Advice please!

fitfoodeeee
fitfoodeeee Posts: 21 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I just moved home from school, and I'm about to start my first job. I need a reliable and structured meal plan to follow because if I don't have one I tend to blow my cals by dinnertime. If you can give me nutritional advice about the plan that I created for TODAY that would be great!

I exercise 1 hour a day 5-6 days a week (400 cal burn per day). I am a 5'3", petite, 23-year-old woman, and I feel like 1200 cals total is plenty to keep myself energized and sustained. Lately, I have been finding myself eating around 2,000 cals per day. I'm not gaining (thanks to my workouts), but I'm not losing either. My goal is to lose 10 pounds of fat and gain a few pounds of muscle, hence the emphasis on protein.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Replies

  • rjpittner
    rjpittner Posts: 70 Member
    If you are looking to lose weight, you have two options: Cut the cals or step up the calorie burning.
    Weight loss is a relatively simple formula...consuming (roughly) 500 fewer calories/day for a week will allow you to healthily lose 2 pounds per week.
    Like you, I'm only 5'3" and really quite petite. I lead a VERY inactive lifestyle, which is why I can easily pull off only consuming 700 calories a day. I exercise 5/6 days a week, usually for 30 minutes over my lunch break and burn roughly 260 calories per session.
    I think the real kicker with this entire MFP site is, rather than just trying to lose weight, try to create a healthier lifestyle for yourself. I’m finding myself craving vegetables...yes, CRAVING stinkin’ VEGETABLES! Fast food doesn’t sound good to me anymore, and in fact, when I do eat fattening foods, they actually make my body sick. I feel so energized and alive simply because I am consuming more nutritious, healthy, natural foods.
    If you are going to be consuming 1200/day, make sure they aren’t mindless calories (if that makes any sense). I.e., just because you have 300 extra calories doesn’t mean you can go eat a candy bar...it’s all about portion control :)
    If you’d like to look around at my diary to get some meal ideas, or check out my before/after pictures, feel free to add me as a friend. I’d love to encourage you on this journey! I hope this helps!
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