How to figure out my calories

Kaysteroni

I'm 29 years old. 4'9" and about 232 lbs. I'm looking to get to 120 or so.
I'm not much for exercise as I have bad ankles but would like to try using the treadmill daily for about an hour. Most of the time I am on the couch crocheting or watching tv.

I had put in my info but it gave me 1200. Which I feel is not enough.


If anyone can help me figure it out.
Please and thank you

spiriteagle99

If you are sedentary, the default is 1200. It generally isn't good to eat much less than this. If you want to eat more, you'll need to exercise more if you want to lose weight.

Helloitsdan

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

If you are sedentary, the default is 1200. It generally isn't good to eat much less than this. If you want to eat more, you'll need to exercise more if you want to lose weight.

Don't listen to this.

Bad ankles is usually from the weight.
Do you have access to a pool? Local fitness club or association?
Train in the pool.
Also, basic calisthenics ala Convict Conditioning on YouTube would be an excellent start. Dragonloki has an excellent channel. Start on step 1 and work it!

You wabt to weigh 120?
1600kcal would be a great start.
Anything less and you'd probably be miserable.

Questions? Reach out and I'd be glad to help.

TavistockToad

Why not do more activity through the day to get more calories?

SapphireMoon23

I just entered your stats on my app and it gave me 1640 calories per day. This is what I did...

Enter current wt
Enter goal wt
Chose Lose 1 lb per week
Chose Not very active ** (this one is important)

Each week when you lose a pound you will need to change your current wait. The trend that I see is that for everything 4-5 pounds that i loose the app reduces my daily calories between 20 and 30 per day.

And if you use the app MAPMYWALK and Link it up to my fitness pal then you can track how many calories you burn when you go out for a long walk or some kind of walking activity or even jogging. You can even use it while you're on the treadmill. Look at the settings.

When you to add extra activity such as any cardio or aerobic or even going for an extra long walk for a few of miles make sure that you track the calories. Then you can eat back half of the calories that you burned. I used to eat back all the calories burned from doing Zumba, yoga, Aqua fit, and pilates, and even one hour of strength training with 7 to 10 different machines. I did not understand how for months I could not lose any weight.

Now your problem should be fixed. If not send me a personal message and I'll see what else I can do to help you. Also make sure that you take the chance to read the section that says get started or getting started.

*By the way 2140 cal is maitainence for your weight. Just eat 500 calories less per day and you lose one pound per week.

Feel free to add me.

Helloitsdan

The 1600 number is pretty close to low activity people maintaining 120 fyi.

If you want the complexity of counting calories, eating back calories, weighing food, re entering data, reevaluating numbers.....

Or just eat 1600ish calories till goal.

Complex or simple
Its really up to your ability to juggle that and whatever life is throwing you.

SapphireMoon23

The app says that 1510 calories is what a person who weighs 120 pounds and has an activity level of Not very active needs in order to just maintain your weight. Fyi

Helloitsdan

sapphiremoon23 wrote: »

The app says that 1510 calories is what a person who weighs 120 pounds and has an activity level of Not very active needs in order to just maintain your weight. Fyi

We can split hairs if you like!

I understand why you would say that. Im using actual formulas that I use in my business as a nutritional consultant and habit coach.

Two things you should understand:
1). Calories on packaging as well as reported on websites have up to a 30% margin of error.

2). Our bodies aren't machines meaning if you eat 150kcal of protein, you don't necessarily absorb 150kcal of protein.

OP you of course want to decide on what you'll be able to maintain over the course of a year and beyond. If you need help, feel free to add me as a friend.

Kaysteroni

Helloitsdan wrote: »

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

If you are sedentary, the default is 1200. It generally isn't good to eat much less than this. If you want to eat more, you'll need to exercise more if you want to lose weight.

Don't listen to this.

Bad ankles is usually from the weight.
Do you have access to a pool? Local fitness club or association?
Train in the pool.
Also, basic calisthenics ala Convict Conditioning on YouTube would be an excellent start. Dragonloki has an excellent channel. Start on step 1 and work it!

You wabt to weigh 120?
1600kcal would be a great start.
Anything less and you'd probably be miserable.

Questions? Reach out and I'd be glad to help.

