Desperately looking for some help!

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dansemaillives
dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
in Motivation and Support
Getting desperate for some help understanding what I should be doing and the best way to do it!

Short version! (Long version is available if needed)

I am a 49 year old male, I started 9 weeks ago at 289lbs and 2 days ago I hit 276.5 only the last 2 weeks have I been on here. Tried weight loss all my life and once lost 175lbs in 36 weeks but here lies my problem!

This time I want to do everything right, for the first time I am exercising doing bodyweight circuit and aerobic step off YouTube! The app has set me 1930 calories I average 1300 a day but then the app is calculating 714 calories burned in exercise a day and I'm not eating them! so in effect around 600 calories a day!

Been told on here, and seen, that I need to eat my burn. But really, how?!

I'm not hungry, my fitness is already getting noticeably better, I'm eating 3 meals a day and being old fashioned im worried about eating any more than I feel I need. What if my weight loss stops!?

My aim is to average a stone every 10 weeks which is around about 1.5 lbs.

Can anyone help? Clear up why eat more? What to eat more of?

Totally on my own with this, no mate to exercise with or anyone to diet with.

Thanks for reading!

Dan

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited March 2021
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    First - eating too little is a bad idea because it's not healthy.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1

    How much weight are you actually losing each week? Keep in mind exercise calorie burns are estimates, sometimes they are exaggerated. Many people eat a portion of exercise calories (maybe start at 50%) and then adjust over time based on actual results.

    What to eat when you're not hungry? Calorie dense foods.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
  • Bex953172
    Bex953172 Posts: 4,074 Member
    edited March 2021
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    I found this article ages ago, I e copied and pasted the bit I wanted to explain

    "Let's say you're seriously undereating. At first, you might lose weight. But after a while? Your body starts to panic.

    "When you are not supporting your body with enough calories or fuel, your metabolism actually drops, and you burn fewer calories," explains Libby Parker, a registered dietitian. "This is an adaptive response to the body believing it is in famine and wanting to conserve energy (aka hold on to those calories)."

    "I have had clients who were eating way too few calories and could not lose weight," says Parker. "Once they allowed all foods in their diet (they had been cutting out foods like bread), and got their calorie intake up to the appropriate amount for them, they actually started to lose weight." In other words, it's not always as simple as "calories in, calories out." That idea only applies when you're providing enough fuel for your body

    ______

    As with any online article, its hard to know the reliability of the information given.
    I don't know how much (if any) of it is true as I am not a dietician but it seems to make a bit of sense to what you're asking.

    Anyone feel free to call out if it's BS 😂
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited March 2021
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    This is going to be blunt. I don't want to come off harsh but I hate mobile typing so please don't ascribe a mean tone to me.

    Losing weight as fast as you previously did clearly did not lead to sustainable results for you. It doesn't for most people.

    Why would you want to repeat that?

    Definition of insanity being doing the same thing and expecting different results and all. Maybe its time to change the approach with an eye toward what you can do you make this the last time you need to lose.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    I'll take a different approach. Are you weighing and measuring all your food and drink accurately using a digital food scale? That is the only way to know how much you are really eating. Once you've got that number you can evaluate your food intake . The minimum for a male is 1500 cal a day. This is to make sure you get essential nutrients and macros. You are to eat back your exercise calories. Weight loss should be gradual to give your body time to adjust. Exercise is great. Good luck.
  • dansemaillives
    dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
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    TeaBea wrote: »
    First - eating too little is a bad idea because it's not healthy.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1

    How much weight are you actually losing each week? Keep in mind exercise calorie burns are estimates, sometimes they are exaggerated. Many people eat a portion of exercise calories (maybe start at 50%) and then adjust over time based on actual results.

    What to eat when you're not hungry? Calorie dense foods.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1

    Thank you very much, previous to starting MFP I lost 8lbs in 7 weeks and that wasn't calorie counting or doing the amount of exercise I'm now doing. It was just thinking about what I ate and also nothing before 0930 and after 1730. In the last 2 weeks of doing MFP I've lost 4.5 lbs. I will read your article link and check out calorie dense foods. Thank you again.
  • dansemaillives
    dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
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    Bex953172 wrote: »
    I found this article ages ago, I e copied and pasted the bit I wanted to explain

    "Let's say you're seriously undereating. At first, you might lose weight. But after a while? Your body starts to panic.

    "When you are not supporting your body with enough calories or fuel, your metabolism actually drops, and you burn fewer calories," explains Libby Parker, a registered dietitian. "This is an adaptive response to the body believing it is in famine and wanting to conserve energy (aka hold on to those calories)."

