327 pounds need help please!
a_rugg2004
Posts: 5 Member
Hi I am a 5'2 327 pound woman. obviously my weight has gotten out of control. I could sit and cry about like I have in the past or I can get off my butt and do something about it. So that's why I'm Here. I'm just so confused about calorie intake. Fitnesspal says I should consume 1700 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week. another site says I should eat 1688 a day and another says I should eat 2100 a day. So I have been eating 1688. I am not noticing weight loss at all. I am thinking about dropping down to 1200 a day which is what a lot of sites say is the lowest amount a women should consume a day. Is this safe for my weight. Also if I eat 1200 a day do I need to burn more than 1200 a day to loss weight. Please help any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Welcome to MFP! Use a food scale and keep doing what you're doing, as it will come. You've got this!0
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Thank you. I am not drinking my calories (not worth it). I have a gym membership and am riding a stationary bike for about 4-5 miles. Also walking for about 10-15 mins on the treadmill.0
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1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »At your weight eating 1600 calories a day should be making you lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. Make sure you're logging correctly and stay motivated. Also try to walk for 5 minutes a day and then 10 minutes and so on. If you're drinking any calories then cut it out. Only drink water.
OP can drink her calories if she wants, just fit it into your goal. There's nothing wrong with calorie drinks.
To OP; stick with your calorie goal. Make sure you're logging accurately. If you haven't already, consider buying a food scale and weighing your food.
Also, how long have you been logging? Make sure you give it enough time. If you haven't lost anything in 4-6 weeks, then you should re-evaluate what you are doing/tighten your logging/etc.0 -
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1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »At your weight eating 1600 calories a day should be making you lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. Make sure you're logging correctly and stay motivated. Also try to walk for 5 minutes a day and then 10 minutes and so on. If you're drinking any calories then cut it out. Only drink water.
OP can drink her calories if she wants, just fit it into your goal. There's nothing wrong with calorie drinks.
To OP; stick with your calorie goal. Make sure you're logging accurately. If you haven't already, consider buying a food scale and weighing your food.
Also, how long have you been logging? Make sure you give it enough time. If you haven't lost anything in 4-6 weeks, then you should re-evaluate what you are doing/tighten your logging/etc.
Drinking calories is pointless. You get nothing out of it and it's so much easier to drink a 0 calorie water.
So OP can't drink OJ at breakfast? Or have a glass of wine at the end of the night?
Yeah, Ok....
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I do have a food scale and am weighing and measuring. I have been doing the 1688 calories a day for about 2-3 weeks. So I should give it more time just don't feel like I have lost anything.0
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a_rugg2004 wrote: »I do have a food scale and am weighing and measuring. I have been doing the 1688 calories a day for about 2-3 weeks. So I should give it more time just don't feel like I have lost anything.
Remember too, if you're new to exercise your muscles will retain water for repair. Also hormones, sodium, Time of the month, ovulation, etc can all 'mask' weight loss. That's why you want to give it enough time to see change before you go messing about with things.0 -
- it may take a while for you to start dropping. Everyone's metabs are different and I had a lot of fluid issue's when I was 300 pounds. Be consistently on your program. You will do this.0
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1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »At your weight eating 1600 calories a day should be making you lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. Make sure you're logging correctly and stay motivated. Also try to walk for 5 minutes a day and then 10 minutes and so on. If you're drinking any calories then cut it out. Only drink water.
OP can drink her calories if she wants, just fit it into your goal. There's nothing wrong with calorie drinks.
To OP; stick with your calorie goal. Make sure you're logging accurately. If you haven't already, consider buying a food scale and weighing your food.
Also, how long have you been logging? Make sure you give it enough time. If you haven't lost anything in 4-6 weeks, then you should re-evaluate what you are doing/tighten your logging/etc.
Drinking calories is pointless. You get nothing out of it and it's so much easier to drink a 0 calorie water.
