Calorie Intake for Male Age 53

waballer2002

Current stats are 6'0" 216 (44 Chest / 35 Waist / 16.5 Neck)
Goal is to drop 1.5 lbs. per week
MFP has daily calorie intake at 1560
Yesterday had 1414 food intake and 205 Exercise and ended at 351 remaining
Workout 3-4 times per week for 35-45 mins at average burn of 220 calories

Does calorie intake look correct? Thank-you in advance for comments.

MichelleSilverleaf

You should be eating to the number MFP gives you, plus exercise calories. 1.5lb may be a little too much depending on what weight you're aiming for, 1lb/week will give you a little more calories. Make sure you're weighing everything with a food scale.

sijomial

The idea is not to have any calories remaining otherwise instead of your choice of fast weight loss you end up with very fast weight loss which is probably a bad idea.

Keep in mind your calorie goal is 1560 + exercise calories.

Personally I don't seek to lose any faster than 1lb a week, that just makes it hateful and ruins the effectiveness of my exercise.

waballer2002

Both comments are appreciated. If I change to 1lb a week I have 1820 calories. My thoughts on eating below each day is to have a deficit for days I go over. So at the end of the week I am either at my number or below. But hopefully not above.

RelCanonical

waballer2002 wrote: »

Both comments are appreciated. If I change to 1lb a week I have 1820 calories. My thoughts on eating below each day is to have a deficit for days I go over. So at the end of the week I am either at my number or below. But hopefully not above.

Going by a weekly average is no problem, as long as your weekly average is at that number. Remember than the deficit is built in, so you don't want to go below. It's generally not an issue in the short-term, but if you continue average below your deficit, you're more likely to suffer ill-effects from not enough calories (e.g. fatigue, hair loss, poor skin).

NovusDies

waballer2002 wrote: »

Both comments are appreciated. If I change to 1lb a week I have 1820 calories. My thoughts on eating below each day is to have a deficit for days I go over. So at the end of the week I am either at my number or below. But hopefully not above.

Weekly is a better calorie management system for some people. Since my appetite has never been consistent I am definitely a weekly person too. I am careful not to be too far under on consecutive days.

Tacklewasher

As I'm almost the same as you, same height and age and ~5 lbs lighter, your numbers make sense. Yeah, stick to the 1 lb loss per week, look at the weekly average and make sure to eat at least some of the exercise calories back.

waballer2002

Tacklewasher wrote: »

As I'm almost the same as you, same height and age and ~5 lbs lighter, your numbers make sense. Yeah, stick to the 1 lb loss per week, look at the weekly average and make sure to eat at least some of the exercise calories back.

Thank-you for your input!

PAV8888

I note that your waist measurement indicates lack of additional health risk because of your weight.

No reason to be pushing at 1.5lbs per week.

Franky, no reason to be eating less than 2k+ correctly measured calories as your maintenance ought to be over 2500 with some activity.

Contrast making some small healthy changes for the long term vs I'm on a strict diet to lose weight till I no longer need to do so.

sijomial

waballer2002 wrote: »

Both comments are appreciated. If I change to 1lb a week I have 1820 calories. My thoughts on eating below each day is to have a deficit for days I go over. So at the end of the week I am either at my number or below. But hopefully not above.

Good strategy to help fit your diet into your lifestyle.
The phone app can give you a weekly view.

waballer2002

OK so I am now stuck at 211-212 since this initial post on 1/31/2019. I can't seem to get under 211. I feel like I've reduced my calorie intake below recommended 1550 in hopes of dropping the pounds faster. I'm averaging 1379 per day over last three weeks. Not eating back workout calories. I'm thinking this is the problem. All comments are appreciated. Thanks!

Maxematics

Honestly if you haven't even lost a pound since 1/31, you're most likely eating more than you think. Sticking to 1500 calories would show losses and 1379 would definitely show losses. Not eating exercise calories wouldn't cause your weight loss to stall.

waballer2002

Maxematics wrote: »

Honestly if you haven't even lost a pound since 1/31, you're most likely eating more than you think. Sticking to 1500 calories would show losses and 1379 would definitely show losses. Not eating exercise calories wouldn't cause your weight loss to stall.

I've lost 4 pounds since 1/31/2019. Recently though I can't get under 211.

