Where to Start

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MuffinTopMan74
MuffinTopMan74 Posts: 35 Member
in Getting Started
Hi folks, I do not know about others, but I am new to this fitness and healthier lifestyle. I am on day four, and my brain is tired and hurting from watching many YouTube videos and reading many health articles and blogs. Lol, there is so much information on 'HOW-To-s" for this and that, that I got lost and irritated. I like acronyms like "KISS" ( Keep it simple stupid" and "FAIL" (First attempt in learning.) Yes, I had to simplify my goal and expectations, and I already failed once because I did not go for a walk on the third night. And my meal plan did not work out because you can't eat frozen chicken (got to take it out of the freezer to unthaw. So, I am on to SAIL (Second attempt at learning), because I am not giving up, and with a dramatic lifestyle change, mistakes will happen; just don't give up. Anyway, I am learning about calorie intake, correct protein intake and amount, and what "empty calories" are. Also, does anybody else's toe hurt while walking? That is my only complaint so far. Well, it is time for a walk. I hope everyone has their own thoughts on what I wrote.

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  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    It can be very simple--get your MFP daily calorie goal, start weighing and measuring your food and drink, use a digital food scale, and stay within your goal everyday. This will be first and foremost. Don't worry about macros for now. Just get your logging down. You can think about protein, carbs, fats, and sugars later.

    Exercise is very good for overall health. Walking is a great start for beginners and you can up the distance and tempo and difficulty (incline-hills) as you get more stamina.

    Most important is consistency. Just stick with the program. Don't overthink. Good luck.
  • saveirasingh
    saveirasingh Posts: 3 Member
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    Hi- started 3 days ago on 1200 calories per day. It’s not hard as I’m intermittent fasting but I’ll admit doing both calorie counting and Intermittent is a LOT of thinking. I too am confused by carbs/fat/protein as it keeps saying I need more carbs which I thought weren’t good for you. I still exercise a lot but wondering if I’m overdoing things. I’m not feeling great yet in terms of energy or even lighter. I used to lose weight so fast before…
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    saveirasingh wrote: »
    Hi- started 3 days ago on 1200 calories per day. It’s not hard as I’m intermittent fasting but I’ll admit doing both calorie counting and Intermittent is a LOT of thinking. I too am confused by carbs/fat/protein as it keeps saying I need more carbs which I thought weren’t good for you. I still exercise a lot but wondering if I’m overdoing things. I’m not feeling great yet in terms of energy or even lighter. I used to lose weight so fast before…

    You are eating the minimum MFP will allow for a woman. The OP is male and the minimum is 1500. I live in Italy where everyone eats carbs--they sure look healthy to me.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 889 Member
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    The good thing is that you can ignore all of those 'health' articles and just focus on calories in vs. calories out (to begin with - especially if you do not have any health conditions that would affect your metabolism).

    Get an estimate of what your maintenance calories are (how many calories per day to eat to stay the same weight...break even)?

    Then figure out what your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is.

    If you want to lose weight --- choose a calorie goal that is above your BMR, but below your maintenance level. Log your food as accurately as you can, log your calorie burns through exercise as accurately as you can and see where you end up ~4 weeks from now. Make adjustments from there.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,564 Member
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    saveirasingh wrote: »
    Hi- started 3 days ago on 1200 calories per day. It’s not hard as I’m intermittent fasting but I’ll admit doing both calorie counting and Intermittent is a LOT of thinking. I too am confused by carbs/fat/protein as it keeps saying I need more carbs which I thought weren’t good for you. I still exercise a lot but wondering if I’m overdoing things. I’m not feeling great yet in terms of energy or even lighter. I used to lose weight so fast before…

    You won't necessarily see weight loss in a mere 3 days, especially if you've increased exercise. Give any new regimen 4-6 weeks, whole menstrual cycles if female of that age. In 3 days, you won't feel different. If you overdo, within a few days you may start feeling worse, though

    Carbs are not bad for you. That's just a trendy diet trick/myth, unless managing your carbs is necessary because of diabetes, diagnosed insulin resistance, or some other disease state; or if you find as an individual that carbs affect your energy level or appetite. Overall nutrition is important, so overdoing carbs could limit protein/fats (which are important for all), though.

