Sad reality.

joyanna2016 · May 2020

I've done the math and I've figured out that I cannot create a 2lb a week deficit without either going under 1200 cals (not recommended so I won't do) or exercising and not eating back my calories. I've just been somewhat surprised to learn this. At 220 lbs ( still very much obese) but only lightly active I really still would have thought that 1200 cals would have allowed me to lose 2 lbs a week. I do exercise some but this knowledge has just kind of bummed me out. I'm also looking ahead in my journey and realizing that the smaller I get, the slower this process is going to be. Sometimes it just seems like it will take forever. Ya know what I mean? Ok..impatient whiny session over. But anyone else have these thoughts?

Shortgirlrunning · May 2020

Are you pretty tall?

Duck_Puddle · May 2020

I lose less than a pound a week netting 1200 (1200 plus my exercise calories-and I wouldn’t do anything less than that ever). At best I lose 3 pounds a month (it’s usually less).

I started out morbidly obese. I couldn’t walk across the house without needing a break. I had to pull myself up my stairs-and take multiple tests. I could only carry in a single can of vegetables at a time - I was too weak to bring more groceries than that. And on and on and on.

I’m 8 1/2 years into this. I still have some weight to lose. I haven’t tried to lose the whole time, and I gained a bunch back when my parents died. I don’t want you thinking it takes that long.

But I’ve run multiple marathons (and tons of shorter races), I’ve hiked/trekked over 100 miles in the Canadian Rockies then Utah a week later (with 2 Half marathons tossed in), I can carry 20 liters of bottled things (plus a couple bags of random stuff), I can haul 200 pounds off the floor, and run up the stairs (I mean-If I have to). I’ve been skydiving (more than once), done flying trapeze, gone rappelling off cliffs, and on and on and on.

I have long since abandoned any worries about how long it’s going to take (hopefully a very long time-because I’m not doing anything to lose that I won’t continue doing forever to maintain). I’m living a great life now. I can (eventually) do virtually anything I choose to pursue.

And I absolutely refuse to under eat to lose faster - and sacrifice my ability to continue doing all the awesome things I’m doing (because running 10 miles is really hard on not enough food).

Anyway-it’s not sad IMO. It’s just the reality of weight loss for some. I don’t burn as much as a dude; or a taller person; or a heavier person or someone who works an active job or a thousand other situations. But it really doesn’t matter. My reality is my reality and I can eat what I can eat. The awesome part is my life is also my life and I’m going to keep working so I can keep doing awesome stuff. Someday I might hit my goal weight. If not-still awesome.

joyanna2016 · May 2020

Shortgirlrunning wrote: »

Are you pretty tall?

5'6" so no, not really.

KittyPryde2 · May 2020

What kind of job do you have? (if you don't mind me asking)

amusedmonkey · May 2020

Yes, that was the reality that pushed me to increase my activity level. Except in my case, it wasn't about losing 2 lbs (I wasn't in a hurry), but about how little I would need to eat for life. I had to accept that if I want to eat more I'll have to move more. I even chose to maintain slightly overweight (I'm currently in maintenance) partly because being thinner meant eating only slightly over half the calories I maintained on at my highest weight on days I'm not active.

joyanna2016 · May 2020

KittyPryde2 wrote: »

What kind of job do you have? (if you don't mind me asking)

School administrative assistant but of course now I am home

KittyPryde2 · May 2020

joyanna2016 wrote: »

KittyPryde2 wrote: »

What kind of job do you have? (if you don't mind me asking)

School administrative assistant but of course now I am home

I'm also a administrative assistant but not at a school. I've been lucky that my supervisor has let me work from the office because I need to organize the storage areas, do inventory, and prepare the office for return-to-work. But I've been thinking a lot of what kind of steps I can make when the office is back to "normal" (if there will ever be a normal).

I think I want to find a way to be "active" with an office job. We email back and forth a lot, but what if I just... walk over to them? What if instead of printing out 5 different things and then walking over to the printer what if I just... walk over to the printer each time?

I'm sure I'll look silly

I used to work at a grocery store and office life is very different. Less stress but also less movement.

I'm thinking of asking if I can check out one of those standing desks my office has so that I can at least not be sitting down all day. They make adjustable ones that lower to a sitting desk and raise to a standing desk, maybe that could be a good option?

