Exercise, Food, Calories...... Oh my!

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rvssnn
rvssnn Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

My name is Neha, and I was hoping for some advice and of course your opinions. I workout about 5 to 6 days a week. I would workout 7 but my trainer says that that is too much! Each day, I do Zumba and Pilates except for the days I train with my trainer. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I train with my trainer, and do a lot of circuit training. I am constantly sore and it feels amazing (not achy). I am pretty good with exercise, and in fact love it!

The hardest part for me is the food. Food and I have a love hate relationship. I currently weight 220 pounds and I am 5' 2. There are some confusing parts I do need some advice/clarification on. Fitness Pal asked me what my lifestyle is like. I said active, but I am wondering if that is incorrect. Any suggestions? I am currently not working. I got laid off about a month ago, and it has been the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I used to work in Finance, and now I get to work on myself. So, during the day, I am pretty active. Cleaning the house, or cooking, or just meeting up with friends. So am I active, or just lightly active?

It seems to me, that MFP uses a lot of averages for the exercises you enter. What confuses me is the calorie deficit. For example, my daily caloric intake should be 1740 (as per MFP). I then enter my exercise for the day. It then says that I can eat close to 2500 calories. Do I have to eat the calories I burn? Am I understanding this correctly? Or, should I only eat 1740, and have a deficit since I want to lose weight? My goal is to lose 2lbs a week.

Last question! I haven't really been losing weight. I see my body get more tone, but the weight isn't really coming off. Is this normal? Or am I doing something wrong?

I would love to hear your thoughts, and any advice you have to offer.

Neha

Replies

  • groovy_gals2000
    groovy_gals2000 Posts: 13 Member
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    The weight wont be coming off on the scales at this point cause with the type of exercise you've been doing you've probably started gaining a lot more muscle mass, and muscles weighs more than fat. SO while it appears as if you've not lost anything, you lost fat, gained muscle and hence appearing more toned!

    Eating back the the calories is argued often on this site. Personally I eat back the calories if Im hungry, or feel like the food ive eaten that day wasnt nutritionally adequate. Most people suggest eating back the calories, and I reckon with the regime your on, sounding pretty intense, I probably would eat back some of them yes. the 1740 calorie number is already a deficit, so any extra calories you lose at classes/gym etc are extra calories. To eat or increase the deficit... upto you.

    Be the sound of your classes and trainer sessions I'd definitely put you down as active.

    Also, for the record, Im really not very educated in any of this, but hope it helps a little!

    Also, Id suggest owning food scales (if you dont already) to help keep track of what your eating, especially if food is your personal demon. And Heart Rate Monitors are meant to be good if you do a lot of exercise, the calorie measurement is more reliable than MFP (but i actually have no personal experience... too poor for HRMs)

    Best of Luck! (feel free to add me if you need a friend!)

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