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

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  • alimark1504
    alimark1504 Posts: 4 Member
    QUOTE:

    I am 40 years old, 5'4" and currently weigh 196.6. I track every bite and weigh my foods on a digital scale. I am exercising 5 x per week. 60 minutes of cardio and strength training also on 2 of those days. I wear a HRM when exercising. My net calories average about 1240 per day. I drink 8 to 10 glasses of water even when I don't want to but I am not getting anywhere. The first week I lost 3 pounds but nothing for the last month. I am beyond frustrated. Am I not eating enough? Should I up my calories to my BMR level of 1519. I have tried to lose weight many times over the last couple years. I get the same results. 3 pounds first week and then nothing for 2 months and I give up. Then I decide to try again. Please help!!! What should my net calories be??



    You're probably not counting accurately enough. At your current weight, there is no reason(aside from maybe stress) for you to plateau out THAT early on the calories you mentioned above. Also, it seems as you are impatient with it. Don't be. You have a LONG fight ahead of you. You didn't put it on in two months....probably took years. Start looking for hidden calories, they're EVERYwhere! The more serious you take this, the harder you work, the more serious your results will be. This lifestyle isn't for everyone. Stop being frustrated and acting life a helpless lamb. As for the not eating enough.....eating too much is what got you here in the first place! Continue consistently tracking everything. Occasionally treat yourself to a day slightly over maintenance. No more than once a week though. You're most likely still losing, but you're adding back muscle mass in place of the fat....That is a good thing in the long run! Stick to your plan, track calories as accurately as possible, treat yourself occasionally, be aware of water weight and stress levels, and you should be just fine. Oh, and once again: Stop frustrating and embrace the hard work ahead! You'll get there, just don't expect a quick fix. :)


    Thanks for the advice. I am not expecting a quick fix but I thought I could lose about a pound a week with the amount of exercise and calories I am eating.I have at least 50 pounds to lose so I wouldn't call that a quick fix. My life is VERY stressful. That's why I started doing more cardio. It makes me feel more relaxed. Maybe it's still too much stress. I don't feel helpless at all and found that comment unnecessary. I wanted advice to be sure I wasn't creating too large of a deficit. There is so much conflicting advice on calorie levels. My doctors don't even give the same advice. I thought a trainer may have a better plan. I will stick with it and see what happens.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Bump
  • TheOfficialEpic
    TheOfficialEpic Posts: 406
    Probably gonna start winding this thread down now, guys. When it comes to obesity, I am very to-the-point and my attitude may not be what's best for everyone to hear. On top of that, I'm basically getting all the same questions re-asked every other second from people who haven't been readying through the thread. Here are the general cliff notes I want everyone to take home though:

    1) It's all about burning more than you're consuming.

    2) Your deficit will change as you diet down.

    3) You might THINK you're in a deficit, but if you're not losing, then most likely not.

    4) Don't do ANYthing drastic with your diet. Ex: Going from eating 2500 calories a day to 1000, probably not the smartest thing.

    5) Try to meet your daily protein needs as best as possible. You want to try and maintain as much muscle as possible on a cut, and this will OBVIOUSLY help. Also, more muscle means higher metabolism(all things equal).

    6) Your metabolism WILL GO DOWN BY DIETING. That's gonna happen regardless....by how MUCH now is dependent on you. Lifting weights, taking the slow and steady, meeting your protein requirements, not overtraining....all these things can help keep it at it's strongest.

    7) Don't get caught up in generic numbers. Two people of the exact same weight, height, and gender can have comPLETELY different metabolic rates. So the calculator says you should be losing at 1500 calories a day but you're not. Then simply readjust your calories down a bit and or increase your activity a little on a weekly basis until you do.

    8) There's no magic to this. There's nothing new under the moon. Stay active, try and eat healthy for the most part, and watch your weight fluctuations on the weekly. Gaining weight and not wanting to?....Eat less. Losing weight to fast and workouts going to the crapper because of it?.....Eat more.

    9) Nothing is going to really make or break you in one day. Consistency and commitment are the key here. Once slice of cake doesn't make somebody fat, and you can only lose so much genuine weightloss in one day.

    10) Supplements only SUPPLEment what you should already be doing. 95% of it is your sheer will, determination, diet, and exercise program.

    11) Expect to work. Expect to work hard. Frustration will eventually happen. You'll stall out here and there. Take a step back, reevaluate, focus, and never stop going. You're most likely not even two more week away from seeing another positive change.

    12) Never ever EVER feel sorry for yourself....and never make excuses. Stand up, brush the dirt off your shoulders, and fight till there's nothing left.

    It's been real, guys. I hope I helped out at least one of you. Cheers
  • keaani34
    keaani34 Posts: 33 Member
    I found this to be very helpful! thank you for taking the time to help us all.
  • fishergreen
    fishergreen Posts: 109 Member
    You've been extremely helpful and kind. Thank you
  • GraceK2012
    GraceK2012 Posts: 64 Member
    Thank you for all your help and for the patient, thoughtful answers you've given, never snarky or cruel and with good humor.
    There's a lot to learn, so thanks also for the cliff notes.
  • ebonijo2
    ebonijo2 Posts: 73
    bump
  • tripod271
    tripod271 Posts: 112 Member
    You are a consummate professional! To think of your generosity in giving advice and encouragement over these MANY days is really pretty remarkable. Who does something like that these days without expecting anything in return. Very best wishes to you on your journey and know you have made MANY friends here!
  • jshhh1
    jshhh1 Posts: 12
    bump
  • pamelaf2
    pamelaf2 Posts: 39 Member
    New to this site, but already find your advice very sound and motivating, thank you. I always look to see where you have responded and look forward to reading what you have to say. You always put things in perspective for me.
  • justdoit_steph
    justdoit_steph Posts: 112
    Thank you so much for all of your time and good advice you have put into this thread. :flowerforyou:
  • philfinallyfit
    philfinallyfit Posts: 20 Member
    I hear ya bro. Dealing with the fat can be frustrating...be that on one's body, or those that fit that description. And as you said, it is an endless loop, giving out the same advise over and over again. So unless you can give yourself to an online personal trainer gig, you are wise to call this thread a wrap. As you do so, I want you to know how grateful I am for the way this thread has converged with the point I am at in my life. You have contributed immensely to the foundations of my new approach, which is a lifestyle change and not a diet, for the first time in my life. I will take with me phrases like 'diet-down" and 'lean out", and the wisdom that gives those phrases their proper context, from here on out. Instead of a yo-yo dieter who finds himself back at 250 unthinkable lbs., you have helped carve out my journey of understanding to the new me. So thanks for your special brand of communicating the simplicity of our bodies and how they function and flourish. I for one will not let that simplicity fool me!
  • correll26
    correll26 Posts: 6 Member
    Mr Official Epic - You have changed the direction on a ton of people's progress here with your insights. I have been trolling and catching up on this thread over the past few weeks and there is more knowledge here than in a stack of weight-loss books. You have given me the realization that this fat loss thing is just a long drive from NJ to Florida. The only thing that matters is how much time you spend on the road and how fast you drive (or as you say, how long and hard you are burning more than you are consuming). If MFP had a "helpful rating" like Amazon you would be on your second book deal by now!

    I just wanted to chime in and say thank you for all the time that you spent answering questions!
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