Too unrealistic?

hazeleyez26
hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
edited November 24 in Food and Nutrition
My goal is to lose 1.5 lbs each week.. Is that too unrealistic? Or too unhealthy? My calorie goal has been 1330 and it's been very difficult... I'm always still hungry! I end up eating some, if not all of my exercise calories back. I've been walking 30-45 min 5 to 6 days a week... Hoping to slowly work my way up to more exercise.
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Replies

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    If you are always hungry, then your plan may be too agressive. How much do you have to lose?
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    That really depends on how much you have to lose.
  • sscarmack
    sscarmack Posts: 210 Member
    I wouldn't go below 1,500 a day while hitting your macros.

    Step up the cardio game.

    When you dive to fast into something, you are more than likely to burn yourself out and thats while 75% (guess) off people who start diets and trying to get in shape, quit within the first month.

    Whatever your normal calorie intake is....Lets say 2,250. For the first few days drop it down to 2,000.....

    Day 1..............2,250 (5,000 steps + 10 minutes of activity)
    Day 2-3..........2,000 (7,500 steps + 15 minutes of activity)
    Day 4-5..........1,850 (9,500 steps + 20 minutes of activity)
    Day 6-7..........1,750 (12,000 steps + 30 minutes of activity)
    Week 8-10......1,500 (15,000 steps + 60 minutes of activity)


    Of course these are just rough numbers, but you get the idea.
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    I want to lose about 55 lbs.
  • radiosilents
    radiosilents Posts: 223 Member
    It's NOT a race! The slower you lose it, the more likely you are to keep it off. We need more information about you to know whether you're eating too little or not – height, weight, age. If you are hungry all the time, then yes, you are probably not eating enough. Tell us more!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    1.5 a week doesn't sound unrealistic for you. But, if you are always hungry it's going to make it very hard to stick to your plan long enough to lose that much. If it were me, I'd either switch to 1 lb a week so I wouldn't be so hungry, or look at my diet and see if could add more protein and fiber to help keep me full longer.
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    How would I know what my normal calorie intake should be?

    I'm 36, 5'4, and currently 176.4 lbs.
  • sscarmack
    sscarmack Posts: 210 Member
    hazeleyez26 wrote: »
    How would I know what my normal calorie intake should be?

    I'm 36, 5'4, and currently 176.4 lbs.

    I used this calculator on bb.com...It was pretty accurate for me.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/what-does-2500-calories-look-like.html

    Your maintenance intake is around 1,600 (lightly active), when I switch it to moderate it jumps up to 1,900.

    Be sure to check it out, it helps a lot to get a rough idea. Of course its just a calculator, so take it with a grain of salt.
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
    Myfittnesspal is designed for you to eat your exercise calories back. Some say the calorie burns are too high, so that's where you may have to be a bit careful.
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    I tried the calculator just now.. It said 1297 for calories..
  • sscarmack
    sscarmack Posts: 210 Member
    hazeleyez26 wrote: »
    I tried the calculator just now.. It said 1297 for calories..

    For fat loss, correct. I did maintenance to see what you should be having daily.

    Which is most likely correct. But like I said above, don't dive straight into eating 1,297 today. You'll burn yourself out.

    Start at 2,000 today and tomorrow, then slowly starts taking them out, 100-200 calories at a time.

    WHILE, still hitting your macros. You don't want to eat 1,500 calories and 50% be fat and only 10% protein. So be careful of the foods you're eating.

    Also look into IF (Intermittent Fasting), this seems to help a lot of people who are trying to drop weight.

    Again, don't dive into it too fast, start with a larger window and slowly start closing it.

    This is a marathon, not a sprint.
  • Redbeard333
    Redbeard333 Posts: 381 Member
    I wouldn't say it's unrealistic. Mine has been set for 1.5/week for months and months. I tried 2/week and was starving at the end of the day so I discontinued it. Try it for a couple weeks, see how you feel, and adjust :)
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 688 Member
    I would focus less on a specific time frame for how quickly you want to lose it and focus more on doing something you feel comfortable with and that is sustainable for you. The weight comes off when it comes off, and I have never had success keeping weight off when I lost it pretty quickly. Make smaller changes that you can live with.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    hazeleyez26 wrote: »
    How would I know what my normal calorie intake should be?

    I'm 36, 5'4, and currently 176.4 lbs.

    I just looked and you came at about 1850 for maintenance so 1350 for 1lb a week.
    Walking depends how far you walk. It will be roughly 100cal per mile walked.

