Activity Level???

tworthen79

Okay I have researched this all day. And for the past 3 wks I have had my calories set at 1700, with 1lb a week loss set as my goal. Yet, I haven't lost nor gained. How long should I keep at it until, I lessen or up the calories? Also, I'm a stay at home mom, I exercise 4-5 days a week doing 20 mins on my elliptical. And take care of 2 kids. Would that be considered light activity?

BMR(with exercise set at 4x a week): 1633
TDEE is: 2316
TDEE -25% is: 1737

I'm 5'7"
198
34 yrs old

tworthen79

...

tonynguyen75

BMR should not include any exercise. TDEE would be the value that includes exercise. Try upping your exercise by 10 minutes each day and throw in an extra day. So 30 minutes of elliptical 5-6 days a week, if you have the time. If you don't, try increasing the intensity.

Also, if you have access to weights, I would suggest doing some weight training on top. 30 minutes 3-4 days a week will do wonders. I always suggest doing more exercise if possible, yes diet is the biggest factor, but there are too many health benefits related to exercise.

And are you counting your calorie goal to be 1700, and then counting your exercise as negative calories as well? How many calories are you consuming?

Good luck.

tworthen79

For MFP I eat back my calories and getting close 1700 between 1600-1700. But for TDEE I wouldn't eat those burned cals back. So I just trying to figure which is the better route? And if my activity level was accurate.

tonynguyen75

I don't consider 20 minutes on the elliptical to be 600 calories worth of exercise. I don't know what speed you're going, and I don't know what kind of exercise taking care of 2 kids generates either. I would keep your caloric intake exactly the same as you have been the last 3 weeks, and increase exercise by ~200-300 a day every day (on average). Monitor your weight again for the next 2-3 weeks.

cwolfman13

do you use a food scale and weigh pretty much everything that has weight as an option for serving size? Your calories and activity level sound about right to me. You could be underestimating intake and/or overestimating burn. When I bought my scale I quickly realized that I was substantially underestimating my intake just eyeballing stuff or using measuring cups/spoons for some things.

That said, this isn't an exact science and all of these calculators just offer up a reasonable starting point...adjustments are often necessary...if you really feel like you're truly doing everything right you may need to cut back some more. You might want to try an average of light active and sedentary and see what that gets you. If you do 20 minutes on the elliptical 5x weekly, I don't know if that's going to quite get you to light active or not...possibly with taking care of the kids, but it's hard to say...you just need to play with it...wait a few weeks and then adjust as necessary. Dialing it in is the hard part.

notnikkisixx

do you use a food scale and weigh pretty much everything that has weight as an option for serving size? Your calories and activity level sound about right to me. You could be underestimating intake and/or overestimating burn. When I bought my scale I quickly realized that I was substantially underestimating my intake just eyeballing stuff or using measuring cups/spoons for some things.

That said, this isn't an exact science and all of these calculators just offer up a reasonable starting point...adjustments are often necessary...if you really feel like you're truly doing everything right you may need to cut back some more. You might want to try an average of light active and sedentary and see what that gets you. If you do 20 minutes on the elliptical 5x weekly, I don't know if that's going to quite get you to light active or not...possibly with taking care of the kids, but it's hard to say...you just need to play with it...wait a few weeks and then adjust as necessary. Dialing it in is the hard part.

^^^This

Buying a food scale has been my best investment! Before the scale my "guessing" was all over the place.

Also, could you open up your food diary? What are you spending your calories on?

tworthen79

20 mins on my elliptical is 215 cals burned.

cmriverside

If you use MFP, calculate on the higher side for Activity. For instance, I don't work, live in a small condo (so not much housework) and I don't care for kids at home. I exercise thrre or four times a week for an hour. You'd think (if you listened to MFP) I should use "Sedentary" - but in fact I use the "Lightly Active" setting - and it still doesn't give me enough calories.

I've been maintaining my weight for five years, and I eat about 300 calories a day more than MFP's suggestion>

Just to say - there is some experimenting that you have to do.

If you calculate correctly, the sites will give you similar numbers. MFP wants you to add in and eat extra on days that you exercise. TDEE minus a percentage plans do not. Six of one, half dozen of the other.

tworthen79

So with burning 800-1000 cals a week on my elliptical, house cleaning, running errands and taking care of kids would that put my activity on "light"?

And with my above stats is 1700 to high of a calorie goal?