curious

Say you way 300 pounds and you want to weigh 150. If that's the case, break
your goal down into chunks, then multiply by ten. First goal, maybe 250. Try
2500 calories a day and see how that goes for a while. Losing? If so, great.
If not, lower the bar. That's what I did, worked for me. --

"Lisa" wrote in message ...
LFM wrote:
"Lisa" wrote in message ...
In your opinion how many calories would a 40 yr. old, 5 ft. 10 inch,
x-large frame (measured), previously sedentary/just starting an exercise
program female need per day?

I could google it of course but I think people who've lived the weight
loss and are maintaining are better sources of info than some online
calculator or insurance company suggestions.
thanks

If you want to lose weight go for 1200 to 1600 calories per day.


Wow, that sounds low.



You received a very generic answer because you posed a very generic
question. The amount I recommended works for me... If you aren't goint to
provide details then you can't expect answer. Also, you stated you don't
want to google or use online calculators - then by posing a question to a
group like this will give you even a larger variety of answers and lord
knows - we are not experts in the field so who knows if any of the
information you receive is correct or not. If you want to do this right you
need to take responsibility for yourself and research for youself. Let
this be a lesson to you.

And get off your butt and MOVE! Increase your physical activity. The
more you increase the better you'll do.


Baby steps, LFM. I don't want to burn out, be overwhelmed or give myself
a heart attack. Thanks for your opinion, appreciated.

Ya know, your attitude is setting you up for failure. You already don't
want to do your own research, you don't want to eat limited calories and you
don't want to exercise (or simply, move... which could mean anything from
parking a little further from the grocery store entrance and walking the
extra steps).

Best of luck to you... you certainly need it.

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:07:05 -0700, determined wrote:

"Lisa" wrote in message ...
LFM wrote:
"Lisa" wrote in message ...
In your opinion how many calories would a 40 yr. old, 5 ft. 10 inch,
x-large frame (measured), previously sedentary/just starting an exercise
program female need per day?

I could google it of course but I think people who've lived the weight
loss and are maintaining are better sources of info than some online
calculator or insurance company suggestions.
thanks

If you want to lose weight go for 1200 to 1600 calories per day.


Wow, that sounds low.


And get off your butt and MOVE! Increase your physical activity. The
more you increase the better you'll do.


Baby steps, LFM. I don't want to burn out, be overwhelmed or give myself
a heart attack. Thanks for your opinion, appreciated.

LFM is right of course - increasing your physical activity will help you in
leaps and bounds over diet alone, although diet is probably the most
important aspect. You hadn't hinted in your original post that you were
morbidly obese, so obviously your physical activities are going to be
somewhat limited. Do what you can.



Yes, be careful with the exercise, even walking can get you injured if
you are very heavy. I developed plantar fasciitis from mild walking
(mile a day/5-6 days a week at 3mph) and also from riding a recumbent
bike. Not that you shouldn't do exercise, but listen carefully to your
body, and if pain develops, see a doctor.

Water exercise is also very good when one is heavy. Less chance of
injury, it's fun and feels good.


Probably also if you are morbidly obese, 1200 calories IS too low. How much
do you weigh? Are you under a doctor's care? With the extra considerations
for someone who is very overweight, it's important to be closely monitored
by a professional.

Congratulations on taking your first steps.


1200 calories is, to my mind, ridiculously low for someone who is
morbidly obese. Seriously... don't go that low, because what will you
do if you hit a stall, hmmm?

I'm 5'7", medium frame, 50 years, and losing in a range of 1900-2200
calories a day, eaten as 5-6 small meals over the course of the day. I
do cardio by water aerobics, swimming, a very little walking
(currently suffering from plantar fasciitis), a little upright bike
riding, some Nordic Track ski machine and weights.

Slightly slowed down by gym closure this week for maintenance, sigh...
but trucking along with my Nordic Track and some bodyweight exercises
as best I can.

--
Cynthia
262/229/152

LFM wrote:

"Lisa" wrote in message ...

