I am so confused. What's the right way!??!?
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I eat what MFP tells me.
I'm sedentary because of a knee injury.
I lose weight every week.
It all adds up.
One of my friends wasn't eating back her exercise calories at all and hit a wall, she ate a bit more and started losing.
These are facts.0 -
I would recommend reading the following posts for a start. Lots of great info there.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1017045-a-very-interesting-and-informational-read-on-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
Considering your workout routine, you would probably be better served if you averaged 1800-2000 calories per day. You may want to look into replacing some of your cardio time with a beginning weight lifting program like Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. Weight lifting is great for body re-composition and provides other health benefits such as stronger bones as well as a stronger core. If it is simply a smaller number on the scale that you seek, that can be done without exercise, but a mix of weight training and cardio will improve your overall health and fitness in the process.0 -
Be extremely careful eating under 1200 calories a day. I ussually dont eat my calories during the day- atleast not a large amount; because I know I will consume them at dinner... i ussually take a daily walk and run 2 miles at night ( I'm 5'2 173 lbs) anyways, today i didnt eat at all and decided to run my two miles BEFORE dinner and nearly passed out: I got so dizzy that i felt like I could vomit. BE CAREFUL0
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Don't eat fewer than 1200 calories. 1450 a day for your height is probably good, you should eat back at least 60% of your calories burned through exercise though, and you can eat back all of them if you want. (The reason I say at least 60%, is the burn estimates MFP gives for activity are often higher than what you actually burn, so a good rule of thumb is to eat back at least 60%-80% of what MFP says you earned through exercise.)
Cardio does give you a high calorie burn, but you don't have to do 40 minutes a day of it, 20-30 minutes every other day, with strength training on the days in between, is a good place to start. Also, walking burns calories, it isn't really vigorous, but it still burns calories, so if you can get in the habit of a daily walk, that helps too.
As far as food goes this is sound advice.
You don't have to do any workout to lose weight. Just a calorie deficit.
But of course workout has a lot of positive things attached to it. Body weight exercises are definitely a good idea for the start to give you some resistance workout to preserve the lean mass you have and to get your body going. Beware though that at some point you will have to progress, that can still be done with body weight it just gets harder to find things that challenge you as you get better.
Cardio is good for your heart and your whole cardiovascular system and of course gives you lots of nice calories. But in no way do you have to do it 3 tines a week. Start with walking... Maybe have a look at c25k, you might like it but you don't need it... Do what you can and what you like.
As someone else said, don't overdo it as it's more likely you will stop. Take time to find something you like doing
ETA: also have a look at this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
That is correct, I wasn't implying that she had to workout, just saying if she wanted to it certainly didn't have to be for hours at a time or involve tons of sweat pouring from her body. Just that there are benefits. You can lose weight even if you never get off your couch, so long as you eat at a deficit.0 -
You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger0 -
You are not alone when you feel confused. There is a lot of information out there but you have to listen to your body. If you are dragging then your body is telling you that you need more fuel.
I haven't got it all figured out yet, but I can tell you this, we make it far to complicated! With complication comes stress, and stress keeps you from losing weight as well, at least in my experience.
Relax and focus on making healthy choices and try to maintain an active lifestyle. Your body wasn't designed to be starved and it wasn't designed to be overworked.
When I lost weight the first time (85 lbs) all I did was walk for 45-60 minutes 3-5 days per week. It wasn't stressful at all, in fact it was rather relaxing. It is important to enjoy your activity!
As far as how much you should eat, I don't know that. Figuring out your BMR and TDEE is useful information and can help guide you to an appropriate calorie goal. You don't want to eat below your BMR. A friend suggested to me to eat my BMR + 100 calories + exercise calories. I say pick a place to start and slowly add calories 50-100 each week until you get to a place where your body seems happy and is losing while maintaining a good energy level and mood. You should still be able to enjoy your life even while adopting healthier habits.
In my personal opinion healthy whole foods always leave you more satisfied than health shakes and packaged foods. I can eat a lot of veggies for the same calories as shakes. Think in terms of volume, you can eat like a king, not have to starve yourself and still lose weight.0 -
Came in to give advice, but solid advice has already been dispatched. Carry on kids, I'm proud of you all!0
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You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger
It's late, I clearly shouldn't be posting as I think I took your comment completely the wrong way. My apologies, I'm off to bed, carry on.
