Worked out I should be eating 2130 calories

everythings_rosie

The personal trainer who runs the bootcamp I go to, send me a file to work out how many calories I should be eating a day, because I get lightheaded and dizzy when I lay down on the floor. Ive been tracking for a long time now, and trying to not go over 1400 calories. I generally eat clean food, except for the occasional binge I have (which I am trying to get under control) so when I worked out I should be eating 2130 calories a day - if im honest, it scares me. Any suggestions would be great? x

snickerscharlie

How did you arrive at that figure?

jemhh

Do you mean 2130 to maintain, lose weight (at how many pounds per week), gain, or what?

2130 doesn't sound crazy in general. I maintain at around 2500 so I lose about a pound a week at 2000. It all depends on your age, weight, height, and activity level, as well as any medical issues you may have.

angelexperiment

People usually say eat back half your 3xercise calories. But I don't typically. But that may be right if you are doing very intense exercise. But maybe 1800 would be better?

segacs

Try using this calculator: scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Dizzy and lightheaded are a problem.

Francl27

segacs wrote: »

Try using this calculator: scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Dizzy and lightheaded are a problem.

This. Pick a 15 or 20% deficit to lose weight. 2130 seems like a lot though.

girlviernes

Depends on your starting weight and activity level. My observed TDEE was about 2800-3000 kcals from 256 lbs to about 216 lbs.

everythings_rosie

everythings_rosie

I didnt usually tend to eat back any calories burned, and on the days I do bootcamp and gym, this can be 800+ calories

girlviernes

Okay, so you would subtract 10-20% from that overall number.

jemhh

segacs wrote: »

Try using this calculator: scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Dizzy and lightheaded are a problem.

And yes, dizzy and lightheaded are problematic. Weight loss is not supposed to require a fainting couch

everythings_rosie

can you explain what that is then? sorry, new to all this

Francl27

Hold on, you're 55 kg for 5'6" and you want to lose 15 pounds? That's way too low...

everythings_rosie

Perhaps Im not eating enough of the right foods then. I do tend to eat low carb.

kami3006

If you're using the TDEE formula, your exercise is already factored in. So reduce that number by 10-20% depending on how much you want to lose, and don't eat anything back.

girlviernes

So 2075 is your (estimated) Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). That's how many calories you probably burn on average each day. If you want a modest rate of weight loss you would substract 10% from that total for your target, so 2075-207.5 = 1867.5 and if you wanted a more aggressive weight loss you could subtract 20% so 2075 - 415 = 1660.

girlviernes

Francl27 wrote: »

Hold on, you're 55 kg for 5'6" and you want to lose 15 pounds? That's way too low...

Ooops!! Missed this.

You are actually near the bottom of the normal weight range. You probably don't need to lose a single pound!

everythings_rosie

sorry, the picture above is just the formula....its not my details.

kami3006

girlviernes wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Hold on, you're 55 kg for 5'6" and you want to lose 15 pounds? That's way too low...

Ooops!! Missed this.

You are actually near the bottom of the normal weight range. You probably don't need to lose a single pound!

^^^

jemhh

everythings_rosie wrote: »

Is this your info or just a sample. It's just a sample, right?

What are your height and weight and activity level?

everythings_rosie

5ft 3", 143lbs and Moderatelty active

astralpictures

Just use MFP correctly. Put in your stats and weight loss goals, and it will give you how many calories you should eat a day without the exercise. Track everything you eat precisely here. Wear a heart rate monitor when you exercise to see how many calories you burn, then add that amount to your exercise log. MFP will automatically re-calculate your daily calorie allowance to reflect your exercise calories. Most people only add half of their exercise calories though, to be safe (since even heart rate monitors aren't perfect, and might be over-estimating burn). So divide what you burned by two, add that number instead, and then eat your goal for the day.

Example: MFP tells you to eat 1400 calories a day.
You do a hard workout and burn 800 calories, according to your heart rate monitor.
You only add 400 calories to your custom exercise log.
Now you are supposed to eat 1800 calories for the day.
Log your food, stop eating when you get to 1800 ;-)

Upstate_Dunadan

Much easier to use a TDEE calculator. Their all over the Internet, but after doing some research, I settled on this one >>>

freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

There is also quite a bit of useful information to help understand TDEE, eating at a defecit, etc.

