[HELP] Calculating Calorie when taking Exercise into account

RhapsodyWinters

I think I'm losing weight too fast, and it might be from not properly calculating how many calories I'm burning from exercise.

I want to lose 2 lb per week. I started last week, and I've already lost 7 lb.

Gender: F
Height: 5'4
Age: 23
SW: 261
CW: 254
GW: 130

Below is how much I'm working out.

*All exercises are 3 reps of 10-12 EXCEPT WHEN NOTED
Light cardio = walking
Moderate cardio = working up a sweat

Monday
5 min light cardio
Leg Press
Leg Curl
Leg Extensions
Hip Adduction
Hip Abduction
10 min moderate cardio
5 min light cardio

Tuesday
Apx 45 min cardio

Wednesday
5 min light cardio
Chest Press
Chest Fly (3 reps/15)
Overhead Press
Tricep Extensions (4 reps/10-15)
Tricep Pull Down “rope”
10 min moderate cardio
5 min light cardio

Thursday
Apx 45 min cardio

Friday
5 min light cardio
Lat Pull Down
Row
Reverse Fly
Hammer Curls (3 rep/10-15)
10 min moderate cardio
5 min light cardio

Can someone help me calculate how many calories I should be taking in so that I am only losing 2 lb per week?

RoxieDawn

Are you eating back any of the exercise calories? If you do not, then you should. MFP is designed for you eat the calorie it gave you + exercise (a portion).. you should trend your weight to see if the amount you are eating back is causing weight loss to be slower than the rate you chose, etc.. this will take a few weeks to determine..

The next thing to mention is if you setup MFP to lose 2 pounds per week, and the first week you lost 7 pounds, this is pretty normal for a person as your starting weight.. It not all fat loss, you have lost mostly water in the first week and perhaps the second week that will follow.. Everything will stabilize.

So if you are in line with the calories MFP gave, stay the course. And keep the exercise plan you have going.

sijomial

Log strength training by duration under the strength training option (in CV part of diary).

What does "cardio" actually mean? Specifically what cardio exercise are you doing?

Beware that the first week's weight loss will be exaggerated though, less food in your system and water weight drop if you have substantially reduced carbs.

RhapsodyWinters

RoxieDawn wrote: »

Are you eating back any of the exercise calories? If you do not, then you should. MFP is designed for you eat the calorie it gave you + exercise (a portion).. you should trend your weight to see if the amount you are eating back is causing weight loss to be slower than the rate you chose, etc.. this will take a few weeks to determine..

The next thing to mention is if you setup MFP to lose 2 pounds per week, and the first week you lost 7 pounds, this is pretty normal for a person as your starting weight.. It not all fat loss, you have lost mostly water in the first week and perhaps the second week that will follow.. Everything will stabilize.

So if you are in line with the calories MFP gave, stay the course. And keep the exercise plan you have going.

Not all the time. I'm too afraid of eating over. I don't have a fitness tracker, and the machines clearly state their counter might not be accurate. I don't know how many calories I'm burning.

sijomial wrote: »

Log strength training by duration under the strength training option (in CV part of diary).

What does "cardio" actually mean? Specifically what cardio exercise are you doing?

Beware that the first week's weight loss will be exaggerated though, less food in your system and water weight drop if you have substantially reduced carbs.

I log the strength training, but it doesn't calculate any calories when I do so. As for the cardio, so far I just use Elliptical (resistance 2), Treadmill (incline 7, speed 3-3.4), and the sitting or standing bike (resistance appx 2-5, I can't recall). I don't like the bike as much because my legs are short and the fat makes it a rocky 'ride' no matter what setting I have the seat at. I just use it when my legs are tired of elliptical and treadmill.

sijomial

Only items logged under the CARDIOVASCULAR part of the diary generate calorie estimates.
That's why you log the duration of your strength not the individual exercises there.
The STRENGTH part is just a diary.

No you won't know the calories burned - no-one outside of a sports science lab really does!
And it really doesn't matter that much.

If the machines ask your weight and/or record power output (watts frequently) then their estimates can be perfectly reasonable.

Both food and exercise logging are estimates. Aim for "reasonable" and consistent rather than precise.

Over a period of weeks/months you will get a trend and you can make adjustments based on what really matters - actual results.

SueInAz

I didn't see where anyone else has mentioned this yet so I will. Very often, the drastic changes that a person makes in their eating habits will result in a large drop in retained water the first week or two. This means you'd lose much more than 2 pounds that week but it's not in any shape or form a problem. I'd suggest holding off on making any changes to what you're doing right now and wait another 2 weeks to see your progress. If you're still losing too much then make some changes like eating back some of your exercise calories.