I need advice...I'm 26 yrs old with 200lbs+ to lose. Since Feb 09 I have stopped sodas, starting eating healthier (I started Fat Smash diet 2nd wk of Feb), and started exercising (Walking and Kettlebell). I have lost 23lbs so far. Last wk I started counting my calories with Fat Smash and I realized I was only getting in around 700/day. On the "Lose It" app on my iphone it shows my daily goal is around 1650. On every program I've found online it showes my daily goal is around 2650 with light to moderate activity. This morning I got on the scale and I gained 4 lbs! (I've weighed every day this wk and I have gained a pound every day!! I don't know what to do and I'm ready to throw in the towel...I mean I was gaining weight before eating out and and not exercising but not 4lbs in a week! Somebody please help...

what are some healthy, high calorie foods that is can eat to meet that outragous 2650 calorie intake?

That 2650 calorie range may be to maintain your current weight. I had 214 pounds to lose and I'm almost back to my goal (reached it but gained due to medication). 700 calories a day will be way, way too few for you. It's not even enough to main your basic needs if you lay in bed all day and never moved and did nothing but breath. It can slow your metabolism we it goes on for weeks. Is it you TOM? Back in the day, it always made me gain then it came right off after it was over.

Don't be discouraged! My goal weight is about 200 lbs from my starting weight and I am 20 years OLDER than you! You have youth on your side and that is a good thing. First off, 700 calories is WAY too few calories to be eating at most weights. You do not list your weight, but if you have 200 lbs to lose...you could mess your metabolism up...and trust me...you do NOT want that.

This link is a link to find out your BMR/RMR...I use the RMR. It is pretty accurate in my experience. http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

What plan are you following? Its easier to offer ideas if we know what things are on your plan. You can do this!

You definitely have to be careful about eating too little. Your body is designed to start storing fat if it thinks you are starving.

What are you eating? There is one line of thinking that says you should eat 0.5 times your goal weight in grams of protein daily to help you lose weight. That has really helped me. I've removed most of the carbs from my diet. Not really following Atkins, but that idea.

I also started with well over 200 lbs to lose. In the beginning, I looked at this enormous number of the weight I had to lose. I kept going, and did not get discouraged, but can see now how easy that would have been for me to do so with that perspective. Adopt the healthy practices and be consistent, and results will follow, even if it is small steps. Set little goals, and give yourself credit for any progress you make. Congrats on the weight you've already lost, and good for you for seeking healthier, more sustainable ways of losing the weight. I wish you the best.

Everyone has already said it, but 700 calories is not nearly enough. Take some time and read about nutrition, calories, and calorie needs and sugar/bread. In this way, you can start to form your own plan. Talk to your doctor about your final plan and see what they have to say before you really start.

Everyone here is totally right about the metabolism too, you can make your body hold onto every calorie you put in - it basically thinks you are starving to death and won't let any fat go to try to prevent it.

I don't know your starting stats, or any other health concerns you have but what is working for me is staying right around 1400 calories a day (I have lost 56.4 pounds in 12 weeks, light exercise, 36 years old). I drink at least 150 ounces of water a day, and I "zig-zag" three for my days with 1200 calories two days, and 1800 calories on a third just so my body doesn't get used to calorie levels.

You can see what some successful 100+ pound losers have done diet and exercise wise if you go into the goal forum, the maintenance forum, and the 100lb club forum too. There is so much to learn here and so much motivation.

Welcome!

Thanks to everyone for your words of support...this morning I was so down in the dumps and overwhelmed.

What type of diet and exercise plans are y'all doing? I started doing the Fat Smash program by Dr Ian Smith but stopped following so strict last week when I realized how low my calorie intake was. Starting weight was 356, now down to 333, I'm 5'4"

@ QuilterInVa: Is awesome that you are so close to your goal weight again. What type of plan are you doing as far as eating and exercising and how long did it take you to get to this point? Last week was TOM but I though for sure that once it was over I would lose some of the excess fluid...my feet are so swollen they were throbbing It's a litter better now...

@Torister: are you still doing Atkins? I tried it several years ago and was able to lose around 50lbs but I couldn't stick with it

@ Basketcase: are you watching calories also or just protien intake? How strict are with your eating in requards to Atkins plan?

@ Joannie: wow!!! U have lost over 220 so far?! That is awesome. How are you doing it?

@ Pacifica Bee: did you also do zig-zag days with calories? Program on my iPhone said I should be around 1600/day but every other program I've looked at online shows for me to lose 2lbs/wk I need to be b/t 2200-2600. Are you doing only calorie counting or also low carb etc.?

Yes, as I mentioned in my original post, I do zig-zag and I calorie count.

I have done a full life style change and only eat "real" food. I have quit refined sugar, and stay away from rice, white potatoes and all processed flour products (but I still eat tons of whole grains and some whole grain bread). I am also off of 99% of processed foods. Someone on this forum has a terrific saying in their signature: "if you can't grow it or shoot it, don't eat it". That is pretty much what I live by now.

