Ask me anything about fat/weight loss....

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  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    I have lowered my calorie intake to 1200 cals/day per MFP for my Height, Weight & Activity and have lost 6 pounds in about 2 months. The personal trainer at my GYM said I need to up my calories to continue losing weight, as did the dietitian. They suggested I bump it up to 1500 cals/day. But ever since I upped my calorie intake, I haven't lost anything. I am not so much worried about pounds as I am inches off my waist but is that right?

    Eat More, Weigh Less? Please help. I am doing this to be Heart Healthy and really want to do it right!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,668 Member
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    What are your qualifications?
    I'll be the first to say that qualifications don't always mean correct knowledge. Though I'm not totally sure of the OP's, I haven't disagreed with anything yet (well maybe with the exception of the word "TONED") he's posted and I'm a certified pro. Believe me when I say there are many certified instructors who aren't very knowledgeable and use so much "broscience" that circulates through the fitness industry. Doesn't sound like he adheres to any of it.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jabdye
    jabdye Posts: 4,059 Member
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    Great information -- thanks for sharing your time and knowledge!!!
  • TheOfficialEpic
    TheOfficialEpic Posts: 406
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    You are wonderful...thanks for the the answers!!!

    I slowed down back in Oct with my weightloss. I was losing at least 1 pound a week for months. I'm 5'1 and stuck @ 133. My goal weight is 120. I have tried 1500-1600 calories ....went back down to 1300 ish a day. I workout (heavy lifting, running, crosstrain ) 5 times a week. (I have a back injury right now so I can't do anything ;(

    My question....how do I know how many calories to eat? what would you recomend?
    The first 60 pounds seems to fall off...why has it gotten so hard now?? help!!!!

    The leaner you get the harder it will be to get leaner still. The stronger you get the harder it will be to get stronger still. Same with getting faster, same with gaining more flexibility. I could give you a generic number on the calories, but we're all unique. Lots of factors come into play. So long as you're losing, keep doing what you're doing. You DEFINITELY don't want to go too low too soon. But slowly decreasing them each time you stall is fine. The lower your bodyfat percentage, the more your body will fight you. 120 is a very healthy weight for you, and 1,300 seems like a good number too. Assuming you're not doing 2+ hours a day of working out like a maniac.
  • fithannafit
    fithannafit Posts: 50
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    I'm 17 years old, 5'4" and currently about 151 lbs, giving me around a 1540 calorie BMR. If I NET at my BMR every day do you think that would be healthy and allow me to lose fat?
    I ask it this way because on my rest days I do very little activity where as my workout days can range anywhere from 300 calories burned to 1300 (depending on how far I run) and I wouldn't be able to set an amount of calories to eat each day because my calorie burns vary so much.

    Btw thank you so much for sharing all your great info!

    Yes, you would lose slowly, but assuming your calories are spot on, then you WOULD still lose....just slowly. The bmr is assuming you are not doing ANYthing.

    Would you recommend I NET lower than my BMR then?
  • gooiyw
    gooiyw Posts: 114 Member
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    Really need to bump this. Awesome thread!
  • TheOfficialEpic
    TheOfficialEpic Posts: 406
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    I've got 10lbs to go and started using a hrm. I workout 6 days a week, cardio & strength training. So my ? is do I want to be at fat burning most of the time or fitness? Thanks :)

    Both are fine so long as you're in a deficit and staying healthy/safe. Me personally, I would choose the one that makes me work the most. People in better shape can always burn more than people that are in lesser shape. :)
  • SkippingQueen
    SkippingQueen Posts: 36
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    Just one more questions! Do you think weights training or any other activity might improves my chances of toning up my thighs....I know I can't spot reduce fat but any tips would be helpful :) I don't want my thighs touching! Ahhhhh :explode: :explode:
  • AmyW125
    AmyW125 Posts: 303 Member
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    Thanks....I have a back injury right now and I've been benched from any workouts. :sad:
    I can't seem to find the right magic number of calories for me....I'll keep playing with the numbers.
  • TheOfficialEpic
    TheOfficialEpic Posts: 406
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    Hey!

    I was wondering would you be able to guide me in the right direction :) ...I'm 5'8 and currently 123lbs (approx 9stone)....In the last month I have started eating very healthily and working out. I go jogging very early before work and after I come back, I have egg whites and whole wheat toast / porridge.....I would have a healthily enough lunch....a salad....and a small dinner....I have been doing my best to avoid carbohydrates such as white bread, chips, pasta, etc....After work I do a half hour of speed rope...My lower legs have toned a bit, but I am having trouble removing the weight from my thighs and my hips. Help a lady out :sad:

    Once again this is stubborn fat. It's gonna take time. You can't just make the fat come off from where you want it. So long as you're consistently losing, IT WILL COME OFF IN TIME. Be patient and enjoy the ride. Fall in love with all the little successes that will lead up to the bigger goal.
  • BrionyTallis
    BrionyTallis Posts: 90 Member
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    bump
  • k8ermarie
    k8ermarie Posts: 204
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    Just one more questions! Do you think weights training or any other activity might improves my chances of toning up my thighs....I know I can't spot reduce fat but any tips would be helpful :) I don't want my thighs touching! Ahhhhh :explode: :explode:

    Hi! I know you are looking for his answer but I just wanted to share my inches lost in my thighs from weight training so you could have a first hand experience.

