Tired of it now

heh32074
heh32074 Posts: 5
edited September 20 in Motivation and Support
I am getting so tired of the "lifestyle change" gig. I have been at this since about May and I have lost a total of 59 lbs, so I've been doing pretty good. I started at the gym about 1 1/2 months ago and even got a personal trainer to help me out once a week. She has me writing down everything I eat (i.e calories, sat fat, and sodium) which is pretty easy to do with MFP. I have been averaging about 1500-1600 calories a day, even though MFP has me down for 2,070 w/o any excercise. I've been going to the gym and doing cardio at least 3 times a week and then metting with the trainer 1 day a week and doing core training. On cardio days I burn through at least 400 calories, and I never eat my excercise calories. The calories that MFP has me down for just seem like too many, that's why I try to shot for less than the 2070. In my head if I figure that if I should eat 2070 and lose weight if I eat less I'll lose more.

Here is the part that bums me out. I finally asked the trainer last week how many calories I should be eatting and she tells me 1,200 a day and no less than 1,000. I about crapped myself. I have gone a few days where I've only ate 1,300 a day. I find it hard to resist my inner glutton after about 3 days of that and burning 400 a day through excercise. And here this lady is telling me that I should take in 100 calories less than what I consider to be hell. She must be crazy.

I am just sick and tired of excercising (which I thought I would like after a while) and being hungry all the time. The trainer says that I should chew gum to curb my appetite...I hate gum. And that a nutrigrain bar is a great meal substitute....A MEAL SUBSTITUTE....do I get to eat the WHOLE BOX. :mad:

Is it me or is 1,200/day just insane...I am 5'11" and 285 lbs.

Replies

  • zebras
    zebras Posts: 600
    1200 a day for your height and weight is probably too low, but 2,070 seems way too high for anyone trying to lose weight. That being said, a 59 lb weight loss is incredible. It has taken me 17 months for my 64 lbs.
  • sheofthesea
    sheofthesea Posts: 123 Member
    I have to agree that 1200 seems wayyyy to low. Sometimes I wonder if everyone just automatically assumes that 1200 is the right number for everyone. I would definitely ask her how she calculated that figure. I wouldn't be surprised if she said that she hadn't calculated anything at all.

    It sounds like your weight loss is already way faster than most people could reasonably expect. If it is any comparison (and it isn't, since we're all so different), I am 5'6" and weigh 185ish. I've lost 30 pounds in the last six months eating between 1400-1800 calories per day. And sometimes I just choose not to count - not regularly, but occasionally.

    Your progress so far is great and I wouldn't change much at all. Slow and steady!
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    Get a new trainer. Better yet, go consult a dietician.

    Sorry for the harshness, but that is really uninformed nutritional advice.
  • heh32074
    heh32074 Posts: 5
    Thank you, 1,200...lol. Should I eat the 2,070 though? Until I joined MFP I never even tracked my calories, I just ate what I thought would be the right amount and I watched my fat intake like a hawk. The BMR calculator says my BMR is 2,200, which is low compared to other calculators on the net, some say as much as 3,000 for a BMR.
  • abredbenner
    abredbenner Posts: 125 Member
    I would not rely on the trainer for nutrition advice. I just did 3 session with a trainer when I joined the gym. I told her I did NOT want to lose weight just tone up. I also told her that I am training for a half marathon and a triathlon. She never asked me how many calories I burn a day during my cardio workouts. She told me I should eat 1400 calories a day and not worry about any carb/protein/fat ratios. I am 5'6" and 148-149 pounds. That's not even enough to maintain without any cardio.

    I think this site is good guidance. Maybe schedule a session or two with a nutrionist.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    Thank you, 1,200...lol. Should I eat the 2,070 though? Until I joined MFP I never even tracked my calories, I just ate what I thought would be the right amount and I watched my fat intake like a hawk. The BMR calculator says my BMR is 2,200, which is low compared to other calculators on the net, some say as much as 3,000 for a BMR.

    I just saw your profile and you're a man, baby. . .1200 calories is starvation city for a man. A nutri-grain bar for a meal? Where's the protein in that?

    There are a lot of people calling themselves "trainers" with minimal schooling. This is craziness.

    Why not give MFP's recommendations a try for a month and see what happens? It beats starving. . .and there are plenty of success stories around here who followed the plan given and lost weight.
  • Michellejhowell
    Michellejhowell Posts: 5
    I am really battling, MFP calculated that I should eat about 1,230 cals a day. I have felt really proud of my work outs, I have been going to gym and working out for 45 minutes cardio and resistance training, 3 to 4 times a week and attending a circuit class twice a week.
    Yet in the past two months I have put on 2KGs and I have never worked so hard.
    I am not feeling very motivated at the moment, and I am not sure that I could possibly eat less when I get so hungry at about 9PM.
    So I know how you feel. Totally feel de-motivated at the moment.
  • heh32074
    heh32074 Posts: 5
    Thank you...if I stayed at 1,200 I'd probably go feral and eat one of my young. I'm going to give the 2,070 a try and see what happens. Hopefully it will help the battle with my inner glutton saying "MUST FEEEED". Thanks to all...I needed that, I was feeling beat down. It doesn't help that we have a newborn and sleep is a bit scarce at the moment. This was much easier to do when I wasn't always so tired...thanks again.
  • joturbin
    joturbin Posts: 15
    I have a personal trainer too - and I am 5'5 - 259 lbs. She told me I should be eating 1800 calories a day to lose weight. She told someone who weighs about 155 lbs that she should be eating around 1400 to lose as long as she's exercising daily. She also said we should boost it up a couple hundred calories once a week so our body doesn't get used to the same amount of calories and stop burning them as much. Sounds like your trainer may not have given you very good advice. I trust my trainer she is in college getting her masters in physical fitness and nutrition
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