Aa
clarification
I have been alloted 1450 cal per day according to my weight tracker via Med Help...does this mean I can eat up to 1450 cal per day and lose weight or does it mean that I have to eat less than 1450 per day in order to lose weight? Please clarify...thanks
you might be right there Barb...tonight I went for my second bike ride...one mile last night and another mile tonight...30 mins each time...I am going to try and keep this up...see what happens...I know I do not eat alot...so it may well be that I need to exercise some every day...keep everyone informed...thanks a bunch.
COMMUNITY LEADER
The first thing we have to clarify is whether or not you are really referring to the weight tracker or is your question about the food diary?
My weight tracker doesn't say anything about calories, so I can only think the food diary is "the culprit"............
If that's the case, and we are really referring to the food diary, I've just received word from Med Help that the calories required is for *maintenance*. If you want to lose weight, you would need to eat less/use more.
I have had numerous doctors over the years who have told me to NEVER go below 1000 calories/day; therefore, If the calculations show that you need to drop to less than that to lose weight, I might suggest that maybe you don't really need to lose weight. Perhaps you only need to exercise to tone your muscles.
My weight tracker doesn't say anything about calories, so I can only think the food diary is "the culprit"............
If that's the case, and we are really referring to the food diary, I've just received word from Med Help that the calories required is for *maintenance*. If you want to lose weight, you would need to eat less/use more.
I have had numerous doctors over the years who have told me to NEVER go below 1000 calories/day; therefore, If the calculations show that you need to drop to less than that to lose weight, I might suggest that maybe you don't really need to lose weight. Perhaps you only need to exercise to tone your muscles.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Skydivediva is right - I would not recommend a 950 calorie diet for anyone. But you have to keep in mind that if a person is very small to begin with, they won't need as many calories as a larger person.
I'm checking into this to verify whether MH's recommendation is to maintain or to lose. I will post back as soon as I know for sure.
I'm checking into this to verify whether MH's recommendation is to maintain or to lose. I will post back as soon as I know for sure.
The item I posted previously, with some resources I've found very helpful (including calorie and daily nutrition calculators) can be found at:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Weight-Loss-Journeys/Some-References-You-May-Find-Helpfu/show/1283881
Let me know if you find it helpful.
Maryann
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Weight-Loss-Journeys/Some-References-You-May-Find-Helpfu/show/1283881
Let me know if you find it helpful.
Maryann
Hi Evadee,
Barb is expert about the site and very knowledgeable about weight loss and her data about 3500 calories=1 lb., etc. is entirely correct. I know for a fact, though, that she'd agree that noone should be on a 950 calorie per day diet unless their weight is causing extraordinary, immediate, life-threatening health issues and even then they should have very close medical monitoring. I recently attended a seminar on surgical and medical/non-surgical weight loss programs offered at a local hospital. Their medical/non-surgical program actually consisted of 950 calories per day of liquid shakes only for the first week or two, but gradually added puddings, bars, soups and frozen entrees over a 8 week period until the person was eating 1200 (most women) to 1600 (most men or very active women) calories per day. ONLY to patients who were MORBIDLY obese would even be considered for the program and it required 3x/week phone follow-up with a nurse, once a week lab draws & meetings with a dietician and 1x/month examinations by a physician. (The frequency of this follow up was decreased, but still frequent, once the person reach their prescribed 1200-1600 calorie range.) So, I'm pretty certain that neither Barb or MedHelp would recommend that you follow a 950 calorie diet. (Though I don't presume to speak for Barb and am sure she'll correct me if I'm mistaken.) I suspect that both would advise a more modest reduction in calories combined with an increase in exercise as your medical/health situation permits.
MedHelp does have a dietician (search Nutrition AND experts; her name is Renee) who could probably answer your questions. It may take her a few days to reply, but I've found the information she offers to be helpful.
Another, more immediate option for you is to use an online calculator to calculate your estimated caloric needs. One such calculator is available throught the DiabetesNet website. Although this site is directed at diabetics, it has a tool that can help you calculate both the calories & carbs you need to both maintain and lose weight. You can find it at: http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_tools/tools_calorie.php#axzz0wmG1QMRs .
You need to have your waist circumference available to plug into the calculator, but all the other data they request (age, gender, height, weight, exercise level, etc.) should be readily at hand. It's anonymous; you don't have to register or provide private information. In the past, I've also posted a couple of other web links, one by a dietician, that allow you to calculate your recommended daily calories, protien/carb/fat intake, etc. Let me find the post and I'll send you the link in a separate message.
