An easier way to setup goal calories - eating for who you wi

sankeycn

Bump for later.

heybales

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this idea...but after spending a month watching the calories and eating between 1100 and 1300, and getting absolutely nowhere with weight loss or inch loss, I'm going to give it a shot!

I'm 5'6, 37 years old and want to weigh 130...I plugged that in, along with my activity info and it reckons I need 1801 calories a day! Not quite sure how I'm going to manage to eat that much...but I'm going to give it a go - and hopefully see some results!!

With most likely a suppressed BMR and metabolism, please realize your body is going to see anything extra as a gift to be stored and used for when need. Not likely to increase metabolism for some period of time.
Totally depend on how messed up the metabolism in general (yo-yo dieting), how big a net deficit under your BMR, and how long currently going on.

Recommend you increase calories each day for a week by only 200, a snack, perhaps before or after a workout. Don't spike insulin before the workout (if that is an issue) as it prevents stored fat burning mode really being tapped. I've been suggesting a Zone or Balance bar.
Second week, add another 200, perhaps increasing 2 meals 100 each.
Third week, another 200 - same routine.

And be aware outside that real weight gain possibility, several healthy reasons for weight gain.
As the body will now get a chance to store more glucose in the muscles for energy, weight goes up.
As the muscles can finally repair and build, weight goes up.

And during those healthy reasons, fat can be going down, even if weight stays the same.

Not sure your activity level including exercise, but that actually sounds a tad low for your height.
For example, with stats given, if you
slept/read/TV 10hrs day - Rest
cardio 3 days for 1 hr - Heavy
walk 3mph 3 days for 1 hr - Light
and EVERYTHING else is Very Light

I show maintenance of 1831. And this includes no extra weekly Light time for cooking, cleaning, shopping, walking into/at work each workday, ect. Now, if you don't have that much of a workout routine, that's fine and your estimate probably fine.

The calculator underestimates your exercise calories, besides the fact it is for future you doing it. Current you is burning more really.
So don't cheat your normal weekly routine activity, or you'll still be pushing below your BMR, and not letting metabolism really fly. It still may get off the ground a bit, but easier to hit walls and trees then!

heybales

Okay, I'm a little confused. I put my information in and that told me at 150, where I want to be, I should be eating 2324 calories. Now help me out here if you can, I am still well above that weight, i do exercise 4-5 nights a week for 60-90 minutes at a time. So am I reading this right that I should be eating more than what I am eating now, which is 1200-1400 and be eating the 2300 like this says?

Yes to the general question of eating more than what you are eating now. But you would no longer log the exercise calories and attempt to eat them back, if you were properly doing that.

To that though, if you eat back exercise calories or a portion, is your real total closer to that 2300 than you realize?

I can't comment on the specific numbers, but that is quit the workout routine, and so sounds very realistic.
But just that workout routine shown above for instance, that for example should have shown up under Heavy for 0.8 daily avg. (1.25 hrs x 4.5 nights = 5.625 weekly total / 7)

If that is not the case, might re-examine or describe your weekly activities for a spot check.

Also, to take the incredulity out of it, if you use a HRM and have decent estimate of calories burned during one of those big sessions, subtract that from 2300, and the value should be below your current BMR figure, probably even the future BMR figure.
So see, just by exercise, not even including all the other daily activity, you went below BMR probably.
The rest days provide the recovery and safety margin.
But at least you can get used to eating the same amount every day, no surprises, good planning. And don't have to worry about the exact exercise calories for a single day.

Comment in post right above regarding how you should increase your calories to have least negative effect possible.

Coyla

heybales,

Thanks for the info. I was also surprised at the numbers it gave me. I changed my diary to reflect those numbers and have stopped adding exercise calories.

I will continue to add a little more each day and ease into it. Thanks for the advice! It may just break me out of a 2 year plateau. Even if it doesn't work, it can't hurt to try. And it'll be fun to try. :bigsmile:

jenblwr

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this idea...but after spending a month watching the calories and eating between 1100 and 1300, and getting absolutely nowhere with weight loss or inch loss, I'm going to give it a shot!

I'm 5'6, 37 years old and want to weigh 130...I plugged that in, along with my activity info and it reckons I need 1801 calories a day! Not quite sure how I'm going to manage to eat that much...but I'm going to give it a go - and hopefully see some results!!

With most likely a suppressed BMR and metabolism, please realize your body is going to see anything extra as a gift to be stored and used for when need. Not likely to increase metabolism for some period of time.
Totally depend on how messed up the metabolism in general (yo-yo dieting), how big a net deficit under your BMR, and how long currently going on.

Recommend you increase calories each day for a week by only 200, a snack, perhaps before or after a workout. Don't spike insulin before the workout (if that is an issue) as it prevents stored fat burning mode really being tapped. I've been suggesting a Zone or Balance bar.
Second week, add another 200, perhaps increasing 2 meals 100 each.
Third week, another 200 - same routine.

