looking for advice on calories

my_2_cents

I'm not looking for your full indepth research, just your thoughts.

I was recently experiencing a plateau for a couple of weeks in weight. I read your threads and got a digital scale and found a 40 gram inaccuracy in the analog scale I had been using as well as tightening up my logging. I also decided to drop my daily calorie goal by 300 calories from where MFP had set it as I had noticed before my plateau that I had minimal weight loss unless I happened to eat about 300 calories less than what MFP suggested for the day.

I am 33 yrs, male, 6 feet tall, current weight of 257lbs and goal of 210 (conservatively, I may go further once I get there). I do have a fitbit one that I wear 24/7 and linked to MFP. What I'm wondering is if you think that 1400 calories plus my excercise calories is sufficient for weight loss without causing significant muscle loss etc. I am working currently to limit salt intake, and balance for higher protein and less fat, so I want a minimum of 25% protein and preferably 25% or less fat in my diet. I'll admit that eating whole foods is not yet common for me, I still eat treats, but I am working on ensuring that all of my %DV are met, and if not through food then I add a multi vitamin.

I have recently returned to running after years away from it, I currently jog 5km every second day at a very slow pace (currently 38-39 minutes for 5km) plus I walk another 2-4 km every second day.

What are your thoughts on the caloric intake as set? I'm a bit worried about setting it too low, but since I lowered it to there I have not felt hungry as I've made better food choices, and I have been losing quite consistently, although it has only been 4 days.

Also, what foods besides bananas are high in potassium? That is the one item I'm not getting anywhere close to my target on, and I don't like bananas.

_benjammin

... what foods besides bananas are high in potassium? That is the one item I'm not getting anywhere close to my target on, and I don't like bananas.

Winter squash, cubed, 1 cup, cooked: 896 mg
Sweet potato, medium, baked with skin: 694 mg
Potato, medium, baked with skin: 610 mg
White beans, canned, drained, half cup: 595 mg
Yogurt, fat-free, 1 cup: 579 mg
Halibut, 3 ounces, cooked: 490 mg
100% orange juice, 8 ounces: 496 mg
Broccoli, 1 cup, cooked: 457 mg
Cantaloupe, cubed, 1 cup: 431 mg
Banana, 1 medium: 422 mg
Pork tenderloin, 3 ounces, cooked: 382 mg
Lentils, half cup, cooked: 366 mg
Milk, 1% low fat, 8 ounces: 366 mg
Salmon, farmed Atlantic, 3 ounces, cooked: 326 mg
Pistachios, shelled, 1 ounce, dry roasted: 295 mg
Raisins, quarter cup: 250 mg
Chicken breast, 3 ounces, cooked: 218 mg
Tuna, light, canned, drained, 3 ounces: 201 mg
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

A lot of foods in the database don't list potassium values and potassium info is not a labeling requirement (at least in the USA).

my_2_cents

... what foods besides bananas are high in potassium? That is the one item I'm not getting anywhere close to my target on, and I don't like bananas.

A lot of foods in the database don't list potassium values and potassium info is not a labeling requirement (at least in the USA).

Actually, I was reading a news story this morning. Both the FDA in the US, and their equivalent Canadian agency have proposed changes to nutrition labelling, including requiring the potassium level on all foods.

_benjammin

Actually, I was reading a news story this morning. Both the FDA in the US, and their equivalent Canadian agency have proposed changes to nutrition labelling, including requiring the potassium level on all foods.

That would be great. I too worried about my potassium. I just try to not worry about it but eat a lot of broccoli and potatoes.

my_2_cents

I really like chicken stir fry, and I make it with a frozen veggie mix that is about 1/2 broccolli, so hopefully its just that they've left it off the label.

DopeItUp

I usually leave intake questions to the masters but I will note two things (SS or Sara can just delete my post if they don't like it)

1) What is your fitbit giving you for total daily expenditure? As a 250lb+ male that runs I'd be expecting a pretty decent number. Probably close to 3000? Which leads me to...
2) 1400 seems really, really low. We are almost the same age and you have 40lbs on me. I am working with 2250 gross currently and don't plan to ever drop below 2000. If it were me I'd probably shoot for at least 2000 a day. Fast weight loss is great in theory, terrible in reality.

my_2_cents

My burn goal is 3501 per day on fitbit as set by their automated system. I hit that when I run, usually within a few hundred below on days I don't run. I should clarify, I have my MFP account set to sedentary with a goal of 1400 calories. I then earn extra calories through exercise, and on most days my actual intake is usually around 2000 to 2500 calories per day. This means my deficit is simply set around 1500 calories instead of the 1000 calories per day recommended by MFP.

I was finding that with the 1000 calorie per day deficit I had plateaued, but at that time I was also struggling with making good food choices, so I was eating higher carb and fat foods, and eating them late in the day. I'm working on the food choices the last few days, and limiting my late day calories, which is hard on shift work.

I am the type who struggles to be motivated to exercise, but when I have no calories left for a decent supper, I can be motivated to get out for a run to earn my supper if that makes sense. Its not necessarily smart, but it works for me.

DopeItUp

My burn goal is 3501 per day on fitbit as set by their automated system. I hit that when I run, usually within a few hundred below on days I don't run. I should clarify, I have my MFP account set to sedentary with a goal of 1400 calories. I then earn extra calories through exercise, and on most days my actual intake is usually around 2000 to 2500 calories per day. This means my deficit is simply set around 1500 calories instead of the 1000 calories per day recommended by MFP.

