For the 500,000 time EATING MORE WORKS

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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Hmmm, I'm perplexed. I'm not shifting ANY weight (admittedly I only have 2 kilos to lose but it's important to me).
    I have been on 1200 daily cals since January and I exercise once a week and burn 600-800 cals. Sometimes I'm a little under, sometimes I tend to eat far too much and I make up for it by exercising.

    My BMR is 1,030 and my TDEE is 1,390 so eating 1,200 cals should be correct as it's bang on in the middle.

    Why are the scales not moving?
    What do I do wrong?

    estimated BMR is 1030. Working out 1 time a week could still be helping a bit.

    Was that BMR estimate based on the fat2fit.com site based on BF%, you might try the Covert Bailey calc since it could be more accurate, and you may have more LeanBodyMass, and may have higher BMR actually.

    This close to goal weight, it does take some tweaking, and better to start high and tweak low, because the other direction may just slow your BMR down.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Female
    Age: 28
    Height: 5ft 8
    Weight: 143lbs
    Goal Weight: 137lbs
    BMR: 1458

    I go to the gym 6 days a week and do 40 - 60 minutes cardio and 30 minutes strength training each session.

    My TDEE at moderate exercise is 2260. So should I be aiming for 2260 each day? I currently have MFP set at 1500 calories per day and I aim to eat back my exercise calories (normally about 400 - 450 per session) but if I'm honest I don't manage to eat them all back.

    I have been stuck at 141lbs - 144lbs since February so could really do with some help!

    So BMR based on bodyfat calc at fat2fit.com, or MFP calc?

    Because you got a good routine and method there, setting goal above BMR, and eating back exercise. Since you are doing so much exercise, you do need to eat it all back. If it is planned so well for each day, start early, don't leave it for after the workout, in case that is the problem.
    Or eat a 200 cal snack before, and another after.

    And you are only getting 400-450 burn for 40-60 min cardio AND 30 min strength?
    That is estimated by HRM? Just seems low, but if doing it real low intensity, could be correct.

    Not sure how you figure 6 days a week workouts at 1.5 hrs is Moderate. That is for sure moving up to Very Active territory - hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk.
    Perhaps round down from Very Active to nearest 100's. Like maybe 2400.

    For that routine, you are still too close to your potential BMR by your current method.
    But eating 2400 everyday, workout or not, would probably help.

    It stopped working where you are at now anyway, can't hurt. It's not like 2400 is over your real TDEE to make you gain real fat.
    Plus, you can plan out the day better now.
  • indiepops
    indiepops Posts: 96
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    what you have to remember is eating more will boost your metabolism, but only temporarily. if you are upping your calories you will stick the weight back on. if you arent losing with say 1200 calories, up it the next day to 1400, then drop the next day to 1100 and so on, as long as you are getting the 8400 (based on a 1200 calorie per day diet) calories in a week. or 1 week try 1400 then the next week drop back to 1200. it is called calorie cycling, this will boost your metabolism instead of being stuck in a plateau xx
  • JamCubeChi
    JamCubeChi Posts: 378 Member
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    bump to read later
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Here's my info:
    Age 36
    Height 5'6"
    CW 165
    GW 150
    BMR 1514

    Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1739
    Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1992
    Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2246

    So above are my stats. I do exercise 5-6 days a week. I am doing P90X with light weights and I do additional cardio usually (which I am now going to cut back on). So let's say I am doing this or another program that incorporates some light weight/body weight activity. I am not working at the moment so I am home most of the day but when I do go to meet friends or grocery shop or run errands I only use my bike or I walk. I don't usually count this as extra exercise.
    I chose "Moderately Active' because of the fact that a big part of the day I am sitting down.

