females 200lbs+ What works for you??

Starting weight: 256
Current Weight: 238

I used to eat 1,670 calories a day, then 1,570. I just got lowered to 1,520. I usually get to eat more than that because I work out at least 4x a week/ 30 minutes cardio and I do different exercise dvds a few times a week. I've been consistently losing 1-2 pounds a week. I recommend eating back your exercise calories, at least part of them. Also, I like to have a spike day every now and then because it keeps my body confused. I find I gain a little right after I spike but then the next week I net a bigger loss. I also drink a ton of water every day, and in my personal experience when I drink lots of water I have an easier time losing weight.

Hope this all helps.

Highest known weight- 274
Current weight- 240

When I started MFP (20lbs ago) it had me set to 1370, then 1320, and when I hit the 20lb loss mark it dropped me down to 1250. I try and eat at least the 1200 calories, find filling, low-calorie alternatives, and it's been working really well for me.

I generally exercise 45-90 minutes 4 or more times a week.

Good luck breaking your plateau!

I'm down to 198 from 243 (I was 187 before the holidays -- I indulged a little too much) but I eat between 900-1400 calories a day, and do 30-90 minutes of cardio 3-6 days a week.

I typically lose between 2-6 lbs a week.

When I was stuck at a plateau, I completely STOPPED counting calories and exercising for 2 weeks. When I started up again, I dropped weight pretty quickly.

^
I'm down to 205 from 247 (since joining in Oct). Since I have quite a bit to lose, I don't eat my exercise cals back. This is a hot button issue here in the forums. I rarely do it, don't want to lecture lol! I consume anywhere from 900-1300 a day. I just updated my goals though and was dropped down to 1200 a day by MFP. I typically lose between 2-5 a week. If I plateau, I spike my cals for a few days. I work out 5 days a week for 60 minutes.

Good luck!

MY VERY FIRST BLOG.... MY PERSONAL LIFESTYLE CHANGES....

These are changes that I have made for myself. Each person is on their own journey. What works for me may not work for you. It is always a work in progress. So, the more I learn the more changes I make to improve my health & my life.
I have learned that there is no quick fix, no magic pill & no going back. Health & well being are more a state of mind than anything else. It doesn’t take self-discipline … it takes self- love. I have finally gotten to a place in life where I love who I am (not necessarily how I look) and, most importantly…
I have discovered… I AM WORTH IT!!!


1. I NEVER DEPRIVE MYSELF OF ANYTHING TRULY WANT…
However, PORTION CONTROL IS ESSENTIAL!!! I would rather savor a morsel of dark chocolate than to scarf down a ton of it & get nauseous like I used to… NEVER AGAIN!

2. CALORIES IN/ CALORIES OUT… it really is that simple!
I personally keep my calorie intake to 1200-1400 per day & make it a habit to either go walking or ride the stationary bike 4-6 days per week. Each time I try to increase my previous calorie burn. I set little personal challenges for myself. I also have a pedometer & strive for 10,000 steps each day. That alone will burn
1lb per week. It doesn’t sound like much but, in a year that’s 52lbs… just from something as simple as walking! My goal is to own an Elliptical Machine & a Total Gym for resistance training…. Then I can alternate my workouts.

3. I LIMIT OR AVOID THE FOLLOWING FOODS:
Most Breads, White Potatoes, White Rice, White Pastas, Red Meats, Cow’s Milk, Cheese, Refined Sugars, Salt, Gravy’s, Dressings, Anything Breaded & Fried & Sodas- (even diet).
These choices are made because these items are usually the items that are high in calories, cause me to gain weight quickly or have other adverse effects I just don’t want to deal with. I don’t abstain from all of them all the time but, I am selective I pay close attention to the portions I consume. (EX: I wouldn’t want to put 200 calories of creamy salad dressing on my 35 calorie salad when I can put some other veggies & seasoning like Mrs. Dash on it & keep the calories low. Then enjoy a nice piece of grilled chicken for 179 calories & have a well balanced meal that is much more filling than just a small salad alone!)

