HELP! I need advice.

CarolinaGirl87

Hello everyone!

I've been using MFP for about 5 months now, but I am getting quite frustrated with my weight loss. I started out at 5'3" 250lbs and I am now down to 237. I'm stuck. I actually went down to 233 and back up to 239, but seem to be sticking at 237.

I need help figuring out how many calories to eat per day. I've heard that you can take your weight and multiply by 13.5 and then subtract 1000 to lose 1 lb a week, but thats ALOT of calories. So, I cut some off of that and have been trying to stay at 1800 calories. It hasn't been working so I cut to 1700 and so far no result.

Yes, Some days I go over, but I take those calories out of another day. I also go to the gym several times a week and burn anywhere from 200-500 calories, just depending on the time I have to stay in the gym.

Can anyone tell me what my goal calories per day should be? and if I excercise can I eat those calories back????

PLEASE HELP!

TrainerRobin

Here's a pretty good website that has tons of weight loss related "calculators". This specific page has three methods to figure out your goal, how long it'll take to get there.

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_loss.php

Here's the page for figuring out your daily calories: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

But, that said, MFP will figure all of this out for you if you correctly enter your data.

starsnyc21

BUMP...I am dealing with the same things. I haven't moved in a month. I'm reaching the end of my rope trying to figure out what's going on with my body.

My diary is open if anyone has advice.

amorreal

If you eat too little it is possible that your body can go into starvation mode and actually hold onto every ounce of fat...

My nutritionist told me that a good goal for weight loss is to provide your body with approximately 10 calores per pound of TARGET weight, not exceeding 20 pounds as initial target weight (so every time you lose 20, readjust your caloric intake). Calories should be balanced between food groups and consumed 5-6 times per day.. a nutritionist told me to remember to eat small, eat often and eat well.

Also cardio is great for fat burning.. its better to have a proper caloric intake and burn more calories through working out.. then to just cut back on calories..

If you are currently at 237 then you should set a 20 pound deficit goal of 217, which would but you at 2,170 calories of food consumed a day.... anything that you burn from working out, dont eat back as you will be eating enough at 2170 to keep losing weight but not dip down into starvation mode.. once you hit your goal, recalculate and go on from there!!

good luck

therobinator

CarolinaGirl87, please read the link in my signature block for info on calculating calories and micronutrients. Feel free to message me with any questions.

gp79

Based on my calculations for a 23 y/o female, 5'2" 237 lbs, your maintenance calories given an activity factor of 1.2 (accounting for office type work / daily life in general) to be about 2100.


To lose 1 lb per week you need to be eating 1600 calories per day. If you exercise, I recommend having a way by which you calculate how many calories you burned and then consume as many of those calories back as possible. Don't feel forced to eat all of them back but you should be having a few good carbs 1.5 hours before a workout (100 calories maybe) and then some good protein/carb blend immediately after. It seems that your workouts are not very intense, so stepping up the pace a little bit will help you as well.

CarolinaGirl87

If you eat too little it is possible that your body can go into starvation mode and actually hold onto every ounce of fat...

My nutritionist told me that a good goal for weight loss is to provide your body with approximately 10 calores per pound of TARGET weight, not exceeding 20 pounds as initial target weight (so every time you lose 20, readjust your caloric intake). Calories should be balanced between food groups and consumed 5-6 times per day.. a nutritionist told me to remember to eat small, eat often and eat well.

If you are currently at 237 then you should set a 20 pound deficit goal of 217, which would but you at 2,170 calories of food consumed a day.... anything that you burn from working out, dont eat back as you will be eating enough at 2170 to keep losing weight but not dip down into starvation mode.. once you hit your goal, recalculate and go on from there!!

good luck

This is where i'm confused. 2170 seems like a great goal. I won't be hungry and can excercise too. I am hungry all day with 1700 calories and find myself going over and then feeling guilty. I think 1700 is a bit low. That might be where my issue is. However, MFP says I should be at 1250 and another poster said 1500. Is there really a right answer?

gp79

All of the equations to determine how many calories you should be consuming are ESTIMATES. The human body is very complex and there are too many variables in play for one formula to accurately predict caloric need for every single person.

If it's a huge concern to you there are better ways to learn about your body and what it's requirements are. The cheapest and most accurate way is to buy yourself a simple pair of bodyfat calipers and have someone do a 9-point body fat skinfold test on you. Once you have a close estimate of your body fat, use the Katch McArdle method to determine caloric needs. It's more accurate than both MD Mifflin (MFP Method) and Harris Benedict (old and outdated).

If you are still not satisfied, go find someplace to have a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) test performed. They usually run $100-200 bucks. This test is conducted at rest and will measure, with a degree of accuracy, your metabolism and how many calories you, as an individual burn at rest in a day.

I've blogged about this, so feel free to visit my blog and ask any questions.

CarolinaGirl87

It is very complex. I have no clue what to do!

therobinator

It is very complex. I have no clue what to do!

As I say in the post (linked in my signature) -- just fill out your MFP settings (be honest about your activity level) and do what MFP tells you to do. It's actually quite easy as long as you are being honest with yourself.

CarolinaGirl87

Based on that I should be doing 1250 calories. What about excercise?

beckajw

Based on that I should be doing 1250 calories. What about excercise?

If you're eating 1250 you should be eating back your exercise calories.

gp79

Get out there and read. The internet is a powerful tool with many articles about the very topic by which you are confused.

therobinator

Get out there and read. The internet is a powerful tool with many articles about the very topic by which you are confused.

^^ This. But again, as I say in my linked post.....if you exercise, eat back those calories. MFP already figures in your daily deficit in the caloric goal. Thus, even when you eat your exercise calories back, you are still at that deficit so you will lose weight. Just be honest with the MFP system, eat what the MFP system tells you to eat (exercise or not) and you should lose weight.

therobinator

Okay, let me clarify.....

When you go to this page: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

MFP asks you about your current weight and lifestyle status (sedentary, light, active, etc). The answer that you give to the "How many times a week do you plan on exercising?" question doesn't matter. If (for example) you say you are "sedentary" and want to lose 1 pound per week and plan on -0- exercise, it might give you a daily calorie limit of 1,500. If you say you are "sedentary" and want to lose 1 pound per week and plan on 60 minutes of exercise 7 days a week, it will still give you a daily calorie limit of 1,500. Try it, you'll see.

That is how MFP builds in your calorie defecit, and why *IF* you do exercise (because just because you say you will on your goals page doesn't mean you actually will), you need to eat back the calories "earned" so that you don't have *too big* of a defecit.

Does that makes sense?