Maintaince question?
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I am 5'4 41 years old. Body fat when I had it measured before I started lifting constantly was 19. That's what I did at the gym with one of those hand held things. I'm not sure how accurate those are. Thank you all for your replies.0
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jlewisrn74 wrote: »I am 5'4 41 years old. Body fat when I had it measured before I started lifting constantly was 19. That's what I did at the gym with one of those hand held things. I'm not sure how accurate those are. Thank you all for your replies.
Then you can eat more than you think...I am as active as you are, a little older (46), shorter and maintain on 2200/lose eating anything less than that.0 -
You are maintaining. Right? You feel good. Right? You have energy. Right? If you answered yes to the previous questions you are doing it right. Don't worry so much about the numbers. If you are consuming more calories due to your miscalculations, so what. If you are actually eating at a slight deficit time will reveal that and you can up your intake.
This is not an exact science. I have been in maintenance almost 2 years after a 70 pound weight loss. The first year I maintained at the recommended MFP level. I sometimes ate back my exercise calories but not always. This summer I gained about five pounds. I lowered my calories a bit and got back to where I was; and am back where I want to be. I have never measured or weighted my food. I know the weight increase was due to portion control.
Instead of resorting to weighting and measuring I simply lowered my calories and it worked. I said all of this to say what I said at the beginning. If it's working don't mess with it.0 -
Thanks!You are maintaining. Right? You feel good. Right? You have energy. Right? If you answered yes to the previous questions you are doing it right. Don't worry so much about the numbers. If you are consuming more calories due to your miscalculations, so what. If you are actually eating at a slight deficit time will reveal that and you can up your intake.
This is not an exact science. I have been in maintenance almost 2 years after a 70 pound weight loss. The first year I maintained at the recommended MFP level. I sometimes ate back my exercise calories but not always. This summer I gained about five pounds. I lowered my calories a bit and got back to where I was; and am back where I want to be. I have never measured or weighted my food. I know the weight increase was due to portion control.
Instead of resorting to weighting and measuring I simply lowered my calories and it worked. I said all of this to say what I said at the beginning. If it's working don't mess with it.
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jlewisrn74 wrote: »jlewisrn74 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Also, how long have you been doing this? If it's only been a little while and you're in a tiny deficit, it's going to take a long time for a loss to show.
I have been logging for over 210 days now. I think I log fairly accurate. I really only eat healthy. I would be VERY surprised if I was way off on my logging. I don't weigh my food but almost always log higher then I ate if there is a question on the portion size.
By not weighing your food, even if measuring, you may be eating 10-50% more than you think you are. could be even more off if you don't even measure. So your 1100+ (up to 1500) may be more like 1400-2000. You wont know for sure unless you start weighing your food.
I don't eat much on a daily bases that has to be weighed. Grilled veggies, low carb tortillas, protein shakes, oatmeal, fruit (that I measure out if like blueberries). I don't eat meat and measure things like tuna, mayo, oil, nuts and beans ect... I measure in measuring cups things that can be measured that way just not weight. But I don't eat a lot that needs to be weighed that way. I'm not at all saying it's not a possibility though.
Everything you mentioned needs to be weighed. Maybe not oil but sometimes I weigh that too.0 -
arditarose wrote: »jlewisrn74 wrote: »jlewisrn74 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Also, how long have you been doing this? If it's only been a little while and you're in a tiny deficit, it's going to take a long time for a loss to show.
I have been logging for over 210 days now. I think I log fairly accurate. I really only eat healthy. I would be VERY surprised if I was way off on my logging. I don't weigh my food but almost always log higher then I ate if there is a question on the portion size.
By not weighing your food, even if measuring, you may be eating 10-50% more than you think you are. could be even more off if you don't even measure. So your 1100+ (up to 1500) may be more like 1400-2000. You wont know for sure unless you start weighing your food.
I don't eat much on a daily bases that has to be weighed. Grilled veggies, low carb tortillas, protein shakes, oatmeal, fruit (that I measure out if like blueberries). I don't eat meat and measure things like tuna, mayo, oil, nuts and beans ect... I measure in measuring cups things that can be measured that way just not weight. But I don't eat a lot that needs to be weighed that way. I'm not at all saying it's not a possibility though.
