Please help me! (It's a calorie issue)

jodycoady

I've been at 1200 calories a day since Dec....now I'm at a plateau (I lost 18 lbs, and very happy with it).

No weight loss since, and every bit of research I do seems to conflict. I'm pretty sure I have to do a calorie uptake but by how much??

I'm 5' 4" 137 lbs, 35 years old, mom, workout 3 times a week, running/weights, and have a part-time retail job.

I know this topic has been brought up before but I'm sure I'm not alone in the confusion. How do I lose 6 more lbs?

Sonnie124

Try doing your excersize in reverse. So, run 3 days a week (instead of 5), do weights 5 days a week (instead of 3). Try changing foods, I tend to eat the same things over and over again. When you lost the 18 lbs did you redo your MFP profile to change your calories? Probably not telling you anything you haven't heard already. How about a dance class instead of running?

em9371

hi,
i ran your figures based on a goal weight of 124 (as per your ticker).
BMR is 1392 Harris Benedict. Body fat % can affect your BMR quite a bit, so id advise to get this checked and then rerun your numbers.
As you dont have much to lose, you should be aiming for around 0.5lb / week.(250 cals deficit) Choose the calorie level that matches your exercise level. Depending on your exercise burns, you can choose anywhere between these levels.

The numbers seem high, but remember exercise is already included in the calculations so you dont need to log and eat back exercise cals like you do with the MFP goal.

For example if you are lightly active:
calorie allowance 1836
TDEE 1914
This would give you a very small deficit of only 78 cals.
to lose 0.5, you need a deficit of 250
1914-250 = EAT 1664
If you do up to 272 cals of exercise per day, you will be above BMR. If you burn more than this, you should go up to next activity level.

Moderately active
calorie allowance 2069
TDEE 2158
This would give you a deficit of 89 cals.
2158 - 250 = EAT 1908
This gives you 536 cals of exercise per day without going below BMR.



TABLES FROM FAT2FIT

Calories to LOSE (TDEE for GOAL weight)
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1602
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1836
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2069
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2303
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2537

Calories to MAINTAIN / TDEE for CURRENT weight
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1670
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1914
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2158
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2401
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2645

bcattoes

Change your MFP setting to lose .5 lb per week and follow their plan, including eating your exercise calories. If MFP has you at 1200 you probably have it set ot lose 2 lbs per week, which is unrealistic with only 6 lbs to go.

jodycoady

Change your MFP setting to lose .5 lb per week and follow their plan, including eating your exercise calories. If MFP has you at 1200 you probably have it set ot lose 2 lbs per week, which is unrealistic with only 6 lbs to go.

I changed it to .5...I'm up to 1500 cals! Whew! Thanks!

jodycoady

hi,
i ran your figures based on a goal weight of 124 (as per your ticker).
BMR is 1392 Harris Benedict. Body fat % can affect your BMR quite a bit, so id advise to get this checked and then rerun your numbers.
As you dont have much to lose, you should be aiming for around 0.5lb / week.(250 cals deficit) Choose the calorie level that matches your exercise level. Depending on your exercise burns, you can choose anywhere between these levels.

The numbers seem high, but remember exercise is already included in the calculations so you dont need to log and eat back exercise cals like you do with the MFP goal.

For example if you are lightly active:
calorie allowance 1836
TDEE 1914
This would give you a very small deficit of only 78 cals.
to lose 0.5, you need a deficit of 250
1914-250 = EAT 1664
If you do up to 272 cals of exercise per day, you will be above BMR. If you burn more than this, you should go up to next activity level.

Moderately active
calorie allowance 2069
TDEE 2158
This would give you a deficit of 89 cals.
2158 - 250 = EAT 1908
This gives you 536 cals of exercise per day without going below BMR.



TABLES FROM FAT2FIT

Calories to LOSE (TDEE for GOAL weight)
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1602
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1836
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2069
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2303
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2537

Calories to MAINTAIN / TDEE for CURRENT weight
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1670
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1914
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2158
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2401
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2645

Thanks! I have it set at 1500 now....I appreciate all your research!:drinker:

jodycoady

Try doing your excersize in reverse. So, run 3 days a week (instead of 5), do weights 5 days a week (instead of 3). Try changing foods, I tend to eat the same things over and over again. When you lost the 18 lbs did you redo your MFP profile to change your calories? Probably not telling you anything you haven't heard already. How about a dance class instead of running?

Nope, I ignored the little message, hrumprh. Should have know THEY were right and not me! I have done the elliptical and the stepper a lot more than the treadmill, you think that is enough variety? (I can't dance.......I can't even Zumba, I'm a klutz and not coordinated)

Thanks for your response :drinker: