Need help CICO

dkginger

I started my journey 8/8. I am 53, fairly sedentary, SW 197. My calories were set to 1200. Pretty easy for me to stay in that range, macros pretty good. Lost 17 pounds by weigh in on 9/30. Since then I have stalled. Same diet, same activity level, not a pound dropped. Still sitting at 180. Goal weight is around 145. I ran some numbers and with my BMR at 2100-500 I should be eating more like 1600, right? This is all very new to me.
I increased my calories starting Sunday. I also started Piyo on Monday. Just got a fitbit and this morning I burned 350 calories during the workout. Fitbit shows a total of 2200 calories burned today. So how much should I be eating if most days will be just like this? It's been hard to add the extra calories. I know I can do it with healthy fats. Nuts, oils, avocado but I have my macros set at 40, 35, 25. Im trying to add higher protein calorie dense foods like quinoa, beans, etc.
Any advice is welcome. I just opened my diary. No negative judgement please.

dkginger

I forgot to say I am 5'3"

Cahgetsfit

yep eat more

dkginger

Ok great. So how much?

kommodevaran

1200 calories isn't much food, and it's easy to underestimate intake. Your protein goal is crazy high, fat goal really low. You don't have to add certain foods. Normal food you like is fine. 1600 calories sounds more appropriate for someone with your stats, but as you are losing weight, your loss will slow down and your margin of error becomes smaller. So tighten up your logging - weigh everything, doublecheck database entries.

dkginger

I weigh everything and check entries against USDA. Where would you suggest my protein and fat goals should be?

Sued0nim

dkginger wrote: »

I started my journey 8/8. I am 53, fairly sedentary, SW 197. My calories were set to 1200. Pretty easy for me to stay in that range, macros pretty good. Lost 17 pounds by weigh in on 9/30. Since then I have stalled. Same diet, same activity level, not a pound dropped. Still sitting at 180. Goal weight is around 145. I ran some numbers and with my BMR at 2100-500 I should be eating more like 1600, right? This is all very new to me.
I increased my calories starting Sunday. I also started Piyo on Monday. Just got a fitbit and this morning I burned 350 calories during the workout. Fitbit shows a total of 2200 calories burned today. So how much should I be eating if most days will be just like this? It's been hard to add the extra calories. I know I can do it with healthy fats. Nuts, oils, avocado but I have my macros set at 40, 35, 25. Im trying to add higher protein calorie dense foods like quinoa, beans, etc.
Any advice is welcome. I just opened my diary. No negative judgement please.

Reading through your OP

1) stop being sedentary ...walk more
2) your set calories are probably too low but are you logging food by weight and with care
3) you've been stalled for 3 weeks...sometimes that happens, refocus on your calories and give it more time
4) that's not your BMR but might be your TDEE
5) if you're not losing with current calorie intake then why increase?
6) have you set your Fitbit to the same goals as MFP...same time zone? Do that then eat them all (I do) ..unless you have a HR monitor one then I wouldn't ..if eat a percentage of the adjustment
7) focus on calories and accurate logging by weight, check and double check any food entry you are choosing against packs and other databases, a huge number are wrong. Eat a wide spread of foods you love, lots of bright coloured veg, treat your protein and fat as minimums

dkginger

Thanks Sue,
1) Which why I started Piyo and bought a fitbit to move more
2) Yes logging strict, weighing, checking USDA.
3) patience!
4) You're right that is my TDEE. As mentioned this is all new to me. So if TDEE is 2100 how would I calculate my deficit?
5) Thinking I wasn't eating enough calories and my metabolism put on the brakes
6) Brand new fitbit. Has HR. Not synced with MFP yet. If it shows a 2300 calorie expenditure then what would be my calorie deficit?
7) Meaning I should aim for more protein and fat? Previous poster said my protein goals were super high. 40, 30, 30?

kommodevaran

dkginger wrote: »

I weigh everything and check entries against USDA. Where would you suggest my protein and fat goals should be?

Try 80 grams of each. Find a level that's easy to adhere to, a diet that makes you satisfied with the calories you have to stick to. It has nothing to do with metabolism, but adherence.

Sued0nim

Let your Fitbit settle down as it learns you over time

A defecit is always from TDEE .. 500 defecit is going to add up to a pound loss a week, but you need to work on 6-8 week cycles and take an average IMHO

Your Fitbit is giving you a guideline TDEE based on your step count and HR if exercising...you should give yourself credit for not actually being as sedentary as you think

Bio feedback is key ..so what is your body doing over that 6-8 week cycle...I find trendweight.com very valuable (it synchs automatically from your Fitbit if you set up an account. But you'd probably need to close the loop and synch MFP and Fitbit too

Are you doing any resistance work ..weights? Something with progressions. I'm a strong believer in heavy weights for women of our age ...hormone balance, lifting and tightening and preventing osteoporosis (also addictive)

I follow the minimum guidelines of protein at 0.64-0.8g per lb bodyweight, fat at 0.35g per lb of bodyweight and aim to hit them and let carbs fall where they will. But the primary focus is always on calories

dkginger

Awesome. Thanks so much. 3 years ago I lost 65 pounds with diet and exercise using a weight lifting program combined with some cardio. I'll add some weights and reset my protein and fats.