    "I have had clients who were eating way too few calories and could not lose weight," says Parker. "Once they allowed all foods in their diet (they had been cutting out foods like bread), and got their calorie intake up to the appropriate amount for them, they actually started to lose weight." In other words, it's not always as simple as "calories in, calories out." That idea only applies when you're providing enough fuel for your body

    ______

    As with any online article, its hard to know the reliability of the information given.
    I don't know how much (if any) of it is true as I am not a dietician but it seems to make a bit of sense to what you're asking.

    Anyone feel free to call out if it's BS 😂

    Thanks for your reply, yes it does seem to make sense.
  • dansemaillives
    dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
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    wunderkindking wrote: »
    This is going to be blunt. I don't want to come off harsh but I hate mobile typing so please don't ascribe a mean tone to me.

    Losing weight as fast as you previously did clearly did not lead to sustainable results for you. It doesn't for most people.

    Why would you want to repeat that?

    Definition of insanity being doing the same thing and expecting different results and all. Maybe its time to change the approach with an eye toward what you can do you make this the last time you need to lose.

    Thanks for your reply and I hear you totally. The mass and quick weight loss ended me up in hospital and hasn't taken that long to take me from 154lb back up to 289lbs and no exercise meant the excess skin is immense.

    Maybe you misunderstand my post, I DON'T want to lose it like before, I do want it to be forever and I expect 2 years before I would get to a decent weight for my age and height etc.

    That's why I am asking what to do as my head says don't eat, exercise loads, but I am learning that's not true.
  • dansemaillives
    dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    I'll take a different approach. Are you weighing and measuring all your food and drink accurately using a digital food scale? That is the only way to know how much you are really eating. Once you've got that number you can evaluate your food intake . The minimum for a male is 1500 cal a day. This is to make sure you get essential nutrients and macros. You are to eat back your exercise calories. Weight loss should be gradual to give your body time to adjust. Exercise is great. Good luck.

    Thanks for your reply and yes I am measuring everything on a digital scale (so much so it's frustrating my wife very much!) I have changed foods and the way I cook them made so many changes and so I know I am only eating what is recorded and many are barcode read so I know correct. This is my big concern!

    My loss has been gradual until I started MFP and it's become obsessive to watch what I am eating and understanding micro and macro nutrients etc. I wasn't eating enough fibre, getting no iron (and have only just stopped tablets for anemia!) and was having far too much sugar so virtually stopped (only within food content)

    It is so hard after 30 years of adulthood suddenly discovering that o need to eat more to lose weight properly, and it scares me I won't lose weight at all....... That's my main issue.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    dansemaillives wrote: »
    wunderkindking wrote: »
    This is going to be blunt. I don't want to come off harsh but I hate mobile typing so please don't ascribe a mean tone to me.

    Losing weight as fast as you previously did clearly did not lead to sustainable results for you. It doesn't for most people.

    Why would you want to repeat that?

    Definition of insanity being doing the same thing and expecting different results and all. Maybe its time to change the approach with an eye toward what you can do you make this the last time you need to lose.

    Thanks for your reply and I hear you totally. The mass and quick weight loss ended me up in hospital and hasn't taken that long to take me from 154lb back up to 289lbs and no exercise meant the excess skin is immense.

    Maybe you misunderstand my post, I DON'T want to lose it like before, I do want it to be forever and I expect 2 years before I would get to a decent weight for my age and height etc.

    That's why I am asking what to do as my head says don't eat, exercise loads, but I am learning that's not true.

    I did misunderstand, I'm sorry.

    I think there's a definitely learning curve when figuring out how to balance this stuff. We initially think 'weight loss' and it's very easy to either try to keep eating like you were in smaller amounts, be super hungry (and then overeat) or change *too much* and go low calorie/low fat/no sugar EVERYTHING, load up on lean protein and veg and then... you're stuffed but stupid low on calories. Chicken and broccoli will fill you up, keep you full and leave you WAY short on the calories.

    So then you're still doing the thing where you're trying to not eat if you're not hungry, but either because of food choices (or just focus or determination or impatience) still undereating.

    ...I promise I have a point.

    Anyway, I listed toward the second with a side of "I JUST WANNA GET THERE". I had to consciously stop with the 'diet' products so that my hunger and calorie needs came into more alignment. Meaning I do full fat cottage cheese, regular old full calorie bread, and regular PB now instead of what I was - which was low fat cottage cheese, '35 calorie a slice!' bread, and pbfit.

