Help! I have a lot of weight to loose - where to start?

Lovelyjoolz
Lovelyjoolz Posts: 3 Member
edited June 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there

I have a terrific amount of weight to loose, and I need to start slow because physically, I'm a wreck!

How do I work out how many calories a day I should be having?

My BMR according to MFP is 2,141 so anything less than that means a loss right? But how much below that do I go? Is 1800 too low?

I'd really appreciate some advice guys :blush:

J
x

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    These are where I would suggest starting:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101
  • catalinaromera
    catalinaromera Posts: 20 Member
    What a big step you're making in deciding to lose the weight!! Its going to be a journey! And as PP said, those are some great forums to start with!

    My only advice to you would be to remember to take this day by day. When you have a lot of weight to lose ahead of you, it takes awhile to lose it all in a healthy way- and it can be easy to feel burned out on the whole weightloss thing.

    Just remember you're not alone, you're going to do great, and this is a lifelong journey. So take it step by step, just on foot in front of the other. You can do it!
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    If your BMR is 2141, that means your TDEE is higher than that. Even if you're sedentary, your TDEE is probably 2500 or so at least. Unless you have some metabolic issues. Do you have diabetes or metabolic syndrome or anything?

    Your TDEE is BMR + daily activities + deliberate exercise.

    1800 is probably ok, but honestly if you log your intake accurately, you'll lose at 2000 or 2200, too. Any time you eat less than your TDEE you will lose weight. How far below your TDEE you are with your intake on average is how fast you'll lose on average.

    In my opinion, if you start MFP with a goal of 1800, you probably should "eat back" at least a portion of any "exercise" calories you earn by logging deliberate exercise like taking a brisk walk.
  • Lovelyjoolz
    Lovelyjoolz Posts: 3 Member
    WBB55 wrote: »
    If your BMR is 2141, that means your TDEE is higher than that. Even if you're sedentary, your TDEE is probably 2500 or so at least. Unless you have some metabolic issues. Do you have diabetes or metabolic syndrome or anything?

    *furiously googles TDEE* Ahh... that site puts my TDEE at 2597 (great guesstimate WBB55!!)

    No, I don't have a medical condition, but I was bulimic as a teenager which dropped my weight down to just over 7 stone (BMI 14ish) and 20+ years of yo-yo dieting, bingeing, crash diets, VLCD's and every stupid weightloss scam on the market has NOT done my metabolism any favours. I seem to pack on weight much easier than my peers - I can gain 8lb in a weekend, easily, with not a vast amount of food consumed. And yet my brother who is same height, 4 years older, eats MOUNTAINS of food - seriously, I could not afford his grocery bill - and drinks far too much beer, swans around with his 28" waist and not a scrap of extra flesh on him. Grrr.

    I don't know, maybe I'm kidding myself, maybe I eat way more than I realise, because I regularly skip meals (I forgot to eat dinner last night), never eat breakfast, and am always convinced I don't eat very much at all. And yet here I am at over 300lbs! Something is definitely not computing here!

    So, baby steps, I'm going to religiously plot everything that passes my lips for the next week and see for myself exactly how many calories I am consuming. I'm expecting it to be a bit of a shocker tbh!!

  • antoinette1412
    antoinette1412 Posts: 4 Member
    Hi I started in November at 20 stone 8 pounds .i started walking for 30 mins 5 days a week and had no starchy carbs ie bread ,rice,pasta.potatoes.abd stuck to max 1400 calories a day .it is tough at the start but Seven months on and 3 and a half stone off and able to walk a min of 6 klms a day .and also have your treats at the weekend as I find it stops me wanting them during the week .best if luck
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Sounds to me like you should simply weigh and log all your food honestly for a while and not even worry about a deficit at the moment.

    (And some advice from Aunt WBB: I recommend not comparing your concept of what you eat to your concept of what others eat, unless you are with them 24 hours per day and prepare their food for them.)

    Based on what you've told us, I stick to my statement that 1800 plus exercise calories (and accurate logging of food) is probably a good place to start. Or even simpler would be a flat 2000 every day for now until you're accustomed to logging.

    But really, the first step is logging honestly and accurately every day. Good job taking charge of your health.
  • Nancy6674
    Nancy6674 Posts: 4 Member
    I just joined a weight management team at our local health clinic. Apparently, though I have 100+ to lose I wasn't eating often enough in the day. I am on 1200 calories, use my Garmin to track my steps and keep me on track. I am terrible for skipping meals then eating foolishly because I am so hungry. So here I am at 62 learning to eat normal... grrr!!... Good luck to everyone on your weight loss journey, I hope we all do well.

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