Can somebody tell me if this sounds right pleasee for calories

JodesP93

So for the past two months I have been eating healthy and calorie counting, a few weeks ago I stopped loosing and haven't lost for 3 weeks, I looked over my diary and I was only netting at 1,000 a few years ago I could lose 3lbs a week on this but after speaking to the gym your body holds on to fat if you don't give it enough fuel and I was doing moderate cardio.

I know there are loads of forums about this but its better i asked myself instead of butting in somebody else's discussion, I looked back at my diary and the week I ate the most was the week I lost the most so I looked into the TDEE/BMR method here are the averages, ive used about 6 calculators and have BMR from my gym stats.

BMR - 1500
TDEE - 2050
TDEE-20% - 1640

I'm 5ft 1, 153lbs and I have a desk job but I work out 4-5 times a week 20min weights & 20min cardio.

Does this sound right I cant help but think 1600 is too much for a girl my hight?

msujack

Your body does not hold onto fat if you "aren't eating enough". Calorie burns are general estimates, usually over-stated.

jemhh

I'm generally a fan of eating as much as possible while losing but that does seem high to me. I'm currently 148 and cutting on 1650 and I'm about 5 inches taller than you. However, I'm also older. Activity-wise, I have a sedentary job but lift 3x/wk for 50-90 minutes and walk 10,000 steps on those days, 13,000 steps (so 5-6 miles per day) on non-lifting days. Doing that I burn 2100-2250 per day.

How much are you currently eating each day right now? (Eating, not netting )

RoxieDawn

I ran your stats and got the below information (edited to add: I ran this as sedentary/desk job)

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) 1497

Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) 1797

Daily calories loose at 20% (which is high at your height and you need to not make this so agressive) 1437

Daily calories loose at 15% (this is better I think) 1527

Where did you get your info on your TDEE?

RoxieDawn

OP, are you using a food scale? What is your MFP calories at now?

If you are eating 1640 listed in your post, and not using a food scale, I see you could easily be eating at your maintain calories I listed above. OR if you eat back exercise calories you could be eating to many of them back since they can be an overestimation you get from devices such as cardio machines, HR's and fitness bands.

These are my thought on what may be going on..

bendis2007

I think your BMR is too high - or you're setting it for lightly active when it should be sedentary, even with the 20 minutes of cardio a day. My BMR is 1541 for sedentary and I'm about 4 inches taller than you and older. Are you actually weighing your food and logging everything correctly? If you aren't using a food scale to weigh everything, you may be overshooting how much you actually eat.
Secondly, with a desk job and doing weights and 20 minutes cardio, I'm not sure how accurate the TDEE is. A lot of times the calories burned is off. If you are running the same speed for 20 minutes everyday, then you aren't burning that many calories- try adding sprints in between, inclines, etc. Something that will push your heart rate and increase oxygen consumption
Also, if you are only lifting light weights and not sore afterwards then you are simply maintaining tone and not building muscle - you're keeping what you have - which is fine. If you intend to lose weight you need to develop more muscle and push your body outside its comfort zone.
Your height isn't helping you out too much because you will have less room for error than people who are much taller or have a much higher body fat. Weigh your food and re-evaluate that you are ACTUALLY eating as much as you say and not more. Also, find a different workout routine and change it up so that your body is forced to burn more energy for repair purposes and you build more muscle.
I don't understand the "body holding onto fat if you don't give it enough fuel." If you have fat stores, and you are expending more calories than you put in - those fat stores will be utilized and disappear. The body doesn't decide to keep holding onto the fat, it uses what it needs when it needs it.
Lastly, weight loss is NOT linear. You have a moderate exercise program, you're petite, and you sit most of the day at a desk - it's not always feasible to expect constant weight loss. Make a few modifications, be proud of how far you've come, and stay the course. You will start to see a downward trend over time, but nothing happens overnight in the body =(
Good luck!!

Francl27

bendis2007 wrote: »

