Getting started, when to take breaks and food intake question?

charlietrahan1950
charlietrahan1950 Posts: 6 Member
edited November 27 in Health and Weight Loss
So after logging into fitness pal, filling in stats etc. I would need to only consume 1200 calories a day. I also started Insanity yesterday and plan to do that 5-6 days a week with a one to two day break. I also plan to walk my dog daily to help loosen me back up after a workout. My question is, is 1200 calories a little low considering the intensity of Insanity? I weigh 135 and am 5' 6" (I'm female). I want to be fit/toned and set my weight goal at 115 but i figured the weight doesn't matter I want to be toned so I don't know what weight that will be for me until i get there. Also, I did insanity yesterday after not working out for 7 months because, I started to take foster kids in my home and have not had time. I am in quite a bit of pain. How much pain is too much and what is a good indicator I need a break? I've ripped my Achilles once (doing yoga, I am not flexible) and never want that experience gain.

Replies

  • kikicooks
    kikicooks Posts: 1,079 Member
    edited July 2018
    If you log your exercise it will give you more calories, which you will want when doing Insanity plus walking. I can't tell you how much pain is too much, but I say just listen to your body and if you need to take it easy then do so.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    If you are not looking to lose weight then set your profile to maintenance...eat back your exercise calories and adjust as needed. a lot of time MFP can give a low number and you may find that you can still get the results you need by eating more calories.
  • charlietrahan1950
    charlietrahan1950 Posts: 6 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    If you are not happy at 135lbs, it is fine to lose a few lbs but I would more focus on body composition vs trying to get to the lowest weight for your height. The best way to do this is to eat in a very small deficit, get adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb goalweight) and follow a lifting program that has you progressing over time. This will allow you to retain some of the muscle you have while you lose. Alternatively if you are happy at your weight and just want to add a little here, take a little there... recomposition is a great option where you eat at maintenance instead of lose weight.

    MFP calorie goal does not include exercise calories. Even still, 1200 seems way too low for your stats unless you entered to lose 2lbs per week which is way too aggressive for you.

    Also programs like Insanity are good if you like them, but it is not necessary to kill yourself in the gym like that in order to change your body composition, if anything it can work against your goals.

    So....lifting weights, plus some cardio you enjoy, getting adequate protein and either eating in a deficit or maintenance will is what I would recommend.

    Thanks, This is what I was needing to know but i don't think i knew how to ask properly. I put random numbers in, 115 was the lowest i have ever been. I truly want to look toned and fit, flat stomach etc. but I have no idea how much I would technically weigh with that goal.I don't have a weight loss goal but I know how I want to look. I think I entered 1 lbs. a week but i don't truly want to lose that much at once. I wanted to get on one of these forums to ask how to do my goal. I know how weight loss works just not how to build muscle with a little bit of weight loss.
  • charlietrahan1950
    charlietrahan1950 Posts: 6 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    What weight loss rate did you put in your profile as your target? At so light a body weight for your height already (I'm about your size, and small-framed, so I'm not speculating), and targeting a goal weight that is just barely (less than half a pound!) over the underweight BMI range for your height, your weight loss rate target should be 0.5 pounds per week at most. I'm thinking that will give you more than 1200 calories as a base allowance.

    Then, eat back your exercise calories on top of that (if you followed the MFP directions to set your activity level based on activity other than exercise, such as your job, chores, and daily life). If you're worried that you're over-estimating the exercise calories, start by eating back 50% of them, and evaluate your loss rate after 4-6 weeks of actual experience.

    I know we all want to lose weight by yesterday, but losing too fast is a health risk, and with your busy life, you don't want that.

    Or, for your stated goals, you might want to consider this thread:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    Don't exercise if you're in pain (if it's beyond just post-exercise muscle soreness). If you've been off exercise for months, start back up gradually - consider doing a serious workout 3 nonconsecutive days a week, then slowly adding more days as that's comfortable. On the off days, it's fine to do some light stretching or yoga, and walk your dog. It's usually a mistake to go from zero exercise to intense exercise every day: Not only is it potentially painful, but it can make you so fatigued that it saps your energy from daily life to the point where you're less active at job/home, so burn fewer calories daily on that front, partly or fully offsetting the calorie burn gained from exercise: Counterproductive!

    Ideally, exercise should be fun, and leave you energized for the rest of your day (other than maybe a few minutes' "whew" reaction right after the exercise session).

