I'm totally brand new here, but I'm in dire need of some advice so I've come here for some help. When I decided to get healthy, I decided to do it the best way I could think of: counting calories. I started off weighing 400 pounds (my highest ever, agh!) back in April, and adjusted my caloric intake down to 1500 calories with no exercise. I allow myself one "cheat" meal on the weekends, with sometimes a fun treat as well, but stick to my calorie-counting otherwise. So far, this has worked out great for both my husband and me; I've lost 55 pounds and he's lost 73.
Problem is, I started exercising and that's when my weight loss REALLY slowed down. My workouts are primarily on the elliptical, which is nice for low-impact, and I do a weight loss session for 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. Nothing crazy, but I do work my butt off when I am on there. I did not adjust my calories from the 1500 I've been eating, until very recently I start eating 1700 on workout days. While this has helped a little bit, my weight loss is still nowhere near what it was.
I'm now 345, and I'm struggling with the fact that my weight loss has really slowed to a crawl (recently 1-2 pounds per week, but mostly maintaining). I've done a lot of looking at BMR calculators, and I'm wondering if I should really be eating around 2000 calories. Do you guys have any advice on this at all? I'm 5'9, female, 26 years old, 345 pounds. Where should I be eating, calorie-wise, if I'm doing 30 minutes of vigorous exercise 3-4 times per week? Any insight would be WONDERFUL, as I'm getting more and more frustrated as the weight loss continues to just... not happen.
I have not tried eating 2000 calories but am willing to add in extra protein throughout my day for the calories. Oh and yes, I eat meals with snacks in between, fruit and vegetables are a bit part of my daily caloric intake, as I've pretty good about getting "healthy" calories vs. "junk" calories.
To make a Star Wars reference, help me forums, you're my only hope.
I think you should definitely up the calories. At your current height and weight 1500 seems pretty low. You also have to realize that as you come down, the weight loss will slow down and you'll probably have some plateaus. These are all normal, if not frustrating
If you're not comfortable with 2000 just yet, maybe try 1900 and see how that works out. Every so often it's also probably good to re-calculate your BMR and re-adjust your caloric intake accordingly. For the goal weight I'm looking at right now, 1800 would actually be about maintenance and that's usually my daily target because I find anything lower than 1600 hard to sustain for now. I like the flexibility of 1800 because I can still work in enough treats to keep me happy and it doesn't entice me to go over very often.
I recommend calorie cycling....try to get an average of 1800 calories maybe with some days at 2,000 and some days at 1500. I think our bodies need to have some surprises sometimes. Congrats on all of your progress!
I agree with Michi on this one! Up the calories a bit!
Also someone posted this great resource in another thread. It is definitely worth the read: Nutrition 101
I am 5" 9 also and 185 lbs and I am eating about 1900 a day and have weight loss (around a pound a week), I'm not sure what speed you are thinking of but if I can lose weight eating 1900 then I suspect you would lose weight on over 2000!
I think you should definitely up the calories. At your current height and weight 1500 seems pretty low. You also have to realize that as you come down, the weight loss will slow down and you'll probably have some plateaus. These are all normal, if not frustrating
Something some of you are not seeing here is that she is eating 1500 calories a day very few times a week. She says she is working out for 30 minutes 3-4 days a week and eating 1700 calories those days (recently) and she also has a cheat meal, for all we know could consist of 10000 calories. A 30 minute work out on an elliptical doesn't burn very many calories.
dobbles~ In my very humble opinion, the reason your weight loss has slowed down is because it always slows down especially when you are eating back excercise calories. I also think that more calories are not going to make it faster....it WILL make it go even slower.
I would suggest that you count the calories in your cheat meal and average that into your average daily/weekly calories. I have seen fellow 3FCers realizing that their little "cheat" meals run up into the 6000 calorie range before, making their daily average almost 1000 calories more than they thought. This is something you might have to cut back to once a month, or eliminate entirely especially if you are in a toot to get the weight off quickly. If you want it quick, you have to pay the price.
You can't just keep eating more and more and expect it to come off faster...or come off at all.
I would suggest that you count the calories in your cheat meal and average that into your average daily/weekly calories. I have seen fellow 3FCers realizing that their little "cheat" meals run up into the 6000 calorie range before, making their daily average almost 1000 calories more than they thought.
This is really great advice from Lori. Try it and see where you are with your average daily intake!
I'd also like to echo the poster above who observes that you might just be experiencing an ordinary plateau. Do the math on your weekly consumption and then you can figure out whether you're eating too much, too little or just the right amount (and experiencing a plateau anyway!).
I would keep doing what you are doing: you have already lost 55lbs.
Except, I would cut out the cheat meal, as others have said.
I have 2 comments:1. To figure out your calorie counts, do you weigh the food? That is SO important for correct calorie counts.
2. 1-2 lbs a week is completely normal - maybe you were losing 5lbs a week in the beginning, but it slows down and 1-2lbs a week is super normal (really good!).
I know you said you are eating 1500 cals a day... but at your height/weight that is low and if you are working out you should be losing..
Are you taking fat grams and other nutrients into play?
If you eat low cal and really high fat you will not lose. I know because I had this problem before.. I was buying the frozen meals, exercising and not losng and then realized there was over 20+ grams of fat in the meals!
I know you said you are eating 1500 cals a day... but at your height/weight that is low and if you are working out you should be losing..
She's said she sometimes eats 1500 but the other days she eats 1700 and she has a cheat day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashxoxo89
If you eat low cal and really high fat you will not lose. I know because I had this problem before.. I was buying the frozen meals, exercising and not losng and then realized there was over 20+ grams of fat in the meals!
That's not necessarily not true. It may have been true for you but doesn't mean everyone will have the same problem. Now, I don't know what kind of frozen food has 20+ grams of fat but my point is that some people can eat a good amount of fat and still lose weight.
Hi there, it is so good you are changing your life. I am proud of you. Keep on trucking. :-)
All I can say is here is my experience. I eat 1400 to1800. I vary the calories daily so my body doesn't get used to it. I keep a food diary to hold myself accountable to myself. If I have what you call a cheat meal, it is only with my allotted daily calories. I exercise. I also keep in mind that plateaus are inevitable and I try not to fret. I just keep plugging away.
Sometimes our bodies retain weight because we dont expel the food and water quikly. Or, sometimes our bodies are just adjusting to the change. There have been times I wont lose for weeks, then lose 4 or 5 in one week with no change in plan. Who knows why, it just is.
I have lost 86 pounds, since last Jan. I feel this is a healthy pace. I also exercise with water aerobics.
Find your own path and keep on pluging away. Someone told me once, you didnt gain all this weight iyn one day so keep in mind it wont come off in one day.
Good luck.
Last edited by PearlNorth; 10-22-2011 at 07:04 PM.
Reason: fix errors
Sorry if this is repetive, just want to say WAY TO GO.
And it all breaks down to math and science. Yesterday on The Doctors TV show Jillian Michaels put a girl with around your same height and weight (i think she was 356 pounds) on a 1200 calorie diet. However, anything green (broccoli, lettuce,etc.) was FREE FOOD, which meant she can eat all of it that she wants, and still have her 1200 calories. Something to consider. GOOD LUCK!!!
I'd suggest taking your measurements and keep track of what you lose in inches. It hasn't been mentioned, but when you start working out you'll start replacing fat w/muscle. Your WL may slow but your loss in inches may increase.
Am I eating too little calories now? HELP!