I think your BMR is too high - or you're setting it for lightly active when it should be sedentary, even with the 20 minutes of cardio a day. My BMR is 1541 for sedentary and I'm about 4 inches taller than you and older. Are you actually weighing your food and logging everything correctly? If you aren't using a food scale to weigh everything, you may be overshooting how much you actually eat.
Secondly, with a desk job and doing weights and 20 minutes cardio, I'm not sure how accurate the TDEE is. A lot of times the calories burned is off. If you are running the same speed for 20 minutes everyday, then you aren't burning that many calories- try adding sprints in between, inclines, etc. Something that will push your heart rate and increase oxygen consumption
Also, if you are only lifting light weights and not sore afterwards then you are simply maintaining tone and not building muscle - you're keeping what you have - which is fine. If you intend to lose weight you need to develop more muscle and push your body outside its comfort zone.
Your height isn't helping you out too much because you will have less room for error than people who are much taller or have a much higher body fat. Weigh your food and re-evaluate that you are ACTUALLY eating as much as you say and not more. Also, find a different workout routine and change it up so that your body is forced to burn more energy for repair purposes and you build more muscle.
I don't understand the "body holding onto fat if you don't give it enough fuel." If you have fat stores, and you are expending more calories than you put in - those fat stores will be utilized and disappear. The body doesn't decide to keep holding onto the fat, it uses what it needs when it needs it.
Lastly, weight loss is NOT linear. You have a moderate exercise program, you're petite, and you sit most of the day at a desk - it's not always feasible to expect constant weight loss. Make a few modifications, be proud of how far you've come, and stay the course. You will start to see a downward trend over time, but nothing happens overnight in the body =(
Good luck!!

You're confusing BMR and TDEE...

OP, I'd try 1600, and be as accurate as possible in your logging, and adjust from there.

Rdsgoal16

Sounds high to me I am 259, 6'0" and 46 years old and set at 1650 for 2 pound loss. I am down 40 pounds using this model.

RoxieDawn

bendis2007 wrote: »

I think your BMR is too high - or you're setting it for lightly active when it should be sedentary, even with the 20 minutes of cardio a day. My BMR is 1541 for sedentary and I'm about 4 inches taller than you and older. Are you actually weighing your food and logging everything correctly? If you aren't using a food scale to weigh everything, you may be overshooting how much you actually eat.

Don't guess about her BMR.. look it up..

She is right at her BMR, this not the problem. TDEE she is using to too high, also if she is eating the 1650 calories she listed and not using a food scale the she is eating at maintenance calories. OR if she is eating back exercise calories, she could be eating back too many as listed above... so the question is how or where she getting the TDEE and how many calories is MFP setup for..

Hopefully she will come back and let us know.

ALSO HERE IS A HANDY CHART:

Francl27

Rdsgoal16 wrote: »

Sounds high to me I am 259, 6'0" and 46 years old and set at 1650 for 2 pound loss. I am down 40 pounds using this model.

She's 22, and a 20% deficit will be less than a 2 pounds a week loss.

I got the same numbers as she did from Scooby (for lightly active), and it's always been pretty accurate for me. Might just have to adjust a bit according to her activity level (which might be a bit less than lightly active, that's why I suggested 1600).

JodesP93

Francl27 wrote: »

Rdsgoal16 wrote: »

Sounds high to me I am 259, 6'0" and 46 years old and set at 1650 for 2 pound loss. I am down 40 pounds using this model.

She's 22, and a 20% deficit will be less than a 2 pounds a week loss.

I got the same numbers as she did from Scooby (for lightly active), and it's always been pretty accurate for me. Might just have to adjust a bit according to her activity level (which might be a bit less than lightly active, that's why I suggested 1600).

Thanks hun, ive done loads off different calculators even ones that you put in exactly how many calories at the gym a day ect and it still come up with them figures and aswell with the desk job, plus two instructors have gave me them figures at the gym when ive had my body stats done i do weigh everything i eat im going to trail it for a week or two, i burn around 300 cals ine the gym so even at 1600 cals im only netting 1300 x

jemhh

Francl27 wrote: »

Rdsgoal16 wrote: »

Sounds high to me I am 259, 6'0" and 46 years old and set at 1650 for 2 pound loss. I am down 40 pounds using this model.

She's 22, and a 20% deficit will be less than a 2 pounds a week loss.

I got the same numbers as she did from Scooby (for lightly active), and it's always been pretty accurate for me. Might just have to adjust a bit according to her activity level (which might be a bit less than lightly active, that's why I suggested 1600).

Which Scooby calculator are you using? The regular one or the accurate one?

JodesP93

I wish i'd not posted now all you get is critism, my bmr is 100% right because ive had it done at the gym twice and thats what your body burns before doing anything. I don't eat back exercise calories because that's the whole point in TDEE it already takes exercise into acount so if I burn 300 at the gym im still only netting at 1300. Regarding TDEE ive uses scooby, fit2fit and 2 others which all come out around the same plus one of them you have to put in your hours in exercise ext so that's pretty accurate. I weigh everything and before i was eating 1200.

JodesP93

and alot of experts say your never supposed to eat below bmr and I'll only be eating 100 over

jemhh

What? I haven't read any criticism at all.

If you haven't lost in 3 weeks, that's long enough to warrant a calorie drop IMO. As you get lighter, your body needs fewer calories to function. Expect to continue dropping calories as you lose or expect your weight loss rate to decrease. That's just part of losing weight.

