I lost 17lbs in 2 months. nobody seems to challenge the US nutritional guidelines?
I posted a question yesterday relating to how I lost 17pounds in the past 2 months.
I am very familiar with nutrition and could write out the perfect meal plan as well (as some of the responses did).
I have tried everything to lose weight including running an hour/day, weights, reducing calories to 1300/day for a period of time, I even spent a week in 100degree weather in florida running and walking anywhere from 8 to 20 miles/day and eating around 2000 calories/day (much less than I was burning).
None of this worked! Maybe, I would lose 2 or 3 lbs in a month but that is not the result one would expect from the kind of dedication, I was giving this.
I lost 17lbs in the past 2 months by eating an average of 800 calories/day. Some days, I would eat as low as 600, and occasionally I would even eat close to 1500. After eating 600 calories/day for a couple of days, I would drop 2-3 pounds and then eat 1200 calories for a day and maintain the 2-3 weight loss.
Everyone was very adamant in their responses that I need 2000 calories per day to maintain and 1300 to lose. (or some variation close to that). but that never has worked for me, I gain when I eat 2000 calories/day, and I don’t budge when I eat 1300 calories/day.
Isnt’ it possible that some people, like me, only burn 1300 calories/day (not including workouts) and so that in order to lose, I have to reduce below that?? Why does nobody challenge what the US guildelines set out for us, bodies are complicated and can’t be reduced to figures that pertain to everyone.
(I am 5′5” and I currently weight 128lbs) (I do not think I am fat, and am very happy with where I am right now and do not care to lose more)
(On days when I would eat 600 calories, my diet consisted of tons of water and I mean tons, fruit, whole wheat pasta, eggs, oatmeal and veggies ~ variations of these types of foods in portions to equal 600/day)
Tagged with: Challenge
I know! I’m eating a max of 800-1000 calories per day.
Sometimes 600, and when I asked people they’re like your not gonna , but in JUST the last week I lose 3 pounds!
They say I’ll gain it all back, but not if I only eat a max of 1200 when I’m done my diet.
I’m with you on this one. The US guidelines are so adamant that everyone is the same and that everyone will benefit by following their suggestions. This simply isn’t true…I am your weight and height almost exactly and I never eat my ‘full’ calorie amount (2000, like yourself). I eat 1500 a day, and that is only when I am dancing every day which is quite a work out. They just want to put us all in a single box when no two bodies are the same. We are all so different, it’s just impossible to put a blanket over everybody and call it good. I’ve just stuck to what I have felt helps my body, I see no reason to follow these ‘guidelines’. Ugh, it’s just so frustrating…
You no what?
You are so right its unbelieveable!
If I tried to eat 2000 cals in a day, I would balloon in weight! I eat around 600-800 like you in order to lose weight, otherwise I just stay the same. I think the guidlines are for the ‘adverage’ female/male. You need to work out what you actually burn in a day (BMR) I looked and saw that I burned about 1400 a day. So if this was the case, then *assuming a good weight loss is 500 cals less then you burn* I should eat 900 to lose weight. This is apparently really bad for you, and unhealthy, but its not! Its what i need to lose weight. People hide behind these guidelines and take them so seriously, but no one is Mr. Adverage. You have to adapt them to your own stats. Thats why they are guidlines. You are soo right, I’m glad you bought this up!