And be aware outside that real weight gain possibility, several healthy reasons for weight gain.
As the body will now get a chance to store more glucose in the muscles for energy, weight goes up.
As the muscles can finally repair and build, weight goes up.

And during those healthy reasons, fat can be going down, even if weight stays the same.

Not sure your activity level including exercise, but that actually sounds a tad low for your height.
For example, with stats given, if you
slept/read/TV 10hrs day - Rest
cardio 3 days for 1 hr - Heavy
walk 3mph 3 days for 1 hr - Light
and EVERYTHING else is Very Light

I show maintenance of 1831. And this includes no extra weekly Light time for cooking, cleaning, shopping, walking into/at work each workday, ect. Now, if you don't have that much of a workout routine, that's fine and your estimate probably fine.

The calculator underestimates your exercise calories, besides the fact it is for future you doing it. Current you is burning more really.
So don't cheat your normal weekly routine activity, or you'll still be pushing below your BMR, and not letting metabolism really fly. It still may get off the ground a bit, but easier to hit walls and trees then!

Thanks for your help! I'm not a yo yo dieter...I've never had to worry about my weight at all until the last year or so..I've always been so skinny that people around me (my ex-inlaws) actually accused me of being bulimic! But more recently I've put on more weight than I would like..hence trying to work out a calorie controlled diet (but because I've never had to worry about it before, I'm finding it a bit difficult)! I average 45 mins work out (zumba) per day, burning around 420 calories...other than that, I don't really do much exercise aside from doing the weekly shop - and being on my feet all day when I'm working (but I only work relief work..so it's hit and miss as to when I get work)...I'm trying to get a daily walk in as well..but had to stop that for the time being as I'm getting really bad shin splints (I have a pair of walking shoes...but I'm thinking I may be starting out too quickly and causing the problem myself)...

Anyway - I'm waffling...thanks for the advice....I'll take it into account and see how I progress!

Mia2891

Okay, I'm a little confused. I put my information in and that told me at 150, where I want to be, I should be eating 2324 calories. Now help me out here if you can, I am still well above that weight, i do exercise 4-5 nights a week for 60-90 minutes at a time. So am I reading this right that I should be eating more than what I am eating now, which is 1200-1400 and be eating the 2300 like this says?

Yes to the general question of eating more than what you are eating now. But you would no longer log the exercise calories and attempt to eat them back, if you were properly doing that.

To that though, if you eat back exercise calories or a portion, is your real total closer to that 2300 than you realize?

I can't comment on the specific numbers, but that is quit the workout routine, and so sounds very realistic.
But just that workout routine shown above for instance, that for example should have shown up under Heavy for 0.8 daily avg. (1.25 hrs x 4.5 nights = 5.625 weekly total / 7)

If that is not the case, might re-examine or describe your weekly activities for a spot check.

Also, to take the incredulity out of it, if you use a HRM and have decent estimate of calories burned during one of those big sessions, subtract that from 2300, and the value should be below your current BMR figure, probably even the future BMR figure.
So see, just by exercise, not even including all the other daily activity, you went below BMR probably.
The rest days provide the recovery and safety margin.
But at least you can get used to eating the same amount every day, no surprises, good planning. And don't have to worry about the exact exercise calories for a single day.

Comment in post right above regarding how you should increase your calories to have least negative effect possible.

thank you, heybales! I will do my best to implement this. I have been losing consistently for a few months now but I find I am hungry at night as I am up late.

allimel27

bump

Addicted2Fitness

It has been 2 weeks since I changed my settings and still holding steady at 142lbs. I think it has to do with this whole nursing thing. Once my sister was done nursing her child she said the weight just melted off, so who knows I'm waiting patiently eating within my calorie limit and exercising everyday

heybales

It has been 2 weeks since I changed my settings and still holding steady at 142lbs. I think it has to do with this whole nursing thing. Once my sister was done nursing her child she said the weight just melted off, so who knows I'm waiting patiently eating within my calorie limit and exercising everyday

if you want a spot check of anything, to confirm amounts, let me know.

It may be too that your body is finally getting the extra energy it needs to feed the muscle beyond minimum repair, and while you are losing fat, you are gaining muscle and glucose stores and the water that goes along with it.

Better state, same weight.

busyPK

bump - this is very interesting and I'm thinking about trying this very soon as I've been at the same weight (actually 0.4lbs up) for the last 10 days. :frown:

charm_quark

bump.

I'm stucked in the same weight for... 26 days. Not even loosing a single gram.
I just found out that I eat... (net calories) EVERYDAY under my BMR. Today I'm gonna change it, because I can't stand any more to starve after gym...

