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

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

heybales

For those with Excel, here is the link for that spreadsheet.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/496449-spreadsheet-for-calculations

For those without.

Here is an online Google Spreadsheet version. Just be careful of the fields with formulas, stick to the yellow boxes.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGZlcmNCNmhJWFhtUGl0ZEk1RFd1c0E

kmorris246

Bump to read later! This sounds very interesting!

jojo1371

Heybales, thank you for posting this!
I have been stuck at my current weight now for over a year, and am definitely going to give this method a try.

I have used the excel speadsheet you posted to calculate my stats which are as follows:.
5ft, 25 years old
Current Weight: 140
Goal Weight: 120

Daily Goal: 1684
Activity: 857 (which consists of working out 3x a week)
BMR: 1287

I just want some clarification that I am in fact to be eating 1684 calories a day? I'm really worried that eating this many calories a day will actually cause me to lose weight since I have been eating 1200-1400 a day with MFP.

Also can you please clarify how the weekly spot check and confirmation works?

i understand the food logged, but how would I know my exercise since I'm not tracking it?

heybales

I have used the excel speadsheet you posted to calculate my stats which are as follows:.
5ft, 25 years old
Current Weight: 140
Goal Weight: 120

Daily Goal: 1684
Activity: 857 (which consists of working out 3x a week)
BMR: 1287

I just want some clarification that I am in fact to be eating 1684 calories a day? I'm really worried that eating this many calories a day will actually cause me to lose weight since I have been eating 1200-1400 a day with MFP.

Also can you please clarify how the weekly spot check and confirmation works?
i understand the food logged, but how would I know my exercise since I'm not tracking it?

That math there doesn't seem to work out, I can't figure out where the typo is.
Because future BMR plus that activity is more than 1684 with the figures you give.
I show CW BMR as 1302.
GW BMR as 1211.

The day spot check is if you happen to know how many accurate estimated calories in a workout, perhaps by HRM, or it's walking so the database sites are just fine, or you can compare your workout to walking a certain speed, which is great for low intensity type workouts. Though, walking 5mph is pretty fast and could compare well to other intense efforts.
http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/calculat.htm

So it just lets you see if that big workout day takes you below your BMR a lot or little. So if you walked 4mph, 318 cal, off maintenance of 1684 (if that was correct), then there is 1366, probably below your current BMR.
But, with only 3 workout days, I think I can tell right now you probably got some activity levels not correct, or you walk the dog a lot or work on your feet. Because with 3 workout days, it should go under by probably 300.
Look at Rest, perhaps should have more in it, and including too much in Light that doesn't belong, and then your 3 workouts just depends on how intense. Make sure no sample data sitting in there.

But whatever that green field is for Net Calories Consumed, that is the daily goal. And it's purpose is to raise your metabolism back up to get full burn on. And has the current method helped? No, because your metabolism is slower and BMR is NOT really the estimated level 1302. So you have been eating right at BMR, but with exercise and daily activity, constantly under by some amount. And so close to goal, you really want to go into it with burning metabolism to finish it off.

The weekly spot check is either while doing the method, entering in a week from start weigh-in to finish. You can pretend to, and enter each day's eating, and then what days for the exercise and how much, and see where the avg net ends up, hopefully above your current BMR by 100-200 calories.
If way more than that, proves the activities are probably off.

If you do know a good estimate of calories burned for your workout, log it in Food Diary Notes for that day. Then you can visually see or log the Net calories too.

Let me know. Follow the tips on the activity calculator, and descriptions for the level of activity.

jojo1371

I have used the excel speadsheet you posted to calculate my stats which are as follows:.
5ft, 25 years old
Current Weight: 140
Goal Weight: 120

Daily Goal: 1684
Activity: 857 (which consists of working out 3x a week)
BMR: 1287

I just want some clarification that I am in fact to be eating 1684 calories a day? I'm really worried that eating this many calories a day will actually cause me to lose weight since I have been eating 1200-1400 a day with MFP.

Also can you please clarify how the weekly spot check and confirmation works?
i understand the food logged, but how would I know my exercise since I'm not tracking it?

That math there doesn't seem to work out, I can't figure out where the typo is.
Because future BMR plus that activity is more than 1684 with the figures you give.
I show CW BMR as 1302.
GW BMR as 1211.

The day spot check is if you happen to know how many accurate estimated calories in a workout, perhaps by HRM, or it's walking so the database sites are just fine, or you can compare your workout to walking a certain speed, which is great for low intensity type workouts. Though, walking 5mph is pretty fast and could compare well to other intense efforts.
http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/calculat.htm

So it just lets you see if that big workout day takes you below your BMR a lot or little. So if you walked 4mph, 318 cal, off maintenance of 1684 (if that was correct), then there is 1366, probably below your current BMR.
But, with only 3 workout days, I think I can tell right now you probably got some activity levels not correct, or you walk the dog a lot or work on your feet. Because with 3 workout days, it should go under by probably 300.
Look at Rest, perhaps should have more in it, and including too much in Light that doesn't belong, and then your 3 workouts just depends on how intense. Make sure no sample data sitting in there.

But whatever that green field is for Net Calories Consumed, that is the daily goal. And it's purpose is to raise your metabolism back up to get full burn on. And has the current method helped? No, because your metabolism is slower and BMR is NOT really the estimated level 1302. So you have been eating right at BMR, but with exercise and daily activity, constantly under by some amount. And so close to goal, you really want to go into it with burning metabolism to finish it off.

