How many calories do I need to lose weight?

Darlyd

I am confused, been looking on the internet for calories to eat to lose weight, but been getting all sorts of different ones.

I have tried weight watchers but can't be doing with the weighing, pointing etc, slimming world I found boring (Green days made me gain, red days are boring). So I have opted to just cut out and do more exercise.

I am in the obese catogary :eek:, at 17 stone and 5.7" female, I do housework daily (I have OCD) and I work in the evenings as a care worker so am on my feet a lot. But how many calories do I have?

I have had a nose at diet chef as I am useless when it comes to the kitchen, but it's far to expensive for what you get, But have ideas of eating granola/porridge daily, tin soup for lunch and I could have a weight watchers or a tesco healthy living meal for dinner, and snack on fruit. and add more veg to meals if required.

Would you say 1200 calories would do it?

Failing that, I think I will just go back onto cambridge diet, I know it's expensive but I know it works as you go into ketosis and I lost a lot of weight on that many years ago.

Oh I don't know what to do.. My body feels like it's older than what it is.

dmg24

darlyd wrote: »

Failing that, I think I will just go back onto cambridge diet, I know it's expensive but I know it works as you go into ketosis and I lost a lot of weight on that many years ago.

And you put it back on again ... So it didn't work.

I'm not judging you, I've done various diets over the years too, but you need something that can be a change for life as opposed to a means of losing weight and then not knowing what to do once the diet is done.

Have you spoken to your GP? They should be able to advise, or possibly refer you to a dietician.

Darlyd

GP omg don't get me started, they are useless Didn't want to know, told me to just do what I feel is right. hmph

As for Cambridge diet I managed to keep it off for ages as I went onto refeed but then found out I was pregnant so that was a good excuse to eat for England! Now 4 years on I am really struggling and don't know where to turn. I want to eat normal food, But I have a problem with what goes into my mouth, I suffered with Balemia (sp) and combated it (I think) But I still have the bit where you binge. :-(

happy35

most diets tend to recommend between 1200 and 1500 calories a day for women who are averagely active

You are quite tall so should probably be nearer the top end of the calorie guide

think you are supposed to lose about 1.5 to 2 lb a week on this amount of food

4nnabella

If you go to http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/ and click on the start a free trial button, you put in your details, age, height, weight, goal weight etc and then on the next screen it'll tell you your recommended calorie intake for achieving that goal in a realistic time frame (for free).

The Cambridge diet and all similar are all well and good but IMO are not sustainable long term. They don't teach you about 'real world' eating. You may lose weight quickly but once you reach your goal weight and feel like you can relax your 'diet' the lbs will fly back on.

I've lost just over 2 stone, going from an overweight BMI to the middle of the 'normal' zone now, but I did it by completely overhauling what I was eating, cutting out all the takeaways and oversized portions I was eating, more protein and fruit and veg rather than starchy carbs and fat, and doing more exercise. And the weight came off, but gradually. Overall it took me a year to reach a weight I am happy with, and I am now maintaining the weight loss as I have learned how to eat properly.

Good luck!

murphydog999

darlyd wrote: »

Would you say 1200 calories would do it?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! At 17 stone your body needs loads of calories to carry the weight and function, approx 2850 if you were wanting to maintain that weight. So at 1200 calories your body/you would suffer.

I don't know what age you are, but I have worked out if you are over 30 that by taking 25% off your maintenance calories - which will get you losing weight sensibly - you should be having 2140 calories - YES, REALLY. No, I'm not making this up!!

25% is a little more than recommended, but any more than this will NOT make you shed fat any faster (and it is FAT you need to loose, not just weight i.e. muscle and water). Your body will lower it's metabolic rate in an attempt to conserve energy stores. The end result is likely to be loss of lean muscle, low energy levels and extreme hunger - all of which will have you reaching for the carbs! AND NO FAT LOSS!

To get your head round what you should be eating, when you next go to the supermarket, the only things you should be putting in your trolley are items with less than 3 ingredients. Preferably 1 ingredient; fresh meat, fish, F & V and natural produce. PLEASE stay away from 'weight-watching'-type meals and processed foods/drinks, all of which contain harmful chemicals, additives etc etc and will do you no good at all.

Forget NO-FAT products, (as they have to put 'something' back-in to compensate for the lack of flavour that having the fat taken out has created - check the labels, there is generally added sugar or sweetener, or both!) and go for LOW-FAT (3% or less) products, a small amount of fat in the diet is necessary.