4. I HAVE ADDAPTED TO THE FOLLOWING HABITS:
A. I CREATED A LOG that I put my weight loss goals on… broken down by the week. So, it is much more manageable to look at this weeks goal of 2-3lbs weight loss instead of the whole 100lbs of weight loss.
B. I WEIGH DAILY! I do this to help me see where my food choices are affecting my weight. There are & will be fluctuations… sometimes it’s two steps forward & one step back… sometimes it’s a plateau.
C. I DRINK LOTS OF WATER! I Love Water with Lemon, Teas & Coffees as well… these are my Staples! 8-9 8oz servings a day!
D. I SLEEP! 6-8 hours a night.
E. I JOINED www.myfitnesspal.com ….Its a great tool for tracking foods & exercise as well as a wonderful support system with lots of others who are also on their own weight loss journey & inspirational success stories as well!


THAT’S IT! THE ONLY OTHER THING I CAN ADD HERE IS THAT THIS IS A LIFE CHANGE… NOT A DIET. THESE HABITS WILL BE A PART OF MY LIFE FROM NOW ON…. BECAUSE, I AM WORTH IT!!!


Best Wishes!!!

My personal experience is whenever I work out and eat well in an attempt to lose weight I will always lose less than when I just eat well. I guess it is the whole muscle weighs more than fat thing. I do find, however, I am generally able to still see results when I take my measurements.

Start weight 10/1/11: 208
Highest weight: 230
Current weight is: 176
Loss since 10/1/11: 32

I don't exercise at all and eat right around 1200 cal/day.
I eat lots, LOTS of vegetables, starchy and not.
I do not eat butter, mayo, fat based salad dressings and the like, or add any kind of oil to my food before, during or after cooking.
I do eat nuts, seeds, avocados & olives.

I have steadily lost weight over the past 3.5 months. Before whenever I tried to loose weight I didn't know about eating mostly vegetables all day. I was never satisfied, often hungry and found it hard to loose even with exercise. But now I get full, even stuffed, and often have calories left over.

I have been 8 wks recovering from a foot surgery with my foot up 6-8 hrs/day, so my activity was even lower than my usual sedentariness. ;-) I was astonished to still loose weight. I had been so worried that I'd blow up like a balloon!

I'd read that higher and higher fat, salt and sugar content in packaged, processed foods creates insatiable apetite for more and more. When you cut that out your body can respond, I don't know, I guess I'd say, respond more honestly.
Anyway, it's sure worked for me, like a dream. I'm looking forward to eating my way down to never before attained weights by summer. I do hope to do some walking and light exercising and be able to enjoy summer clothes and even swimsuits (which haven't ever been a fun thing for me). I'll 52 yrs old, by the way.
I'm excited about this new (to me) way of eating/living!

I wish you the best of luck!

I'm down to 198 from 243 (I was 187 before the holidays -- I indulged a little too much) but I eat between 900-1400 calories a day, and do 30-90 minutes of cardio 3-6 days a week.

I typically lose between 2-6 lbs a week.

When I was stuck at a plateau, I completely STOPPED counting calories and exercising for 2 weeks. When I started up again, I dropped weight pretty quickly.

^
I'm down to 205 from 247 (since joining in Oct). Since I have quite a bit to lose, I don't eat my exercise cals back. This is a hot button issue here in the forums. I rarely do it, don't want to lecture lol! I consume anywhere from 900-1300 a day. I just updated my goals though and was dropped down to 1200 a day by MFP. I typically lose between 2-5 a week. If I plateau, I spike my cals for a few days. I work out 5 days a week for 60 minutes.

Good luck!

When I saw I was quoted, I thought it was going to be someone yelling at me for eating under 1200! Glad we're on the same page! I hate the 1200 calorie myth!!! I eat A LOT of food, and I exceed all of the require nutrients and vitamins, while generally staying under carbs/sugar/sodium/fat... I just eat a mostly natural, plant based diet.