So OP can't drink OJ at breakfast? Or have a glass of wine at the end of the night?
Yeah, Ok....
For her yes. She's trying to lose weight. Those are empty calories. Instead of OJ just eat an orange. Getting used to just drinking water nets way better results than just adding drink calories day after day.
If she's maintaining her deficit, there's nothing wrong with having those things.0 -
Did you change the MFP workout time and such during the day? I weight little more then you and am same height. My dietitian says to do 40-60 carbs each meal (breakfast-lunch-dinner) and 0-30 for snack. Not count calories. Not telling you to do it but I feel much better and fuller every time I eat in between those calories. And drink lots of water. I drink around 10-12 cups of water a day. I am weighing everything, teaspooning,tablespooning,cupping, as well. Oh and I am doing treadmill at the gym for 1 week 7 days straight for 20 minutes at 3.0 speed. And then 2nd week i will be doing 30 minutes then 3rd week i will be doing 40 minutes and so on and so forth. Good luck though!0
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I started out a lot heavier than you and can assure you you will lose with the calories MFP has given you if you weigh and measure accurately and log your exercise conservatively. 20lbs in I treated myself to a FitBit so I no longer have to guess how many extra calories I'm earning over and above sedentary. Sedentary isn't totally inactive as some may think. For me its over 2 miles a day before I get any adjustment from FitBit. Gradually build activity into your day so that you keep your metabolism happy but don't even think about dropping to 1200 a day at your present weight or you'll be missing out on vital nutrients and slowing down your metabolism and will probably quickly get to the point where a binge is inevitable. Add me if you'd like to.0
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Hi, stick to 1600 until your lighter, I always trust what MFP suggests to be honest. Just make sure you weigh everything accurately, and you don't have to burn more than you eat in the sense of doing 1600 cals in exercise, you burn just by breathing (you can look this up online) so if you add that to the calories burned through exercise then as long as that it more than you 1600 cals eaten then you will lose. I hope this helps feel free to add me as a friend! I'm currently attempting to lose 40lb!0
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Given your weight, dropping your calories to 1700 should cause some weight loss. If it's been longer than 2 weeks and you're accurately recording your exercise and food intake, then you may have an underlying medical condition. A medical condition like a thyroid disorder or damage to the adrenal glands can make it difficult to lose weight. I would strongly urge you to see a doctor if you're not losing any weight 2-3 weeks after starting out.
Hope this helps,
Saraha_rugg2004 wrote: »Hi I am a 5'2 327 pound woman. obviously my weight has gotten out of control. I could sit and cry about like I have in the past or I can get off my butt and do something about it. So that's why I'm Here. I'm just so confused about calorie intake. Fitnesspal says I should consume 1700 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week. another site says I should eat 1688 a day and another says I should eat 2100 a day. So I have been eating 1688. I am not noticing weight loss at all. I am thinking about dropping down to 1200 a day which is what a lot of sites say is the lowest amount a women should consume a day. Is this safe for my weight. Also if I eat 1200 a day do I need to burn more than 1200 a day to loss weight. Please help any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Often it can simply be underestimating food. Cups aren't the most accurate way of measuring higher calorie foods. Go for grams on a food scale wherever possible. Home cooking is far more measurable than eating out too.0
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i started out about the same weight and did lose the first week; however, it came out that I should have 1550 calories. It was such a shock to my system since they were cut in half. Plus I cut down my 3 Dr Pepper's to 1 and did not replace that with water. My nutritionist told me that was too drastic and she suggested that I go to 1800 calories first and once I was okay with that, then, to move towards the 1550 and of course, to drink more water. Hopefully, now I will start feeling better.
