How to healthily lose a lot of weight without messing my metabolism?
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HanaThorne
Posts: 14 Member
Hello!
First, some info. I'm a woman, 29, 275lb (down 20 from 295), 5'4''. Live in Europe (if it's important). No kids had yet (if that means anything, too).
Been here for years actually, yo-yoing my way upwards instead of downwards to where I am now. 2 months ago, after an ultrasound that was initially for gastritis, I received a diagnosis of a fatty liver (and other morbid obesity-related bad blood work) and now I'm sufficiently scared into doing it the whole way this time (this is also how I stopped smoking 5 years ago, I had a health scare). I promised my gastro doctor that I will return in 6 months with 20kgs less - for starters - and a better blood work, and we'll check if my liver is better with another ultrasound. I think I'm on a good path to that right now.
I set my MFP tracker for 2lbs/week loss (because my doctor convinced me that it's nigh time to something NOW and ASAP before further medical problems arise) and I've been sticking to it, no excuses (my days are all in the green, except for one - Cristmas) and it's been really easy since I switched to whole grain carbs that keep me fuller and I finally (took me years) got into that place where you can have a sustainable, long term, but healthier diet that I actually enjoy. I haven't started on serious physical activity for now because I read on several medical sites to lose around 10% of body weight first if you are morbidly obese (my BMI now is 47) but I think I will start some light activity soon anyways. I want to do this the right way, not the fast way.
My problem is, I really like food and a life without a good, hearty meal with some nice pasta or rice is not a life for me - at least once a day. I currently eat 1500-1650 calories a day and find it ideal for not feeling hungry and still getting a good meal while losing weight. What I'm scared is that, in the long haul, I'll be having to gradually lower my calories to lose weight, and I don't want to mess my body in a way that in two years, I will have to eat, like 1300 calories, and work out for 90 minutes every day just not to gain it back. In short - currently I'm fine, but 'm worried about being in a situation like in this article on a longterm basis:
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/11/from_obese_to_chubby_how_i_lost_the_weight_and_why_you_shouldn_t_admire.html
I think I should also add that I also read some studies (actual ones, not Cosmo ones) on morbidly obese research subject and how that after losing a drastic amount weight (100+ lbs), they had real problems keeping it off because of their effed metabolism.
My question is - what can I do to healthily lose a big amount of weight without messing up my body and metabolism? If I excercise, can I eat that back at least partially to reach 1500 calories? With a 1400 calories diet (for example), I don't want to ruin my body with burning 350 calories and having my body survive with only 1050. Also, I really like my pasta
How do I create a life where, when I get into an at least overweight BMI area, I can eat normally and sustain it? Am I really doomed to eating 1200 calories daily just to maintain my weight?
I hope my question is not unclear and sorry for a lot of text - I'm a journalist and love writing so sometimes it gets a bit out of control And I'm sorry if there is a thread I didn't read - just send me in the right direction if needed 
First, some info. I'm a woman, 29, 275lb (down 20 from 295), 5'4''. Live in Europe (if it's important). No kids had yet (if that means anything, too).
Been here for years actually, yo-yoing my way upwards instead of downwards to where I am now. 2 months ago, after an ultrasound that was initially for gastritis, I received a diagnosis of a fatty liver (and other morbid obesity-related bad blood work) and now I'm sufficiently scared into doing it the whole way this time (this is also how I stopped smoking 5 years ago, I had a health scare). I promised my gastro doctor that I will return in 6 months with 20kgs less - for starters - and a better blood work, and we'll check if my liver is better with another ultrasound. I think I'm on a good path to that right now.
I set my MFP tracker for 2lbs/week loss (because my doctor convinced me that it's nigh time to something NOW and ASAP before further medical problems arise) and I've been sticking to it, no excuses (my days are all in the green, except for one - Cristmas) and it's been really easy since I switched to whole grain carbs that keep me fuller and I finally (took me years) got into that place where you can have a sustainable, long term, but healthier diet that I actually enjoy. I haven't started on serious physical activity for now because I read on several medical sites to lose around 10% of body weight first if you are morbidly obese (my BMI now is 47) but I think I will start some light activity soon anyways. I want to do this the right way, not the fast way.
