1,200 calories, constantly hungry, TDEE help please

lil_lizt

Hiya, I'm 5' tall, almost 31yrs of age and weight 11st 2 (156lbs). MFP set my calorie goal to 1,200 a day to lost 1lb a week but I'm still constantly hungry. I go to the gym 3 times a week, long rein my horse for an hour and ride other people's horses 3 times a week. When in the gym I mostly do 45mins-60mins of cardio with a circuit of the weight machines to finish. I'm hoping to drop down to 120lbs eventually. Because I'm constantly hungry on the days I don't work out I crunched my numbers on scooby's but I'm not sure what numbers to follow. I'm getting myself confused, can anyone help me please? Forgot to mention my BMR is 1465 and besides my scheduled exercise I'm sedentary

diannethegeek

With MFP, are you logging your exercise and eating back any of the extra calories you earn? That usually brings the numbers closer to sites like Scooby.

Basically, these are all estimates. Pick one. Follow it for 3-4 weeks and see how you feel. If you lose weight at the pace you like, then great! If you don't, then make adjustments until you do.

TossaBeanBag

Fat burns off better than it starves of. Eat more and be even more active.

Kalikel

If you log your exercise, it gives you more calories to eat!! You don't have to eat only the 1200 and be hungry!

Also, try to eat more healthy food. You can really stuff yourself on 1200 calories of healthy food. Many people find that they have trouble eating that much of it. So, work in a little more, if you can.

lil_lizt

Yes, I eat my exercise calories back, but that's 4 days a week where I'm ravenous from only eating 1,200 calories. I can't exercise the other days so that's not an option. I guess I'll up it to scooby's estimate for lightly active for 1-3hrs a week and see how it goes from there

Liftng4Lis

Perfect, so you're already earning extra calories. Generally people will eat back half the exercise calories, as MFP tends to overestimate your burns.

segacs

Either eat back those exercise calories, or add your typical week's exercise level to your TDEE and calculate your deficit from there.

Method A: MFP means you add back the exercise calories on the days you exercise. The upside is that you "earn" more food on the days you exercise. The downside for some people is that it's not useful for them to view food as reward like that, and they find it hard to plan for staggered meals depending on exercise level.

Method B: TDEE means you average around the same amount every day, and you don't eat back exercise calories. The upside is consistency. The downside is you actually have to stick to the workout routine you had planned, since it's already been factored in and if you choose not to work out, you'll end up eating too much.

Either way, you should probably be eating a lot more than 1200 calories per day. Somewhere around 1600-1700 per day, with your activity level, would probably net you a loss of 0.5-1lb/week. Even at sedentary, you probably don't want to go below 1400.

lil_lizt

segacs wrote: »

Either eat back those exercise calories, or add your typical week's exercise level to your TDEE and calculate your deficit from there.

Method A: MFP means you add back the exercise calories on the days you exercise. The upside is that you "earn" more food on the days you exercise. The downside for some people is that it's not useful for them to view food as reward like that, and they find it hard to plan for staggered meals depending on exercise level.

Method B: TDEE means you average around the same amount every day, and you don't eat back exercise calories. The upside is consistency. The downside is you actually have to stick to the workout routine you had planned, since it's already been factored in and if you choose not to work out, you'll end up eating too much.

Either way, you should probably be eating a lot more than 1200 calories per day. Somewhere around 1600-1700 per day, with your activity level, would probably net you a loss of 0.5-1lb/week. Even at sedentary, you probably don't want to go below 1400.

Thank you for breaking that down, that's exactly what I was getting stuck on. Scooby estimated 1612 for lightly active 1-3 hrs a week and 1817 for moderately active for 3-5 hrs a week so I'll start off with the lower amount and see how I go. Thanks again

StaciMarie1974

One theory: eat 1400-1500 and have confidence that all your daily movement is burning calories beyond what you're eating. *Based off your statement that BMR = 1465. The more you move, the better. This would be a sustainable loss and have you eating consistently about the same level.