This might sound weird, but I've always found the most success when I've only focussed on losing weight and gave up the workouts. I'm not suggesting not being active or healthy living, but I find my body doesn't lose weight as fast if I'm working out all the time. Also, I'll second the water motion- I have to make sure I'm drinking 2-2.5 litres a day if I want to see optimal weight loss

I agree. Exercise to get fit, not to lose weight.

I try not to eat my exercise calories and eat between 1200-1400 calories per day and I drink at least 80oz of water, and my pounds have been peeling off.

I have been trying to lose weight for almost a year now. I started at 278, then joined MFP at 268. I currently weigh 224 and I am allowed 1390cals a day. I exercise 3-4 times a week for about an hour. I just recently lowered my activity level on my goals because I has stopped losing weight. It took off a couple hundred cals a day, but those have paid off. I am back on track losing 1-2lbs a week. I ha to be honest with myself and realize that what I cal an active lifestyle might not be what MFP considers an active lifestyle.

When it comes down t it, though, you know your body better than anyone else. There is no magic formula you can key into the computer that will help you lose weight. You just have to fiddle with the guidelines and let them just give you an idea of what you need to do.
Good luck with everything!!!

I typically exercise and burn between 500 and 900 calories each day. I'll be honest, I usually eat most of those exercise calories...although I always make sure I leave maybe 150-350. I've had pretty good success with that - losing anywhere from 1.5 to 4 lbs a wk....

I eat 1200-1600 Calories a day and work out 45-60 minutes 4-5 times a week and my weight loss has completely plateaued. I've lost nothing the last month...

Are you doing the same workouts every time? If so, try to change that up. Your body may have just gotten used to it and need a switch to push forward. If you are not doing weights with cardio, try adding that. I use a personal trainer twice a week and with him I do cardio resistance to I do weight lifting while doing cardio, it's a beast! Of the calories you are eating, what do they consist of? Do you just look at your calories or at the calories, carbs, fat and protein. Try getting more protein less carbs or switching some of that up too. If you are still not losing after all that...go to a doctor and make sure there is not something medically going on.

I thought I knew what worked. I was going along at 1200 base calories and working out every day and eating exercise calories back. Then I stopped losing for a couple of weeks and went absolutely berserk. So this past week or two I've been guzzling coffee, exercising less (must go to the gym today must go to the gym today!) and eating more and dropping pounds faster than I was. I'm going to return to at least a moderate number of calories today or tomorrow before I start gaining, but now I have no idea what a good number is!

I even tried stackers, but those made me feel awful. I forgot how awful they make me feel, so I stopped, and coffee alone seems to be working. Hopefully adding coffee to my day and beginning to workout again will keep me losing for awhile, if I can find the right calorie setting. 1400 might do the trick.

I started off at 278 and I'm down to 237. My calories are set at 1200 but I usually workout about 5x a week. On the days I workout, I usually eat about 1300-1500 cal. When I don't, I try to stay between 1200-1300. I have mfp set to 2lbs a week loss and it's been pretty accurate. Some weeks I'll switch things up just for variety... (my workouts and my calories by 100) but it's about trial and error.. you have to find what work for you.

You can lose weight without exercising, but I wouldn't recommend it. Your losing not only fat but muscle. You want to build muscle to help you lose weight, speed up your metabolism, and tone. If you lose weight by diet alone and you have a lot to lose, your not gonna look lean or toned. When you first start a regimen... you may gain some weight because it is muscle, but eventually that muscle will help your weight come off faster.

Those who are only eating 900-1200, need to up your intake. It's not healthy and you shouldn't be advising others to do it. Your putting your body in starvation mode and that's not healthy at all. The point is not only to lose weight but be healthy. You have to do something that can be a lifestyle change, not just a temporary program. If you want it to stick, you have to make it a lifestyle.