    I joined a Weight Loss Challenge for Women Apr 2. Yesterday was my 6th Week Weigh in. I didn't start weight training until about 2 1/2 weeks ago and I have lost 2 1/2 inches in my thighs. My calves did go up 1/2 inch though. For me, weight training has really brought off some inches. :)
  • dks1962
    dks1962 Posts: 4
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    At this time in my life, I have hypothyrodism, had a full hysterectomy last year, turning 50 at the end of the month. I weight more now than I ever have, 162 lbs at 5'1". MFP set me at 1200 calories, like most women on here. I started working out about 2 months ago. My problem is I don't know what to eat. Weight watchers puts you at points so it doesn't matter what it is as long as you count it. If I go low carb, I find myself starving and can't stay with it. I can't eat broccoli and hummus every day, YUK. What is your advice on how to incorporate a good meal plan that is just part of the life style and not a 'diet'? I want to learn 'HOW' to eat.
  • SkippingQueen
    SkippingQueen Posts: 36
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    Ohhhh why thank you :):):)
  • jetsgirl
    jetsgirl Posts: 50
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    bump
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
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    awesome thread! I've read all of it (gasp!) and a lot of my questions are already answered. Here's one though:

    I've been intermittently going to the gym for quite a while now, focusing more on endurance and core (sedentary job, had back pains, old knee injuries). Then, in January this year I finally decided to seriously try losing weight by giving the counting calories a go: and so far so good! As you say, it's all about the deficit. PS: I don't do cheat days. I try to stick to my net calories every day.

    However - and here's question 1 - for the past 2 months my gym has been advising me to not do almost any out and out cardio as that pumps oestrogen levels which in turn increases fat storage in the hips area. Instead I've been doing a LOT of lunges, squats and TRX, some of it timed (=set of 20 lunge-jumps, 20 pull-ups, 20 push-ups as fast as possible. my record is 1 min 30 for the set) which does up my heart rate. It's just a bit counter-intuitive to cut out the obvious cardio. What's your take on this? Since I've kept my net deficit I'm still losing consistently so it's not a complaint, I'm just curious.

    Question 2 is echoing the lady with arm problems: I've always hated my upper arms. objectively looking, my thighs are worse but I just don't care as much about the thighs. Now that I've lost weight, the arms are slimmer, but I wonder if it's helped by the (lots of variations of) lifting light/moderate weights above my head. So not really triceps but the whole shoulder area, and besides, it seem logical that if I do that the fat would flow down, lol. Is it just perception or does that really help with shaping the arms?
  • TheOfficialEpic
    TheOfficialEpic Posts: 406
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    I have lowered my calorie intake to 1200 cals/day per MFP for my Height, Weight & Activity and have lost 6 pounds in about 2 months. The personal trainer at my GYM said I need to up my calories to continue losing weight, as did the dietitian. They suggested I bump it up to 1500 cals/day. But ever since I upped my calorie intake, I haven't lost anything. I am not so much worried about pounds as I am inches off my waist but is that right?

    Eat More, Weigh Less? Please help. I am doing this to be Heart Healthy and really want to do it right!

    There is something to be said about eating more to weigh less. I remember a study where they were lowering this chappies calories, but when he started getting to pretty low bodyfat percentage, he stalled out completely. At that point the increased his calories. His metabolism jumped up, but it jumped up so high as to make an even BIGGER deficit over the following weeks! I've said before, the metabolism can be fickle. And we are ALL unique creatures. This is where the consistent trial and erroring of our body to learn our unique body languages happens. I say try the bump they told ya for a week and then reevalutate. In this game lots of times you will have to take a step backward in order to take two forward.
  • chergarr73
    chergarr73 Posts: 59 Member
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    Need a good ab workout... They are just starting to emerge (YAY ME!)
    I have a month til my vacation and I need to step it up quick!

    Oh, you got me angry now. Ok, so here's my take on abs. If you are training them for health reasons, e.g. you have a weak posture/core, then yes I do believe in about 5 minutes of ab work 3x a week. If you are training them for aesthetic reasons, don't train them at all! I haven't done ab work, aside from demonstrations for clients, in like over three years! Think about it: What happens when you train a muscle group intensely?.....It grows. I'm not trying to have a bigger stomach!

    Everybody has all the same muscles. You want your abs to pop better? Then lose 5 more pounds of fat. Guarantee you you'll like them a lot better. There is this one chippie a gym I've watched over the past year come in and do an hour of ab work almost everyday. AN HOUR OF ABS EVERYDAY ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! I've watched as her stomach has gotten bigger and bigger. YOu can see a little bit of ab development, but she walks like a duck because her butt sticks out in the rear, her back has a considerable arch obviously due to neglecting the opposing muscle group, and her stomach leads when she walks! Please do not follow this example. #TRUELIFESTORIES ;)
    OMG! Cracked my *kitten* UP!!!
  • Peachy_T
    Peachy_T Posts: 138 Member
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    Bump
  • TheOfficialEpic
    TheOfficialEpic Posts: 406
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    What are your qualifications?
    I'll be the first to say that qualifications don't always mean correct knowledge. Though I'm not totally sure of the OP's, I haven't disagreed with anything yet (well maybe with the exception of the word "TONED") he's posted and I'm a certified pro. Believe me when I say there are many certified instructors who aren't very knowledgeable and use so much "broscience" that circulates through the fitness industry. Doesn't sound like he adheres to any of it.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Ah yes broscience. It keeps the industry rich yeh. That reminds me: I have to go take my thermogenic, get my 6-8 meals a day, my preworkout, my intraworkout, my postworkout, my creatine supplement, 300 grams of protein, and then do Muscle & Fitness' ab workout so that that I can lose weight and not go into starvation mode. Wait!....I haven't eaten in two hours, I'm already IN starvation mode!! :D

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