Could use a little guidance

CaddieMay
CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have about 15lbs to lose. I was on MFP last year and lost the same amount of weight in a reasonable amount of time by calculating my TDEE, etc. I was amazed by how well that formula worked for me. The weight I gained back was due to my lack of maintenance, however.

So this time, I went to Scooby's site and did the same thing and came up with a number and used that for my daily calorie goal, but my weight loss has stalled completely. Now, I don't remember what I "filled in" last year for my activity level, so I think this might be throwing me off, and this is where I need some help.

I go for walks about 5 days a week - 2-3 miles at 5mph. I am also learning to do pushups (I never could do one) by leaning against a wall and doing sets of 20. Not sure if that counts for activity. I also help out around the house and yard every other day or so. So should my activity level be set at 1-3 hours per week or 3-5 hours per week?

Replies

  • sadrithmora
    sadrithmora Posts: 121
    If weight is your primary goal, it doesn't matter too much what you set. You can burn just as many calories in 3 hours as you could in 5. Try figure out how much your workouts burn and use that as a guideline for what to put into exercise field. Obviously as a goal you can set as many hours as you want, but by the end of the day, it's what you actually do what matters.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    If weight is your primary goal, it doesn't matter too much what you set. You can burn just as many calories in 3 hours as you could in 5. Try figure out how much your workouts burn and use that as a guideline for what to put into exercise field. Obviously as a goal you can set as many hours as you want, but by the end of the day, it's what you actually do what matters.

    Okay. But I'm still confused as to what I should put down as my activity level. I don't burn that many calories by walking, but it's still activity, right?
  • MaggieLoo79
    MaggieLoo79 Posts: 288 Member
    I'm not an expert, but I put sedentary down. Then I can eat back some of my exercise calories, if I want to. :smile:
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    I am definitely more active than sedentary, and I don't eat my calories back because I am using the TDEE formula. I'm also confused at to what goal percentage I should put down. 15%? 20%? I really wish I could access my MFP goals from last year. Those numbers worked like a charm.
  • sadrithmora
    sadrithmora Posts: 121
    Do you have any sort of walk/jog tracking app or something like that? Basically if you can calculate how many calories approximately you burn from your particular session, you can figure out what tyoe of goal percentage you can put down. For example, going from sedentary to moderately active increases daily calories burnt by 400 (just an example, i don't actually know the number). If you burn that much, then put moderately active (that's for mfp). as for tdee, you might want to look at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/653038-how-to-calculate-your-tdee-made-simple (might help). I don't use that myself personally. Wish I could help more.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    Do you have any sort of walk/jog tracking app or something like that? Basically if you can calculate how many calories approximately you burn from your particular session, you can figure out what tyoe of goal percentage you can put down. For example, going from sedentary to moderately active increases daily calories burnt by 400 (just an example, i don't actually know the number). If you burn that much, then put moderately active (that's for mfp). as for tdee, you might want to look at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/653038-how-to-calculate-your-tdee-made-simple (might help). I don't use that myself personally. Wish I could help more.

    I don't have a tracking app. But I will check out the link you posted. Thanks for your help!

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