Did I calculate right???

1200lne

Hi guys!
Sorry just so overwhelmed with so much information. I have been under the impression to eat 1200 calories a day, however, after looking at some other posts and measuring my TDEE http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
am I really supposed to be eating 1400-1500 calories a DAY? that is heaps! lol... for my size?????? really??! Or did I calculate incorrectly?

I am 53.4kg
159cm tall (which equates to 5'2?)
f, 28 yo.
walk/jog home 3-5 days a week (30-50minutes, depending in whats in my bag)

trying to lose 5kg.

Thats another peanut butter toast somewhere to fit into my day lol.

JenAndSome

Without actually running the numbers, that sounds about right. Enjoy your peanut butter toast!

FP4HSharon

I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.

katiwagner

What percentage did you take off?

1200lne

Hi Sharon,
I don't have a fat% scale, is it possible to get one?

I do know my body fat is high though, as my bones are small,
double chin, big arms and lots of belly fat is a good indication for me haha.

I've only recently started to walk home for 4 weeks now. Before that I rarely did exercise and ate out ALOT! 3 courses and all, but irregular eating, too much dessert, so 5-7 kilos slowly crept up over the years.
I've been this 53-55kg for 2-3 years now, finally in the right mind set to do something about it..

1200lne

What percentage did you take off?

20%

psuLemon

1600 is a good goal (macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats). But if you are looking for more composition changes, you really should incorporate some resistance training or weight training. That will provide greater changes in your body than cardio will.

katiwagner

What percentage did you take off?

20%

What did you get for your total TDEE? When I calculated it I got 2045.

1200lne

What did you get for your total TDEE? When I calculated it I got 2045.

yep 2045 but i took of 20%

159cm is 5'2 right? Sorry I'm from Australia and the measuring system is different ><

links_slayer

I don't have a fat% scale, is it possible to get one?

Calipers work pretty well, as long as you are consistent with where and how you measure.

As far as calories go, everyone is different and this is far from an exact science. The best thing to do IMO is log everything - EVERYTHING - you eat for a few weeks, watch the scale, and adjust as necessary.

psuLemon

What percentage did you take off?

20%

What did you get for your total TDEE? When I calculated it I got 2045.

That's about what I got too.

FP4HSharon

If you're in the USA, then you can get a scale for a reasonable price at Bed, Bath & Beyond. They carry both the Biggest Loser and Weight Watcher scales, which are both good. They also have 20% off coupons everywhere. Regular department stores carry them too, but just make sure it says that it measures body fat percentage on the box.

But if you're in another country, then maybe someone else can make a recommendation.

1200lne

for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

Should I follow MFP 1200 or TDEE 1400-1600?

I gained weight lol.....
On Sunday I was at my lowest 52.5 now, (since a 2 days of increasing) I am 53.5!

bwogilvie

for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

One pound (or 0.4536 kg) of fat equals 3500 Calories. So if you eat 200 Calories below maintenance each day, you will lose 2/35 of a pound each day (on average, given water fluctuations), or one pound every 18 days (=one kg every 39 days).

As long as calories in < calories out (BMR plus physical activity), you will lose weight. Now, things aren't *quite* so simple due to adaptive thermogenesis; if your calories in are just a little less than calories out, you may unconsciously cut back on physical activity or body temperature, while if they're just a little more than calories out, you might fidget more or get a bit hotter. That's why weigh loss regimens usually recommend a serious calorie deficit of a few hundred or more.

courtneytrisha

You honestly think 1400 is too many? 1200 a day is practically starvation for crying out loud

psuLemon

for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

Should I follow MFP 1200 or TDEE 1400-1600?

I gained weight lol.....
On Sunday I was at my lowest 52.5 now, (since a 2 days of increasing) I am 53.5!

well unless you eat 7000 calories over your tdee in 2 days the weight was water. Also, if you follow the standard curve then your tdee is closer to 2100 calories. So 1600 to 1700 will yield about 1 lb per week.

1200lne

You honestly think 1400 is too many? 1200 a day is practically starvation for crying out loud

I just feel like its the same amount I used to eat, which has kept me on the same weight these past years.

tigersword

I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.

Wait, WHAT? You're at a normal BMI, a very low body fat for a woman, and you're trying to lose 2 pounds a week? That's incredibly unrealistic and unhealthy.

psuLemon

I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.

Out of curiosity, how are you measuring body fat.. 15% is very low for a woman and a six pack would be highly visible.

