Lose Weight 36

Svenena · 20 March 2014 at 10:43AM

Rubyslippers77 wrote: »

Morning everyone,

I'm giving my Fitness Pal a try (finding it a bit fiddly, but hopefully I'll get the hang of it!) - thought I'd try counting calories with my weekend away coming up, as I've been low carbing but don't find it very practical for when I have to eat out - if I'm cooking for myself it's fine, but out & about there aren't many choices for vegetarians that don't involve carbs! Just wondered if anyone had any experience of low calorie diets (which MFP is based on) as opposed to low carbing? Low carbing isn't shifting the lb's for me at the moment either, so it has to be worth trying something else.....

I'm using MFP to track calories, and I really like the flexibility of this approach, because you can eat whatever you want (I have chocolate every day!). I'm a fussy eater, so this is really important to me (and I LOVE carbs, so definitely wouldn't give them up!). It won't work for everyone, but you have to try things to find out what works for you.

It did take me a while to get used to MFP (I've tried it two or three times in the past, and given up within the first week), but I'm used to it now and have been using it daily for the past 10 weeks. It gets easier to use with time, as it records what you eat frequently, etc. I have the phone app too, which is useful if you're out and about, although I mostly use the website.

Every Monday I tally up my averages for the previous week and record them, so I can tell you I've eaten an average of 1562 cals per day for the past ten weeks (which shouldn't be anywhere near low enough to feel faint or anything) and burnt an average of 132 cals from exercise, giving me a daily net calories of 1430.

I eat out at least once a week, often twice, so a day or two a week I eat over 2000 cals, but then the other days eat nearer 1400, so it averages out. I've lost an average of 1.86 lbs per week, which is within the recommended 0.5 - 2lbs per week (if you have less to lose, you should be aiming nearer the lower end of this).

Hope this helps, happy to answer any questions you have. They have forums on the site (which are as full of misinformation as any forums, be warned!), and one great thing on there is the success stories - any time I need motivation I check these out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/15-success-stories.

jackieb · 20 March 2014 at 1:39PM

Very happy with a 1lb loss this week.

That's me back to my 50lb total loss, after my 1lb gain last week, despite being good. I've been out 3 times this week for birthdays and I lose1lb.

durham_mim · 22 March 2014 at 12:01PM

Weight: STS
Callanetics: 3hrs
Walking: 5 min
Ballroom: 2hrs

White_Rose_Tight_ThaKnows · 26 March 2014 at 8:00AM

-1lb

Oh happy days! :rotfl: :j

Although it's quite reassuring to know doing next to nowt and falling into old habits for most of this month put me as a STSer and not a gainer.

ScarlettMcCain · 26 March 2014 at 8:12AM

+1lb for me this week - although I have done lots of walking & some running (7 hours total) I don't think it was enough to cancel out all the yummy holiday food!!

Thank you to everyone for their MFP advice

I'm back home now, trying to eat sensibly and starting the running again, aiming for 5 miles (I can do 2 at the moment). I'm away with work for a few days next week and won't have any control over the food on offer, but will be starting again in earnest once I return.....

Svenena · 26 March 2014 at 10:28AM

I am -1.4 this week, which is a relief after going well over calories at a party at the weekend followed by an enormous dinner at my mum's the next day. I did a semi-fast on Monday to make up for it.

Walkingwise I did 9.72km in the past week. My bad knee has been much worse as a result of all this walking, unfortunately, so I'm going to take a bit of a break from it until I've lost some more weight and it becomes lower impact. Instead I'm going to go for a cycling target next month.

I'm going away this weekend, which will mean LOTS of eating out. I'm pre-fasting today in preparation!