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rachelpower82
Posts: 45 Member
Im so fed up and tired of going around in circles and want to get fit & healthy. Im done with ‘slimming clubs’ as i always end up back at square one
. So, my question is do i just follow the mfp cal guideline allowance and i’ll lose weight? Or do i need to consider fat, sugar, carbs etc?Im 35 and am 5ft 8 tall and weigh around 230lbs. I want to lose weight but being fit & healthy is my main focus. What would you recommend? Thanks
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Replies
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Yes, just eat the number of calories that MFP gives you.7
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This ^^3
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Read this, probably the best, most helpful thread on all of MFP: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p16
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IMO, calorie balance needs to be your #1 nutritional priority. Once you have that squared away, then worry about macros.2
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Calorie counting has honestly never worked for me...
I lost about 180lbs and I can tell you, what worked for me, the big secret, the big secret, the big secret was...........
Small changes over time.... Make small changes to your diet and exercise regimen and continue to make small changes week by week10 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Calorie counting has honestly never worked for me...
I lost about 180lbs and I can tell you, what worked for me, the big secret, the big secret, the big secret was...........
Small changes over time.... Make small changes to your diet and exercise regimen and continue to make small changes week by week
If you're counting calories, you have better information on how your small changes are impacting your rate of loss and what small changes are worth making.11 -
Today is my first day of tracking cals and omg I cant believe how much I eat!!
Even though ive made a concious effort to ‘eat healthy’ today im still over my daily cal allowance by almost 400 cals!! Dread to think how many ive been eating daily. The fact im 230lbs now, i know why!!
Big changes have to be made. Im so fedup of going around in circles 10 -
rachelpower82 wrote: »Today is my first day of tracking cals and omg I cant believe how much I eat!!
Even though ive made a concious effort to ‘eat healthy’ today im still over my daily cal allowance by almost 400 cals!! Dread to think how many ive been eating daily. The fact im 230lbs now, i know why!!
Big changes have to be made. Im so fedup of going around in circles
It's surprising how much we actually eat when we think we're not eating much.
A food scale is a must by the way!5 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Calorie counting has honestly never worked for me...
I lost about 180lbs and I can tell you, what worked for me, the big secret, the big secret, the big secret was...........
Small changes over time.... Make small changes to your diet and exercise regimen and continue to make small changes week by week
You may not be counting calories, but your results didn’t come from small changes....they came from a calorie deficit without tracking11 -
pinggolfer96 wrote: »Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Calorie counting has honestly never worked for me...
I lost about 180lbs and I can tell you, what worked for me, the big secret, the big secret, the big secret was...........
Small changes over time.... Make small changes to your diet and exercise regimen and continue to make small changes week by week
You may not be counting calories, but your results didn’t come from small changes....they came from a calorie deficit without tracking
100% this. Weight loss happens when you eat fewer calories than you burn, regardless of whether you are counting those calories or not.8 -
Controlling calories will lead to weight loss.
Controlling macros may make it easier for you to control your calories, so it may be worth playing with them as you go. Start by just recording and taking a few notes: were you starving at lunch after your normal breakfast, but had a different breakfast today and felt better at lunch time?2 -
I’d add to take it slow if you’re in it for the long haul. Countless times I’ve taken too high a deficit to lose weight quickly only to experience crushing binges that eventually led to gaining it back.
This time I was slow and steady and took about 2 years to lose the weight. Today, im the exact same weight as I was a year ago. Keep maintenance in mind through your journey. Don’t do anything to lose weight that you couldn’t sustain forever.
PS. My starting stats are almost identical to yours, but you have an inch on me.4 -
rachelpower82 wrote: »Today is my first day of tracking cals and omg I cant believe how much I eat!!
Even though ive made a concious effort to ‘eat healthy’ today im still over my daily cal allowance by almost 400 cals!! Dread to think how many ive been eating daily. The fact im 230lbs now, i know why!!
Big changes have to be made. Im so fedup of going around in circles
But you'll have set your deficit to at least 500 cals...7 -
TavistockToad wrote: »rachelpower82 wrote: »Today is my first day of tracking cals and omg I cant believe how much I eat!!
