Activity level setting

becgraceevemaggie

Hi, could somebody please give advise on activity level setting? I've set mine to low but when I checked it says jobs such as waitressing are classified as active. I run my own seasonal cafe and do all the baking ECT so I am quite active but when I changed the setting the calories allowed for the day jump by over 400 cals . This is a bit scary as it would put my daily allowance up over 1800 to lose 2lb week (Sorry but I need to see the weight come off the scales each week). Should I trust this new total or stick to the old total. I don't want to risk a week with no lose at this early stage.
So far I've lost 10lb in just under 2weeks, but obviously most of that is fluid.
I did post this in the wrong place at first...oops!
Thank you.

sijomial

Wow you sound so anxious!

• This is a bit scary.
• I need to see the weight come off the scales each week.
• I don't want to risk a week with no lose at this early stage.

Whatever number you choose you need a far longer viewpoint than day to day or week to week.
You are setting yourself up for frustration and disappointment for no good reason.

It matters far more what you weigh a year from now than it does a month from now.

Just as you recognise your first 10lbs isn't just going to be fat loss there's going to be times when the scales stop moving for no apparent reason. You will struggle to cope with perfectly normally fluctuations unless you relax a little.

Without knowing your stats would ask if 2lbs a week loss appropriate?
Also is it sustainable?

VintageFeline

2500 steps per activity level. So sedentary 2500, then each level goes up by 2500. If you have a tracker you can fairly accurately pick your level.

And no, you probably won't see a loss every week, some do but the body naturally fluctuates, make your peace with this now. Consistency is what matters. I just went 3 weeks with no scale movement then 1.8lbs whooshed off in two days (I weigh daily and track the trend).

JeanLaw131

And no, you probably won't see a loss every week, some do but the body naturally fluctuates, make your peace with this now. Consistency is what matters. I just went 3 weeks with no scale movement then 1.8lbs whooshed off in two days (I weigh daily and track the trend).


This!!!

GauchoMark

yeah, like the others have said, relax and come to terms that weight loss is a slow process. Your weight will fluctuate, so you will gain a lb or so eventually - no big deal. Stressing over this too much can actually acerbate the issue - look up cortisol.

As for advice, If you are really nervous, go get an activity monitor like a fitbit and use that. Set your activity level to sedentary, enable negative adjustments, and just let the fitbit do it's job and tell you how much to eat. Otherwise, if you feel fine at 1400 calories, stick with it while you can. If you feel like you need more calories to function properly, then up the calories some. If you don't want to go all the way to 1800, go to 1600 for a month and see how you feel.

All these numbers are just estimates - no one can put pen to paper and tell you exactly what you need to do because there are too many variables to consider. You have to just make a plan, stick to it, and make small adjustments along the way based on the data you collect (log accurately, weigh/measure yourself often, compare results with expectations and make adjustments)

becgraceevemaggie

Thank you for your replies and advice. I think settling in mid range is a good idea so will give it a go. Yes need to chill out and I will look up corticortisol and its impact. Thanks againx

SusanMFindlay

What are your stats? (height and weight)

Your job sounds like you should be at least "active". When I signed up, I followed the instructions and chose "lightly active" because I teach for a living. While I set my calorie goal for 1 pound/week loss, I've been losing 2 pounds/week for the past 8 weeks eating 1700 cals/day. I suspect that's because my 5 km walk just to get from my parking spot to my office and from my office to my classroom (and back) is abnormal.

So, eating 1800 cals/day while having such an active job should still lead to weight loss.

Also, you should really only be aiming for 2 pounds/week if you have at least 50 pounds to lose. Otherwise, 1 pound/week is a safer goal (in terms of making sure you're losing mostly fat not muscle).

becgraceevemaggie

Hi Susan. Thanks for your reply. I now have around 90lb to lose. I'm 5 foot 8, 53 years old (not sure if that counts) and weigh a hefty 17 stone 4lb. I've been here before so also know how easy it is to fail at reducing intake. I work at the moment around 50 to 60hrs a week and it is quite busy so I will probably do as gaucho mark suggested and aim for 1600 cals. When my season ends I will adjust accordingly.
I can see how it's important to chill and take the long term view, but easier said than done in my case ☺. I think it really does illustrate how losing weight is so dependent on the person's state of mind.
Thanks again.

robdowns1300

I use the activity level as a "tweek". If, over time I'm not seeing the results I'm after, I bump the activity level up or down a notch & give it a few weeks to see results. It usually works great.

kshama2001

becgraceevemaggie wrote: »

Hi Susan. Thanks for your reply. I now have around 90lb to lose. I'm 5 foot 8, 53 years old (not sure if that counts) and weigh a hefty 17 stone 4lb. I've been here before so also know how easy it is to fail at reducing intake. I work at the moment around 50 to 60hrs a week and it is quite busy so I will probably do as gaucho mark suggested and aim for 1600 cals. When my season ends I will adjust accordingly.
I can see how it's important to chill and take the long term view, but easier said than done in my case ☺. I think it really does illustrate how losing weight is so dependent on the person's state of mind.
Thanks again.

If you are still ovulating you should know that we can retain water at that time, as well as premenstrually, which can mask our progress, especially for women who only weigh weekly.

Most of these spikes are due to my cycle:



I weigh daily and am only concerned that the overall trend remains downward.

VintageFeline

becgraceevemaggie wrote: »

Hi Susan. Thanks for your reply. I now have around 90lb to lose. I'm 5 foot 8, 53 years old (not sure if that counts) and weigh a hefty 17 stone 4lb. I've been here before so also know how easy it is to fail at reducing intake. I work at the moment around 50 to 60hrs a week and it is quite busy so I will probably do as gaucho mark suggested and aim for 1600 cals. When my season ends I will adjust accordingly.
I can see how it's important to chill and take the long term view, but easier said than done in my case ☺. I think it really does illustrate how losing weight is so dependent on the person's state of mind.
Thanks again.

Your goal, with your stats, seems completely reasonable. I would go with the original goal, you're active and you have a lot to lose, make the most of being able to more and still lose at a good clip!