I was finding that with the 1000 calorie per day deficit I had plateaued, but at that time I was also struggling with making good food choices, so I was eating higher carb and fat foods, and eating them late in the day. I'm working on the food choices the last few days, and limiting my late day calories, which is hard on shift work.

I am the type who struggles to be motivated to exercise, but when I have no calories left for a decent supper, I can be motivated to get out for a run to earn my supper if that makes sense. Its not necessarily smart, but it works for me.

Meh, people say it's not smart but it worked for me too. I used to exercise EXPLICITLY for the purpose of earning myself a beer. Every day. For almost three years. I weaned myself off of that model but it built a habit of exercise that I continue. Now I lift for the love of it, not for the love of beer (though I love beer too, it's more of a mistress).

My personal opinion, if your gross intake is 2000-2500 you are probably perfect. The 1400 number just kinda scared me a bit.

my_2_cents

Meh, people say it's not smart but it worked for me too. I used to exercise EXPLICITLY for the purpose of earning myself a beer. Every day. For almost three years. I weaned myself off of that model but it built a habit of exercise that I continue. Now I lift for the love of it, not for the love of beer (though I love beer too, it's more of a mistress).

My personal opinion, if your gross intake is 2000-2500 you are probably perfect. The 1400 number just kinda scared me a bit.

Yeah, as an example, today I'm on a 12 hour dayshift. I'm also scheduled to do a 5k run when I get home tonight. I have eaten just under 1000 calories so far today, so I already have 415 available to me for supper, plus my fitbit will sync when I get home, giving me probably around 700 calories available, which is a very respectable supper. The only reason for me to run tonight is that I committed to running 5km every second day, and I'm signed up for a 5k run this coming sunday, so even with my slow time I still need to train.

edit to add that after I run tonight I'll have around 1400 calories available for supper. It is very challenging not to sit down and eat a whole frozen thin crust pizza which comes in at 1300 calories and change. I'll have to start planning for this and taking a larger lunch on these days.

Sarauk2sf

Hi!

Can you open your food diary. Thanks!

my_2_cents

Done. I don't leave it public all the time, but will for a couple of days. Thanks.

Sarauk2sf

Done. I don't leave it public all the time, but will for a couple of days. Thanks.

Thanks

Looking at your diary, your logging looks a bit patchy prior to this month.

Based on your size, you should easily be losing weight on 2,000 calories (gross).


It sounds as if you would be more motivated to 'eat your exercise calories back' rather than eat to a fixed amount under the assumption of a certain activity level.

I would really focus on being accurate with your logging for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. So that you do not restrict too much (which may cause long term adherence issues), I would suggest that you set yourself at 1,700 - 1,800 and eat 50% of your exercise calories back - do this for 2 weeks and get back to us at the end so we can assess.

my_2_cents

Done. I don't leave it public all the time, but will for a couple of days. Thanks.

Thanks

Looking at your diary, your logging looks a bit patchy prior to this month.

Based on your size, you should easily be losing weight on 2,000 calories (gross).


It sounds as if you would be more motivated to 'eat your exercise calories back' rather than eat to a fixed amount under the assumption of a certain activity level.

I would really focus on being accurate with your logging for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. So that you do not restrict too much (which may cause long term adherence issues), I would suggest that you set yourself at 1,700 - 1,800 and eat 50% of your exercise calories back - do this for 2 weeks and get back to us at the end so we can assess.

Yes, prior to about a month ago I was using fitbit to track my calories and logging most foods there, then logging what wasn't in their database on MFP. About a month ago I finally switched to logging all foods on MFP, which is why it is patchy before that time. Unfortunately I can't tell you the exact start date of when I logged here full time right now, but it looks like I was fully on MFP by June 15th.

I'll raise my goal up a bit then, just wanted to make sure it wasn't an unsafely low level or anything. Since I switched my calorie goal to 1400 I've had an immediate change in weight, 3.5 lbs in 3 days so far. I'm assuming the first day was just a shock to the system as that day I didn't even eat near my goal, I definitely under ate. Now the last two days were .8 and .4 lbs down respectively which I'm happy with if it stays consistent. I don't obsess if I stay flat for a day or two, only get frustrated if I stay the same for more than a week.

Sarauk2sf

When you drop calories, especially carbs, you usually drop water (and food) weight which will cause a quick drop in your weight.

Did you lose anything from June 15th through the end of last month?

my_2_cents

I lost about 3.5 lbs, but 2.5 of that came all in one day where I did 10 hours of baling and moving hay. I was down 5.5 lbs, mostly water, but only came back up 3 lbs after a few days. So I credit that day of extraordinary exercise with that loss. The other lb over the course of nearly a month was what I considered a plateau.

I have raised my calorie goal back to 1600 instead of 1400 and will see how that goes. Even eating at that higher calorie level yesterday, I was still down 1.9 lbs this morning. I weigh in each day when I wake up. I'm guessing that the shock to my system caused some of the water weight loss as you describe because I certainly didn't burn 7000 extra calories yesterday. I did run 8.3 km after work, but I then ate pizza and only had about 190 calories left over at the end of the day. I'll be fine, I'll just keep experimenting, and given my quick loss the last few days, I expect I'll plateau again here shortly for a few weeks as I burn off the fat to catch up.

I am definitely noticing a size difference, a shirt I bought in early June that was very tight is now quite loose on me. Most of my excess weight I carry in my upper body, 36 inch waist, but 50 inch shoulders, so that's going to be where I lose from the fastest.

Sarauk2sf

Sorry - just realized I missed getting back to this after your response so bumping so I do not miss it

my_2_cents

No problem. I haven't been on much the last few days....and making poor food choices lol. Still well within my calorie limits, just choosing taste over content.