your caloric intake and exercise regimen

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kiwi_gros
kiwi_gros Posts: 30 Member
edited February 2015 in Success Stories
How many calories did you consume daily when losing the weight as well as how much and what type of exercise was involved? I am having a bit of a debate with someone who is dear to me and i love her to death and i am worried she may be hurting herself because she is trying to hard to lose weight. She has told me before years ago she used to have an eating disorder and i also worry on that stand point. I was thinking start off easy, my net calories is about 1400-1500 a day and that is after exercise. She is doing 1000-1200 before exercising and she spends at least an hour at the gym and doesnt really go easy on herself. What do you think? Is she ok to do this? And i want to hear how u did it your calories, you SW and CW and height all that good stuff. Right now she wont tell me her weight but im guessing 180-190 that may even be a bit high because i see her very often so i cant really get a good unbiased opinion. Shes a smart woman but because of a current ex who she fell in love with would say shes fat and gross etc. She has just gone into overdrive.

Replies

  • dianeduntonbruni
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    Hi. Thanks for your comments. I was 143 and I am 5' 3". I lost 15 pounds over six months with 1200 calories. If I exercised I would have additional calories (I bike 15 miles or swim one mile). No one should go below 1200 calories. When I started tracking again, it calculated more calories for me but it could be that I am so close to maintenance. Your friend needs to make sure she is adding exercise calories in or she will put her body in starvation mode.
  • maryo2093
    maryo2093 Posts: 4 Member
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    When I started with my fitness pal I was given 1200 calories a day. After 5 weeks I only list 2 lbs so I dropped my calories to 1100 and lost 5 more lbs in one month. I think you need to see what amount works for you. Some people need less at first to spark some loss.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Hiya.
    Highest Adult Weight: 260lbs
    MFP SW: 218lbs
    CW: 152lbs or so
    H: 5'4.5"

    My exercise varies a lot. I get bored easily and have to switch things up just for the hell of it. Currently (well as soon as I'm able to breathe again):
    Stronglifts 5x5 - 3x a week
    Zombies,Run!5k - 3x a week
    other random cardio as I feel like it

    Food....I love food. Anywho..
    My average intake for the past 30 days is 2038.
    If your looking for a range, well typical days are 1600-2000 calories with some days being higher or lower.
    In 2013 my average intake was around 1800 calories from the end of April till the end of September. I stopped logging shortly after this because of pregnancy and started back up in June.

    ***the calorie intakes are totals...not NET
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    SW: 188
    CW: 158
    GW: 145, lowest 140 before I get onto my first bulk.

    Current calories: 2100, if I lose another lb this week then I'm upping to 2200 (goal is 0.5lb/week). I've never grossed below 1800, and 1800 was shortlived. When I did the MFP method for a few months I my net before exercise was 1900, so 1900-2100ish intake.

    Exercise routine: Heavy lifting ~45mins 4x a week, followed by cardio for 10-15 minutes, and usually a 30-min cardio session once a week but not always. So.. 4-5 hrs a week?
  • tracydecicco
    tracydecicco Posts: 60 Member
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    Your friend needs to go by the BMR for her height and weight for her calories. If she is eating under, her body is not going to function properly. She also sounds like she needs to forget that ex! Anyone who calls someone fat is a Dbag and he will get his.
  • whosoever101171
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    SW: 180
    CW: 161
    GW: 150 (really targeting a BMI of < 24)

    I am 5'6". I gained 45 pounds over a period of 7 months after having a hysterectomy (from 135 to 180). I seriously started trying to get the weight off in September of last year.

    I got the first 10 pounds off with a daily caloric intake of 1200 and 30 minutes on the elliptical 3 days per week (and P90X occasionally). About 2 months ago I hit a weight loss plateau. I tried a couple of things that didn't work but eventually ended up changing my workout routine to circuit training (3 rounds of cardio and strength training) 2-3 times weekly. That helped me get the next 7 pounds off. I also got a standing desk in my office so that I am no longer sitting all day and I am sure that has helped.

