Help me save my left foot

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  • Ladytulip
    Ladytulip Posts: 24 Member
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    This has been a hugh insight for me, I have learnt alot.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Remember that it takes calories to burn calories! Definitely try to eat more.
  • terence
    terence Posts: 119
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    Ok. I'll give it a go. I'll be my own guinea pig (or maybe just a pig).

    For the next two weeks, I'll eat a net of 1200 cals but maintain my exercise program. That means approx 1500 cals a day. I'll also increase fruit and veg considerably.

    Two weeks ... if it doesn't work, you'll see 3 left work shoes going cheap on eBay.

    I'll post my progress.

    Ok, Day 1 was easy.

    Day 2, I burned lots of calories walking, so I needed to eat up big. I feel disgusting. Wind! WIND!!!

    I even had a few squares of Dove dark chocolate to get me over the 1200 net. Funny thing is, that was even a chore. I've lost the lust.

    See how I feel after a good night's sleep. I won't weigh in for a few days.
  • Maggie_Pie1
    Maggie_Pie1 Posts: 322 Member
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    Try adding some weight training to your routine, or change your aerobic activity. I've found that changing up my activity helps.
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
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    Ok. I'll give it a go. I'll be my own guinea pig (or maybe just a pig).

    For the next two weeks, I'll eat a net of 1200 cals but maintain my exercise program. That means approx 1500 cals a day. I'll also increase fruit and veg considerably.

    Two weeks ... if it doesn't work, you'll see 3 left work shoes going cheap on eBay.

    I'll post my progress.

    Ok, Day 1 was easy.

    Day 2, I burned lots of calories walking, so I needed to eat up big. I feel disgusting. Wind! WIND!!!

    I even had a few squares of Dove dark chocolate to get me over the 1200 net. Funny thing is, that was even a chore. I've lost the lust.

    See how I feel after a good night's sleep. I won't weigh in for a few days.

    try adding calorie dense food (olive oil, avocado, nuts) it's alot better than to stuff yourself
  • terence
    terence Posts: 119
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    Ok. I'll give it a go. I'll be my own guinea pig (or maybe just a pig).

    For the next two weeks, I'll eat a net of 1200 cals but maintain my exercise program. That means approx 1500 cals a day. I'll also increase fruit and veg considerably.

    Two weeks ... if it doesn't work, you'll see 3 left work shoes going cheap on eBay.

    I'll post my progress.

    It's now Day 4 and I couldn't avoid the scales any longer. I've felt fatter every day since I began, but it could be psychological. Unfortunately, it's real. I've put on 1kg. I'm fast losing faith in the group consensus. I'll persist for a couple more days but if my weight continues to go up, I'll abandon ship.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
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    It's now Day 4 and I couldn't avoid the scales any longer. I've felt fatter every day since I began, but it could be psychological. Unfortunately, it's real. I've put on 1kg. I'm fast losing faith in the group consensus. I'll persist for a couple more days but if my weight continues to go up, I'll abandon ship.

    Maybe it's easier for a man to panic about small scale changes since as a woman I can watch the scale fluctuate 5+ pounds in a week depending on how much water I'm retaining, and I'm not alone in that by any means.

    If your calories had been too low, then your body would have been in storage/starvation mode - 4 days isn't a whole lot of time to convince your body that you're not going to starve it. What's the worst case scenario for you here? You're not going to let yourself get all the way back to square one again - you've obviously got too much commitment to being a lighter healthier person for that to happen.

    If you go more than a few weeks without losing while keeping your net calories above 1200 then seek help for the plateau from either a physician or nutritionist (in person or online, whatever works for you). The fact that you're posting here about it proves that you know you don't have to do this all yourself. Give yourself some breathing room and focus on the good things - have you taken your measurements? Maybe those are changing while the weight stays stagnant, depending on what kind of exercise you're doing.

    Chin up :)
  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
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    Few insights:

    1) there are goodvand bad calories. Eating Dove chocolate just to beat the threshold is useless. Aim for good, and less evil. ;)

    2) Rome wasn't built in a ay, and 4 days isn't long enough to pass judgement. I didn't lose anything in the first four days I dropped my calories, so did that mean I should have just bailed?

    3) how are you calculating your calories burned? Are you using the MFP estimates, gym machine estimates, or a HRM? That may have an impact as well.....
  • terence
    terence Posts: 119
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    All good advice. My grandmother would have called me a nervous Nelly (with politically correct apologies to all the Nellies out there). I've put in so hard to get where I am, so I'm guarding it jealously.

    I'll soldier on.

    Thanks.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    All good advice. My grandmother would have called me a nervous Nelly (with politically correct apologies to all the Nellies out there). I've put in so hard to get where I am, so I'm guarding it jealously.

    I'll soldier on.

    Thanks.

    You have to give your body a chance to adjust. It is normal to see a rise in your weight when you begin eating more because your body is adjusting to getting more food. Give it time (at least the full 2 weeks - possibly even as long as a month) to catch up. Right now, it is going through the "Holy crap! We are getting more food!" adjustment. Patience is key here.

