Safe yet effective weight loss - pounds per week and calories per day?

smrybacki

I'll keep this short and fact based to avoid the TL;DR comments:

Age : 58
Height : 5'11 1/2"
Current Weight : 213.7lbs
Goal Weight : 190-195lbs
Job type : Desk work (sadly)
Regular Exercise : (near) Daily Walking (I use a FitBit One getting 10-14k steps per day on avg)

Been plateaued here for a long time (years really) but I want to actually start showing progress and get to a more comfortable and efficient weight so I am getting "serious" now (bet that gets said a lot here lol).

So my questions are these if some weight loss guru(s) out there care to "weigh in" on this:

1. How many pounds per week would be a *reasonably* comfortable, yet effective goal?
2. How many calories per day would be the base point of starting out for the above goal?
3. Is it better to count my steps into the daily goals, or just ignore that?
4. What is a good mix (leaning protein) of macros to select?
5. What about other workouts at my age? Yoga? Light upper body resistance? Other?

Thanks in advance for any and all sensible advice given here -- it would truly be appreciated!

trigden1991

1. 1% of total bodyweight per week as a maximum (this may not be comfortable though)
2. Use MFP to calculate your TDEE and calorie requirements
3. With 10-14k steps a day but with a desk job I would select lightly active when doing step 2 and ignore calories
4. 1g/lb of ideal bodyweight protein, 0.4g/lb of fat, rest carbs (percentages aren't optimal)
5. Exercise is individual but progressive resistance training will help maintain muscle mass

malibu927

1. .5-1 pound per week
2. Set MFP to lose a pound a week and it'll tell you how much to eat. When you get to 10-15 pounds left, switch it to half a pound a week.
3. If you choose not to connect your Fitbit, then log your purposeful walking
4. Macros are pretty much up to you. Make sure you're getting at least .8 grams of protein per pound of lean mass.
5. Any strength or resistance training will help you with muscle preservation

inertiastrength

I would say 1lb/week for those stats but if you've been "stuck" giving you a calorie figure isn't going to help. You need to figure out if your problem is with overestimating burn or underestimating calories consumed (or both) because telling you to eat X amount of calories is not going to fix the root of the problem.

SezxyStef

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

For weight loss I followed the above...worked great.

As for the calorie to start with enter stats into MFP and a sedentary lifestyle and it will give them to you.

Your steps will add calories to the goal from MFP and yes eat some of them...let your fitbit do it's job.
I always try to hit 0.8 grams of protein for each lb I weigh but get at least what MFP gives you.
You could do bodyweight exercises like pushups etc.

I was 40 when I came here...started at 205lbs...down to 150 consistently. I lift weights, walk and run...

Choose exercise you love and you will stick with it.

cheryldumais

All I would add to the above excellent advice is put your activity level at sedentary. Use your fitbit but only eat back half the calories it gives you. If you continue to stay the same weight don't use the exercise calories at all. I am 60 and have lost all but 15 pounds so far doing this. I too have a desk job and walk for exercise. I am now losing at a rate of around .5 pounds per week and it is liveable. Don't try to lose too quickly because you can't maintain that for long enough. Good luck.

SezxyStef

trigden1991 wrote: »

1. 1% of total bodyweight per week as a maximum (this may not be comfortable though)
2. Use MFP to calculate your TDEE and calorie requirements
3. With 10-14k steps a day but with a desk job I would select lightly active when doing step 2 and ignore calories
4. 1g/lb of ideal bodyweight protein, 0.4g/lb of fat, rest carbs (percentages aren't optimal)
5. Exercise is individual but progressive resistance training will help maintain muscle mass

not sure that is the best advice for MFP...

TDEE can be calculated using this formula after a while and a few lbs lost.

Total calories consumed+(lbs lostx3500)/#days...I usually use 3-4 weeks of data.

And your point about ignoring them isn't great either as the 10-14k is probably purposeful exercise that isn't part of the daily life movements.

smrybacki

Thanks for all the excellent responses folks.

To say "stuck" as I have may give a false impression that I have been a slave to tracking -- I haven't. However, the numbers I am giving here regarding age, steps per day, etc...are accurate so I consider myself to be at square zero right now.

My main goal is to reset my mindset, goals and efforts towards a reduction of my weight/mass to a level that is normal for a guy my age and build. IE, not looking to be super fit (I was a distance runners til injuries did me in, so been there) but simply "fit". As a side benefit, I hope to ditch the blood pressure and cholesterol meds as my metabolism ramps up and my weight/BMI come down.