Francl27

lil_lizt wrote: »

Yes, I eat my exercise calories back, but that's 4 days a week where I'm ravenous from only eating 1,200 calories. I can't exercise the other days so that's not an option. I guess I'll up it to scooby's estimate for lightly active for 1-3hrs a week and see how it goes from there

Yes, do this. Also make sure to eat plenty of protein, good fats and fiber to keep you full.

segacs

lil_lizt wrote: »

Thank you for breaking that down, that's exactly what I was getting stuck on. Scooby estimated 1612 for lightly active 1-3 hrs a week and 1817 for moderately active for 3-5 hrs a week so I'll start off with the lower amount and see how I go. Thanks again

You're welcome! Give that a try for 2-3 weeks, see how you feel, and adjust accordingly.

Also, don't forget to reset your calorie goals with every 10lbs of weight loss or so. Your BMR will decrease as you lose weight, so the deficit will need to be recalculated from your updated TDEE. You'll want to reduce that -20% to -15% or -10% or even -5% as you get closer to your goal weight.

redheaddee

lil_lizt wrote: »

segacs wrote: »

Either eat back those exercise calories, or add your typical week's exercise level to your TDEE and calculate your deficit from there.

Method A: MFP means you add back the exercise calories on the days you exercise. The upside is that you "earn" more food on the days you exercise. The downside for some people is that it's not useful for them to view food as reward like that, and they find it hard to plan for staggered meals depending on exercise level.

Method B: TDEE means you average around the same amount every day, and you don't eat back exercise calories. The upside is consistency. The downside is you actually have to stick to the workout routine you had planned, since it's already been factored in and if you choose not to work out, you'll end up eating too much.

Either way, you should probably be eating a lot more than 1200 calories per day. Somewhere around 1600-1700 per day, with your activity level, would probably net you a loss of 0.5-1lb/week. Even at sedentary, you probably don't want to go below 1400.

Thank you for breaking that down, that's exactly what I was getting stuck on. Scooby estimated 1612 for lightly active 1-3 hrs a week and 1817 for moderately active for 3-5 hrs a week so I'll start off with the lower amount and see how I go. Thanks again

Yay for eating more to lose weight!! :flowerforyou: You will be so much happier, healthier, and successful. Huzzah!

DeannaLD13

Are you eating enough protein? From my experience, I find I'm hungry if I haven't had enough protein for the day.

segacs

DeannaLD13 wrote: »

Are you eating enough protein? From my experience, I find I'm hungry if I haven't had enough protein for the day.

And for me, it's fat. I could eat all the lean protein and carbs in the world, and not feel full. But if I add some healthy fat, I feel better.

Michifan

Everyone has a different nutritional 'need.' One of the great things about starting a diet is learning

I need more protein and less sugars - which makes my diet easier to maintain. I don't have sugar cravings and while my diet unintentionally ends up being very balanced, the carbs I eat are higher in water/fibre than sugar. The fat follows the protein, and I do eat fish so I get fish oil protein and some olive oil with salads I eat regularly (with 4oz of protein).

I also eat a lot (like over a pound) of lettuce and leafy green vegetables to fill my stomach and increase my eating time. I can have a pound of broccoli with 4 oz of lean protein and be more satisfied than the same amount of calories in a smaller portion (or god forbid one of those protein bars).

lil_lizt

DeannaLD13 wrote: »

Are you eating enough protein? From my experience, I find I'm hungry if I haven't had enough protein for the day.

Yes, I eat 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbs, although sometimes I'll go a little higher in protein or fats. Most of the fat I get is from oily fish (I eat a lot of salmon and mackerel) and I only cook with olive oil. I just think 1,200 was nowhere near enough to sustain me. I'll try eating at 1,600 every day and not eat exercise calories back.

Thanks everyone for your help

Dr__Girlfriend

You are nowhere eating enough. You need to be eating 1500-1650 a day for a moderate cut. Use this calculator please, it's much more accurate than the MFP ones which are notoriously garbage.

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

Also, you want to be eating your lean mass in grams of protein every day. It helps DRASTICALLY with satiety. Try for 120-130g of protein a day:) I noticed once I switched and stuck to high protein I was constantly full. Woot!

Dr__Girlfriend

And a word of advice, I can't recommend enough measuring your progress w/ a measuring tape and pictures instead of with a scale.

Just as a personal example, lifting weights and cutting moderately at 1700-1850, I've only lost 2 pounds but i've lost 4" in my waist, 4" in my hips, etc... Best of luck to you!!!