Need reassurance/suggestions with eating appropriate calories to lose body fat and increase muscle.
garcia_me40
Posts: 9 Member
I've read other posts about people decreasing the calorie intake to 1,000 and the replies where NOT TO DO SO because it is unhealthy to our bodies, especially if working out.
Here is my situation. Last month I did a 30 day challenge where I began at
Female 39 years 5'3
141.9 pounds
lean body mass of 95.2
body fat mass of 46.7
skeletal muscle mass 52.7
BMR is 1303 (my calories burn at rest and what I need to intake to survive --i learned that too)
My "unrealistic' goal was to go to 125 pounds and wear a size 5. I'm currently at a size 8 or 10. I know it's unrealistic and I know getting fit it's a process that will pay off in my health and of course have a lean body which I do want.
During this challenge, it was suggested that I consume 1584 calories. I workout an hour just about every day averaging about 600 - 800 burned calories when active. It was also suggested that the macros ratio was 50% carb, 25% protein and 25%fat.
My results in one month
139.4 pounds (so I lost 2 pounds)
lean body mass 97.0
body fat mass 42.4
skeletal muscle mass 54.0
BMR 1320
This is where my unrealistic expectations kicked in. When I got the result in one month, I was sad. I felt like I had put in a lot of work staying away from junk food. Although I confess that I didn't work out for a good week on a consistent basis. I was on vacation and while on vacation I did rest a lot and had a hot dog and half a soda and chips.... and I had 6 alcoholic beverage in those 30 days 4 which included beer.
My trainers have reassured me that the results are wonderful and I'm doing good BUT MY STUBBORNESS WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.
This week, I made my own decision, without consulting anyone, to put myself on a 500 calorie deficit (it was my little secret) which will mean that I only consume about 1084 calories.
1320 * .2 = 264 (since I'm active)
1320 + 264 = 1584
1587 - 500 =1084 ( calorie deficit)
It's been playing in my mind that I should not be doing this because I could harm myself so this is why I'm writing this post. I need reassurance that I can and DO NEED to eat at least 1,500 calories to lose fat and gain muscle. I need reassurance that this is a slow process and there is NO QUICK FIX. I will admit that I have become obsessed with working out and counting calories.
I welcome any suggestions or plans that have worked for you. I struggle with my lower belly. I have two kids so it's pretty stretchy. I would definitely like to tone my arms. I'm happy with my legs
and my torso area.
Thank you in advance myfitness pal community.
MG
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/garcia_me40
Here is my situation. Last month I did a 30 day challenge where I began at
Female 39 years 5'3
141.9 pounds
lean body mass of 95.2
body fat mass of 46.7
skeletal muscle mass 52.7
BMR is 1303 (my calories burn at rest and what I need to intake to survive --i learned that too)
My "unrealistic' goal was to go to 125 pounds and wear a size 5. I'm currently at a size 8 or 10. I know it's unrealistic and I know getting fit it's a process that will pay off in my health and of course have a lean body which I do want.
During this challenge, it was suggested that I consume 1584 calories. I workout an hour just about every day averaging about 600 - 800 burned calories when active. It was also suggested that the macros ratio was 50% carb, 25% protein and 25%fat.
My results in one month
139.4 pounds (so I lost 2 pounds)
lean body mass 97.0
body fat mass 42.4
skeletal muscle mass 54.0
BMR 1320
This is where my unrealistic expectations kicked in. When I got the result in one month, I was sad. I felt like I had put in a lot of work staying away from junk food. Although I confess that I didn't work out for a good week on a consistent basis. I was on vacation and while on vacation I did rest a lot and had a hot dog and half a soda and chips.... and I had 6 alcoholic beverage in those 30 days 4 which included beer.
My trainers have reassured me that the results are wonderful and I'm doing good BUT MY STUBBORNESS WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.
This week, I made my own decision, without consulting anyone, to put myself on a 500 calorie deficit (it was my little secret) which will mean that I only consume about 1084 calories.
