Many questions hope you can help!!!

canadacatman
canadacatman Posts: 224 Member
edited March 6 in Food and Nutrition
First I would like to tell you a bit about my journey.

I started my weight lose journey two years ago when I actually got on a scale and it said 372 pounds. The first thought was I'm almost dead. So I started dieting and working out and 102 days later was at 327 pounds. But one day I started feeling really weird light headed one day I actually almost passed out getting out of bed in the morning. So I went to the doctors and after losing almost 50 pounds I developed high blood pressure so he put me on pills and for some reason I stopped everything. Now during this weight lose I was getting advice from body builders I was eating 2100 calories 200 grams protein and 4 liters water.

Well fast forward two years and today scale was 396.7 pounds. So now I need to get off my lazy *kitten* and get going. I am going grub shopping tomorrow and will be eating clean. I notice things that are not right but I am actually too shared to go back to my doctors as will most likely be on more pills. I was going to start a few times but for some reason I over think it and never started.

I was wondering if someone could answer some of my questions for me please and thanks.

1. How many calories should a male almost 400 pounds actually eat I am sick of sites that recommend amounts as they all say a different amount.

2. Same for protein this site said 78 grams but I was told from 75-175 grams a day.

3. Do you really need to drink 3-4 liters of water daily.

4. Would someone who eats 2000 calories daily let me see their food diary if its open.

5. Is there a certain amount of fruit and veggies I should be eating.

6. I was also wondering do you need to or should you eat protein with every meal.

7. I like eating smaller meals just more as I hate feeling bloated and yes I do that now even eating bad I'll save some for later in day, does it matter if you eat 3 big meals or 4-5 smaller ones during the day.

I just find it weird I never had high blood pressure until I lost weight I was at the doctors maybe 3 weeks earlier and it was perfect. Would it just of been time as I was big or could all the protein and water all at once of caused it. I do not have any kidney or other problems other then high blood pressure and meds for it.

I appreciate any and all help that any members can give me. I need this weight off I can not die young(40) I have 2 grand kids under 4 I need to see grow up.

Thanks

Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Stop listening to the guys in the gym and go back to the doctor for a heart check.
    You dod not have to drink 3-4 liters of water a day. Half of that is fine. You can eat three big meals or 4-5 small meals during the day. The timing of food does not matter.

  • canadacatman
    canadacatman Posts: 224 Member
    I had blood work and EKG last month everything is fine cholesterol is good too actually.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    For God's sake, stop asking bodybuilders and random people online for advice on your health.

    Go back to the doctor and follow his advice.
  • cherryblossombabe
    cherryblossombabe Posts: 113 Member
    You have taken the first step already as you are here on my fitness pal, that's brillant!
    I hope I can answer a few of your questions, I will try my best..
    To work out how many calories I should be eating daily all I done was input all my details into MFP and choose 1lb a week loss and I stick to the calories I am allowed.
    I drink around 2 - 2 and a half litres of water a day, Also I eat roughly 1,600 cals and my diary is open if your wanting to have a look at what kind of foods I eat..
    - As for veggies I try incorporate them into my every day eating as much as I can, Around 2 or 3 diffrent veggies a day if I can, sometimes I get fed up of eating them so will include more carbs into my day.
    - I eat protein with my dinner, sometimes with my lunch.. So no not at every meal.
    - They say eating smaller meals instead of 2 or 3 big ones boosts your metabolism so yes I do believe eating smaller and more is better ( I eat three meals a day with one snack at night)

    I understand you are so eager to lose weight and I just want to let you know that you can do this! Believe in yourself.. If you are feeling a little stressed about your blood pressure I would go back to the doctor and talk over your plans for weight loss, see if he can give you some tips etc..as much as you properly want to avoid the doctors its best to go and get monitored so you can lose weight.. That's what I done.

    I hope I could help.. Please feel free to add me as a friend, all the best :)

  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited October 2014
    canadacatman wrote:
    today scale was 396.7 pounds
    Yikes. A big gain, definitely not what you wanted.
    Glad you're here, and have decided to try to help yourself.
    How many calories should a male almost 400 pounds actually eat
    My doctor (who heads the weight-loss program at the hospital) and dietician told me there are 2 methods to determine calorie intake.

    One is to take your current weight x 10, then subtract 1000 cal to get what you should eat in a day to lose 2 lb per week. Currently, that would land you at 3000 cal. As you lose weight, hit a plateau, recalculate.

    The other is to multiply your healthy goal weight x 10. Right now, that would probably be too big of a drop, so stick with method 1 until the numbers match.

    Here's a BMI chart to help you find your healthy goal weight. For now, aim for the highest number in the green range. When you get there, see how you feel & adjust from there.
    http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf

    ETA: BTW, that's _total_ calories, not net. Ignore net, ignore exercise.
    Most people underestimate what they eat & most machines (including MFP) overestimate what you burn in exercise.
    You should exercise, it's good for you & will help you maintain weight loss, but most weight loss comes from controlling calories in.