My problem is, I really like food and a life without a good, hearty meal with some nice pasta or rice is not a life for me - at least once a day. I currently eat 1500-1650 calories a day and find it ideal for not feeling hungry and still getting a good meal while losing weight. What I'm scared is that, in the long haul, I'll be having to gradually lower my calories to lose weight, and I don't want to mess my body in a way that in two years, I will have to eat, like 1300 calories, and work out for 90 minutes every day just not to gain it back. In short - currently I'm fine, but 'm worried about being in a situation like in this article on a longterm basis:
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/11/from_obese_to_chubby_how_i_lost_the_weight_and_why_you_shouldn_t_admire.html
I think I should also add that I also read some studies (actual ones, not Cosmo ones) on morbidly obese research subject and how that after losing a drastic amount weight (100+ lbs), they had real problems keeping it off because of their effed metabolism.
My question is - what can I do to healthily lose a big amount of weight without messing up my body and metabolism? If I excercise, can I eat that back at least partially to reach 1500 calories? With a 1400 calories diet (for example), I don't want to ruin my body with burning 350 calories and having my body survive with only 1050. Also, I really like my pasta
How do I create a life where, when I get into an at least overweight BMI area, I can eat normally and sustain it? Am I really doomed to eating 1200 calories daily just to maintain my weight?I hope my question is not unclear and sorry for a lot of text - I'm a journalist and love writing so sometimes it gets a bit out of control
And I'm sorry if there is a thread I didn't read - just send me in the right direction if needed 3
Replies
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Net your calorie goal (eat back exercise cals) and have a week at maintenance every couple of months and your metabolism will be fine.8
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TavistockToad wrote: »Net your calorie goal (eat back exervise cals) and have a week at maintenance every couple of months and your metabolism will be fine.
I wouldn't really be asking if I wasn't reading all over that you shouldn't be eating excercise cals back or maybe just a portion of it
1 -
if you are using the MFP calculator to determine cals, then it expects you to eat back a portion of your exercise calories
If you are using a TDEE calculator (Scooby or similar) - then exercise calories are calculated in2 -
Very few women maintain on 1200 calories so you should be fine there. They’re generally older, shorter, and sedentary.
The good news is that with the amount of weight you have to lose it would take a MAJOR cut to ruin your metabolism. You can safely lose up to 1% of your total weight per week, and that number will drop as you get closer (say, once you’re below 200 pounds you should go down to 1.5 pounds per week). Yes, you can eat your exercise calories back as that is how MFP is designed. And yes, you can work pasta and rice into your calorie goals. Exercise isn’t necessary to lose weight, but even walking a little will help you out.5 -
HanaThorne wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »Net your calorie goal (eat back exervise cals) and have a week at maintenance every couple of months and your metabolism will be fine.
I wouldn't really be asking if I wasn't reading all over that you shouldn't be eating excercise cals back or maybe just a portion of it
MFP is designed with the intention that you will eat back calories burnt from exercise. This helps in multiple ways -- you're properly fueling your activity and you get to eat more (which, for most of us, is a plus that helps make life easier). If you're reading that you shouldn't eat them back, those people either don't understand how MFP generates their calorie goals or they're assuming you should build in a buffer for logging errors or potentially over-estimating your calorie burns.
If you're logging accurately, using reasonable estimates for your calories burnt, and pay attention to your results and make any necessary adjustments, it's not just *okay* for you to eat back your exercise calories. It's actually the healthiest and most sustainable way to approach your weight loss.7 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Net your calorie goal (eat back exervise cals) and have a week at maintenance every couple of months and your metabolism will be fine.
+1 Even if you just start walking, log it and eat back those calories. Also, understand that as you get closer to goal your weekly rate should go down, and this may keep you from having to lower your calories at all. So as you get closer to 200 lbs, you may notice you are losing a bit a slower than 2 lbs per week. Once you get to say 175, you are losing 1 lb per week. And as you get lighter, if you continue to get more active, that is more calories being burned which can compensate for that a bit.
A more philosophical answer than you asked for would be this - Don't worry about what you will be doing when you're 175 lbs right now, you know one way or the other you need to lose the weight, right? Lose weight at a reasonable pace, and as soon as you can, focus on getting fit and more active.
