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Weird habit/obsession I can't seem to break!!!
saracatherine89
Posts: 291 Member
Does anyone else obsess completely over how much exercise they get?? I'm to the point where I know I don't have to burn 1lb of calories a day, but I get obsessed over planning my work outs and meals and I'm starting to feel like I am overworking myself and always tired.
When I first started trying to lose weight, I didn't really watch what I ate as much as I tried to burn 3500 calories through exercise a week (usually workout for about 1hr 5x a week). I saw some results, but they weren't coming as fast as I hoped. I realized a few changes to my diet would help me lose weight faster, and I decided to start incorporating some different exercises and strength training into the mix besides running/elliptical. I have seen the scale go down, but I've mostly noticed how many inches of fat I've lost and how I just LOOK thinner. Since I've started my weight training I've only lost about 6-7 lbs but it is much more noticeable than the 20-25 I lost prior.
MFP has set my calories goal at 1450 net per day- on track to lose 2lbs per week. Now that I have cut out soda, and I am eating a lot healthier, I notice that on most days I will comfortably land at 1400-1700 cals per day, WITHOUT exercise. However, there are some days where I only eat 1500 calories yet I will burn 800 through exercise, so I'll only net 700 for the day. I usually have a day or two like this a week because I will usually go way over once during the weekend when I go out for dinner/drinks.
Regardless of whether or not I have eaten 1400 calories a day or 2500, I still feel like crap if I don't work out and I panic a bit over it in my head. I still try to burn 3000-3500 calories a week, but I realized that I am probably working out a bit too hard if I am only eating 1400-1700 a day and burning an average of 400-500 a day in exercise as well. I'm starting to feel a bit tired and almost feeling 'hungover', like even drinking water is not quenching my thirst.
What can I do to get myself off of this obsession that I "have" to burn X amount of calories? How many calories do you think I should be burning a week? (I am 22yrs old, 205lbs, 6'0)
When I first started trying to lose weight, I didn't really watch what I ate as much as I tried to burn 3500 calories through exercise a week (usually workout for about 1hr 5x a week). I saw some results, but they weren't coming as fast as I hoped. I realized a few changes to my diet would help me lose weight faster, and I decided to start incorporating some different exercises and strength training into the mix besides running/elliptical. I have seen the scale go down, but I've mostly noticed how many inches of fat I've lost and how I just LOOK thinner. Since I've started my weight training I've only lost about 6-7 lbs but it is much more noticeable than the 20-25 I lost prior.
MFP has set my calories goal at 1450 net per day- on track to lose 2lbs per week. Now that I have cut out soda, and I am eating a lot healthier, I notice that on most days I will comfortably land at 1400-1700 cals per day, WITHOUT exercise. However, there are some days where I only eat 1500 calories yet I will burn 800 through exercise, so I'll only net 700 for the day. I usually have a day or two like this a week because I will usually go way over once during the weekend when I go out for dinner/drinks.
Regardless of whether or not I have eaten 1400 calories a day or 2500, I still feel like crap if I don't work out and I panic a bit over it in my head. I still try to burn 3000-3500 calories a week, but I realized that I am probably working out a bit too hard if I am only eating 1400-1700 a day and burning an average of 400-500 a day in exercise as well. I'm starting to feel a bit tired and almost feeling 'hungover', like even drinking water is not quenching my thirst.
What can I do to get myself off of this obsession that I "have" to burn X amount of calories? How many calories do you think I should be burning a week? (I am 22yrs old, 205lbs, 6'0)
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Replies
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There are worse habits than that. I heard about a lady who can't stop eating rocks. I don't really worry much about the calories burned from exercise, I obsess over how much progress I make.0
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I follow a routine called P90x. I'm committed to it for 90 days and I'll reevaluate what to do next upon completion. I would recommend that you get an exercise routing/nutritional plan that suits you. Beachbody has many to choose from. And I would also keep in mind that you did not get out of shape because you overindulged at one dinner sitting. It took time to get out of shape and it will take time to get back in. Just stay committed to it and you'll succeed.0
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