Need some help.

I eat between 1000-1300 calories. 3/4 of my plate are vegetables and I'll have a protein with it and add some flax seeds for fat. I only drink water. I'm a stay-at-home mom and work at home so I don't burn a lot of calories in a day. I walk for 3 miles pulling about 130 pounds with me in a wagon (my kids). I lost about 57 pounds already. For a while I had the energy to walk and then jog for 20 minutes at night when my kids went to sleep, but I stopped jogging because my legs felt like they were going to collapse when I'm walking. I was getting too tired. I was losing a little bit of weight when I was walking plus jogging, but that also plateaued. I feel like I shouldn't cut anymore calories for safety reasons, but I can't always jog at night either because I'm tired. Don't ask me to do it during the day because my son likes to put toys on the treadmill belt and fling them off when I'm on it so I don't do that anymore. Do I really need to cut more calories?

Replies

  • clafairy1984
    clafairy1984 Posts: 253 Member
    No! that seems a very low amount already, and not eating enough can make your body store calories and therefore stop you loosing. Have you thought about a workout DVD you can do at home once the kids are in bed? There are also lots of tips for home workouts on YouTube
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    How much fat are you getting? When I eat too low fat, my energy level suffers dramatically. Just having flax seeds for fat might be putting you too low.

  • Kyrenora
    Kyrenora Posts: 133 Member
    I'm also a stay/work at home mom and one thing I've found helpful is to incorporate my daughter into workouts. She loves doing yoga with me (she's still tiny, so I can hold her while doing a lot of poses). I'll also put on some music and hold her while dancing around the kitchen. I get a good burn that way. Maybe take the kids swimming? I agree that you really shouldn't cut any more calories. You may even be too low as it is. That could be a big part of why you're feeling so fatigued.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    I'm confused. Have you stopped losing? You certainly shouldn't cut below 1000 calories--way too low and totally unnecessary. It is NOT true that eating too little while prevent weight loss but eating too little will run you the risk of serious health problems, so don't do it. If you are no longer losing, how long has that been for? The tired thing makes me think either you aren't getting enough of a macro like @janejellyroll stated about fat or you've eaten too low for too long. Remember, weight loss isn't linear and we really need more info to help...especially need to know if you've stalled and for how long, how long have you been eating so few calories, are you getting enough protein, fat, and carbs, and do you eat back any of these calories you've been burning?
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
    You're starting to sound like I do when I don't have enough calories. What kind of deficit are you running each day? Are you getting some healthy, complex carbs every day? You should not be dropping below 1200 calories/day and likely should be eating more that that when you are getting even some light exercise. Are you willing to open up your food diary?
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    @StacyChrz What is a complex carb? I've heard of simple and complex, but still don't know what that means.
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    @janejellyroll Probably not enough. I'll try adding more fats to my diet.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    @StacyChrz What is a complex carb? I've heard of simple and complex, but still don't know what that means.

    A complex carbohydrate is one where the sugars are strung together in long chains. Examples of complex carbohydrates include grains, vegetables, and beans. Simple carbohydrates are made of sugars in shorter chains. They are digested very rapidly, so they provide quick energy (but if you're eating just simple carbohydrates, you may feel hunger again quickly). Examples include: white sugar (including the sugars found in soda and candy), honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup.
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    @janejellyroll Well 3/4 of my plate are vegetables. I don't eat junk food or sugary foods. If I do it's once in a blue moon. Very rare.
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
    Thanks for getting there so fast, Jane. I was looking for the right way to word that.
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    @Kyrenora Wish I could go swimming, but there aren't any public pools out here nor am I close to the beach. I can't work out when my son is awake. My son is autistic and can get aggressive. He gets overwhelmed with a lot of things. It's a battle every day just going to the park.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    StacyChrz wrote: »
    Thanks for getting there so fast, Jane. I was looking for the right way to word that.

    No problem. It's a question I've seen a lot. :)
  • dcshima
    dcshima Posts: 529 Member
    @beatyfamily1 please take a look at your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) versus your TDEE on either IIFYM.com or http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ , to safely lose weight (not sacrifice muscle) you should eat in between these two. You should not be afraid of protein or healthy fats because these keep you full longer and give you energy.

