Need some advice on calories, please!

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pamr40
pamr40 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
First, I'm 54 yrs old, 5'3" and currently weigh 158. I say currently because I keep losing and regaining the same darned pound….for 4-5 weeks now. Last week I lost 3 lbs but I had the flu so as soon as I started eating again, jumped right back up to 158ish. MFP says I should be eating 1200 calories a day to lose. I walk 5-7 miles ever day - I wear a Jawbone UP24 bracelet to track it so I'm pretty sure that's accurate. I just recently started eating 1200 "net" calories because i didn't know I was supposed to eat the calories earned by exercise. Still…weight seems to be stuck at 158. What am I doing wrong? Does it matter where the calories come from as long as I'm eating 1200? I try to eat less processed food. I drink only coffee (black and two cups in the morning) and drink 64-80 oz of water, no other liquids. Any suggestions, please??

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    In order to log accurately at any calorie goal you need to weigh your food and measure you liquids.

    And no it doesn't matter where the calories come from as long as you are in a deficet...a reasonable deficet.

    At 1200 calories tho I suspect your goal is at 2lbs a week...which is a bit high if you don't have 100lbs or more to lose.
  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
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    Do you have a food scale?
  • michael300891
    michael300891 Posts: 275
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    Something is probably amis between your calculations of energy expenditure and intake.

    I would guess that either:

    - Your eating more than you think you are (consider oils, sauces, and importantly sugared drinks fruit juices etc) OR

    - Your exercising less than you think you are (5-7 mile walk sounds great, but do you do this every single day, what do you do on days you don't walk (assuming there are such days), how do you calculate energy expenditure etc? Be careful not to overeat calories back.

    If you are really sure of the maths then perhaps you need to consider reducing calorie intake further, but my guess would honestly be miscalculations somewhere.

    Feel free to ask me any questions.

    Doctoral Researcher in Exercise Adaptation and Metabolism:

    Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Michael300891)
  • pamr40
    pamr40 Posts: 7 Member
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    I do walk at least 5 miles every single day. My exercise & calories burned are synced to MFP from my Jawbone bracelet, so I don't log it into MFP again. I do weigh my food frequently, but I'll become much more strict with that. I do have a scale and will give that a try for a week or so. I don't drink any sugared drinks - actually drink nothing but water and black coffee, no artificial sweeteners either. I don't mind trying anything - reduce carbs, more calories, less calories….I just don't want to let another 4-5 weeks go by with no loss without trying everything I can think of to make this work. I am doing some strength training, but before anyone suggests I'm probably not losing because I'm building muscle, I'm not doing enough reps or heavy enough weight for that to be the problem. I would be happy with a lb a week…just not the same lb every week! :) Thanks for taking the time to help me figure this out. I really do appreciate your advice!!
  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
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    Weighing food has been the turning point for me. I went three months without any changes and even gained during Christmas. I wasn't weighing my food. Finally bit the bullet and got a food scale. Best $20 I've spent in a long time. Found out I was overeating by about 300-500 calories a day. Well there went my deficit.
  • Julie20fan
    Julie20fan Posts: 361 Member
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    I do walk at least 5 miles every single day. My exercise & calories burned are synced to MFP from my Jawbone bracelet, so I don't log it into MFP again. I do weigh my food frequently, but I'll become much more strict with that. I do have a scale and will give that a try for a week or so. I don't drink any sugared drinks - actually drink nothing but water and black coffee, no artificial sweeteners either. I don't mind trying anything - reduce carbs, more calories, less calories….I just don't want to let another 4-5 weeks go by with no loss without trying everything I can think of to make this work. I am doing some strength training, but before anyone suggests I'm probably not losing because I'm building muscle, I'm not doing enough reps or heavy enough weight for that to be the problem. I would be happy with a lb a week…just not the same lb every week! :) Thanks for taking the time to help me figure this out. I really do appreciate your advice!!

    Pam~

    I am going to send you a private message.

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