BMR

Jumping on board this conversation...my total calorie consumption per day according to MFP is 1200. If I burn 500 calories per day exercising and I don't eat those back will it accelerate or hinder my weight loss?

pmccausland1965 wrote: »

my problem is I don't know what good fats to eat, what good proteins to eat, what or how much sugar and carbs I can have. I just know I want to get this weight off. My doctor told me if I don't lose weight , I am borderline from being a diabetic and my over all cholestrol is borderline... she recommended I slow down on the carbs alot and the sugar....

Can you ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietician? That might be very valuable for you. I think you are going way overboard avoiding fat, for example--fat is good for you, you need it. You say in your profile that you have had trouble sustaining a diet in the past. One reason for that, I think, is that people think they must eat very strictly and without anything that might seem too tasty when dieting--that they must avoid fat in particular or eat no meat but chicken breast or the leanest fish. In fact, all you need to do is eat at the calorie deficit that MFP gives you (and if you ask for 2 lb/week, that might not even be necessary, of course--you could eat more and still lose 1 lb/week, depending on your current weight and how active you are).

I think one thing that is helpful for new people is to log a more normal version of your diet for a few days rather than going overboard and trying to cut everything and then use the tool to look at where you are getting the most extra calories and what you can cut. Some things are obvious--if lots of high calorie fast food or restaurant meals or lots of sweets, cut down on those. Other things may be a matter of excess calories due to larger portion sizes or a lack of mindful eating (I used to get excess calories from various foods I don't even like that much, like rice, so I just mostly stopped eating it).

After a bit you will start to understand also what makes you feel more satisfied vs. less (a lot of times people are satisfied on very little at first, but that doesn't last), and be able to play around with that. Keep track of when you are hungry and not.

Eating well (although a RD will help more) is really IMO a matter of common sense and the things everyone knows about nutrition. People make it too complicated. MFP helps by giving you certain nutrition goals, such as a good breakdown of fat, protein, and carbs (many find different breakdowns help them, but this is a decent one to start with, especially since you may struggle with eating enough protein and fat at first). It is not good to always try to stay below everything--your balance matters. But also don't panic about these--you will lose weight if you eat at or below your calorie level (but going too low is unhealthy and not sustainable). Instead, if you are low on fat and protein think of ways to get more in your diet.

What helps me is to think first of getting protein at each meal and then also getting veggies and add extras on to that to try and reach my calorie goal. I cook my veggies in olive or coconut oil or sometimes butter (not a lot, but a little--it helps you use the nutrients from them, and fat is filling). For example, for breakfast I like eggs (which have protein), add veggies (a vegetable omelet), some cheese in the omelet, and more protein (usually dairy) and sometimes fruit on the side, depending on how many calories I want. For lunch I have some kind of protein with veggies (maybe meat on a salad) or perhaps a wrap with protein and veggies in it. I'd add dressing with a little olive oil to the salad. I might have a snack with fruit or nuts (nuts are another great source of fat that are non-controversially considered healthy). For dinner I'll pick out a protein (any lean meat or fish is good), veggies, and then depending on my calories add a reasonable portion of something like potatoes or sweet potatoes.

All this depends on your preferences, though--I am just illustrating how I approach it. The point is that you can eat what you like and also meet your nutrition goals. If you are pre diabetic you will probably want to be especially careful to eat carbs only with protein and fat--another reason to not cut fat too much.

the data for "Rotisserie Chicken Salad Sandwich" looks wrong - zero fat. Calories probably right

pmccausland1965 wrote: »

thank you to all of you , this information is really helping me. I am a beginner of this diet thing , so I am learning and appreciate all the help. I know my diary is pretty much about what I had... and yeah , I am scared to use things like butter, or oils in my cooking,I am scared to use breads, anything that might cause me to put on weight, I am a woman in her menopausal stage ( over a yr now) and I packed on 10 more lbs in one year, seemm like everything I ate , made me gain weight. when I was 18-20 years old I was 110 lbs, and then I had 4 children and put on 70-80 pds with each child, everytime I have one of my children, I would lose most of the weight except maybe 10-15 lbs, til my last child, I got up to 226 and really never lost it.. and just this last year being menopausal, I gained 10lbs. so I want to get this weight off, my lower back hurts alot, my legs, , I am not as physically active anymore because of the weight, and messing with my mental and emotional feelings as well, I am proud that I have lost 7 pds just in 10 days now, and my goal and determination is to keep going and lose this weight and feel good at age 49 almost 50! Thats my goal and I know its a slow process and it just don't come off over night, or days, but I am determined. I know MFP is going to be great, I see it already , great place and great people for support!

You should be really proud of yourself for getting your diet back on track and losing excess weight! 7 pounds in 10 days is great. You will feel the benefits and your body will thank you down the line since excess weight contributes to diabetes, heart disease, and many others.
MFP is great for logging calories and communicating with others that have similar goals as you. Getting active will also greatly help you reach your goals!
Best of luck with your journey!