Keeping a spreadsheet

SummerSkier
SummerSkier Posts: 4,747 Member
Do not be discouraged by the scale daily weighs. Over the last 59 days I have lost 11.8 pounds, but the variation was incredible. 51% of those days I lost. The most in one day was 1.8. I gained 31% of the days. The most up .8 lbs. And the scale was flat only 19% of the days. Pretty interesting. I was pretty consistent as far as exercise and diet also. So it IS a roller coaster. I tracked the actually cals in vs weight I should have lost based on a 15 cal per pound spreadsheet. Per the spreadsheet I should be at -14.6 pounds instead of 11.8 so that goes to show that calories in and out is definitely not an exact science. I recommend doing a variety of exercise and mixing up your diet. Who knows how accurate that cal info is after all?

Anyway. where I am going with this is that EVERY one of us is different and we need to figure out our own personal maintenance place.So, if I alter the spreadsheet to say that my maintain cals are 13.5 per pound. Then I use the formula of (13.5*current weight)+exercise cals - intake. Divide that by 3500 to see over time what I should lose, it is a LOT closer. My recommendation. Do a spreadsheet so that when you DO get to your goal weight you will know exactly how many cals will keep you level. Maintaining will be the toughest part for me. Looks like maintenance cals will be 1350 plus exercise cals. Not a lot, but it certainly explains why with minimal exercise and a boyfriend who wanted to eat Italian food every night and LOTS of bread, I ended up close to 130 pounds last March. :(

Currently at 107. Goal 100 (5.2 VERY small frame) I think our age also has a lot to do with how many cals we can eat to maintain. sadly a teenager can probably do a lot more. I have successfully lost weight and kept it off for a year or so many many times in my life. I am hoping by logging I will get off the roller coaster. This is the first time I have ever counted calories.

thanks for listening. If anyone wants help setting up a spreadsheet send my a note.

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