Need calorie counting help

shanionie

i everyone, I have been in MFP for close to a month now. I am hoping you guys have this thing down and can shed some light for me. I am 41 and weigh 120 lbs. I do HIIT exercises 3 times a week and walk at an incline at 3.0 mph 6-7 times a week. I have been counting calories for the first time and I just feel I can’t get the hang of it. Please note I will not be counting for a long period of time, just trying to get a grasp on what I am actually eating. In my profile I put lightly active because I have 4 children at home and am really up and active throughout the day. I also am letting MFP count all my steps for the whole day to tell me the calories I can eat back vs only inputting the times I exercise and I think this is where I have been going wrong. I have gained two pounds. I am looking to shed body fat for a bit longer. I don’t think I should be gaining at this point even though I understand muscle weighs more than fat. Any advice for this MFP beginner?

musicfan68

How tall are you? What is your goal weight? I'm assuming 120 is pretty close to goal weight so it will be very slow losing.

Are you weighing your solid/semi-solid foods to the gram? That is the most accurate way to count calories. You have to weigh your food. If you aren't, get a digital scale and start.

malibu927

How are you measuring your intake? What is your goal and how tall are you?

shanionie

I am 5’3. I have never wanted to count calories for this reason. I feel like every site tells me a different goal to obtain. My biggest fear is with the 3 hiit workouts and the 6-7 days a week on the treadmill, that I won’t eat enough. Not wanting my body to eat muscle because I am not eating back enough. I do not have a scale but will buy one today.

shanionie

Outside of the scale should I keep letting Fitbit tell MFP all my steps for the days for calories I should eat back or should I disable and only input my exercises and just use those calories???

shanionie

I have been doing the hiit workouts and treadmill for 8 weeks now. I can feel the toned stomach muscles under the fat so my goal is to get rid of body fat. I know I cannot spot treat my tummy and it will need to be total body fat I work on. I don’t know what a healthy body weight is. Goal I guess is Lósé body fat and gain toned lean muscle through my fitness program.