Thank you thank you thank you!!
Options
Shayztar
Posts: 415 Member
I just joined your group and I find it all amazing! I have a few questions tho!
I started MFP in January and plugged all my numbers in a guess what calories it told me to eat? 1200! I did, for like three weeks, and thought I was dying. My toddler was eating more than me, it was embarassing. Then my friend told me to include breastfeeding into my calories. 300 more! That made life a little more easier, but I still found that I needed to exercise every day, even when I didn't want to, just to enjoy basic and clean food with my family. That's when I started reading the forums, and I saw ANewLucia in posts, as well as other people, talking about BMR and TDEE and these fancy terms. I did some math, and upped my calories a bit more, but truthfully, it was a little arbitrary. I upped to 1400 plus 300 for BF - so 1700 calories. Above my BMR, but below if you remove my breastfeeding. Things have been going well, but it's still kinda slow. I thought it was because of the occasional fast food indugance, or the rare Nana's tortellini meals. Now I'm starting to worry it's because I am still not eating enough. I am planning on weaning the little man soon, and that is putting me into a bit of a panic about calories now. My little man is very rough these days, so I don't want to suffer the pain of a biting toddler just to get the benefits of an extra 300 calories. MindMovesBody suggested this group to me in order to get a straight answer. Here's hoping someone can help!
I have done the calculations as per the first topic. Here are my numbers.
I'm 32 and 5'7" currently 184. I want to lost about another 25 to 30 lbs. Or rather - I'm currently a 16, I want to be a 10-12. lol
My RMR is 1542.
I do Zumba 3 times a week, I do a light lift routine 3 times a week, I take the kids for a walk at least 2 times a week, I clean my butt off once a week, and I am a general stay at home mom for 2 toddlers. Someone once told me I should use moderately active as my TDEE. So I did and my activity multiplier ended up as 2390. Is Moderately correct? Because that's saying that I burn 540 more calories a day then Average Desk Job Joe.
If 1 lbs = 3500 calories, I removed 20% from that number to make less 478 calories a day = 3346 less a week.
My grand new total is: 1912 calories a day. With my son still eating 4 times a day, that means I should eat 2212 a day? And lose weight? WHAT!?!?!
What totally confuses me is I should eat that all the time. What about the days I am not as active? Like my reat day or like today. I walked the kids in the wagon and I will do my weight routine tonight (wearing HRM). The rest of the day will be watching the new princess movie on my butt with my daughter and general mommy stuff. My HRM will say that I burned an extra 350 cals doing my exercises. I guess I am so used to EATING BACK EXERCISE CALORIES that I can't wrap my head around just eating and exercising without tracking. Seriously!
And how should I wean? I mean, I know how to wean, but how do I add or subtract that from my daily calories?
I am so sorry about the long post. I need a little advice and I wanted to also say thanks for creating a group that focuses on eating for loss, not starving to lose.
I started MFP in January and plugged all my numbers in a guess what calories it told me to eat? 1200! I did, for like three weeks, and thought I was dying. My toddler was eating more than me, it was embarassing. Then my friend told me to include breastfeeding into my calories. 300 more! That made life a little more easier, but I still found that I needed to exercise every day, even when I didn't want to, just to enjoy basic and clean food with my family. That's when I started reading the forums, and I saw ANewLucia in posts, as well as other people, talking about BMR and TDEE and these fancy terms. I did some math, and upped my calories a bit more, but truthfully, it was a little arbitrary. I upped to 1400 plus 300 for BF - so 1700 calories. Above my BMR, but below if you remove my breastfeeding. Things have been going well, but it's still kinda slow. I thought it was because of the occasional fast food indugance, or the rare Nana's tortellini meals. Now I'm starting to worry it's because I am still not eating enough. I am planning on weaning the little man soon, and that is putting me into a bit of a panic about calories now. My little man is very rough these days, so I don't want to suffer the pain of a biting toddler just to get the benefits of an extra 300 calories. MindMovesBody suggested this group to me in order to get a straight answer. Here's hoping someone can help!
I have done the calculations as per the first topic. Here are my numbers.
I'm 32 and 5'7" currently 184. I want to lost about another 25 to 30 lbs. Or rather - I'm currently a 16, I want to be a 10-12. lol
My RMR is 1542.
I do Zumba 3 times a week, I do a light lift routine 3 times a week, I take the kids for a walk at least 2 times a week, I clean my butt off once a week, and I am a general stay at home mom for 2 toddlers. Someone once told me I should use moderately active as my TDEE. So I did and my activity multiplier ended up as 2390. Is Moderately correct? Because that's saying that I burn 540 more calories a day then Average Desk Job Joe.
If 1 lbs = 3500 calories, I removed 20% from that number to make less 478 calories a day = 3346 less a week.
My grand new total is: 1912 calories a day. With my son still eating 4 times a day, that means I should eat 2212 a day? And lose weight? WHAT!?!?!
What totally confuses me is I should eat that all the time. What about the days I am not as active? Like my reat day or like today. I walked the kids in the wagon and I will do my weight routine tonight (wearing HRM). The rest of the day will be watching the new princess movie on my butt with my daughter and general mommy stuff. My HRM will say that I burned an extra 350 cals doing my exercises. I guess I am so used to EATING BACK EXERCISE CALORIES that I can't wrap my head around just eating and exercising without tracking. Seriously!