Baby steps, LFM. I don't want to burn out, be overwhelmed or give myself
a heart attack. Thanks for your opinion, appreciated.

Ya know, your attitude is setting you up for failure. You already don't
want to do your own research, you don't want to eat limited calories and you
don't want to exercise (or simply, move... which could mean anything from
parking a little further from the grocery store entrance and walking the
extra steps).

Best of luck to you... you certainly need it.

I couldn't agree more.

determined wrote:
"Lisa" wrote in message ...
LFM wrote:
"Lisa" wrote in message ...
In your opinion how many calories would a 40 yr. old, 5 ft. 10 inch,
x-large frame (measured), previously sedentary/just starting an exercise
program female need per day?

I could google it of course but I think people who've lived the weight
loss and are maintaining are better sources of info than some online
calculator or insurance company suggestions.
thanks
If you want to lose weight go for 1200 to 1600 calories per day.

Wow, that sounds low.


And get off your butt and MOVE! Increase your physical activity. The
more you increase the better you'll do.

Baby steps, LFM. I don't want to burn out, be overwhelmed or give myself
a heart attack. Thanks for your opinion, appreciated.

LFM is right of course - increasing your physical activity will help you in
leaps and bounds over diet alone, although diet is probably the most
important aspect. You hadn't hinted in your original post that you were
morbidly obese, so obviously your physical activities are going to be
somewhat limited. Do what you can.

Probably also if you are morbidly obese, 1200 calories IS too low. How much
do you weigh?


340lbs., down from 370 in March of this year. As of now had I continued
to lose I would weigh anywhere from 344-318 (@ 1-2lbs. per week), but I
find my initial ideas only got me so far and I'm going to need a more
solid plan to continue. Just reducing the amounts I eat isn't helping
as much as I thought it would.

I'm also having difficulty with what to do about the stress I'm feeling
because of the lifestyle change. That's the biggie because I'm a stress
eater to begin with and live with an anxiety disorder. I don't take
drugs for that, I don't like to take them or be dependent on them if I
can help it. To deal with it I use relaxation techniques and this has
helped somewhat, but there's a great deal to be considered and changed
before I reach the finish line.

From lurking here and the bit of research I've done so far I see I've
got to have both reachable short term goals and a long term goal, count
my calories every day, forever, exercise, basically change everything
about the way I was living before. That's what I'm in the process of
doing now - setting up a plan for the rest of my life.

(sorry, TMI, but I got into it and kinda took off)


Are you under a doctor's care?


For health problems caused by obesity, yes*. For obesity, no. I asked
and was told insurance doesn't cover anything to do with weight
reduction, which is considered to be under my own control and elective.
I guess that makes sense but I sure could do with help for a
nutritionist. I've eaten the wrong way for so long I'm not quite sure
where to start. What I'll do to compensate is educate myself as much as
possible as to what a normal healthy person eats and how much they need.
Posting here was my first step.

*(I developed high blood pressure back in March, the meds given me to
treat that have caused Glucose Intolerance, and I'm anemic. Those are
the primary problems. There are myriad lesser problems brought on by
stress to my muscles and joints. In short I can still get around
reasonably well but my health is going south quickly.)


With the extra considerations
for someone who is very overweight, it's important to be closely monitored
by a professional.


My doctor has agreed to and must monitor me, but he won't counsel or
help, so it's up to me to do what needs to be done. As is fair, I
guess. After all I got myself in this condition.


Congratulations on taking your first steps.


Thanks.

em wrote:

Say you way 300 pounds and you want to weigh 150. If that's the case,
break your goal down into chunks, then multiply by ten. First goal,
maybe 250. Try 2500 calories a day and see how that goes for a while.
Losing? If so, great. If not, lower the bar. That's what I did, worked
for me. --


Yes, I recognize that method. I'm glad to hear it's working for you. I
asked my husband this question not long ago - and it's important to note
he was a career army guy at one time so his answer was biased - and that
answer was what prompted me to ask for opinions in this newsgroup. He
said for office personnel the daily caloric intake was 1600-1800. For
those working outside an office it was 2000-2500 depending if they were
men or women and the degree of physical work they did. For those in
basic training it was up to but not over 2800 per day.

