Help please. What can I do to make this better?
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I'm n really, really afraid of gaining any weight and losing some of the last six months hard earned progress. That is why. Partly mental. I have not gone crazy, given up, or just said 'kitten' it. That is what I tend to do when frustrated to this extent. So if I jumped up my caloric intake by 500 ish calories, I predict I'd gain significant weight ( I'd say 5 pounds is significant for this discussion) quickly and, knowing myself, I'd likely give up.MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »But you're not at your goal weight yet. Why not use what numbers would be given for what you weigh now, and let that number drop gradually as your weight drops? MFP will drop your daily total as your weight comes down. Weight loss doesn't have to be uncomfortable, painful or miserable. Don't make it harder on yourself than it has to be.
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Putting in your info with a goal weight of 140 comes up with a maintenance goal of 1470 for sedentary. You're not at all sedentary.
Here's the site I used:
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=53&lbs=140&in=64&act=1.2&f=2
When I put in your current weight, it does give an aggressive loss (1#/wk) target of 1160 calories/day, but again, that is based on sedentary activity level. When I put it at moderate activity (3-5 days/week) the goal jumps to 1645 calories/day to lose a pound a week.
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=53&lbs=175&in=64&act=1.55&f=2
ETA - these values are TDEE, so you wouldn't add any exercise calories earned because they're figured in already.4 -
650 g tub of Yoplait 0% sucralose sweetened fruit flavoured yogurt is 228 Cal and 26g protein. 3-5g of Hershey unsweetened chocolate powder balances it out by adding some fat and fiber and reducing the apparent sweetness.
A lb of liquid egg whites is close to the same calories with 46g of protein. Finish covered in a pan or in the oven over shredded (slaw style) veggies and some strong flavor meat, fish, or fowl if you feel the desire....
Think outside the box!
That yogurt (not counting the chocolate recommendation) is 150% the calories of the protein powder for 2/3 the protein. I was playing with approx 1200 calories. The extra calories to get the same protein would have been about 1/10th the total calories I had available. I do not see how someone could eat relatively well and still get 140 grams of protein on 1200 calories. Especially if they are allergic to eggs as I am.
If the "box" is get 1 G protein for every 1 pound ideal weight to protect your muscles while weight loss ( and that is what I keep seeing) I could not do it without protein powder. I tried, but everything was too high
calories for too low protein when one only has a budget of around 1200.
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Putting in your info with a goal weight of 140 comes up with a maintenance goal of 1470 for sedentary. You're not at all sedentary.
Here's the site I used:
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=53&lbs=140&in=64&act=1.2&f=2
When I put in your current weight, it does give an aggressive loss (1#/wk) target of 1160 calories/day, but again, that is based on sedentary activity level. When I put it at moderate activity (3-5 days/week) the goal jumps to 1645 calories/day to lose a pound a week.
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=53&lbs=175&in=64&act=1.55&f=2
ETA - these values are TDEE, so you wouldn't add any exercise calories earned because they're figured in already.
I've got to say now I'm just really confused. I thought you based maintenance and or weight loss off of TDEE- especially me because I am sedentary. My average day contains very few steps no stairs and no movement at work. I work from an office in my house. The summer months have been way above 95°, and it is too uncomfortable to actually just go for a walk to break up the day. So it was my understanding I'm sedentary.
However I have added purposeful exercise to my sedentary life. That purposeful exercise I understood was calculated separately from TD EE.0 -
All right, let me ask you this - what number does MFP give you based on your stats, let's say a 1lb/week weight loss at sedentary?3
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Putting in your info with a goal weight of 140 comes up with a maintenance goal of 1470 for sedentary. You're not at all sedentary.
Here's the site I used:
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=53&lbs=140&in=64&act=1.2&f=2
When I put in your current weight, it does give an aggressive loss (1#/wk) target of 1160 calories/day, but again, that is based on sedentary activity level. When I put it at moderate activity (3-5 days/week) the goal jumps to 1645 calories/day to lose a pound a week.
https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=53&lbs=175&in=64&act=1.55&f=2
ETA - these values are TDEE, so you wouldn't add any exercise calories earned because they're figured in already.
I've got to say now I'm just really confused. I thought you based maintenance and or weight loss off of TDEE- especially me because I am sedentary. My average day contains very few steps no stairs and no movement at work. I work from an office in my house. The summer months have been way above 95°, and it is too uncomfortable to actually just go for a walk to break up the day. So it was my understanding I'm sedentary.
However I have added purposeful exercise to my sedentary life. That purposeful exercise I understood was calculated separately from TD EE.
It depends on which method of calculation you're using.
MFP uses a NEAT method of calculation where you pick a base activity level that encompasses your daily movement and then you add purposeful exercise and are supposed to eat back a portion of those calories.