ReenieHJ · May 2020

Wow, listen to what Duck_Puddle says, those are some inspiring words!! Increase your activity where you can, even just a short moderate walk every day will gain you some extra calories to eat. The best chance of losing weight forever is slow and steady so those habits become your life and routine.

springlering62 · May 2020

@duckpuddle
I think I have an MFP crush on you!!!

Instead of focusing on the what can’t be, focus on the possibilities. Duckpuddle is proof right there that they can be endless.

PAV8888 · May 2020

springlering62 wrote: »

@duckpuddle
I think I have an MFP crush on you!!!

Me too!!!

NovusDies · May 2020

Losing slightly slower gives you more time to change your mindset and habits so that you do not end up being among the overwhelming majority of people who either fail to get all their weight off or fail to keep it off. Weight management does need to be forever. Weight loss will likely be a relatively small opening chapter.

It will still be a bitter pill to swallow but try to reframe it as not something you must do but something you get to do.

springlering62 · May 2020

NovusDies wrote: »

....try to reframe it as not something you must do but something you get to do.

I really like this!!!!

janejellyroll · May 2020

Also, the benefits of losing weight don't kick in only when you reach goal weight. My experience (and what I've heard from many other people here) is that I began seeing and feeling a difference well before I got close to goal. There are all sorts of scale and non-scale victories along the way that can be motivating.

nooshi713 · May 2020

1200 calories gives me a half lb a week loss since I maintain at 1500. That’s when I’m moderately active.......

Yeah, it is tough.

Strudders67 · May 2020

It's definitely tough but, in addition to reading and re-reading what Duck_Puddle said, keep reminding yourself that slow and steady is best anyway.

When I started on here my maintenance figure was under 1500, so the minimum of 1200 always meant I couldn't lose particularly fast. On the plus side, a couple of years later and now in maintenance, I didn't have to make any adjustment at any stage so I've had plenty of practice at figuring out what will work long term, what a portion size looks like etc. But in addition to the health benefits, exercise to gain extra calories helps a lot.

fitoverfortymom · May 2020

In a year from now, it will still be a year from now, so rather than focus on where you can't be in that time, focus on where you can be. You're going to "win" either way. So what if it's 1lb per week instead of two? Are you seriously not going to lose weight at all because the rate of loss you hope for is not likely to happen? That's not sound reasoning. Do the work.

scarlett_k · May 2020

I'm 5'6" and have never had to eat that little to lose 2lb a week when I was 220lb or thereabouts. How are you calculating this? Have you actually tried it or is this all hypothetical? 1200 is very low. I ate 1500 for a while and felt *awful*.

joyanna2016 · May 2020

scarlett_k wrote: »

I'm 5'6" and have never had to eat that little to lose 2lb a week when I was 220lb or thereabouts. How are you calculating this? Have you actually tried it or is this all hypothetical? 1200 is very low. I ate 1500 for a while and felt *awful*.

I started noticing I wasnt losing quite as much each week and my "expected weight in 5 wks" was no longer a 10 lb loss at 1200 cals so I looked it up on the calculator mentioned by some on MFP called "fat to fit" after figuring my bmr and tdee it confirmed.

joyanna2016 · May 2020

fitoverfortymom wrote: »

In a year from now, it will still be a year from now, so rather than focus on where you can't be in that time, focus on where you can be. You're going to "win" either way. So what if it's 1lb per week instead of two? Are you seriously not going to lose weight at all because the rate of loss you hope for is not likely to happen? That's not sound reasoning. Do the work.

Did I say I was going to give up? No. I was just expressing that it seemed harder and longer of a process than I expected it to be.

mmapags · May 2020

joyanna2016 wrote: »

scarlett_k wrote: »

I'm 5'6" and have never had to eat that little to lose 2lb a week when I was 220lb or thereabouts. How are you calculating this? Have you actually tried it or is this all hypothetical? 1200 is very low. I ate 1500 for a while and felt *awful*.

I started noticing I wasnt losing quite as much each week and my "expected weight in 5 wks" was no longer a 10 lb loss at 1200 cals so I looked it up on the calculator mentioned by some on MFP called "fat to fit" after figuring my bmr and tdee it confirmed.

MFP should eliminate that. It has never been accurate. I just ignore it and there have been threads about how ridiculous it is. Honestly, I think 2 lbs per week is just too aggressive for you and not really sustainable.

Sad reality.

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