I have to take into consideration I'm not in the same category as a
normal weight person in the army, but the closest I'd come to that
scenario if I were normal would be those who take in 1600-1800 per day.
This is where he suggested I begin. I thought that too low so I
sought a second opinion.

The doctors I've spoken to in the past have consistently suggested I
begin at 1500 calories and stay there. I know it'd bring quick results
but I don't know how long it can be reasonably maintained. This is what
makes me hesitant to dive into something that feels that radical.
Radical steps feel like a recipe for failure. As long as I'm not in
immediate danger a more gradual approach seems more correct. Like you
said, if I'm eating 3400 calories per day to maintain the weight I'm at
now, starting at 2500 and seeing if that brings about a loss, then
reducing gradually if it doesn't, sounds more sensible.

I'm especially interested in the experiences of those who've had a lot
of weight to lose and how they did it, if they did it without surgical
intervention. (not a judgment there, just not my personal choice)
Thanks a bunch for your answer.

On Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:23:49 +0200, Lisa wrote:


340lbs., down from 370 in March of this year. As of now had I continued
to lose I would weigh anywhere from 344-318 (@ 1-2lbs. per week), but I
find my initial ideas only got me so far and I'm going to need a more
solid plan to continue. Just reducing the amounts I eat isn't helping
as much as I thought it would.



It's not unusual to get to a point and then have to change up strategy
some. Portion control is good... you may also need to change what you
eat . I've never been much of a protein eater before, but I've found
it has helped me in the weight loss wars to eat plenty of protein,
healthy fats, lots of veggies, some fruit and some whole
grains/legumes.


I'm also having difficulty with what to do about the stress I'm feeling
because of the lifestyle change. That's the biggie because I'm a stress
eater to begin with and live with an anxiety disorder. I don't take
drugs for that, I don't like to take them or be dependent on them if I
can help it. To deal with it I use relaxation techniques and this has
helped somewhat, but there's a great deal to be considered and changed
before I reach the finish line.


Exercise, even mild forms like walking, can help some with the stress.
Relaxation techniques are also good. I'm starting to look into doing a
little yoga myself, have a DVD or two to try out.

It's an ongoing process, so don't beat yourself up that these changes
happen slowly.


From lurking here and the bit of research I've done so far I see I've
got to have both reachable short term goals and a long term goal, count
my calories every day, forever, exercise, basically change everything
about the way I was living before. That's what I'm in the process of
doing now - setting up a plan for the rest of my life.

(sorry, TMI, but I got into it and kinda took off)



Yep, that's about it. It's a lifestyle change. Keep telling yourself
what you want, keep telling yourself that you are the kind of person
who exercises and enjoys it, tell yourself you are the kind of person
who eats healthy foods and doesn't buy junk, etc... It's a sort of
reprogramming.


*(I developed high blood pressure back in March, the meds given me to
treat that have caused Glucose Intolerance, and I'm anemic. Those are
the primary problems. There are myriad lesser problems brought on by
stress to my muscles and joints. In short I can still get around
reasonably well but my health is going south quickly.)


Well, you are making the choice to change... and that's a good thing.
Small changes can make great improvements to health. I'm lucky, in
that my weight has only really impacted me on joints and energy
levels, but not particularly otherwise. My hubby though, he's
diabetic, has cholesterol and high blood pressure issues.

He's seen that through walking most days, his cholesterol and high
blood pressure are doing much better. He is on meds for both, but
improvement really came with better diet and exercise after we got
married.

