new to the site and attempting to lose weight healthy way, need advice please!
so I really want to get your guys' opinions. I am starting up my weight loss journey again, and this time I want to do it right. I've done a ton of research to figure out what will work best for me. I've recently read a lot of stuff about BMIs and how you don't want to eat below your BMI, etc, etc. I've used the formula, and my BMI is around 1635 (so this is what my body supposedly burns everyday just to keep my heart beating, etc.) and I've read that you are never supposed to eat below your BMI. well, 1635 seems like a lot of calories for me, I thought that eating 1500 would be much more suitable for me? but when I go to the gym, if I burn 500 and eat 1500 calories a day, doesn't that put me way below my BMI and therefore mess up my metabolism by slowing it down? I'm just kinda confused here on how I should exercise and how many calories I should eat. I am a natural athlete despite my weight, though I know it doesn't sound like it. I was active all my life, but then I got to undergrad and picked up bad habits while exercising, and then by the end of my undergrad years and to the point I am at now I have hit rock bottom and do not exercise as often as I did.
my life long health plan I know will work for me because I love to eat fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains and lean meats, its just putting it all in moderation and the fact that I have to cut out at least 90% of the junk I eat to get myself healthy again.
I would love some advice from someone who has lost weight and can give me some good advice. I want to do this right, and be healthy.
if it helps, I'm 23 yrs old, 5'6" and currently 190 lbs. my ultimate goal weight is 130lbs, but my small goal right now is to get to 180lbs.
Please give me some advice on how to deal with my dilemma!! I'm willing to put in lots of time at the gym, but I want to lose fat, not muscle :>! thank you!!
oh yes I meant BMR excuse me. I did the calculation and it said 1520 would be extreme fat loss. so I guess eating like 1550 calories would be a good range for me right now?
Listen to your body once you start working out. I found at first 1500 calories was enough for me to eat; but once I began working out hard core I found myself more hungry than before so I had to bump up my calories. Lately I eat any where between 1500 - 1800 depending on my day.
Also remember when you are gaining muscle you will still the scale slowly stop moving, but you'll notice your inches are dropping. So I would keep measurements as well as watch the scale. Muscle helps burn more calories in the end when you're just sitting there. You pretty much have the right idea about it. Just listen to your body, you'll learn what's real hunger and what's emotional hunger (if your an emotional eater.)
1550 would be a good range for you right now. You need to remember that those are your NET calories. So if you go to the gym or something and burn 400 calories, that means you need to eat 1950 calories that day so your net is 1550.
I'm 22, 5'5" and my starting weight was around 200 lbs. I'm currently 155 lbs and I can honestly say I've lost the weight the healthy way. I've been going since January 2011, so just over a year, and it's taken time but I've continually lost at least 1 lb each week if I've stayed consistent.
What I do is eat around 1700 calories, 3 times a day - breakfast is cereal, lunch is a sandwich, yogurt and fruit and dinner is whatever is put in front of me! I just make sure I stop when I'm full. When I go out to dinner because of social events I eat whatever I want and I drink soda. To me, this isn't a diet, but a complete lifestyle change than the one I did before. I'm happy with the way I eat, and sure maybe I would lose more weight faster if I was on a diet, but then I wouldn't be happy.
The game changer is that I exercise 6 times a week from 30-60 minutes. The exercise I do is called Insanity, it is rigorous circuit training and makes me feel like I'm going to die every time! When the weather is nice I go running. I'm a huge exerciser, I believe it's the key to weight loss.
The more you exercise, the more you need to eat. Your body is a fire - the wood is the food, the fire is your metabolism and the air is how much you exercise. When you exercise more you need more food to keep your body going. It's worked for me =).
Good luck, find what you enjoy doing, make it a lifestyle change not just a one off diet you do.
I used the calorie calculator and it shows I need to eat over 2000 calories for extreme weight loss. I must admit I dont agree with it. When I started calorie counting I was only eating about 1200 to 1300, but I felt a bit un-full. So over time I have upped it to the 1500 to 1700 range. I do just fine at that. I could probably eat more Im sure, but I dont feel like I need to.
Just watch for the warning sings of under eating: getting dizzy, light headed, feeling sluggish and lack of energy, and the obvious hunger pains.
thank you so much everyone for your advice! I'm currently on day 3 of my new way of living and I feel fantastic. I eat several times a day (3 small meals and 2 snacks) and I eat between 1500-1550 calories a day of mainly veggies, fruit, lean protein and grains. I also exercise everyday too. I am listening to my body to see if I am still hungry after I work out and consume my usual amount of calories, but I haven't felt it yet, so we will see what happens. I just really hope this bad weight comes off so I can get to my healthy weight. I'm feeling really positive (like I never have before), but at the same time I am nervous that this won't work, but I think that is just an irrational fear.
Yes, some of us felt that way but I swear if you do exactly this and keep it up you WILL lose weight. It's just a numbers game right now. It might get a little hard sometimes but losing weight is very simple and guaranteed to work if you are honest with yourself and with what you are eating. It will only get easier from here as you discover more foods you love that are healthy, new activities that you'll finally find the energy for, new experiences waiting for you! Hitting your first goal, making it into those jeans that were just too snug, and then being too small for those jeans! But most of all going to the doctor and seeing those perfect numbers for your blood pressure, and becoming a role model to those around you. Good luck!
new to the site and attempting to lose weight healthy way, need advice please!