Seems that the consensus is around 1 pound per week. That makes sense to me as an attainable and sustainable goal. Probably add in an upper body routine to tone/condition my upper body, mix in an elliptical routine a couple of days a week to work alternate muscles in the lower body and do some basic/gentle yoga for range of motion and flexibility. Thinking of setting my macros to 40%C/40%P/20%F -- seem like a good start to reduce carbs and fat and amp up protein?

What about supplements? I currently take a men's multivitamin, Super B Complex and 2400 mg of fish oil daily.

smrybacki

Also, any FitBit users here?

I ask because FitBit offers a Dashboard and it's only (kinda weak) weight tracking, food tracking system. I'm thinking to totally avoid that altogether and just track my steps and weight (I also have an Aria scale) into MFP and make MFP my ONLY place to track food and exercise only.

How do you FitBit-ers do things exactly?

SezxyStef

smrybacki wrote: »

Also, any FitBit users here?

I ask because FitBit offers a Dashboard and it's only (kinda weak) weight tracking, food tracking system. I'm thinking to totally avoid that altogether and just track my steps and weight (I also have an Aria scale) into MFP and make MFP my ONLY place to track food and exercise only.

How do you FitBit-ers do things exactly?

I have a fitbit charge2

I use my fitbit dashboard more than MFP really.

I have them sync'd so my calories come back to fitbit and exercise calories into MFP.

I set myself to sedentary and let fitbit do it's job.

I track food on MFP but exercise on fitbit.

as for supplements...unless a doctor says...no reason if you are eating healthy.

I take vitamin d with calcium on a doctors advice.

smrybacki

SezxyStef wrote: »

smrybacki wrote: »

Also, any FitBit users here?

I ask because FitBit offers a Dashboard and it's only (kinda weak) weight tracking, food tracking system. I'm thinking to totally avoid that altogether and just track my steps and weight (I also have an Aria scale) into MFP and make MFP my ONLY place to track food and exercise only.

How do you FitBit-ers do things exactly?

I have a fitbit charge2

I use my fitbit dashboard more than MFP really.

I have them sync'd so my calories come back to fitbit and exercise calories into MFP.

I set myself to sedentary and let fitbit do it's job.

I track food on MFP but exercise on fitbit.

as for supplements...unless a doctor says...no reason if you are eating healthy.

I take vitamin d with calcium on a doctors advice.

Thanks, that's how I've been doing things between the two apps. MFP for food inputs and FitBit for steps. So I am thinking if I do, say for example 30 minutes of Yoga, it would be better to input that into MFP -- agree?

cheryldumais

There is a Fitbit users group on here which you might find very useful. I don't know how to put the link in but just search for it in groups and it should come up.

smrybacki

cheryldumais wrote: »

There is a Fitbit users group on here which you might find very useful. I don't know how to put the link in but just search for it in groups and it should come up.

Thanks, I'll check it out then.

It's here: community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

SezxyStef

smrybacki wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

smrybacki wrote: »

Also, any FitBit users here?

I ask because FitBit offers a Dashboard and it's only (kinda weak) weight tracking, food tracking system. I'm thinking to totally avoid that altogether and just track my steps and weight (I also have an Aria scale) into MFP and make MFP my ONLY place to track food and exercise only.

How do you FitBit-ers do things exactly?

I have a fitbit charge2

I use my fitbit dashboard more than MFP really.

I have them sync'd so my calories come back to fitbit and exercise calories into MFP.

I set myself to sedentary and let fitbit do it's job.

I track food on MFP but exercise on fitbit.

as for supplements...unless a doctor says...no reason if you are eating healthy.

I take vitamin d with calcium on a doctors advice.

Thanks, that's how I've been doing things between the two apps. MFP for food inputs and FitBit for steps. So I am thinking if I do, say for example 30 minutes of Yoga, it would be better to input that into MFP -- agree?

I actually don't...I log it on my fitbit.

Not sure how yours works tho...I can have up to 7 quick tracked exercises right on the band...otherwise I go to the dashboard.

For example I have weights,, treadmill, walk, run, bike and yoga as my quick selects...

smrybacki

SezxyStef wrote: »

smrybacki wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

smrybacki wrote: »

Also, any FitBit users here?