    "Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake. However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity."
    http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html

    ETA2: Once you get to goal, nudge your calories up until you're not losing any more. That should be about 15 cal / lb.
    http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/calorie-counting-made-easy.htm
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited October 2014
    Same for protein this site said 78 grams but I was told from 75-175 grams a day.
    Here's a table which explains the healthy ranges for macronutrients:
    http://www.iom.edu/Global/News Announcements/~/media/C5CD2DD7840544979A549EC47E56A02B.ashx

    page 1, carbs, 45 - 65% of calories (4 cal per gram)
    page 2, fat, 20 - 35% of calories (9 cal per gram)
    page 4, protein, 10 - 35% of calories (4 cal per gram)

    If you're aiming for 3000 calories, and a lower carb / higher protein diet (which promotes greater weight loss, see studies linked in my blog post below), try 45 / 20 / 35:
    45% carbs = 1350 cal = 338 g
    20% fat = 600 cal = 67 g
    35% protein = 1050 cal = 263 g
    This will also need to be recalculated as you lose weight, but if you put those percentages into MFP, it will handle that for you.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-08-09-high-protein-diet-685553
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited October 2014
    Do you really need to drink 3-4 liters of water daily.
    No. Not unless you're serving overseas in the desert.
    Most days I drink under 2 liters, unless it's midsummer & I'm sweating a lot.
    Is there a certain amount of fruit and veggies I should be eating.
    This calculator will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain that weight.
    If you enter your healthy goal weight from above, this will help you plan your food intake. (Once you get within 1000 cal of what's required for that weight.)
    https://www.bcm.edu/research/centers/childrens-nutrition-research-center/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html
    I was also wondering do you need to or should you eat protein with every meal.
    Need to, as in it is required for good health? No.
    But protein helps keep you from feeling hungry, so having some with each meal is a good idea.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    does it matter if you eat 3 big meals or 4-5 smaller ones during the day.
    Not really. The only research I've found regarding when to eat what are these, which say that eating most of your calories earlier in the day promotes greater weight loss.
    Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.

    This study compared eating a small breakfast, medium lunch, and large dinner, [200, 500, 700 cal]
    with eating a large breakfast, medium lunch, and small dinner [700, 500, 200 cal].
    "The [large breakfast] group showed greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction ... fasting glucose, insulin [&] triglycerides ... decreased significantly to a greater extent in the [large breakfast] group."
    In addition, hunger was less and satiety was greater.
    Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512957
    Full text:
    http://genetics.doctorsonly.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Jakubowicz-at-al-Obesity-2013-oby20460.pdf

    "subjects assigned to high caloric intake during breakfast lost significantly more weight than those assigned to high caloric intake during the dinner"
    Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467926
    Full text: http://www.tradewindsports.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nutrient-Timing-and-Obesity-2014.pdf

    "data suggest that a low-calorie Mediterranean diet with a higher amount of calories in the first part of the day could establish a greater reduction in fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity than a typical daily diet."
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24809437
  • pknjhh
    pknjhh Posts: 117 Member
    Sounds like you need to make serious life change. If your sitting at 400lbs your calorie intake has to be really high. The high blood pressure is more then likely a result of your diet. Not sure what bodybuilders you were listening to but sounds like a low carb diet you were on. That is a natural diuretic. Doubt you were taking potassium with the diet either. You need to see the doctor before proceeding forward. I use a bodybuilding coach for diets and so on. Never had any issues. Your doctor should do a stress test on you truthfully. Sounds like you have more issues then high blood pressure. The poster above was right about Mediterranean diet. You need to be checked for heart issues first and also possible diabetes. If you have diabetes because of your current diet and weight the whole thing changes. I would personally follow more of a diabetic diet right now. That will drop your weight right there. Cut out sodium too. Cutting that out dropped my blood pressure 15 points in 3 weeks. Blood pressure bottom number was 92 a few years back. About 3 months after cutting out sodium I was at 68 and stayed there ever since. Like I said it's your diet that is the issue. Go see the doctor and get all possibilities ruled out before starting to drop again so you know how to approach it.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    I eat around 2000 calories and my diary is open, if it helps.

    Personally I'd just set MFP for 'lose 2 pounds a week' and eat what it says (but increase protein to 30%).

    Best of luck.
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    edited October 2014
    canadacatman wrote: »
    ...I was getting advice from body builders...
    I think I have found part of your problem...the remainder is you.
    I was no different, and if I can do it, you can too! :)

    ADVICE:
    Don't complicate what is simple. Just follow the MFP recommendations for safe, lasting results. Run everything by your doctor. At your current weight, you could even set your MFP weekly loss for 2 pounds per week. That's how I lost my initial 20 pounds, then relaxed into a 1 pound per week loss.
    It took me 2 years.
    alebk8w4zn9r.jpg

    So, to review...
    • avoid body builders
    • stick to MFP recommendations
    • see your doctor
    How MFP works...
    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1026720-how-does-myfitnesspal-work-

    GOOD LUCK!
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