I am having a DUH moment....so help me out....

ChubbyBunny

I have read the Banks articles, but may have missed something....

I checked my BMR on here and it said I should be consuming 1568, to maintain regular (non-active) body functions. However, I have 60+lbs to lose and when I figure in my 6-50minute workouts, light activity level....it has me eating only 1200 calories (not including the workout calories which usually runs it up to around 1700-1800 a day).

Granted, I am only on 2lb loss until I am out of the obese range, which should be soon (hopefully). Then I intend to drop it down to 1/1.5 a week to finish my weight loss.

So, I stick with the 1200+exercise cals and everything will work out ok? There won't be any issue considering my BMR?

ChubbyBunny

I have read the Banks articles, but may have missed something....

I checked my BMR on here and it said I should be consuming 1568, to maintain regular (non-active) body functions. However, I have 60+lbs to lose and when I figure in my 6-50minute workouts, light activity level....it has me eating only 1200 calories (not including the workout calories which usually runs it up to around 1700-1800 a day).

Granted, I am only on 2lb loss until I am out of the obese range, which should be soon (hopefully). Then I intend to drop it down to 1/1.5 a week to finish my weight loss.

So, I stick with the 1200+exercise cals and everything will work out ok? There won't be any issue considering my BMR?

kimber607

Hi

Hopefully Banks will chime in, but that doesn't sound right
I came to this site in Jan and had about 25+ pounds to loose
Based on my activity level and NOT working out...it was rec I consume 1290 cals..
I initially started with 1400 because it was a HUGE cut in cals for my and I didn't want to feel deprived and quit...I eventually went up to 1490 cals and lost 27 pounds
I'm not maintaining and east up to 2000 cals a day

So, I think you should def be eating more than 1200 considering your work-outs alone

Good luck...hope someone else can help u better than I did
Kim

aaubrey

I split the difference. My BMR is about the same as yours. I try to keep it in the 1400 + exercise and i am losing 1 to 2 a week and I rarely feel like I am going without. I just dont eat a bunch of crap. I even had a donut yesterday. The difference is I just had one and didnt have any snacks until lunch. So, I just found the middle ground and it is slow going but it is working better than anything else I have ever done.

ChubbyBunny

I appreciate it, I was looking at the numbers and it didn't seem to mesh right.

I mean if it is, then by dang I'll do it....I just want to make sure I am doing it right to start with....then again.... I do workout a lot to get more calorie to eat.. and I do end up eating all of em. :laugh:

ChubbyBunny

I split the difference. My BMR is about the same as yours. I try to keep it in the 1400 + exercise and i am losing 1 to 2 a week and I rarely feel like I am going without. I just dont eat a bunch of crap. I even had a donut yesterday. The difference is I just had one and didnt have any snacks until lunch. So, I just found the middle ground and it is slow going but it is working better than anything else I have ever done.

Oh trust me, I never go without...but with the numbers I see it's tough.
Do you tweak anything in the settings so it lifts your cals or just figure it in your head?

PedalHound

I'm glad you posted this - a few days ago when I posted that I've been all of a sudden having trouble staying within my calories and I've been feeling hungry again, one of the things that I considered was the fact that although this site can provide a best guess based on standard formulas, without actual testing it's hard to say what any individual may need. I'm sticking very close to what I'm given but if it happens that I'm totally hungry at the end of the day, I've been listening to that and having something to eat!!
We'll all get it figured out eventually

ChubbyBunny

I can't figure out if I did something wrong (I checked and re-checked my settings) to get it to drop so low.

Starting weight - correct
Goal weight - not unreasonable (but I could increase it if that is needed)
Weight loss - not unreasonable to maintain until out of obese range (then will drop down)
Activity level - dropped from active (cause I am not always moving in the summer) to lightly active.
Workouts - roughly 5/6 times a week at 50-60 minutes...it does vary a bit
=1200

Hmmmm.....where is it tweaked

ChubbyBunny

I'm glad you posted this - a few days ago when I posted that I've been all of a sudden having trouble staying within my calories and I've been feeling hungry again, one of the things that I considered was the fact that although this site can provide a best guess based on standard formulas, without actual testing it's hard to say what any individual may need. I'm sticking very close to what I'm given but if it happens that I'm totally hungry at the end of the day, I've been listening to that and having something to eat!!
We'll all get it figured out eventually

Okay... whew...
I would of been fine if I hadn't checked out the TOOLS again....
I usually eat more but only roughly around the extra I get from working out and there have been days I felt starving.

So, should I just go in and adjust my goals to fit me better? I am not even sure how to do that since I was just letting the site control that. Anyone else know?

shorerider

I have read the Banks articles, but may have missed something....

I checked my BMR on here and it said I should be consuming 1568, to maintain regular (non-active) body functions. However, I have 60+lbs to lose and when I figure in my 6-50minute workouts, light activity level....it has me eating only 1200 calories (not including the workout calories which usually runs it up to around 1700-1800 a day).

Granted, I am only on 2lb loss until I am out of the obese range, which should be soon (hopefully). Then I intend to drop it down to 1/1.5 a week to finish my weight loss.

