Not sure what calorie range to select

mkucsera

Hi all, I've been using the android app for a little over a month and have lost about 12 lbs. I have no idea if the calorie range I selected is correct. I selected active. I have an office job and have been working out 4-5 days a week for the last 4 years at a local gym. I also walk about 3-4 miles on my lunch breaks 5 days a week. (in the winter I walk 2-3 miles on lunch but that's the only seasonal difference). I do about 1-2.5 hours of cardio every day, some weights and some abs and I am consistently (because of my fitness regimen) at least 500-1000 calories under the 1640 calorie goal but I go weeks without losing a single ounce. Its really rare that a day goes by without some exercise because I am a body in motion. Sometimes I gain weight but I cant figure why that is. I am always under on calories. What am I doing wrong?

einnybug

this website might help.

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

click toward the bottom and it will tell you how many you should have a day if you choose to calorie cycle. the calorie cycle helps to keep you from plateauing.

FitproLola

With the amount of calories you are expending every day (you can count on at least 100 calories per mile) and the deficit you are creating with your daily intake alone, you quite simply might not be eating enough! I know that sounds ludicrous, but when your body works too hard and doesn't get enough energy (cals), it will hold on for dear life to what you give it and you won't budge. It's quite normal and happens quite often.

smilebhappy

your dairy is not public but my guess would be that you are not eating enough
make sure that you are also drinking water & watch your sodium intake as well
It can be quite frustrating but don't give up

mkucsera

Thanks for the advice. I as actually wondering if I wasn't eating enough. How do I make the diary public? I'm still learning my way around the site/app.

Thanks

mkucsera

I guess this explains why I sometimes lose weight on the days I can't work out as much.

mkucsera

I think I figured out how to make the diary public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/mkucsera any suggestions about what I'm doing right/wrong greatly appreciated! Thanks

CarolynB38

Hi

I'm quite new to this too but I did notice that you have quite a lot of calories left over at the end of the day most days because of how much exercise you are doing. I think the others are right when they say that you are not eating enough on those days. You have burned all those extra calories (good job on that, by the way!) but you are not replenishing your bodies needs. Perhaps if you aim to eat at least half of your extra calories you might find it helps.

I'm not an expert but when I was younger (many years ago, lol) I couldn't lose weight and I was running 5 times a week and working out at the gym. The gym instructor suggested I try increasing my calories by at least 500. After a couple of weeks I was losing weight at a good steady rate again and I had more energy too.

You're eating regular meals and small snacks too which is good. Everything else looks pretty good to me just try eating a little more

mkucsera

Thanks! I will try eating more. I'm not so sure if the machines at the gym are accurate about how many calories they claim I am burning. Can you really burn 500 calories in 35 minutes? Is that even possible?

hedleyrocks247

Here's a link that might help http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

And here's a fit tip from Paul Plakas, a personal trainer from Canada - he posted this on facebook a couple of days ago and I thought it made a lot of sense!

"Fit Tip Of The Day - Scales do not measure body fat loss they measure fluid fluctuations. The average person's body mass is 60% water. Daily weight changes on the scale occur because of (amount of food, type of food you ate, fluid consumption, bathroom visits, hormonal changes, sweating, dehydration). Don't drive yourself crazy weigh in everyday. weigh yourself once per week."

schobert101

I think you may have an issue with how you set your settings. Your basic activity level should be set to sedentary or lightly active at most for an office job. If you are counting your exercise as part of your activity level and then getting MORE calories added in by logging your exercise your calorie levels may be too high as in essence you may be 'double counting' your activity'. Your activity level in your settings should be based on what you do all day as part of your normal routine that would not be added in separately, ie your job. So a mailman who might walk all day long and not count that separately as logged exercise might pick an active setting. If however you are in an office you are sedentary..............then you get your extra calories by logging your exercise. I looked at your exercise diary and since you are logging your exercise that is showing up as more calories. Try changing your activity setting to what your job really makes you. It will lprobably allow you less base calories but of course then you get to eat your exercise calories back and it won't look like you are undereating as much (although perhaps you still are, time will tell when you get your settings right)

FitproLola

I've dealt with this before myself and you really have to listen to your body when it come to what you do and what you put in it. Don't mistake the calories you burn with exercise as an excuse to eat more later. Make sure you are getting sufficient nutrients before and after a workout while maintaining a healthy diet throughout the day. I'll check out your diary, too..