I need help please!

Could someone tell me how many carbs I should have for the day or how to set up my macros?
I am set at 1200 cal a day and am having a hard time losing any weight. I have 100 to lose. I am getting really frustrated. I go to the gym 3-5 times a week. I workout for an hour, do treadmill and recumbent bike and then weights. I'm just not sure how to getting this weight lose thing moving.
Thanks,
Laney

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,905 Member
    I answered in your other thread just like this one...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10557512/i-need-help#latest
  • simply_susieq
    simply_susieq Posts: 4 Member
    Hi laney!!!
    I was in the same spot as you a few months back. And Once I changed my diet, I seen better results. I'm suppose to eat 1200 calories a day as well. But I'm very active. Anywho: I changed my meals to the following.
    Breakfast- (is where I eat carbs-for energy)
    Oatmeal- high in fiber
    Egg whites with spinach and extra lean ham- high protein
    And toast- sometimes toast (2)with Avocado with a poached egg.
    For snacks- I have petite carrots with a wedge of laughing cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
    Or small cubes of cheddar cheese with apples, edamame or 40g of almonds.
    For lunch. If I'll have a cucumber salad. No bun hamburger, turkey wrap (no tortilla), or shrimp cocktail. No carbs in my lunch meal.
    Snacks- same as above
    Dinner- nothing huge! Don't eat after 7. And drink a *kitten* ton of water!!!!!! I've done it before. And lost 30 lbs in 5 months. And worked out 4-6 days a week. I'm doing it now after having a baby 5 months ago, and have lost 10 lbs in the last 2 months!

    Go on Pinterest to get ideas of no carb foods. :) good luck doll!
  • beanz744
    beanz744 Posts: 221 Member
    like the above said, its most likely that u were eating too much because u r not logging ur food correctly. weight loss doesnt care abt what u eat, just how much u eat. do u have a food scale n do u use it religiously? If not,

    1. buy a food scale (the most important tool u'll need.)
    2. set up a profile with an easy goal at first (start with .5 or 1lbs a week for the first 2 weeks to ease ur body into it). if u found 1200 is too tough after u log everything correctly
    3. log EVERYTHING u eat EVERYDAY
    4. Only eat back half the calories that u burned at most if u decide to exercise (the MFP numbers r too optimistic for exercises)
    5. join an online challenge (optional)
    6. ditch any non supportive friends
    7. donate all junk foods (ASAP)
    8. dont tell people that u r trying to lose weight coz most will tell u to EAT MORE (smile n ignore them if they do but do not give in coz u have a goal n they dont)
    9. google search for recipes if needed

    GOOD LUCK!!!
  • lessfoodmoreexercise
    lessfoodmoreexercise Posts: 11 Member
    If you need to lose 100lb and you work out 4 times a week, 1200 cals would definitely be causing you to lose weight. I'm 120lbs and never work out, and even I'm losing on 1200.

    Just make sure that you log everything; An early problem I had was that I wasn't logging liquids and drinking much more calories than I thought. A food scale also works wonders.

    If you're sure that everything is being logged right, and you still don't lose anything for a few weeks, see your doctor to see if anything is causing it. Good luck :)
  • theflatpick
    theflatpick Posts: 106 Member
    beanz744 wrote: »
    like the above said, its most likely that u were eating too much because u r not logging ur food correctly. weight loss doesnt care abt what u eat, just how much u eat. do u have a food scale n do u use it religiously? If not,

    1. buy a food scale (the most important tool u'll need.)
    2. set up a profile with an easy goal at first (start with .5 or 1lbs a week for the first 2 weeks to ease ur body into it). if u found 1200 is too tough after u log everything correctly
    3. log EVERYTHING u eat EVERYDAY
    4. Only eat back half the calories that u burned at most if u decide to exercise (the MFP numbers r too optimistic for exercises)
    5. join an online challenge (optional)
    6. ditch any non supportive friends
    7. donate all junk foods (ASAP)
    8. dont tell people that u r trying to lose weight coz most will tell u to EAT MORE (smile n ignore them if they do but do not give in coz u have a goal n they dont)
    9. google search for recipes if needed

    GOOD LUCK!!!