And how should I wean? I mean, I know how to wean, but how do I add or subtract that from my daily calories?
I am so sorry about the long post. I need a little advice and I wanted to also say thanks for creating a group that focuses on eating for loss, not starving to lose.
0
Replies
-
Breathe... LOL
First, welcome to the group! :flowerforyou:
Now, if you have your TDEE -20% all figured out already, then yes, you'd just eat that amount all the time. The reason is that when TDEE is figured out, it takes into account your activity for the entire week. So even the rest days are figured in there.
The other reason we recommend eating the same # every day is because when you firs up your cals, your body needs consistency more than anything. More detail about this is in the "what to expect" sticky so be sure to read that one...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience
So just eat your TDEE deficit number consistently, and don't eat back exercise cals unless they cause you to net below BMR.
When you decide to wean, base your breastfeeding cals on whether or not you are still producing milk. If you're still producing like crazy, then your body is still using up those extra cals, and you need to provide them. As the milk production tapers, so can the cals.
Hope that helps some,
~Kiki0 -
LOL @ breathe! I guess I over-think things and get a little frantic. I've given it a little more abstract thinking and I am starting to see that this method of eating to lose is looking at weightloss for the week, not a daily thing. If I switch to this method, then I have to ensure I do my exercises because I won't be logging them anymore. Not in the MFP traditional sense anyway. My main concern is that I have a lazy week but that I continue eating for work-outs. Do people who use this static calorie amount change their numbers depending on what's going on in their life? Like, if I get the flu, should I eat less since I know I am bed bound for a week? I dunno. These are the random questions I have. lol0
-
I went on vacation and ate about the same or even more...came back with water weight that came back off...(high sodium)...so I eat my cut value...regardless.0
-
I cannot be of any help with how many calories you should be eating but I did want to let you know that you can step down the breastfeeding on MFP too. They have a 200 and a 100 calorie deductions too so you can gage how much you think you need to deduct based on how much your "little man" is nursing. Hope that helps...0
-
I cannot be of any help with how many calories you should be eating but I did want to let you know that you can step down the breastfeeding on MFP too. They have a 200 and a 100 calorie deductions too so you can gage how much you think you need to deduct based on how much your "little man" is nursing. Hope that helps...
What! Really? Where can I find that? Thanks! Because I could totally use that. 0 -
I love your post! That is me...think, think, think and then just in case...think and research, research...think, think. Work out all the variable because I don't want to mess this up. I had the flu 2 weeks ago...I couldn't eat and panicked that I'd go into metabolic shutdown! I ended up fine to my own amazement. You're starting at a great place and there truly is so much to learn. Each day is a new lesson and when I started thinking about upping my calories as a science experiment I started to relax. It has only been 1 week since I took the advice of these amazing ladies and I'm seeing positive changes. My energy is way up along with my endurance and strength. I also learned my BMR is slightly lower than what the calculations said...it's trial and error but I feel better than I ever have. Roll with the punches, each day is a new beginning. You're going to do beautifully!0
-
Do people who use this static calorie amount change their numbers depending on what's going on in their life? Like, if I get the flu, should I eat less since I know I am bed bound for a week? I dunno. These are the random questions I have. lol
Baby steps, lol. I hope you don't plan on getting the flu/bed bound, anytime soon :huh: .....but you can cross that bridge when you come to it
It will all depend on where you are in your journey at that point, but right now...... *consistency*
Just keep telling yourself that
Kiki0 -
Breathe... LOL
First, welcome to the group! :flowerforyou:
Now, if you have your TDEE -20% all figured out already, then yes, you'd just eat that amount all the time. The reason is that when TDEE is figured out, it takes into account your activity for the entire week. So even the rest days are figured in there.
The other reason we recommend eating the same # every day is because when you firs up your cals, your body needs consistency more than anything. More detail about this is in the "what to expect" sticky so be sure to read that one...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience
So just eat your TDEE deficit number consistently, and don't eat back exercise cals unless they cause you to net below BMR.
When you decide to wean, base your breastfeeding cals on whether or not you are still producing milk. If you're still producing like crazy, then your body is still using up those extra cals, and you need to provide them. As the milk production tapers, so can the cals.
Hope that helps some,
~Kiki
Hey Guys, Tomorrow will be 2 weeks I upped my calories to 1765 per day, that was with a -15% from my TDEE. Should I have -20% as suggested above? I have to say I feel great at the 1765, but haven't lost any weight as of yet.0 -
Hey Guys, Tomorrow will be 2 weeks I upped my calories to 1765 per day, that was with a -15% from my TDEE. Should I have -20% as suggested above? I have to say I feel great at the 1765, but haven't lost any weight as of yet.
No. It's not necessary. Just stay consistent where you are. We recommend starting with the smaller deficit first. We want you to thoroughly enjoy your journey, and not engage in extra deficit eating if unnecessary... That way you actually have the leeway to drop further *if* necessary, although most people find after 4-6 weeks that the -15% is just right
Kiki0
