RIDDLE ME THIS!
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WayFonda
Posts: 19 Member
Ok so I'm new to this group..Hi! I've lost a total of 61 pounds over the last 2 1/2 years with 35 of it since Jan 2011. I'm 5'7 & currently weigh 167. My original goal was 165. Not pleased with how I look I now want to go to 155. I exercise at least 5 days a week for 90-120 minutes straight & burn 800-1100 calories. I'm also doing weight watchers. I log here to watch my fiber, protein, sugar & fat intake for the most part. Why if we're to eat all of these calories does MFP set you at 1200 to lose say 2lbs a week. Never mind the fact that I've never lost that while working on these last 10-15 pounds. I'll stall for a month or two & then drop like 3 pounds...WACK! It's so frustrating because Im diligent about what I eat, how often (every 2hrs) & with exercise. I NEED HELP TO DROP THIS FAT & LOSE THESE LAST NOW 10 POUNDS!!!! I've just begun adding protein shakes with the hopes that'll help & lifting 4 days a week with a trainer. Any advice is welcomed but please make it simple because I have read researched etc & all this crap is confusing!
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Hey,
You definitly came to the right place. I have found that MFP sets a wrong value and that there are many more accurate calculators.
From your stats (and I guessed an age of 32 ish) i get the following:
Your BMR is 1532 - This is the minimum amount of calories your bodies needs to function if you were laying in bed all day.
Your TDEE is 2632 - This is the amount, at your current workout level, to eat to MAINTAIN weight.
So for you to start at this you woudl want to eat TDEE -15%
This value is 2237. This is what you want to target to eat everyday and you should lose weight.
Remember though, on high burn days if your TDEE cut weight - your exercise calories goes below 1532 (your BMR) you need to eat extra calories to at least NET your BMR>
Make sense?
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Just keep in mind this is not a diet fad, and since you have been possibly starving yourself it can take the body some time to adjust.0
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Hey,
You definitly came to the right place. I have found that MFP sets a wrong value and that there are many more accurate calculators.
From your stats (and I guessed an age of 32 ish) i get the following:
Your BMR is 1532 - This is the minimum amount of calories your bodies needs to function if you were laying in bed all day.
Your TDEE is 2632 - This is the amount, at your current workout level, to eat to MAINTAIN weight.
So for you to start at this you woudl want to eat TDEE -15%
This value is 2237. This is what you want to target to eat everyday and you should lose weight.
Remember though, on high burn days if your TDEE cut weight - your exercise calories goes below 1532 (your BMR) you need to eat extra calories to at least NET your BMR>
Make sense?
I agree with fiveohmike....
I wanted to add just a little bit. So now you know your BMR is 1532 that mean on non workout days you would eat 2237 your 15% cut from your TDEE. And on workout days you need to pay special attention and use your home page where it show your net calories to guide you.
For example today you burned lets say 800 calories.. 2237(cut TDEE to lose weight) - 800 (calories burned) = 1437 (net calories your body has to function for the rest of the day) You will have to eat at least to your BMR 1532 to keep your body from going into starvation mode and the days you burn more than 800 you will use the same calculations.
To make things easier I put my BMR+ 5% into my MFP settings and when I enter in my exercise it give me the proper allocations for me to track my protein, fiber and so forth and I never go below my BMR. I just know on non workout days I have to eat up to my cut TDEE. I hope I too made sense.
