Newby questions...

mrsmomma1222

I'm sorry if this topic comes up a lot, I have read through some of the topics of TPEEs and a bunch of other abbreviations that I don't understand. (Totally new here, and to the fitness journey I am starting.)

Anyways, I just don't understand why you would eat back your calories. I feel like it would defeat the workout. The deficit between calories burned and calories consumed is what results in weight loss, right? Is it really an effective weight loss strategy to eat back what I am burning?

Second thing I don't understand is the calories per day. I am 5'5, female, 24 y/o and I weight 250. I am trying to lose 100 lbs in the next year. Anywho, my fitness pal after adding my stats calculated 2200 calories a day. I realize that it's probably higher, because I am obese. However, I feel like 2200 is a lot. I realize that I can change the calorie amount in the app, but I am not sure how to calculate what my calories should be to sustain my weight loss goal. I know the old rule of thumb was 1200/day.

My first workout day was yesterday. I did day 1 of couch to 5k. After which I felt really good (and super motivated so I did Julian michaels 30 day shred level 1. This morning when I woke up my legs were/are so sore. Not just painful, I can deal with that, but they felt as though (my right leg especially) was going to give out. A couple times I felt it give and sort of stumbled. I suppose this is from doing too much too fast and not pacing myself. It was only an hour of working out. I did not do a workout today but did take a brisk walk. Are there suggestions on how to combat this muscle pain, until my muscles get used to this new regimen? I was thinking of a heating pad, but then read ice is better for muscles so I really am unsure.

Thanks for any suggestion!! I want to be successful and want to make the best choices.

MasterpieceMatt130

The most weight you should be losing Healthy is about 2 lbs a week. That's the reason the app only lets your goal be 2 lbs a week. 2200 calories per day? make sure you have it set to lose weight rather then to maintain or possibly gain. I have mine set to lose 2 lbs a week and Im aloud to eat 2100 calories per day, and i'm 6'0 and 318 pounds. assuming 1 lb is around 3500 calories. the app just takes away enough calories a day to potentially lose that weight per week. so 3500 calories/ 7 days a week is 500 calories a day. so for me it took 1,000 calories a day off of 3,100( its guessing is my calorie intake to maintain) so I can lose 2 lbs a week.

i would guess it wouldn't be more then 1400/day at your height and weight. ( my mom is 210 and 5'5 used MFP for awhile )

feel free to add me! I like to think i understand a little about exercise and nutrition to possibly answer questions or be able to look them up efficiently!

JK440

Hey,
I'm not so sure about your calorie intake recommendations, but I've definitely been there with this muscle soreness you're experiencing.

It sounds like you certainly got a little over-zealous on your first day! But that's fine - let this be a lesson to you! Take things easy, ALWAYS stretch after every workout to remove that built up lactate - your body won't be used to removing this toxin from your muscles just yet, and it does take time for it to learn how to do so. So, stretch properly and thoroughly (perhaps a bit of yoga every other day?) and take it slow and consistent. Routine is the best way to succeed, so keep to a 2/3day exercise plan and look after yourself

It ain't rocket science, just listen to your body

mrsmomma1222

Thanks guys . I appreciate the feedback!

ittybittybadonkadonk

try soaking in a bathtub with Epson salt ....that helps sore muscles .....as for calories I have mine set for a 1 pound loss a week and I eat 1869 calories a day and I weigh 216..........as for eating back your calories most people eat just half of the calories they burned in exercise ...you want to net whatever calories MFP set for you ....so the way MFP is set up they dont count your excercise is why you need to eat them back ...I hope that helps .....

73Laine

Bless ur heart. i kno u were very sore. i did the 30 day shred the first 11 days with only a couple days break.. and omg i cud barely walk bend or sit on the toilet for the first three days. so i can only imagine the pain u r feeling after doing both workouts and not being use to exercise on daily bases. please take it slow. if not u will burnout quick or cause urself an injury and u do not want that.du to the pain involved at the beginning i still have not restarted the 30day shred again. oneday i will get brave enuff to start it and complete the whole 30 days.
but please take it slow. u have to work urself up to things when it comes to exercise.
i shall never forget when i was in my 20's my sister n law and i got a workout tape oh we were ready to lose weight to get fit and at that time omg both of us were not big at all. actually i was the weight i wud love to b at now 130lbs. anyway we did the whole workout which had a 3 different steps starting at a beginner. and two other advanced steps. OMG! we were so so so sore next day. i so remember just to walk down the steps like to have killed me i felt. and same thing happened with the 30say shred for the first coiple of days. it was terrible pain. i had muscle aches where i had never knew i had muscles. so i feel for u my friend. take it easy and work urself up. just dont give up altogether. u can do it. it is a lifestyle change so take it one day st a time and do listen to ur body if u r pushing it to much.

shadow2soul

Anyways, I just don't understand why you would eat back your calories. I feel like it would defeat the workout. The deficit between calories burned and calories consumed is what results in weight loss, right? Is it really an effective weight loss strategy to eat back what I am burning?