Everything you mentioned needs to be weighed. Maybe not oil but sometimes I weigh that too.
Not necessarily. She successfully lost weight using her method, and now she is apparently maintaining. The total number of calories is largely irrelevant as long as CI=CO, which is probably true, again, since she seems to be maintaining. As long as she is feeling good/healthy, then what she is doing works for her--I don't see any reason for her to change it up now.
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arditarose wrote: »jlewisrn74 wrote: »jlewisrn74 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Also, how long have you been doing this? If it's only been a little while and you're in a tiny deficit, it's going to take a long time for a loss to show.
I have been logging for over 210 days now. I think I log fairly accurate. I really only eat healthy. I would be VERY surprised if I was way off on my logging. I don't weigh my food but almost always log higher then I ate if there is a question on the portion size.
By not weighing your food, even if measuring, you may be eating 10-50% more than you think you are. could be even more off if you don't even measure. So your 1100+ (up to 1500) may be more like 1400-2000. You wont know for sure unless you start weighing your food.
I don't eat much on a daily bases that has to be weighed. Grilled veggies, low carb tortillas, protein shakes, oatmeal, fruit (that I measure out if like blueberries). I don't eat meat and measure things like tuna, mayo, oil, nuts and beans ect... I measure in measuring cups things that can be measured that way just not weight. But I don't eat a lot that needs to be weighed that way. I'm not at all saying it's not a possibility though.
Everything you mentioned needs to be weighed. Maybe not oil but sometimes I weigh that too.
Not necessarily. She successfully lost weight using her method, and now she is apparently maintaining. The total number of calories is largely irrelevant as long as CI=CO, which is probably true, again, since she seems to be maintaining. As long as she is feeling good/healthy, then what she is doing works for her--I don't see any reason for her to change it up now.
I agree. Unless she hits a bump in the road or wants to read her macros accurately. Or know how much she is actually eating for data. I like the data.0 -
Thank you for your replies. I don't weigh those but I do measure and count. I don't weigh my tortilla's because it's on the package. I don't weigh my oil but I measure out. I have maintained this weight for quite a while now (1-2 years). I actually think I'm going to increase my calories some since I've started lifting and focus on macros more. We'll see what happens....0
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Maintaining long term on 110 calories is unrealistic. Maintaining on 1100 calories is not only unrealistic, but unhealthy.
Given your stated level of activity, there is no way you are maintaining. And if you are, you are either not eating that little or you are lying about your activity.0 -
jlewisrn74 wrote: »Thank you for your replies. I don't weigh those but I do measure and count. I don't weigh my tortilla's because it's on the package. I don't weigh my oil but I measure out. I have maintained this weight for quite a while now (1-2 years). I actually think I'm going to increase my calories some since I've started lifting and focus on macros more. We'll see what happens....
The tortillas may weigh 10-30% more than the package states, which is why you should weigh it.
If you are maintaining and don't want to gain you don't need to up your cals. All I am saying is that you are probably eating more like 1500 cals and that 1500 is your maintenance, but you think you are eating 1100 but your 1100 really = 1500.
If you up your cals from where you were maintaining you should expect to gain some weight.
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I agree with others that if what you are doing today is giving you the results you want, then no, you don't have to change anything. However as Erickirb is pointing out, you very likely are eating more than you think. I don't use a food scale either, but I know that I'm likely off by about 20-30% even if I use measuring cups. There are a couple great YouTube videos that maybe someone has handy which show the differences between weighing and measuring and how it can impact your calories, even on packaged foods.