The TDEE calculator Jospen used calculates your Total Daily Energy expenditure based on how often you exercise per week.4 -
TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure & includes exercise calories. NEAT is non-exercise activity thermogenesis & does not include exercise calories. MyFitnessPal uses NEAT & expects individuals will log exercise & eat back some/all exercise calories earned.
There are some great posts that detail the difference. I'll try to find some links or hope that someone else beats me to it.2 -
MFP gives me 1480 calories to lose .5 pound a weekMichelleSilverleaf wrote: »All right, let me ask you this - what number does MFP give you based on your stats, let's say a 1lb/week weight loss at sedentary?
MFP gives me 1230 calories to lose 1 pound per week
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MFP gives me 1480 calories to lose .5 pound a weekMichelleSilverleaf wrote: »All right, let me ask you this - what number does MFP give you based on your stats, let's say a 1lb/week weight loss at sedentary?
MFP gives me 1230 calories to lose 1 pound per week
No wonder your energy is flagging! You're not even eating the 1230, and you're exercising on top of that.9 -
TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure & includes exercise calories. NEAT is non-exercise activity thermogenesis & does not include exercise calories. MyFitnessPal uses NEAT & expects individuals will log exercise & eat back some/all exercise calories earned.
There are some great posts that detail the difference. I'll try to find some links or hope that someone else beats me to it.
Yeah I think you all have pinpointed one VERY big problem I had here, I was conflating TDEE and NEAT ....
Now I just want to pull the covers over my head and go cry. I have to figure this all out again don't I?
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TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure & includes exercise calories. NEAT is non-exercise activity thermogenesis & does not include exercise calories. MyFitnessPal uses NEAT & expects individuals will log exercise & eat back some/all exercise calories earned.
There are some great posts that detail the difference. I'll try to find some links or hope that someone else beats me to it.
Yeah I think you all have pinpointed one VERY big problem I had here, I was conflating TDEE and NEAT ....
Now I just want to pull the covers over my head and go cry. I have to figure this all out again don't I?
Not at all - you can use the values MFP gives you & just make sure you log your exercise & eat back a portion of your exercise calories you earned.4 -
So if trying to stick to 1200 is not working out (and it doesn't sound like it is), why not go for the 1480 plus some of your exercise calories back, try it for a month and see how you feel? With the increased calories, you may find you work out better.2
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I don't know if this helps at all, but I'm 5'6", 51, and very sedentary. I do almost no deliberate exercise and get less than 3,000 steps most days. For the past couple of months I've been able to maintain a weight of 151-153lbs on 1600-1700 calories per day. My goal to lose around 0.5lbs/week is about 1400 or so. I tried going down to a little more than 1200 and I just couldn't stick with it - eating more made me feel way better, and more likely to go for a walk or do an exercise video for a bit more activity.
I wish you all the best with figuring it out - I understand your reluctance to risk gaining a little, but please also understand that our weight fluctuates on a daily basis anyway (for some women especially, as much as 5lbs or more in a day). Please consider reducing your protein % and increasing your calories a little, and see how things go.1 -
Not at all - you can use the values MFP gives you & just make sure you log your exercise & eat back a portion of your exercise calories you earned.
I think it is unlikely to be that easy. Everything I've experienced thus far tells me that MFP estimates are way too high for me to actually lose weight. If The estimate of 1 pound a week at 1230 calories held true then I would have lost closer to twice the amount I have. Therefore I am reluctant to trust MFP maintenance estimate – I think I would just gain lots of weight.
At this point I'm just trying to get to a good place, fix some of what has gone wrong and NOT make anything worse (i.e. gain weight)0 -
I don't know if this helps at all, but I'm 5'6", 51, and very sedentary. I do almost no deliberate exercise and get less than 3,000 steps most days. For the past couple of months I've been able to maintain a weight of 151-153lbs on 1600-1700 calories per day. My goal to lose around 0.5lbs/week is about 1400 or so. I tried going down to a little more than 1200 and I just couldn't stick with it - eating more made me feel way better, and more likely to go for a walk or do an exercise video for a bit more activity.
I wish you all the best with figuring it out - I understand your reluctance to risk gaining a little, but please also understand that our weight fluctuates on a daily basis anyway (for some women especially, as much as 5lbs or more in a day). Please consider reducing your protein % and increasing your calories a little, and see how things go.
Thank you- it seems clear I'm going to have to lower that protein. And at this point I'm so confused and frustrated I think that just making a mental shift to anticipating a maintenance month at 1450 calories and try to figure what to do about exercise calories after I try to hit 1400 to 1500 a day for a the next week. I should know in a month if that helps my other problems, and that should not be enough not to gain much weight, if any.
CiCo is ostensibly easy, but in practice, since it's pretty much impossible to know the exact CO portion of that equation, it is anything but easy.
