I don't want to be fat anymore!!!

For the cardio part, after 30 minutes your not burning fat anymore.. So I would change that, start working at a more intense level on the eliptical for 30 minutes

I took a look at your diary and it's not too bad...
I would recommend eating more raw veggies
the fact that you're eating at least 1200 calories a day is good
but I would recommend eating back some of your burned calories
I usually eat about half of mine back

So should I still to the recommended 1550 that MFP gave me or continue with the 1200? What about when I workout? If that's the case, when I workout, I should be eating 1800-2000 calories that day. Is that accurate?

These numbers are all estimates and may not be entirely accurate, but I think it's best to start with MFP's recommendations and then tweak in small increments as necessary. You don't want to train your body to "get by" on a minimal number of calories and then have no place to go when you hit a plateau. And then there's the sustainability issue. How long can you stick to 1200 calories a day? Long enough to lose 100 pounds and to tough it through however many plateaus it takes to get there? The rest of your life? People talk about how much hard work it takes to lose weight, but IMHO that's wrong headed. You need to think about how hard you'll be willing and able to work to keep the weight off for the rest of your life, and let that be your guide. If you don't want to bust your butt on a restricted, near starvation diet for the next 50 years, then don't do it now. It's not worth it to lose an extra pound or two a month.

1800 - 2000 calories, exercise calories included, is what I need to eat to maintain my weight. And I weigh only 123 pounds.

For the cardio part, after 30 minutes your not burning fat anymore.. So I would change that, start working at a more intense level on the eliptical for 30 minutes

You're kidding, right? Do you know what marathon runners and triathletes do - they train their bodies to burn fat through long low-intensity cardio sessions. If you don't re-fuel mid run (which endurance athletes do) you have about 3,000 calories of glycogen in your liver and muscles, even a lean athlete has about 35,000 calories of fat available.

Going at a higher intensity is good as you burn more calories overall but the whole idea of exercising in the fat burning zone to lose weight more quickly is a crock.

after doing studies they have found that after so much of a workout or take a marathon for instance after about the 18th mile it is not effective. read up on it!!

For the cardio part, after 30 minutes your not burning fat anymore.. So I would change that, start working at a more intense level on the eliptical for 30 minutes

So false...
You actually have different "zones" of fat burning... but say, If I am on the elliptical, steady pace for 1 hour... in my zone 1 or 2 (heart rate of 130-158... had my Vo2 tested...) then I am burning SOME fat the whole time.... Doing intervals just helps burn MORE fat... and is hard to sustain for over 30-45 min...

Your doing great !! I looked at your diary and if this is a normal day of eating I suggest thats you cut your carbs by 20% and track your sugar . Eat as much protein as possible but try to stay in the calories range that you decided if you go over calories make sure its with protein .And yes eat your caloires back if you can I try between 50 to 100 % . your doing great keep going it only gets easier . I agree I will never do this again I am done with being over weight and not being healthy . Its no fun being fat !!!

Are you drinking enough water?

You should be drinking half your body weight in ounces per day.

The benefits of water are numerous, hydrating your body helps your muscles and organs to work quickly and efficiently. When your body is working well, it will boost your metabolic rate and help you to feel more energetic. Water can help your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. Metabolism plays a big role in losing weight so it’s important to give your body what it needs in order for it to work the way you want.


Also, remember...some people confuse hunger and thirst.... So when you get hungry drink a glass of water first.

What I have been trying to do is drink a glass of water 15mins before eating. It helps to subside hunger so I don't snack while I am cooking dinner, and it helps with portion control. It is also a good idea to have a glass of water with every meal. Try to take a sip of water between every few bites, which help you to feel full faster.

To be honest, I saw someone else eating 1200 and losing weight fast, so me, being desperate to lose quickly tried to do the same.

Try not to be desperate to lose the weight. Whether it comes off fast or slow, it's still going to come off. If you don't try and crash diet, you are much more likely to keep it off in the long run. There's no reason why you need to try and lose all the weight super fast. I know you are frustrated with your weight, but it will come off if you just keep at it.

^^^Yes. This. It gets said a lot around here, but it's worth repeating: You didn't GAIN it all overnight, so don't expect to LOSE it all overnight. What's the hurry, ya know?

Also, it's no fair trying to compare yourself to someone else. Each person has a unique body -- you have to play around and listen to what YOUR body is trying to say. 1200 might have worked for your friend, but that doesn't mean it'll work for you. (Or me... I would slaughter people if I had to stick to 1200!)

So be patient. :flowerforyou: Slow and steady and all that.

Looks like ur doing good.. Only thing I would suggest is cutting some bread and cereal.... Also make sure ur counting cals correct..example an average banana is about 100cals so not sure what kind you are eating just make sure ur logging right. Gl

Losing weight is about 80% diet and 20% exercise so make sure you are eating the right kinds of food. All caloires are not created equal, Healthy Clean Eating is the only way to truly change your body for the better. Building muscle is secondary. You should concentrate more on Weight training as a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat. Cardio workouts do not build adequate muscles. You can only do this with resistance training.

You eat Chick-Fil-A and call that a diet? lol


Your body probably still thinks that you're in starvation mode. Try switching your diet around to high protein, high fat, and low carbs. Eat a maximum of 60 carbs a day with 40 carbs minimum. That would be a total of 6 slices of wheat bread max. Eat 1gram of protein per idea body weight. If you want to weight 120 pounds then eat 120 grams of protein a day. As for fat, eat .5grams per idea body weight of it a day. That would be about 60grams of fat if you wanted to weight 120 pounds. Stick to good fats like omega 3 fish oil and olive oil fats. You need to eat fat so that your body doesn't think you're in starvation mode. As long as you consume fat, your body will not work extra hard in turning the foods that you eat into fat.

You should be drinking half your body weight in ounces per day.

The benefits of water are numerous, hydrating your body helps your muscles and organs to work quickly and efficiently. When your body is working well, it will boost your metabolic rate and help you to feel more energetic. Water can help your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. Metabolism plays a big role in losing weight so it’s important to give your body what it needs in order for it to work the way you want.

I drink lots of water but could you cite your sources please?

Based on your calculation a 200lb person should be drinking 100oz of water (approx 3 litres if my math is right). Are there any scientific studies to back up this assertion?