Feeling a failure

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  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    The figure you are looking at is BMR its just telling you what the minimum cals your organs need to function (say if you were put on life support and couldn't lift a finger), either change your settings to moderately active or you will have to manually add your walking and exercising cals at sedentary and eat those back. The 1200 cal figure you are being given (for desk job sedentary lifestyle) assumes you will add exercise cals even walking to eat back does that make sense?
  • partyqueen1234
    partyqueen1234 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thankyou I used to do 1200 and was losing great. I think I might go up to 1300 cal a day and still hope for a lose of 2lb a week would that still give that based on my statistics and say 3 x 30 min eork out a week
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    Sorry I checked my bmr and said it should be 1776 does that mean I eat that or alot less to lose weight. Am just new and looking for advice. I also opened up my diary now thsnkyou x

    so why are you eating 1200 and not 1700 like MFP says?
  • partyqueen1234
    partyqueen1234 Posts: 19 Member
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    As I have said I am knew to calorie counting and looking for advice on how many calories I should be eating it was mfp who gave me the 1200
  • DEBOO7
    DEBOO7 Posts: 239 Member
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    Listen to the advise offered... increase your calories. For each 10lb lost then redo the calculation. As you become leaner and weight reduces so do the calories required. Your body is probably screaming 'starvation'. When this happens weight will not be lost.
  • partyqueen1234
    partyqueen1234 Posts: 19 Member
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    Am going to up my food intake to 1300 a day that gives me 200 cal breakfast, 400 lunch, 600 for tea and 100 for snack thankyou
  • BeGrandLike
    BeGrandLike Posts: 184 Member
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    Some datapoints for you: I currently weigh 141 lbs. I walk a little less than you, I work out every morning. I've been averaging 1700-1800 a day (1600 during the week and then have a treat day at the weekend where I get an extra 500 cals to play with), and I'm losing a pound and a half per week. To the extent that I'm thinking I should really add another couple hundred calories to my daily budget 'cause it's not good to lose that fast at my weight.

    At your weight and with your activity level, you should be eating more than I do. Cause bodies that weigh more need more calories just to exist- BMR is higher when you weigh more.

    Now, this does mean that you've got to get accurate. Loads of people think they're on 1200 but they're not, 'cause they're not measuring everything they eat accurately. But if you eat an accurate 500-1000cal deficit, you'll see that lovely steady weight loss kick in.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
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    animatorswearbras wrote: »
    Okay doing a quick calculation suggests your TDEE is 2100 sedentary or doing the amount of exercise you say (3 times a week plus walking) it will be 2700, you could eat 1700 and lose 2 pounds a week (1000 cal a day deficit). 1200 is way too aggressive please try higher and see how you go. x

    This is about what I came up with earlier when I plugged in 30 for her age and activity level based on what she gave us.

    If you (OP) ate less than 1700 calories per day - like the 1200 you suggest, you would likely feel very lethargic (and miserable) and crave food that you think you cannot have.

    Remember that if MFP gave you 1200, that is probably because you entered a lower activity level. Exercise beyond that expected level would raise the amount of food you need to eat. If you tie in an activity tracker (like Fitbit or equivalent), MFP would automatically adjust your goal. If you entered "sedentary", the adjustments would be large. If you entered "active", the MFP goal would start out higher and the exercise adjustments would be smaller. It all comes out the same in the long run.

    As @animatorswearbras says that 1700 looks about right.