Rigger0 -
You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger
The comment was not to imply that you were wrong, I actually agree with you. I was just making sure she knew that it was TDEE minus 10 or 20 percent so she wouldn't go and calculate and find out her TDEE and then eat at that. I really was honestly not trying to imply you were wrong, just trying to clarify a point that I wasn't sure if the OP was familiar with.0 -
I started myfitnesspal not too long ago. I've been told so many different things and even when I google stuff, i also get different answers from those sites. All i want is for someone to help guide me in the right direction with this weight loss journey of mines. So a few things you should know about my diet and i; I am 20 years old and 5'4 tall. I am currently 196 and my goal weight is to be 120-130. Right now my daily routine consists of a lean shake in the morning and one in the afternoon, my dinners are usually light. So my calorie intake is about 1000 to 1200 a day. I've read on a website that my calorie intake should be around 2100 to 2400 so thats one of the things that im not too sure about. I hit the gym about five times a week or once in a blue moon I will workout twice in one day. I do about 40 mins in cardio and my heart rate is usually around 170-176 which I know is high but the thing that shocked me that most is that even though I am burning more calorie but i wont lose any weight either with my heart rate so high. I just dont get why this is just all so confusing. I really do want to lose weight about learning all of this... It feels like i've been doing everything the wrong way. Anyhow I will also list these questions down below if you're too lazy to read and i apologize for my grammar its a bit off. it's 12 30 am and I am tired but curious.
1) How much calorie should I burn off at the gym with a 1400 calorie intake?
2) What is a good heart rate to be at during a workout to assist in burning fat?
3) Can I use lean shakes as meal replacements even though it will leave me at a huge calorie deficit, will doing this also slow down my metabolism?
I really appreciate any help you can provide.
Don't get frustrated. Take your time and learn basics. I booked mark a link to one of the discussions. There you will find basic, but most essential information. Once you learn them, you can make the right choices with nutritian and exercise
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/848374-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners-2013-edition
Welcome aboard!!0 -
You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger
It's late, I clearly shouldn't be posting as I think I took your comment completely the wrong way. My apologies, I'm off to bed, carry on.
Rigger
That's okay. Its all good, thanks for taking the time to apologize, many on here would not do so. I apologize if my comment was unclear or caused any misunderstanding.0 -
It's all broscience. While it's true that at lower intensity fat is utilized more for an energy source, the equivalent use of calories to match one of higher intensity would mean that the duration of exercise would be much much longer.From the Cannon Beach Spa website:
FAT BURNING VS. SUGAR BURNING
Your body has a choice of fuels depending on the situation. If it’s an emergency or if the body needs energy fast, it chooses SUGAR as its fuel. Sugar is stored mostly in the muscles and the blood stream so it’s readily available. In any physical activity the body is trained to always burn sugar for approximately the first 12 minutes. At that 12 minute mark the body then decides whether to keep burning sugar or to switch fuels and to start burning fat.
How does the body make the decision to switch fuels? It’s a function of your activity level, and the body uses your heart rate to make the decision. If you are working or exercising at an aerobic level, the body will always choose to burn sugar. If you are working or exercising at a slower, SUB-aerobic level, the body can take it easy and switch to burning fat. The reality is that fat burns more slowly than sugar.
So you can see what happens. If you’re doing high energy aerobics (high heart rate) you will only burn sugar! This perfectly explains why people can do aerobics forever and still have an unhealthy percentage of body fat. The high energy, high heart rate aerobics is only burning sugar, no fat.
The ideal heart rate for burning fat can be generated by a vigorous walk when you get about half way between your aerobic zone and your resting heart rate. If you’re in your 30s or 40s that’s about 120, about 100 if you’re older. There are charts that show the aerobic level and the resting level for your age that can help you determine your ideal heart rate for optimum fat burning.
And don’t forget about those first 12 minutes! You can’t change that. The body will always burn only sugar in that time period. If you were to exercise for only 12 minutes at a time every hour on the hour, you would never burn an ounce of fat. You must get beyond the 12 minute mark for the fat burning to kick in. That’s why a long walk for an hour is a great way to get into a sustained fat burning mode.
For instance if one ran at 6 miles an hour and one walked 3 miles and hour, the walker would obviously have to walk for 2 hours to equal the same distance as the runner who ran an hour.............and still burn less calories since for about every mile walked, running it they would burn approximately 50 more calories per mile. And for 6 miles that's 300 calories extra for 1 less hour vs walking it.
Point is don't get hung up on the "fat burning" zone. If one is in calorie deficit, sleep and rest will take care of burning more fat.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Last comment I'll make before I head off to bed. The reason you get so much different advice when you google weight loss, or ask people, is because there isn't really one right method.
Some people don't like to exercise, so they create a calorie deficit through diet alone.
