I need guidance please :(

Keriann23

Hi, I was wondering, i know to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you eat a day. However when I see the results at the end of the day, even keeping my calorie intake under goal it still looks like I ate more than I worked out. I am stuck at a weight for the past 2 weeks no movement. Please help.

Example of my numbers.

Goal :1200 eat
Ate : 1018
Burned: 460
Net: 558

Everyday i am around the same. I go to the gym 1 -2 times a day, and only eat healthy snacks, and meal replacement shakes for breakfast and lunch. With a good meal of chicken and veggies or steak and veggies for dinner.

I am just getting frustrated about being stuck at the same weight for almost 2 weeks

cmriverside

You want your NET to be 1200 - or above. The "burn" includes the energy your body burns to keep you alive, you know? Brushing your teeth, taking a shower, keeping your heart beating.

How much weight do you want to lose total? 1200 is really low and you may be able to raise those calories even higher. Do you agree that you need to keep growing hair, breathing etc?

livingleanlivingclean

Your goal is the amount you should eat regardless of exercise - this amount is based on the normal activity level you inputted, with a deficit worked in. Your body requires a certain amount of calories just to survive, you aren't expected to do that many calories of exercise.

Exercise is added on top. People generally recommend eating a portion back (50%ish)as burns are overestimated.

So if you burn 400 in exercise, add only half back to your 1200 total to make 1400 cals.

2 weeks of maintenance could be attributed to many things, how long have you been dieting for?

zena9

There is another forum topic about deficits which may help you. Lower calories isn't always better in that your body slows down to adjust, survival mode. Your picture looks very young and if you exercise you should be able to eat more and lose slowly.

cmriverside

Yeah, lots of helpful posts in the stickies.

Start with the ones listed on this thread:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

Penthesilea514

I may be confused at your post, but I want to say that your body "burns" calories just doing normal metabolic processes (even just sitting in a chair) throughout the day. If MFP gives you a calorie goal, that is, based on your lifestyle (active to sedentary), your normal metabolic rate minus the rate at which you chose to lose weight (0.5 to 2 lbs a week on MFP usually). So if you are given 1200 calories to eat, that included the deduction for your chosen weight loss rate.

Exercise is for fitness, not to help you lose weight per se. Some people eat these calories back, some eat 50% back and some don't eat them back. So if you chose to eat your calories from exercise back, you should eat (using your example) 1660 calories that day. For half your exercise calories, 1430 in that day. For not eating them back, you still have 1200 calories as your base calories to hit and still lose weight.

With as much exercise as you do, and without knowing your height and weight, I don't know how many calories you should be eating.

Please read forums in different sections to learn more from seasoned MFP folks- they will give great advice on fitness, nutrition, and motivation.

Keriann23

I am 31 - that is a very old photo. I am looking to lose 20 lbs by July. I started running on the treadmill for the first time as well. I have "STARTED AGAIN" dieting a month ago. A year ago i lost 75 lbs. and now i am trying to lose the final 20

quiksylver296

Just to reiterate, your body uses calories ALL DAY, not just when you work out.

You should be eating 1200 calories NET, after eating back your exercise calories.

Instead of looking like this:

Goal :1200 eat
Ate : 1018
Burned: 460
Net: 558

Your day should look like this:

Ate 1660 calories
Burned 460 calories
Net 1200 calories.

If you only have 20 pounds left to lose, you should not be aiming for 2 pounds/week loss. You should be at 1 pound/week at most, maybe even 0.5 pounds/week.

Please do go read the threads that @cmriverside so kindly posted. You can do this easier and more safely.

Keriann23

am i suppose to eat the full 1200 calories PLUS working out 400 calories (average) a day to lose weight, or should i stick with the eating of 800 calories (as i have been) plus working out. I really am confused.

livingleanlivingclean

1200 plus exercise.

The 1200 is your goal for losing weight without exercise.

maryjaquiss

Yes, you should be eating 1200+400 (i.e. 1600).

1200 is what you would eat to lose weight while sitting on the sofa all day watching TV. If you're exercising, you need additional calories to fuel that so you can eat more and still lose. You don't want to eat less than 1200 + exercise calories because you'll feel terrible and you won't be able to sustain it!