MFP gives you a deficit before you workout. It is designed this way so that you don't have to workout to lose weight. To maintain the deficit MFP gives you, you need to eat your exercise calories or you end up creating a larger deficit (which isn't necessarily healthy).

Example:

MFP estimated Non Exercise daily calorie burn (BMR* + Daily Activity) = 2000
Deficit to lose 1lb per week: -500
Calorie Goal: 1500
Logged Exercise Burn: 500**
MFP estimated Total Daily Calorie Burn (BMR + Daily Activity + Exercise) = 2500
Deficit to lose 1lb per week: -500
Calorie Goal with exercise: 2000 (Net of 1500)

*BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = Calories your body burns to keep your organs functioning. Most of the calories a person burns in a day are from their BMR

**Depending on how you are determining your exercise calorie burns, you may not want to eat 100% of them back. Machine estimates or MFP estimated burns, you will probably only want to eat 50-75% back. Both of these methods tend to overestimate.

Second thing I don't understand is the calories per day. I am 5'5, female, 24 y/o and I weight 250. I am trying to lose 100 lbs in the next year. Anywho, my fitness pal after adding my stats calculated 2200 calories a day. I realize that it's probably higher, because I am obese. However, I feel like 2200 is a lot. I realize that I can change the calorie amount in the app, but I am not sure how to calculate what my calories should be to sustain my weight loss goal. I know the old rule of thumb was 1200/day.

1200 a day is the minimum healthy number of calories a woman should consume. I personally wouldn't cut your calories that low if you don't have to. If it makes you feel better, I'm 5'4.5" and last summer (before I became pregnant) I lost 47.8lbs after using MFP for 191 days. My average calorie consumption during that time was close to 1900.

Make sure you have selected the right activity level. Keep in mind, your not supposed to factor in exercise when you pick one. So pick the one the closely represents how active you are before exercise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***Currently 32wks pregnant and not trying to lose weight***

77tes

Eating back exercise calories - because MFP calculates your deficit without counting exercise, you should lose merely by eating at the proper level. Thus, exercise will reduce the deficit even more, perhaps reducing your net calories to an extremely low level. I love eating back my exercise calories! It is an incentive to be more active. I like to think that eating back exercise calories is eating like a thin person who, when he has a day with lots of exercise or physically demanding work, eats more.

I hope that clears things up! Good luck! :flowerforyou:

Don't make exercise too hard either.

LAMypie

No one has addressed your question on eating back calories yet, at least not to what I would want if it were my question. MFP is set up to where the calorie count it gives you to achieve should allow you to lose your target amount/week WITHOUT exercise. So when you exercise, your net calorie count is lowered. You don't want to dip below that goal too much or it could hinder your loss, and you could be in danger of eating too little, which is not healthy, especially if you're working out a lot. Your body needs fuel to be able to do those things after all.

As far as your workouts go, take it slow. you don't want to burn yourself out! I feel like I've accomplished something if I'm a little sore the next day, but I question my sanity and the safety of my workouts if I am too sore. One suggestion EAT BANANAS!!! The potassium will help with soreness and muscle recovery. I agree with other, stretch well every workout. Being limber is the best way to avoid injury!

Good luck and happy workouts!

sloth3toes

Here's some links for you to check out

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=sexypants

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161976-adopt-a-noob-official-mfp-thread?hl=adopt

The 3rd, link... adopt-a-noob, is a thread with lots of veteran MFP's who are offering to mentor noobies. Please read the first post in the thread, and if you're interested, follow the instructions. Don't just post that you want a mentor in the thread, that's not how it works. You might want to start searching for a mentor, going backwards from page 8 of the thread, because alot of the first people offering to mentor, have gotten full-up on noobs. It's an awesome program, they are offering to work one on one with you, to get you on your way.

mrsmomma1222

Thank you everyone who responded! I am (obviously) still doing some reading on different sites to figure out the best workouts, amount of calories, types of nutrition, etc. these responses definitely helped!!

I did have MFP set to 1 lb per week on default to get 2200 calories. When u changed it to 2lb per week I got 1650. That seems more on target with where I should be right now.

Thanks again!!