1320 * .2 = 264 (since I'm active)
1320 + 264 = 1584
1587 - 500 =1084 ( calorie deficit)
It's been playing in my mind that I should not be doing this because I could harm myself so this is why I'm writing this post. I need reassurance that I can and DO NEED to eat at least 1,500 calories to lose fat and gain muscle. I need reassurance that this is a slow process and there is NO QUICK FIX. I will admit that I have become obsessed with working out and counting calories.
I welcome any suggestions or plans that have worked for you. I struggle with my lower belly. I have two kids so it's pretty stretchy. I would definitely like to tone my arms. I'm happy with my legs
and my torso area.Thank you in advance myfitness pal community.
MG
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/garcia_me40
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Replies
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The main problem with your whole dilemma is you don't really add muscle and lose fat at the same time. You need to choose one or the other. Building muscle requires energy (calories) to grow so you need a caloric surplus. Losing weight requires a lack of energy (calories) so a caloric deficit. You can get newb gains if you have never lifted, but I didn't see anywhere in your post where you said what your routine was. It doesn't sound like it was a progressive overload program and without that, you will not gain muscle.0
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The main problem with your whole dilemma is you don't really add muscle and lose fat at the same time. You need to choose one or the other. Building muscle requires energy (calories) to grow so you need a caloric surplus. Losing weight requires a lack of energy (calories) so a caloric deficit. You can get newb gains if you have never lifted, but I didn't see anywhere in your post where you said what your routine was. It doesn't sound like it was a progressive overload program and without that, you will not gain muscle.
Thank you for your reply. The one hour workouts consist of cardio and cross training where weights are included 2 times a week to concentrate on arms if that makes sense. It's not POP - it's work at your own pace and push your own self workout but I enjoy it. I'm new at this so I'm using Dumbbells weighting 5 to 8 pounds.
So what you're saying is I should make a goal to either lose fat or gain muscle. Well for now I choose to lose fat.
Thank you once again for your reply.
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While you can't gain muscle while eating at a caloric deficit (except for some newbie gains which you've probably already seen with your increase in lean body mass) you can maintain more lean muscle mass by eating at a slight deficit while lifting progressively heavier weights. When we lose "weight", we're really losing a combination of fat, muscle and water. If you eat too little, more of that loss will be muscle. By using the muscles during lifting you're telling your body that you need them so it will preserve them. Eating at a smaller deficit will help this to happen so almost all of your weight loss will be from fat and water. Yes, you might lose weight a little more slowly but when you finally do reach your goal you are going to look a lot better. You'll also have an easier time maintaining that weight because your metabolism will be slightly higher from the extra muscle.0
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Wise advice.While you can't gain muscle while eating at a caloric deficit (except for some newbie gains which you've probably already seen with your increase in lean body mass) you can maintain more lean muscle mass by eating at a slight deficit while lifting progressively heavier weights. When we lose "weight", we're really losing a combination of fat, muscle and water. If you eat too little, more of that loss will be muscle. By using the muscles during lifting you're telling your body that you need them so it will preserve them. Eating at a smaller deficit will help this to happen so almost all of your weight loss will be from fat and water. Yes, you might lose weight a little more slowly but when you finally do reach your goal you are going to look a lot better. You'll also have an easier time maintaining that weight because your metabolism will be slightly higher from the extra muscle.
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"By using the muscles during lifting you're telling your body that you need them so it will preserve them. ". Thank you for this advice. I will definitely look more into lifting0
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]While you can't gain muscle while eating at a caloric deficit (except for some newbie gains which you've probably already seen with your increase in lean body mass) you can maintain more lean muscle mass by eating at a slight deficit while lifting progressively heavier weights. When we lose "weight", we're really losing a combination of fat, muscle and water. If you eat too little, more of that loss will be muscle. By using the muscles during lifting you're telling your body that you need them so it will preserve them. Eating at a smaller deficit will help this to happen so almost all of your weight loss will be from fat and water. Yes, you might lose weight a little more slowly but when you finally do reach your goal you are going to look a lot better. You'll also have an easier time maintaining that weight because your metabolism will be slightly higher from the extra muscle.
