How many calories should I eat?

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jtoskey87
jtoskey87 Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello, I'm a 29 y/o female, I'm 5'4" and 273lbs. I started strong lifts 5x5 about 6 weeks ago. I've been progressing quickly, didn't have to modify until last Monday. I am semi active and I get 10k steps a day. I'm going to be starting the C25K program in two weeks. Since I started SL, I'm real hungry. MFP doesn't adjust calories for weightlifting. So, if my goal is to lift/run/lose weight, how many calories do I need so I can still lose fat and gain muscle? Any help would be special, thank you.

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  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    What are your calorie intake numbers now? What is your weight loss goal set at?
  • jtoskey87
    jtoskey87 Posts: 10 Member
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    I'm anywhere in between 1200-1800 a day, but I've only lost about 3lbs in the past 3 weeks. Assuming I'm holding water or gaining muscle from the lifing.
  • jtoskey87
    jtoskey87 Posts: 10 Member
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    My goal for 2lbs a week is like 1440 a day.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Are you eating back exercise calories?

    You could change it to 1 pound per week, this will give more calories. You will still lose but slower.
  • jtoskey87
    jtoskey87 Posts: 10 Member
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    I generally don't eat my exercise back. I just don't know with the weight lifting if I should be eating at so much of a deficit.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    You need to eat them back. That is the way MFP is set up. No wonder you are hungry.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    Put in weight lifting under cardio.

    Start by eating half back and adjust as needed. I think 100 calories per hour burned is considered an average.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited May 2017
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    jtoskey87 wrote: »
    MFP doesn't adjust calories for weightlifting.

    You are logging it in the wrong part of the diary - log the duration of your workout under the Cardiovascular section of the diary as "strength training".
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    jtoskey87 wrote: »
    I'm anywhere in between 1200-1800 a day, but I've only lost about 3lbs in the past 3 weeks. Assuming I'm holding water or gaining muscle from the lifing.

    That's a good sustainable rate of loss.

    If you're hungry a lot, look at your fat and protein and make sure you're getting enough.
  • jtoskey87
    jtoskey87 Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I ended up adjusting my daily goal for a "moderately active" female, I'm netting about 1650 calories a day. My lifting has become easier. We'll not easier, but I feel like I have enough fuel to make me go as hard as I can.
  • jenniferinfl
    jenniferinfl Posts: 456 Member
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    I use a Fitbit blaze and eat at a 1000 calorie deficit based off it's numbers which is more like a 630-640 calories actual deficit on the scale.
    I walk around 13,000-15,000 steps a day.
    I'm losing 1.4 lbs per week consistently on around 2100 calories per day. I currently weigh 230.
    So, yeah, I bet you felt pretty awful any day you did 1200 calories!
    Be careful with too big of a deficit, you can make yourself pretty sick. I log every single little thing I eat, because when you run close margins you have to be accurate. Last time I tried a 1200 calorie diet, I gave myself borderline low albumin (in the UK considered a marker for anorexia) and gave myself nausea that happened every day for months and months.
    1200 calorie diets are for 140ish lb women working on their last 10-20 lbs, they aren't for people who have an active lifestyle and more than 50 lbs to lose.

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