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I would try the MFP suggested calorie intake, but only eat back 1/2 of your exercise calories because MFP can be off. Unless you are using a heart rate monitor to see how many calories you are burning with exercise. I guess its too late now for this but I've seen where you log everything you eat for a week or so to see how many calories you are consuming (before dieting etc) and then you subtract 500 calories from that to get a deficit. So say you normally have 3000 calories on the average day, when you start your healthier diet you would start eating 2500, and so on.0
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I was like you and my weight was out of control! I eventually had to get Gastric Sleeve Surgery, cause I was so obese that I was on a verge of not living for so long! After my surgery, I lost almost 200 pounds! I was 430 pounds at the time in 2012! Now, I'm 240 pounds in 2015! Drink plenty of water and cut out the sodas completely! I do like to add in a sugar free drink in my water bottles once in a while! Now, I eat no more than 1200 to 1500 calories a day! Weight is going up and down, but that's normal! Eat tons of fruits and veggies, eat more chicken. It's okay to have a sweet indulgence once in a while! You can do this, we all believe in you!0
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1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »At your weight eating 1600 calories a day should be making you lose 1 or 2 pounds a week. Make sure you're logging correctly and stay motivated. Also try to walk for 5 minutes a day and then 10 minutes and so on. If you're drinking any calories then cut it out. Only drink water.
OP can drink her calories if she wants, just fit it into your goal. There's nothing wrong with calorie drinks.
To OP; stick with your calorie goal. Make sure you're logging accurately. If you haven't already, consider buying a food scale and weighing your food.
Also, how long have you been logging? Make sure you give it enough time. If you haven't lost anything in 4-6 weeks, then you should re-evaluate what you are doing/tighten your logging/etc.
Drinking calories is pointless. You get nothing out of it and it's so much easier to drink a 0 calorie water.
I didn't drink sugar sweetened drinks before I started losing weight so I don't now either. However...
I do drink unsweeteded chai tea with a cup of unsweetened almond mil which totals 30 calories...it is something that I enjoy at night.
Coffee...tea...oh and my glass of V8 juice for 50 calories...
IF...I wanted a beer...glass of wine...I would make it fit...
Life would be great slim and fit but not if one is miserable being afraid to drink anything but water.
If you prefer only water then go for it...but don't make out that everyone should make that choice simply because you did.
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Hi Rugg, I don't know if you'll see this, but I wanted you to know that all is not hopeless and exercise and eating well do work. In 2005, I started at 336 (I'm 5'3"). Ten months later, eating well and working out diligently, I was down 93 pounds. One of the big things for me was making sure my food "needs" were met, in addition to the "good" stuff. To me, that meant starting out every morning with 2 Russell Stover's marshmallow/caramel eggs and then using the rest of my 1300 calories for the day (I was aiming for 1550) to eat a lot of protein and vegetables. I found out that my body responds well -- and my lifting was helped by -- a ton of protein. Because a lot of that is meat, I ate a pretty small quantity of food, but I was fine with that. Other people find they do better if they eat a ton of low-calorie food like fruits and vegetables to fill themselves. It really is personal. You are doing the right things. You have a realistic calorie goal and you are doing good cardio. Just experiment until you find out what foods work best for you. IF after a few months you find you aren't losing as much weight as "they" say (2 pounds a week) have your thyroid checked. Switching to water, instead of my beloved diet pepsi really helped me, but that may not be for everyone. Weight training was the most empowering thing I did in my life, but YMMV. The point I want to make is you are doing all the right things and your weight and health will improve. Ask questions and get a lot of advice. But, ultimately, trail and error will help you figure out what works best for you. Please be proud of yourself for making changes in your life!!!!0
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a_rugg2004 wrote: »I do have a food scale and am weighing and measuring. I have been doing the 1688 calories a day for about 2-3 weeks. So I should give it more time just don't feel like I have lost anything.
You said that you don't feel as if you have lost...
Have you weighed to make sure? I started at 247 and it took almost 30lbs before I began to "feel" the weight loss.
If you don't have a scale some pharmacies have them so you could weigh...just make sure that you use the same scale every time that you weigh.