    Whatever level you set yourself has to be sustainable so that you dont quit and arent miserable. I'd got for 1lb a week plus you get to eat your exercise calories. If you dont see lossm then only eat a portion of the exercise back say 50%.
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks sscarmack! That makes sense now and it's a lot of great info!

    Redbeard333, I've been trying it for almost a month now but struggling.. Looks like I will have to up my calories.

    ald783, I was thinking 1.5 lbs a week was moving slowly since I wanted to lose at least 2 lbs a week lol... I guess I was wrong. I just don't want to move too slow... But it is a lifestyle change so maybe it's better to move slowly.

    Need2Exerc1se, that's a great idea to eat more protein and fiber... I haven't paid much attention to that.
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks 999tiger!
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 688 Member
    Hazel, it's not that 1.5 pounds per week is necessarily unrealistic (although at best I tend to lose closer to a pound a week on average) but I would try not to get too caught up in the speed at which you lose. As long as the scale is going in a generally downward direction, you're on the right track!
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks ald!
  • alltheweigh170
    alltheweigh170 Posts: 287 Member
    sscarmack wrote: »
    hazeleyez26 wrote: »
    I tried the calculator just now.. It said 1297 for calories..

    For fat loss, correct. I did maintenance to see what you should be having daily.

    Which is most likely correct. But like I said above, don't dive straight into eating 1,297 today. You'll burn yourself out.

    Start at 2,000 today and tomorrow, then slowly starts taking them out, 100-200 calories at a time.

    WHILE, still hitting your macros. You don't want to eat 1,500 calories and 50% be fat and only 10% protein. So be careful of the foods you're eating.

    Also look into IF (Intermittent Fasting), this seems to help a lot of people who are trying to drop weight.

    Again, don't dive into it too fast, start with a larger window and slowly start closing it.

    This is a marathon, not a sprint.

    Good advice! Thanks!
  • skinnymalinkyscot
    skinnymalinkyscot Posts: 174 Member
    Dare I be cheeky and ask for some maths help too? My stats are age 56 (in a month), weight 219lbs, height 5ft .4"

    MFP set me at a 1.5lb a week loss for 1200 calories a day , but I ve been dieting since August 1st and have lost 15lb so far, but to be honest id rather just lose a 1lb a week and have a few more calories daily, any ideas how many calories ladies & gents, thank you in advance.
  • Superdave24
    Superdave24 Posts: 158 Member
    Here is a link to figuring out your macros that I found helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo3b_5vcS64
    Youtube has a lot of great advice but you do have to make your own assessment when deciding which way to go.





  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    skinnymalinkyscot wrote: »
    Dare I be cheeky and ask for some maths help too? My stats are age 56 (in a month), weight 219lbs, height 5ft .4"

    MFP set me at a 1.5lb a week loss for 1200 calories a day , but I ve been dieting since August 1st and have lost 15lb so far, but to be honest id rather just lose a 1lb a week and have a few more calories daily, any ideas how many calories ladies & gents, thank you in advance.

    Have you tried changing your setting on MFP to 1 lb a week?
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks Superdave24!
  • skinnymalinkyscot
    skinnymalinkyscot Posts: 174 Member
    Thank you Superdave....Need2 exercise......I hadnt thought of doing that, I thought entering stats was a one off event, didnt realise it could be tweaked.
  • Redbeard333
    Redbeard333 Posts: 381 Member
    hazeleyez26 wrote: »
    Redbeard333, I've been trying it for almost a month now but struggling.. Looks like I will have to up my calories.

    It's crazily counter-intuitive, but my dr and I were talking about this just last week. Your body needs fuel to burn, and if you starve it, you won't have the energy to get up and go. Good luckQ

  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    Very true! Thank you!
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    That calculator linked above? It said I should be eating 867 calories! Uh, no way.
  • MGarcia0504
    MGarcia0504 Posts: 51 Member
    Are you eating healthy? It's really easy to go over that amount of calories if you slip and eat junk food at all. If you're eating healthy and still feeling hungry then I would try to lose less a week.
  • hazeleyez26
    hazeleyez26 Posts: 71 Member
    About half the day I eat healthy and the other half not as healthy but I watch portion sizes. I need to try to get eating healthy all day.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    hazeleyez26 wrote: »
    About half the day I eat healthy and the other half not as healthy but I watch portion sizes. I need to try to get eating healthy all day.

    You can if you want, but you don't need to give up food you love to lose weight. You can still have nutritional goals like more protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables, etc without removing foods you actually like from your diet. Removal of items tends to lead to later caving in and eating those same items in large quantities for many people. YMMV
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