Trainer says to Net 1000 Calories?!

marissabakescakes

Carb loading? For what event?

No event, just to "cut the last bit of fat." Which I know doesnt make sense.

I think it is the 5:2 thing. Except it would be 2 days 650 and the other days 1000-1350. I think she wants me to die lol :laugh:

IronSmasher

Carb loading? For what event?

No event, just to "cut the last bit of fat." Which I know doesnt make sense.

I think it is the 5:2 thing. Except it would be 2 days 650 and the other days 1000-1350. I think she wants me to die lol :laugh:

I kinda glossed over all of the post, but I've read your OP now (but not all of the others).

Anyway; your trainer may or may not have correctly calculated your BMR. The energy your body needs to maintain basic function when asleep/horizontal/in a coma.
The then forgot to multiply that by an activity level. This varies according to levels and source, but for example - MFP would multiply this by 1.2 if you tell it that you are sedentary. The trainer didn't do this.

They then applied what MFP and Weight Watchers do, and added on calories for your workouts based on expected burns. I've not heard of a professional do this before. It is far more the norm to calculate BMR, multiply your activity level to give your TDEE and then take a deficit from that. There are various ways to achieve this with varying accuracy, but it's the usual basic approach.

IronSmasher

I realise I've not answered your question.

It's up to you, whether you can just use their exercise advice and not take the nutritional advice is only something you know how comfortable you are, how much you enjoy it and how much you get out of it.

geebusuk

It does sound like they mixed up BMR and TDEE.
How long have you been eating at this level?
It usually takes me a bit of time to adjust to eating less.
Unfortunately at the moment I've got into eating more - a good few 4000 calorie days (due to lots of exercise), which makes the lower calorie days harder.

marissabakescakes

Carb loading? For what event?

No event, just to "cut the last bit of fat." Which I know doesnt make sense.

I think it is the 5:2 thing. Except it would be 2 days 650 and the other days 1000-1350. I think she wants me to die lol :laugh:

I kinda glossed over all of the post, but I've read your OP now (but not all of the others).

Anyway; your trainer may or may not have correctly calculated your BMR. The energy your body needs to maintain basic function when asleep/horizontal/in a coma.
The then forgot to multiply that by an activity level. This varies according to levels and source, but for example - MFP would multiply this by 1.2 if you tell it that you are sedentary. The trainer didn't do this.

They then applied what MFP and Weight Watchers do, and added on calories for your workouts based on expected burns. I've not heard of a professional do this before. It is far more the norm to calculate BMR, multiply your activity level to give your TDEE and then take a deficit from that. There are various ways to achieve this with varying accuracy, but it's the usual basic approach.

Yeah that seems to make the most sense.

marissabakescakes

It does sound like they mixed up BMR and TDEE.
How long have you been eating at this level?
It usually takes me a bit of time to adjust to eating less.
Unfortunately at the moment I've got into eating more - a good few 4000 calorie days (due to lots of exercise), which makes the lower calorie days harder.

I've been eating around 1500 or so (give or take 100) since mid November. Prior to that I was a lot larger and aiming to lose 2 pounds per week so I was netting 1200-1300 a day. Obviously the weight loss is slower now, but I am trying to make it more sustainable long-term. Whereas at first I had a bit more leverage because I was considered "obese."

But even so, I still find myself always hungry (literally all day), even though I am eating more than I was previously. And since I cut out cardio for the post part, I don't really get as much exercise calories as I previously did. Maybe I am burning more from weight training than I think and I should get a heart rate monitor to track it?

How significant is your weight training routine that your eating 4000 calories?

RachelRuns9

I've been eating around 1500 or so (give or take 100) since mid November. Prior to that I was a lot larger and aiming to lose 2 pounds per week so I was netting 1200-1300 a day. Obviously the weight loss is slower now, but I am trying to make it more sustainable long-term. Whereas at first I had a bit more leverage because I was considered "obese."

But even so, I still find myself always hungry (literally all day), even though I am eating more than I was previously. And since I cut out cardio for the post part, I don't really get as much exercise calories as I previously did. Maybe I am burning more from weight training than I think and I should get a heart rate monitor to track it?

How significant is your weight training routine that your eating 4000 calories?

Unfortunately the heart rate monitor doesn't work for lifting - only for steady state cardio.