I'm 5'6" and 32 years old. My highest weight was at 183 lbs 14 years ago. Now I'm at 149 lbs, for a month and my goal is to 132-138 lbs. My activity level is sedentary (I work in front a computer, but as an unemployed I still sit in front a computer most time of the day!) 9 months ago I began exercising. I work out with weights 2 times a week for about an hour each and 2 -3 times a week I jog/walk vividly for 1-1.5 an hour each. I also have Hashimoto but it seems that it my thyroid function is under control with the meds.
I eat average about 1300 calories net. After gym I'm sometimes hungry and I just open the fridge and eat everything I see!
Today, a friend talked to me about BMR and found out that my BMR is estimated at 1450 calories. So... I remembered your post and now, I'm gonna follow it to see if things will be better for me.
I'll be back in 2 weeks with the results.

heybales

I'm 5'6" and 32 years old. My highest weight was at 183 lbs 14 years ago. Now I'm at 149 lbs, for a month and my goal is to 132-138 lbs. My activity level is sedentary (I work in front a computer, but as an unemployed I still sit in front a computer most time of the day!) 9 months ago I began exercising. I work out with weights 2 times a week for about an hour each and 2 -3 times a week I jog/walk vividly for 1-1.5 an hour each. I also have Hashimoto but it seems that it my thyroid function is under control with the meds.

Well, you gave enough info for just a bare bones estimate, that doesn't include Rest, a big factor to have right, and any light walking related cleaning, shopping, ect.

So with Rest at 10hrs day avg.
Heavy at 1 x 2 = 0.29 daily
Moderate 1.25 x 2.5 = 0.45 daily
Light should be filled in correctly
Very Light probably overestimated = 13.27

Current BMR - 1403
Future BMR - 1325
Future Maintenance - 1903

So that will likely go up a bit as you add some Light activities.

So that future maintenance is indeed what you would use as MFP Net Calories goal.
Of course, without entering in exercise calories (because they are already in there), it is in reality a total calorie goal because it will always stay the same.

You are so close too, you do indeed what that metabolism to burn as best it can, so you can hone in on correct amount to eat as you get close to that goal weight.

Oh, and to spot check a day, 1903 minus a known workout calorie burn (800?) easily takes you under your current BMR on those days. So I think that Light level needs correction and count will go up.

But then those heavy days are balanced by light or no workout days.

Weekly net effect, never below current BMR constantly.

heybales

In case you are finding this thread instead of the group.

Still please read the principle behind what is being done under the method, first post in this topic, or here.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477666-eating-for-future-you-method

Understand how to do your hours under the activity calculator if needed.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477753-how-do-i-do-activity-level-and-calculator

But now I made a spreadsheet that includes the ExRx BMR and activity calculator.

It does both the current weight and goal weight together, plus conversion from metric.
It uses a more recent and estimated about 5% more accurate BMR estimate for your goal weight.
It also uses it for current weight, or allows using the bodyfat% stat for Katch-McArdle estimate.
It splits the activity calculator up much easier to enter separate workout days and such to get weekly total and daily average.
It shows the goal weight and current weight total calories.
It shows exactly what to change in MFP to see the most encouragement and manual goal change.
It gives a week of food and exercise calories to see what happens through the whole week.
It gives a day for confirming what happens on heavy, or light, or no workout days.

http://home.everestkc.net/mbales/

Only link there is the Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.

It imports into Google Spreadsheet fine, but the view is all messed up, though the math is fine.

It is filled with sample data so you can see what it is doing.

abookreader2

bump

MDWilliams1857

bump again

Erica_theRedhead

I'm gonna give this a try. I was pretty obese at 278 and have lost the pounds fairly quickly when I started, but now I'm below 200 (still have plenty to lose) but it's gone from 2-3 lbs/week, to squeezing out 1lb/week. Based on these equations, I should be consuming about 1600 cals/day and I'm only hovering around 1300. I really am scared though to see that scale creep up in this test run...

heybales

I'm gonna give this a try. I was pretty obese at 278 and have lost the pounds fairly quickly when I started, but now I'm below 200 (still have plenty to lose) but it's gone from 2-3 lbs/week, to squeezing out 1lb/week. Based on these equations, I should be consuming about 1600 cals/day and I'm only hovering around 1300. I really am scared though to see that scale creep up in this test run...

Only increase 200 a day for a week, 1 snack associated with a workout.
Week after, another 200 somewhere.

This way your body sees it is being fed, not being given a gift it must hold on to.

Weight will still go up for reasons like muscle is finally being fed and grows, or glucose stores that were always low are now always topped off, ect.
Real healthy reasons for weight gain, not fat.

heybales

Coyla

I will continue to add a little more each day and ease into it. Thanks for the advice! It may just break me out of a 2 year plateau. Even if it doesn't work, it can't hurt to try. And it'll be fun to try. :bigsmile:

Looks like you've eased into it, any surprises the first couple weeks?

heybales

Creeper82

thank you, heybales! I will do my best to implement this. I have been losing consistently for a few months now but I find I am hungry at night as I am up late.