"By using the muscles during lifting you're telling your body that you need them so it will preserve them. ". Thank you for this advice. I will definitely look more into lifting on my own. And I will remember this journey is progress not perfection0 -
garcia_me40 wrote: »I've read other posts about people decreasing the calorie intake to 1,000 and the replies where NOT TO DO SO because it is unhealthy to our bodies, especially if working out.
Here is my situation. Last month I did a 30 day challenge where I began at
Female 39 years 5'3
141.9 pounds
lean body mass of 95.2
body fat mass of 46.7
skeletal muscle mass 52.7
BMR is 1303 (my calories burn at rest and what I need to intake to survive --i learned that too)
My "unrealistic' goal was to go to 125 pounds and wear a size 5. I'm currently at a size 8 or 10. I know it's unrealistic and I know getting fit it's a process that will pay off in my health and of course have a lean body which I do want.
During this challenge, it was suggested that I consume 1584 calories. I workout an hour just about every day averaging about 600 - 800 burned calories when active. It was also suggested that the macros ratio was 50% carb, 25% protein and 25%fat.
My results in one month
139.4 pounds (so I lost 2 pounds)
lean body mass 97.0
body fat mass 42.4
skeletal muscle mass 54.0
BMR 1320
This is where my unrealistic expectations kicked in. When I got the result in one month, I was sad. I felt like I had put in a lot of work staying away from junk food. Although I confess that I didn't work out for a good week on a consistent basis. I was on vacation and while on vacation I did rest a lot and had a hot dog and half a soda and chips.... and I had 6 alcoholic beverage in those 30 days 4 which included beer.
My trainers have reassured me that the results are wonderful and I'm doing good BUT MY STUBBORNESS WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.
This week, I made my own decision, without consulting anyone, to put myself on a 500 calorie deficit (it was my little secret) which will mean that I only consume about 1084 calories.
1320 * .2 = 264 (since I'm active)
1320 + 264 = 1584
1587 - 500 =1084 ( calorie deficit)
It's been playing in my mind that I should not be doing this because I could harm myself so this is why I'm writing this post. I need reassurance that I can and DO NEED to eat at least 1,500 calories to lose fat and gain muscle. I need reassurance that this is a slow process and there is NO QUICK FIX. I will admit that I have become obsessed with working out and counting calories.
I welcome any suggestions or plans that have worked for you. I struggle with my lower belly. I have two kids so it's pretty stretchy. I would definitely like to tone my arms. I'm happy with my legs and my torso area.
Thank you in advance myfitness pal community.
MG
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/garcia_me40
I am 5' tall and pretty active. I eat 1000 calories a day BEFORE exercise. I DO NOT eat my exercise calories back. I am being tracked by a professional and its working well. Im not starving or hungry all the time. Im not hurting my body and plan to maintain this here on out. Im also breastfeeding as well. (hopefully not much longer than another month) people going nuts about a 1000 calorie a day diet don't realize or don't want to accept that it IS OK for some people. would I suggest everyone do so? probably not because it isn't ok for everyone. If you are truly concerned speak to your doctor or hire a nutritionist. most insurance plans will cover a set amount of time or amount of visits for nutritionist. If accelerated weight loss is what your after than go to a bariatric doctor specifically. They will be your absolute best person to get advice from when it comes to YOUR PERSONAL success and health0 -
newfutures wrote: »garcia_me40 wrote: »I've read other posts about people decreasing the calorie intake to 1,000 and the replies where NOT TO DO SO because it is unhealthy to our bodies, especially if working out.
Here is my situation. Last month I did a 30 day challenge where I began at
Female 39 years 5'3
141.9 pounds
lean body mass of 95.2
body fat mass of 46.7
skeletal muscle mass 52.7
BMR is 1303 (my calories burn at rest and what I need to intake to survive --i learned that too)
My "unrealistic' goal was to go to 125 pounds and wear a size 5. I'm currently at a size 8 or 10. I know it's unrealistic and I know getting fit it's a process that will pay off in my health and of course have a lean body which I do want.