Some people (like me) really enjoy being able to eat, and so they are willing to work out more to allow the extra calories while still getting a calorie deficit.
Some people find that slow and steady gives them the best chance of success, and so they only aim for a deficit of a couple of hundred calories a day, even if that means they will take three years to reach their goal, it doesn't bother them as long as they can get there eventually.
Some people need to see faster progress because of a pressing health issue, or just because they will get discouraged and give up if they don't see changes at least every month. So they will aim for higher calorie deficit than the "slow and steady" crowd.
Some people find that carbohydrates trigger cravings for them, and make it harder to eat at a deficit, so they go for a lower carb, higher protein diet.
Other people are vegetarians or vegans, and so their diet is higher in carbohydrates and lower in protein (not necessarily lacking in protein, just lower than the "low-carb" people).
Some people want to train to be competitive athletes, and so they will tailor their program to improve their performance in whatever their sport is.
Some people just want to get to a healthy weight range, and don't need a specialized training program geared to athletic performance.
In the end, your goals will influence your methods, but if you want to lose weight there are some basics that all informed and reasonable people can agree on.
1. You have to create a calorie deficit to lose weight, this can be done by eating less, by exercising more, or by combining both.
2. The deficit doesn't have to be huge, but it has to exist.
3. If what you are doing doesn't work, examine it to see what's wrong, are you measuring and counting calories accurately? Are you eating enough to fuel your body?
4. Don't give up.
5. Have a plan for maintenance or the weight will creep back up... if you don't take extreme methods to lose, your maintenance can be ALMOST identical to your losing phase.0 -
It's all broscience. While it's true that at lower intensity fat is utilized more for an energy source, the equivalent use of calories to match one of higher intensity would mean that the duration of exercise would be much much longer.From the Cannon Beach Spa website:
FAT BURNING VS. SUGAR BURNING
Your body has a choice of fuels depending on the situation. If it’s an emergency or if the body needs energy fast, it chooses SUGAR as its fuel. Sugar is stored mostly in the muscles and the blood stream so it’s readily available. In any physical activity the body is trained to always burn sugar for approximately the first 12 minutes. At that 12 minute mark the body then decides whether to keep burning sugar or to switch fuels and to start burning fat.
How does the body make the decision to switch fuels? It’s a function of your activity level, and the body uses your heart rate to make the decision. If you are working or exercising at an aerobic level, the body will always choose to burn sugar. If you are working or exercising at a slower, SUB-aerobic level, the body can take it easy and switch to burning fat. The reality is that fat burns more slowly than sugar.
So you can see what happens. If you’re doing high energy aerobics (high heart rate) you will only burn sugar! This perfectly explains why people can do aerobics forever and still have an unhealthy percentage of body fat. The high energy, high heart rate aerobics is only burning sugar, no fat.
The ideal heart rate for burning fat can be generated by a vigorous walk when you get about half way between your aerobic zone and your resting heart rate. If you’re in your 30s or 40s that’s about 120, about 100 if you’re older. There are charts that show the aerobic level and the resting level for your age that can help you determine your ideal heart rate for optimum fat burning.
And don’t forget about those first 12 minutes! You can’t change that. The body will always burn only sugar in that time period. If you were to exercise for only 12 minutes at a time every hour on the hour, you would never burn an ounce of fat. You must get beyond the 12 minute mark for the fat burning to kick in. That’s why a long walk for an hour is a great way to get into a sustained fat burning mode.
For instance if one ran at 6 miles an hour and one walked 3 miles and hour, the walker would obviously have to walk for 2 hours to equal the same distance as the runner who ran an hour.............and still burn less calories since for about every mile walked, running it they would burn approximately 50 more calories per mile. And for 6 miles that's 300 calories extra for 1 less hour vs walking it.
Point is don't get hung up on the "fat burning" zone. If one is in calorie deficit, sleep and rest will take care of burning more fat.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thank you for replying to this!0 -
Last comment I'll make before I head off to bed. The reason you get so much different advice when you google weight loss, or ask people, is because there isn't really one right method.
Some people don't like to exercise, so they create a calorie deficit through diet alone.
Some people (like me) really enjoy being able to eat, and so they are willing to work out more to allow the extra calories while still getting a calorie deficit.
Some people find that slow and steady gives them the best chance of success, and so they only aim for a deficit of a couple of hundred calories a day, even if that means they will take three years to reach their goal, it doesn't bother them as long as they can get there eventually.
Some people need to see faster progress because of a pressing health issue, or just because they will get discouraged and give up if they don't see changes at least every month. So they will aim for higher calorie deficit than the "slow and steady" crowd.