Wondering how it's going? Any surprises as you slowly upped the calories?

RainbootsToBikinis

bump for later

Captain_Tightpants

bump for later

myopus

Creeper82

thank you, heybales! I will do my best to implement this. I have been losing consistently for a few months now but I find I am hungry at night as I am up late.

Wondering how it's going? Any surprises as you slowly upped the calories?

Bumping: I'd like to read about their results, also!

heybales

Bumping: I'd like to read about their results, also!

Several results already posted in these Group links, just not these folks from the main Topic yet.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/478061-progress-so-far

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477676-ongoing-results

Several threw in results in other Topics there too.

Psufilmgirl

I implemented this about a week ago and I'm down 2.5 pounds. I was pretty sure I wasn't eating enough at 1300 calories, and I was right. If you work out, you should especially be eating more.

Success!!

pinkita

Wow, I really want to try this but I'm nervous! I get really bummed if I see a gain on the scale! Plus I feel confused by all the calculations, and I never know how to define my "activity level."

I'm 39, my weight as of 2/18/12 was 176.6#, and I'm 5'6". Goal weight is 138.

I'm sedentary on the job but do exercise. For weights, I'm doing 3 days/week of Jackie Warner's Xtreme Training DVD (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays). On cardio days (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays), I walk at least 60 mins. Saturdays + Sundays about 90mins. Occasionally I have a day where I'm unable to exercise due to scheduling issues, not feeling well, etc.

I don't know how to categorize my activity level... I feel like "moderately active" is above my level, but "lightly active" might be too low. Duh, I feel so dopey with this!

I appreciate any tips! I hope I can work up the courage to try this, because in the last few weeks I just feel like eating ALL the time!

heybales

Wow, I really want to try this but I'm nervous! I get really bummed if I see a gain on the scale! Plus I feel confused by all the calculations, and I never know how to define my "activity level."

I'm 39, my weight as of 2/18/12 was 176.6#, and I'm 5'6". Goal weight is 138.

I'm sedentary on the job but do exercise. For weights, I'm doing 3 days/week of Jackie Warner's Xtreme Training DVD (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays). On cardio days (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays), I walk at least 60 mins. Saturdays + Sundays about 90mins. Occasionally I have a day where I'm unable to exercise due to scheduling issues, not feeling well, etc.

I don't know how to categorize my activity level... I feel like "moderately active" is above my level, but "lightly active" might be too low. Duh, I feel so dopey with this!

Regarding weight gain, if it even happens for actual like fat storage at all, and not healthy reasons like more glucose storage or muscle building - would you like it now and get a healthy burning metabolism going down to goal weight, or at goal weight when you try to eat at maintenance level and gain some because your body is going to store everything extra as a gift?

Also, this method does NOT use the MFP or other sites activity selector, so no concern about guessing which level.
In fact, you skip all the math that MFP would be doing and enter your own manual goal once.
And as long as your routine workout doesn't change, no need to change the number.

I can't estimate any of your daily activities because of the missing details of sleep, TV, ect.
But I will comment your BMR currently is about 1493.
If you have been netting below this on constant basis (net=food calories-exercise calories), then your metabolism could be suppressed.
Since you are hungry a lot, sounds like it has not totally slowed down yet.

That's great news.

So check out the group I was asked to start, and the topic on figuring out the activity levels, and then use the spreadsheet to do it. But you gotta have that homework to nail the daily activities to get this right on.

Good workout routine. I would suggest you need a rest though. Your body can NOT recover and get stronger without adequate nutrition AND rest, which you seemed to have hit 7 days a week there. If those walks are very intense, that applies. If they are walking dog calmly, that may not be so bad, and is actually great daily activity to leave in place.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3088-eating-for-future-you

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477753-how-do-i-do-activity-level-and-calculator

pinkita

Thank you, I'll look into the details when I get home. I just finished lunch and man, I wanted to keep eating!

As for my outdoor walks, they're neither leisurely nor intense. I worked out my pace from some web site a couple weeks ago, I think it was 3.3mph (no dog).

As for my calories, I never net below my BMR but still feel like eating all the time lately (for the past month or so). I wear a BodyBugg and the last time I wore it (no exercise at all), my daily burn was about 1800.

Looking forward to checking out those links to the groups when I get home, thanks again!!

Ladeda1

bump

korygilliam

Even if you are too scared to up your calories, doing the average daily calorie goal with your average weekly burn already calculated in is a better way (because of the reasons stated by haybales already).

mama2evanabby

bump to read later