Need calorie counting help

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shanionie
shanionie Posts: 18 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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?

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  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    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
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    How are you measuring your intake? What is your goal and how tall are you?
  • shanionie
    shanionie Posts: 18 Member
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    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
    shanionie Posts: 18 Member
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    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
    shanionie Posts: 18 Member
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    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.

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