Help I'm scared I'm not eating enough!

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I started using MFP again after a long time to lose some weight I've gained.
I had to recover from whiplash. Everything is going well I am just too scared to push too hard too fast in case I injure myself.
So in the meantime I am starting to log again and trying watch my calories. I haven't eaten the best foods because I have been travelling around with my family, but I am trying to get back on track with meal preparation and choosing healthier options.
Well, MFP has me measured as needing to eat only 1200 calories. I can remember losing weight when it was set to around 1600 last time. So I am a bit confused. I'm also trying to switch to kilojoules so I didn't notice at first.
What activity level do you think I should be at? I have a 3 year old and a 7 year old. I don't spend a lot of time sitting down really but we haven't been that active. I walk the kids to school and back ( 2.4 km total) each day and they play in the park. I clean a woman's house once a fortnight and my own (of course). I've only been walking about 60 mins a day and I have been doing light exercise at home or at the gym about 5 days a week 30- 60 mins. I also play Billiards (snooker size table) which requires being on my feet and walking around the table. I used to breastfeed and workout high impact at least 2 hours a day. So I got used to eating a lot and I got very depressed when I was forced to stop. Now I'm not sure what level I'm at?
I'm 154 pounds or 70 kg, 176 cm or about 5'9".

I am really concerned that if I only eat 1200 calories a day my metabolism will slow down and I will start to gain weight. I've had a lot of problems losing the 5kg that I have put on without high impact exercise and I really want to wear a nice bikini in December.


Replies

  • CatLady1309
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    When I first came on here MFP set me at 1200,I really struggled on that. Didn't lose a pound & I was so moody. I put it up to 1450 a day & I was losing about a pound a week. I spend most of the day on my feet but that's due to my job. Play around with your calories and see what works for you :)
  • cantumelia
    cantumelia Posts: 59 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Try to find out your basal metabolism. You can use a heart rate monitor. Wear the chest band for one night as you sleep. See how many calories you burn while sleeping (minimun activity). Or you can use an online BM calculator. It´s not as accurate but may help you figure out how many calories you may consume. If you keep your intake under your BM+activity expenditure you´ll loose weight. Knowing your BM will help you adjust your diet. Remember that your BM changes as your weight changes.
  • tsikkz
    tsikkz Posts: 404 Member
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    The goal of the game is to eat as much calories as possible without weight gain, I would start at 1600 and reduce only if you need to or when you hit a plateau. The slower you lose the better shape you will be in in the long run.
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 682 Member
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    i would start at 1600 too im 5ft 5 or 165cm and I weigh 140lbs and I eat 1660 cals
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    It sounds like you have your goal set too aggressively, for someone who only has 15 pounds to lose. Go in and change it to a half a pound a week.
  • lolly715
    lolly715 Posts: 106
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    What loss rate did you set it to? Your TDEE even on sedentary is around 1800, and more like 2200 if I set exercise to 5 times a week. So 1200 sounds like you've set it to a 2lb per week loss which is probably too quick given you don't have much to lose. I'd say 1600 is probably much better for you and if you already know you can lose weight at that rate, no harm in raising it. If you don't lose, then consider cutting it to 1500 and see if that works.

    FWIW... MFP set mine to 1200 when I first started as well. I've raised it to 1400 and still seeing the rate of loss that I want - average about 1.5lb/week. I'm planning to raise it further once I reach my very short term goal.
  • TheRealKit
    TheRealKit Posts: 97 Member
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    I have a hard time getting enough calories and try to add things that have good fats,carbs etc to up my calorie count. I noticed the more often I eat the more I lose. The reason this program here is good for me is that it makes me accountable and actually think about eating normally. Helps me by reminding to not go without eating and binging later .
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    People talk about metabolism slowing down like it is disconnected from life. You metabolism is pretty much your activity level. If you lack the energy to keep up your current activities, then that is an indication that you aren't eating enough. As long as you are exerting yourself more than the calories you eat, you will lose weight. It isn't possible for you to keep active, reduce calories, and gain weight, all at the same time.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Use light active and eat back exercise calories. Also you don't seem to have much to lose at all, so switch to losing half a pound a week.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I used to be exactly the same weight as you (pre third pregnancy) and I'm 5'6. I was eating 1500 calories a day and losing. I was exercising 5 times a week, and running round a lot with my then 2 and 4 year olds.

    You're already at a perfectly healthy weight for your height and you don't have a lot to lose, so you can eat a bit more. No point making yourself hungry. You need the energy for those kids!
  • Aelfgar
    Aelfgar Posts: 2
    edited November 2014
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    There are a lot of points in your post that I would like to address, so I will take each in turn and I apologize for the length. But first and foremost, I would like to address the calorie counting.

    Essentially, 1200 calories would be the goal I might set for someone who sits at a desk all day, is grossly overweight and eats junk out of vending machines all day, never exercises, and lacks the ability or willingness to change more than their diet. But you said that you do exercise. Walking the kids to school, light workouts, etc. You give no information as to how intense "light" might be, or for that matter how intense the "high impact" workout was that you used to do (few of my fellow fitness instructors do 2 hours of high impact per day, so that is an accomplishment to be proud of!)

    You, however, going strictly by height/weight ratio, are obviously not in this category and may want to look at what your MFP goal settings are and if they are realistic.

    MFP is a fantastic set of tools, but let us not get caught up in the calorie counting and focus on the other facets it provides that encourage healthy living. The goal should not be to lower your calorie intake so as to lose weight, but instead start eating better foods and increasing your activity level. The only time you should need to look at the number of calories you intake (and that is mostly in the beginning stages) is to compare foods to determine which is your better choice to eat, and which foods (or ingredients) to keep or include in your diet compared to foods you should limit or exclude. You can eat healthily and eat an amazing amount of food in a day to meet your energy needs, or you can eat one meal at a fast food restaurant, go over your "daily goal", and be hungry again in a half hour.

    In summation, I suggest that you focus on staying active (by staying active, I mean at an increased cardio level--e.g. exercise) and eating healthily. As long as you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. Use MFP and any other tools you like to track you progress, and keep us informed as well!
  • heidistubbs
    heidistubbs Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks so much for the feedback!
    There's nothing worse than being hungry and not knowing whether or not I can eat! It's hard because I live with someone with an ED and they are constantly telling me that I eat too much. I always need to get positive reinforcement elsewhere.
    I love to eat very healthy foods but with the kids and family its not always possible for us to afford it in the beginning. It takes sometime for me to build up recipes in the freezer and cupboard, and this time I am including the family so it has to work for all of us..... I'm trying some protein balls with my son today. :smiley:
    I think that by the comments here that I am going to set my calories to 1500 and try not to eat too much junk food.

    Aelfgar:
    My light workouts are- pilates inner core strengthening with a bit of yoga and tai chi. At the gym I might walk on the treadmill for 15 mins at 6km then do my pilates, then do another walk for 15mins at 6km. I have recently started more classes of bodybalance and some bike classes too but not frequently enough to count.
    High Impact- In reality I worked out 4 hours in a day....
    5 am mornings yoga and stretching
    9.15 am High Impact combat or plyometrics class
    4.30 pm running for 60 mins
    Wednesdays I'd play tennis for 2 hours
    I'd workout doing some of the moves from the classes at home for around 45mins.
    Lots of push ups, squats, planks and the different intense body holding moves I learnt in classes. I ended up with injuries constantly. I won't do it that way again.

    Sorry for the really long reply. I'm glad I'm not the only one that has wondered about their calories!