' as such. I was very strict with my diet (Although I never ate rabbit food then, or now!). Over christmas I was even strict and didnt put any weight on! Slowly overtime i've upped my calories to 1550 a day but I've never felt hungry or tired etc

    I do get the odd day where I crave something, I try ride it out but if I'm still craving it the next day then I will have usually have it (Although I still try work it into my calories). By crave I dont mean a 2500 calorie dominos pizza... I'm talking a small bar of chocolate here etc. I've tried replacing all kinds of takeaway with home cooked varients. Home made pizza... home made chips. I actually tried some of my favourite foods from before I dieted and they taste really rubbish now... All I keep thinking is 'This does not taste good enough to justify the calories'.. I'd actually rather make something myself (and I suck at cooking!).

    Throughout all of this I haven't exercised out of the ordinary stuff you do day to day by the way. So far i've lost 8 inches off my waist, gone from a XXXL Shirt size to Large, replaced my clothes about 4x and sleep, breath, walk much better too.

    Not sure if this has helped at all
  • jenster540
    jenster540 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your replies it has helped me a lot :) I'm going to keep sticking with it :)
  • jenster540
    jenster540 Posts: 13 Member
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    While I'm here another question. So I adjusted my calorie intake to 1500 I think that's a happy medium. Now last year I had my gallbladder removed and since then I can't eat much. Now I know my night time snacking on wrong things hasn't helped but is it possible to not eat the full amount of calories and still not loose weight?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    You should visit a doctor when beginning a weight loss journey. He will be able to tell you what sorts of food you should and shouldn't be eating and give you a a calorie goal. You may even get a referral to a nutritionist. Don't get your health advice from your friends, coworkers or yahoos on the Internet.

    The first time I got on an elliptical, I'd had enough after seven minutes. That was it! I got to 20 before deciding I didn't like elipticals...or doing exercise in one place.

    Remember that you get better as you go and remember that if something doesn't work for you,try something else. Keep trying until you hit on something you like, :)
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    Read OP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
  • MSouthernbelle87
    MSouthernbelle87 Posts: 63 Member
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    I personally think 1400 is enough. I started at 225 and the only way I ate more was if I did some intense calorie burning and I still stayed as close as possible to the 1400.

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