new and unsure and need help

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janey0328
janey0328 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
my name is jane. i am 25, and i have recently reached my all time highest weight of 215. i am 5'10'' so i am considered obese! what a nightmare i have caused for myself.

enough dwelling on what i have let happen, i am trying to move forward to get back down to the weight range i felt best at, it was three years ago and it was 155-160. ahhh those were the days. i was highly active (training muay thai and bikrams yoga) and i also didn't have the binge eating habit that i have currently. i have no illusion that this will take any less than a year, as i have lost so much strength, endurance, and self control over the last three years.

so MFP says i should be eating 1200 calories a day. my best friend/roommate says i need to eat 1800 to lose fat and not muscle. i recently changed my goal on MFP to 1520. but i am nervous! i want to make sure i lose this weight! i am working out at least 3 times a week (strength and cardio) --but sometimes i slack with the workout and don't push myself as hard as i know i can go, or some days i'll only work out for 30 minutes. so i want to arrange my calorie goal to lose weight even if i don't burn a bunch of calories working out.

what are your suggestions? i don't want to put myself into starvation mode, or lose any muscle, but i also want to lose at least most of this extra weight by next fall!

Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    The MFP calorie goal is before exercise and has a deficit built in. I'm guessing you got 1200 for wanting to lose 2/week and when you dialed it back to a lesser goal you arrived at the 1520? If some days you feel you need more, then consider eating extra to account for your exercise.

    If so - go for the 1520 for a few weeks and see how it goes. You can always make adjustments if you think you need to.

    Look for things you can improve in your lifestyle but keep it simple enough that you don't get frustrated or feel overwhelmed. Perhaps set a goal to drink X glasses of water a day, eat more fruits & veggies, and accurately log everything everyday for the next 2 weeks. Get those habits under control and then expand your focus.

    You CAN do this.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
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    Welcome Jane. 1200cal per day is hard to stick if long term. I would try eating 1520 for the first month and see what weight loss you get. If you have lost a few pounds (which I am sure you will), keep at that level. If you exercise (cardio) log it on MFP but don't eat all the calories back- most people here say to eat about half of them back. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    If 1520 scares you, try 1350. You can adjust.

    It involves a lot of trial and error. You're going to have to find the number that allows you to lose without making you feel like you're starving. Being hungry is natural at first. Your stomach will shrink. You'll get used to eating less. It will get easier. But if you're feeling so hungry you can't sleep or feel weak or dizzy, it's too low. You need to eat more.

    You have to find exercise you enjoy, too. Maybe after a while, you stop enjoying it and need to do something else.

    Some people eliminate junk food and others cut it out. Some go cold turkey for a few months and are then able to work it in as a treat.

    People do low-carb or low-fat - all kinds of ideas there.

    See a doctor when beginning. Everyone should! They can rule out medical problems, tell you what kind of food you should or shouldn't be eating and give you a nice idea of a calorie goal. Take that advice and go forward.

    It's good that you realize you're going to have to work hard, every day, for a long time. So many people see quick loss at the beginning and then can't be satisfied if the scale doesn't register a whole two pounds in a week. Hang in there.

    You can do this. :)
  • janey0328
    janey0328 Posts: 7 Member
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    thanks everyone for all the feedback and encouragement! i'll keep you all updated :)
  • iamladygusta
    iamladygusta Posts: 42
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    I'm new to all of this and don't have an answer for you. But I do have a question. I'm 5'10" and have always been obese-my highest weight was 331. I don't remember ever being under a size 16 growing up. My goal weight is 155-160. What size did you wear when you were that low? Just trying to get an idea of what I can look forward to. Thanks!!
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    I'm new to all of this and don't have an answer for you. But I do have a question. I'm 5'10" and have always been obese-my highest weight was 331. I don't remember ever being under a size 16 growing up. My goal weight is 155-160. What size did you wear when you were that low? Just trying to get an idea of what I can look forward to. Thanks!!

    I'm just a hair under 6 feet, and at 155-160 (my goal weight btw) I'm around a really tight size 8, to a loose size 10. That isn't set in stone, as I can fit into 'some' size 10's now at 175...but generally using true sizing, it's between an 8-10.

    Good luck
  • iamladygusta
    iamladygusta Posts: 42
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    I'm new to all of this and don't have an answer for you. But I do have a question. I'm 5'10" and have always been obese-my highest weight was 331. I don't remember ever being under a size 16 growing up. My goal weight is 155-160. What size did you wear when you were that low? Just trying to get an idea of what I can look forward to. Thanks!!

    I'm just a hair under 6 feet, and at 155-160 (my goal weight btw) I'm around a really tight size 8, to a loose size 10. That isn't set in stone, as I can fit into 'some' size 10's now at 175...but generally using true sizing, it's between an 8-10.

    Good luck

    Thank you so much!! :)
  • janey0328
    janey0328 Posts: 7 Member
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    i was wearing a 10-12 in pants.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    1520 sounds more reasonable than 1200. As you get smaller, you may need to drop your calorie target to keep your steady rate of loss. If you start out at the bare minimum, where are you going to go?

    You said you'd like to lose most of the weight by next fall, right? That seems like a very realistic goal. Even if you set MFP to lose 1 pound per week, you'll lose about 52 pounds by then, which would put you exactly where you want to be. (Whereas if you start at a super low target, try to lose 2 pounds every week and burn out after 2 months, you'll have lost 16 pounds). My advice would be to start off slow, figure out a sustainable intake you feel that you can stick to for the next year, and give your body a month to see how it reacts. You can adjust your calorie target up or down from there.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    I'm new to all of this and don't have an answer for you. But I do have a question. I'm 5'10" and have always been obese-my highest weight was 331. I don't remember ever being under a size 16 growing up. My goal weight is 155-160. What size did you wear when you were that low? Just trying to get an idea of what I can look forward to. Thanks!!
    I'm just under 5'9", was a 24/26 at 250. Now 184 and although I'm wearing size 16s, they're all too big. I could wear mostly 14s if I had them already.

    The closet is always full of different sizes, of course. My shirts are mostly XLs (also getting roomy, can't wait for the first shirt with NO X in the size), but I have a t-shirt that is labeled 2X and still doesn't fit.

    Sometimes I swear that clothing manufacturers just pull the sizes out of their hats. And giggle about their funny joke. ;)

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