Calories, Calories, Calories!!

weesel80

So, I have been trying to look up info. on how to calculate your daily caloric requirements for maintaining and losing. I have found such varying numbers!!! For instance, this website:

http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/blcalintake.htm

says that in order to maintain my current weight, I need to eat 2141 calories per day (using their formula). :noway: This sounds like way too many calories!

This website,

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/calculate-your-calories

says I should consumer 1945 calories on "lazy days" and 2434 calories on "busy days." What??? I would for sure gain weight if I ate that many calories!!

Right now, I am 163 pounds, 5'5" tall and exercise 5-6 times a week for an hour doing step-aerobics on a 10-inch bench height. I eat, on average, about 1200-1400 calories per day and for the past month and a half, I have been plateaued, so I think I need to up my calorie intake, but now I am so unsure, because according to the "calculators" I have found online, I should be eating way more than I am, but if I do that, I am terrified of gaining weight! I want to lose about 20 more pounds.

Any help/thoughts are appreciated!!:flowerforyou:

weesel80

So, I have been trying to look up info. on how to calculate your daily caloric requirements for maintaining and losing. I have found such varying numbers!!! For instance, this website:

http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/blcalintake.htm

says that in order to maintain my current weight, I need to eat 2141 calories per day (using their formula). :noway: This sounds like way too many calories!

This website,

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/calculate-your-calories

says I should consumer 1945 calories on "lazy days" and 2434 calories on "busy days." What??? I would for sure gain weight if I ate that many calories!!

Right now, I am 163 pounds, 5'5" tall and exercise 5-6 times a week for an hour doing step-aerobics on a 10-inch bench height. I eat, on average, about 1200-1400 calories per day and for the past month and a half, I have been plateaued, so I think I need to up my calorie intake, but now I am so unsure, because according to the "calculators" I have found online, I should be eating way more than I am, but if I do that, I am terrified of gaining weight! I want to lose about 20 more pounds.

Any help/thoughts are appreciated!!:flowerforyou:

writer4him

Did you try the calculator on MFP? I think it is found under the "goals" section (I can go back and check.) You type in how much you weigh and how much you desire to lose each week, and MFP calculates how many calories you should consume.

weesel80

Yes, I have been using this and I have still been plateaued for the last month and a half. :mad:

tigeress4

Everyone reaches a point were there weight loss slows down. Its sounds like you are doing a good job though, just stick with it, but you might want to try a different exercise or different foods, just as an experiment and see what happens... i like to do taebo or hip hop dance, its fun and you really feel like you kicked butt afterwards. hope this helps.

marisa0918

When they ask you your activity level do you average in your exercise? I might be wrong but when I am figuring out my calories I don't add in my exercise just my normal daily activities, which since I have a desk job are not many...I have mine set that I am sedentary. That's why mfp is set up so that you eat your exercise calories. Does that make sense? :huh: I know what I want to say but am having a hard time saying it haha


Ohh and i just reread through your post and I suggest upping your calories to maybe 1450 0r 1500. I put mine up to 1450 and started losing again......finally. It's worth a shot and you won't gain any weight but just upping them a little.

iftcheiaf

You may also want to mix your exercise up a little bit. Doing step 5 to 6 times a week, you may end up just using the same muscles and they're happy with where you are in life. You need to confuse them and surprise them by using them in a different way. Do you take a step class or at home? Maybe you can find other classes, or as the weather gets nicer, start walking/jogging. That is what helped me get over my hump.

weesel80

I just looked at mayoclinic.com, which I would think is a pretty reliable source and according to my info., my daily caloric requirements are around 2100/day. Maybe I have been eating too little...:huh:

mrsyac2

In the Fitness Magazine someone wrote in asking that since they lost all their weight could they increase the amount of calories and the answer was NO because their body was used to using that amount of calories 1400-1600 calories- and if they increased their calories they would gain weight back-

When I figured my calories I just subtracted 500 from 2000 which gave me 1500--

A good thing that people should do is just add up how many calories a day they were eating before then just cut 500 from that-

I had my coworker do it and she ate alot more than she thought especially adding in drinks and such. Then just deduct 500 from that.

MyaPapaya75

So, I have been trying to look up info. on how to calculate your daily caloric requirements for maintaining and losing. I have found such varying numbers!!! For instance, this website:

http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/blcalintake.htm

says that in order to maintain my current weight, I need to eat 2141 calories per day (using their formula). :noway: This sounds like way too many calories!

This website,

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/calculate-your-calories

says I should consumer 1945 calories on "lazy days" and 2434 calories on "busy days." What??? I would for sure gain weight if I ate that many calories!!

Right now, I am 163 pounds, 5'5" tall and exercise 5-6 times a week for an hour doing step-aerobics on a 10-inch bench height. I eat, on average, about 1200-1400 calories per day and for the past month and a half, I have been plateaued, so I think I need to up my calorie intake, but now I am so unsure, because according to the "calculators" I have found online, I should be eating way more than I am, but if I do that, I am terrified of gaining weight! I want to lose about 20 more pounds.

Any help/thoughts are appreciated!!:flowerforyou:

i suggest increasing your excercise or switching it up before you jump into a calorie increase

mrsyac2

Holy Donkey Butt!!! lol-- You have lost soo much weight already. Good for you I just saw your profile and some of your pics good job.

With that being said your last 20 something pounds are going to drag out a bit- Try changing your workout up to shock your body with something new- Add in more strength training.

weesel80

Yeah, I think I will try to incorporate more and different types of exercises into my routine first, instead of upping the calories. If I still can't break plateau after doing that, then I will try upping my calories, but only by a little, maybe 100 or 200/day.

hmo4

This month's Women's M & F is great! Suggestions for different exercising, how to trick you muscles by altering routine and reps even. Really interesting stuff this month! Strength training days-instead of resting btwn sets, do 1 min Cardio to keep your HR in target zone to max benefits and better muscle repair and growth, less soreness...Check it out!