Am I Doing This Right?
llbennett74
Posts: 132 Member
I know there is a crapload of information out there on this subject but I just need to know if I'm on the right track. I joined MFP about a month ago and basically haven't lost anything. I realized that I had been netting between 700 and 1000 calories roughly. No wonder! So now, I figured out what my BMR is and have my goal reset at that instead of the base 1200 calories. Then, instead of doing the TDEE and setting it where they want me to and not adding my additional exercise calories, I am adding my own exercise in since I'm using an HRM and then netting my BMR at the end of the day. Am I on the right track? And how long should I give it to see my body adjust? So far I am up slightly and I know that's probably due to water weight and obviously a pretty good increase in calories compared to the last month. My stats are 5'1" 1/2, 129 with a goal of 110-115. I exercise 6 days a week doing a mix of cardio and weights. Thanks!
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Replies
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So you want to leave your body only enough calories to take care of basic functions of life if you were sleeping all day?
So you don't want the improvements from the exercise you could be getting?
No, that is not best method, still not a reasonable deficit, the fact you exercise so much and you are eating back all your probably inflated exercise calories may save the body some stress, may not.
Because the exercise calories is the burn for merely moving you - no repair or improvements later. Those are higher functions than what the BMR deals with.
Use this spreadsheet to get you best estimated stats and figures, do the Activity Calculator for only daily activity section if you do more than sedentary desk job for non-exercise life, and then go to the MFP Tweak tab.
Fill in Katch BMR and activity factor shown from the Simple Setup tab.
There's your weight loss amount deficit and daily eating level.
Below that is place to log your exercise burn and time, and have the same deficit taken off as the main non-exercise TDEE is getting.
That way you aren't towing the line of perhaps too much stress, or having room for a tad more.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/961054-spreadsheet-for-bodyfat-bmr-tdee-progress-tracker
HRM tab may help confirm your HRM is setup correctly too. Since you are going to use a method that requires as accurate as can be calorie burn info, better make sure that HRM is reporting correctly.
Actually, you get that HRM tab setup correctly, and that MFP tweak tab will let you enter in avg HR and time of workout and give calorie burn based on Polar funded study formula too, but tweaked with all the stats your HRM may not even have available.0 -
Which is exactly why I am asking if I'm doing this right. I appreciate your information. I just bought a Polar HRM and started using it last week. This is one heck of a spreadsheet. Thank you for sharing it.0
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You definitely never want to net below your BMR, or even consistently *at* your BMR. It is going to mean adjusting upwards, but if you want to follow the EM2WL philosophy, you really want to eat at that 15% cut off of TDEE. Yes, your weight will fluctuate and then stabilize, but it sounds like you are already mentally prepared for that :-)0
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So I went on the Scooby website and my TDEE minus 15% comes in around 1700 calories. So that's what I should be eating and I should log my exercise at zero then to really do this whole thing correctly? I'll go through the spreadsheets from Heybales to really get the right numbers down but I just want to make sure I have the concept right. And yes, I'm prepared for the fluctuations that will inevitably occur and try and ignore the scale short term.
Because clearly what I have been doing has not been working at all. :noway: 0 -
This is the most helpful group ever!0
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You got the principle right.
You are just more interested in doing it MFP style, but using a reasonable deficit.
The spreadsheet MFP Tweak tab will help you accomplish that by doing the following.
(non-exercise TDEE + exercise) - 15% = eating goal
is the same as
(non-exercise TDEE - 15%) + (exercise - 15%) = eating goal
On average. The former can be good motivation system if your brain works that way (exercise already planned, better do it), the latter can be good reward if your brain works that way (I want to eat more).
That 15% may vary depending on amount to lose. It'll be upwards of 20% if over 40 lbs to lose, but it'll drop as weight drops.0 -
Sounds like you got it right! :-)0
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Thank you guys! I appreciate it!!0