MedHelp advises that I take in just under 1800 calories. For the most part, I've taken in 1200 to 1800 per day. What I find is that if I eat on either the low or high end for too many consecutive days my weight loss stalls. When I aim for the middle of the range most of the time and then drop or raise my intake for a couple of days now & then I tend to lose. My weight loss has been slow compared to my diets in the past: only 10-11 lbs. in 2 months compared to diets in the past where I dropped up to 11 lbs/week early on and then trended down to 1-2 lbs. a week after a couple of months. I think I could lose faster if I confined myself closer to the lower end of the range I noted more often (and exercised more) but this time around I'm trying to adjust to eating habits I can live with permanently so my motto is "go slow & keep it off". (Though I'll admit, I'm often impatient with "slow"! LOL)
Good luck with your efforts.
MaryAnn (SkyDiveDiva)
Barb is expert about the site and very knowledgeable about weight loss and her data about 3500 calories=1 lb., etc. is entirely correct. I know for a fact, though, that she'd agree that noone should be on a 950 calorie per day diet unless their weight is causing extraordinary, immediate, life-threatening health issues and even then they should have very close medical monitoring. I recently attended a seminar on surgical and medical/non-surgical weight loss programs offered at a local hospital. Their medical/non-surgical program actually consisted of 950 calories per day of liquid shakes only for the first week or two, but gradually added puddings, bars, soups and frozen entrees over a 8 week period until the person was eating 1200 (most women) to 1600 (most men or very active women) calories per day. ONLY to patients who were MORBIDLY obese would even be considered for the program and it required 3x/week phone follow-up with a nurse, once a week lab draws & meetings with a dietician and 1x/month examinations by a physician. (The frequency of this follow up was decreased, but still frequent, once the person reach their prescribed 1200-1600 calorie range.) So, I'm pretty certain that neither Barb or MedHelp would recommend that you follow a 950 calorie diet. (Though I don't presume to speak for Barb and am sure she'll correct me if I'm mistaken.) I suspect that both would advise a more modest reduction in calories combined with an increase in exercise as your medical/health situation permits.
MedHelp does have a dietician (search Nutrition AND experts; her name is Renee) who could probably answer your questions. It may take her a few days to reply, but I've found the information she offers to be helpful.
Another, more immediate option for you is to use an online calculator to calculate your estimated caloric needs. One such calculator is available throught the DiabetesNet website. Although this site is directed at diabetics, it has a tool that can help you calculate both the calories & carbs you need to both maintain and lose weight. You can find it at: http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_tools/tools_calorie.php#axzz0wmG1QMRs .
You need to have your waist circumference available to plug into the calculator, but all the other data they request (age, gender, height, weight, exercise level, etc.) should be readily at hand. It's anonymous; you don't have to register or provide private information. In the past, I've also posted a couple of other web links, one by a dietician, that allow you to calculate your recommended daily calories, protien/carb/fat intake, etc. Let me find the post and I'll send you the link in a separate message.
MedHelp advises that I take in just under 1800 calories. For the most part, I've taken in 1200 to 1800 per day. What I find is that if I eat on either the low or high end for too many consecutive days my weight loss stalls. When I aim for the middle of the range most of the time and then drop or raise my intake for a couple of days now & then I tend to lose. My weight loss has been slow compared to my diets in the past: only 10-11 lbs. in 2 months compared to diets in the past where I dropped up to 11 lbs/week early on and then trended down to 1-2 lbs. a week after a couple of months. I think I could lose faster if I confined myself closer to the lower end of the range I noted more often (and exercised more) but this time around I'm trying to adjust to eating habits I can live with permanently so my motto is "go slow & keep it off". (Though I'll admit, I'm often impatient with "slow"! LOL)
Good luck with your efforts.
MaryAnn (SkyDiveDiva)
Had time to digest info...if it takes 3500 cals to create a pound then it stands to reason that it would take a 500 cal/day reduction to lose a pound a week...I had hoped that Med Help had done the maths and calculated this into their formula resulting in the 1450 cals/day they quoted to me...is there anywhere in their info where I may get this verified as 950/day seems abit far fetched?...doesn't it to you?
I cannot help but disagree with Barb's comment ...unless I am misconstruing her info...I am alloted 1450 cal per day...and have lost 4 lbs in 6 wks...if I were to reduce 500 cal./day I would only be allowed 950 per day...hardly enough to carry a full day of activity out....even at 1200 cal/day...one should be under supervision of a doctor...any comments?
I've wondered that, too. Is the allotted calories to LOSE or to MAINTAIN weight? Mine seem high at almost 1800 per day.
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Since it takes 3500 calories to make 1 pound, you would need to decrease your calorie intake by 500 calories/day in order to lose 1 pound/week (500 calories/day X 7 days = 3500 calories). An easier way to do it would be to drop 250 calories/day and work off an additional 250 calories/day to make the 500 calories.
Even very small changes can make a huge difference.