    1200 calories for a woman (or 1500 for a man) is usually only suitable for someone who's small, older, very inactive. If you're exercising lots, you're not 'very inactive'. You're probably overdoing. Overdoing often leads to "crash and burn" outcomes. (A few people are outliers with unusually low calorie needs. They should figure that out by experience, not by cutting calories to the bone up front with extreme fast-loss goals, because doing that make it a self-fulfilling prophecy by causing fatigue, possibly subtle fatigue.) Give it some thought, maybe?

    If you're seeking advice, you'll get better feedback if you start your own thread, rather than commenting on the thread of another person whose questions are different.

    Best wishes!
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,714 Member
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    The other posters have pretty much covered everything already, but which toe hurts? Do you have properly fitting shoes made for walking?
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 694 Member
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    Regarding carbs - no, they are not bad for you. What can be a problem is the quantity of certain kinds of carbs that some people eat.

    Today for lunch I ate home made leek and potato soup, which also had a chopped carrot and pearl barley in it, and a small flat bread. Those things are carbs, they are also veg, tasty and fill me up. I can eat a reasonable portion and feel satisfied.

    Last week I bought a packet of Lebkuchen, delicious small soft gingerbread biscuits with apricot jam in the centre and covered in dark chocolate. I scoffed the lot in an afternoon. Also carbs, no particular vitamin content, I am incapable of eating a reasonable portion and need to not buy them 😆.

    Other people may not have this problem. You just need to figure out which things work best for you.

  • MuffinTopMan74
    MuffinTopMan74 Posts: 35 Member
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    I figure it is time for an update. Also, thank you for the feedback and ideas. To start, I was blindly trying to do what I thought was best to become healthier by doing anything except being sedentary. It took a bit of research, advice, and some adjustments. The tiny ligaments in my toes were not used to the long walking periods without rest. Also, I visited a dietician, primary doctor, and fitness coach to gain more knowledge and advice. After the visits, I gained a diet plan and direction, and here it is; my diet is based upon my BMR of 1884 calories. BMR is the number of calories burnt in 24 hours doing nothing, no movement, just what the body needs to keep you alive. Also, I joined a gym for athletes and bodybuilders. Again, my BMR is 1884; the professionals formulated a Bodybuild cutting diet and exercise plan since my body fat was above 25% (31.2). My protein intake is set at 30%, carbs at 45%, and fat at 25%. Rule of thumb given by the dietician: protein = 4 calories per gram, carbs = 4 calories per gram, and fats = 9 calories per gram. The bodybuilder-cutting diet is suitable for people like me who have body fat over 25%. In the beginner phase for 12 weeks, I will meal plan, have a beginner's weightlifting plan, and a journal to log everything. The idea is to build muscle while forcing the body to use its fat reserves as fuel, along with a proper BMR diet. I had to supplement my protein with two Corepower (by Truelife) protein shakes (2 x 42g protein).
    The rest is made up through meal planning. Learning how to portion, weigh, and log food took a bit. This site made it very easy. So far, I go to the gym three times and week for about 40-60 minutes and walk about 30 minutes every day. I went up in weight, but it is dropping now; I lost 3-1/2in on my waist. I have some muscle growth that is noticeable but not dramatic to others. This is expected as I am still in the beginning phase, but it is an excellent progression. I feel much better, and my physical activities are becoming more manageable. The soreness in the first two seeking of weight training has lessened dramatically, and in the last two weeks, I have seen my strength improve along with my energy while doing my exercises. I laugh because my trainer is a small female, and I am doing my set and rep with dumbells weighing 20-30 lbs pounds while she is using 50-60 lbs with more sets and reps than I. Also, she can deadlift 3x and squat 3x more than I do. I think she is about 5ft 5 in, very slim, but she has been working on it for six years. She ensures I use the proper form and keeps me from trying to be the masculine superhero injured by gender stupidity. Much more detail and humor could be discussed, but I think this is an excellent point to leave this post at. Again thank you, and be blessed folks!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,564 Member
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    Smart moves, @MuffinTopMan74: I predict success for you, especially if you can find a new routine that's reasonably enjoyable for you, and fits well into your overall life balance (enough time and energy for family, job, other things important to you). It sounds like a great course.

    I'm cheering from the sidelines - thanks for the update . . . I often wonder how things turn out for folks.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,408 Member
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    Congratulations on getting past the initial phase and making noticeable progress!