I am fairly low fat, but only because I would rather have a cup of tabuleh salad than a teaspoon of olive oil - more bang for the buck.

1600 sounds about right. You need a calorie deficit of 3500 to equal 1 pound of weight loss. So the math on this is pretty simple to figure out. I'll use my numbers for example.

First, Figure out your RMR here. That tells you how many calories you burn if you lay in bed all day. Multiply that number by 7 days a week to see how many you burn. Now, you know the healthy weight loss is 2 lbs a week, so you need to be deficient of 7000 calories per week to lose 2 lbs.

(RMR x 7) - 7000 = the amount of calories to restrict per week. Divide that number by 7 days per week, and you have your daily calorie intake.

So my numbers look like this: (2861 x 7) - 7000 = 13027 ... 13027/7 = 1861 calories per day to lose 2 pounds a week

I would try going with 1800-2000 calories a day. This range will give you room to mess with your calorie intake if/when you need to. Watch your fat, carbs, and protein also. Keep a food journal, which will help you to monitor your food more closely. You didn't mention how much water you drink, so just make sure that you are getting plenty of water. Another thing that may help is to watch your sodium intake, which should help with the swelling in your feet.

When you feel discouraged, look back at all the prgress you have made. And whatever you do, don't be anywhere near food when you feel discouraged. This sounds weird, but these moods can lead to old habits of overeating, so instead, go for a walk, or call a friend. Anything that will keep your mind occupied, so you don't fall into old patterns. Good luck.

www.freedieting.com ~they have calorie counting Calculators there that do wonders!!!! ~OH & hang in there ~Here is what I always say...Start strong & stay strong~Noone will ever accomplish a goal unless they do the work.
Not that I am a bible addict~But feel led to give soomething from it.
Faith without works is dead.~meaning We can all have faith but if we do not do the work we will not succeed~SO never ever ever give up~do the work & do it your best & You will lose those 200 Pounds before you know it! Keep the Faith & do the work & All u can do is wait to reach your goal!
If ya ever need a friend message me!!!

OH & Sometimes the scale with add weight during water intake ~time of month~Eating salt~various things....So I wouldn't worry about it. I have gained 5 pounds at a time before by my scale then 2 days later it is gone~HUGS!

every calculator I've just used show my RMR is approx 2261...I'm so confused as to what this means

(2261 x 7) - 7000 = 8827 ... 8827/7 = 1261 calories per day to lose 2 pounds a week

I wanted to edit this to say that the RMR you quoted does not sound right based on what you have shared with us here. But I did run the numbers for you based on the RMR you stated above. If you feel like you can share it, what is your height/weight/age?

I also started with more than 200 lbs to lose (in fact I still have almost 200 lbs to lose), and it's taken me about three years to lose 80 lbs (I wasn't trying very hard in the beginning, but I was trying consistently, and that matters more than almost anything else).

I would suggest a thorough medical exam, though. Gaining weight on very low calorie diets can be an indication of endocrine problems like thyroid issues, diabetes, insulin resistance, PCOS...

I've found that low-carb works for me. I also have problems sticking to the diet - SEVERE problems, which is why I'm losing slowly - but I am losing and I am learning to stick better to the diet. In the three years I've been working on this, I did better the second year than I did the first, and better the third year than the second, so I'm confident that I'll do better this year than last year, and even better next year. I've never, ever, ever been able to keep weight off or keep a losing trend so very long. I think my "record" was two years or a bit longer without a gain (but it was also two years at my then highest weight, and two years without any losses either).

You don' have to be discouraged with setbacks and stalls. I've learned that. I'm very optimistic that I WILL get control of my weight and health (some weight related, some not). I have decided though that giving up just isn't an option. It's really the only thing that I cling to, no matter what. I've had two days off plan, I've even had three - but in the last three years I've never had more than that. Not a single week has gone by without my weighing myself (I usually weigh daily) and not a single week have I been off-plan more days than on-plan.

I'm surprised at how much I've accomplished just by being on-plan just slightly more often than off-plan. I sometimes joke that I've lost 80 lbs by "failing," because I still make a lot of mistakes (a lot, lot, lot of mistakes).

times your weight by 10~then eat less calories then that equalls by 1000 to start with so 333X 10 +3330- 1000 = 2330~This should make your drop approx 2 pounds a week to start out with! so the 2272 sounds right to me to start out with~good luck!

200 lbs sounds impossible but IT ISN'T!!!! You can do it. Almost any plan will work if you follow it consistently. I started on Atkins, switched to low carb/low fat, now I'm back on Atkins. You just have to believe in yourself, love yourself, know you're worth it and you deserve it, pick a plan and BE CONSISTENT, and the weight WILL come off!!! I swear it will!