Advice appreciated :)

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AbetheSamurai
AbetheSamurai Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
New to this app, its been about two weeks since I've started using it tho about 2 months eating healthy and only drinking water. Feel great! However I have a question, my set calorie intake to lose 2lb a week is 2000ish cals but most of the time I eat way less... Its not because im starving myself I'm simply not hungry. Should I force myself to get in those extra calories or am I safe to keep it as is. Thanks.

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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Define "way less." How many calories are you eating per day? How much are you losing per week? How tall are you and how much do you weigh?
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
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    Are you measuring/weighing your portions? Counting vegetables, condiments, and cooking oils? It's hard to imagine that you are well over a 1000 calorie deficit and not feeling it at all.
  • AbetheSamurai
    AbetheSamurai Posts: 31 Member
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    It's usually around 500+ cals difference I'm 6'1 at my heaviest I was 300 and put that as my current weight even though I've lost weight... I haven't weighed myself in about two years. Measuring my progress on how I feel and look. Lost 6inches so far since I've started eating right.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited May 2017
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    My concern is mostly with getting sufficient protein and fat. Low protein (and no/poor resistance training) will prevent you from retaining as much muscle as possible. People who do that hit their goal weight and still look soft/weak. Insufficient fat can cause problems with vitamin absorption as well as hair loss, brittle nails, lethargy, loss of libido, etc.

    If I were you I'd calculate minimum protein at .8g/lb of bodyweight and fat at .4g/lb of bodyweight. Since you are obese, use the top healthy weight for your height, which is 190 based on the tall bmi calculation.

    190 X .8 = 152 grams of protein per day
    190 X .4 = 76 grams of fat per day

    Hit those and then fill in the rest of your calories with more protein or fat or with carbs. Whatever combo you like. I would try to limit weekly loss to a max of 1% of bodyweight.
  • AbetheSamurai
    AbetheSamurai Posts: 31 Member
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    ogtmama wrote: »
    Are you measuring/weighing your portions? Counting vegetables, condiments, and cooking oils? It's hard to imagine that you are well over a 1000 calorie deficit and not feeling it at all.

    This is my routine for the most part. Morning Protein Shake two scoops with a banana and blueberries approx 350 cal. Dinner varies but mostly home prepped chicken or fish and raw veggies with a dressing 300-600cal usually. There have been times when I've felt dizzy but I'll have some greek yogurt and water and feel fine after.
  • AbetheSamurai
    AbetheSamurai Posts: 31 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    My concern is mostly with getting sufficient protein and fat. Low protein (and no/poor resistance training) will prevent you from retaining as much muscle as possible. People who do that hit their goal weight and still look soft/weak. Insufficient fat can cause problems with vitamin absorption as well as hair loss, brittle nails, lethargy, loss of libido, etc.

    I've been going to gym 4 times a week, only strength training. Occasionally I'll throw in cardio on off days. My diet is high protein however sometimes its hard to meet the other nutrition goals
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    AbetheSamurai wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    My concern is mostly with getting sufficient protein and fat. Low protein (and no/poor resistance training) will prevent you from retaining as much muscle as possible. People who do that hit their goal weight and still look soft/weak. Insufficient fat can cause problems with vitamin absorption as well as hair loss, brittle nails, lethargy, loss of libido, etc.

    I've been going to gym 4 times a week, only strength training. Occasionally I'll throw in cardio on off days. My diet is high protein however sometimes its hard to meet the other nutrition goals

    Sorry, I went back and added and got a bit long winded :) I elaborated a bit.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,929 Member
    edited May 2017
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    MFP's advice on how much to eat is sort of useless too since you are presenting yourself to the MFP app with a random number based on a past weight.

    MFP calculates your calories based on your stated weight, which it assumes to be current.

    Other than talking with someone to help you sort out some of the thoughts you have around these things (which can only help you in the long run), I guess the best you can do is pretend you're at a healthy weight (6'1" at around 190lb I believe was calculated by someone above)... and eat based on that. Basically tell MFP you're that weight and eat to maintain as if you were that person relying on your weight difference to create a deficit.

    As you approach that healthy weight your progress will slow and ***at that time*** you may want to introduce a smalll deficit to keep you moving forward.

    I would strongly suggest using a trending weight app to determine your weight level **if and when** you decide to get on a scale again. Occasional weight snapshots are much more likely to present an incomplete and untrue picture as compared to daily measurement and a trending weight app.
  • AbetheSamurai
    AbetheSamurai Posts: 31 Member
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    Thank you. I will update it with correct info, time to go buy a scale.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    AbetheSamurai wrote: »
    New to this app, its been about two weeks since I've started using it tho about 2 months eating healthy and only drinking water. Feel great! However I have a question, my set calorie intake to lose 2lb a week is 2000ish cals but most of the time I eat way less... Its not because im starving myself I'm simply not hungry. Should I force myself to get in those extra calories or am I safe to keep it as is. Thanks.

    Think of the first couple weeks as calibration period. Eat at your targeted calories and verify you are losing 2lbs a week (after your initial water loss).

    You may discover you have your activity level set wrong or that that you aren't counting your calories correctly. The beginning is about self discovery.

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