How many calories do you eat a day?
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1500 net calories...sometimes a little over but never under! I was at 1300 calories net and only lost .5 pounds in a month! Once I up'd it I lost .8 pounds in 4 days!0
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I'm eating about 1700-1900 on gym days and 1600 on non-gym days. I have been stalling eating 1600 on gym days so I'm reducing my deficit so my body is in a better place to lose fat.0
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I am sticking to about 1,200 to 1,300 net calories.
Non W/O day about 1,200 to 1,400 actual calories
W/O day about 1,600 to 1,800 actual calories (although I think I have been low balling my W/O's)
Work outs include:
3X week biking 60 minutes or more.
3X week running 13 miles a week and building
2X week power toning class for 60 minutes
1X week weight lifting for 60 minutes
1X rest
On Saturday's I do my long training runs and than ride bike for at least an hour. This is the one day a week I am unable to eat all my calories. Last Saturday I had net calories of 600. On my day of rest I find that I want more calories.
I drink 10 to 14 glasses of water a day.
Thursday will mark 6 weeks on MFP. I am 5'6 and started at 138.4 pounds, my weigh in day is Thursday and I anticipate I will be at 128, for 10.4 pounds lost. This is double what I expected at this point as the system calculated about .8 a week. Once I reach my goal weight of 125 I plan to increase to 1400 to 1500 net calories a day and see if I can maintain on that.
I have been running since 2004 and started biking last spring. 2004-2006 my weight was about 132 to 135. At the end of 2006 I had a total hysterectomy whereas my weight than bounced from 135 to 142. Dependent on where I was at with my training schedule. Prior to joining MFP, I did not watch what I was eating at all. Spring through fall I would usually work out about 4 to 5 days a week and winter 3 to 4 days a week. I commute 10 hours a week and have a desk job, so I sit plenty.
My training schedule was intensified in alignment with starting MFP. So I contribute the loss to both the excercise and eating right. I think for me the key has been refueling my body properly with the right foods for energy. I feel really good and strong, but more importantly my MS is doing well.
I hope this helps.0 -
I always use the MFP recommended calorie intake and don't go over or under by more than 100-200 calories. If I work out, I eat the exercise calories.
I have been in my healthy BMI since April of 2008.0 -
I eat 1200 calories (non working out days) because that's what MFP told me to do for my height/weight and activity level (to loose 1.4 pounds/week). Everyone is different right? I eat most of the calories I burn when I work out, so would you consider me starving my body?
Just want to clarify..... I'm 5'1" 175 1/2 hour w/o 5 days/week.
when I use your numbers, your BMR suggests you should be eating around 1450 calories per day as a base, and no less, that is what your body needs just to lay in bed and breath. I didn't check your age, so it might be a bit different when you do it. Go in to the tools section and do your calculation. This is the minimum amount of calories you should be eating everyday without exercise. You are right everyone is different, unfortunately MFP uses a 1200 default number instead of using your BMR calcution to figure out how much you should eat to lose those pounds, but that number didn't take into account your current body size or your age. I consider this MFP's only flaw. It doesn't make sense that a person needing to lose 100 pounds would need the same amount of calories that a person trying to lose 10 would? but if you tell the program you want to lose 2 lbs per week, it will tell you to eat 1200 calories a day to reach your weight loss no matter what you weigh. Your BMR as I said is the amount of fuel you need for your body to function properly without doing anything. Check out the info on it on the link I put on earlier. This has been a learning experience for me for sure, but I think I have learned a lot here, it is a wonderful site.0 -
Hey all
Geez....1200-1400 seems SO low to me if you are working out
Anyway, I started here eating 1490 cals...w/ out working out
Once I started working out and his maintenance, I am eating about 2000 cals a day
I work out daily and I assume I burn about 400ish cals give or take (usually work out 1.5hrs more or less)
Kim0 -
This is a great topic.
I eat between 1800 and 2000 everyday. I exercise everyday though. I am only aiming to lose 1lb a week.
Some days I eat 1500-1600, but I get really grumpy. LOL:grumble:0 -
1200 firm exercise or not, but always hungry.0
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when I use your numbers, your BMR suggests you should be eating around 1450 calories per day as a base, and no less, that is what your body needs just to lay in bed and breath. I didn't check your age, so it might be a bit different when you do it. Go in to the tools section and do your calculation. This is the minimum amount of calories you should be eating everyday without exercise. You are right everyone is different, unfortunately MFP uses a 1200 default number instead of using your BMR calcution to figure out how much you should eat to lose those pounds, but that number didn't take into account your current body size or your age. I consider this MFP's only flaw. It doesn't make sense that a person needing to lose 100 pounds would need the same amount of calories that a person trying to lose 10 would? but if you tell the program you want to lose 2 lbs per week, it will tell you to eat 1200 calories a day to reach your weight loss no matter what you weigh. Your BMR as I said is the amount of fuel you need for your body to function properly without doing anything.