    So am I right to assume that the above numbers would be my TDEE? Let's say in this case 2246. That is including my exercise calories then, right? I would NOT eat back the exercise calories that MFP puts in and I should be netting 2246 or should I be just eating 2246 regardless? According to fit2fat this is what I should be eating for my goal weight of 150lbs but this seems awfully high. I've been stuffing myself the last few days (my diary is open btw) and I can't seem to even get past 1800 or 1900. I have no idea how to add another 200-300.

    I don't want to cut way back on exercising because I really enjoy it and I like the progress my body is making. I am getting back into shape and I appreciate all the hard work it takes to get there but I do realize I have been overdoing it a bit. I would like to go back to sticking with just 1 program instead of 'mixing it up' all the time.

    Is it possible to just go by what MFP says when I enter calories burned? That seems like a feasible number for me. I was finding it hard to eat my BMR number of 1514 but I think I can easily eat 1700-1800 a day. I'm just worried that's not going to get me very far with weight loss.

    Above numbers are TDEE at goal weight, and is indeed what is recommended you eat everyday, and since it includes exercise, you do not eat back exercise calories.
    But - you are not being honest with your activity, and already were not. Not counting rides and walks?
    Also, that daily routine is not Mod Active, but above. Should round up if being honest with self. 2300 or 2400.
    You would every day at 2300, if you log workouts for sake of records, don't eat those calories, or enter 1 cal.

    It may seem high, but it's still lower than what it would take to start gaining weight at your routine.
    You don't need to lighten up your workouts if you enjoy them, but at least feed them then.
    For getting cal's up there - no low/non-fat items, full fat. Fat fruits/vegetables - olives and oil, avocados and guacamole, ect.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
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    I wish someone would figure my TDEE and BMD - I read the post yesterday ( or most of it) and well... I got a little ADHD by the end and never got to the math... I honestly just couldn't follow the thread....
  • BazAbroad
    BazAbroad Posts: 248
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    I aim for 1200 cals, as a basic, but eat back cals that I train.
    It is the cal deficit at the end of the day that counts,
    if u train u can eat. :drinker:
    edit - I do chop and change as well, increase cals a bit one week and dropping them the next, not a fixed pattern, I just go off how I feel and what my body is telling me.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    what you have to remember is eating more will boost your metabolism, but only temporarily. if you are upping your calories you will stick the weight back on. if you arent losing with say 1200 calories, up it the next day to 1400, then drop the next day to 1100 and so on, as long as you are getting the 8400 (based on a 1200 calorie per day diet) calories in a week. or 1 week try 1400 then the next week drop back to 1200. it is called calorie cycling, this will boost your metabolism instead of being stuck in a plateau xx

    Orrrrr ..... as this whole thread is advocating and folks are sharing is successful.

    Don't eat so low that you even have to try to fool your metabolism NOT to lower. Which calories cycling usually fails eventually, just takes longer, though it does depend how far under your BMR you are. Because the fact is if your daily avg is still well below your BMR, it will still have to slow down eventually. if the high days is still below, you aren't actually helping anything.
    On some blocks of time the body isn't left with enough energy to take care of some functions, other days a tad more.
  • coconutbuNZ
    coconutbuNZ Posts: 578 Member
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    For me:
    IT.DOES.NOT.WORK.
  • lindseejill29
    lindseejill29 Posts: 15
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    My BMR calculator on the Fat2Fit website is telling me I need 2172 calories a day... that TERRIFIES me.

    I've been setting myself to a 1200 calorie diet with 5 workouts of at least 30 minutes a week... which now reading through these posts I've realized that is not healthy at all and no wonder I haven't noticed much of a difference. Should I meet halfway and do about 1500 calories/day?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I wish someone would figure my TDEE and BMD - I read the post yesterday ( or most of it) and well... I got a little ADHD by the end and never got to the math... I honestly just couldn't follow the thread....

    Just get your bodyfat% here.
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf

    Plug that value in here.
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr

    Read the page carefully. There is your current BMR by 2 different calc's, the bodyfat% is more accurate.