1200lne

I haven't lost any weight (((((( Its been 3-4 weeks now..
started at 53.4... for 2 weeks it went down, 53.1 the first sunday, second sunday went down to 52.5
from Monday until now I am 53.5!!!!

I haven't gained any muscle or lost any inches!!

Was hoping to at least lose .5kg at least!
I've been eating 1200-1400 each day ... and it feels like how much I used to eat anyway....

psuLemon

I haven't lost any weight (((((( Its been 3-4 weeks now..
started at 53.4... for 2 weeks it went down, 53.1 the first sunday, second sunday went down to 52.5
from Monday until now I am 53.5!!!!

I haven't gained any muscle or lost any inches!!

Was hoping to at least lose .5kg at least!
I've been eating 1200-1400 each day ... and it feels like how much I used to eat anyway....

How about try what we suggested? Fuel your body to burn the fat. Heck I just got someone to up their calories by 600 per day and they lost 2.5 lbs in a few weeks.

1200lne

I will try bump up calories to 1600.. there was a time where I did eat ALOT (1600-2000), while watching tv... that was when I gained the most.. 56kg! soo i hope this works

psuLemon

I will try bump up calories to 1600.. there was a time where I did eat ALOT (1600-2000), while watching tv... that was when I gained the most.. 56kg! soo i hope this works

if you previously lost at 1200 calories its impossible to gain at 1600 calories. It defies how the math works. I suspect that you miss calculated or didnt weigh foods causing you to eat more calories than you think.

btw, do you have a food scale?

1200lne

I will try bump up calories to 1600.. there was a time where I did eat ALOT (1600-2000), while watching tv... that was when I gained the most.. 56kg! soo i hope this works

if you previously lost at 1200 calories its impossible to gain at 1600 calories. It defies how the math works. I suspect that you miss calculated or didnt weigh foods causing you to eat more calories than you think.

btw, do you have a food scale?

I didn't really lost weight at 1200.. I don't have a food scale, its purely estimate.. I think I Over estimated wat I eat.. (My peanut butter all this time, I put 30g=191 calories) it was only 6g. miscalculation..

My dinners come from lite n easy, so its all calorie counted already.

psuLemon

I will try bump up calories to 1600.. there was a time where I did eat ALOT (1600-2000), while watching tv... that was when I gained the most.. 56kg! soo i hope this works

if you previously lost at 1200 calories its impossible to gain at 1600 calories. It defies how the math works. I suspect that you miss calculated or didnt weigh foods causing you to eat more calories than you think.

btw, do you have a food scale?

I didn't really lost weight at 1200.. I don't have a food scale, its purely estimate.. I think I Over estimated wat I eat.. (My peanut butter all this time, I put 30g=191 calories) it was only 6g. miscalculation..

My dinners come from lite n easy, so its all calorie counted already.

The first thing I would suggest is getting a food scale. It is extremely easy to under estimate calories consumed and over estimate calories burnt. If you aren't measuring, it's a good chance you are eating too much. Most scales can be purchased for less than $20 these days. I would start there and try to log for one month. If you still have an issue, bump this thread.

candiceh3

Why are you trying to lose weight, and so fast?

I sense something is wrong here.

Failing2Thrive

What is TDEE?

links_slayer

What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure

skinnyinnotime

Hi Sharon,
I don't have a fat% scale, is it possible to get one?

I wouldn't bother, they're notoriously incorrect.....I used one at the gym today, it told me I'm 29.9% BF which is a joke...it also stated I'm 1.5" shorter than I actually am, lmao!!

wild_wild_life

I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.

Wait, WHAT? You're at a normal BMI, a very low body fat for a woman, and you're trying to lose 2 pounds a week? That's incredibly unrealistic and unhealthy.

I was also very confused by this post. By the stats you posted, you should be able to maintain on much higher than 1500. And if those stats are accurate, setting your goal at a 1000 cal daily deficit is harmful to your health. Also, it should take months to go from 20% BF to 15% BF and it does not compute for me that you would gain 6 lbs in the process.

wild_wild_life

for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

Should I follow MFP 1200 or TDEE 1400-1600?

I gained weight lol.....
On Sunday I was at my lowest 52.5 now, (since a 2 days of increasing) I am 53.5!

It doesn't sound like you need to lose weight. ? The body can be very resistant to losing weight when you are already fairly light. If you want to look "leaner" and are willing to lift weights/strength train, lean recomposition is probably the way to go.