Calories burnt advice

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mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12
mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 Posts: 204 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A week ago I decided I really needed to focus on loosing some weight. I'm 5ft 2ins and weigh about 136Ib, I'd like too lose about 14Ib. I work away from home all week and find eating healthy and exercising difficult while away so decided to take the opportunity to stick to a calorie controlled diet and take exercise every day while at home over the holidays and try to get into a good routine before going back to work.

I have been calorie counting (weighing everything) and sticking to 1200 calories a day and have taken exercise every day. I have a Microsoft Band and have been focusing on burning a minimum of 400 calories a day through exercise, mostly cycling but all so long walks and 2hrs of Just Dance on the xbox one day.

I feel like I should have made a good start, but the scales say I haven't lost any weight.

My band says I have exceeded my own 400 calorie exercise goal everyday, double on some days, but looking MFP everyone seems to say that fitness trackers don't accurately track calories burnt. Am I completely fooling myself thinking that I have burnt anywhere near the calories the band says I have?

I haven't been eating the calories burnt so I guess any exercise is better than none, but it is disappointing not to be able to see some progress and I'm wondering whether it is worthwhile continuing with the exercising or whether I should just focus on reducing my calorie in take when my goal is to lose weight rather than get fit.

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited December 2014
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    You lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. The key is to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.

    To lose 14 lbs. set your goal to .5 lb. per week—which is more than 1,200 calories. Weigh everything you eat—even packaged foods. Verify all entries against the label. For everything else, use USDA values whenever possible. (Anyone can add an entry, so the database is full of junk data. Choosing a low-calorie entry will never get you closer to goal.)

    Logging is simple, but it ain't easy. Logging works.

    Edited to add don't panic! Weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you do everything right and maintain—or even gain. Others you lose a lot in a "whoosh." Just keep logging.
  • flabassmcgee
    flabassmcgee Posts: 659 Member
    edited December 2014
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    You're also eating much too little if you're not eating calories back on a 1200 calorie diet. It's just dangerous to go on like that.

    Read this. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/974889/in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet :)

    ETA: NOT the the above poster didn't point that out already!!!
  • mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12
    mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 Posts: 204 Member
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    Thanks. I am trying to be as accurate as possible in my logging but will stay mindful of that. I'm a vegan so mostly cook from scratch myself, my biggest downfall is portion control- especially with carbs so I am checking the packets and weighing everything
  • mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12
    mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 Posts: 204 Member
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    furioushummingbird wrote: »
    You're also eating much too little if you're not eating calories back on a 1200 calorie diet. It's just dangerous to go on like that.

    Read this. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/974889/in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet :)

    ETA: NOT the the above poster didn't point that out already!!!

    Thanks I'll check out the link. The 1200 goal was set by MFL when I entered my details. To be honest I haven't felt hungry at all, in fact in terms of volume of been eating more than ever because of all the veg. I'll review the goal though. Thanks for the advice.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 wrote: »
    The 1200 goal was set by MFL when I entered my details.

    Because you set your goal way too aggressively for your size. Change it to .5 lb. per week: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    Your MFP calorie goal has your deficit built in, so you must eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. It'll take trial & error to find what works for you.
  • jillianedwards
    jillianedwards Posts: 67 Member
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    I would not use the calories from the band and just use that as motivation for being more active during the day. I would get a heart rate monitor watch and use that for when you are working out! You burn much fewer calories than you think you would! =)
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Get an HRM if you want to track calories burnt in a workout accurately. An activity tracker or MFP over-reports.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    1. The MSFT Band has a HRM. 2, to the OP -- there are innumerable posts explaining the severe limitations of HRMs as a tool for estimating calorie burn. Do a search

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