I'm dreadful at keeping up with forums and while I'll apologize in advance for my inevitable lurkdom or absence, I do have a question.
I was a calorie cycler for a while in grad school and I felt great, but I couldn't remember where I set my calorie goal. As I started back up this past week, I started down a 1400-1900 calorie path, but I'm wondering if this is healthy.
I'm starting out at 265, with my goal at 165 (we'll see what that looks like and progress from there). Should I be aiming for 1800/day and then adjust accordingly? I want to lose maybe a pound/week and I don't want to put any undue strain on my body, so I'm perfectly happy with slow, healthy weight loss.
I know this is an over-asked question and I have indeed checked the FAQ, but to the more experienced of you out there, do you have advice?
In addition, I have heard "be sure to talk with your doctor before beginning any weight loss regimen," but I don't consider this a weight loss regimen so much as my starting to eat healthily and exercise regularly. Granted, I have a significant amount of weight to lose, but have any of you talked to your doctors before starting? Is there anything I should know? To be honest with you, I am scrimping all of the money I can and so don't want to pay for a visit to the doctor, but as I said, safety is key for me. What to do, what to do...
Last edited by alkali-feldspar; 10-09-2007 at 02:17 AM.
Unless you have health problems that you haven't mentioned, I don't think you need to see a doctor.
1400-1900 is perfectly healthy. 1400 is on the low end for someone of your size, but if you're cycling and averaging a bit higher, I think that's fine. Starting at 1800 and just staying there each day would also be fine. Probably preferable, actually, but it's up to you. I'd try to keep the weekly average around 1800, at least for now. You should lose relatively quickly and consistently with that average.
The important thing is to make sure that you're getting your calories from healthy sources--lots of veggies and lean proteins. Are you still eating healthily on your high calorie days?
I don't have any health issues aside from the occasional sinus headache, so I don't see anything that would create a problem.
I think I may try to stick to a 1700-1900 average for a week and then move down to a 1600-1800 and then to a 1500-1700 and see where that gets me. I think that might be healthier as I try to balance my meals and snacks as well. Does that seem healthy?
I'm a vegetarian, so I try to pack as many veggies, fruits, legumes, and whole grains into my day as I possibly can. On my high-calorie days, I generally have one more yogurt than usual, or an extra banana rather than chocolate or an empty calorie snack. I do enjoy my coffee, but I try to stay healthy aside from that.
I don't think you need to rush downward quite so quickly. You have about 100 pounds to lose, so you're going to have plenty of time to adjust your calories downwards. I think the wisest path at the moment is to eat around 1800 (daily or as a weekly average) and just see what happens. As long as you keep losing weight, there's no need at all to reduce your calories. As you get smaller and closer to goal, the weight loss will slow down and you'll want to reappraise your calorie level then, but for now, if you can lose on 1800, lose on 1800! Give it a try. You can encourage your body along by including exercise in your plan to help create an even bigger calorie deficit.
I agree that healthy eating is absolutely the way to go. Fiber and protein are really important, not only because they're good for you, but also because they help you to feel and stay full. As a vegetarian, you'll have to work a little harder for the protein (if you eat eggs, make egg whites your new best friend!).
Losing weight is really just training for maintenance, so an emphasis on healthy, sustainable eating along with exercise and sensible calorie restriction is the right way to go.
Good luck!
(If I've said something disagreeable, others will jump in, but I'm pretty sure I'm expressing conventional 3FC wisdom. )
Hi Lani!! I pretty much agree with baffled111 - play around at 1800 if you feel comfy there for maybe a month or so and see how much you lose. If you lose less than a pound a week, maybe then take it down to 1700. Slow and steady does win the race.
For me what is important that the path you chose to lose the weight is something you can live with the rest of your life. it sounds like you are pretty comfortable with counting calories so that's great!
I started at 264 and I was averaging 1400 calories a day with just walking daily for exercise. I took off 100 pounds in a year. Have you added exercising with the healthy eating? If I had it to do over again I would have started weight training earlier. I think it would have helped with the excess skin. (that is slowly getting better even 3 years later.)
You're wonderfully helpful, both of you! Your advice is incredibly sound and I think I will begin again at 1800. I'm taking stock of this week and finding that I'm only eating up to 3 servings of fruits and veggies a day and this really isn't good enough, so if I add in another 3 or 4 plus another protein serving, I'll be up to 1800 and healthier in no time.
Because I so often break my own good habits, I want to stick to a calorie plan for 7 fully successful days before I start in with exercise. Once I hit that mark (today is day five), I'll start walking and rowing. The exercise doesn't intimidate me, I'm just not used to it as part of a routine. I'm really looking forward to adding exercise daily and deliberately.
Gina, you said you would have started weight training sooner. How would you have started? I've never weight trained before, so I'm not sure how to get started. If I can find a cheap, easy routine, I'd be happy to start that now.
The weight training is interesting to me too. I'm considerably overweight (300) and "older" (52) and would like to build some muscle gradually. I've been doing WATP videos and really like them. They are the first exercise routine I've done in years and have been able to stick with. But I realize that weight training is also important - any suggestions?
Lori
Here's a good calculator for helping you to determine the amount of calories you need for weight loss (or maintenance). It also provides a zig-zag (calorie cycling) calculator as well.
I learned most of what I know about weight training from Jillian Michaels' book Winning by Losing. I also these sites Stumptuous.com and Sqwigg's World and of course right here at 3FC - the Weight Training Forum. Start with the stickies. Watch out tho - exercise will become an addiction.
4 days in!
these sites 