    It might just take some playing with, and maybe somedays you'll go over or somedays you sit down and a few tablespoons of PB out of the jar at the end, but it'll work out. Just make a point of hitting what the MFP tool recommends and be patient with yourself.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    And full disclosure. I've hit my protein goals for today but am 800 calories shy of my target in MFP. ...I'll be having cake to get to my minimum and the rest of the overage will just balance against Tuesday when dinner was basically a vat of cheese.

    (Which is another thing. There's a weekly report function. You can always balance across a week and see if that's easier for you)
  • dansemaillives
    dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
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    wunderkindking wrote: »
    And full disclosure. I've hit my protein goals for today but am 800 calories shy of my target in MFP. ...I'll be having cake to get to my minimum and the rest of the overage will just balance against Tuesday when dinner was basically a vat of cheese.

    (Which is another thing. There's a weekly report function. You can always balance across a week and see if that's easier for you)

    Thank you that all helps. So are you trying to lose weight currently (excuse me if that's personal just tell me to mind my own business) and if you are, are you losing weekly when eating all your calories?
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited March 2021
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    dansemaillives wrote: »
    wunderkindking wrote: »
    And full disclosure. I've hit my protein goals for today but am 800 calories shy of my target in MFP. ...I'll be having cake to get to my minimum and the rest of the overage will just balance against Tuesday when dinner was basically a vat of cheese.

    (Which is another thing. There's a weekly report function. You can always balance across a week and see if that's easier for you)

    Thank you that all helps. So are you trying to lose weight currently (excuse me if that's personal just tell me to mind my own business) and if you are, are you losing weekly when eating all your calories?

    I am losing weight right now. I'm about 6lbs from my goal weight (may adjust after that, but not before taking a break for a month at maintenance) and am set to lose .5lb a week in the MFP tool. Because menustrating female it's not an every week thing (hormones and water weight) but I'm losing about 3lbs a month. I'm clearly not ENTIRELY dialed in on the average thing, but I'm pretty close.

    When I started I was just into obese range. At that point with about 50lbs to lose I lost 2lbs a week/8lbs a month. 3 months/24lbs down when I had 25lbs left to lose it was reset to 1lb a week. 10lbs left is when I switched to even slower. This is on purpose and with me resetting my goals. I want to ease into what will be maintenance and if I suddenly gained 500+ calories to eat a day I suspect I'd go overboard and I'm trying to get some habits ingrained.

    And also, honestly, not starve. Right now if I tried to lose a pound a week I'd eat 1400 calories which isn't bad. But 2lbs? 900 and I"m just not here for that.
  • dansemaillives
    dansemaillives Posts: 42 Member
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    wunderkindking wrote: »
    dansemaillives wrote: »
    wunderkindking wrote: »
    And full disclosure. I've hit my protein goals for today but am 800 calories shy of my target in MFP. ...I'll be having cake to get to my minimum and the rest of the overage will just balance against Tuesday when dinner was basically a vat of cheese.

    (Which is another thing. There's a weekly report function. You can always balance across a week and see if that's easier for you)

    Thank you that all helps. So are you trying to lose weight currently (excuse me if that's personal just tell me to mind my own business) and if you are, are you losing weekly when eating all your calories?

    I am losing weight right now. I'm about 6lbs from my goal weight (may adjust after that, but not before taking a break for a month at maintenance) and am set to lose .5lb a week in the MFP tool. Because menustrating female it's not an every week thing (hormones and water weight) but I'm losing about 3lbs a month. I'm clearly not ENTIRELY dialed in on the average thing, but I'm pretty close.

    When I started I was just into obese range. At that point with about 50lbs to lose I lost 2lbs a week/8lbs a month. 3 months/24lbs down when I had 25lbs left to lose it was reset to 1lb a week. 10lbs left is when I switched to even slower. This is on purpose and with me resetting my goals. I want to ease into what will be maintenance and if I suddenly gained 500+ calories to eat a day I suspect I'd go overboard and I'm trying to get some habits ingrained.

    And also, honestly, not starve. Right now if I tried to lose a pound a week I'd eat 1400 calories which isn't bad. But 2lbs? 900 and I"m just not here for that.

    Thank you so much for sharing, the way you are doing is exactly how I'd like to and the biggest thing to me is maintenance. When I did the crash diet (lighter life) I wasn't ready for life after so this time I am determined to be ready.

    Thank you again, so helpful!

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