StaciMarie1974

How long were you eating at 1400, what results were you seeing in weight loss? If dizzy & light headedness were happening then its clear something needs to change. Try adding an additional 200-400/day, monitor your results.

As to 'low carb' what does that mean to you, and is there a medical reason for it? You may need to incorporate more carbs as they're intended for energy use.

SergeantSausage

How does your (so-called) "trainer" know it's not low blood pressure. Or a blocked artery. Or Orthostatic Hypotension. Or a brain tumor. Or <whatever> causing your dizziness?

HINT: You should probably fire this individual for not recommending medical opinion from a ... what do we call them? Oh yeah "a Doctor", right?

And go see your Doc, mmm-kay?

esjones12

everythings_rosie wrote: »

Perhaps Im not eating enough of the right foods then. I do tend to eat low carb.

No. Your body needs fuel to operate. You need to eat more calories if you are burning a bunch. If you are truly burning 800 calories, which might be a bit high for your height and weight in a general hour boot camp style class. I get about 600 at 5'8 and 187 going hard. But you could be getting more....then you really need to eat some of those calories back. Or you will see side effects like dizzy and lightheaded.

If you are set up on MFP correctly and it is telling you to eat 1400 calories, then you should try to accurately figure out what you are burning and eat the majority of that back. The harder and more often you exercise the more important it is that you eat back these calories. Under fueling workouts can lead to headaches, tired, hungry, lightheaded/dizzy, etc. Long term under fueling can lead to more serious things.

Your body needs fuel. Eat food. Just be in a deficit and you will lose weight.

segacs

Yeah, I'm unclear on whether you're trying to maintain or lose weight.

If you're trying to maintain, eat your 2075 calories each day.
If you're trying to lose, subtract 15-20% from that number and eat that much.

From your height and weight, it sounds like you don't need to lose weight so you should probably be eating at maintenance.

Remember that the formula is just an estimate; you may need to experiment a little to find your actual maintenance level.

everythings_rosie

I do weights at the gym 3 days a week at 8am then bootcamp straight after at 9.30am so burning over 800+ cals on my HRM. I took simple carbs out of my diet as they bloat me and make me feel sluggish. Ive not eaten pasta, potatoes or bread for years. After using the links on this thread, my TDEE is around 2100, so perhaps Ill just up my calories to 1800 for a few weeks and see how it goes. I used to have an eating disorder, and am finding tracking my calories daily, measuring calories burned, weighing food, is controling me so much.

RoxieDawn

OP, put your psersonal stats in the calculator.. It will give you your Basal Metabolic Rate, TDEE (based on what you stated is your activitiy level) and also what to eat every day to lose the number or percentage you choose in the questionaire.

It is really simple and straight forward. On this calculator you can ignore the meal examples, etc.. Just get your number and setup MFP for custom and use the TDEE number from the calculator.

read the stickies in MFP.. Also this link and many other links to very helpful info to get you more aware of MFP and how this works..

• http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

girlviernes

everythings_rosie wrote: »

I do weights at the gym 3 days a week at 8am then bootcamp straight after at 9.30am so burning over 800+ cals on my HRM. I took simple carbs out of my diet as they bloat me and make me feel sluggish. Ive not eaten pasta, potatoes or bread for years. After using the links on this thread, my TDEE is around 2100, so perhaps Ill just up my calories to 1800 for a few weeks and see how it goes. I used to have an eating disorder, and am finding tracking my calories daily, measuring calories burned, weighing food, is controling me so much.

Hmmm, I wonder if working with a therapist during this process would be helpful to you. For one thing, it would be helpful to progressively challenge the rules that you have created for yourself (for example, that you need to cut out certain food groups), and to work though the thinking and anxiety that comes up with calorie counting.

Get a doctor check-up since dizziness is worrisome and especially with a history of eating problems you want to make sure all your labs, etc. are good. I think increasing to 1800 is a great idea.

segacs

girlviernes wrote: »

Hmmm, I wonder if working with a therapist during this process would be helpful to you. For one thing, it would be helpful to progressively challenge the rules that you have created for yourself (for example, that you need to cut out certain food groups), and to work though the thinking and anxiety that comes up with calorie counting.

Get a doctor check-up since dizziness is worrisome and especially with a history of eating problems you want to make sure all your labs, etc. are good. I think increasing to 1800 is a great idea.

Excellent advice.