    Question: When you say "BMR diet," do you mean you are setting your daily goal for eating at your BMR? That is likely to get you to another stage of AIL (Attempt At Learning). Your body needs more fuel than the basic metabolic rate. You need to think about what your body actually needs in a day.

    If you use MFP to get a calorie goal, it uses a "Non-Exercise Physical Activity" or NEAT. This accounts not just for your BMR but the other fuel your body needs for daily activities like brushing your teeth, tying your shoelaces, and sitting at your desk toiling away for your evil employer. You get to set your activity level in the guided setup to get a base NET CALORIE goal. When you do intentional exercise, you log that too. That's where you get Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE. This is how much fuel your body needs that day.

    You can get some of that fuel from stored energy in fat. You should not get everything beyond BMR from stored energy. There are a lot of health implications of too low a calorie intake, and it also sets you up for failure because when you underfuel you are likely more susceptible to a binge.

    When you go through the guided set-up, you can choose a rate that you want to lose weight. That rate should be based on how much you have to lose. Trying to go too fast is generally not a good idea. As with many things in life, go slow to go fast. How much is a good rate to lose at? How about this from the "Most Important Posts" section of the Getting Started topic area.


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    I probably won't be the only one to suggest not taking nutrition or diet advice from people at the gym.
  • MuffinTopMan74
    MuffinTopMan74 Posts: 35 Member
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    (I probably won't be the only one to suggest not taking nutrition or diet advice from people at the gym.)
    [/quote]
    As I stated, I never took nutrition advice from any person at a gym. I went to a dietician provided through my insurance. Also, my diet is centered around my BMR, as my body fat % is above 25%. The BMR is a baseline not to go under but to meet with a proper diet. Additionally, my TDEE Maintenance Calories
    2,470 calories per day and 17,292 calories per week, a difference of 586 calories. Meeting my diet and BMR through proper nutrition and planning is a crucial goal for me. This is because my diet before was pure crapola with lots of soda and little protein, and whatever was presented was eaten with second helpings. If I go over my BMR, I am trying to ensure the calories are protein with some complex carbs but not exceed my TDEE. I am sorry I did not clarify in my previous post, which may have confused others who read it. Furthermore, I am struggling to eat enough to meet the TDEE, but I am meeting my BMR and going over it. I think that is because most of the calories in my diet came from Dr. Pepper, already-prepared foods, and some fast food. Having to proportion everything into protein, carb, and fat percentages are getting a lot easier with meal planning and logging exercise. Everything is still new, so adjustments will come but for right now, meeting the diet goal is #1. I thought I would starve but now, preparing my own food and eating it is a problem because of the amount of food. Lol. Oh, one last thing, weight loss is good, but fat loss is better and should not be confused.

  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,408 Member
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    As long as you are doing your diet under close supervision of your registered dietician and physician, then I really shouldn't question it too much. I suppose that if the difference between your BMR and your TDEE is no more than 500 calories per day and you have 40 pounds to lose, your deficit is reasonable.

    I should have considered that first. If the eating at BMR advice is to make sure you do NOT have a deficit more than that, it makes more sense. It seems like you're suggesting you can have a deficit up to 586 calories a day which would mean a loss goal of just more than a pound per week. Perhaps my concern was overblown. Mea culpa.

    If you add more exercise into the mix, though, your TDEE will increase. In that case, your deficit may be much more, and I'd go back to being more concerned. Your RD and MD will keep an eye on your progress and how you're managing it. That's great; many people just go it on their own.

    Let us know about your success!


  • MuffinTopMan74
    MuffinTopMan74 Posts: 35 Member
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    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Perhaps my concern was overblown. Mea culpa.

    I am glad you spoke up and provided advice. Your advice was correct. It was my fault for not clarifying. Also, it is better to have criticism when a person is honest and actively trying to help. Lastly, it has been 25 years since I last drove an 18-wheeler through your part of the country. It was very pretty and so different from the east coast in scenery.




  • 1BlueAurora
    1BlueAurora Posts: 439 Member
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    With regard to your toe hurting, I recommend you go to a running store to get fit for a new pair of tennis or walking shoes. At my store, they had me try on 3 pairs and watched me jog down the sidewalk before making a decision on which pair felt better. I chose a nicely cushioned pair and just that change eliminated my tendency for shin splints and sore ankles. Good supportive shoes make all the difference.

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