If there is one thing I can say... keep an eye on ALL progress and not
just the scale. You may want to take a set of girth measurements and
watch to see if you are losing inches. Watch how clothes fit changes,
or jewelry or watch fit. Sometimes it is the smallest signs of
progress that will help keep you motivated. The scale can be quite
fickle and the body doesn't always lose fat in a straight line
process, so keeping track of things like how you feel after walking,
energy levels, inches lost, strength gained, blood pressure, blood
work readings, is all important.


--
Cynthia
262/298.5/152

On Aug 24, 1:29 pm, Cynthia P wrote:

Some gyms have quite a
compliment of folks who are overweight, elderly, physically
challenged, etc... and mostly what you see is encouragement.

People start to notice that you are working hard after you've been
going a while and they respect it!

I had much the same thought, reading the original message. At my gym
there are many members who are overweight or otherwise physically
outside the norm. There are also lots of really buff younger folks.
But I think pretty much everyone respects the people who are coming to
the gym and doing something about it. If you think about it, it seems
more likely that people would be laughing at an overweight person
hitting the buffet line at a restaurant than working out in a gym
(not, of course, that either is appropriate).

Chris
262/130s/130s

Lisa wrote:

340lbs., down from 370 in March of this year. As of now had I continued
to lose I would weigh anywhere from 344-318 (@ 1-2lbs. per week), but I
find my initial ideas only got me so far and I'm going to need a more
solid plan to continue. Just reducing the amounts I eat isn't helping
as much as I thought it would.

I would like to modify my previous suggestion about calories then.

1) Look up your target weight in insurance tables. Add 10 because
they
run 10 pounds too low. Multiply by 10 calories per pound.

2) Take your current weight. Multiply by 10 calories per pound.

3) Average numbers from 1 and 2 and use that as your daily target
calories. Redo every couple of months.

The idea behind this is if you start out based on your target you will
be eating too little for your current size. Plus figure stored fat as
consuming less calories than lean. Split the difference because it is
an easy method that works okay as an approximation.

Lisa wrote:
em wrote:


Say you way 300 pounds and you want to weigh 150. If that's the case,
break your goal down into chunks, then multiply by ten. First goal,
maybe 250. Try 2500 calories a day and see how that goes for a while.
Losing? If so, great. If not, lower the bar. That's what I did, worked
for me. --



Yes, I recognize that method. I'm glad to hear it's working for you. I
asked my husband this question not long ago - and it's important to note
he was a career army guy at one time so his answer was biased - and that
answer was what prompted me to ask for opinions in this newsgroup. He
said for office personnel the daily caloric intake was 1600-1800. For
those working outside an office it was 2000-2500 depending if they were
men or women and the degree of physical work they did. For those in
basic training it was up to but not over 2800 per day.

I have to take into consideration I'm not in the same category as a
normal weight person in the army, but the closest I'd come to that
scenario if I were normal would be those who take in 1600-1800 per day.
This is where he suggested I begin. I thought that too low so I sought
a second opinion.

The doctors I've spoken to in the past have consistently suggested I
begin at 1500 calories and stay there. I know it'd bring quick results
but I don't know how long it can be reasonably maintained. This is what
makes me hesitant to dive into something that feels that radical.
Radical steps feel like a recipe for failure. As long as I'm not in
immediate danger a more gradual approach seems more correct. Like you
said, if I'm eating 3400 calories per day to maintain the weight I'm at
now, starting at 2500 and seeing if that brings about a loss, then
reducing gradually if it doesn't, sounds more sensible.

I'm especially interested in the experiences of those who've had a lot
of weight to lose and how they did it, if they did it without surgical
intervention. (not a judgment there, just not my personal choice)
Thanks a bunch for your answer.

I think you will find that 1500 to 2000 calories is a much smaller
amount of food than you visualize it as being. I didn't have a huge
amount to lose, but losing it required eating much less than I had been.

Here is an experiment I just thought up. Take the things you will be
eating or like to eat and measure out 1500 calories worth and put it all
on the table at once, just to see what a day's food looks like.

--
Del Cecchi
"This post is my own and doesn’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions,
strategies or opinions.”