How many calories needed?

Olokia

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Swimming? That's supposed to be very gentle on the joints, I think.

Not gentle enough on my joints unfortunately. Can't use my shoulder underwater and some strokes hurt my hips. They only time it didn't hurt was when I was using flippers and staying completely underwater.

DS4215 wrote: »

Walking one mile (20-30mins) per day will burn off ~10calories per stone of body weight you have. So for a 15 stone person = 150 per day. Every alternate day = 1050 per fortnight. Thats 1lb off fat every six weeks if you do have not eat more than you need.

Reduce your portions a little for each, walk a little every day and watch the weight fall off. If you can't manage one mile at a time, go for 4-5 shorter walks a day and build it up. If you are really commited you can easily lose 2-3 stones in a few months just by stretching your legs and getting some fresh air (I did).

I should do this but I hate walking on my own. Would feel safer with a dog but my OH won't let me get one.

claire16c

Olokia wrote: »

Not gentle enough on my joints unfortunately. Can't use my shoulder underwater and some strokes hurt my hips. They only time it didn't hurt was when I was using flippers and staying completely underwater.



I should do this but I hate walking on my own. Would feel safer with a dog but my OH won't let me get one.

You dont feel safe walking on your own in the day time?

Or do just you mean after work as it gets dark so early now?

t_obermory

I haven't read all of the other posts so not sure if I'm cross posting here.

After I had my DS I counted calories to shift the baby weight and found it really successful, as you could still have the odd treat as long as it fit within your daily limit. Also if you count over the week you can have the occasional day off and make up for it on the other days.

The down side is its time consuming, you do have to weigh everything - though things you have regularly you get to know the calories in, I had a list I referred to of the things I ate most often. I did buy a calorie book, but I bought one a couple of years old so it didn't cost as much.

The website I used is Caloriecontrol.org they've got loads of tools on there, including a calulator that tells you how many calories you can have to lose weight and one telling you how many you burn off depending on what exercise you do. I found it really helpful.

I know a lot of people don't like it but counting calories worked for me, I went from a size 18 after having DS back to my pre-baby 14 in 6 months or so and I hover at a 12/14 now. I don't count calories now but I am more aware of what I eat and I occasionally have the odd month where I do if I've been particularly naughty the month before! (January being one of them!)

HTH's and good luck!

Chuzzle

Olokia wrote: »

Tried pilates, that was too much for my joints. Never heard of callanetics but I just googled it and that looks too much as well. Need to be careful with walking as normal day to day walking is fine but I went on a 4 hour walk and that was too much as well.

I have to calorie count because I can't lose weight otherwise. I have to eat about 1400 a day, much less and I don't lose weight because it is too little and much more I obviously don't lose weight either

Have you thought about swimming or Aqua aerobics type exercising? I think that the water boyancy helps to eleviate the stress on your joints as much .... I maybe wrong on this though, as its something my nan told me years ago

Chuzzle

claire16c wrote: »

DH gets his clients to sometimes do food diaries and over time hes seen plenty of women who cant loose weight but dont eat much. And clients who obsess over food, loose weight, and then pile it back on when they stop. A healthy balanced diet with exercise keeps it off. It needs to be about changing your lifestyle and eating properly and not going on a crazy diet.

yes you do need to to obviously burn more calories than you put in to loose weight, but you dont need to go over the top.

One of his most successful clients has lost around 5 stone, and none of that has been through calorie counting or dieting. Shes just stopped eating huge potions and junk, and pretty much cut out alcohol.

I can confirm that not eating enough calories is not the way to go. I have been almost 16st for at least 8 years now (I'm only 5ft2in:eek:) and I couldn't work out why I wasn't losing weight, until I did a food diary and saw our local nutritionist at the GP's it turns out that I wasn't eating enough (lucky if I got to eat 900 cals a day!). So now I am having to re-train myself to eat MORE, I've got into a bad a habit of thinking I'm not hungry. Haven't lost anything yet - but have only be doing this for a month and it is HARD WORK, so fingers crossed it will start to go soon.

neverdespairgirl

caledonian_princess wrote: »

It does make losing weight more difficult though because your body goes into famine mode and starts to conserve the resources it has by slowing your metabolism, so when you eat something it tries to "save some for later" because it doesn't know when the next meal is coming. It's better to eat a little more and exercise to help burn off the calories. Crash diets are ok for a week or two but for long term sustainable weight loss a sensible reduction in calories and exercise is the best way to do it. I lost about 90lbs 5 or 6 years ago doing this and it's not gone back on yet.

that is said a lot, but I've never seen any proper scientific evidence that it's true. Rather the reverse, actually.

neverdespairgirl

Chuzzle wrote: »

I can confirm that not eating enough calories is not the way to go. I have been almost 16st for at least 8 years now (I'm only 5ft2in:eek:) and I couldn't work out why I wasn't losing weight, until I did a food diary and saw our local nutritionist at the GP's it turns out that I wasn't eating enough (lucky if I got to eat 900 cals a day!). So now I am having to re-train myself to eat MORE, I've got into a bad a habit of thinking I'm not hungry. Haven't lost anything yet - but have only be doing this for a month and it is HARD WORK, so fingers crossed it will start to go soon.

I'm sorry, I don't see how that is remotely physiologically possible.

Red_Elle

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I'm sorry, I don't see how that is remotely physiologically possible.

Me either. If you follow a medical, very low calorie diet (VLCD) that will be under 800 cals and is the quickest way to lose weight. It puts your body into a mild ketogenic state and you burn fat. Even if you were not doing a ketogenic I fail to see how someone cannot lose weight on that in all that time.

JBD

I have lost just over 3 stones in 6 months. I don't count calories as such, and have no idea on what my BMR is and don't do food tracking.
What I did was to start eating as 'clean' as possible, ie cut out processed stuff, readymeals, crisps, snacks etc [apart from the very ocassional treat]. I cook my food from scratch now so that I can control what goes into it. eg I use a lot less oil, salt etc.
I base my diet on 5 portions of fruit and veg/day, decent protein [I am vegetarian] and have reduced my carbs though I still eat some bread and rice etc, just a lot less. Finally portion control is very important. I now serve my food on a smaller plate [I think you would call it a dessert plate] and that is enough for me.
Exercise - have you thought of the wi fit? There are different types of things you can do on it to slowly increase your fitness. Plus you can do it at home so no need to feel shy.
Should have added, if you are not able to do much exercise I think you need to cut your carbs a bit more, so I would probably be looking at a more lowcarb type of diet if I was in your position.

cathy36

Thank you for all your posts. I have read them all and know (roughly) now what I have to do. I know I said I got started the other day, well, I fell off the wagon. Why, why, why as soon as you tell someone you are going to start to loose weights, they turn up with homemade rock buns, and a thank you gift of a bottle of red wine. Today is the day!!!!!! I have weighed myself in, now I have to change my routine and habbits. I would love to do swimming but I have NEVER, EVER, EVER be seen in a swimming costume. I am a size 16 and going to make a promise to my daughter who is 11yrs and swims for a club that If I can reach my target I will wear one and join her in the pool. This is going to be a long way off tho so have got to start with small steps, give the rock buns to the birds. Unfortunately, the wine has gone )x