still confused

Missy123556
Missy123556 Posts: 80
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm still really confused about what I should be eating. I dont understand calories, maybe because I'm so bad at math, lol. If I eat too many, I'll gain weight, but if I eat too little, Ill gain weight, and if I eat the right amount but too many of them are from carbs and sugars, I gain weight? the mfp app is telling me to eat 1200 calories, and not only am I finding it miserable but it doesnt seem to be working. What the heck ? Can someone please explain all this to me??

Replies

  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Until you get use to the system, don't worry so much about proteins, carbs and fats. Just do your best to avoid processed foods and try to eat the freshest, healthiest foods you can find. Just stay close to your 1200 net cal goal and you should be fine for now. :flowerforyou:
  • Knightrobs
    Knightrobs Posts: 33 Member
    If thats you in your picture I'd say you are not losing the weight because there is not much to lose. If anything IMO you look like you would benefit more from eating maintenance calories and beginning a strength training routine. As for the calorie question, eat your carbs only around training, and the more drastic amount of calories you cut, the more difficult it will be to stick to the plan.
  • RosieGB33nz
    RosieGB33nz Posts: 142
    I am having the same problem!! I am eating fruit and vege but am still going over my sugars, how are you suppose to eat all 1200 calories healthily but stay under?? If you find out, please let me now!!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Should help to read these threads:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    Just choose the appropriate settings for YOU, aim to MEET your goals each day (+- 100 cals) and let MFP do the work for you. There is a learning curve if you're trying to adjust your eating habits, so don't overwhelm yourself. Try to work on a couple of changes at a time, until they're habits; then add some more changes.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    I am having the same problem!! I am eating fruit and vege but am still going over my sugars, how are you suppose to eat all 1200 calories healthily but stay under?? If you find out, please let me now!!

    Make sure your goals are appropriate for you (check out the threads I listed). If you're avoiding processed foods and refined sugar, don't worry too much about sugar from fruit and other natural sources. It takes time, just keep working on it. :flowerforyou:
  • DustinReiner
    DustinReiner Posts: 157 Member
    Welcome to MFP(As it's lovingly called by fellow members),

    Well your making the first step, ¬your on here with the intent to lose weight. While this site is great and the people are great, this site can only do so much, it’s up to you to do it.

    You can do it, it’s not easy but the things that are worth it aren’t easy. But, they’re well worth it in the end!

    I’d recommend start to read or research whatever you want to call it. You don’t have to be an expert on the matter, but you will get to know a lot about food and nutrition and exercise.

    I would also recommend on doing some kind of exercising. Exercising of some sort is almost mandatory, losing weight can be done without exercising, but it will take at least twice as long and not as effective.

    Exercising can be as simple as walking, which is always a good one. Joining a gym is great(don’t let it intimidate you, they’re all people with the same goals. To get in better shape!) As soon as you get used to going there, it is a great place to learn more “Tricks of the trade” on getting in shape. Treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical machine, swimming, spinning classes, aerobics(Actually a good place to start, if you’re not used to exercising) .

    Exercise and nutrition for beginners.
    http://exercise.about.com/cs/exbeginners/a/begnutrition.htm

    A link about nutrition
    http://exercise.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/lowcarb.htm

    A link about dieting
    http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/howtoloseweight.htm

    Another link about nutrition
    http://exercise.about.com/od/nutrition/Nutrition.htm

    And another one
    http://nutrition.about.com/od/nutrition101/a/why_nutrition.htm

    I use About.com a lot for research.

    You can do it, just stay with it. Even when you get frustrated.

    Good luck in reaching your goals!

    Dustin
  • corieueber
    corieueber Posts: 72 Member
    why are you finding it miserable? are you hungry or just sick of counting calories and stressing if it is a carb/sugar etc???

    Basically l look at it like this - my daily is 1350 (after talking to my trainer) this amount is is enough to keep me from being hungry given my average activity for the day and just a few less that l'm using so l'll end up with a loss over the week.

    now if l exercise l'm burning more calories so l will need to eat a bit more so l don't feel hungry (if l burn 500 calories on average l'll eat 200 of those - but if really hungry l might eat all 500)

    Theory is if l go under that 1350 my body thinks there is a famine and like a squirrel storing their nuts for winter my body starts storing food/energy to survive the famine, so to keep my metabolism (a chemical process in the body) going strong and using all the calories l eat l need to avoid famine mode

    Carbs/salt/sugar these are personal, l am finding on the weeks l've eaten lots of carbs l do bloat and don't do good on the scales so l try to only have 1-2 serves of carbs a day, and l tend to love salty foods so l watch my salt as it tends to make me bloat etc like carbs. I've figured this over the 4 months l've been on mfp and this bit has been trial and error looking at my food on the weeks l've done well on the scales and the weeks not so good looking for trends in my eating. For me l don't see a big change when l've eaten heaps of sugar but l know some people are more sensitive to it so everyone's different.

    don't know if this helps you feel less confused or not - good luck
  • Missy123556
    Missy123556 Posts: 80
    Well, I know the reason that I go over my sugars is pretty much all from my coffee. I love me some coffee :)
    ladyhawk, I read the first link you posted, so I should have my settings changed to .5lbs instead of 1.5? And that will raise the amount of calories that I am supposed to eat? And that will make me lose weight? Or will I lose weight faster sticking to the 1200 calories that it already has me on?
  • corieueber
    corieueber Posts: 72 Member
    I am having the same problem!! I am eating fruit and vege but am still going over my sugars, how are you suppose to eat all 1200 calories healthily but stay under?? If you find out, please let me now!!

    Make sure your goals are appropriate for you (check out the threads I listed). If you're avoiding processed foods and refined sugar, don't worry too much about sugar from fruit and other natural sources. It takes time, just keep working on it. :flowerforyou:

    Same here if l've gone over on sugar l look at what form my sugar was - and if it's just because of my fruit l don't stress about it :) Just read you love your coffee and have it with sugar - my trainer uses stevia as a sugar replacement, a natural product that is super sweet so you only use a tiny amount, l don't have sugar in my coffee etc so l haven't bought or used it but she swears by it???
  • Missy123556
    Missy123556 Posts: 80
    I don't use sugar, but I use creamer (coffeemate) and it has sugar in it.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Well, I know the reason that I go over my sugars is pretty much all from my coffee. I love me some coffee :)
    ladyhawk, I read the first link you posted, so I should have my settings changed to .5lbs instead of 1.5? And that will raise the amount of calories that I am supposed to eat? And that will make me lose weight? Or will I lose weight faster sticking to the 1200 calories that it already has me on?

    Yes, lowering your loss per week goal will raise your calories. But it still leaves a built in deficit that allows for weight loss. When you don't have much to lose, it WILL take longer. The body prefers to have a cushion of fat (especially for women). So to lose that last bit, you need to coax it off - and the way to do that is by letting the body KNOW there will be sufficient fuel coming in. So, you need a very conservative deficit. If you choose a loss per week goal that is too aggressive, it will usually backfire - and will NOT necessarily lead to faster/more weight loss. It usually leads to feeling deprived (which you're already experiencing), and can result in loss of muscle rather than fat. Loss of muscle will make it even harder to lose fat - and results in "skinny fat" which isn't a good look.

    Try to make the calories you get nutrient dense - avoid processed foods, focus on fresh foods - lean meat, veggies, fruit, whole grains. You don't have to cut out things you love, like your coffee, but try to make them a tiny bit healthier. Either cut back on the number of cups, or try using a bit less creamer. Small changes can make a big difference. :wink:
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