Help?

GirlTenney

Could one of you success stories maybe take a look at my food diary and tell me if I'm eating the right amount of calories? Just a little advise please?

jennygeo1

Your diary is private - but wouldn't mind taking a look. I'm not a 'success story' yet, but have had pretty good experience here and am down 25lbs. how long have you been on here?

GirlTenney

Well I've been here a while and lost weight before then quit and gained back. I just feel like I'm doing something wrong. I am losing but I am so confused about net calories.... I hate eating my workout calories.

lambchristie

Tenney you really need to make your food diary public so we can take a look and offer an opinion.

lambchristie

Your diary is private - but wouldn't mind taking a look. I'm not a 'success story' yet, but have had pretty good experience here and am down 25lbs. how long have you been on here?

Jenny, I'd consider you a success story because you have lost 25 pounds! Great job

GirlTenney

I'm not sure how to make it public.

GirlTenney

Ok I fixed it... Its public now!

jennygeo1

Your diary is private - but wouldn't mind taking a look. I'm not a 'success story' yet, but have had pretty good experience here and am down 25lbs. how long have you been on here?

Jenny, I'd consider you a success story because you have lost 25 pounds! Great job

Aww thanks! Congrats to you too! Fightin' the good fight!

jennygeo1

GirlTenny - looked over your diary... overall super balanced. You're not eating like a rabbit and you're enjoying your treats which is great. You also have a lot of exercise - great job!!!

My only suggestions would be:
Make sure to keep drinking that water.
Maybe don't always eat back all of your exercise calories? I only eat my exercise calories back if i know i'm going to splurge at a restaurant (or have some drinky drinky's on the weekend). But most days I don't eat all of my cals back.

But overall, i would give yourself at least 4-6 weeks before you see a DROP in pounds. Also, make sure to take measurements. They count a LOT more than the stupid scale.

Good luck! You'll do it, just stay with it

katbirdinpa

a lot of processed foods. instead of MCdonalds go to a supper market and pick from the salad bar. Processed is a lot of salt.
Drink more water and add an apple a day!

GirlTenney

a lot of processed foods. instead of MCdonalds go to a supper market and pick from the salad bar. Processed is a lot of salt.
Drink more water and add an apple a day!

I drink a ton of water I just don't record it.
Also I don't eat McDonald at all really... last Thursday I had a plain hamburg because I was in a hurry. Also I am doing special K bars etc... because its way easier for me.
I eat a banana every day. I don't care for apples.
Your reply was very helpful ;-)

GirlTenney

GirlTenny - looked over your diary... overall super balanced. You're not eating like a rabbit and you're enjoying your treats which is great. You also have a lot of exercise - great job!!!

My only suggestions would be:
Make sure to keep drinking that water.
Maybe don't always eat back all of your exercise calories? I only eat my exercise calories back if i know i'm going to splurge at a restaurant (or have some drinky drinky's on the weekend). But most days I don't eat all of my cals back.

But overall, i would give yourself at least 4-6 weeks before you see a DROP in pounds. Also, make sure to take measurements. They count a LOT more than the stupid scale.

Good luck! You'll do it, just stay with it

Thank you!!

Rayman79

as another option, if you don't like eating your exercise calories back, then don't.

If you get a similar amount of exercise each week, then just adjust your intake to be TDEE less 20%. That way you will have the same calorie intake each day and not have to worry about eating back your 'earned' calories as they will already be factored in to your daily allowance .

Pick a number and run with that intake for a month. If you are not losing weight after a month then take off 10% and repeat next month. It wont take you long to figure out your maintenance calorie level and what it takes to lose weight.

Feel free to ask if any of this is unclear or you would like further explanation. :flowerforyou:

GirlTenney

as another option, if you don't like eating your exercise calories back, then don't.

If you get a similar amount of exercise each week, then just adjust your intake to be TDEE less 20%. That way you will have the same calorie intake each day and not have to worry about eating back your 'earned' calories as they will already be factored in to your daily allowance .


Pick a number and run with that intake for a month. If you are not losing weight after a month then take off 10% and repeat next month. It wont take you long to figure out your maintenance calorie level and what it takes to lose weight.

Feel free to ask if any of this is unclear or you would like further explanation. :flowerforyou:

Thank you! I think my TDEE -20% is about 2300 do you think 1600 a day is to low if I burn 600 a day.

GirlTenney

My tdee-20% is 1900 to lose. I put strenuous exercise because I think I do do strenuous burning 600 calories a day.
Is eating approximately 1600 a day is to little?

retrobyte

Looking at your diary I see far too many carbs and not enough protein

GirlTenney

Looking at your diary I see far too many carbs and not enough protein

Thank you! I am going to work on that!

egh1974

Looking at your diary I see far too many carbs and not enough protein

↑↑ ditto

Rayman79

This is where a little trial and error comes into play. Rather than looking at an online calculator to figure out your TDEE, just look back through your diary for a few weeks. Have a look at what your calorie intake has been (total, not net calories) and what your weight has done.

If you have been on total calories of around 1500 and the scale is slowly moving downward, then just make that your daily intake.

I only mentioned this as an option because for a lot of people its easier to have a fixed daily amount and structure their diary accordingly rather than adjusting their intake every day.

I will say that what ever cal intake you do choose, give it about a month to assess whether it is working. Changes in hormones and levels of water retention over the month can lead to fluctuations in weight that might cause you to question your intake level unnecessarily.