Quick intro and am I doing it right?

kayleighhaffey
kayleighhaffey Posts: 3
edited March 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 28, 5ft 0" and trying to loose some excess weight.

Growing up i was always slender (roughly a size 4 -6, 7.5 stone) and never worried about my weight, even after giving birth i was very slim within days, but 4 years ago i started the deprovera contraception jag and started gaining weight but it was gradual (roughly a stone all in) and two years ago i stopped smoking and put on LOADS of weight and very fast ( in the 4 years iv gained about 2.5 stone ).

6 months into the stop smoking i lost about a stone but as soon as i started to eat "normal" again i put it all back on and more (i constantly felt hungry, doc says its a side effect of the stopping smoking and would gradually ease) and was taken off the depo for health reasons.

About a year ago i started becoming very tired and started passing out, i had tests done and came back i was very anemic ( i have been anemic off and on since i was a teen) and since then i am very tired although my test are back to normal but if i exercise (even walking) i become really tired and need to sleep for a while.

I also work in a super market 4 days a week averaging between 5 hrs and 8hrs a shift ( i would say that it is light work 90% of the time)

So recently the hunger has subsided (yay!!) and i started to loose some weight ( i started eating less calories(Cake lol))

my progress so far:

Starting weight was 9 st 12 lbs / 138 lbs

Current weight is 9 st 3 / 129 lbs

Goal weight is 8 st / 112 lbs

I am also measuring my inches but i will not bore you with them lol

I started using MFP 17 days ago at 9 st 7 / 133 lbs and im now 9 st 3 / 129 lbs and the first week i lost 3.5 lbs and roughly 1/2" everywhere but the second week i have lost 1lbs and no inches at all.

My MFP plan is 1000 (supose to be 1200) calories with a 60% carbs, 25% protein, and 15% fat with 7g sat fat and 45g of sugar, but i never really eat all my calories (it says on average is 800) and am sometime slightly over my fat, sat fat and carbs,

my BMR is 1237 and my TDEE is 1484.

but i keep reading that the macro nutrient percentages don't matter as long as i have a calorie deficit,

can someone point me in the right direction of what i should be doing (food wise).

Kxx

Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited October 2014
    You are petite, so will need to eat less than someone taller/bigger. So keep in mind that many of the 'what worked for me' stories won't be entirely appropriate for you.

    First thoughts: try playing around with different macros to see if that helps with your feelings of fatigue. Its no guarantee, but no harm? Check for vitamin deficiencies as well.

    Other thoughts, are you under a doctor's care? If so ask about a referral to a dietician. Eating below the general threshold of 1200 MIGHT be right for you - but going too low could do harm in the long run. I'm not meaning the mythical 'starvation mode' but a body functions best when it gets proper/enough nutrition.

    The anemia can be helped by including more iron rich foods in your diet, and by an iron supplement. Then again, you probably know that already.

    Also: try to work in short bouts of activity. 10-15 minutes at a time, and gradually increase if possible.

    Last: other than the initial water weight change, a realistic expectation is that your rate of loss will be slow. Its harder for you to create a big calorie deficit than someone who is 6'0" and 300 pounds for an extreme example.
  • kayleighhaffey
    kayleighhaffey Posts: 3
    I'm not under a doc just now and was told that they cannot help me when it comes to weight loss as my BMI is under 30. I went to see them when my weight was at its heaviest.

    I'm too scared to play around with my macros as i'm scared i may put weight back on and its not been easy getting it off so far.
    I don't really understand how the macros work now as iv been reading alot and iv got really confused by it all now.

    I thought to cut out fat and sugar, but people are saying cut out nearly all carbs and eat a high fat high protein diet and then others are saying eat what you like as long as you have a calorie deficit you will lose weight and so far the 800 calories hasn't effected my mood or made me more tired so i assumed it was OK, and i would find it very hard to eat 1200 cals a day.

    also i was looking at the stats for fruit and was put off but how much sugar they contain so have been shying away from it as i was led to believe sugar stores in the body as fat.

    I'm sorry if i appear to be "dumb" but think i have now hit information overload and a lot of it contradicts itself and i am lost as what is best to do.

    Kxx

  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited October 2014
    You don't have to cut out fat and sugar, or fruit. Or carbs. Or anything except calories. The first 3.5lbs you lost was probably a lot of water weight. When people first decide to lose weight, they usually end up eating less sodium and carbs, both of which cause water retention. They start "dieting" and drop a bunch of weight, and then when it levels off (like your 1lb a week...which is a good loss) and get discouraged.

    You should probably eat at least 1200 calories per day. Just make sure it's actually 1200, and you aren't underestimating your intake. Usually that is the culprit when people say "I'm eating 1000 calories a day and not losing weight!!". It's often inaccurate logging. Trying weighing out food and seeing how much your portion really is. It can be pretty eye opening.
  • Cryptonomnomicon
    Cryptonomnomicon Posts: 848 Member
    Concerning macros...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    Personally I would post into this group/thread for a more better informed decision...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/910257/the-new-and-improved-asking-questions-about-your-intake
  • kayleighhaffey
    kayleighhaffey Posts: 3
    I do weight out my food so least im doing something right t:),

    I was abit confused about what I can and cannot eat but think I will stick to what I am doing and just not be too hard on myself with the fat and sugar intake but obviously not take the piss and see how I get on.

    Thanks for your help xx
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