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I have not weighed myself yet. Silly I know. I just don't want to get discouraged. I figured I would weigh myself once a month. I just figured my clothes would be getting slightly looser.
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a_rugg2004 wrote: »I have not weighed myself yet. Silly I know. I just don't want to get discouraged.
Well, it seems like you're getting discouraged anyway, so I would get on the scale.
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You may be dropping inches but no pounds. This happens frequently. If you haven't already then take measurements and when the scale doesn't move check your measurements. 1200 calories at your present weight is not enough to fuel or nourish your body. Follow MFPs guidelines for calories.0
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I started my journey at 315 pounds so you can totally do this
Your resting metabolic rate is probably somewhere between 2100 and 2400 calories a day, that is what your body burns on its own--just being alive. In order to drop the pounds, there has to be a caloric deficit. The greater the deficit, the more weight falls off...that said, don't get all crazy and do a 500 calorie a day diet to get results fast!
What has worked for me is this:
Varied caloric intake. I typically eat between 1200 and 1500 calories a day. Why? It allows more freedom in my diet, which helped me make lifelong changes instead of temporary ones that result in short term losses. I don't (usually) eat more if I work out, I just chalk that up to the deficit (aka the fat burning fund lol). My caloric intake has changed as I have lost weight, right now, at 218 1200-1500 works. I think at my heaviest, I was eating between 1600-1900. I didn't use MFP then, I did the old fashioned paper-and-pen journaling.
High protein intake. I generally aim for between 80-125 grams a day.
Low carb intake, because carbs love hanging out on my hips as much as I love eating them. I try to stay under 100 grams a day, usually it's a lot less...but I have found (from a lifetime of being overweight and dieting), for me anyway, the more RESTRICTIVE a diet plan is, the more likely I am to fail.
Water, water and more water. I don't like drinking my calories so I don't do the whole juicing thing or drink smoothies (I do like smoothies, so every now and then I have one). I really enjoy eating so, yep, I eat as many of my calories as possible.
Maximize your meals! It's possible to eat a large meal with low calories...and I won't walk away starving! The key is making the healthiest choices possible, for instance: 4.5 ounces of salmon is around 232 calories/33 grams of protein...pair that bad boy with a salad and low cal dressing, some steamed broccoli and BAM...big, healthy, FILLING meal. Nothing will thwart diet attempts like being hungry (and angry lol) all the time.
Fiber is your FRIEND! Work a healthy amount of fiber into your diet, not only will it help you feel fuller....you won't have "bathroom issues" from all the protein.
Last but not least....don't weigh more than once a week
I know it is soooo tempting...but just don't do it. 0 -
a_rugg2004 wrote: »I have not weighed myself yet. Silly I know. I just don't want to get discouraged. I figured I would weigh myself once a month. I just figured my clothes would be getting slightly looser.
I would weigh. It is an indicator if what you are doing is working. It might take a while for it to start showing up in your clothing...at least it did for me. It took me several pounds to drop a size.
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Thank you so much to everyone! I never thought I would get such a great response. It's so encouraging to get motivation and advice from complete strangers. I am so very grateful!0
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1200cal is not nearly enough with your stats. If you starve yourself you are setting yourself up for failure. Please continue with 1688. You are going to see results, remember it did take you a week to put the weight on? Don't expect it to be gone without hard work. You can and will do this, God speed.0
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I know you are measuring success by your clothing, but if you are starting on the heavier end of things, that isn't the best indicator of weight loss. I have lost 25 lbs since February and I have not had any real noticeable changes (at least to myself) in how clothing fits on me. Use a scale and use measuring tape as well as feeling how your clothes look. The changes are sometimes evident in lots of little ways and not necessarily the one you expect.
Also look up some of the previous threads about people and how much weight it takes to change a clothing size... When heavier it can sometimes take 30-40 lbs of weight loss to change a size, compared to 5-10 (or even less) for a smaller size.0
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