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Not at all - you can use the values MFP gives you & just make sure you log your exercise & eat back a portion of your exercise calories you earned.
I think it is unlikely to be that easy. Everything I've experienced thus far tells me that MFP estimates are way too high for me to actually lose weight. If The estimate of 1 pound a week at 1230 calories held true then I would have lost closer to twice the amount I have. Therefore I am reluctant to trust MFP maintenance estimate – I think I would just gain lots of weight.
At this point I'm just trying to get to a good place, fix some of what has gone wrong and NOT make anything worse (i.e. gain weight)
Maybe I misread your original post, but you've lost 20 lbs since April correct? Depending on when in April you started that should be about a pound a week.1 -
Maybe I misread your original post, but you've lost 20 lbs since April correct? Depending on when in April you started that should be about a pound a week.
I don't remember the exact amount because it was pre MFP for a couple of weeks, but my first week I lost between 7 and 9 pounds. That was changing what I ate (eliminated sugar and most processed wheat) and upped veggie intake significantly and started modest portions. Much if not all that had to be water. Started on MFP shortly thereafter so since I've been watching calories and logging I'm down about 2 to 3 pounds a month.0 -
I'll just share my experience, I'm similar to you, 5'4", started at 198 in July, 2016, took me till May 2017 to lose 40lbs, then I changed my rate of loss to 1/2 lb/wk because I wasn't willing to eat small amt of calories. I started HIIT classes at the gym on June 12, I go 2-3 times/week & have lost 3more lbs since. I was loosing steadily till I hit 40 lbs, then it's been slow but it's coming off. I think mfp gave me close to 1500/cal/day in the begining. For exercise, I have mine set at lightly active. I take my dogs out for 1 hour + every morning, I volunteer at our animal rescue, those are part of my activity so don't log it, only the gym classes. before HIIT class, I was in a water aerobics class 2 days/wk & went on treadmill for 20min a few days a week so I was a lot less active than you. I don't pay attention much to macros(only sodium) but notice I do eat more protein than anything else. Right now for 1/2 lb/wk loss mfp give me 1480 cal/day, I usually go over a little & eat most of my exercise calories back & am still loosing but slowly. Over the time I learned to eat things that fill me but are lower calorie like lots of veggies or a huge salad with some kind of meat, usually chicken or ground turkey, I love ground turkey, I get the 93% lean & make 4.5oz patties & put them in fridge(hubby likes them too) I bought powered peanut butter which is 50cal per 2 Tbl, If I eat bread it's the cheap kind for 55cal & I only eat 1 slice for sandwiches. I love the non fat plain greek yogurt from constco & the Kirkland unsweetened almond milk, which I use for smoothies with frozen tropical fruit. I eat rice cakes with P butter or sub for bread sometimes, I eat non fat half & half with cereal, egg beaters, I use cool whip to mix with the yogurt for dessert etc. I eat the most calories in the evening , that's when I'm most hungry, all this to say, don't give up but experiment what makes you full , there's a volume eaters group on here to get ideas, oh my trainer lost 70 lbs & said to eat something every 2.5-3 hrs, even a few bites so been doing that too.Drink lots of water, I put some ice tea (no sugar added) to mix with my water which helps0
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OP, I second the idea of a thyroid panel and I add iron/ferritin and vitamins B12 and D.
I'd also look at red meat again, since you enjoy it. I make a nice London broil on sundays and eat 3-4 ounces a day. Does wonder for my iron that supplements didn't.
I think you need to bring back some carbs, but also some joy into what you're doing. You used "miserable" and "despise." Maybe a licensed therapist can help you get mentally back on track. Then this whole thing won't seem so taxing. How you approach weight-loss, mentally and emotionally, has a lot to do with adding to your success.
And you've had 20 pounds of loss success! Nothing to sneeze at! But you blew right by it like it was nothing.
Hang in there!1 -
OP, I second the idea of a thyroid panel and I add iron/ferritin and vitamins B12 and D.
I'd also look at red meat again, since you enjoy it. I make a nice London broil on sundays and eat 3-4 ounces a day. Does wonder for my iron that supplements didn't.
I think you need to bring back some carbs, but also some joy into what you're doing. You used "miserable" and "despise." Maybe a licensed therapist can help you get mentally back on track. Then this whole thing won't seem so taxing. How you approach weight-loss, mentally and emotionally, has a lot to do with adding to your success.
And you've had 20 pounds of loss success! Nothing to sneeze at! But you blew right by it like it was nothing.
Hang in there!
Thanks for the advice. I'll probably see the Dr. in the new year ( insurance isn't going to cover another non specific visit this year) and know some specifics now to ask for.
I do despise strength training tho. Nothing I like about it. I understand it is necessary so I'm committed- but therapy won't help that! As for the overall miserable, I'll give it some time eating at the maintenance level. If things don't improve it is certainly something I should consider.1
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