    OP - really look at beanz744's response to you. If you have a 100 to lose, and are eating 1200, you would be losing weight. You really, really have to weight everything and log every darn bite. You can't walk through the kitchen in the evenings, open the fridge door and grab a bite of something without logging it and staying under your calorie goal. That is typically the killer for most folks and they finally just give up. Don't give up man. This can be done. I probably would not eat back any of the calories burned exercising unless you are exercising an hour or more of intensive HIIT or something, but I won't argue with anyone who suggests it, it is just me.
    Best of luck to you, and this can work and it can be done.
  • laney4088
    laney4088 Posts: 51 Member
    Hi laney!!!
    I was in the same spot as you a few months back. And Once I changed my diet, I seen better results. I'm suppose to eat 1200 calories a day as well. But I'm very active. Anywho: I changed my meals to the following.
    Breakfast- (is where I eat carbs-for energy)
    Oatmeal- high in fiber
    Egg whites with spinach and extra lean ham- high protein
    And toast- sometimes toast (2)with Avocado with a poached egg.
    For snacks- I have petite carrots with a wedge of laughing cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
    Or small cubes of cheddar cheese with apples, edamame or 40g of almonds.
    For lunch. If I'll have a cucumber salad. No bun hamburger, turkey wrap (no tortilla), or shrimp cocktail. No carbs in my lunch meal.
    Snacks- same as above
    Dinner- nothing huge! Don't eat after 7. And drink a *kitten* ton of water!!!!!! I've done it before. And lost 30 lbs in 5 months. And worked out 4-6 days a week. I'm doing it now after having a baby 5 months ago, and have lost 10 lbs in the last 2 months!

    Go on Pinterest to get ideas of no carb foods. :) good luck doll!

    Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions:) I will try this, I just am over whelmed with all this, I am really trying to get my health back in order :)
  • laney4088
    laney4088 Posts: 51 Member
    beanz744 wrote: »
    like the above said, its most likely that u were eating too much because u r not logging ur food correctly. weight loss doesnt care abt what u eat, just how much u eat. do u have a food scale n do u use it religiously? If not,

    1. buy a food scale (the most important tool u'll need.)
    2. set up a profile with an easy goal at first (start with .5 or 1lbs a week for the first 2 weeks to ease ur body into it). if u found 1200 is too tough after u log everything correctly
    3. log EVERYTHING u eat EVERYDAY
    4. Only eat back half the calories that u burned at most if u decide to exercise (the MFP numbers r too optimistic for exercises)
    5. join an online challenge (optional)
    6. ditch any non supportive friends
    7. donate all junk foods (ASAP)
    8. dont tell people that u r trying to lose weight coz most will tell u to EAT MORE (smile n ignore them if they do but do not give in coz u have a goal n they dont)
    9. google search for recipes if needed

    GOOD LUCK!!!
    Thank you I will use this info! I really appreciate feedback It helps me stay more focused.

    OP - really look at beanz744's response to you. If you have a 100 to lose, and are eating 1200, you would be losing weight. You really, really have to weight everything and log every darn bite. You can't walk through the kitchen in the evenings, open the fridge door and grab a bite of something without logging it and staying under your calorie goal. That is typically the killer for most folks and they finally just give up. Don't give up man. This can be done. I probably would not eat back any of the calories burned exercising unless you are exercising an hour or more of intensive HIIT or something, but I won't argue with anyone who suggests it, it is just me.
    Best of luck to you, and this can work and it can be done.

    Thank you:) Every bit of information I get is helpful, I really am having a hard time it gets rather depressing so I just have to make it work!
  • laney4088
    laney4088 Posts: 51 Member
    If you need to lose 100lb and you work out 4 times a week, 1200 cals would definitely be causing you to lose weight. I'm 120lbs and never work out, and even I'm losing on 1200.

    Just make sure that you log everything; An early problem I had was that I wasn't logging liquids and drinking much more calories than I thought. A food scale also works wonders.

    If you're sure that everything is being logged right, and you still don't lose anything for a few weeks, see your doctor to see if anything is causing it. Good luck :)

    thank you, I have talked with my doctor, she thought I should eat my carbs early in the day and eat light at night
  • laney4088
    laney4088 Posts: 51 Member
    Thank you everyone I really appreciate all the support :)
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,983 Member
    laney4088 wrote: »
    Hi laney!!!
    I was in the same spot as you a few months back. And Once I changed my diet, I seen better results. I'm suppose to eat 1200 calories a day as well. But I'm very active. Anywho: I changed my meals to the following.
    Breakfast- (is where I eat carbs-for energy)
    Oatmeal- high in fiber
    Egg whites with spinach and extra lean ham- high protein
    And toast- sometimes toast (2)with Avocado with a poached egg.
    For snacks- I have petite carrots with a wedge of laughing cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
    Or small cubes of cheddar cheese with apples, edamame or 40g of almonds.
    For lunch. If I'll have a cucumber salad. No bun hamburger, turkey wrap (no tortilla), or shrimp cocktail. No carbs in my lunch meal.
    Snacks- same as above
    Dinner- nothing huge! Don't eat after 7. And drink a *kitten* ton of water!!!!!! I've done it before. And lost 30 lbs in 5 months. And worked out 4-6 days a week. I'm doing it now after having a baby 5 months ago, and have lost 10 lbs in the last 2 months!