    Section on What do I eat. Pick the line that is correct for your level of exercise. Honestly. May have to go between levels to be more accurate.
    That is goal weight TDEE, or as best guess as you can do right now.
    That is what you eat each and every day. Workout or not.

    Goal weight TDEE x 1.2 is pretty close to current weight TDEE.
    You do nothing with that figure except math if curious what your weight loss could be.
    Current TDEE minus goal TDEE is amount of daily deficit. 250 cal per 1/2 lb loss a week. 500 is 1 lb, ect.
    You could also plug your current weight in as goal weight to get current TDEE figure. But of course that is NOT what you eat to.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    My BMR calculator on the Fat2Fit website is telling me I need 2172 calories a day... that TERRIFIES me.

    I've been setting myself to a 1200 calorie diet with 5 workouts of at least 30 minutes a week... which now reading through these posts I've realized that is not healthy at all and no wonder I haven't noticed much of a difference. Should I meet halfway and do about 1500 calories/day?

    Not if you want the beneficial effect of full burning metabolism.
    But you may adjust that activity level. 30 min is great and would put you at Moderate Active level, but that is also short, so perhaps round down to even 2000.
    If you start adding time or another day, then to 2100.
  • lisseth82
    lisseth82 Posts: 28
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    What is TTDE? Also MFP recommends I eat 1220calories as my daily calories, it says my BMR is 1379. How many calories should I be eating? I'm female 5.2 and currently 152lbs, looking to be 120-125lbs.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    For me:
    IT.DOES.NOT.WORK.

    That's too bad.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    What is TTDE? Also MFP recommends I eat 1220calories as my daily calories, it says my BMR is 1379. How many calories should I be eating? I'm female 5.2 and currently 152lbs, looking to be 120-125lbs.

    Read this page and the last one.
  • frangipaan
    frangipaan Posts: 13 Member
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    I have been using the MFP for one week and gained 3.31lbs! I think it was probably the binge the week before though. Also, looking at my diet, I did not eat often enough. I am going to eat my exercise calories this week, even though my mind is SCREAMING not to do it. It seems wrong, but it also makes sense. Also when I am not on a diet, what I ate all day was complete crap, so this time, I will eat often, but healthy. Here Goes......
  • Nikkilou1202
    Nikkilou1202 Posts: 19
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    I am having a similar problem, (read post below) but the thought of now eating 2000 calories scares the hell out of me and I think that I will gain wait. I need to know how to increase my calorie intake without putting the weight on.
  • Nikkilou1202
    Nikkilou1202 Posts: 19
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    My BMR calculator on the Fat2Fit website is telling me I need 2172 calories a day... that TERRIFIES me.

    I've been setting myself to a 1200 calorie diet with 5 workouts of at least 30 minutes a week... which now reading through these posts I've realized that is not healthy at all and no wonder I haven't noticed much of a difference. Should I meet halfway and do about 1500 calories/day?

    Not if you want the beneficial effect of full burning metabolism.
    But you may adjust that activity level. 30 min is great and would put you at Moderate Active level, but that is also short, so perhaps round down to even 2000.
    If you start adding time or another day, then to 2100.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I am having a similar problem, (read post below) but the thought of now eating 2000 calories scares the hell out of me and I think that I will gain wait. I need to know how to increase my calorie intake without putting the weight on.

    extra 200 per day for a week, like snack associated with a workout.
    another 200 next week, 2 meals bigger by 100 each.
    Then another.
  • LizKurz
    LizKurz Posts: 340 Member
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    how do I calculate the amount of calories I need having TDEE and BMR?
    www.fat2fitradio.com/tools - use the Military Bodyfat and then the BMR/Cal Calculators :)

    Congratulations OP :D

    Thanks for linking this, even with all my smarts, I couldn't figure out why the other one was telling me that I needed to weigh 176 to be at an ideal weight, when I know for a fact, I need to be about 140ish. I was using the other formula! The military one gives me a goal weigh of 140. much better for my petite 5'5" frame.

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