Are my numbers right?

veganbaum

I put the numbers right. I put down that I was lightly active since I am walking alot during the day. Therefore, it gave me 1880 to eat a day. I do workout everyday (one day off a week) so when I eat my 1880, workout to aim to burn 1000 calories, that means initially I ate at the end of the day only 880, right? And that's how it works? that's how I will be able to lose 2lbs a week...not eating 3000 a day then working out to burn 1000? I am sorry I am asking so many question. I just have had a hard time losing weight and I want to get it right so I can see results. I work out with a girl who started as teh same weight as me. She eats only 1600 calories a day and workouts 3 hours 4 times a week and runs crazy miles. She lost 90lbs in one year. I have been doing this for two years and only lost 30. its completely frustrating.

At the end of the day, yes, your NET calories would be only 880. Your NET calories should be close to your daily goal of 1880, so you should eat at least 1/2 your calories back to fuel your body for all that extra energy it used. The way MFP works, if you ate 1880 every day, you should lose 2 pounds a week (though it can still vary from week to week). So when you exercise, you have to eat some extra to fuel your body so everything is getting the energy it needs to function and repair.

No I think you're wrong. If she input her 2lb/week goal, then 1880 already includes her 1000 deficit. I know it seems high but she has a lot to lose so her BMR is going to be higher than average..AND she put active or lightly active, whereas most people use sedentary.

I was responding to the fact that she said if she burned 1000, her net would be 880, because that's true. But then I specifically said that she needs to make sure that her net is close to 1880, and she would still lose 2 pounds a week. I wasn't saying that she needs to leave it at 880.

kbeckley11

Keep in mind the BMR is how many calories you burn doing absolutely nothing in a day. Literally just laying around. My BMR is about 1900 also, but I have an active lifestyle as I am a server. So according to MFP, I burn about 2700 calories a day without working out. I also have a goal of 2 pounds a week, so MFP says I should eat about 1700 calories a day.

My point with all of this is, when MFP says for you to eat 1880, it already figured out a 1000 calorie deficit for you based on what you burn in a day. Don't use your workouts in determining that you have an active lifestyle, because if you also put those workouts into your exercise journal, then you are accounting for your exercise twice.

servilia

I put the numbers right. I put down that I was lightly active since I am walking alot during the day. Therefore, it gave me 1880 to eat a day. I do workout everyday (one day off a week) so when I eat my 1880, workout to aim to burn 1000 calories, that means initially I ate at the end of the day only 880, right? And that's how it works? that's how I will be able to lose 2lbs a week...not eating 3000 a day then working out to burn 1000? I am sorry I am asking so many question. I just have had a hard time losing weight and I want to get it right so I can see results. I work out with a girl who started as teh same weight as me. She eats only 1600 calories a day and workouts 3 hours 4 times a week and runs crazy miles. She lost 90lbs in one year. I have been doing this for two years and only lost 30. its completely frustrating.

At the end of the day, yes, your NET calories would be only 880. Your NET calories should be close to your daily goal of 1880, so you should eat at least 1/2 your calories back to fuel your body for all that extra energy it used. The way MFP works, if you ate 1880 every day, you should lose 2 pounds a week (though it can still vary from week to week). So when you exercise, you have to eat some extra to fuel your body so everything is getting the energy it needs to function and repair.

No I think you're wrong. If she input her 2lb/week goal, then 1880 already includes her 1000 deficit. I know it seems high but she has a lot to lose so her BMR is going to be higher than average..AND she put active or lightly active, whereas most people use sedentary.

I was responding to the fact that she said if she burned 1000, her net would be 880, because that's true. But then I specifically said that she needs to make sure that her net is close to 1880, and she would still lose 2 pounds a week. I wasn't saying that she needs to leave it at 880.

Right, sorry for the brain fart. I just want to make sure she knows that 1880 already includes a deficit and she doesn't need to burn an extra 1000 cals to get to her 2lb/week loss.

veganbaum

Right, sorry for the brain fart. I just want to make sure she knows that 1880 already includes a deficit and she doesn't need to burn an extra 1000 cals to get to her 2lb/week loss.

Yeah, I could have worded it better, it is a bit convoluted. Eat a NET close to 1880!