    BTW, if it makes you feel any better -- I eat 2200-2500 NET calories a day and I am maintaining 143-145lbs. Gotta eat to lose! Your body can't function and won't be comfortable burning fat and losing weight unless it is receiving proper nutrition.

    My BMR is 1330. I work on my feet 4-5 days a week/ 5-9 hours a day. While at work, I am in constant motion. I don't count it towards my exercise for a day - but it doesn't mean I'm not burning calories while I'm doing it. I also go to the gym 2-3 days a week for 60 mins each time. Right now, I do either straight cardio (running), strength training or circuit training.

    I burn A LOT of calories and I HAVE to replace the ones I've burned or my body freaks out and starts to gain weight. Like last week, I just wasn't hungry and was way under every day but one. Guess what? I slowly gained weight over the last 10 days. I'm now making a conscious effort to eat my calories every single day - even if I'm not hungry.. because I know I NEED to eat.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,245 Member
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    I hate to add more to your plate, but you are male, and 1500 calories a day is considered the starvation threshold for men. That means it is considered the minimum for males. I agree you are eating too little, but if you have been doing this for a long time your body will have entered survival mode and slowed your metabolism by various means including reducing muscle mass. Add calories and strength training and measure yourself (chest, waist and hips) as the scale is a liar. You are likely retaining water because with increasing your calories you have likely increased your sodium intake as well.
  • TipMcE
    TipMcE Posts: 158
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    Ok. I'll give it a go. I'll be my own guinea pig (or maybe just a pig).

    For the next two weeks, I'll eat a net of 1200 cals but maintain my exercise program. That means approx 1500 cals a day. I'll also increase fruit and veg considerably.

    Two weeks ... if it doesn't work, you'll see 3 left work shoes going cheap on eBay.

    I'll post my progress.

    It's now Day 4 and I couldn't avoid the scales any longer. I've felt fatter every day since I began, but it could be psychological. Unfortunately, it's real. I've put on 1kg. I'm fast losing faith in the group consensus. I'll persist for a couple more days but if my weight continues to go up, I'll abandon ship.

    From what I've read on the posts if your body has been in starvation mode, and you up your calories at first your weight will go up (I know, bummer). But if you stick with it, the weight will start to come off again. It can take a couple of weeks for your body to adjust. Don't give up yet. And eat healthy calories like nuts, lean protein, whole grains. Good luck and keep that mcDonalds menu away from your foot!
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
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    This is really interesting, even if it does mean you're a science experiment! Keep us posted, I'd love to see how it goes.
  • Mommawarrior
    Mommawarrior Posts: 897 Member
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    EAT .... you are not eating enough so your body won't let go of anything!
  • ljbhill
    ljbhill Posts: 276 Member
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    Hey. That was me too. I was very close to goal and also was around the 1200 cal mark. I was bumping between 1-2Kg for 2 months! Just recent'y started cycling my calories (zigzaggin) and in the first week lost .8Kg! Blew the plateau right out of the water. 0.7Kg is massive when you are so close to goal! Fingers crossed it continue for my next weigh in. I would recommend looking into it and giving it a go =)
  • terence
    terence Posts: 119
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    I burn A LOT of calories and I HAVE to replace the ones I've burned or my body freaks out and starts to gain weight. Like last week, I just wasn't hungry and was way under every day but one. Guess what? I slowly gained weight over the last 10 days. I'm now making a conscious effort to eat my calories every single day - even if I'm not hungry.. because I know I NEED to eat.

    Great post, thanks.

    So, how do you manage to stuff it in without feeling horrible?
  • terence
    terence Posts: 119
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    Hey. That was me too. I was very close to goal and also was around the 1200 cal mark. I was bumping between 1-2Kg for 2 months! Just recent'y started cycling my calories (zigzaggin) and in the first week lost .8Kg! Blew the plateau right out of the water. 0.7Kg is massive when you are so close to goal! Fingers crossed it continue for my next weigh in. I would recommend looking into it and giving it a go =)

    How does that zig-zagging work? I haven't heard of that.
  • lampworker60
    lampworker60 Posts: 4 Member
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    Eat more, you are not eating enough and eat good fats such as nuts, nut butters, avocado, olives, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. aprox 20%-25% of your calories per day should be from good fats.
  • ncgingerich
    ncgingerich Posts: 46 Member
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    Bump - I am in a similar position as you... I've been netting less than 900 cals on average each day I exercise and have hit my second plateau since starting MFP about 85 days ago. I just figured out that most of the successful people using MFP are eating back most if not all their exercise calories. I am starting to do the same thing today and will also evaluate my progress in a week or two.... so we will be guinea pigs together!!! Best of luck to both of us!!!
  • terence
    terence Posts: 119
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    Bump - I am in a similar position as you... I've been netting less than 900 cals on average each day I exercise and have hit my second plateau since starting MFP about 85 days ago. I just figured out that most of the successful people using MFP are eating back most if not all their exercise calories. I am starting to do the same thing today and will also evaluate my progress in a week or two.... so we will be guinea pigs together!!! Best of luck to both of us!!!

    Welcome aboard and thanks for helping out with the ballast.

    :))

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