During this challenge, it was suggested that I consume 1584 calories. I workout an hour just about every day averaging about 600 - 800 burned calories when active. It was also suggested that the macros ratio was 50% carb, 25% protein and 25%fat.
My results in one month
139.4 pounds (so I lost 2 pounds)
lean body mass 97.0
body fat mass 42.4
skeletal muscle mass 54.0
BMR 1320
This is where my unrealistic expectations kicked in. When I got the result in one month, I was sad. I felt like I had put in a lot of work staying away from junk food. Although I confess that I didn't work out for a good week on a consistent basis. I was on vacation and while on vacation I did rest a lot and had a hot dog and half a soda and chips.... and I had 6 alcoholic beverage in those 30 days 4 which included beer.
My trainers have reassured me that the results are wonderful and I'm doing good BUT MY STUBBORNESS WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.
This week, I made my own decision, without consulting anyone, to put myself on a 500 calorie deficit (it was my little secret) which will mean that I only consume about 1084 calories.
1320 * .2 = 264 (since I'm active)
1320 + 264 = 1584
1587 - 500 =1084 ( calorie deficit)
It's been playing in my mind that I should not be doing this because I could harm myself so this is why I'm writing this post. I need reassurance that I can and DO NEED to eat at least 1,500 calories to lose fat and gain muscle. I need reassurance that this is a slow process and there is NO QUICK FIX. I will admit that I have become obsessed with working out and counting calories.
I welcome any suggestions or plans that have worked for you. I struggle with my lower belly. I have two kids so it's pretty stretchy. I would definitely like to tone my arms. I'm happy with my legs and my torso area.
Thank you in advance myfitness pal community.
MG
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/garcia_me40
I am 5' tall and pretty active. I eat 1000 calories a day BEFORE exercise. I DO NOT eat my exercise calories back. I am being tracked by a professional and its working well. Im not starving or hungry all the time. Im not hurting my body and plan to maintain this here on out. Im also breastfeeding as well. (hopefully not much longer than another month) people going nuts about a 1000 calorie a day diet don't realize or don't want to accept that it IS OK for some people. would I suggest everyone do so? probably not because it isn't ok for everyone. If you are truly concerned speak to your doctor or hire a nutritionist. most insurance plans will cover a set amount of time or amount of visits for nutritionist. If accelerated weight loss is what your after than go to a bariatric doctor specifically. They will be your absolute best person to get advice from when it comes to YOUR PERSONAL success and health
Don't hire a nutritionist. There's no regulation over the title "nutritionist." Most of them take an online course for an hour, pass a test, and then they're certified. The professional you want to look for is "dietician." These are the folks that have put 4-8 years into the study of food and the human body and have received degrees from accredited universities in the field of exercise and nutrition.
And yeah, at 5', a lower-calorie diet might be okay, but keep in mind - this person above is being supervised.
There are effects that aren't going to show up with a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) right away. The problem is, with such a low calorie intake, you're not going to recieve the nutrition you need to sustain basic functions. Not to mention, you're going to lose lean body mass - and a lot of it. Try eating .5 grams of protein a day per pound of lean body mass, getting the proper amount of fats and carbs, and ensuring you can still fit in the vitamins and minerals your body needs in the appropriate quantities. If you can do all of this, which is difficult on a VLCD, then good for you. If you can't, your body is going to have a hard time getting what it needs from that calorie allotment with exercise. There's a reason MFP won't let you finish a log under 1200.0 -
newfutures wrote: »garcia_me40 wrote: »I've read other posts about people decreasing the calorie intake to 1,000 and the replies where NOT TO DO SO because it is unhealthy to our bodies, especially if working out.
Here is my situation. Last month I did a 30 day challenge where I began at
Female 39 years 5'3
141.9 pounds
lean body mass of 95.2
body fat mass of 46.7
skeletal muscle mass 52.7
BMR is 1303 (my calories burn at rest and what I need to intake to survive --i learned that too)
My "unrealistic' goal was to go to 125 pounds and wear a size 5. I'm currently at a size 8 or 10. I know it's unrealistic and I know getting fit it's a process that will pay off in my health and of course have a lean body which I do want.