The weekly spot check is either while doing the method, entering in a week from start weigh-in to finish. You can pretend to, and enter each day's eating, and then what days for the exercise and how much, and see where the avg net ends up, hopefully above your current BMR by 100-200 calories.
If way more than that, proves the activities are probably off.

If you do know a good estimate of calories burned for your workout, log it in Food Diary Notes for that day. Then you can visually see or log the Net calories too.

Let me know. Follow the tips on the activity calculator, and descriptions for the level of activity.

Thank you this was helpful.
Perhaps I can clarify to you what my activity level is...

So I am 5ft, female, age 25
CW: 140
GW:120

My activity level is as follows:
Sleep: 8 hours
I have an office job, so I am mostly sitting for 8 hours per day
I work out 3 times per week- 45 mins weight training, 30 minutes cardio
I watch tv for about 2 hours a night x 5 nights
Most of my shopping/cleaning comes on the weekend, for a total of about 4 hours for 1 day.
The other weekend day is mostly lightly activites

I hope this clarifies...? Please let me know as I am very eager to start.

craziedazie

Oh my lord, my head hurts. heybales, I think you are on to something, but for the life of me I cannot figure this out. So much for that master's degree on my shelf!

I went to the spreadsheet:
It says goal BMR 1492. Best for current weight: K-Mc = 1552, Miff = 1529.

Ok from there how do I find out how many calories I should be eating based on your theory? (I don't care about the MFP calculators). I am 5'9 and 163, my goal is 155.

Thanks,
Tosha

heybales

Oh my lord, my head hurts. heybales, I think you are on to something, but for the life of me I cannot figure this out. So much for that master's degree on my shelf!

I went to the spreadsheet:
It says goal BMR 1492. Best for current weight: K-Mc = 1552, Miff = 1529.

Ok from there how do I find out how many calories I should be eating based on your theory? (I don't care about the MFP calculators). I am 5'9 and 163, my goal is 155.

Thanks,
Tosha

Well, the best for current weight just means best guess. All BMR formula's are based on studies done on healthy people at healthy weight. Those are merely for comparison.
Please read the method description to see what you are trying to accomplish. This was re-written since the first post on this topic. So perhaps a bit clearer for the actual steps the spreadsheet helps you do.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477666-eating-for-future-you-method

You must go to the next area down in the spreadsheet, and do the activities.

You gotta do more work than just entering your stats! ;-)

Then the next section gives exact instructions as to what to change on MFP to use this method, set it and forget it.

At least you are near goal weight, but this still could help you reach the goal with a fully burning metabolism, and learn to eat at maintenance level you'll be at.

craziedazie

Oh my lord, my head hurts. heybales, I think you are on to something, but for the life of me I cannot figure this out. So much for that master's degree on my shelf!

I went to the spreadsheet:
It says goal BMR 1492. Best for current weight: K-Mc = 1552, Miff = 1529.

Ok from there how do I find out how many calories I should be eating based on your theory? (I don't care about the MFP calculators). I am 5'9 and 163, my goal is 155.

Thanks,
Tosha

Well, the best for current weight just means best guess. All BMR formula's are based on studies done on healthy people at healthy weight. Those are merely for comparison.
Please read the method description to see what you are trying to accomplish. This was re-written since the first post on this topic. So perhaps a bit clearer for the actual steps the spreadsheet helps you do.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477666-eating-for-future-you-method

You must go to the next area down in the spreadsheet, and do the activities.

You gotta do more work than just entering your stats! ;-)

Then the next section gives exact instructions as to what to change on MFP to use this method, set it and forget it.

At least you are near goal weight, but this still could help you reach the goal with a fully burning metabolism, and learn to eat at maintenance level you'll be at.

Ok thanks for replying - I understand now those 3 numbers are just for comparison. I had become so mixed up earlier that I wasn't sure what was going up. I will try again. Thanks again.

heybales

So I am 5ft, female, age 25
CW: 140
GW:120

My activity level is as follows:
Sleep: 8 hours
I have an office job, so I am mostly sitting for 8 hours per day
I work out 3 times per week- 45 mins weight training, 30 minutes cardio
I watch tv for about 2 hours a night x 5 nights
Most of my shopping/cleaning comes on the weekend, for a total of about 4 hours for 1 day.
The other weekend day is mostly lightly activites

I hope this clarifies...? Please let me know as I am very eager to start.

Ok, that helps.

CW BMR - 1302
GW BMR - 1211

You can enter these figures in the spreadsheet for hrs/day and put 7 days/wk to use it.
Resting - 9.43 (tv and sleep)
Heavy - 0.21 (cardio)
Moderate - 0.32 (weights)
Light - 0.86 (cleaning, shopping, and I gave the other day 2hrs of light)
Very Light - 13.18 (the rest)

GW maintenance - 1738

So that is the setup in MFP for Net Calories Consumed. The spreadsheet says where to change things.

And spot check for a day eating 1738 with 45 min weights and 30 min cardio at current weight (213+228=441) gives 5 under current BMR.

So that doesn't seem like much, and it isn't, because you are close to goal weight, and not much daily activity.
This method is designed to protect your potential BMR, while not feeding non-exercise daily activities, which you don't have much.

Now, it may be your cardio is more intense than that estimate, which is equal to walking between 4.5 to 5mph. If more intense, then you actually do go under a bit more. And the weight lifting was for between light and vigorous level, so it may be more towards the vigorous side with 45 min worth.

skeetpea

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