I don't have access to a pool. I eventually want to buy one for my backyard.
I can't afford a gym as I'm on disability.
Yes, my doctor says that my goal weight should be about 120

Helloitsdan

What does your doctor have you doing now, to get your weight down?

Kaysteroni

He has me on Metformin (I'm diabetic). He says to cut out most sugary foods. Cut back on fat and try to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Kaysteroni

I haven't actually tried yet. I just had surgery a couple weeks ago and I'm still healing.

SapphireMoon23

Look in your library for the book called
Dr Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes. Great book. Diabetes runs in my family. I reversed mine with good nutrition & weightloss. Check on your library's website to see if they have OverDrive you might be able to borrow the book in digital form, audio or ebook.

Kaysteroni

sapphiremoon23 wrote: »

Look in your library for the book called
Dr Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes. Great book. Diabetes runs in my family. I reversed mine with good nutrition & weightloss. Check on your library's website to see if they have OverDrive you might be able to borrow the book in digital form, audio or ebook.

My doctor told me that once you get diabetes you always have it. Its just under control.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

input your stats into mfp(height,weight,age) and put in sedentary. aim for a slow loss of 1-1.5 lbs a week as 2 lbs(1200) may be too hard for you to sustain(not saying it will be but you can try it). eat to those calories and you should lose the weight even without exercise. slower weight loss is actually better in the long run.Do you have a ymca/ywca near you? if not thats fine if you want to work out there are plenty of free videos online. fitnesblender.com is a good site and they have everything from beginner to advanced. but exercise is mainly for health and not needed for weight loss

Kaysteroni

I actually live right next door to a ywca. But I can't afford to go there.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

If you are sedentary, the default is 1200. It generally isn't good to eat much less than this. If you want to eat more, you'll need to exercise more if you want to lose weight.

the lowest amount for any woman on mfp is 1200.sedentary or not. and no she doesnt need to exercise more to eat more,she can choose a less aggressive weight loss goal to be able to eat more. she is overweight so she should be able to eat more than 1200 and lose weight. you also dont change or update your weight with every lb you lose, its every 10 lbs you lose.heck at a higher weight it could for some be 20lbs. as for a 120 lb person only needing 1510 calories to maintain weight,thats not going to be everyone. everyone is different.

Kaysteroni

I was always taught that the more I eat the more I gain.

Kaysteroni

I have bad ankles because of arthritis and the way I sleep at night

SapphireMoon23

Your doctor is wrong. I get blood work every 6 months and I'm literally not diabetic anymore and I have met other people who have also reversed their diabetes. It's all in the proof of the blood work. Best wishes to you.

Kaysteroni

I have had normal levels for about 2 years but I'm still diabetic

CaptainJoy

Kaysteroni wrote: »

I'm 29 years old. 4'9" and about 232 lbs. I'm looking to get to 120 or so.
I'm not much for exercise as I have bad ankles but would like to try using the treadmill daily for about an hour. Most of the time I am on the couch crocheting or watching tv.

I had put in my info but it gave me 1200. Which I feel is not enough.


If anyone can help me figure it out.
Please and thank you

1200 calories is manageable. I am 5'5" and started at 245 lbs. That was morbidly obese. In the beginning, I ate only 1200 calories with very little exercise. I lost over 100 pounds this past year and have increased my exercise to where I will be run/walking my first 10K in the next few weeks. I can now eat 1700 - 2000 calories without gaining weight. What's important is to find foods that are filling. I also found that eating more often kept me from getting so hungry that I'd lose control. I started with 250 -300 calories per meal about four times per day. I found low fat and protein rich foods to be the best. Low fat because fatty foods are higher in calories. Protein rich because protein tends to satisfy hunger and preserve some of your muscle mass as you lose weight.

Low calorie foods with protein include unbreaded, unfried seafood, turkey, and chicken. Tuna and salmon on low calorie crackers is a good meal. Boiled, steamed, or baked chicken or turkey with a generous helping of steamed vegetables is another idea. I actually saved money buying healthier low calorie foods because I was eating much less. If you like white bread, that's fine. Rice is fine. I would have a tuna sandwich using one piece of bread and some corn puffs for lunch. Some days it was a turkey burger on white bread. The important thing with food is to know how much you are actually eating. For that you will need a food scale.