    Best wishes!
    I put 115 because i had no idea what to actually put. I have a certain body image I am going for but I don't know how much I would need to lose to actually be there. 115 is the lowest I ever weighed about 5 years ago so I just put that for now until I could ask what is actually appropriate. I literally want to tone, have a flat stomach, (and be smaller in my waist) etc. but I am sure I will have to lose a little weight to get there but I don't necessarily want to lose that fast or that much. I think losing some weight will be a byproduct of trying to reach my goal but I don't know how much I really need to put as my goal.

    Thank You for letting me know about the pain spectrum I am needing to look for! I may just be walking the dog today as cardio and doing some upper body. The only thing in a LOT of pain is my calves. I work a very sedentary desk job.

    For my goals above what are suggestions for protein shakes? Should I use them at all? Should I set my weight loss goals more around the 128-130lbs range losing .5 a week and see how things go?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    If you are not happy at 135lbs, it is fine to lose a few lbs but I would more focus on body composition vs trying to get to the lowest weight for your height. The best way to do this is to eat in a very small deficit, get adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb goalweight) and follow a lifting program that has you progressing over time. This will allow you to retain some of the muscle you have while you lose. Alternatively if you are happy at your weight and just want to add a little here, take a little there... recomposition is a great option where you eat at maintenance instead of lose weight.

    MFP calorie goal does not include exercise calories. Even still, 1200 seems way too low for your stats unless you entered to lose 2lbs per week which is way too aggressive for you.

    Also programs like Insanity are good if you like them, but it is not necessary to kill yourself in the gym like that in order to change your body composition, if anything it can work against your goals.

    So....lifting weights, plus some cardio you enjoy, getting adequate protein and either eating in a deficit or maintenance will is what I would recommend.

    Thanks, This is what I was needing to know but i don't think i knew how to ask properly. I put random numbers in, 115 was the lowest i have ever been. I truly want to look toned and fit, flat stomach etc. but I have no idea how much I would technically weigh with that goal.I don't have a weight loss goal but I know how I want to look. I think I entered 1 lbs. a week but i don't truly want to lose that much at once. I wanted to get on one of these forums to ask how to do my goal. I know how weight loss works just not how to build muscle with a little bit of weight loss.

    If you feel like you are really close to your goal physique and just need a bit more muscle definition, a small deficit paired with lifting should work.

    However....sometimes weight loss is not enough, you need to build muscle to improve your body composition especially if you are already fairly lean. If this is the case, it will probably help you to think about recomp sooner than later. Or depending on your goals, you can consider a bulk or gaining cycle to put on muscle.

    And keep in mind.. becoming fit/toned can take a lot of time, depending on your goal of course. For me I have been at it for almost 4 years now... slowly changing my body composition with time.

    Oh and protein shakes can be a convenient and calorie friendly way to hit your protein goals. If you are trying to retain/build muscle, you will need adequate protein to do this. But they are not necessary, if you can get your protein from other sources.
  • charlietrahan1950
    charlietrahan1950 Posts: 6 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    If you are not happy at 135lbs, it is fine to lose a few lbs but I would more focus on body composition vs trying to get to the lowest weight for your height. The best way to do this is to eat in a very small deficit, get adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb goalweight) and follow a lifting program that has you progressing over time. This will allow you to retain some of the muscle you have while you lose. Alternatively if you are happy at your weight and just want to add a little here, take a little there... recomposition is a great option where you eat at maintenance instead of lose weight.

    MFP calorie goal does not include exercise calories. Even still, 1200 seems way too low for your stats unless you entered to lose 2lbs per week which is way too aggressive for you.

    Also programs like Insanity are good if you like them, but it is not necessary to kill yourself in the gym like that in order to change your body composition, if anything it can work against your goals.

    So....lifting weights, plus some cardio you enjoy, getting adequate protein and either eating in a deficit or maintenance will is what I would recommend.

    Thanks, This is what I was needing to know but i don't think i knew how to ask properly. I put random numbers in, 115 was the lowest i have ever been. I truly want to look toned and fit, flat stomach etc. but I have no idea how much I would technically weigh with that goal.I don't have a weight loss goal but I know how I want to look. I think I entered 1 lbs. a week but i don't truly want to lose that much at once. I wanted to get on one of these forums to ask how to do my goal. I know how weight loss works just not how to build muscle with a little bit of weight loss.

    If you feel like you are really close to your goal physique and just need a bit more muscle definition, a small deficit paired with lifting should work.

    However....sometimes weight loss is not enough, you need to build muscle to improve your body composition especially if you are already fairly lean. If this is the case, it will probably help you to think about recomp sooner than later. Or depending on your goals, you can consider a bulk or gaining cycle to put on muscle.