A lot of people were scared by the Biggest Loser study about metabolism, but remember that those people were losing weight at a crazy pace, under-eating and over-exercising while being fed and trained by people who weren't around after the show was over. Don't do that
7 -
Patience is key. As long as your calorie intake is below your maintenance calories for your goal weight, you'll lose weight. Your rate of weight loss will slow (which it should anyway as you have less excess fat to lose) but you will keep losing.
My n=1:
I started out on MFP at ~285 pounds. I didn't like my calorie goal moving around so I experimented to find a comfortable calorie level for me, which was 1350. I didn't exercise. I stayed at 1350 all the way to a BMI of 25. At about that point, I added some walking for exercise (I now walk about 14,000 steps a day) and bumped my calories up to ~1600 to keep losing slowly.
As for one big meal per day, I really like that as well. I get most of the volume from a whole bag of steam-in-bag veggies. I eat that with either a Lean Cuisine or a whole can of low sodium soup.
"Normally" at your goal weight is going to be different from "normally" at your high weight because your smaller body will need fewer calories. Use your weight loss time to experiment to find a sustainable way of eating that you really like.How do I create a life where, when I get into an at least overweight BMI area, I can eat normally and sustain it? Am I really doomed to eating 1200 calories daily just to maintain my weight?
How many calories you can eat at your goal weight really depends upon how much exercise you do. Not exercising may leave you pretty low on calories (maybe not as low as 1200) but exercise will give you more calories to consume. If you are physically pretty healthy, exercise is so much easier at a smaller weight that you just wouldn't believe it.3 -
I ran your numbers through Scooby because I find it gives a good BMR that you can see- based on your initial post (and using sedentary/desk job):
BMR - 1961
Maintainance - 2353
lose fat (20% calorie reduction) - 1882
if you were to adjust stats to light workout (1-3hrs a week)
maintenance becomes 2696
lose fat (20% calorie reduction) - 2157
you don't have to give up rice and pasta to lose weight - why cut out the joy in life!5 -
Make sure you are eating enough, take diet breaks (where you eat at naintance) and work your way into a resistance program to build lean muscle mass.1
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Lose the weight in a slow gradual manner and don't implement drastic changes.
You cannot ruin your metabolism. Even is those extreme cases the shift in metabolism is short term and trends towards statistical normal over a matter of weeks.
What typically happens is that people radically changes their eating habits and once their goal is achieved they return slowly back to their prior eating and exercise habits.1 -
This made me less worried, thank you! Exactly, I got into a scare after reading about people who lost a significant amount of weight and had problems because their metabolism was out the window as a result due to cutting back too much and working out too much - and not making up for it. I just want to plan this whole thing in a smart way so that I can manage this long term 5
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As a fellow rice and pasta fiend, I empathize!
I don't have a direct answer to your question, but I just wanted to note a couple of things:
First of all, if you're smaller, that full, satisfied feeling that you have now is something that you can have on fewer calories. A person who is 170 pounds will be a lot more satisfied on 1300 calories than a 270 pound person will, because you are just a smaller person overall and need less.
Second, you're making all the right choices now. There are some people who might advise you to start lifting to maintain as much muscle as you can, but even that I think is a little much for the place you are right now. You are second guessing yourself by imagining the problems you might have in the future, which is so common it's almost universal among people who are trying to lose weight. Not only is it unproductive, but you're not giving future-you enough credit! You'll be able to assess the situation and make the right choices in the future, too. Maybe working out for 90 minutes a day and eating 1300 calories will be enjoyable for you once you get there. Maybe you'll find you can eat more than that and exercise less than that and maintain a healthy weight. Maybe you'll decide to gain 20 pounds and just be someone who's a little bit overweight so you can relax and enjoy life a little. Whatever it is, you can make those decisions when you get there. For now, you can't predict anything.
A few years ago I went to a doctor at a medical center that specializes in preventative medicine and obesity. I had mentioned to him that I just can't fall asleep without a hearty carb laden meal in the evenings. I'd get through the day and eat healthy and in moderation, and I'd go to bed and just lie there for hours, unable to fall asleep. And he told me that there is no physiological reason for that problem - that I had somehow trained my body to need those carbs in the evening and that I can train my body not to, as well.