BT1988

Well, then in the end I have to eat more to fuel my body from my workouts. I just don't feel like I can physically eat anymore lol. I am sorry for frustrating people. It's been a tough 6months of eating clean, working out and NO weight loss. =(

veganbaum

Well, then in the end I have to eat more to fuel my body from my workouts. I just don't feel like I can physically eat anymore lol. I am sorry for frustrating people. It's been a tough 6months of eating clean, working out and NO weight loss. =(

YES! You do need to eat more to fuel your workouts. Maybe you just need the help of MFP's tools to make sure your numbers are more correct. A lot of people weigh their food to be accurate, and some people use HRMs as well. What I did before I had a scale and HRM is that I left wiggle room for inaccuracy, like 100-150 calories. I still leave a little, but it's smaller, like 50 calories.

servilia

Don't be sorry at all! We're here to help

CyberEd312

You put in your settings what weight you want to lose and your activity level. Those 2 numbers, depending on how you set them gives you, your daily calorie goal. If you set the weight loss goal of 2 lbs. a week then MFP will build into your setting a deficit that will allow you to lose those 2lbs. a week. So the 1000 calories deficit to lose 2 lbs. a week is built in before you even think about doing any exercise. Now if you exercise then the "do I eat back my exercise calories question" comes into play. I personally eat back my exercise calories because if I didn't then I would have such a huge deficit that I would put my body into starvation mode. Setting your activity level to light activity is a good place to start for you being that you are on your feet almost the entire day. Just give it a few weeks at those setting and see how things go and make adjustments as needed....

BT1988

If I ate back 300calories would that be okay or still too low? I know you said that I need to make sure my net is close to 1880. So lets say I had a post workout snack that is 200-300 calories. Would that be acceptable? So, set up MFP, EAT WHAT IT SAYS TO EAT. WORKOUT NORMALLY TO THE ROUTINE I MADE MYSELF. calculate calories (I have a HRM) and eat back a little more so I can function well...

servilia

In general the more you have to lose the higher deficit you're allowed. So I wouldn't say you have to eat them ALL back.

CyberEd312

Yeah to start that would be fine. I burn anywhere from 1000 to 2000 calories a day and I eat back about 50% of my exercise calories. It is enough to keep me out of starvation mode (aka Plateau's) and I adjust as needed.

veganbaum

I agree. If you burn like 1000, it might be difficult for some people to eat ALL of those back. If it was that high, I would probably try at least 500 and then try to work up closer to 1000 over time, if I exercised like that every day. I personally typically only burn around 300 because I do short workouts, so I eat most of them back. Some people only eat half, others eat 2/3, others eat them all. As long as you are eating a good number back to fuel your body and don't let your NET drop too low you should be fine. It's more important to be more precise the closer you get to goal.

BT1988

Yea because right now I am training for a 5k so I do the couch to 5k 3 times a week. I am on week 4 and for 30 mins my HRM says I burn roughly 350-400 calories. Then I do strength 4 times a week and that usually lasts 30 mins. And to burn a little extra, I go on the elliptical for another 20minutes to burn at least 300calories more. Once a week I finish the 5k and I time myself every week. I even do a 20 mins HIIT on the treadmill (saturdays). So I feel myself getting stronger. losing inches but no pounds.

veganbaum

Wow! You should be proud of yourself for all that exercise, and happy to be losing inches even if no weight. Good luck, hopefully you will start to see weight loss, but losing inches is an important indicator of progress as well.

servilia

I agree, great job on all that you've been doing for exercise and for your inches lost too!

BT1988

still no weight loss =( its a huge bummer right now. I really feel like giving up.

servilia

Lower your cals and lower your exercise too. Give your body a break. You don't need to be burning 800 cals through exercise every day.

BT1988

ive actually went down on my exercise too lol. I wonder if I am gluten intolerant because I have added more bread actually. I just don't know. think I am going to give my body a 2 week break. =(

BT1988

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. I mean, I was taught that I should burn more than I take cause I have so many excess calories of fat that I need to burn. I don't know what to do. =( I simply can't eat more even for my size. It's too hard to eat so much. i am so obsessed with food that sometimes I just don't even want to eat. =( i was told that with all of my exercise I should eat about 2300 calories a day. I still don't understand this calorie crap and its driving my crazy. I put in a lot of effort at the gym. this is just too much. can it be that I am just meant to be this size? What else can I do? Should I just change my goals to maintain my level and just exercise and log that in? Someone help me, this is really breaking me.

servilia

hon no, I wouldn't think you're meant to be that size. I looked at your profile and it says you're just below 260lbs right.. well it's not great for your health as you already know - I'm only repeating that to emphasize that no, you're not meant to be that size so don't give up. Honestly, people who are more overweight can make do with a bigger deficit than those who are close to their goals. So I would lower your exercise and at the same time lower your calories. Who told you you need to eat 2300 calories? That sounds like a lot especially if you lower your exercise as you mentioned. I would cut down on starchy carbs as well, such as bread, pasta, potatos, etc. A lot of people have found that helps. Good luck!