Two other important things to remember are to drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. These two things will keep you from thinking you are hungry when you're actually tired or thirsty. If you do start using the treadmill you will be able to eat more. The 1200 calories is without exercise. Good luck and instead of thinking this is not enough, just decide that it is enough...for now. As the weight comes off, you will feel so much better. I had bad knees and a bad back. Not anymore.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

Kaysteroni wrote: »

I was always taught that the more I eat the more I gain.

if you eat more than your body burns yes, but if you eat less than your body burns then for most people no. so Like I said just put your stats into MFP and eat to that calorie goal it gives you. give it a few months and see if you lose any weight, since you being overweight/obese(by medical standards),your BMR(what your body needs calorie wise to just function) will be higher at a higher weight than at a lower weight. it all depends on if you are losing or not. also weight will fluctuate so the scale will at times go up,down or not move at all and thats normal.so dont get discouraged. try it for a few months and see, and if you dont see a loss then lower calories by 100 (just dont go any lower than 1200).if you start off at 1200 calories once you get to a smaller weight you wont be able to eat less calories. Thats why its best to lose less weight at a slower pace,not to mention less issue

Kaysteroni

CaptainJoy wrote: »

Kaysteroni wrote: »

I'm 29 years old. 4'9" and about 232 lbs. I'm looking to get to 120 or so.
I'm not much for exercise as I have bad ankles but would like to try using the treadmill daily for about an hour. Most of the time I am on the couch crocheting or watching tv.

I had put in my info but it gave me 1200. Which I feel is not enough.


If anyone can help me figure it out.
Please and thank you

1200 calories is manageable. I am 5'5" and started at 245 lbs. That was morbidly obese. In the beginning, I ate only 1200 calories with very little exercise. I lost over 100 pounds this past year and have increased my exercise to where I will be run/walking my first 10K in the next few weeks. I can now eat 1700 - 2000 calories without gaining weight. What's important is to find foods that are filling. I also found that eating more often kept me from getting so hungry that I'd lose control. I started with 250 -300 calories per meal about four times per day. I found low fat and protein rich foods to be the best. Low fat because fatty foods are higher in calories. Protein rich because protein tends to satisfy hunger and preserve some of your muscle mass as you lose weight.

Low calorie foods with protein include unbreaded, unfried seafood, turkey, and chicken. Tuna and salmon on low calorie crackers is a good meal. Boiled, steamed, or baked chicken or turkey with a generous helping of steamed vegetables is another idea. I actually saved money buying healthier low calorie foods because I was eating much less. If you like white bread, that's fine. Rice is fine. I would have a tuna sandwich using one piece of bread and some corn puffs for lunch. Some days it was a turkey burger on white bread. The important thing with food is to know how much you are actually eating. For that you will need a food scale.

Two other important things to remember are to drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. These two things will keep you from thinking you are hungry when you're actually tired or thirsty. If you do start using the treadmill you will be able to eat more. The 1200 calories is without exercise. Good luck and instead of thinking this is not enough, just decide that it is enough...for now. As the weight comes off, you will feel so much better. I had bad knees and a bad back. Not anymore.

I will try eating less. I guess I do overdo it sometimes.
My typical meals include.....

2 cups of puffed wheat cereal and 1 cup skim milk (2 calorie free sugar) + 1 banana and 2 cups water for breakfast.

A ham or turkey sandwich with cheese, a little margarine, and mustard. An apple and water for lunch.

And dinners are usually one of the following.....

- Steak, mashed potatoes, some kind of vegetables, some BBQ sauce, and some margarine
- Chicken Breast, Ham Fried Rice, Some kind of vegetables, BBQ sauce, and a little margarine
- Pork Chop, Ham Fried Rice, Some kind of vegetables, BBQ sauce, and a little margarine
- A chicken burger in a bun with cheese, onions, relish, ketchup and mustard. With some carrots and homemade fries.
- Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes or rice, some kind of vegetables, ketchup, and some margarine
- Taco Mix, Tortilla Bowls, Cheese, some vegetables
- Soup and a grilled cheese. Sometimes a few crackers
- Shepherds Pie
- Homemade chicken strips and homemade fries
- Spaghetti and Sauce or meatballs
- Roast Beef, a slice of bread, some gravy, some vegetables, mashed potatoes
- Sausages, bacon, a couple waffles, hash browns (no eggs, I'm allergic)
- Chicken wrap (mustard and mayonnaise) and vegetables
- Homemade pizza
- Hotdog and homemade fries

