Should I eat more?

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taiyola
taiyola Posts: 964 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Got my HRM through this week. From calories burnt, on a quiet night at work, I'm burning 250-300 cals an hour. On a busy night I don't know yet as haven't used it when it's busy yet.

Say I burn 4000-5000 a week at work, and 300 on 5 other days of the week roughly (will have to test this next week as I'm working solidly until Tuesday), and have one day off... should I be eating more than 1200 a day? Is this why my weight loss is so slow? Should I just leave it at 1200 and just attempt to eat my exercise cals? There's no way I can healthily eat 3000 cals in one day, lol.

My calories burnt are actually a lot more than what MFP says. For a night like last night, MFP would have suggested around 700-1000 cals. I actually burnt 2514. :noway: So I'm thinking maybe my weekly cals are higher as well.

SO CONFUSED!
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Replies

  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
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    hmm i shoudl get one see how much i burn at work.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    Yup! It's the best thing ever! :D
  • LillysGranny
    LillysGranny Posts: 431
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    That's a good question. A lot of the accuracy will depend on your HRM. Some don't do well when they are used in a situation like yours. BUT if you're that active at work and only eating 1200 calories you are probably starving yourself.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Don't worry about cals burned during work. Just increase your lifestyle to lightly active and that will give you more calories. I wait tables but not at a very fast paced restaurant. My base before the job was 1400. My base now is 1600 and I can lose just fine eating my base and most of my exercise calories.
  • EHuntRN
    EHuntRN Posts: 320 Member
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    Your issue sounds just like mines...I wore my HRM to work one nite and for my 12 hour shift it read 2000+ cals...now I dont know if that included my BMR cals or not but nevertheless I am burning at least 1000-1500 cals of energy at work and like you mention....that wasnt on one of the busier nites in the Trauma/surgical ICU....so I too think maybe this is why my weight loss is slow because I am not eating enuff and furthermore the reason why I have been gaining weight over the past years instead of losing...So I upped my cals from 1200 to 1390 and eat most of my excercise cals back....My activity is very active in my MFP settings
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    Well I ate more yesterday (mainly through crap), but was still 1000 under. Surely that's not good to be 2000 under a week? :indifferent:
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    Don't worry about cals burned during work. Just increase your lifestyle to lightly active and that will give you more calories. I wait tables but not at a very fast paced restaurant. My base before the job was 1400. My base now is 1600 and I can lose just fine eating my base and most of my exercise calories.

    I only work 2-3 nights a week though? This week I'm doing 6 lol :(
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    it would not hurt to try upping the cals a bit for a week or 2 and see what happens, what is the worst that can happen? 2 weeks lost big deal, in the grand scheme of things that is nothing. A hrm is the best guess as to how many cals you burn, for me I burn much more than what mfp suggests as well and until I get my new hrm I am just ballparking what I have burnt based on previous workouts and it is still working for me. It is totally possible to eat that number of calories in a healthy way, you just look for caloric dense healthy foods like nuts, grains, and fruits. Olive oil is a fantastic way to pack in a lot of cals with a very small portion. Here is a quick example:
    Protein Shake:
    1 medium banana
    1 cup of frozen blueberries
    2 scoops protein powder
    1 cup 1% or skim milk
    1 cup water
    2 tbsp ground flax seeds
    Total cals 500-600 depending on if you use 1 or 2 cups milk.
    Simple recipe, easy to drink, tastes awesome, and very healthy.
  • lethalsarcasm
    lethalsarcasm Posts: 15
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    You should se your lifestyle settings to more active - that's what it's there for to help compensate for activity you do at work/every day.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    Your issue sounds just like mines...I wore my HRM to work one nite and for my 12 hour shift it read 2000+ cals...now I dont know if that included my BMR cals or not but nevertheless I am burning at least 1000-1500 cals of energy at work and like you mention....that wasnt on one of the busier nites in the Trauma/surgical ICU....so I too think maybe this is why my weight loss is slow because I am not eating enuff and furthermore the reason why I have been gaining weight over the past years instead of losing...So I upped my cals from 1200 to 1390 and eat most of my excercise cals back....My activity is very active in my MFP settings

    Glad to hear I'm not alone! I don't know what my ACTUAL base is, I'm thinking maybe I should wear it when having a nap or something, dividing the number by my hours of sleep, and then x by 24? :/

    For years I have battled to always be under 1000, but I didn't do as much exercise as now. During the week I exercise for 1-2 hours, walking my dog and some times elliptical. I was contemplating 30 D/Shred. Maybe my problem is not eating enough. :/
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    it would not hurt to try upping the cals a bit for a week or 2 and see what happens, what is the worst that can happen? 2 weeks lost big deal, in the grand scheme of things that is nothing. A hrm is the best guess as to how many cals you burn, for me I burn much more than what mfp suggests as well and until I get my new hrm I am just ballparking what I have burnt based on previous workouts and it is still working for me. It is totally possible to eat that number of calories in a healthy way, you just look for caloric dense healthy foods like nuts, grains, and fruits. Olive oil is a fantastic way to pack in a lot of cals with a very small portion. Here is a quick example:
    Protein Shake:
    1 medium banana
    1 cup of frozen blueberries
    2 scoops protein powder
    1 cup 1% or skim milk
    1 cup water
    2 tbsp ground flax seeds
    Total cals 500-600 depending on if you use 1 or 2 cups milk.
    Simple recipe, easy to drink, tastes awesome, and very healthy.