    Do you have a digital food scale? I have found this critical to my success, plus they are not very expensive either.

    I have found fitnessblender videos on youtube to keep exercise interesting, but keeping tabs on your food intake is 75% of the battle.

    There is also another supportive group on MFP, come check us out, http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3322-100-pounds-with-no-surgery
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
    @janejellyroll Well 3/4 of my plate are vegetables. I don't eat junk food or sugary foods. If I do it's once in a blue moon. Very rare.

    Vegetables are a great way to get your nutrients in but are you having some fruit, whole grains or beans along with your protein and veggies? Those are great sources of energy.
  • Kyrenora
    Kyrenora Posts: 133 Member
    @Kyrenora Wish I could go swimming, but there aren't any public pools out here nor am I close to the beach. I can't work out when my son is awake. My son is autistic and can get aggressive. He gets overwhelmed with a lot of things. It's a battle every day just going to the park.

    A lot of the autistic kids I know have really benefitted behaviorally from active play (i.e. Fun exercise). Take it slow, but see if you can find something he enjoys with a high activity level that you can do together. Some examples I've seen work can be as simple as dancing, some have liked easy yoga, others have enjoyed games like tag. Don't make it a chore, and stop whenever he needs to. This will keep him entertained and allow you to burn a few more calories during the day.
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    @dcshima No not a food scale. I do have a small scale that measures pounds and ounces. I use that for some foods. The BMR is what confuses me. Mine is set at 1894, but I wasn't losing any weight eating anything over 1800. So I dropped by calories by a a couple hundred. I still wasn't able to lose weight so I dropped them again. I was losing weight, but now have actually gained a couple pounds. I don't get it. It's so confusing.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    I would say if you feel your legs may collapse then you need to eat more. I played the low cal then feel burnt out game for years, it does not benefit you and just results in a yoyo. Use the weight loss calculator of your choice, be accurate, and then eat and exercise accordingly. Weight loss does not have to be fast, it has to be sustainable.
  • dcshima
    dcshima Posts: 529 Member
    @beatyfamily1 you may have been losing inches because 1 lb of muscle takes up less room than 1 lb of fat, but they both weigh the same amount.

    Also you didnt gain it all in one day, so it will take time to lose it too.

    I have targeted 1800-2000 calories with 40% fat, 35% protein, 25% carbs - 5' 7", SW 280, CW 227 timeframe 7.5 months.

    I would suggest purchasing a digital food scale less than $30 because 1 ounce = 28 grams / 1 lb = 454 grams, for example 1oz of cheddar cheese = 120 calories or coconut oil 14 grams = 130 calories, a scale that is finite (able to weigh grams) will be whether you make your calories or not in a day.

    Feel free to add me a friend (or any one else too looking for advise) or shoot me a message if you have other questions =]
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    Ok so another question: If I target the 1894 calories that was calculated for me and I exercise (earned calories), am I still suppose to eat the 1894 calories plus the calories earned?
  • dcshima
    dcshima Posts: 529 Member
    @beatyfamily1 your preference on eating back exercise calories but most recommend only eating up 50% of the earned calories, I would be cautious with this as some sites over estimate exercise calories though, so I do not currently as I have more fat to lose.
    If you are using the activity level, frequency and time period to calculate your BMR and TDEE then I would not eat back any...

    Also you are doing a great job making healthy choices with your calories. Please do remember if you want something sweet / salty you can still have these things as long you weigh / measure it, log it and are within your calories. I have pizza, only one slice and infrequently, but I balance it with huge green leafy salad with cheese but no dressing. It is all about gaining knowledge about calories, macros, serving sizes, reading labels and changing your relationship with food.

    Nothing is good, nothing is bad, there are just better choices your can make to "spend" your calories on to keep you full and give you antioxidants, vitamins etc, this is a lifestyle change. If you lose the weight, but return to the way you ate before you will become the person you were before.

    As you know, losing 57 lbs has been no easy feat, so congratulations!
    Next time you are at the store go pick up ~60 lbs of something and remember that you were carrying that around with you everyday, helps to put things into perspective...