During this challenge, it was suggested that I consume 1584 calories. I workout an hour just about every day averaging about 600 - 800 burned calories when active. It was also suggested that the macros ratio was 50% carb, 25% protein and 25%fat.
My results in one month
139.4 pounds (so I lost 2 pounds)
lean body mass 97.0
body fat mass 42.4
skeletal muscle mass 54.0
BMR 1320
This is where my unrealistic expectations kicked in. When I got the result in one month, I was sad. I felt like I had put in a lot of work staying away from junk food. Although I confess that I didn't work out for a good week on a consistent basis. I was on vacation and while on vacation I did rest a lot and had a hot dog and half a soda and chips.... and I had 6 alcoholic beverage in those 30 days 4 which included beer.
My trainers have reassured me that the results are wonderful and I'm doing good BUT MY STUBBORNESS WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.
This week, I made my own decision, without consulting anyone, to put myself on a 500 calorie deficit (it was my little secret) which will mean that I only consume about 1084 calories.
1320 * .2 = 264 (since I'm active)
1320 + 264 = 1584
1587 - 500 =1084 ( calorie deficit)
It's been playing in my mind that I should not be doing this because I could harm myself so this is why I'm writing this post. I need reassurance that I can and DO NEED to eat at least 1,500 calories to lose fat and gain muscle. I need reassurance that this is a slow process and there is NO QUICK FIX. I will admit that I have become obsessed with working out and counting calories.
I welcome any suggestions or plans that have worked for you. I struggle with my lower belly. I have two kids so it's pretty stretchy. I would definitely like to tone my arms. I'm happy with my legs and my torso area.
Thank you in advance myfitness pal community.
MG
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/garcia_me40
I am 5' tall and pretty active. I eat 1000 calories a day BEFORE exercise. I DO NOT eat my exercise calories back. I am being tracked by a professional and its working well. Im not starving or hungry all the time. Im not hurting my body and plan to maintain this here on out. Im also breastfeeding as well. (hopefully not much longer than another month) people going nuts about a 1000 calorie a day diet don't realize or don't want to accept that it IS OK for some people. would I suggest everyone do so? probably not because it isn't ok for everyone. If you are truly concerned speak to your doctor or hire a nutritionist. most insurance plans will cover a set amount of time or amount of visits for nutritionist. If accelerated weight loss is what your after than go to a bariatric doctor specifically. They will be your absolute best person to get advice from when it comes to YOUR PERSONAL success and health
While I appreciate your situation, and agree that not everyone can eat 1200 calories and lose weight, I don't believe the advice is appropriate in this situation. The OP has stated she is interested in building muscle and losing weight. Since an extreme deficit requiring a doctor's involvement will cause her to lose muscle, I don't think a plan where she's eating less than 1000 calories is going to fit her end goal. IMHO, simple impatience with the process is not a good enough reason to hire a nutritionist or a doctor to be involved especially when it's the exact wrong way to go about achieving the goal in mind.0 -
I've been on a program for the last 5-6 months to build muscle/lose weight. It is slooooooooow (especially because there were some moments of de-motivation on my part where I didn't stick to the diet as much as I should have). I am with a trainer. She changes my nutrition/workout every 6 week or so. At first I was not doing any cardio at all, just lifting. My calories were never lower than 1400. I follow a bit of a bulk/shred pattern diet-wise. It is frustrating when we want to see results NOW but they take a while - the key thing is this: if you lose quick, you also have the chance to gain it all back quick too, but if you lose slowly, you maintain it once it's gone.
But, that's just been my experience. I'm no expert, but it's working for me. on the scales I haven't lost much, but in centimetres many have gone and I look a lot more toned/muscular. And I also feel strong which is an added bonus
I just have my baby-belly to get rid of... and that takes a while apparently!0 -
Hi just one consideration that may help, are you using a heart rate monitor to measure the calories you're burning? I'm no expert, but I've recently begun using one and the estimated calories burned are quite a lot less than the MFP estimates.
