Not eating enough calories!

Options
2

Replies

  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Options
    I looked at your diary. I suspect you are way over-estimating your calorie burns. Where do you get your numbers from?

    Also, you put in clearing branches, which is not something I would include. It's simply part of your day. Yesterday I spent about an hour washing my car and cleaning out the inside, but that is part of my day so there was no need to estimate those calories.

    There is scientific evidence that focusing on your effort when doing daily tasks will increase your calorie burns and assist with weight loss. It is all about mindfulness, if you are thinking about what a good burn raking leaves is, then it will be good because you are focusing on that.

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17792517
  • eksero2k
    eksero2k Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    Not to offend you/anyone else, but isn't eating too much the reason you are here in the first place? Surely getting enough shouldn't be that big of a deal?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options

    What is Zumba anyway? Sounds like a character from the Lion King. Is it like, lifting baby lions? :huh:

    i would totally do Zumba if it was this!!!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    meat it bad.

    no its not! unless you left it out in the sun all day... then it might be....
  • p4ulmiller
    p4ulmiller Posts: 588 Member
    Options
    I understand what you mean about not buying diet foods, but I am trying to watch the sugar and carbs. That's why I get the sugar free fudge pops and stuff instead of the regular. As for milk, I've always had skim milk. I couldn't fathom drinking whole milk. I think for other things though, I will look for healthier choices that aren't "diet". I just have to reevaluate what I can eat, I guess.

    Don't worry about macronutrients like carbs and protein yet. You're on Day 3.

    Sweat the big stuff - calories in and calories out. Then when you've got the hang of that, move onto fine tuning.

    Baby steps, baby steps.
  • lmckillo
    lmckillo Posts: 127 Member
    Options
    No, I'm totally wrong. I don't know why I typed 1600. I burned 1050 calories working out. I burned 450 doing the arc trainer. I also lifted weights for a half hour but I didn't put those because I have no idea. And as for Zumba - which is aerobics to music from all over the world - the system said around 800 calories for 1 hour, but I put it at 600. I really don't know, which is why I posed the question.

    There are a lot of calorie counters apps out there that will help you calculate the amount of calories you burn. Just type in "best calorie counter" and you should be able to fine one you like.
  • rb16fitness
    rb16fitness Posts: 236 Member
    Options
    Not to offend you/anyone else, but isn't eating too much the reason you are here in the first place? Surely getting enough shouldn't be that big of a deal?

    ^this!^
    I keep seeing the 'struggling to eat 1000 cal' statements trotted out, (wls people aside - this group I understand), but then I see their ticker and blatantly they are capable of eating.

    Eat properly now (i.e. not an unsustainably ridiculously large deficit) or risk a binge session later.
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
    Options
    Not to offend you/anyone else, but isn't eating too much the reason you are here in the first place? Surely getting enough shouldn't be that big of a deal?

    I've never been a big eater. I just ate the wrong things. I'm trying to find things I like that are healthy. I've always struggled in general with food because I don't like meat too much but don't like enough veggies to become a vegetarian. I like carbs, and that's my problem area. I'm just rethinking everything I thought I knew about eating healthy.

    As for exercise, I'm going on the calories burned statement on the machines I use. I haven't been logging in weight lifting, which I do every day also. And although I'm new here, I've been doing this for three and a half weeks and now I've lost 8 lbs. I put my current weight as my start weight, so it says "0 lbs lost", but it is really 8. I guess that's a good amount for three weeks?

    Thanks!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    Anyway, what can you suggest for me to up my calories?
    Ice cream
    Should I work out less?
    It's rare the answer is work out less- especially if you are saying Zumba is your sole workout- I highly doubt you are over doing it on that

    Don't use the machines to gauge your calorie burn- they wildly over estimate.
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
    Options
    Most people overestimate their calories burned from exercise and underestimate their caloric intake. Odds are good that you're not running as big a deficit as you think you are. Exercise machines seem to also be bad at overestimating calories burned. I guess that's what the customers want, so that's what they give them. Counting food calories is a real pain at first with weighing and measuring everything that passes your lips, but if you aren't doing that, then you might be surprised at how far off your guesstimates are when you actually do it.

    Give it another week or two and see if you're losing or not. The first five pounds or so tend to be water weight and comes off the easiest. If you don't lose at least 7 pounds in two weeks with the kind of deficit you're claiming, then your math is obviously flawed.

    I actually put the calories burned in manually in here. When I type in the machine I use and time I was on it, the MFP system puts a certain amount that is more than I know I burned (or what the display said), so I change it. I don't know if it's enough or the right amount. I'm just going on what it said. I'm also making sure my heart rate is in the fat-burning range my trainer suggested so I'm not burning muscle. I don't know what to put for Zumba still, but the MFP said like 800 calories burned for 1 hour. I think that's too high.

    I have lost 8 lbs now in 3.5 weeks. I seem to be stuck there all week (gained a pound and then lost it), but I think that's ok for the time. I put my start weight in when I started MFP a few days ago, but I've been at this since 11/1 actually.

    Thanks for the advice and support!
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
    Options
    Anyway, what can you suggest for me to up my calories?
    Ice cream
    Should I work out less?
    It's rare the answer is work out less- especially if you are saying Zumba is your sole workout- I highly doubt you are over doing it on that

    Don't use the machines to gauge your calorie burn- they wildly over estimate.