Put some veg in a saucepan with some lentils, boil and liquidize, add some shredded chicken (or similar), there's your soup in less than 30 minutes. If you have made it yourself you know what is in it, which is more than you can say from something made in a factory.

Forget fizzy drinks - diet or otherwise - laden with chemicals that WILL make you fat.

Going back to metabolism, cutting calories - as I said - will lower it, you need to increase it to burn more calories, the best way to do this and help shift more fat (as well as improve your health) is.......you know what I am going to say.......exercise.

Hope that helps.

lynzpower

I have tried weight watchers but can't be doing with the weighing, pointing etc, slimming world I found boring (Green days made me gain, red days are boring). So I have opted to just cut out and do more exercise.

Slimming world now does the extra easy plan and you can mix and match with red or green days....

We are all losing weight/ keeping it off with slimming world. Why not pop over and come see what we are up to, very supportive thread and shedding weight week after week, in flexible way that does not ( if you dont want to) involve bloody weighing anything!! https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3205350

Toothfairy4

Very helpful post murphydog, thanks! I am currently trying to lose weight for my wedding in september. Have joined nutracheck on a free trial so i can log what i'm eating. Doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred on and off but really need to step it up now it is getting close.

Has anyone got any tips on staying motivated and not eating junk? I am terrible when i've had a really busy day at work, evenings are when the temptation is worst as i take my lunch to work which is generally something healthy like couscous and some spinach leaves or hoummous and ryvita/oatcakes and a piece of fruit. Need someone to give me a kick up the *** to keep me going!

murphydog999

Toothfairy4 wrote: »

Has anyone got any tips on staying motivated and not eating junk? I am terrible when i've had a really busy day at work, evenings are when the temptation is worst as i take my lunch to work which is generally something healthy like couscous and some spinach leaves or hoummous and ryvita/oatcakes and a piece of fruit. Need someone to give me a kick up the *** to keep me going!

A few tips for you.

Lunch doesn't sound that filling, you need to add some protein in there, I don't necessarily mean meat, but eggs, beans, lentils, all count.

If it's not in the house, you can't eat it!

Try and get out of the mind-set that you are doing this for your wedding, healthy eating should be a part of every day life.

Don't get into a routine with doing the same type of exercise, your body will thank you for the variety, and you won't get bored.

If you get to the stage where you think you can't be bothered, or are too tired to exercise, the easiest thing is to give in. There are a couple of ways to motivate yourself,
1, promise yourself a reward after your workout (most of the time - if it's food based - you will feel so much better afterwards you won't be bothered)
2, how will you feel about yourself if you let yourself down? Give yourself a good talking too and drag yourself up to do something. If you can't be bothered to change into workout gear, just put some trainers on and go out for a good brisk walk. Even if it's only 1/2 hour (which should be about 2.5 miles) it's more than you would have done, and, again, you will feel so much better.

Exercise is addictive and the more you do the easier it becomes, and the quicker you will see results.

And finally, if you have been cutting down, and working out regularly for over a month, give yourself a day off from both every few weeks. An extra glass of wine, a extra piece of chocolate, a nice meal out WITH dessert, have some extra calories and treat yourself, and no exercise. BUT, the next day REALLY go for it on the exercise front. It will boost your metabolism, you will have had some treats and you feel better for it. (There is science behind this, again, I am not making it up!)

There_Goes_Trouble

Toothfairy4 wrote: »

Has anyone got any tips on staying motivated and not eating junk? I am terrible when i've had a really busy day at work, evenings are when the temptation is worst

I find that bulk cooking and freezing is the best answer for this, as I can have the convenience of 'ready meals' but they're home cooked and I know exactly what's in them. There's also the advantage that if you freeze in portions, you can't go back for seconds because there isn't any! Just keep your fruit bowl full in case you're still hungry.

I also talk to myself, like my Mother used to when I was little (yes, I know that sounds weird but it works!)

"Are you actually hungry, or do you just fancy some more?"

"finish what's on your plate before you have anything else"

"You have to have some vegetables with that"

"If you're still hungry have an apple. If you don't want an apple you can't be hungry."

Toothfairy4

Thanks both of you, some really excellent advice. I was watching that 'misbehaving mums to be' the other night and it just made me want to cry. OH and I have no intention of starting a family for a good 3/4 yrs but I just thought oh god I dont want to end up like some of the really unhealthy people on it who are putting their babies in danger so want to get healthy now!