I'm told using a HRM is the most accurate way to estimate calories burned. I use a polar F7.
My own journey to fitness and getting the results I want is slow but my body looks way better than when I reduced my calories too much and lost quickly....in the past.0 -
1) Weightloss is a long progress, keep getting up when you fall and don't stop until you reached the top of the mountain
2) You are under supervision of professionals. They probably know what a good program for you looks like.
3) You seem to accurately know your bmr and what it means, still your net calorie intake is lower.
You already know the answer. Choose to do the right thing for you (in the long run).
I also want to add that ocasionally when I watch tv shows like extreme weight loss, candidates that are on a super strictly supervised program decide that they want to lose extra weight by eating less than prescribed. All kinds of nasty things start to happen like hair falling out and they become malnourished through lack of nutrients. I don't think you want to go there....0 -
Okay, so I decided to look into this a bit more some time ago when people were yelling that you shouldn't eat below your BMR.
Fact is, MOST morbidly obese people are put on diets below their BMR. And I don't mean morbidly obese people in the lab or under close supervision. I mean completely mainstream, unsupervised, widely accepted as perfectly safe diets.
The BMR advice is nonsense. As I expected.
However, it turns out there's a maximum rate at which you can possibly mobilize fat. That's 31 +/- 3 calories per pound of fat per day. The closer you get to that number, the more your body will want to burn lean mass.
Picking a safer number
, let's do 27 calories. So you could find your max theoretical daily deficit by doing fat mass * 27. Right now, that's about 1200 calories for you. So DO NOT do above a 1200-calorie deficit or you absolutely WILL be burning your lean mass.
There is also ZERO evidence to the idea that faster losses are somehow magically elastic. Your body doesn't remember how much you used to weigh. Losing slower doesn't fool it. It just doesn't. If fast weight loss was terrible, you'd see women instantly gaining back weigh to the heaviest point in pregnancy as their body freaks out against giving birth!
The closer you get to that maximum deficit, the more important lifting becomes to preserve FFM!0 -
ManiacalLaugh wrote: »newfutures wrote: »garcia_me40 wrote: »I've read other posts about people decreasing the calorie intake to 1,000 and the replies where NOT TO DO SO because it is unhealthy to our bodies, especially if working out.
Here is my situation. Last month I did a 30 day challenge where I began at
Female 39 years 5'3
141.9 pounds
lean body mass of 95.2
body fat mass of 46.7
skeletal muscle mass 52.7
BMR is 1303 (my calories burn at rest and what I need to intake to survive --i learned that too)
My "unrealistic' goal was to go to 125 pounds and wear a size 5. I'm currently at a size 8 or 10. I know it's unrealistic and I know getting fit it's a process that will pay off in my health and of course have a lean body which I do want.
During this challenge, it was suggested that I consume 1584 calories. I workout an hour just about every day averaging about 600 - 800 burned calories when active. It was also suggested that the macros ratio was 50% carb, 25% protein and 25%fat.
My results in one month
139.4 pounds (so I lost 2 pounds)
lean body mass 97.0
body fat mass 42.4
skeletal muscle mass 54.0
BMR 1320
This is where my unrealistic expectations kicked in. When I got the result in one month, I was sad. I felt like I had put in a lot of work staying away from junk food. Although I confess that I didn't work out for a good week on a consistent basis. I was on vacation and while on vacation I did rest a lot and had a hot dog and half a soda and chips.... and I had 6 alcoholic beverage in those 30 days 4 which included beer.
My trainers have reassured me that the results are wonderful and I'm doing good BUT MY STUBBORNESS WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.
This week, I made my own decision, without consulting anyone, to put myself on a 500 calorie deficit (it was my little secret) which will mean that I only consume about 1084 calories.