The other reason to consider trying to be more accurate and get a better handle on your true maintenance levels is so that when you are talking to others, in real life, or in forums like these, you don't give other people the impression that someone as active as you truly has that low of a TDEE because it could be unhealthy for someone else.0 -
Ok. You all make good points. And again I am eating my activity calories. And why would I lie about my activity?? MFP is set at 1100 if I burn 600 calories running that day then I do eat those back. So yes I do eat more then 1100 on most days. But not as much as most people say I should. However, I am maintaining. I will continue to do what I am doing. Unless I increase for my weight lifting. I don't lie about my activity or my food.... Who would that benefit? I have maintained on this calorie for 1-2 years. I am very careful what I eat. I eat to live. Unless I am over eating 500-1000 calories in grilled veggies I think I am pretty accurate. Maybe off a little. Thank you again for your replies.0
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jlewisrn74 wrote: »Ok. You all make good points. And again I am eating my activity calories. And why would I lie about my activity?? MFP is set at 1100 if I burn 600 calories running that day then I do eat those back. So yes I do eat more then 1100 on most days. But not as much as most people say I should. However, I am maintaining. I will continue to do what I am doing. Unless I increase for my weight lifting. I don't lie about my activity or my food.... Who would that benefit? I have maintained on this calorie for 1-2 years. I am very careful what I eat. I eat to live. Unless I am over eating 500-1000 calories in grilled veggies I think I am pretty accurate. Maybe off a little. Thank you again for your replies.
No one says you are lying. We are saying you are eating more than you think you are due to not weighing everything.
What some of us would be afraid of is you telling people you maintain on 1100 when your 1100 is probably more like 1400 if weighed. Essentially people may think you are pushing a Low Cal Diet if you mention 1100 when you probably eat more. Not a good thing to tell people they should only eat 1100 cals. That is all we are getting at.0 -
I was47Jacqueline wrote: »Maintaining long term on 110 calories is unrealistic. Maintaining on 1100 calories is not only unrealistic, but unhealthy.
Given your stated level of activity, there is no way you are maintaining. And if you are, you are either not eating that little or you are lying about your activity.
I was referring to this. ^^^
Ok so yes I am eating probably 1400 since I am eating my workout calories. I have set MFP at 1100. However, I am not eating what MFP and what everything on the Internet says I should to be eating for maintance. But, I am maintaining anywhere from 110-113. All I'm saying is I am not off 800 calories a day which is the difference between what I set MFP and from what it says I should eat. I think my question was lost some how. Thank you again for your responses0 -
You're just eating more than you think, and probably overestimating your calorie burn too. It's fine, as long as you feel good and you're maintaining.0
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I thought maintenance calories were supposed to be a bit more generous than 1400. Ugh, I would hate that. I am losing on 1800 calories and will definitely "up" that when I get to maintenance.0
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vivmom2014 wrote: »I thought maintenance calories were supposed to be a bit more generous than 1400. Ugh, I would hate that. I am losing on 1800 calories and will definitely "up" that when I get to maintenance.
They should be and probably are even for this OP. She's eating back 500-600 cals above her 1100 which is likely already lower than what she's already consuming.
I am 5'2, 123 lbs and maintain eating around 1900-2100 cals with not a ton of strenuous activity. I don't weigh my food either which accounts for the inconsistency between that and my FitBit daily burn which says my TDEE is more like 2100-2300.
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WinoGelato wrote: »
I am 5'2, 123 lbs and maintain eating around 1900-2100 cals with not a ton of strenuous activity. I don't weigh my food either which accounts for the inconsistency between that and my FitBit daily burn which says my TDEE is more like 2100-2300.
That sounds more like it!
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So question.... If I am eating 1100-1500 calories and that's what I log and everyone else is eating 1900-2300 calories and that's what they log who's to say they aren't also underestimating their calories? And who can assume that I am? I could eat more if my maintaince weight was 123 at 5'2 but mine is 110-114 at 5'4. So it seems pretty accurate to me based on the previous posters numbers. If I increased my calories I could weigh 123 also. However, that is a 10 pound weight gain for me. So if you are maintaining at 1900 calories at 5'2 and 123 who's to say I'm not maintaining at 1100- 1500 calories at 5'4 and 112? I guess it just depends on fitness goals and what an individual would consider their maintaince weight.0
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If you don't feel hungry eating at that amount then continue on, I think what others are trying to say is you could be maintaining your weight yet eating a bit more than you do - your body is just used to having only that amount and doesn't try to burn off more, if you wanted you could add a few hundred cals over a few weeks and I'm sure you still won't gain.
Perhaps it would be worth a try??
Everyone is different we all know that, it's just a matter of finding which number you can eat at to remain same weight
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