Help.. I'm confused.

I think I'm eating too little. I do accounting, so i'm basically at a desk from 8-5. Then I'm a mom of three with little to no rest until about 9:30-10:00. I do a 30 minute video at my lunch hour and then do some strength exercises for another 30 min. I started weighing 273. It was going down rather quickly in the beginning. However, I have been at 254 for about 2 weeks with no budging at all. I eat around 1500-1700 daily. Is this right or should I up or lower my calories?

Also, every time I go pee (which is a million times a day) I try to do a set of jumping jacks or push ups when i get back to my desk before I sit. Sometimes I even do some squats. Thank goodness I have an office with a door that I can shut. LOL

It does sound like you might be eating too little - try increasing your calorie intake to 1900 - 2000 kcals per day for a week.  Also, you could perhaps add longer and more sustained exercise on the weekends - a hour's strenous walk, cycle, or swim perhaps.  I think this might help

Good luck

Ax

First of all, congratulations on your loss so far!  I agree with demerara's suggestions of upping your calories and changing up your exercise.  Even without "formal" exercising, you are still very active by being a mom to three kids! 

Good for you for fitting in exercise where you can!  Have you considered being active with your children?  Maybe taking them out for walks - that way you can all be active together, you can have family time and also teach them the importance of physical activity (as well as get them tired so they are less boisterous around the house!  ha!).  If any of your kids is a baby, pushing a stroller would give you an additional boost.  Also, kicking a soccer ball around... or just jumping rope with them? 

There was also a thread going on about exercises to do in the office.  Some of this isn't new to you, of course, but there are a few additional suggestions that might help you fit in some more "office workout" time!  :)

Best of luck on your goals!

Thank you so much! Sometimes you need to be reminded of how far you've come, not how far you have to go.

I'm not too concerened on the activity stuff as I'm always trying to come up with new things and I switch things up constantly. I'm concerned about the calories though. That's what has me wondering. Also, I have not "cheated" in about a month and a half. Do you think I should try to throw something in there that I haven't eaten in months to see if it "shocks" up things or what?

I think sometimes when you are "stuck" it helps to change things up a bit - since something is obviously "off".  I would continue to count, but maybe up your calories slightly one day, and lower them slightly another?  (the whole calorie-cycling idea)...You know, our bodies are incredibly efficient machines that adapt to our habits - it gets used to processing the same things/doing the same activities and becomes more efficient at doing them by burning less calories in the process!

Also, it really helps to have a day where you eat at maintenance level.  Not just for the element of surprise for your metabolism, but also so you don't feel deprived!

Anyway, that's just my two cents.  A lot of this is playing around to find what works for you....and guesswork...

Thanks for the replies. :) Anyone else?

Hi! I just posted this elsewhere, but it seems relevant here, too:

I used the zig zag approach to lose around 95 lbs. I never, or rarely, ate my goal amount, but rather saw my goal amount to be my average caloric intake for the week. That way I could eat less on some days, when it was easy or convenient (low appetite days are the best way of achieving that... don't knock them) and eat more, sometimes way more, on days when I am being especially social or indulgent.

I found that shaking things up like this kept my body guessing, and therefore burning, everything I ate instead of storing up calories as I would if I were in starvation mode.

My average per day was 1800 calories. I started out at 251, and kept this zig zag thing going until I was 165. Now I eat an average of 2700/day, and am maintaining a weight of 154.

I think this might work well for you. You can have your low calorie days, and then "make up for them" on the week-end, or whenever you choose. I found this to be a fun way to plan my week, and to keep me losing weight like crazy.

Cheers and Good Luck!

Mike