    And keep in mind.. becoming fit/toned can take a lot of time, depending on your goal of course. For me I have been at it for almost 4 years now... slowly changing my body composition with time.

    Oh and protein shakes can be a convenient and calorie friendly way to hit your protein goals. If you are trying to retain/build muscle, you will need adequate protein to do this. But they are not necessary, if you can get your protein from other sources.

    I am definitely not lean by any definition. lol that's why I was considering losing a little my frame is definitely small and I looked my best when I was around 120-125.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,269 Member
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    What weight loss rate did you put in your profile as your target? At so light a body weight for your height already (I'm about your size, and small-framed, so I'm not speculating), and targeting a goal weight that is just barely (less than half a pound!) over the underweight BMI range for your height, your weight loss rate target should be 0.5 pounds per week at most. I'm thinking that will give you more than 1200 calories as a base allowance.

    Then, eat back your exercise calories on top of that (if you followed the MFP directions to set your activity level based on activity other than exercise, such as your job, chores, and daily life). If you're worried that you're over-estimating the exercise calories, start by eating back 50% of them, and evaluate your loss rate after 4-6 weeks of actual experience.

    I know we all want to lose weight by yesterday, but losing too fast is a health risk, and with your busy life, you don't want that.

    Or, for your stated goals, you might want to consider this thread:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    Don't exercise if you're in pain (if it's beyond just post-exercise muscle soreness). If you've been off exercise for months, start back up gradually - consider doing a serious workout 3 nonconsecutive days a week, then slowly adding more days as that's comfortable. On the off days, it's fine to do some light stretching or yoga, and walk your dog. It's usually a mistake to go from zero exercise to intense exercise every day: Not only is it potentially painful, but it can make you so fatigued that it saps your energy from daily life to the point where you're less active at job/home, so burn fewer calories daily on that front, partly or fully offsetting the calorie burn gained from exercise: Counterproductive!

    Ideally, exercise should be fun, and leave you energized for the rest of your day (other than maybe a few minutes' "whew" reaction right after the exercise session).

    Best wishes!
    I put 115 because i had no idea what to actually put. I have a certain body image I am going for but I don't know how much I would need to lose to actually be there. 115 is the lowest I ever weighed about 5 years ago so I just put that for now until I could ask what is actually appropriate. I literally want to tone, have a flat stomach, (and be smaller in my waist) etc. but I am sure I will have to lose a little weight to get there but I don't necessarily want to lose that fast or that much. I think losing some weight will be a byproduct of trying to reach my goal but I don't know how much I really need to put as my goal.

    Thank You for letting me know about the pain spectrum I am needing to look for! I may just be walking the dog today as cardio and doing some upper body. The only thing in a LOT of pain is my calves. I work a very sedentary desk job.

    For my goals above what are suggestions for protein shakes? Should I use them at all? Should I set my weight loss goals more around the 128-130lbs range losing .5 a week and see how things go?

    I'm not really a good person to ask about protein shakes. I have a minimum protein goal (100g daily in maintenance; it was a bit lower when losing), but I'm able to meet that with regular food, even as an ovo-lacto vegetarian. Since I don't find protein shakes tasty or satiating, and can hit my goals without them, I never use them. People who struggle meeting their protein goal do seem to find them helpful.

    You don' t have to set a firm goal weight now: You can just lose at a safely slow rate, do some strength training and other exercise to work on fitness and appearance, and see how you feel about your weight as you go along. (The goal weight you put in your MFP profile changes nothing about the calorie goals MFP calculates for you: It's just used for motivational things like showing you your progress toward your goal. The exercise goal minutes/times you put in in your profile also does not affect your calorie goal: It is just used on the exercise page to show you how well you're meeting those exercise goals.)

    So, just set your target loss rate in your profile at 0.5 pounds/week, set your activity level based on non-exercise life, log your exercise separately when you do some, and eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories (doesn't have to be on the same day, BTW). Stick to that for 4-6 weeks, then see how fast you've lost per week on average, then adjust your calorie goal if needed to dial in the 0.5 pound/week goal.

    If your calves hurt a bunch, try some gentle self-massage (by hand with lotion/oil, with a foam roller if you have one, with a tennis ball rolled along them, etc., even a kitchen rolling pin can help), gentle stretching, warm bath (with Epsom salts won't hurt if you have some), and drink adequate (not excessive) water.

