Calorie counting as a disabled person

imogen__may

Hey everyone,

I've only been using MFP a few weeks, but already have a really good punch of people around me and I've lost 28lbs.

I've seen lots of people talking about TDEE and although I worked out my requirements on fitness frog, I'm unsure it's right given that I'm disabled. There are two issues as far as I can see, the first is that I move very little in reality (full time wheelchair user, often need days in bed to rest/am in pain) but the second is when I do move, I'm sure it must take more energy than non disabled people!

Where do I go from here? I have managed to lose some weight, but that's not all its about, I want to understand what my body needs and the difference between that and what I think it needs/or even what I just want!

I was hoping to try something like Fitbit or jawbone but having emailed the companies, they said they couldn't guarantee that the device would give accurate readings of calories burned. Specially because I push a manual wheelchair and banging my arms around may mislead the device to think I was taking lots of steps when actually I was pushing. I looked at the active body one (is that right? It's the one you strap tightly to your upper arm, they use it in biggest loser!) but you have to pay $10 a MONTH to collate the information. I'm also not sure you can use it in the UK.

Any advice for me guys? .. & please feel free to add me as a friend, the more the merrier! x

SmartAlec03211988

I am also a full time wheelchair user.

In the beginning I simply used whatever MFP spit out, and since I am by the very definition sedentary, I set my activity level as that. I lost about 75 lbs just doing that.

A few months back I went to the TDEE method, and yes the calories were higher (not much, maybe 200 calories more) and I followed it. I continued to lose weight.

I also use a BodyMedia FIT (which they use on the Biggest Loser), but unfortunately it isn't available in the UK. And it actually says I burn around ~2000 calories on a rather normal day... sometimes up to 2700 if I'm really active. I follow it to a tee and I have lost weight with it as well, so it seems accurate (even though it calculates steps in a wheelchair, it seems accurate).

And yes, you\re absolutely right about pushing a wheelchair expending a ton of energy. When I'm out and about wheeling for hours, that is definitely reflected in my calorie burn on my device. It takes effort to push your entire weight in a wheelchair, especially if you're not particularly a fit person (not saying you're unfit, just saying a less fit person would find it more strenuous than someone who is fit).

alliemarie77

Going by the ticker on your profile it seems you have already lost about 28 pounds doing what your doing. Well done!