    Zumba isn't my main workout. I"m hitting the gym 1- 2 hours a day. I'm lifting weights (different muscle groups) and trying to do an hour of cardio a day (usually the bike and the arc trainer). I do Zumba on the side and have played tennis a few times also.
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
    Options
    According to http://caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/, I burned between 664 and 886 calories from an hour of Zumba. I put 600, not knowing. I would say I'm doing it medium intensity (my back sometimes prevents me from some of the twisting and jumping, so I walk some steps), but even low intensity is 664, according to this site.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Options
    According to http://caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/, I burned between 664 and 886 calories from an hour of Zumba. I put 600, not knowing. I would say I'm doing it medium intensity (my back sometimes prevents me from some of the twisting and jumping, so I walk some steps), but even low intensity is 664, according to this site.

    Zumba is not a huge cal burn workout, I can't burn 600 cals running for an hour straight. I doubt low intensity Zumba for an hour burns more than running. You have warm up and cool down too which I'm guessing is 10-15 min of the class. And just eat what you did before just less.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    If you're a carb-lover, don't go on a low-carb diet! That's just punishing yourself unnecessarily. It's a good idea to make all or most of your grains whole. There's nothing inherently bad about carbs. Also, sugar-free products with artificial sweeteners will actually make you crave more sugar later, so I'd advise going with the real stuff, especially since you have the calories for it. For salad dressing, swap out the fat-free for olive oil and vinegar because healthy fats can help you absorb the nutrients in your salad, and you seem to be especially low on fats.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    If you're serious about losing weight, it's worth the investment to get a heart rate monitor. It's the most accurate way to track calories burned during cardio.

    Also, there are no "wrong foods," just too many calories. Stick to your calorie goal to lose weight, and worry about macros once you get a handle on that.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    First buy a heart rate monitor. I'd be surprised if you actually burned more than 800 calories total. MFP/machines numbers are always inflated and you have no idea how much you burn unless you have a heart rate monitor.

    Then, eat more. Losing weight doesn't mean having to magically kill yourself at the gym and only eat small quantities of super healthy foods. It just means eating less. So just eat what you used to eat, just in smaller quantities.
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
    Options
    Thanks, all! I think I will get a heart rate monitor ... I can't imagine I'm burning that many calories like it says too. I mean, I think I'm working hard, but not that hard! It'll be interesting to see what I'm actually burning once I get it.
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
    Options
    Thanks, all! I think I will get a heart rate monitor ... I can't imagine I'm burning that many calories like it says too. I mean, I think I'm working hard, but not that hard! It'll be interesting to see what I'm actually burning once I get it.

    Can I just say that I read this entire thread and it's so nice to see someone come here with questions and honesty and then actually listen to the good advice given to them? I'm so used to seeing "I have to lose X-pounds by a wedding/vacation in one month and I'm doing all of these things incorrectly and also I'm unwilling to listen to any advice unless you tell me how I can drop a significant amount of weight quickly and without too much effort, because [insert list of excuses here]!" and then the thread turns into a huge argument with the OP walking away having learned nothing because they didn't want to be honest about (or own up to) their mistakes.

    When people learn they aren't burning as many calories as they think they are, or that their eating habits are affecting them more than they realize, it's rare to see someone acknowledge the good advice of others and acknowledge their mistakes. This is a support forum and I don't know why people come here if they're just going to ignore the advice they ask for. It's refreshing to see support and advice being utilized!

    Best of luck to you in your weight loss and fitness journey!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    According to http://caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/, I burned between 664 and 886 calories from an hour of Zumba. I put 600, not knowing. I would say I'm doing it medium intensity (my back sometimes prevents me from some of the twisting and jumping, so I walk some steps), but even low intensity is 664, according to this site.

    that's really high. It's probably closer to 2-300. I am a dancer- and I average about that for my training sessions.
    If you're serious about losing weight, it's worth the investment to get a heart rate monitor. It's the most accurate way to track calories burned during cardio.

    Gasp- whatever would we do without technology. while HRM are nice- they are not a requirement and it's a big stretch to say "if you're serious you should be buy one"

    You do not NEED a HRM to lose weight. Don't buy one if you dont' want one. I have a friend who was practically crippled when her's broke- she actually said "I don't want to work out what's the point if I can't log it!!!"

    god danmit woman- just do your best and ball park it. It's not rocket science.
    Take a pulse before
    Take your pulse after a long set.
    take a pulse after.
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
    Options
    According to http://caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/, I burned between 664 and 886 calories from an hour of Zumba. I put 600, not knowing. I would say I'm doing it medium intensity (my back sometimes prevents me from some of the twisting and jumping, so I walk some steps), but even low intensity is 664, according to this site.

    Zumba is not a huge cal burn workout, I can't burn 600 cals running for an hour straight. I doubt low intensity Zumba for an hour burns more than running. You have warm up and cool down too which I'm guessing is 10-15 min of the class. And just eat what you did before just less.

    I started at 293 with Insanity and was burining (avg 700cal) more then, than I am now that I have lost (249lb) [550 cals]. I have used a HRM the whole time.
    I guess the heavier you are the more you burn in the beginningof your weightloss. If a person is 160lbs at and Im 249. I would burn more...

Categories