In the beginning you will notice that you will be eating more...but in essence your exercise has depleted some of it and you need to replenish yourself so your muscles can repair....things of that nature.....by the end of the day you'll feel amazing. Your doing the right thing by adding weight training to your routine...that is where the transformation takes place. I'm right there with you...I got my last 10lbs to go and it's the weight room where you'll find me. WTG0 -
Thank you both! I'm 35 by the way so good guess I'm still confused by why I would eat more on the days I DONT workout. This is going to be so hard for me as I'm never really hungry unless I've had a super charged workout day. I eat often just healthy low calorie items. I'm super conscious of what I eat. When I see these figures I see myself gaining weight. That I'm terrified of because I've worked so hard & was miserable many days back when I was heavier. I'm going to try this though starting Monday though since that's the beginning of a week on this site. But thank you both for making things a lil clearer. 0
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So I think I may have it! My BMR is 1526. My TDEE is 2365-2632 depending on if I have a 5 day a week workout or a 7 day a week. Is it safe to say I need to eat 500 to 1000 calories less than my TDEE to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week respectively?0
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I can see why your a little confused...and why your feel that you'll be eating too much. It was racking my brain as well until I sat down to do the numbers and some research. If you were not to exercise your cut TDEE will still allow you to loose weight. But your exercising to condition the body and transform your body and to burn the fat. You need to fuel your exercise efforts and the calories you eat are to replenish those efforts. The extra calories are to fuel your body overall. If you eat below your BMR you will put yourself in starvation mode....may plateau, dehydration of skin and many other signs...When you get the chance look it up and you'll see for yourself. Good Luck on your Journey....0
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I just wanted to add that so close to goal your defecit needs to be lower, so you ought be set mfp to lose about 1/2 pound to 1 pound per week not 2 pounds per week
That loss was more acceptable when you had a lot of weight to lose, but this close to goal, you don't want to be losing too much precious muscle. Or at least trying to avoid losing it as much as possible.
Also MFP sets your calories and then expects you will eat your exercise cals back, so really if you are burning 800 to 1000 cals back, you would be eating 2000 to 2200 anyway if you are following mfp guidelines
Not much difference to TDEE -15% cut.
As for why eat those cals even on non workout days, from what i have learnt here its so you are consistent and your body learns to trust you,that you are not going to keep taking food away from it and starving it.
Well thats the very simplified version i am sure one of the more experienced members will come a long and give a MUCH better explanation than i have.
Also have a read of the Stickies at the top, they are excellent and full of easy to understand information. Particularly http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr and http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience even if you just read the first posts in there from ANewLucia and 31prvbs :happy:0 -
Ok oonga..that makes sense. I just know that I'll be maintaining soon & would like to cut back my workouts. I LOVE exercising but don't want to gain this weight back! Thanks for posting!0
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Your my MFP and I really do want to see you reach your goal! I would want someone to do the same for me. That's why I've been following your post. But yes you go it... You will NEVER EVER gain that weight back. First you won't allow it and secondly gaining weight takes work. The same effort to lose it...the same effort to gain it. And from what I've seen you will not let that happen. It takes 3500 calories + your TDEE = 1lb of fat. To maintain your weight do your exercise but eat up to your uncut TDEE and you'll be fine. I know you'll reach your goal...make sure you take pics when you get there...Take Care
I forgot to mention...don't let the scale stress you out...we as women will turn gray dealing high blood pressure dealing with the scale.0 -
Lol!! Thank you sooooo much for your help! I only recently realized that even if I see a gain it's probably water & will go away because there's no way I'm eating that much more to gain fat lol! Thanks for your positivity & encouragement! I tell myself all the time to stop stressing scale. But to this day & over the past two years I've awakened in the morning, went to pee & immediately jumped on the scale! Crazy, I know..& I do this every morning! I'm excited yet a lil intimidated by this new insight but I'm going to stick it out & pray I get the body & good health I long for!!0
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You may have received your answer by now...Set your goals to your 1526
For example you were to work out tomorrow and you burned 800 calories.
1526(Goal) 1050 (food breakfast, lunch and early snack thus far) - 800 ( Exercise..calories burned) = 250 net [this shows on your home page]
So when you go back to log in your food MFP has already completed the calculations for you to eat an additional 800 reading 2326 for your new goal. Which is correct because that should be your cut TDEE. So in essence you have already eaten 250 and you still need an additional 2076 to get to your TDEE. It will only read your BMR on your non workout days...your going to have to readjust it or track it yourself. I usually adjust in on Fridays and readjust in on Mondays. I don't workout on the weekends...too much hair to comb..lol
It sounds like alot but you'll get use to it and all will be fine. Just have a solid breakfast and have a protein shake after your workouts and that will help with your calories as well as muscle repair. I don't know if you eat 6 small meals throughout the day, but that helps. Send me a message if you have any questions. The kids are in bed now I can type freely on the computer.0