JodesP93

I stated in my first comment that i was eating around 1200 and netting at 1,000 how can i possibly eat less? theres loads of forums where people have switched to bmr/tdee and increased calories and lost alot more

jemhh

Open your diary so we can see what you're logging to eat each day.

People lose weight (not fat!) after increasing calories if they:
1) Have extreme cortisol issues, similar to described in this article.
2) Have temporarily been eating low enough that they do not void their bowels properly and then eat a bang-out meal that gets them to do so.

From your posts, it doesn't sound like #1. You're pretty short and 1200 calories isn't super low for that. Also, your described activity levels aren't extreme.

I have no idea if #2 is your problem.

That leaves the following reasons why you're not losing weight:

• you're eating too much to lose
• you're retaining water due to ovulation, menses, change in exercise plan, eating more carbs/sodium than usual

briscogun

JodesP93 wrote: »

I wish i'd not posted now all you get is critism,

No, no one is criticizing you. Each other and their responses? Yes. But not you.

The problem is that the math is the math. Numbers don't lie. Your CICO is already pretty low. 1600 calories eaten minus 300 burned with a TDEE of 2050 should put you well below the figure needed for weight loss. So, there is either an issue with the numbers, or maybe what is making up the numbers.

All calories are not created equal, it could have to do with your macros or even your nutrients (too much sodium and retaining water weight). Plus, you may have been burning 300 calories on the treadmill at one point when you started, but your body adapts, and that same 30 minutes of cardio may not be getting your heart rate up as much as it did before and isn't getting you that 300 burn you think. I try to mix up my workouts every 8 weeks or so. Keeps my body guessing, makes it work harder to adapt, and keeps my burns (and gains) higher. If I'm sore, it's working!

You are kind of on the light (and shorter) side already, so small changes will make a difference in your look.

I would see if making some small changes, like watching your sodium and sugars, and mix up your workouts to get your body going.

Good luck!

jprewitt1

JodesP93 wrote: »

I stated in my first comment that i was eating around 1200 and netting at 1,000 how can i possibly eat less? theres loads of forums where people have switched to bmr/tdee and increased calories and lost alot more

If what you are saying is accurate, then you should see a physician to see if you have any medical conditions that would contribute to your inconsistent weight loss. However, I would look very closely at your logging methods. You say you are eating "around 1200 and netting at 1000," but are you using a food scale to weigh your food properly? Are you closely observing all food and drink intake? You could very easily be going over your daily caloric intake and don't even realize it.

bendis2007

gia07 wrote: »

bendis2007 wrote: »

I think your BMR is too high - or you're setting it for lightly active when it should be sedentary, even with the 20 minutes of cardio a day. My BMR is 1541 for sedentary and I'm about 4 inches taller than you and older. Are you actually weighing your food and logging everything correctly? If you aren't using a food scale to weigh everything, you may be overshooting how much you actually eat.

Don't guess about her BMR.. look it up..

She is right at her BMR, this not the problem. TDEE she is using to too high, also if she is eating the 1650 calories she listed and not using a food scale the she is eating at maintenance calories. OR if she is eating back exercise calories, she could be eating back too many as listed above... so the question is how or where she getting the TDEE and how many calories is MFP setup for..

Hopefully she will come back and let us know.

ALSO HERE IS A HANDY CHART:

I can't just look up someone's BMR. BMR takes into account age and she didn't give one (or I missed it). Also the formula is just an educated guess - it's not always 100% accurate as there are other factors at play. When I typed in her age as 25, on one website I got 1300 another website gave me 1497 calories each day. As I mentioned in the second half of my post I think her TDEE is too high of a calculation and I don't think she's burning as much as is calculated. Your chart is accurate - she needs to weigh food better OR she needs to alter her exercise routine in order to truly burn more calories throughout the day.

bendis2007

Francl27 wrote: »

bendis2007 wrote: »

I think your BMR is too high - or you're setting it for lightly active when it should be sedentary, even with the 20 minutes of cardio a day. My BMR is 1541 for sedentary and I'm about 4 inches taller than you and older. Are you actually weighing your food and logging everything correctly? If you aren't using a food scale to weigh everything, you may be overshooting how much you actually eat.
Secondly, with a desk job and doing weights and 20 minutes cardio, I'm not sure how accurate the TDEE is. A lot of times the calories burned is off. If you are running the same speed for 20 minutes everyday, then you aren't burning that many calories- try adding sprints in between, inclines, etc. Something that will push your heart rate and increase oxygen consumption


You're confusing BMR and TDEE...

OP, I'd try 1600, and be as accurate as possible in your logging, and adjust from there.

You're right - I apologize. I was typing quickly and my coffee hadn't kicked in so I worded things poorly. Her BMR may be slightly elevated from what it actually is, but I do believe that the TDEE is being over-estimated