1320 * .2 = 264 (since I'm active)
1320 + 264 = 1584
1587 - 500 =1084 ( calorie deficit)
It's been playing in my mind that I should not be doing this because I could harm myself so this is why I'm writing this post. I need reassurance that I can and DO NEED to eat at least 1,500 calories to lose fat and gain muscle. I need reassurance that this is a slow process and there is NO QUICK FIX. I will admit that I have become obsessed with working out and counting calories.
I welcome any suggestions or plans that have worked for you. I struggle with my lower belly. I have two kids so it's pretty stretchy. I would definitely like to tone my arms. I'm happy with my legs and my torso area.
Thank you in advance myfitness pal community.
MG
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/garcia_me40
I am 5' tall and pretty active. I eat 1000 calories a day BEFORE exercise. I DO NOT eat my exercise calories back. I am being tracked by a professional and its working well. Im not starving or hungry all the time. Im not hurting my body and plan to maintain this here on out. Im also breastfeeding as well. (hopefully not much longer than another month) people going nuts about a 1000 calorie a day diet don't realize or don't want to accept that it IS OK for some people. would I suggest everyone do so? probably not because it isn't ok for everyone. If you are truly concerned speak to your doctor or hire a nutritionist. most insurance plans will cover a set amount of time or amount of visits for nutritionist. If accelerated weight loss is what your after than go to a bariatric doctor specifically. They will be your absolute best person to get advice from when it comes to YOUR PERSONAL success and health
Don't hire a nutritionist. There's no regulation over the title "nutritionist." Most of them take an online course for an hour, pass a test, and then they're certified. The professional you want to look for is "dietician." These are the folks that have put 4-8 years into the study of food and the human body and have received degrees from accredited universities in the field of exercise and nutrition.
And yeah, at 5', a lower-calorie diet might be okay, but keep in mind - this person above is being supervised.
There are effects that aren't going to show up with a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) right away. The problem is, with such a low calorie intake, you're not going to recieve the nutrition you need to sustain basic functions. Not to mention, you're going to lose lean body mass - and a lot of it. Try eating .5 grams of protein a day per pound of lean body mass, getting the proper amount of fats and carbs, and ensuring you can still fit in the vitamins and minerals your body needs in the appropriate quantities. If you can do all of this, which is difficult on a VLCD, then good for you. If you can't, your body is going to have a hard time getting what it needs from that calorie allotment with exercise. There's a reason MFP won't let you finish a log under 1200.
Low calorie diets are 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1400 or 1500 for men. MFP lets you close your diary at or above 1000 for women. They are considered safe for unsupervised diets but on the extreme end of what's appropriate for unsupervised diets.
Very low calorie diets are 800 calories or below, by definition. (Apparently, 801-999 is a no-man's land.) 600-800 calories of specially formulated supplements are considered to be safe in a closely supervised setting for people in the "severely obese" (BMI of 30) range or above. They are considered unsafe for anyone who is merely overweight, much less normal weight.
Some supervised VLCDs go into the 500s, but the safety of that is being increasingly questioned.0 -
I'm still learning myself (and was in the category of eating under 1200 calories until I knew better). But what i've learnt (and led me to upping my intake) is that you're doing this for long term health. Eating less than what your body NEEDS is what people with eating disorders do. And people die from eating disorders. You cannot possibly get healthy by doing what is unhealthy. Yes, you might lose some weight (not necessarily fat either), but you won't be healthy.0
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Based on what do you say that under 1200 is NECESSARILY unhealthy? Under 1000 for women is what the medical establishment has set as unhealthy.
But eating 2000 calories a day when you are burning 2750 is unhealthy if you have less than 28lbs of fat on your body, even if you are VERY short and manage to be over healthy BMI at that weight.
She's 5'3". If anyone can eat at the low end of the range, it would be her!0 -
1) Weightloss is a long progress, keep getting up when you fall and don't stop until you reached the top of the mountain
2) You are under supervision of professionals. They probably know what a good program for you looks like.
3) You seem to accurately know your bmr and what it means, still your net calorie intake is lower.
You already know the answer. Choose to do the right thing for you (in the long run).