    Best wishes!
  • charlietrahan1950
    charlietrahan1950 Posts: 6 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    What weight loss rate did you put in your profile as your target? At so light a body weight for your height already (I'm about your size, and small-framed, so I'm not speculating), and targeting a goal weight that is just barely (less than half a pound!) over the underweight BMI range for your height, your weight loss rate target should be 0.5 pounds per week at most. I'm thinking that will give you more than 1200 calories as a base allowance.

    Then, eat back your exercise calories on top of that (if you followed the MFP directions to set your activity level based on activity other than exercise, such as your job, chores, and daily life). If you're worried that you're over-estimating the exercise calories, start by eating back 50% of them, and evaluate your loss rate after 4-6 weeks of actual experience.

    I know we all want to lose weight by yesterday, but losing too fast is a health risk, and with your busy life, you don't want that.

    Or, for your stated goals, you might want to consider this thread:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    Don't exercise if you're in pain (if it's beyond just post-exercise muscle soreness). If you've been off exercise for months, start back up gradually - consider doing a serious workout 3 nonconsecutive days a week, then slowly adding more days as that's comfortable. On the off days, it's fine to do some light stretching or yoga, and walk your dog. It's usually a mistake to go from zero exercise to intense exercise every day: Not only is it potentially painful, but it can make you so fatigued that it saps your energy from daily life to the point where you're less active at job/home, so burn fewer calories daily on that front, partly or fully offsetting the calorie burn gained from exercise: Counterproductive!

    Ideally, exercise should be fun, and leave you energized for the rest of your day (other than maybe a few minutes' "whew" reaction right after the exercise session).

    Best wishes!
    I put 115 because i had no idea what to actually put. I have a certain body image I am going for but I don't know how much I would need to lose to actually be there. 115 is the lowest I ever weighed about 5 years ago so I just put that for now until I could ask what is actually appropriate. I literally want to tone, have a flat stomach, (and be smaller in my waist) etc. but I am sure I will have to lose a little weight to get there but I don't necessarily want to lose that fast or that much. I think losing some weight will be a byproduct of trying to reach my goal but I don't know how much I really need to put as my goal.

    Thank You for letting me know about the pain spectrum I am needing to look for! I may just be walking the dog today as cardio and doing some upper body. The only thing in a LOT of pain is my calves. I work a very sedentary desk job.

    For my goals above what are suggestions for protein shakes? Should I use them at all? Should I set my weight loss goals more around the 128-130lbs range losing .5 a week and see how things go?

    I'm not really a good person to ask about protein shakes. I have a minimum protein goal (100g daily in maintenance; it was a bit lower when losing), but I'm able to meet that with regular food, even as an ovo-lacto vegetarian. Since I don't find protein shakes tasty or satiating, and can hit my goals without them, I never use them. People who struggle meeting their protein goal do seem to find them helpful.

    You don' t have to set a firm goal weight now: You can just lose at a safely slow rate, do some strength training and other exercise to work on fitness and appearance, and see how you feel about your weight as you go along. (The goal weight you put in your MFP profile changes nothing about the calorie goals MFP calculates for you: It's just used for motivational things like showing you your progress toward your goal. The exercise goal minutes/times you put in in your profile also does not affect your calorie goal: It is just used on the exercise page to show you how well you're meeting those exercise goals.)

    So, just set your target loss rate in your profile at 0.5 pounds/week, set your activity level based on non-exercise life, log your exercise separately when you do some, and eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories (doesn't have to be on the same day, BTW). Stick to that for 4-6 weeks, then see how fast you've lost per week on average, then adjust your calorie goal if needed to dial in the 0.5 pound/week goal.

    If your calves hurt a bunch, try some gentle self-massage (by hand with lotion/oil, with a foam roller if you have one, with a tennis ball rolled along them, etc., even a kitchen rolling pin can help), gentle stretching, warm bath (with Epsom salts won't hurt if you have some), and drink adequate (not excessive) water.

    Best wishes!

    Thank you! I do have a question though, what does, "eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories" mean?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    What weight loss rate did you put in your profile as your target? At so light a body weight for your height already (I'm about your size, and small-framed, so I'm not speculating), and targeting a goal weight that is just barely (less than half a pound!) over the underweight BMI range for your height, your weight loss rate target should be 0.5 pounds per week at most. I'm thinking that will give you more than 1200 calories as a base allowance.

    Then, eat back your exercise calories on top of that (if you followed the MFP directions to set your activity level based on activity other than exercise, such as your job, chores, and daily life). If you're worried that you're over-estimating the exercise calories, start by eating back 50% of them, and evaluate your loss rate after 4-6 weeks of actual experience.

