Need to lose 50-60. eating calories earned?

It's not recommended to lose more than 2lbs per week.

Also, that projection is just an estimate. For a lot of people it is off. It basically says you have to eat exactly the same everyday for the next 5 weeks for you to weigh that approx amount. So for you, its based off you going over your goal by 125 calories everyday for the next 5 weeks.

I also don't see whats wrong with 1.6lbs per week loss.

yes you should. If you dont you will crash. Happened to me. It might seem easy at first to not eat them back but you will plateau. Plus 8 lbs in 5 week anyone should be happy with

I agree with malibu927, I eat about half my exercise calories.

While I generally agree with the slower is better approach, I don't think it's "bible" like many here do. IMO, sustainability should be the greater priority.

If you can sustain 1200 cals for a month and lose the weight, then shift to a healthy/reasonable number of calories to maintain your weight long term, then go for it. But if 1200 for 3 days causes you to go crazy with deprivation and eat everything you can get your hands on, then it's not worth it.

On a side note... if you earn 175 calories, you should only be eating back 175 calories. Eating 1200, earning 175, and ending the day at 1500 probably won't accomplish what you're trying to do. I assume you know that, but...

dr0707 wrote: »

thanks everyone. its day 4 and im eating better, exercising AND feeling better. weighing my foods and logging everything. got on the scale and lost 3 lbs already. I know, youre all going to tell me its water, etc. but for me, its motivating.

Theres a big NFL game this weekend and my husband and I usually go to the local bar and watch and eat and drink. Ive been wrestling myself whether I should go or not. On the one hand, if I don't go, ill probably be pissed off that Im not socializing and the diet is interfering with my life. On the other hand, if I go, ill be drinking beers and eating wings and fries and what not.

Tell me how you handle these situations. do I eat less all week so I can splurge? do I decide which is more important to me?

I reached a point in my dieting when I was avoiding social situations and it made me pretty miserable. Personally, I do two things. One, I do my best to make the day fit into my calories. I'll get a salad, log my beer ahead of time, and eat a little lighter throughout the day to give myself more room to enjoy myself. Two, if I do go over I still log it and just keep it under my maintenance calories, which allows me to feel a little less guilt.

You get to decide whether or not to go out. Sometimes you may decide to stay home and that's okay. There are times when it's just not worth it to me. But if you do decide to go out, have a strategy and try not to stress about it. Learning how to eat out and enjoy your time with friends is all a part of this lifestyle change that everyone's always talking about.

My doctor & dietician told me to ignore exercise calories, and most of the time I do.
Most people underestimate what they eat,
most machines (including MFP) overestimate calories burned.
The errors cancel out.
If you're really hungry, have 1/3 - 1/2 of your exercise calories as a snack.

Since you're sore, you should cut back on the exercise a bit, work into it more slowly.
Seriously, the first time I started walking I did 5 minutes on the treadmill at maybe 2 mph. I felt so stupid, such a loser. But I did it. The next day, I did it again. Next time, added a minute. Eventually, increased speed. Now I can do 90 minutes of hills at 3 mph, and sometimes jogging.

Starting with 50 lb to lose, 1 to 1.5 lb / week is reasonable & healthy, but that's going to slow as you get closer to goal.
Go to "settings" (way up at the top), then "update diet / fitness profile", and you can change your activity level or amount per week you want to lose.
If you want to change your calorie goal, go to "my home", then "goals", "change goals", "custom".

For social situations, I try to eat a little lighter that day, make healthier choices while I'm there, but I don't stress about it. If I go over, I go over. Log it, know that you enjoyed yourself, and move on. It's one day. Moderation in everything, including moderation.

Weight fluctuates.


Weight – So many things can affect weight, because of this it shouldn’t be the only way you track your progress. Things to keep in mind:

• Always use the same scale – Different scales can show different weights. You will get the most accurate number for tracking when using the same scale.
• Don’t move the scale – Carpet, uneven flooring, different types of flooring…can all affect the weight on the scale. So when you weigh, you want it to be approximately the same spot for the most accurate number for tracking.
• 3500 calories – To gain 1lb of fat you need to be over maintenance by 3500 calories.
• Muscle Repair – Muscles will hold onto water to repair, because of this it is not uncommon to see a gain for a little while after a workout. This weight comes right back off when they are done repairing.
• Sodium – Can cause you to retain water. This can also be amplified if you don’t drink enough to flush it out of your system. This is also another reason for temporary weight gain.
• Water – Not drinking enough water can actually cause you to retain water. Recommended amount is 8 cups or 64oz. I drink 64 oz to 128 oz of water a day. It doesn’t have to be plain water either. I like to flavor mine with crystal light or tea.
• Time of day – Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day. So for the most accurate tracking, you want to weigh at around the same time.
• Frequency – This is up to you, but if small fluctuations bother you than only weigh once a week or less.
• Lightest Weight – Will be naked, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
• Multiple times a Day – Don’t Do It. As I said before, your weight will fluctuate throughout the day. What you eat, what you’re wearing, ect will all affect weight.
• Clothes – If you weigh with clothing on, keep in mind that the scale will show your weight plus the weight of your clothes. (Jeans are heavy)
• TOM - A lot of women will retain water around their TOM, but its just temporary and will go away.