1200 or 1400 cals??

Tricia7188
Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so I'm 5'7" started Jan at 178.4, currently 168, goal is 150 to start (in the healthy range, we'll see from there if I want to lose more). Desk job/no exercise for now. MFP gave me 1200 which I've been doing well on but I'm worried I won't have anywhere to go down eventually if I have to cut more cals to keep losing. If I set to lose 1 lb a week it gives me 1410.
The only thing I'm worried about is that now I'm pretty much perfect at 1200 Mon-Fri (weighing by the gram) BUT I tend to splurge on weekends, few chips or crackers, another fruit, more nuts, but since it's so snacky its hard to be as accurate with tracking. So i feel like the 1200 is like insurance against the weekends. Ive been in an "up and down but still on a downward trend" because of doing good on weekdays and not as good on weekends. I'm in this for the long haul so Im not attached to the 1200 for the quick weight loss.
I know I should probably bump up to the 1400 and reign in the weekends but just wondering what your experience is at this point.
If it matters I was pretty much hovering at 180ish before, eating crappy working in a bakery on my feet all day.
I feel like I'm still so early in my weight loss that I should be able to stay at the 1200 for a while, but is 5'7" 168 around the time I should be transitioning to slower weight loss?
Thanks all, sorry if this got rambly its hard to compose a post in the app lol

Replies

  • missy7979
    missy7979 Posts: 5 Member
    Maybe carb cycle it - 1200 Mon, Wed, Fri, 1400 Tues, Thursday, Saturday, and 1500 on Sundays
  • Tricia7188
    Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
    missy7979 wrote: »
    Maybe carb cycle it - 1200 Mon, Wed, Fri, 1400 Tues, Thursday, Saturday, and 1500 on Sundays
    Ive heard about this here and there on the boards. Anyone have any good websites or threads for info?
    A little bit of me would be scared to do the high days and low days, but I know people have done it with success so it must work haha

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Tricia7188 wrote: »
    missy7979 wrote: »
    Maybe carb cycle it - 1200 Mon, Wed, Fri, 1400 Tues, Thursday, Saturday, and 1500 on Sundays
    Ive heard about this here and there on the boards. Anyone have any good websites or threads for info?
    A little bit of me would be scared to do the high days and low days, but I know people have done it with success so it must work haha

    It's just math. You need to be in a weekly deficit. Let's say you compromised and chose to lose on an average of 1300 per day. You could eat 1200 6 days out of the week and 1800 on Saturday and you'd still average a 1300 daily intake for the week.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    edited March 2016
    I'm set at 1300. On weeks I know I will be doing something on the weekend I am going to lower to 1200 a day and use the "extra" calories to enjoy myself on the weekend without guilt.
  • Tricia7188
    Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
    True true that could work for me probably pretty well. But my logging sucks on the weekends, I try to be as accurate as possible but when you're eating a handful of Cheerios it just doesn't make it to the scale haha, I do try to eyeball in cups but I know that's not accurate or ideal.
    Anyone else out there with my stats that has any insight on the slower weight loss and cals you were at doing it?
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    I think you just need to tighten up your logging. I am 5'7". Started off this new year at 177 and I am now down to 165. I'm very happy with my progress. I started my journey at 185 a while back and used to eat 1200 but that is just too low for the long term! Been eating anywhere from 1300 to 1900 each day depending on Fitbit and exercise calories. I log everything. Super tight logging unless I eat out and then I try to overestimate. Weight loss has slowed since early/mid Feb since I started a dumbbell weightlifting routine. My diary is open, I think. You can take a look. With the exception of maybe 2 or 3 days I have logged every single bite of food I've eaten since the second or third day of the year.
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    edited March 2016
    I do kind of agree with you on deciding how slow I should be losing. I hover between setting my goal to 1 lb or half a lb per week. I think anything over 1 lb per week for us may be a bit too aggressive. I have also started working out and have upped my cals a bit to preserve any muscle I can.
  • Tricia7188
    Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
    erinc5 wrote: »
    I think you just need to tighten up your logging. I am 5'7". Started off this new year at 177 and I am now down to 165. I'm very happy with my progress. I started my journey at 185 a while back and used to eat 1200 but that is just too low for the long term! Been eating anywhere from 1300 to 1900 each day depending on Fitbit and exercise calories. I log everything. Super tight logging unless I eat out and then I try to overestimate. Weight loss has slowed since early/mid Feb since I started a dumbbell weightlifting routine. My diary is open, I think. You can take a look. With the exception of maybe 2 or 3 days I have logged every single bite of food I've eaten since the second or third day of the year.
    Awesome!! Thanks! we're pretty much weight loss twins(besides the exercise haha)! Great job!
    I know I have to tighten up logging, it'll be my new goal to strive for I think. I think ill probably make my diary public for my friends only, might keep me more accountable haha
  • Tricia7188
    Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
    erinc5 wrote: »
    I do kind of agree with you on deciding how slow I should be losing. I hover between setting my goal to 1 lb or half a lb per week. I think anything over 1 lb per week for us may be a bit too aggressive. I have also started working out and have upped my cals a bit to preserve any muscle I can.
    Ya I have a feeling 1 lb a week is best... Unfortunately haha. I just keep telling myself "long game. Long game. long game"
    I need to start strength to preserve muscle too.
  • shannonmelek
    shannonmelek Posts: 34 Member
    Can you workout on the weekends so you have more calories left over?
  • Tricia7188
    Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
    shannonmelek wrote: »
    Can you workout on the weekends so you have more calories left over?
    Hoping to work up to that. Been trying to get ahold on eating first then incorporate workouts. I'm not big on working out and have never been able stick to any kind of regimen. Especially hate cardio lol, hate sweating and being sore. But I know it's a necessary evil (for overall health).
    Thanks for the tip though, I'll definitely consider it as part of my potential solution.
  • shannonmelek
    shannonmelek Posts: 34 Member
    You got to find your niche in working out. I do icing and self defense classes. Makes me feel strong, and gives me a killer workout. 1 hour a day burning 500-700 calories. Get a HRM for acurate results. You will feel proud of yourself.
  • shannonmelek
    shannonmelek Posts: 34 Member
    Boxing lol not icing

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