    I know we all want to lose weight by yesterday, but losing too fast is a health risk, and with your busy life, you don't want that.

    Or, for your stated goals, you might want to consider this thread:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    Don't exercise if you're in pain (if it's beyond just post-exercise muscle soreness). If you've been off exercise for months, start back up gradually - consider doing a serious workout 3 nonconsecutive days a week, then slowly adding more days as that's comfortable. On the off days, it's fine to do some light stretching or yoga, and walk your dog. It's usually a mistake to go from zero exercise to intense exercise every day: Not only is it potentially painful, but it can make you so fatigued that it saps your energy from daily life to the point where you're less active at job/home, so burn fewer calories daily on that front, partly or fully offsetting the calorie burn gained from exercise: Counterproductive!

    Ideally, exercise should be fun, and leave you energized for the rest of your day (other than maybe a few minutes' "whew" reaction right after the exercise session).

    Best wishes!
    I put 115 because i had no idea what to actually put. I have a certain body image I am going for but I don't know how much I would need to lose to actually be there. 115 is the lowest I ever weighed about 5 years ago so I just put that for now until I could ask what is actually appropriate. I literally want to tone, have a flat stomach, (and be smaller in my waist) etc. but I am sure I will have to lose a little weight to get there but I don't necessarily want to lose that fast or that much. I think losing some weight will be a byproduct of trying to reach my goal but I don't know how much I really need to put as my goal.

    Thank You for letting me know about the pain spectrum I am needing to look for! I may just be walking the dog today as cardio and doing some upper body. The only thing in a LOT of pain is my calves. I work a very sedentary desk job.

    For my goals above what are suggestions for protein shakes? Should I use them at all? Should I set my weight loss goals more around the 128-130lbs range losing .5 a week and see how things go?
    Sadly, MFP's setup makes it natural for the new user to think that it's asking for goal weight because that's a factor in determining calorie range - it isn't. It also asks you how many times per week you plan to exercise - but it doesn't use this for anything. Likewise, it does not emphasize the importance of picking the right weekly rate of loss, and that activity level is not including deliberate exercise, and that you're supposed to eat back exercise calories, but that exercise calories are usually inflated. The lowdown on proper logging is also something you have to come to the forums for. Of course, it drive many to the forums, but I fear it drives more people away, after they've tried to stick to 1200 calories for a little too long.
  • deonbfit
    deonbfit Posts: 75 Member
    edited July 2018
    I hate to borrow this girls pic without permission but it's posted on Google. I know she's on this site...

    Anyways, I'm not sure what image you have in your mind, but I can guess it might look something like the far right picture here. This is an excellent example of what recomposition can do for your body. I believe this girl is 5'4 or 5'5, so shorter than you, and she rocks 140 lbs so well.

    What you need to achieve this is to eat at maintenance and strength train.

    Personally, if I were you, I would try recomping your body first (eat at maintenance and lift weights). If after 6 or 8 months you don't like what you've created then you can create a calorie deficit to lose, but I think you'd be quite content with what you create.

    b7yojhyu4ckf.jpg
  • charlietrahan1950
    charlietrahan1950 Posts: 6 Member
    edited July 2018
    deonbfit wrote: »
    I hate to borrow this girls pic without permission but it's posted on Google. I know she's on this site...

    Anyways, I'm not sure what image you have in your mind, but I can guess it might look something like the far right picture here. This is an excellent example of what recomposition can do for your body. I believe this girl is 5'4 or 5'5, so shorter than you, and she rocks 140 lbs so well.

    What you need to achieve this is to eat at maintenance and strength train.

    Personally, if I were you, I would try recomping your body first (eat at maintenance and lift weights). If after 6 or 8 months you don't like what you've created then you can create a calorie deficit to lose, but I think you'd be quite content with what you create.

    b7yojhyu4ckf.jpg

    Yes! This is exactly what I am looking for. Okay, so I know where to aim and about for how long. This picture is exactly why I was scared to throw any weight comments out lol.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,269 Member
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    charlietrahan1950 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    What weight loss rate did you put in your profile as your target? At so light a body weight for your height already (I'm about your size, and small-framed, so I'm not speculating), and targeting a goal weight that is just barely (less than half a pound!) over the underweight BMI range for your height, your weight loss rate target should be 0.5 pounds per week at most. I'm thinking that will give you more than 1200 calories as a base allowance.

