Sedentary or active

Purplestuff102
Purplestuff102 Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I over eat by hundreds sometime like a thousand calories I think I have it set too low it does 3130 for me when I put it at sedentary I walk everyday about 22 minutes I have an office job I just started weighing and measuring I went to tdee calculator . Com it says if I workout like 5 days a week put it at active . And then gave me like 4100 calories. When I put active in my fitness pal it gave me same calories. My diary is public there is something that I’m doing that not working I’m trying to do trial and error I’m thinking since I always overeat every day with my calories if I raise them to give me a realistic amount I can be under or stick with I will lose weight slowly. I haven’t been having success like most people are having I’m so confused and lost . Can u guys please check out my diary I’m motivated and don’t wAnt to give up also I strength train with dumbbells like five minutes planks push-up and I drink water. My medical numbers have gone down like cholesterol triglycerides and blood pressure and so should my pre diabetes numbers.

Replies

  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    edited April 2022
    How tall are you and how much do you weigh? Those calorie numbers seem quite high.

    Is the 22 minutes of walking the only activity you get except the planks and dumbbells? Do you know how many steps you take in a day? One 20 minute walk is not likely to put you in the active category I don't think.
  • Purplestuff102
    Purplestuff102 Posts: 37 Member
    I’m 6’9 inches 399 pounds but 22 minutes each day .but I know that I haven’t consistently been using food scale I’m just like lost everyone seems to be having success and I’m just like lost . But I overeat everyday that’s why I was thinking if I set my calories to a number I can stick too and come under . If u look at my diary in between july 15 - august 15 2021 I lost weight I got scared of success then switched up my calories and ever since then My weight has been still. Tdee calculator says if I have a office job keep it sedentary but if I exercise like 3-5 days a week which I pretty much do like five days keep it at active. Something I’m doing needs to be tweaked.
    I eat oatmeal fat free milk cinnamon lean meats brown rice 100 percent whole wheat bread vegetables fruit Vegetable oil spray my diary is public I have it set to one pound per week loss
  • Xerogs
    Xerogs Posts: 328 Member
    edited April 2022
    Under the exercise tab in MFP there are different options for walking. Mine changes depending on the type of walk. If I am walking the dogs it tends to be moderate because they like to stop and sniff the "news" and do their business. If I am walking around the park by myself its usually brisk or very brisk and a treadmill will show me the MPH that fits with the walking entry. You can search the exercises to match up what you do with the intensity you do it. I typically don't eat back my exercise calories. There is a wide range from sedentary to active on just how much calories a person will burn. Also weight loss is never linear in nature. I've bounced around from 217-220lbs for a couple of weeks and it will trend lower over time if I keep up with my exercise and way of eating. This is just how it works for me and it will just take time to get back into shape.

    As far as overeating, I had to really figure out which foods trigger me into cycle of overeating and really get down to the reasons I am overeating. Most of my meals are whole food plant based and I really try to stick to low carb options. Sugar is just a trigger that sends me into a spiral of refrigerator grazing so I really try to cut added sugar out as much as possible and stick to satiating foods. I'm not keto carnivore but the Carb Addiction Doc series of videos on YouTube have been enlightening and informative for me.

    You've got to find out what works for you though and what is sustainable for a life time. I used to jump into a diet and exercise routine, lose a lot of weight, and get back in shape in a way that wasn't tenable. I eventually reverted back to an overeating couch potato. So give yourself some room to try a few things and adopt a different mindset without the notion of going back when you hit your goals. Mindfulness meditation has also helped me a great deal so I would be remiss without mentioning it.
  • fatty2begone
    fatty2begone Posts: 249 Member
    I am not near as tall, I am a female, and I am overweight. My calorie allowance and goal is much different than yours.