Anyway, I am working my way through the Beck Diet, which is a workbook that's designed to take you through all these exercises to train and develop habits so things become automated. I'm near the beginning of my journey, but it's been the most helpful thing I've done so far and what's different is that now the weight is coming off easily instead of through brute force and willpower. A lot of it is about finding the healthy habits you have now (and you do have them - everyone does) and cementing them into your lifestyle, as well as developing new ones. It will also teach you to recognize your sabotaging thoughts as you have them and be equipped to answer them. I really recommend it.
So, all I'm saying is, trust your knowledge and your body. And when one door closes, another will open - you might find that even if you do have to eliminate the big meals (and I suspect you won't, but even if you do) that will open up spaces for you to enjoy other things in life.
9 -
HanaThorne wrote: »This made me less worried, thank you! Exactly, I got into a scare after reading about people who lost a significant amount of weight and had problems because their metabolism was out the window as a result due to cutting back too much and working out too much - and not making up for it. I just want to plan this whole thing in a smart way so that I can manage this long term
Excellent!
I like to apply psychology in this and strategize in a way that our brains are wired to work. Identify a "bad" habit that inhibits your health goal and replace this with a "good" habit. Write down 5 "bad" habits you want to change - scratch off 2-5 and focus on 1. Once this habit has become fully ingrained in your normal routine then repeat this exercise.
Our brains are not wired to simply stop doing something - why so many diets and attempts to stop smoking fail. You must replace a new activity. Think of this like the grooves in a record.3 -
augustremulous wrote: »As a fellow rice and pasta fiend, I empathize!
I don't have a direct answer to your question, but I just wanted to note a couple of things:
First of all, if you're smaller, that full, satisfied feeling that you have now is something that you can have on fewer calories. A person who is 170 pounds will be a lot more satisfied on 1300 calories than a 270 pound person will, because you are just a smaller person overall and need less.
Second, you're making all the right choices now. There are some people who might advise you to start lifting to maintain as much muscle as you can, but even that I think is a little much for the place you are right now. You are second guessing yourself by imagining the problems you might have in the future, which is so common it's almost universal among people who are trying to lose weight. Not only is it unproductive, but you're not giving future-you enough credit! You'll be able to assess the situation and make the right choices in the future, too. Maybe working out for 90 minutes a day and eating 1300 calories will be enjoyable for you once you get there. Maybe you'll find you can eat more than that and exercise less than that and maintain a healthy weight. Maybe you'll decide to gain 20 pounds and just be someone who's a little bit overweight so you can relax and enjoy life a little. Whatever it is, you can make those decisions when you get there. For now, you can't predict anything.
A few years ago I went to a doctor at a medical center that specializes in preventative medicine and obesity. I had mentioned to him that I just can't fall asleep without a hearty carb laden meal in the evenings. I'd get through the day and eat healthy and in moderation, and I'd go to bed and just lie there for hours, unable to fall asleep. And he told me that there is no physiological reason for that problem - that I had somehow trained my body to need those carbs in the evening and that I can train my body not to, as well.
Anyway, I am working my way through the Beck Diet, which is a workbook that's designed to take you through all these exercises to train and develop habits so things become automated. I'm near the beginning of my journey, but it's been the most helpful thing I've done so far and what's different is that now the weight is coming off easily instead of through brute force and willpower. A lot of it is about finding the healthy habits you have now (and you do have them - everyone does) and cementing them into your lifestyle, as well as developing new ones. It will also teach you to recognize your sabotaging thoughts as you have them and be equipped to answer them. I really recommend it.
So, all I'm saying is, trust your knowledge and your body. And when one door closes, another will open - you might find that even if you do have to eliminate the big meals (and I suspect you won't, but even if you do) that will open up spaces for you to enjoy other things in life.
hmm really - cause I'm 153lbs and I would probably kill someone if I only ate 1300 cal a day - I maintain on 2400ish8 -
I think most of the horror stories I hear about obese people losing a bunch and then having a low TDEE is because they did it too fast and too aggressively. Think "Biggest Loser".
