Started new job, don't know how to log my calories...

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prplrabbit
prplrabbit Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
Hey all,

I recently started a retail job in a shoe store as a sales person where I'm walking, bending, lifting boxes and crouching to pick them up all throughout my shift. My goal is to lose 1.5 lbs per week and I set my activity level to 'Active' but I feel like I'm still not consuming enough calories because my heart rate monitor showed that I lose an average of 1500 calories during a 7 hour shift and I also come home and start to binge. I'm worried that if I set my activity level higher and eat more I might start maintaining my weight since I haven't been working out much lately except for my work activity. But if I'm eating too little then my body will start to store the fat.

Basically my question is, am I losing enough from my work activity to lose weight and do you think I should increase my caloric intake?
Help please?

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    A HRM is not accurate to wear in that way. They are only designed to record steady state cardio so ignore that reading for work as it's meaningless. If you still feel hungry and are struggling set your weightloss goal lower to 1 pound or .5 pound a week which will give you more calories. If you start to maintain just lower your calorie goal. All the figures we work on are estimates so sometimes you need to use a little trial and error. Also just to add if you eat to little you don't store fat that's just some weird myth. If you consume less than you burn you lose weight that's just science if you stored fat if you ate too little no one would ever starve
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
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    Set your activity level to "lightly active" unless your are on your feet during your entire shift, running back and forth, unloading boxes/stocking shelves, or anything that causes you to break a sweat multiple times a day.

    Your diary is amazing, looks like you pack your diet with good healthy foods. Keep it up, see how it goes after a few weeks (like, 4, not 2). Increase your goal cals if you can't stick to it, decrease them if you're not losing.

    Good luck.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    bingeing is usually for one of 2 reasons - you're not eating enough calories on a daily basis, or you're eating your feelings?

    i agree with the other comments, a HRM cant be used for daily activity, and try setting MFP to lose 1lb per week. leave your activity setting to active if you wish, and try to stick to your calorie goal for 4 weeks... if you have lost weight then you know your calories are about right, if you maintain then you know your activity setting is too high.

    you wont store fat from eating too little.
  • neverend
    neverend Posts: 15 Member
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    or you're eating your feelings?

    huh - hadn't come across that line before - something just clicked in me. Thanks..
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    or you're eating your feelings?

    huh - hadn't come across that line before - something just clicked in me. Thanks..

    :flowerforyou:
  • Sophiareed218
    Sophiareed218 Posts: 145 Member
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    I agree with all the other replies so far, only I would add that you should use a step counter instead of a HRM and set a goal of steps per day. You said you just started your new eating plan, and sometimes it can take a few weeks to adjust your taste buds and to adjust to smaller portions and feel satisfied. Around 1500 is a reasonable goal. Good luck with your weight loss and new job!
  • prplrabbit
    prplrabbit Posts: 6
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    Thanks to everyone for the responses! I've upped my calorie intake by lowering the amount I want to lose a week to 1 lb and plan to monitor my weight as well as work out a little more doing light cardio and toning on my days off and during free time.

    Turns out my watch has a heart rate monitor AND pedometer, I was just learning how to use it. During a 7 hour shift at work I walked over 20,000 steps (which was around 9 1/2 miles!) I really hope my pedometer is accurate. It's this one: http://www.amazon.com/CVS-Monitor-Pedometer-Calorie-Chronographer/dp/B004NFRYQ6. I hope to invest a better one soon, but it seems to be working well :smile:

    @_zardos_ It's good to know that the fat retention thing is a myth. I never bothered to look into it, but have read that if you cut your calorie intake too short and work out too much the body's defense system kicks in to retain the fat stores so that in case a person is starving there's back up....but then yea, starvation wouldn't happen.

    @TavistockToad Nope, not eating my feelings so I guess the former :wink:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    HRM watches are not accurate anyway. I wouldn't trust the number of steps either as it's on your wrist, so if you're lifting boxes and whatnot it will count that as steps too as you'll be moving your arm a lot. Plus the reviews agree that it's not accurate at all.

    But yes I'd set yourself as active, decrease your deficit, and not forget to eat your exercise calories.

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