I've been looking on Pinterest for more ideas

nutmegoreo

Have you entered this type of day into the diary here? It will help you see where you are taking in a lot of calories, and then look at where you can start reducing. Find lower cal substitutes for some of these.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

its also not about what you eat but how much,if you eat over your maintenance calories(the calories needed to maintain your current weight),yes you will gain.if you eat less you will lose,

CaptainJoy

The banana adds a lot of extra calories. I eat some now but cut them out while losing weight. An apple a day is good, even if it has lots of calories but the margarine is something to cut to a bare minimum. Steak is also fine but you need to know how much it weighs so you don't go overboard. Cheese is something I almost had to give up. I absolutely loved cheese! I now eat it but sparingly. The homemade fries are fine but if they're fried you need to measure how much oil is absorbed into the fries by weighing them before frying, then afterwards. One of my biggest downfalls was fried burritos. The tortillas were high in calories, then I fried them. They were always filled with too much cheese. I seldom make them anymore and really don't miss them. Soup, specifically Beefy Mushroom and Golden Mushroom soup, make for awesome gravies. I add a pound of ground turkey and serve over bread or rice. An awesome meal! Sausages and bacon are tricky. It's normal to weigh meat raw but crispy bacon is definitely lower in calories than what the package states. When you do wraps, make sure you're getting the lowest calorie wrap. Sometimes simple white bread has less calories than a wrap.

I definitely overdid my eating. I also loved to crochet and sit a lot. I am so much happier with myself and my current health. I hope you have the outcome that I experienced.

Helloitsdan

CaptainJoy wrote: »

The banana adds a lot of extra calories. I eat some now but cut them out while losing weight. An apple a day is good, even if it has lots of calories but the margarine is something to cut to a bare minimum. Steak is also fine but you need to know how much it weighs so you don't go overboard. Cheese is something I almost had to give up. I absolutely loved cheese! I now eat it but sparingly. The homemade fries are fine but if they're fried you need to measure how much oil is absorbed into the fries by weighing them before frying, then afterwards. One of my biggest downfalls was fried burritos. The tortillas were high in calories, then I fried them. They were always filled with too much cheese. I seldom make them anymore and really don't miss them. Soup, specifically Beefy Mushroom and Golden Mushroom soup, make for awesome gravies. I add a pound of ground turkey and serve over bread or rice. An awesome meal! Sausages and bacon are tricky. It's normal to weigh meat raw but crispy bacon is definitely lower in calories than what the package states. When you do wraps, make sure you're getting the lowest calorie wrap. Sometimes simple white bread has less calories than a wrap.

I definitely overdid my eating. I also loved to crochet and sit a lot. I am so much happier with myself and my current health. I hope you have the outcome that I experienced.

Nothing wrong with eating bananas. In fact most people are deficient in potassium. Bananas have good fiber.
CaptainJoy makes good points but what you need to look at is the limiting factors.
OP doesn't move enough.
OP as a result will tend to overeat the wrong foods.
OP sleeps well but is overall sedentary.
Telling someone like this to eliminate fruit because of its caloric load is silly.

Look at calorie dense, processed foods and begin reducing those instead.

CaptainJoy

Worked for me and I'm happy and hope @Kaysteroni can be happy too.

Helloitsdan

CaptainJoy wrote: »

Worked for me and I'm happy and hope @Kaysteroni can be happy too.

Congrats!
The devil is in the detail.

Kaysteroni

I enjoy my fruits and vegetables. I like apples, bananas, cantaloupe, grapes, plums, Peaches, strawberries, oranges. Carrots, onions, potatoes, green beans, yellow wax beans, tomatoes, corn, Peas, Lima beans.

Its just a lot of them are too pricey for what I get each month.

Steak is usually about 4oz uncooked.
Tortillas are 160 for 2.
Margarine is 60 for 2 tsp. I'm thinking on switching to the "I can't believe it's not butter"
My cheese is 50 calories. I don't have it all the time.
The homemade fries I just cut up a potato, spray it with a little oil and place it in the oven.
Soup is usually a vegetable or tomato.