So I'm frusterated! I've been cutting calories for 7 months now and I'm down 77 pounds but it seems that lately I'm getting side tracked and becoming discouraged. I figured out how many calories I am supposed to be eating but it seems like I'm not losing anything. I'm 25, 220 pounds and 5'9. I have become OBSESSED with my calorie intake. According to the Benedict-Harris equation I should be eating 1600 calories yet free dieting says I should be eating 1760 for EXTREME weight loss but after reading that people who are obese have a less chance of these numbers being accurate I decided to drop it down to 1400. I'm getting married May 8th and really wanted to lose as much weight as safely possible in order to look as nice as this fat girl can look in her wedding dress. I also have a question...I work in a food court and do a lot of lifting of heavy pop syrup boxes and unloading product from a flatbed to different parts of my department. I don't know whether to say that I like a sedentary lifestyle of the light activity one. Please help me! I'm this close to having a breakdown and crying. I'm tired of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing this pudgy thing, I want to reach my goal and stay there. Any help is GREATLY appreciated! Thanks ladies!
Truth be told, freedieting and the BH BMR are right in line with each other.
Here are the definitions of seditary, et al:
Sedentary
* At work - you work in an office
* At home - you're usually sitting, reading, typing or working at a computer
* Exercise - you don't exercise regularly
Light Activity
* At work - you walk a lot
* At home - you keep yourself busy and move a lot
* Exercise - you participate in light exercise or take long walks
Moderate Activity
* At work - you are very active much of the day
* At home - you rarely sit and do heavy housework or gardening
* Exercise - you exercise several times a week and push yourself pretty hard
Very Active
* At work - you hold a labor-intensive job such as construction worker or bicycle messenger
* At home - you are very active with heavy lifting and other rigorous activities
* Exercise - you participate in physical sports such as jogging or mountain-biking each day
Have you thought about getting a BodyBugg/GoWear Fit? They're a little on the expensive side, but if you can afford it they're definitely worth it IMO. I really love my GWF. It takes all the guess work out of counting calories and tells you exactly how much you burn daily. Whenever I look at my daily summary, it also helps motivate me to exercise and stay on track with my diet.
I'm shorter than you are, but I'm at pretty much the same weight. I work at a hotel, so I basically just stand up all day and do light desk work. According to my GWF, I burn 2200 calories on days I don't do anything. On days I go to work, I burn about 2500 calories. If I exercise for 30 minutes, I get up to 2800 calories.
I try to keep a deficit of about 1000 calories every day, which ends up being 2 pounds a week.. so I eat between 1200 and 1800 calories, depending on what the day's like.
I think your calorie burn should be pretty similar to mine and maybe even a little more since you're probably more active at work than I am. Hopefully, that helps you.
You've already done an incredible job losing 77 pounds in 7 months. I know you can keep it up and get down to your goal weight and stay there!
You've already lost 77 pounds so I think you're doing all right lol. I think that looking at those websites is a good starting point, however, personally, I'm one of those people who believe the calories to be inaccurate (as in too high) at higher weights, at least for me and for hubby and a few other people I've spoken with. Everyone's body and metabolism is different so it just depends. There is no one number for everyone at a certain weight and height.
The best way to know is through trial and error, but you've already done that. Just don't psyche yourself out. Your doing great!!
Right now, you're where I started EXACTLY. Even your height. Even your goal is the same as mine (I had some problems finding my maintenance calories, and I'm actually 20 pounds lower than that).
During weight loss, working out with 30-45 min. of cardio five times a week and adding in weight training three times a week, I lost on 1,600 cals a day. Everyone is different, though. Maybe you've just reached a plateau? Shake up the workout some and see what happens...or increase or decrease your calories (or start zig-zagging) to jump start things...
Thanks for the advice ladies! I think with this upcoming wedding I'm just becoming so overwhelmed with everything that I would hope my weight loss would be one thing I could count on working lol. I am curious though what is a BodyBugg/GoWear Fit?? that definitely sounds interesting! I have a feeling I have hit a plateau and that seems to be my biggest frusteration lol. I hate breaking out of them because it always seems so difficult! Once again thanks guys! Went for a 45 minute walk today with my pug puppy so hopefully if I start doing that everyday after work on top of all the other things I'm doing it'll break me out of this plateau!
I hope you find the right combination for you to feel good in your skin for your wedding!
I have been really surprised by the calorie recommendations these days. I am 54, and in the past, most diets were much lower in calories, often being about 1200 for all women. I've read how calories in general have dramatically increased over time, but I hadn't realized that diet level calories are higher too. When I had lost 120 pounds many years ago, I had to stay under 1600 to maintain that weight, which was a recommended amount in general for women, while 1800-2000 was for a man. My, times have changed! lol Just making an observation from what I have read all over the boards.
Last edited by three herring; 02-13-2010 at 01:55 PM.
Reason: Spelling
You've been averaging 11 lbs loss per month, I'd say keep doing what you're doing. If your body is anything like mine, you're just now reaching the place where clothing sizes are now going to drop more than they did the first 60 lbs.
You have lots of great advice here. Hugs, it will get better. Please hang in there and come here to vent, chat or just share. Weddings are stressful and I have read that stress prevents weight loss too. Well, not read but heard it on the Biggest Loser.
Congratulations on your weight loss and your future marriage. This is very exciting!!!!!! AND, you are beautiful no matter what size you are at the moment.
Oh my gosh!! why are you down on yourself?!?!?!?
1. you are more than half way to your goal!
2. You are losing a good amount of weight for 7 months!
and
3. You are getting married!
Now, why the heck would you go so far and through all this trouble to quit or to cheat or to go back to old habits?!?!?!
Just think about how sexy you are going to look in that wedding dress!
Keep going!!!!!
(I don't mean to be so forward, I just think that you should be soo pround of yourself for getting this far!)
The doldrums seem to be fairly common around the size 16-18/220 lbs point for women who start at 300ish. There was a thread about it a while ago. I think it's related to the transition from a small fat person to a big normal person--you've made so much progress and you feel really good about yourself, and then you get a good look in the mirror and it's like "OMG, I've done all that and I am still fat". Remember, however, that you (and me) are about 30 lbs from looking pretty much normal--a matter of months! These are our Last Days Of Fat, and while it is depressing that we are still here, they will be gone soon enough.
You are SOOOO right Shmead!! That is EXACTLY how I feel!! Thank you so much ladies you have all been absolutely amazing at keeping me on track and focused and to realize that we are all just human and we will have slip ups but that doesn't mean we've fallen completely off the wagon but that it was just a bump in the road!! You girls seriously make my day!!! THANKS!!
Ready To Run My Head Into A Wall!!!
THANKS!!
