Newbie with a few questions!

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aml17
aml17 Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

Finally want to lose weight, and am on my second week of counting my calories and watching what I eat and have a few questions. Sorry this is so long!

Since counting calories, I've realized before doing this I usually didn't eat much during the day. I never ate breakfast, would eat something fast around lunch time (not a full meal, more like a snack) and then my first meal would be dinner. My goal is to lose 2 lbs a week, until I'm at 150 (at 180 right now) and have been given a goal of 1200 calories a day. I've been extremely good about eating three meals everyday, and I usually have a small snack inbetween each meal. It's a lot more food than I use to eat daily, and I sometimes am still 100-300 calories short of my 1200 some days, although some days I can get 1200 no problem. But the days I'm short, I'm full to where I don't want to eat anymore. Reading on MFP, I've read that this is bad, correct?

My next question is exercise. I didn't want to jump in on the same day with the mentality "eat right everyday, exercise all the time" because I knew I would give up after not long. Now that I have the hang of tracking my food and everything, I starting to exercise today. If I eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 150 calories while jogging a mile, I'm suppose to consume those 150 calories again so I have net calories of 1200? I've read that I am suppose to, and somewhere else that I am not suppose to.. and being new to all of this, it's confusing!

Last thing... I've searched on the message boards about BMR and am STILL confused. It says my BMR is 1,668. This number seems so high, and if I can barely eat 1200 calories a day how am I going to eat that many calories! Is it bad if I don't eat that many calories? Will I still lose weight?

I appreciate any feedback! thank you!

Replies

  • jillleebean
    jillleebean Posts: 9 Member
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    1). Make sure you are weighing or measuring your food for a while....sometimes "guessing" will get you in trouble until you've been doing it long enough to be accurate.
    2). Personally I rarely "eat" my exercise calories unless I'm hungry or going out to eat. It works for me...I sort of "save them up" for going out for a meal or something later in the week.
    3). Exercise will help your body rev up your metabolism and make you feel better about yourself. And I'd bet that if you stick with it, then it will change from being a "chore" to something you actually want to do.
    4). Drink enough water.


    Good luck!
  • NyxDominique
    NyxDominique Posts: 271 Member
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    Counting your calories is a good place to start. I did it for a few weeks, and saw only a marginal change in weight. Soon became discouraged and gave up on. That seems to be the norm for most people.

    Honestly, 30 mins of excerise will rev your metabolism for 24 hrs.

    Like Jillee I normally save the "excerise points" for the weekend. For the one day a week that I cheat and allow myself to eat more then my normal portions.

    Don't go overboard but keep in mind If you eat 1,200 calories you will see results for about 2 weeks. Then your body will get used to the change. You should have a day that you eat more to confuse your body. That way it doesn't plateu on you.

    Good Luck!
  • aml17
    aml17 Posts: 30 Member
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    thank you!! I've been measuring my food since starting counting, and got a little scale this past weekend. It's crazy how small portion sizes are compared to what I actually thought they were!

    And I've always drank plenty of water. Usually the only thing I ever drink.. I've read stories about people giving up soda and losing like 15 pounds and I'm kinda disappointed I can't give up soda and lose that weight! haha
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
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    Soon became discouraged and gave up on. That seems to be the norm for most people.


    Except for all of the active people on mfp! ;)

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