So, I stick with the 1200+exercise cals and everything will work out ok? There won't be any issue considering my BMR?

No--your BMR is what it takes to maintain your current weight if you were doing nothing else other than lying bed breathing.

Notice the difference in what you said?

The BMR is what it takes to MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT WEIGHT if you were doing nothing other than lying in bed breathing.

So--you want to eat less than that obviously since you want to lose weight, right?

Of course, you want to take your activity level into account--and the amount of calories needed for that is shown on your goals page. If you look on the right hand side of that page, you will the number there differs from your BMR.

cp005e

Hi there -

If you are trying to lose 2lbs a week, then the site will try to set you up for a 1,000 calorie deficit every day (1000*7 = 7000/3500 cal/lb = 2lbs/week), while not putting you under 1,200 (for women). A lot of women can't manage a 1000 cal deficit without going under 1200, so the site just defaults to that.

It's hard to know exactly what your daily calorie needs are, since everybody's metabolism is a little different (and dieting can definitely mess with it if you aren't doing things right). After putting in my activity level (pretty sedentary if you don't count exercise), the site said that my daily calories burned was 1890. But I tried wearing my heart rate monitor a couple of times for 24 hours, and I burned more like 2250-2500 calories. So 1200 actually *is* a 1000+ calorie deficit for me - but everybody is different.

You can manually adjust your goals by going to "My Home" and then clicking "Goals" and "Change Goals". You can also see on that page what the site is calculating your daily calorie needs to be as well as your daily deficit. What you did before was the "guided" setup; you can also manually put in what you want it to be. But another thing to consider before you change it is whether any of your habits could be contributing to you feeling hungry. For example, if I don't drink a lot of water, I find that I am more like to feel like I am hungry. Also, if I drink diet sodas, it makes me hungry. And sugar definitely makes me hungry a few hours later.

Hope this helps!

OomarianneoO

So, let me get this straight...I'm supposed to eat all the calories I burn off too?! I'm totally confused. I'm really not a big eater at all. Never have been. My biggest problem was just that - not eating, and then getting home for dinner and practically making a pig of myself. I've gotten better - a lot better. I mean I'm eating at least three meals a day now and I'm trying to snack more. But is this right? Am I supposed to eat calories burned off at the gym to?

shorerider

So, let me get this straight...I'm supposed to eat all the calories I burn off too?! I'm totally confused. I'm really not a big eater at all. Never have been. My biggest problem was just that - not eating, and then getting home for dinner and practically making a pig of myself. I've gotten better - a lot better. I mean I'm eating at least three meals a day now and I'm trying to snack more. But is this right? Am I supposed to eat calories burned off at the gym to?

Yes.
Please read the post linked below and the posts that are linked in that post. It answers everything.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

ChubbyBunny

Ok...whew... you guys are wonderful...I was starting to worry I was crazy and messed up somewhere.

The side note on the BMR page said it was the minimum to maintain organ function nothing about maintaining my current weight. That's the only issue I was hung up on. Yes, I want weight loss but I want my organs to function adequately as well.
To maintain my weight i'd have to eat 2120 cals a day.
See why I would be concerned?

I don't want to be only eating 1200 (or more on workout days) only to find out I should of been eating a bit
(obviously probably not tons more) more to keep my innards all happy.

Jezika

So, let me get this straight...I'm supposed to eat all the calories I burn off too?! I'm totally confused. I'm really not a big eater at all. Never have been. My biggest problem was just that - not eating, and then getting home for dinner and practically making a pig of myself. I've gotten better - a lot better. I mean I'm eating at least three meals a day now and I'm trying to snack more. But is this right? Am I supposed to eat calories burned off at the gym to?

Yeah, you're supposed to eat those calories too or at least as many of those as you can. If you put yourself into too much of a deficit than what the site already suggests and then exercising, your body could go into starvation mode because you're not giving yourself enough to fuel it. If that happens you won't lose weight as fast.

good luck

shorerider

1200 may be too low for you. 1200, like noted above, is the default number. It is NOT for everyone but mostly for those who have a lot to lose (such as myself).

Read the post linked below--


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20035-just-because-you-can-have-a-2-pound-per-week-goal

OomarianneoO

Yes.
Please read the post linked below and the posts that are linked in that post. It answers everything.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

Oh my goodness! This is SO what I needed! I guess I haven't been digging around in here enough. Thank you.

ChubbyBunny

So, let me get this straight...I'm supposed to eat all the calories I burn off too?! I'm totally confused. I'm really not a big eater at all. Never have been. My biggest problem was just that - not eating, and then getting home for dinner and practically making a pig of myself. I've gotten better - a lot better. I mean I'm eating at least three meals a day now and I'm trying to snack more. But is this right? Am I supposed to eat calories burned off at the gym to?

Yes. you do want to eat them.
Everyone is different on just how many they consume, but it is a HUGE deal to eat them.

OomarianneoO

Well, I am scared to death to add more calories, but I'm willing to give it a try. Sure does seem to be working for all of you. :happy: