What calorie range is right for me?

sarah44254

What am I doing wrong, I want to ask. But I'm not doing anything wrong, really. Just maybe not doing it all quite right.

So basically I want to ask this:

I eat 1260 calories a day. I have no always done this in my few months here. Should I be eating more each day? Would I lose more that way?

It is hard to get a reading on my weight loss because some weeks I won't lose at all, some weeks I will lose 0.2 lbs, and then some weeks I drop 2.8 lbs. How can I know if eating more will help me lose faster?

Should I even be trying to lose faster? I've lost almost 17 lbs in 14 weeks. Of course I'd prefer to be a lower weight sooner, but if it is the right way to do things, I can be patient. Any other info please ask, I just can't figure this out on my own.

Tandksmommy11

17lbs in 14 weeks is slightly more then 1lb per week, which is the reccommended amount. I'd say if you try to lose to much more each week, it might not be maintainable. Eat whatever MFP allows you, as well as half your exercise calories burned.

sarah44254

It allows me different amounts though, based on my activity level. That is the real confusion for me.

I wake up and drive to work, stand on my feet all day and walk around a small store, making coffee, mopping floors, moving boxes and so on. I drive home and do a workout (which I log in my exercise diary), then I sit on my bum and do homework, play video games, or browse the internet. On my days off work I am at school, which I also drive to, but then I sit in class instead of stand, and I don't do any lifting or cleaning, just writing and whining .

I have never been sure if this is a sedentary lifestyle (because I really do just sit around my apartment) or lightly active (because I work very hard while at work).

I've changed it once or twice throughout my weeks here, but I don't remember when so I can't check on what kind of impact that has had.

Also, why half the exercise calories? I eat all of them.

sassyg

Given your current weight and height, I'd say that a 1/2lb to 3/4lb per week is a reasonable aim.

i would definitely say you're at LEAST lightly active. Possibly active.
remember, muscle and activity ups your metabolic rate. even if you do sit around some of the time, you still have a higher rate from the muscle you do have, and the exercise you do to, then someone who sits around ALL DAY and does NO EXERCISE. This is sedentary. you are not sedentary. You have a higher metabolic rate, so you burn more even at rest. Then you get to log your workouts on top of that.

mariasheehan

It's really hard to know and I know how confusing it is. I'm kind of like you in a way... I have set my activity level to sedentary and I log everything as exercise. I'm on my feet a lot during the day running around the house, (1 baby + 4 step kids = super busy), I also don't have a car so I walk to get groceries with the stroller, which could be 4 miles. I walk several miles a week which is my main exercise and I eat all my exercise calories. I'm a believer in eating more than 1200; I think it's just too low. I find that when I eat more I tend to lose. I'm actually on maintenance now so I'm just watching what I'm eating. But I also worry sometimes if my exercise calories are inaccurate even though I use a HRM and maybe I'm eating too much! I'm trying to find a balance somewhere in between. I also know someone else who was around my size and has basically starved herself at 900 calories a day and is losing weight steadily, no plateaus, no stalls, nothing!! Just consistently losing weight. It's hard to know what to do and do it right!! Other websites have told me I should be eating approximately 1500 calories a day, which is what I do basically.

mariasheehan

Have you thought about trying a heart rate monitor during the day (whilst at work) to see your actual calorie burn??

sarah44254

I do have a HRM, and I have worn it both during a day of work, and a day of school. I am concerned that the numbers are a bit off, though. I have a very high resting heart rate, and I think that throws the calorie burn out of whack when I wear it for a long time. My resting heart rate is anywhere from 95-110 (it has hit 125 from simply standing up and walking to the bathroom and back). I don't know if I am just nervous all the time or what, it might be linked to my low blood pressure (all my life the doctors have said don't worry about it, low blood pressure is fine) but then the low blood pressure issue combined with a high intake of caffiene was causing me to faint, so it didn't seem fine to me then! Anyhow, no more caffiene for me (only limited to a small pepsi or a chocolate now and then).

My work day, 10 hrs from when I woke up, put it on, drove to work, 8 hrs work, drove home, got dressed for exercise.. 4,300 calories. Then I burned another 480 or so on my run that day.

My school day, much less. 10 hrs of wake up, drive to school, sit, walk to other class, sit, eat lunch, drive home ... 3,000 calories.

*Your estimated BMR is: 1,398 calories/day* Dunno how that fits in, or if it's helpful at all.

Question: If I swap to lightly active, I still log my exercises? I thought the exercise is why I would be lightly active, or even active, I'm not sure on that.

sassyg

Yes you still log your workouts. the increase in calories from upping your activity level accounts for the extra calories you burn when you're not working out, just because you regularly do. It's not a huge amount extra, about 17.5% of your BMR for each bracket you go up, which as you can work out doesn't go anywhere near covering your workouts. Its just increased general burn.

sarah44254

Oh ok that is why! I thought it was taking into account the entire workout.

Thanks a lot guys, I want to give that a try. I was really feeling like 1260 might not be enough calories for me!

Tandksmommy11

It allows me different amounts though, based on my activity level. That is the real confusion for me.

I wake up and drive to work, stand on my feet all day and walk around a small store, making coffee, mopping floors, moving boxes and so on. I drive home and do a workout (which I log in my exercise diary), then I sit on my bum and do homework, play video games, or browse the internet. On my days off work I am at school, which I also drive to, but then I sit in class instead of stand, and I don't do any lifting or cleaning, just writing and whining .

I have never been sure if this is a sedentary lifestyle (because I really do just sit around my apartment) or lightly active (because I work very hard while at work).

I've changed it once or twice throughout my weeks here, but I don't remember when so I can't check on what kind of impact that has had.

Also, why half the exercise calories? I eat all of them.

You're definitely more then sedentary. I think almost everyone is more then sedentary if they do any amount of walking or standing during the day. You'd have to be a total couch potato or someone with a disability (and can't walk) to not be at least slightly active.

Some say to eat all the calories, some say half, some say none--I go with half just to please both camps..haha.