    This is my trick and it has been working thus far. (Going on 3 months losing at a decent, reasonable rate.)
    I set my goal to lose 1 lb a week (sedentary). That gives me roughly 1400 calories a day + any exercise calories. Most days it is around 1700 to 1800 calories a day allowance. I choose to either eat all of them if I need (for fuel or pure hunger) and the days I don't need the additional calories I can eat less.

    Prior to this round I set my loss for 2lbs a week. I was just too hungry all the time and the head games with I must only eat this amount and must lose 2lbs a week was just to much and I would end up quitting. This time around it is different. I dont have the head games any longer and I am not always hungry.

    I am not on a schedule that I have to lose x amount of weight by x date. I can eat more and still lose. I am not bound by a certain calorie count, meaning I have flexability to eat more on the days needed/want and less on the days I dont need to.

    I also have not restricted certain foods by labeling these foods as bad. I am trying to learn to eat in a way for the rest of my life. So if chocolate cake will be in my future, chocolate cake is here too. Portion control and fitting into my daily calorie goal is key for me.

    Best of luck to you on your journey.

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,740 Member
    22 minutes of walking is probably about 1 mile or about 2000 steps. That still keeps you in the sedentary category, though since you are a big guy, you burn a fair amount of calories on your walks.

    Making a big change in your eating habits takes time to adjust to. If you are consistent, you will get used to eating less. Try to eat food that fills you up, more protein, fruit and vegetables, soup, salad, etc. Avoid processed foods and meals out, which can have a huge amount of extra calories.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    First decide if you want a same every day calorie goal including both average daily activity and average exercise upfront - if yes go to a far better calculator than you found which is very basic. I'd suggest this one - https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/ which has far more granularity.

    If no and you want your calorie goal to vary in line with your purposeful exercise simply use MyFitnessPal as intended. Activity setting is all your routine daily movement (work and home). Exercise is estimated after the event.

    Both methods work, both methods may well need goals adjusting based on actual results over weeks.

    "I’m motivated and don’t wAnt to give up also I strength train with dumbbells like five minutes planks push-up" - Good, resistance training is important when you are losing weight.

    It is entirely sensible to learn from your experience so far that having an unrealistically low calorie goal isn't helpful. With a lot to lose not making the process harder than it has to be is crucial for long term compliance.
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    Purplestuff102 wrote: »
    I’m 6’9 inches 399 pounds but 22 minutes each day .but I know that I haven’t consistently been using food scale I’m just like lost everyone seems to be having success and I’m just like lost . But I overeat everyday that’s why I was thinking if I set my calories to a number I can stick too and come under . If u look at my diary in between july 15 - august 15 2021 I lost weight I got scared of success then switched up my calories and ever since then My weight has been still. Tdee calculator says if I have a office job keep it sedentary but if I exercise like 3-5 days a week which I pretty much do like five days keep it at active. Something I’m doing needs to be tweaked.
    I eat oatmeal fat free milk cinnamon lean meats brown rice 100 percent whole wheat bread vegetables fruit Vegetable oil spray my diary is public I have it set to one pound per week loss

    I would suggest not to use "active", as 22 minutes of walking is probably not enough to put you in that category. However, the most important thing would be your food intake - exercise is good for you but for weight loss,you really need to make sure you are eating less. If you had success last year when you were logging your food, maybe go back to that again?
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 914 Member
    A TDEE calculator and MFP do not calculate your daily goal the same way. The 'activity' level for a TDEE calculator should include your intentional exercise. For MFP it should not.

    Either way - IMO if you are going to use MFP to log your workout calories, you should use 'sedentary' to calculate your maintenance calories.

    For you your maintenance calories would be ~3500. So -- you want to set your daily calorie goal at a deficit from that, but above your BMR. So I'd set your daily calorie goal to ~3200/day. Then, when you log your workout - MFP will add those calories to your daily goal and you will be able to eat to keep full, but still be at a deficit. Be aware that the calorie burns from MFP can also be inaccurate just like some of the food entries. Do the best you can and make adjustments as needed.

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