Even though ive made a concious effort to ‘eat healthy’ today im still over my daily cal allowance by almost 400 cals!! Dread to think how many ive been eating daily. The fact im 230lbs now, i know why!!
Big changes have to be made. Im so fedup of going around in circles
But you'll have set your deficit to at least 500 cals...
Yes i was over my mfp cal allowance which is already set at 1480 cals. Seems a bit low to me though esp as im 5ft 8
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rachelpower82 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »rachelpower82 wrote: »Today is my first day of tracking cals and omg I cant believe how much I eat!!
Even though ive made a concious effort to ‘eat healthy’ today im still over my daily cal allowance by almost 400 cals!! Dread to think how many ive been eating daily. The fact im 230lbs now, i know why!!
Big changes have to be made. Im so fedup of going around in circles
But you'll have set your deficit to at least 500 cals...
Yes i was over my mfp cal allowance which is already set at 1480 cals. Seems a bit low to me though esp as im 5ft 8
yes, so that's probably a deficit of 1000 cals to give you such a low number... so even if you ate 400 over goal you're still in a deficit of 600....
if you think your calorie goal is too low and not sustainable, change it or you wont stick to it. you picked the rate of loss.8 -
My advice... Forget the calorie counting and just start cutting garbage out of your diet, gradually, over time... Week to week
That's how I did it and I've maintained it for about 3yrs now while most gain it back, and I'm not just talking about 20, 30, or even 50lbs...
Small changes over time....
You can't just flip a switch and start eating 1500 calories less than you're use to unless you want a high probability of failing or gaining it back... I'm not saying it can't be done, but odds are against you...
You have to be able to slowly make peace with a new lifestyle...
CICO is not a plan, or even a strategy, just numbers... Small changes over time is a strategy19 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »My advice... Forget the calorie counting and just start cutting garbage out of your diet, gradually, over time... Week to week
That's how I did it and I've maintained it for about 3yrs now while most gain it back, and I'm not just talking about 20, 30, or even 50lbs...
It's nice that worked for you, but it wouldn't for everyone -- not everyone gets fat eating a low-quality diet or "junk."
I found it really helpful to track my diet, and counting calories on MFP is largely doing that, but with the ability to actually focus on calorie numbers and a specific deficit (which many people find fun).4 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »My advice... Forget the calorie counting and just start cutting garbage out of your diet, gradually, over time... Week to week
That's how I did it and I've maintained it for about 3yrs now while most gain it back, and I'm not just talking about 20, 30, or even 50lbs...
It's nice that worked for you, but it wouldn't for everyone -- not everyone gets fat eating a low-quality diet or "junk."
I found it really helpful to track my diet, and counting calories on MFP is largely doing that, but with the ability to actually focus on calorie numbers and a specific deficit (which many people find fun).
I never ate garbage. Kind of a disgusting idea really but I think I know what was meant. I've always eaten a most whole foods diet with very little junk food. Got 45 lbs overweight eating that way. Tracking helped me to understand how energy balance worked and how to eat to lose fat.6 -
rachelpower82 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »rachelpower82 wrote: »Today is my first day of tracking cals and omg I cant believe how much I eat!!
Even though ive made a concious effort to ‘eat healthy’ today im still over my daily cal allowance by almost 400 cals!! Dread to think how many ive been eating daily. The fact im 230lbs now, i know why!!
Big changes have to be made. Im so fedup of going around in circles
But you'll have set your deficit to at least 500 cals...
Yes i was over my mfp cal allowance which is already set at 1480 cals. Seems a bit low to me though esp as im 5ft 8
It wouldn't hurt to temporarily at least reset your goal to 1 lb per week. Give yourself a month or so to just learn about logging and what you're eating and where you are wasting calories. Then once logging is more of a natural habit and you start to see where you can make the best changes, then you can bump up your pace a little.
Sometimes people who have to keep starting over have been changing too much too soon and trying to lose fast. Sometimes going a little slower and really learning about the foods, macros, and meals that work for you gives you a better chance at more lasting change. And accurate consistent logging can make that process so much easier! Good luck!3 -
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