  • larsivy
    larsivy Posts: 21 Member
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    Your friend needs to go by the BMR for her height and weight for her calories. If she is eating under, her body is not going to function properly. She also sounds like she needs to forget that ex! Anyone who calls someone fat is a Dbag and he will get his.

  • shannonbun
    shannonbun Posts: 168 Member
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    Height: 5'11"
    SW: 273
    CW: 252
    GW: 170
    MFP is set for -2lb per week
    Lost 21 lbs in 45 days

    I'm eating 1,560 calories per day and force myself to never go below 1,300. She's really hurting herself by staying at 1,000-1,200. I know how hard it is to kick disordered eating, it's not her fault for thinking she has to eat in that range. It can be especially hard when you've had someone (like her ex) telling you how fat and disgusting you are--that comes back when you go to eat something. I've thrown out just-gotten food because I remember things people have said to me about my weight. Encourage her to not track her calorie intake and just focus on eating regular, healthy meals. Even scaling back her gym workouts if she is adamant to continue eating 1,000-1,200 calories would help. You're a good friend for looking out for her and being concerned :)
  • acquilla30
    acquilla30 Posts: 147 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Height: 5'3
    HW: 230
    Mfp SW: 220
    CW: 140
    GW: 125-130

    I'm hypothyroid and have trouble losing weight, so I have to eat below 1200 calories to lose weight, even when exercising. My daily calories range from 800-1200.

    My exercise regime is cardio 5-6 days a wk strength 3-4 days a wk.

    I have been where your friend is at 10 years ago, I starved myself and lost 70 pounds in 3 months because my ex called me fat. I got really sick and had to be hospitalized for heart problems and many vitamin deficiencies. It took me a long time before I regained a somewhat healthy relationship with eating, lol then I picked up the weight again. Now I am doing it as healthy as I can and trying not to obsess over dieting, eating, exercise, and the scale.
    I would encourage your friend to talk to her doctor, so she can do it in the healthiest way possible. When you have someone in your head telling you your fat, it can cause or lead to unhealthy dieting habits to quickly achieve weight loss.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Tell her that all weight loss is not created equal. Obese people can lose quickly and still maintain lean muscle. People who are merely overweight need to "protect" lean muscle by losing at a more moderate pace. Losing "pounds" should not be anyone's ultimate goal....it should be about lowering body fat percentage.

    You lower body fat percentage when you eat just enough to lose weight & fuel workouts. Use strength training to signal your body that your existing lean muscle is important. Food is fuel, make sure you are fueling your exercise by eating....not fueling it by feeding on lean muscle mass.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I maintain right around 2800 calories or so and I cut a good pound per week at 2300 calories or so.

    Regardless, my exercise stays the same...my exercise doesn't change when I'm losing vs maintaining...the difference between those two goals is simply how much I eat.

    It is very important when losing weight to only cut as much as you need for fat loss while still being able to properly fuel your activities and recovery. Part of being healthy is being fit...to actually be fit you have to fuel that activity and fuel recovery otherwise you don't make fitness gains. Show her pictures of awesomely fit people and then reiterate to her that you don't achieve that by starving your body.

    Fit people eat.
  • Sydneyv13
    Sydneyv13 Posts: 5 Member
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    Highest Adult weight: 246
    MFP SW: 234
    CW: 218
    GW: 195-200
    H: 5'9
    Age: 32
    I started a medical weight loss plan on 1/17/15 with a starting weight of 234. I'm pretty sure I was consuming 2000+ calories a day. I am currently consuming 1210 a day which is what the NP I'm working at the clinic wants. I'm not a huge excerciser, but when I am excercising I bump my calories according to what MFP says.
  • darkbluex3
    darkbluex3 Posts: 13 Member
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    When I lost fat the most rapidly (I'm not overweight anymore, I just try to work out to lower my body fat percentage), I was eating 1800-2000 calories a day and working out 5 days a week doing Insanity! I loved it, but at the same time the workouts were super intense so it was hard to keep up with for more than a month (this was 2 years ago). Now I'm eating the same amount of calories and lifting weights 3-4 days a week and incorporating cardio, and I'm seeing great results so far (I didn't work out as much last semester, so I'm trying to lean out again), just not quite as fast as with Insanity.
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