    Then, eat back your exercise calories on top of that (if you followed the MFP directions to set your activity level based on activity other than exercise, such as your job, chores, and daily life). If you're worried that you're over-estimating the exercise calories, start by eating back 50% of them, and evaluate your loss rate after 4-6 weeks of actual experience.

    I know we all want to lose weight by yesterday, but losing too fast is a health risk, and with your busy life, you don't want that.

    Or, for your stated goals, you might want to consider this thread:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    Don't exercise if you're in pain (if it's beyond just post-exercise muscle soreness). If you've been off exercise for months, start back up gradually - consider doing a serious workout 3 nonconsecutive days a week, then slowly adding more days as that's comfortable. On the off days, it's fine to do some light stretching or yoga, and walk your dog. It's usually a mistake to go from zero exercise to intense exercise every day: Not only is it potentially painful, but it can make you so fatigued that it saps your energy from daily life to the point where you're less active at job/home, so burn fewer calories daily on that front, partly or fully offsetting the calorie burn gained from exercise: Counterproductive!

    Ideally, exercise should be fun, and leave you energized for the rest of your day (other than maybe a few minutes' "whew" reaction right after the exercise session).

    Best wishes!
    I put 115 because i had no idea what to actually put. I have a certain body image I am going for but I don't know how much I would need to lose to actually be there. 115 is the lowest I ever weighed about 5 years ago so I just put that for now until I could ask what is actually appropriate. I literally want to tone, have a flat stomach, (and be smaller in my waist) etc. but I am sure I will have to lose a little weight to get there but I don't necessarily want to lose that fast or that much. I think losing some weight will be a byproduct of trying to reach my goal but I don't know how much I really need to put as my goal.

    Thank You for letting me know about the pain spectrum I am needing to look for! I may just be walking the dog today as cardio and doing some upper body. The only thing in a LOT of pain is my calves. I work a very sedentary desk job.

    For my goals above what are suggestions for protein shakes? Should I use them at all? Should I set my weight loss goals more around the 128-130lbs range losing .5 a week and see how things go?

    I'm not really a good person to ask about protein shakes. I have a minimum protein goal (100g daily in maintenance; it was a bit lower when losing), but I'm able to meet that with regular food, even as an ovo-lacto vegetarian. Since I don't find protein shakes tasty or satiating, and can hit my goals without them, I never use them. People who struggle meeting their protein goal do seem to find them helpful.

    You don' t have to set a firm goal weight now: You can just lose at a safely slow rate, do some strength training and other exercise to work on fitness and appearance, and see how you feel about your weight as you go along. (The goal weight you put in your MFP profile changes nothing about the calorie goals MFP calculates for you: It's just used for motivational things like showing you your progress toward your goal. The exercise goal minutes/times you put in in your profile also does not affect your calorie goal: It is just used on the exercise page to show you how well you're meeting those exercise goals.)

    So, just set your target loss rate in your profile at 0.5 pounds/week, set your activity level based on non-exercise life, log your exercise separately when you do some, and eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories (doesn't have to be on the same day, BTW). Stick to that for 4-6 weeks, then see how fast you've lost per week on average, then adjust your calorie goal if needed to dial in the 0.5 pound/week goal.

    If your calves hurt a bunch, try some gentle self-massage (by hand with lotion/oil, with a foam roller if you have one, with a tennis ball rolled along them, etc., even a kitchen rolling pin can help), gentle stretching, warm bath (with Epsom salts won't hurt if you have some), and drink adequate (not excessive) water.

    Best wishes!

    Thank you! I do have a question though, what does, "eat back at least 50% of your exercise calories" mean?

    You set up your MFP profile saying you're not very active, or active or whatever, based on your non-exercise activities - job, home chores, etc. That gives you a calorie goal with your target weight loss rate already built into it, before exercise. The way MFP is designed, you're supposed to log your exercise, and eat those exercise calories, too (or you sync a fitness device that automatically registers activity calories above/below your MFP profile activity level).

    Sometimes, expecially when people get exercise calorie estimates from a gym machine or the MFP database, they worry that those exercise calories are overestimated. So, they eat back only part of the exercise calories.

    A few people are so worried about that that they log zero exercise calories - an estimate that's guaranteed to be wrong.

    What I'm saying is that you should eat back at least some of your exercise calories, and that it's good to start with at least 50% of them, because severely undereating is unhealthy and it's not good to risk that. If you're pretty confident that your exercise calorie estimate is close to accurate, you can eat back all of those calories. I ate back 100%, and lost weight fine.
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