Maxematics

How long exactly have you stayed at 211 pounds?

spiriteagle99

Are you weighing and measuring everything you eat? Usually when people get stuck, it's because their measurements are not precise.

ahoy_m8

Sometimes scale weight can appear to stall for 2-3 weeks then *whoosh* 2-3 weeks worth of loss show on the scale in a day or two. Water weight fluctuations obfuscate steady progress. It’s frustrating. Just stay the course, trust the math and wait it out if you’re confident in your accuracy.
Explainer: https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/

ETA: I do agree that most common reason weight loss stops is undercounting intake. Improving accuracy is a really quick remedy.

waballer2002

waballer2002 wrote: »

Maxematics wrote: »

Honestly if you haven't even lost a pound since 1/31, you're most likely eating more than you think. Sticking to 1500 calories would show losses and 1379 would definitely show losses. Not eating exercise calories wouldn't cause your weight loss to stall.

I've lost 4 pounds since 1/31/2019. Recently though I can't get under 211.

2 weeks

Roza42

That doesn't sound like a lot of calories to start with. Eat your goal and 1/2 your exercise calories. I'm 53/5'6/179, and I eat 1800 for about a lb a week. I strength training 3x per week, and I am pretty active most of 5 days out of the week. Also consider strength training and looking at how much protein you are eating. If you still aren't seeing results, try weighing your food to log it. 1/2 your weight in ounces of water and give it time. If you get down to your goal by starving your body of nutrients, you won't feel good when you get there or look good.

PAV8888

You simultaneously wrote that you lost nothing and that you lost 4 pounds in a month.

4 pounds in a month is a pound a week--hardly nothing.

You have a measurement problem. and like many of us a hard time with water weight.

Go get yourself a weight trend app.

Start recording your weight daily in it, and also include all your past weigh ins you have records for.

consider your weight trend to be your weight moving forward.

You have no (health related and/or necessary) reason to be trying for more than a pound a week.

lorrpb

waballer2002 wrote: »

OK so I am now stuck at 211-212 since this initial post on 1/31/2019. I can't seem to get under 211. I feel like I've reduced my calorie intake below recommended 1550 in hopes of dropping the pounds faster. I'm averaging 1379 per day over last three weeks. Not eating back workout calories. I'm thinking this is the problem. All comments are appreciated. Thanks!

Previously people said you should not eat under 1500 and should eat back most of you exercise calories and they explained the reasons for this protocol. You thanked them and said that’s what you would do, which perhaps you did for a couple of weeks in Feb, then decided to disregard this solid advice, and now are back asking for more direction. 🧐

waballer2002

PAV8888 wrote: »

You simultaneously wrote that you lost nothing and that you lost 4 pounds in a month.

4 pounds in a month is a pound a week--hardly nothing.

You have a measurement problem. and like many of us a hard time with water weight.

Go get yourself a weight trend app.

Start recording your weight daily in it, and include and your past recorded weigh ins.

consider your weight trend to be your weight moving forward

I actually said I was stuck at 212/211 and can't get under 211. I do use a weight trend app and it's been showing 213, 211.6, 211, 212, 211.8, 212.4, etc. I think reducing my calorie intake and not drinking enough water is the problem.

waballer2002

Roza42 wrote: »

That doesn't sound like a lot of calories to start with. Eat your goal and 1/2 your exercise calories. I'm 53/5'6/179, and I eat 1800 for about a lb a week. I strength training 3x per week, and I am pretty active most of 5 days out of the week. Also consider strength training and looking at how much protein you are eating. If you still aren't seeing results, try weighing your food to log it. 1/2 your weight in ounces of water and give it time. If you get down to your goal by starving your body of nutrients, you won't feel good when you get there or look good.

Thank-you!

waballer2002

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

Sometimes scale weight can appear to stall for 2-3 weeks then *whoosh* 2-3 weeks worth of loss show on the scale in a day or two. Water weight fluctuations obfuscate steady progress. It’s frustrating. Just stay the course, trust the math and wait it out if you’re confident in your accuracy.
Explainer: https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/

ETA: I do agree that most common reason weight loss stops is undercounting intake. Improving accuracy is a really quick remedy.

Thank-you and makes sense.