Some people find that carbohydrates trigger cravings for them, and make it harder to eat at a deficit, so they go for a lower carb, higher protein diet.
Other people are vegetarians or vegans, and so their diet is higher in carbohydrates and lower in protein (not necessarily lacking in protein, just lower than the "low-carb" people).
Some people want to train to be competitive athletes, and so they will tailor their program to improve their performance in whatever their sport is.
Some people just want to get to a healthy weight range, and don't need a specialized training program geared to athletic performance.
In the end, your goals will influence your methods, but if you want to lose weight there are some basics that all informed and reasonable people can agree on.
1. You have to create a calorie deficit to lose weight, this can be done by eating less, by exercising more, or by combining both.
2. The deficit doesn't have to be huge, but it has to exist.
3. If what you are doing doesn't work, examine it to see what's wrong, are you measuring and counting calories accurately? Are you eating enough to fuel your body?
4. Don't give up.
5. Have a plan for maintenance or the weight will creep back up... if you don't take extreme methods to lose, your maintenance can be ALMOST identical to your losing phase.
Wow, that's a good Big Picture post. It's very hard to see things from every point of view. I'm going to keep this somewhere safe! There's something good there for everyone!0 -
It's all broscience. While it's true that at lower intensity fat is utilized more for an energy source, the equivalent use of calories to match one of higher intensity would mean that the duration of exercise would be much much longer.From the Cannon Beach Spa website:
FAT BURNING VS. SUGAR BURNING
Your body has a choice of fuels depending on the situation. If it’s an emergency or if the body needs energy fast, it chooses SUGAR as its fuel. Sugar is stored mostly in the muscles and the blood stream so it’s readily available. In any physical activity the body is trained to always burn sugar for approximately the first 12 minutes. At that 12 minute mark the body then decides whether to keep burning sugar or to switch fuels and to start burning fat.
How does the body make the decision to switch fuels? It’s a function of your activity level, and the body uses your heart rate to make the decision. If you are working or exercising at an aerobic level, the body will always choose to burn sugar. If you are working or exercising at a slower, SUB-aerobic level, the body can take it easy and switch to burning fat. The reality is that fat burns more slowly than sugar.
So you can see what happens. If you’re doing high energy aerobics (high heart rate) you will only burn sugar! This perfectly explains why people can do aerobics forever and still have an unhealthy percentage of body fat. The high energy, high heart rate aerobics is only burning sugar, no fat.
The ideal heart rate for burning fat can be generated by a vigorous walk when you get about half way between your aerobic zone and your resting heart rate. If you’re in your 30s or 40s that’s about 120, about 100 if you’re older. There are charts that show the aerobic level and the resting level for your age that can help you determine your ideal heart rate for optimum fat burning.
And don’t forget about those first 12 minutes! You can’t change that. The body will always burn only sugar in that time period. If you were to exercise for only 12 minutes at a time every hour on the hour, you would never burn an ounce of fat. You must get beyond the 12 minute mark for the fat burning to kick in. That’s why a long walk for an hour is a great way to get into a sustained fat burning mode.
For instance if one ran at 6 miles an hour and one walked 3 miles and hour, the walker would obviously have to walk for 2 hours to equal the same distance as the runner who ran an hour.............and still burn less calories since for about every mile walked, running it they would burn approximately 50 more calories per mile. And for 6 miles that's 300 calories extra for 1 less hour vs walking it.
Point is don't get hung up on the "fat burning" zone. If one is in calorie deficit, sleep and rest will take care of burning more fat.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thank you for replying to this!
Haha yes me too, I'm beginning to develop this kind of 'bro science' instinct when I start getting upset and confused but can't quite reason why. Someone always comes along at the right moment to help articulate what I'm feeling! I can't wait to be able to be that clear about stuff. Thanks guys!0 -
Just read and implement these...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1069278-acronyms-and-terms-for-new-mfp-members-v-6
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
http://evidencemag.com/why-calories-count/0 -
So many links to check out :O but thank you all!0
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There are many conflicting things about weight loss, that everyone will have a different opinion.
What works for some, will not work for all.
People say that calories in must be less than calories out. For me that isn't really the case.
What has worked for me, and many OTHER people is the ketogenic diet. find out more at www.reddit.com/r/keto
it is a community of others who are doing the ketogenic diet. I think there is a female version on the site www.reddit.com/r/xxketo
You need to decide what works best for you, but I know that low carb works for me (and as far as people saying it isn't healthy, or it's dangerous, disregard them. There are studies that show that it isn't harmful at all)
Choose what you want, but you can always message me and I can help you with keto. Good luck!0
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