New to the diet thing, am I doing it right?

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  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
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    ms_smartypants wrote: »
    Vectris wrote: »
    Ok so I did the MFP goals and it said 2,330 daily to lose 2 pounds a week.

    Thats more reasonable ....I would recommend eating that plus 50% of your exercise calories back since MFP doesn't include exercise calories and they also over estimate calorie burns ...Again wishing you much success

    Thank you :smile:
  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    No, you're not doing it right. As a 6'3 male, you should be eating a looooot more. Like double.

    Figuring protein at .6 gr per lb (which is on the low side) is 177 grams (over 700 calories). Now add in fats at .3 gr per lb (again low estimate), that's 89 grams (nearly 800 calories). So to get numbers that are only close to the minimum recommendations, you would need 1500 calories... And we haven't even talked about carbs yet.

    Will be writing these numbers in thank you :smile:
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
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    You are rocking the catecholamine honeymoon right now which is probably why you feel just fine. Me too, have been here and done that before.

    But last time it was without knowledge, this time I plan to eat at maintenance for a couple of weeks once I knock off another 15 and move from obese back to overweight. The plan is to add resistance training then too, which I know is what I need to do. I just don't want to waste time doing it wrong, or possibly injure myself, and working with a trainer is pricey; so cut first.

    http://180degreehealth.com/the-catecholamine-honeymoon/
  • WendyLaubach
    WendyLaubach Posts: 518 Member
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    I'd be interested to know how much you lost during the week you had set your calories so low.
  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
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    WendyLaubach wrote: »
    I'd be interested to know how much you lost during the week you had set your calories so low.

    Last Monday I was at 295.4 last night I was 291.0 this morning 288.6
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    Oh no ! Goodness that is not enough food ! I'm a female and weigh 135 lbs and eat 2000/2300 per day !! So 1200/1600 surely isn't enough! I'd be concerned about losing too much muscle mass with that aggressive of a deficit !
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Hornsby is spot on...please remember those numbers are minimums though ..I think they're both a little low plus you need to get a widespread of vitamins and minerals, and carbs, whilst optional are a great macro for fuel

    I think your revised calorie goal is far more sustainable and healthy

    5'8 woman I lost most of my weight eating around 1800 cals
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Hornsby is spot on...please remember those numbers are minimums though ..I think they're both a little low

    I was definitely "kind" with my estimates and took the bare minimum, even a little less than minimum most likely, mostly to prove the point and kinda assuming that the 19% BF estimate is most likely lower than reality.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 791 Member
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    Dear lord I'm a 5'1 female and I would literally chew my arm off or bite someone's head off at 1200 per day. Jeez I'd be trying to force feed someone peanut butter hearing that. My weekly average goal is 1700 per day.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited January 2016
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    PrizePopple wrote: »
    I'm a 5'6" female who is more than 100 pounds lighter than you and I eat more than you do... does that tell you anything? My husband is 5'7" and I make sure he NETS 1,500 calories per day or I'll harp at him endlessly like a wife does. He's still losing just fine (save for the holiday indulging that occurred).

    OP, this is me too, except I am 5'2". I am losing on 1700/day. As a guy who is 100lbs heavier and more than a foot taller than me (plus I'm in my 40s), you need to be eating more. The extra food will help to ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs (macros and micros), it will help fuel your workouts so you don't stall out or hit a wall of exhaustion, and it will make the weight loss process much less painful. I love that I can fit some ice cream or beer into my day. I don't feel like I'm on a diet, and I don't feel deprived.

    If you are feeling really stuffed, take a look at what you are eating. Are you eating low cal versions of things? You don't have to eat diet foods.
  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    PrizePopple wrote: »
    I'm a 5'6" female who is more than 100 pounds lighter than you and I eat more than you do... does that tell you anything? My husband is 5'7" and I make sure he NETS 1,500 calories per day or I'll harp at him endlessly like a wife does. He's still losing just fine (save for the holiday indulging that occurred).

    OP, this is me too, except I am 5'2". I am losing on 1700/day. As a guy who is 100lbs heavier and more than a foot taller than me (plus I'm in my 40s), you need to be eating more. The extra food will help to ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs (macros and micros), it will help fuel your workouts so you don't stall out or hit a wall of exhaustion, and it will make the weight loss process much less painful. I love that I can fit some ice cream or beer into my day. I don't feel like I'm on a diet, and I don't feel deprived.

    If you are feeling really stuffed, take a look at what you are eating. Are you eating low cal versions of things? You don't have to eat diet foods.

    Nope, no diet foods, just smaller portions more frequently. I'll post a few snapshots of what my day is today. But I'm hitting my protein goals, under on carbs and fats over my Vitamin A.
  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
    edited January 2016
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  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Your portion sizes are kind of small and you're eating low fat yogurt ..that's a couple of very simple changes you could make
  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Your portion sizes are kind of small and you're eating low fat yogurt ..that's a couple of very simple changes you could make

    More cups of veggies? Skip the nonfat yogurt (just bought s ton) more protein in lunch?
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
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    If you find the portions a good fit, but want to up calories, then add some tasty fat; avocado in the salad, some cheese on that potato, almonds for a snack, etc.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Oh, keep eating that nonfat yogurt. It's not killing you and you don't have to waste money coming up with the "perfect" diet. You can up the calories with fats or sugars. I suggest a tablespoon of peanut butter to your nonfat yogurt. Or if you don't like that flavour, add a tablespoon of jam to your yogurt.

    Add another egg to your breakfast.
  • Vectris
    Vectris Posts: 25 Member
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    ilex70 wrote: »
    If you find the portions a good fit, but want to up calories, then add some tasty fat; avocado in the salad, some cheese on that potato, almonds for a snack, etc.

    Awesome, just went and bought almonds yesterday too! Have 11 1ounce sandwich bags, also that avacado idea sounds amazing.
  • Abby2205
    Abby2205 Posts: 253 Member
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    I think there's an error in your Fitbit setup. I just tried entering your stats (6'3", 295 lbs, male, extreme plan (1000 cal deficit), I assumed 40 years old) and it told me that the calorie goal was 2,182. The goal that you say Fitbit is giving you is way too low.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,994 Member
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    Vectris wrote: »
    ms_smartypants wrote: »
    I would say for a male you need more calories ..1200 is too low for a tall male .....don't be afraid to eat more ....what did MFP give you as far as calories when you put your info in? wishing you much success

    Fitbit calculated 1,625 daily for a 750 calorie deficit, 1,325 for 1000. So I input 1,600 to MFP, problem is I feel full by the end of the day. I'll post a pic of my last week totals. If I can

    I'm sorry, but that's just absurd. I'm a 5'4" 180 lb. woman in my 50s, with a desk job. 1625 would be a 700 calorie deficit for me before doing any exercise, including the lifting that you think is going to somehow help you retain muscle. Muscle retention requires strength training, adequate protein, and a small enough deficit that your body isn't forced to start harvesting energy from lean body mass because it can't keep up with the deficit by tapping your fat reserves. Most people at nearly 300 lbs would have plenty of fat to keep up with a 1500 or 2000 deficit (which is at a minimum what you're really at if you're really only eating 1200 to 1600 calories a day), but if you really have a 19% BF to start, you don't have enough fat to optimally support your deficit. Keep this up, and you could end up 200 lbs and 25% BF, which I'm guessing isn't what you want.

    The other possibility here is that you're actually eating more than you think you are. How long have you been eating what you think is 1200 to 1600 calories? How much have you lost in that time? How do you determine how many calories you are consuming? (Do you use a food scale? Measuring cups? Eyeballing?)

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