    Go on Pinterest to get ideas of no carb foods. :) good luck doll!

    Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions:) I will try this, I just am over whelmed with all this, I am really trying to get my health back in order :)

    There's no reason to try this person's plan.
    Carbs don't matter, only calories do.
    Eating after 7 is fine...meal times don't matter, only calories do.
    Drinking lots of water doesn't matter, only calories do.
    Eat less calories than you burn and you will lose weight. The specific foods that you use to get to your calorie goal don't matter. Eat what you like at the times that work best for you.
  • vivelajackie
    vivelajackie Posts: 321 Member
    The idiot's guide to shopping for balanced meals is to shop around the outside of your grocery. It keeps you from products that are targeted for weightloss by naming themselves non-fat, etc.

    Load up on veggies and lean protein. Don't be afraid of carbs. Drink plenty of water and don't become discouraged if you don't lose 2lbs+ every. Single. Week. Don't obsess over the scale and take measurements once a month or so to scale progress in those sweet inches you're losing.

    One thing you do need to weigh though, religiously? Your food. Until you get an idea on portion sizes of food you're eating, you need to rely on it. I find it mildly comforting to know what I'm taking in. If you have more that 100lbs to lose you're overestimating what you're eating because it's definitely more than 1200. I'd imagine you could go to 1500-1600 and still lose, and that's not knowing your stats. Put them into MFP and see what they calculate for you.
  • laney4088
    laney4088 Posts: 51 Member
    Thank you, I really appreciate the feedback :)
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    based on your food diary .... you are not weighing your food accurately, if at all.

    with 100 pounds to lose, you WILL lose on 1200 cals a day. I have far less to lose than that and lose on it. (and started with more than 100 to lose, down to about 40 now). im 5'1 and maintain at 115-1600 cals. 1200 is a good, solid deficit for me.

    time of day doesnt matter.

    sometimes lunch is my biggest meal, sometimes dinner. breakfast nearly always a yogurt. sometimes no breakfast, if im not hungry or didnt go to the gym.

    buy a food scale. learn how to accurately weigh and log EVERYTHING.
  • SolotoCEO
    SolotoCEO Posts: 293 Member
    If you have 100 lbs to lose - 1200 is probably way to few calories. When I had 100 to lose MFP had my calories at about 1600. Take a look at the "eat more, lose more" threads.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    Try a reverse diet and check out Avatar Nutrition.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited May 2017
    Hi laney!!!
    I was in the same spot as you a few months back. And Once I changed my diet, I seen better results. I'm suppose to eat 1200 calories a day as well. But I'm very active. Anywho: I changed my meals to the following.
    Breakfast- (is where I eat carbs-for energy)
    Oatmeal- high in fiber
    Egg whites with spinach and extra lean ham- high protein
    And toast- sometimes toast (2)with Avocado with a poached egg.
    For snacks- I have petite carrots with a wedge of laughing cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
    Or small cubes of cheddar cheese with apples, edamame or 40g of almonds.
    For lunch. If I'll have a cucumber salad. No bun hamburger, turkey wrap (no tortilla), or shrimp cocktail. No carbs in my lunch meal.
    Snacks- same as above
    Dinner- nothing huge! Don't eat after 7. And drink a *kitten* ton of water!!!!!! I've done it before. And lost 30 lbs in 5 months. And worked out 4-6 days a week. I'm doing it now after having a baby 5 months ago, and have lost 10 lbs in the last 2 months!

    Go on Pinterest to get ideas of no carb foods. :) good luck doll!

    There is nothing wrong with eating carbs at every meal or eating after 7. Weight loss is all about calories and meal timing does not matter for weight loss. Dinner can be as large or as small as everyone wishes.

    Doctors know squat about nutrition. The fact your doctor told you to stop eating after 7... a myth.

    Also, shopping on the perimeter is a supermarket is silly (for weight loss purposes), or fantastic. My supermarket stocks booze and ice cream which is fantastic!

    Be careful of "drink a tonne of water"- drinking too much water is bad as it can dilute the essential electrolytes. Drink until your urine is pale yellow.
  • laney4088
    laney4088 Posts: 51 Member
    thanks again for all the information :)