    Do you have an activity monitor (such as a Fitbit or Garmin)?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    Am going to up my food intake to 1300 a day that gives me 200 cal breakfast, 400 lunch, 600 for tea and 100 for snack thankyou

    the best advice i can give is to aim to eat AS MUCH as possible and still lose weight...
  • partyqueen1234
    partyqueen1234 Posts: 19 Member
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    Yes I have a fit bit and it adds my steps to my diary snd puts the calories I burn onto my daily calorie allowance but I don't usually eat thrm as not sure if I should
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited April 2017
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    Thankyou I used to do 1200 and was losing great. I think I might go up to 1300 cal a day and still hope for a lose of 2lb a week would that still give that based on my statistics and say 3 x 30 min eork out a week

    Also, be careful of being in too big of a hurry. You won't (can't) know if you are at 2 lb/week in the first week or two, sometimes as long as even 4 weeks. You need time because 2 pounds is well within daily weight fluctuations. Set the process up, weigh your foods with a scale, and monitor your activity. If you do those things and your deficit is correct, you will lose weight - but it's not linear. (This is to help prevent the inevitable "It's been a week and I haven't seen the scale move" thread). You will need 4-6 weeks or more to be able to know if your numbers are where they need to be. After you set up your plan, avoid making any tweaks until you have solid data to work from. That takes time and you have to give it that time.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    Yes I have a fit bit and it adds my steps to my diary snd puts the calories I burn onto my daily calorie allowance but I don't usually eat thrm as not sure if I should

    Fitbits are pretty accurate with respect to steps v. calories, not so much with respect to strength workouts. You are doing yourself a disservice if you are not eating a good portion of those calories back. For me, I probably don't eat enough of them back and I try for 50-70% of them.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    I am wanting to lose 2lb a week though and no idea how work out what I should eat to allow this

    No wonder you feel awful. With your stats and with only 20lbs to lose, I am certain 1200 calories won't give you a 2lb per week loss as 1200 is the lowest mfp will go. With only 20lbs to lose, aim for 1/2lb to 1lb before you crash and burn in so little calories. If you're feeling like hell, it's your body trying to tell you "give me energy from food so I can perform basic bodily functions".

    2lbs per week is way too fast for you.
  • partyqueen1234
    partyqueen1234 Posts: 19 Member
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    I have more than 30lb to lose more like 4 stone but I want to lose 20lb hopefully in 9/10 weeks
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    Yes I have a fit bit and it adds my steps to my diary snd puts the calories I burn onto my daily calorie allowance but I don't usually eat thrm as not sure if I should

    Eat them back. MFP gives you stats to lose 2 pounds a week whilst eating back exercise calories its part of the formula, if you're worried its over estimating eat 75% back. As per your first comment you will burn yourself out this is a lifestyle change not an unsustainable crash diet, you can eat more and still hit your goal. Trust the site there has been so many success stories following MFP's rules you don't need to eat less than it tells you. x As I said you can still be eating 1700 and lose 2 pounds a week and also be feeding your body the nutrients it needs to maintain your vital organs. Good luck, I hope you take our advice, it will definitely help your hunger and health in the long term x
  • sjdoman
    sjdoman Posts: 81 Member
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    I find it helpful to plan/log what I'm going to eat the day before. That way I can see if I'm getting enough protein or calcium or whatever before I eat anything. I can always go back and change it if I vary my plan.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited April 2017
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    I have more than 30lb to lose more like 4 stone but I want to lose 20lb hopefully in 9/10 weeks
    Then adjust to lose 1lb per week. 2lb per week is for those that have at least 75lbs to lose. 1200 is still too little for your stats.
  • skellymama1
    skellymama1 Posts: 83 Member
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    partyqueen1234 wrote: »
    Thankyou I used to do 1200 and was losing great. I think I might go up to 1300 cal a day and still hope for a lose of 2lb a week would that still give that based on my statistics and say 3 x 30 min eork out a week

    You are not taking the advice you have been given. Your BMR is 1770 your tdee is 2600 so you can eat at least 1600/1700 and still lose but you think 100 cals a day is going to make a difference?
    What you have been doing hasnt been working. Listen to the advice you are getting.
    Eat well, exercise work your numbers,stay in a deficit and lose weight. It really is that simple!
  • BigBadVanna
    BigBadVanna Posts: 65 Member
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    Losing weight requires consistency, just plugging away at it day after day. It's A LOT easier to do that when it doesn't feel like a struggle. Increase your calories and stay the course.

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