I ask because FitBit offers a Dashboard and it's only (kinda weak) weight tracking, food tracking system. I'm thinking to totally avoid that altogether and just track my steps and weight (I also have an Aria scale) into MFP and make MFP my ONLY place to track food and exercise only.

How do you FitBit-ers do things exactly?

I have a fitbit charge2

I use my fitbit dashboard more than MFP really.

I have them sync'd so my calories come back to fitbit and exercise calories into MFP.

I set myself to sedentary and let fitbit do it's job.

I track food on MFP but exercise on fitbit.

as for supplements...unless a doctor says...no reason if you are eating healthy.

I take vitamin d with calcium on a doctors advice.

Thanks, that's how I've been doing things between the two apps. MFP for food inputs and FitBit for steps. So I am thinking if I do, say for example 30 minutes of Yoga, it would be better to input that into MFP -- agree?

I actually don't...I log it on my fitbit.

Not sure how yours works tho...I can have up to 7 quick tracked exercises right on the band...otherwise I go to the dashboard.

For example I have weights,, treadmill, walk, run, bike and yoga as my quick selects...

Mine is only addable via the Dashboard or the Android app I have, but that's fine.

So basically -- MFP for food inputs and FitBit for activities of any kind. Sounds great and easy enough. Thanks for the insights and advice.

adhocNC

My recommendation would be to hire a dietician to work this stuff out for you specifically.

You can lift weights at your age. Just be careful of your joints, so you may want to avoid compound exercises using free weights and stick to machines (that's up to you). Your bones will thank you if you start lifting now.

SezxyStef

adhocNC wrote: »

My recommendation would be to hire a dietician to work this stuff out for you specifically.

You can lift weights at your age. Just be careful of your joints, so you may want to avoid compound exercises using free weights and stick to machines (that's up to you). Your bones will thank you if you start lifting now.

unless there is a medical reason a dietitian seems a bit over the top.

smrybacki

SezxyStef wrote: »

adhocNC wrote: »

My recommendation would be to hire a dietician to work this stuff out for you specifically.

You can lift weights at your age. Just be careful of your joints, so you may want to avoid compound exercises using free weights and stick to machines (that's up to you). Your bones will thank you if you start lifting now.

unless there is a medical reason a dietitian seems a bit over the top.

No need for a dietitian at this point, mainly because I have really just started to get serious about tracking my intake/outgo and have in the past been a reasonably fit athlete in my life -- so I know what to do to an extent.

What is new for me is simply my age, coupled with the fact that I can no longer exercise my way to leanness as I have in the past. This time, I must do it using 80-90% caloric/macro tracking and 10-20% fitness add-in to augment good eating habits. I can walk and I can lift some light weights, plus do yoga which seems prudent for someone my age who isn't looking to be competitive any more.

trigden1991

SezxyStef wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

1. 1% of total bodyweight per week as a maximum (this may not be comfortable though)
2. Use MFP to calculate your TDEE and calorie requirements
3. With 10-14k steps a day but with a desk job I would select lightly active when doing step 2 and ignore calories
4. 1g/lb of ideal bodyweight protein, 0.4g/lb of fat, rest carbs (percentages aren't optimal)
5. Exercise is individual but progressive resistance training will help maintain muscle mass

not sure that is the best advice for MFP...

TDEE can be calculated using this formula after a while and a few lbs lost.

Total calories consumed+(lbs lostx3500)/#days...I usually use 3-4 weeks of data.

And your point about ignoring them isn't great either as the 10-14k is probably purposeful exercise that isn't part of the daily life movements.

MFP provides a good starting point for TDEE. It doesn't matter if exercise is done purposefully or as part of day to day life, it all comes into TDEE hence the inclusion of the word "Total" in the phrase.

My comment was based on my experience of working an office job (sat down for 8-9hrs) but also walking approximately 15k steps daily.

kimny72

smrybacki wrote: »

Also, any FitBit users here?

I ask because FitBit offers a Dashboard and it's only (kinda weak) weight tracking, food tracking system. I'm thinking to totally avoid that altogether and just track my steps and weight (I also have an Aria scale) into MFP and make MFP my ONLY place to track food and exercise only.

How do you FitBit-ers do things exactly?

I log food in mfp, exercise in fitbit, and enabled negative adjustments. I don't do anything complicated, just basic cardio and strength training, and I have an Alta so no hrm. It's worked well for me this way!