I also want to add that ocasionally when I watch tv shows like extreme weight loss, candidates that are on a super strictly supervised program decide that they want to lose extra weight by eating less than prescribed. All kinds of nasty things start to happen like hair falling out and they become malnourished through lack of nutrients. I don't think you want to go there....
Thank you for the encouragement. I have been noticing that my hair is falling ALOT. Nourish my body I will and will keep in mind that this journey is a process.0 -
I'm still learning myself (and was in the category of eating under 1200 calories until I knew better). But what i've learnt (and led me to upping my intake) is that you're doing this for long term health. Eating less than what your body NEEDS is what people with eating disorders do. And people die from eating disorders. You cannot possibly get healthy by doing what is unhealthy. Yes, you might lose some weight (not necessarily fat either), but you won't be healthy.
Thank you Kate for the reassurance. I definitely want to be healthy.0 -
MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Okay, so I decided to look into this a bit more some time ago when people were yelling that you shouldn't eat below your BMR.
Fact is, MOST morbidly obese people are put on diets below their BMR. And I don't mean morbidly obese people in the lab or under close supervision. I mean completely mainstream, unsupervised, widely accepted as perfectly safe diets.
The BMR advice is nonsense. As I expected.
However, it turns out there's a maximum rate at which you can possibly mobilize fat. That's 31 +/- 3 calories per pound of fat per day. The closer you get to that number, the more your body will want to burn lean mass.
Picking a safer number , let's do 27 calories. So you could find your max theoretical daily deficit by doing fat mass * 27. Right now, that's about 1200 calories for you. So DO NOT do above a 1200-calorie deficit or you absolutely WILL be burning your lean mass.
There is also ZERO evidence to the idea that faster losses are somehow magically elastic. Your body doesn't remember how much you used to weigh. Losing slower doesn't fool it. It just doesn't. If fast weight loss was terrible, you'd see women instantly gaining back weigh to the heaviest point in pregnancy as their body freaks out against giving birth!
The closer you get to that maximum deficit, the more important lifting becomes to preserve FFM!
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garcia_me40 wrote: »MamaBirdBoss wrote: »Okay, so I decided to look into this a bit more some time ago when people were yelling that you shouldn't eat below your BMR.
Fact is, MOST morbidly obese people are put on diets below their BMR. And I don't mean morbidly obese people in the lab or under close supervision. I mean completely mainstream, unsupervised, widely accepted as perfectly safe diets.
The BMR advice is nonsense. As I expected.
However, it turns out there's a maximum rate at which you can possibly mobilize fat. That's 31 +/- 3 calories per pound of fat per day. The closer you get to that number, the more your body will want to burn lean mass.
Picking a safer number , let's do 27 calories. So you could find your max theoretical daily deficit by doing fat mass * 27. Right now, that's about 1200 calories for you. So DO NOT do above a 1200-calorie deficit or you absolutely WILL be burning your lean mass.
There is also ZERO evidence to the idea that faster losses are somehow magically elastic. Your body doesn't remember how much you used to weigh. Losing slower doesn't fool it. It just doesn't. If fast weight loss was terrible, you'd see women instantly gaining back weigh to the heaviest point in pregnancy as their body freaks out against giving birth!
The closer you get to that maximum deficit, the more important lifting becomes to preserve FFM!
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Eat more. It's a journey, not a race.
A bigger deficit = a higher chance of losing muscle mass
Less muscle = slower metabolism
I always aim to lose as slowly as possible. I've lost 2 pounds in the past 9 weeks while lifting, but I already look noticeably leaner. The goal is to eat as much as possible while still losing weight.
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"Eat as much as possible while still losing wait" thank you FujiBerry for the reminder that this is a journey.Eat more. It's a journey, not a race.
A bigger deficit = a higher chance of losing muscle mass
Less muscle = slower metabolism
I always aim to lose as slowly as possible. I've lost 2 pounds in the past 9 weeks while lifting, but I already look noticeably leaner. The goal is to eat as much as possible while still losing weight.
0
This discussion has been closed.
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