Lifting cals burned can be hard to calculate. I've done a lot of googling and collected estimates from various sites, and honestly they all seem pretty close to what MFP calculates when I use the cardio "strength training" entry on here. Something like 130-250 per hour depending on intensity.

However, you also continue to burn cals after the workout, unlike with cardio. Because of that, it may take some time for you to figure out what you need. For me, doing a lot of lifting has been a good exercise in listening to my body as opposed to sticking to a strict daily calorie number. If I feel hungrier, then I really try to analyze if I'm actually hungry or just thirsty or bored or emotional. If I'm sure it's none of those things, I will definitely have protein/something healthy, because I feel like my muscles are rebuilding and I want to fuel that. So, it takes some time to sort of figure out what you are really burning ... but it's all sort of a fun journey as learn more about your body and change it!
Edit: When I was doing that (eating as I felt truly hungry even if it meant going over my chosen "calorie goal"), I ended up still losing 0.5lbs/week. So just because you eat when you are hungry, it doesn't mean you will be eating at maintenance or at a surplus. You could truly just have burned more than you thought. So, it's just a balance that takes time to work out. If I had ended up maintaining or gaining, I would have re-evaluated.

wthetri01

This site has a BMR calculator:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

It states:

What is your BMR?

Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is an estimate of how many calories you'd burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours. It represents the minimum amount of energy needed to keep your body functioning, including breathing and keeping your heart beating.

Your BMR does not include the calories you burn from normal daily activities or exercise.

Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor equations to estimate your BMR which is believed to be more accurate than the more commonly used Harris-Benedict equation.

I plugged my numbers in and my BMR is 1268 a day. What is ironic, I am also 5'4, 145 lbs, and active as well. I just hired a personal trainer too, and she is training in nutrition. From all I have read on good websites such as WebMD, Mayo Clinic, ect....they all say, including my trainer, NEVER GO UNDER 1200 CALORIES A DAY! Never ever, because it will slow your metabolism to a screaming halt and you won't receive adequate nutrition. My trainer, and every calculator I have used says I need 1200 calories a day to lose weight. Check this out on Web MD, its a good calculator because it calculates how many calories you will burn based on your activity level:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-metabolism-calculator

When I calculate my calories burnt a day, just being lightly active, it states 1755 so that minus 500 calories a day to lose weight is: 1255 calories a day I am allowed! I believe that will be close to your number as well since we are the same height and close in weight.

I am on a journey as well, it's tough for me to only eat 1200 calories a day, but I am just now training my self to eat more veggies and fruit. I have been training on weights for a good month now, and see a big difference in my body, it is a journey, and I want to be down 15 to 20 lbs by May. But the only way is 1200 to 1400 calories a day, 1400 on workout days. I have tried the 1500 to 1600 calories a day, with little success. Good luck to you, we are in the same boat!:flowerforyou:

ThriceBlessed

First thing I'd find out is where she got her certification from. Some states allow anyone to call themselves a Personal Trainer, even if they haven't even taken a single class for it... but there ARE some good certification agencies out there such as NASM and ACE.

Second, realize that even if she was certified from reputable school, that doesn't mean she will recommend sound practice, many people just act on their opinion even if logically they know better.

Third, if you feel what she is saying is unhealthy, get a different trainer.

skinnyinnotime

She's a physical trainer, not a nutritionist or an M.D.

They go hand in hand you cannot be a PT without all round knowledge of what it takes to be healthy and how to feed your body.

skinnyinnotime

you are a smart woman. the math is correct but the health as you said is crazy. Concentrate not on calories but on making your goal over the next 2 weeks to eat 75% of calories from the fruit and vegetable family. This will fire up your metabolism.

What absolute nonsense.

How on earth will fruit and veg 'fire' up anyones metabolism?!?

LeslieB042812

I just wanted to provide my 2 cents on the aspect of being hungry (and crazy grumpy!) on 1200 calories/day (or less). I've found that when I eat whole, fresh foods only (such as whole eggs, steak, chicken with skin, avocados, vegetables, nuts, fruit, etc.) and avoid processed foods, junk foods and refined grains completely, I am actually satisfied on less than 1200 calories/day. However, if I have breads (even whole grain) and/or "treats" those calories add into my total without filling me. :-)

geebusuk

On the above, I'll also say, I can eat 1200 calories of 'processed' food and be satisfied all day if I'm occupied by something, like working on a motorcycle project.

Get me bored and and I can eat 1200 calories of whole (sic) food for breakfast and still want more!