How to lose weight?

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willis84
willis84 Posts: 86 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been dieting 1200 calories/day (mostly protein) and exercising cardio 5 days/week. I've been doing this now for 2wks and have not lost one pound.
My question: in order to lose weight, should I burn more calories than I eat every single day or burn 3500/week?
I'm not sure what I should be aiming for

Replies

  • lmalaschak
    lmalaschak Posts: 346 Member
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    Well, you burn calories just by being alive, and you would have to figure that in. Just the functions that all of your organs are performing are burning calories. That's why you would eventually starve to death even if all you did was lie still all day. If you're exercising 5 times a week you should probably be eating a little bit more than 1200 calories, actually. :)
  • abouck
    abouck Posts: 71 Member
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    willis84- You are not eating nearly enough and you will put your body in starvation mode. I went an entire month with no loss due to this. Read about this. You need to go to tools and determine your BMR. This is the amount of calories your body needs just to do all of the necessary functions. This the the bare minimum amount of calories you must eat each day. So if you workout you must eat back your exercise calories also. Also check out the fat2fit website. Enter your information and look at the charts. It will tell you how many calories you should consume per day including your exercise calories based on how active you are.
  • willis84
    willis84 Posts: 86 Member
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    Thank you do much! My bmr is 1400. So if I burn 300cal doing cardio, then I need to be consuming 1700cal/day?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,042 Member
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    Thank you do much! My bmr is 1400. So if I burn 300cal doing cardio, then I need to be consuming 1700cal/day?

    At least that. Maybe more..

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/226404-bmr-maintenance

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • willis84
    willis84 Posts: 86 Member
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    Fat2fit said I need to be consuming 2100calories! So does this mean in order to reach my goal weight, eating more calories is what I need to do? Doesn't make sense. Wouldn't it be the opposite? The fewer calories I consume, the more weight I'd lose?
  • abouck
    abouck Posts: 71 Member
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    Thank you do much! My bmr is 1400. So if I burn 300cal doing cardio, then I need to be consuming 1700cal/day?

    Correct! I know it sounds weird to eat more to lose weight but if you do not eat enough to support your bodily funtions and your activities you are doing more harm than good. Your body starts storing what little food you give it and you will not lose any weight.
  • lmalaschak
    lmalaschak Posts: 346 Member
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    While I agree with the principle here, let me just say that I have had success on 1200 calories per day. Maybe it only works for a while and then doesn't any more...I don't really know, but I do know that I'm 4 pounds from my goal weight and on non-exercise days I have been at 1200 for the most part. Except for planned "spike" days.
  • jjelizalde
    jjelizalde Posts: 377 Member
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    I completely stalled out eating 1200 per day and not eating exercise calories. Now I'm at 1350 and eating back calories and losing again.

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