Allaboutme-
Sorry but you are incorrect on this it does go according to weight and it takes the 250-500 off your BMR without going under 1200. If you eat your BMR plus exercise calories you will not lose only maintain since you need a calorie deficit to lose weight. You just cannot go under 1200 and get the nutrients your body needs to survive. I started at 2400(that the program assigned me) calories and have lost and changed my goals and I am now at 2080 since I put my activity to sedentary. I know many people on here are above 1200 it is based on your stats plus your goals which mine are 2 pounds a week. :flowerforyou:
From what I have read eat your calories but be careful when recording exercise calories. Try to get them from a HRM not a calories burned site they can be WAY off.:drinker:
Amy:bigsmile:
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My favorite post for answers:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again0 -
I eat 1200 calories (non working out days) because that's what MFP told me to do for my height/weight and activity level (to loose 1.4 pounds/week). Everyone is different right? I eat most of the calories I burn when I work out, so would you consider me starving my body?
Just want to clarify..... I'm 5'1" 175 1/2 hour w/o 5 days/week.
when I use your numbers, your BMR suggests you should be eating around 1450 calories per day as a base, and no less, that is what your body needs just to lay in bed and breath. I didn't check your age, so it might be a bit different when you do it. Go in to the tools section and do your calculation. This is the minimum amount of calories you should be eating everyday without exercise. You are right everyone is different, unfortunately MFP uses a 1200 default number instead of using your BMR calcution to figure out how much you should eat to lose those pounds, but that number didn't take into account your current body size or your age. I consider this MFP's only flaw. It doesn't make sense that a person needing to lose 100 pounds would need the same amount of calories that a person trying to lose 10 would? but if you tell the program you want to lose 2 lbs per week, it will tell you to eat 1200 calories a day to reach your weight loss no matter what you weigh. Your BMR as I said is the amount of fuel you need for your body to function properly without doing anything. Check out the info on it on the link I put on earlier. This has been a learning experience for me for sure, but I think I have learned a lot here, it is a wonderful site.
I disagree. Your BMR is the amount of calories you would burn in a day sitting on your @ss doing nothing, not how much calories you need to eat.... If I ate the amount of calories I burn in a day (my BMI), I would loose NOTHING. Especially when I eat the extra calories I burn when I'm working out. Therefore, if my BMR is 1450 and I eat 1450 calories every day there would be absolutely no weight loss. Mt eating 1200 calories a day would burn 250 caleries per day, which in turn would turn into a 1-1.5 pound weight loss per week. Now, if you are MAINTAINING your weight, you should be eating all the 1450 calories for no weight loss in a week......0 -
We're confusing TDEE and BMR. This happens a lot.
TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure
This is how many calories you burn doing EVERYTHING. Think of it as your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) + Exercise + Lifestyle. You want to eat 500-1000 calories less than your TDEE. A 1000 calorie deficit should be reserved for those who are near morbid obesity.
BMR- Basal Metabolic Rate
This is how many calories you need to sustain organ function while in a coma. It does not include lifestyle. You should eat at least your BMR to maintain proper organ function.
BMI- Body Mass Index
This is an estimate of how overweight you are based only on weight and height.0 -
We're confusing TDEE and BMR. This happens a lot.
TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure
This is how many calories you burn doing EVERYTHING. Think of it as your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) + Exercise + Lifestyle. You want to eat 500-1000 calories less than your TDEE. A 1000 calorie deficit should be reserved for those who are near morbid obesity.
BMR- Basal Metabolic Rate
This is how many calories you need to sustain organ function while in a coma. It does not include lifestyle. You should eat at least your BMR to maintain proper organ function.
BMI- Body Mass Index
This is an estimate of how overweight you are based only on weight and height.
Sorry I didn't explain it as well as Songbird, but that was what I was saying, BMR is what you need just to breath and do nothing else, and you shouldn't go below that number. If 1200 calories per day takes you below that, plus you don't eat your exercise calories, you aren't getting enough food to lose in a healthy way.0 -
This is a very informative website which really details the difference between BMR and TDEE with examples. When searching I did come across a couple that indicated that BMR was the amount of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight, so I can see where people would get confused over it. BMR calories are not maintenance calories or TDEE calories, there is usually a difference between the two of anywere from 300-1200 depending on activity levels.
Check it out.
http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html0 -
My base is 1,500 cals and I eat some of my exercise cals, depending on the day. My average day is around 1,800 total cals (on long run days, could be more). And I've lost the last 5# in the last 6 weeks that I have wanted to lose, so it is working for me. I would die at 1,200 cals, but that's also because I run, lift weights, and keep active!0
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Same as Tam - 1370 on non workout days and up to 1900 depending on what I have burned.
ditto0 -
doing p90 with p90x I take in around 1700-2000 a day depending on the workout, if Im a little lazy with the workout Im consume less then I would if I bust my rump0
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Same as Tam - 1370 on non workout days and up to 1900 depending on what I have burned.
same here, exactly the same! 1370 and 1800-1900 on workout days0 -
Don't you love workout days?? That is when I have a heaping plate of pasta!! :laugh: :laugh: (whole wheat of course!Same as Tam - 1370 on non workout days and up to 1900 depending on what I have burned.
same here, exactly the same! 1370 and 1800-1900 on workout days
) 0 -
what kind of work out do you do?0
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When I was in "lose" mode, I was doing a ton of cardio and weights. I would do an hour on the elliptical with arms...the interval setting, level 19. And I moved at warp speed! LOL! I think there was smoke coming out the back. And by the end I would add some time on the elliptical with incline or the recumbent bike, etc.what kind of work out do you do?
Now that I am in maintenance mode and pregnant, my goal isn't to burn so many calories but more to keep myself strong and healthy.0
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