    Well the good news is I LOVE cheese and that is high is cals :laugh: Wouldn't know what type of protein shake to get though? And I don't do loads of strength training or anything. At work I lift crates of beer etc, but that's about it.
  • jsteras
    jsteras Posts: 344 Member
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    I don't know if I am correct but I thought you set your activity level according to what type of job you have then MFP gives you your calorie alotment and that is what you follow. You only eat back exercise calories outside of your normal every day job that you do. Like you go for a walk outside of work then that counts as exercise.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    You should se your lifestyle settings to more active - that's what it's there for to help compensate for activity you do at work/every day.

    I don't feel like that would benefit me as 2 days a week I may burn 5000 over both days, and then through the rest of the week I may burn 200-500. I find it easier to have sedentary, and add in my activity.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    I don't know if I am correct but I thought you set your activity level according to what type of job you have then MFP gives you your calorie alotment and that is what you follow. You only eat back exercise calories outside of your normal every day job that you do. Like you go for a walk outside of work then that counts as exercise.

    Yes, but as I say, I only work on average 2 nights a week. I don't have a normal 5 day a week job like most, and not every shift at work is the same. o.O
  • adhillman01
    adhillman01 Posts: 206
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    HRM aren't accurate at getting a daily calorie burn. They only work when you are doing cardiovascular exercise. You should just adjust your activity level to adjust for calories burned at work. You could also in invest in a Bodybugg or Bodymedia, they are designed to get your daily calorie burn in non-exercise situations. AZDak has a great blog on why HRM don't work when your hear rate isn't significantly elevated. You can search for him and ask for it.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    Lol, I feel like I'm repeating myself now...

    Why would I change my activity level for what I do on a daily basis... when I only work 2 days a week? Doesn't make sense to me!

    Never heard of a bodybug - I'll look for it, cheers!
  • EHuntRN
    EHuntRN Posts: 320 Member
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    Even though you work 2 days a week...I think you should def change it from sedentary just because you say you walk your dog thru the week and exercise....I only work 3-4 nites a week and work out every off day...ergo..my lifestyle setting is active...gives me more cals to eat for the days that I am burning the most cals...zigzaging cals is also a way to keep the metabolism going...I definitely want a BodyBugg for this exact reason!!!
  • jsteras
    jsteras Posts: 344 Member
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    I don't know if I am correct but I thought you set your activity level according to what type of job you have then MFP gives you your calorie alotment and that is what you follow. You only eat back exercise calories outside of your normal every day job that you do. Like you go for a walk outside of work then that counts as exercise.

    Yes, but as I say, I only work on average 2 nights a week. I don't have a normal 5 day a week job like most, and not every shift at work is the same. o.O

    I also don't work a typical 5 day a week job, I am a nurse and work for an agency, so one week I may work 5 days and the next week 1-2 days. I go for the sedentary setting simply because I figure I am sedentary more than I am working. I do work out every day since I have started. I also go with what my body tells me, if I feel hungry I eat, if not, I don't. I really was wondering if others eat back calories from what they burn at work. I didn't think we counted those. I intend to continue as I have been till I reach a point where I'm not losing and then will have to change it up a bit. I started with over 100 pounds to lose so I have a long way to go. I am realizing from posts of people with little to lose or close to goal weight that it is much tougher to lose the weight and figure out what is the right combination of eating and burning to get there. I will monitor to see what responses you are getting:) Thanks for posting this question.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,020 Member
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    Lol, I feel like I'm repeating myself now...

    Why would I change my activity level for what I do on a daily basis... when I only work 2 days a week? Doesn't make sense to me!

    Never heard of a bodybug - I'll look for it, cheers!

    If you're on a budget, and not squeamish, check out used ones on eBay. (The arm band can be washed and a Clorox wipe on the sensor part... voila!)
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
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    This is my usual routine.

    Monday - Work.
    Tuesday, Weds, Thurs, Sat - Walking dog at a 'normal' pace for an hour. I occasionally do 10-20 mins on elliptical if I need to burn extra cals and can be bothered.
    Friday - Work.
    Sunday - Either walk dog, or sit on my *kitten* all day.

    I'm usually over my cals during the week, but burn off what I'm over at the weekend, near enough. I'm on my 3rd week of logging my weekly cals. Last week I was over by about 250, but lost 1.5lb. During the week when I'm over, it's usually because I'm really hungry.

    My weight is constantly up and down, but I do weigh myself most days, but sometimes I don't log and it's just a habit!

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