At first 2lbs a week will be a good rate. Then when you less than 75lbs to lose go to 1.5, then 50, go to 1lb. Then when you get to 20lbs, drop it back to .5lbs week. You'll have an easier time in maintainance, less extra skin and it's more manageable. This is a great time to learn patience! The slower and steadier, the easier for the rest of your life. You may need to log calories for the rest of your life to keep the weight off - I know I do - or at least I need to constantly think about it. Because it's really easy to get "comfortable". Then all of a sudden your jeans are tight...5 -
@deannalfisher you might be able to get my point better if you read the paragraph right after the one you quoted.4
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augustremulous wrote: »As a fellow rice and pasta fiend, I empathize!
Maybe working out for 90 minutes a day and eating 1300 calories will be enjoyable for you once you get there.
Haha, as someone who has two jobs, a dog and is in school, I don't have the time! But I hear you
0 -
no I read it - I just disagree - and I find a good portion of your post to be very woo...
there is limited to no science to supports carbs at bed to be bad for you - in fact, more recent research is indicating that a small carb snack (200cal) can help you sleep better; which aids in muscle recovery; or a protein snack can help with lean muscle mass development/repair7 -
deannalfisher wrote: »augustremulous wrote: »As a fellow rice and pasta fiend, I empathize!
I don't have a direct answer to your question, but I just wanted to note a couple of things:
First of all, if you're smaller, that full, satisfied feeling that you have now is something that you can have on fewer calories. A person who is 170 pounds will be a lot more satisfied on 1300 calories than a 270 pound person will, because you are just a smaller person overall and need less.
Second, you're making all the right choices now. There are some people who might advise you to start lifting to maintain as much muscle as you can, but even that I think is a little much for the place you are right now. You are second guessing yourself by imagining the problems you might have in the future, which is so common it's almost universal among people who are trying to lose weight. Not only is it unproductive, but you're not giving future-you enough credit! You'll be able to assess the situation and make the right choices in the future, too. Maybe working out for 90 minutes a day and eating 1300 calories will be enjoyable for you once you get there. Maybe you'll find you can eat more than that and exercise less than that and maintain a healthy weight. Maybe you'll decide to gain 20 pounds and just be someone who's a little bit overweight so you can relax and enjoy life a little. Whatever it is, you can make those decisions when you get there. For now, you can't predict anything.
A few years ago I went to a doctor at a medical center that specializes in preventative medicine and obesity. I had mentioned to him that I just can't fall asleep without a hearty carb laden meal in the evenings. I'd get through the day and eat healthy and in moderation, and I'd go to bed and just lie there for hours, unable to fall asleep. And he told me that there is no physiological reason for that problem - that I had somehow trained my body to need those carbs in the evening and that I can train my body not to, as well.
Anyway, I am working my way through the Beck Diet, which is a workbook that's designed to take you through all these exercises to train and develop habits so things become automated. I'm near the beginning of my journey, but it's been the most helpful thing I've done so far and what's different is that now the weight is coming off easily instead of through brute force and willpower. A lot of it is about finding the healthy habits you have now (and you do have them - everyone does) and cementing them into your lifestyle, as well as developing new ones. It will also teach you to recognize your sabotaging thoughts as you have them and be equipped to answer them. I really recommend it.
So, all I'm saying is, trust your knowledge and your body. And when one door closes, another will open - you might find that even if you do have to eliminate the big meals (and I suspect you won't, but even if you do) that will open up spaces for you to enjoy other things in life.
hmm really - cause I'm 153lbs and I would probably kill someone if I only ate 1300 cal a day - I maintain on 2400ish
Yep, 133 lb (at goal) and no way could I do 1300 cals. In the early stages of maintenance, and my body is very much 'feed me properly, dammit!'.
OP, so long as you do this sensibly, you don't need to worry about messing up your metabolism. There is some inevitable adaptive thermogenesis that occurs when losing weight, but that can be mitigated with regular diet breaks (eating at maintenance, not a free for all).1 -
HanaThorne wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »Net your calorie goal (eat back exervise cals) and have a week at maintenance every couple of months and your metabolism will be fine.
I wouldn't really be asking if I wasn't reading all over that you shouldn't be eating excercise cals back or maybe just a portion of it
The issue with exercise calories is that most estimates are wildly inflated. 600 calories for 30 minutes etc.
If you're accurately estimating calories you should eat most of them back. If you're not, then you should eat fewer of them.1
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