Does this look right for calories?
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shorty313
Posts: 432 Member
Hi! My name is Debbie and I'm new to this group, trying to figure out where to set my calories. I posted this in intros but I think it was the wrong place. Sorry if it's repetitive. This might get long winded but I want to be thorough!
A bit of background on me - I started here at MFP in Feb this year with a goal of losing 25 lbs put on by 2 babies, a busy life, and some health issues. I set at 1 lb/week, and got put on the standard 1200 cals. After about 2 weeks of being here and reading, I realized I should at least be netting my BMR, so I bumped up to 1450 calories and have been there since March. I've lost about 12 lbs so far. I'm also hypothyroid (on meds for the last 14 years).
My stats:
Age 36
Height 5'4"
CW 143
GW 130
macros 40/30/30 c/f/p which I'm getting better at attaining every week. In reality right now I'm more like 43/33/27.
Two things prompted me to come here looking for answers. First, I've been keeping logs or calories and such, and it appears that although I'm posting a 4000ish calorie deficit each week, I'm only losing 0.5 lbs/week. I'm ok with the slow rate of loss, but it would seem that I should be able to eat more and achieve the same thing. Second, I noticed that after each weekend, despite eating within calories (and sodium in check) I gain 1-2lbs in that weekend and work all week to lose that as well as the additional 0.5 lb/week. I work a desk job all week, but on the weekends barely sit down between housework and chasing 2 small children - the weekly temporary gain points to (in my mind) not eating enough.
Workouts: I jog about 30 minutes 3x/week (plus a bit of walking), around 11-12 min/mile, and judging by my sweat and flushing, this is decently hard-working for me. I have a HRM on my mother's day list, but for now I'm using MFP estimates and burn around 280-320 calories a workout. The last 3 weeks have seen me sidelined for a non-exercise related neck injury, but prior to that I was lifting 25-30 minutes 3x/week. I hope that come Monday I can get back at it. Starting this weekend I'll also be adding 1 hr gentle yoga/week.
So my first question is - does that put me at moderate exercise? I feel like right now with just jogging it should be light, but come next week when I'm lifting and yoga-ing it should be moderate. Please correct me if I'm wrong!
Using the scooby calculator:
BMR 1402
TDEE light 1928, 15% cut 1639
TDEE moderate 2173, 15% cut 1847
That last number is scary large!
My understanding is that I don't eat any exercise calories back UNLESS I go under BMR, and then I have to eat back to 1402 NET, is that correct? I can't really see that happening at 1847 but I will keep it in mind. My second question at this point is - does weight lifting figure into exercise calories? I was under the impression that even if I had a HRM that number wouldn't be that reliable...true?
I think my plan might be to finish this week at 1639 and then next week go to 1847. Yikes! Does that sound like what I should be doing?
Lastly, for the occasional over-TDEE day, do you compensate with fewer calories the next day?
Thanks in advance for any answers/advice!
ETA: I promise not to completely freak out when the weight goes up at first!
A bit of background on me - I started here at MFP in Feb this year with a goal of losing 25 lbs put on by 2 babies, a busy life, and some health issues. I set at 1 lb/week, and got put on the standard 1200 cals. After about 2 weeks of being here and reading, I realized I should at least be netting my BMR, so I bumped up to 1450 calories and have been there since March. I've lost about 12 lbs so far. I'm also hypothyroid (on meds for the last 14 years).
My stats:
Age 36
Height 5'4"
CW 143
GW 130
macros 40/30/30 c/f/p which I'm getting better at attaining every week. In reality right now I'm more like 43/33/27.
Two things prompted me to come here looking for answers. First, I've been keeping logs or calories and such, and it appears that although I'm posting a 4000ish calorie deficit each week, I'm only losing 0.5 lbs/week. I'm ok with the slow rate of loss, but it would seem that I should be able to eat more and achieve the same thing. Second, I noticed that after each weekend, despite eating within calories (and sodium in check) I gain 1-2lbs in that weekend and work all week to lose that as well as the additional 0.5 lb/week. I work a desk job all week, but on the weekends barely sit down between housework and chasing 2 small children - the weekly temporary gain points to (in my mind) not eating enough.
Workouts: I jog about 30 minutes 3x/week (plus a bit of walking), around 11-12 min/mile, and judging by my sweat and flushing, this is decently hard-working for me. I have a HRM on my mother's day list, but for now I'm using MFP estimates and burn around 280-320 calories a workout. The last 3 weeks have seen me sidelined for a non-exercise related neck injury, but prior to that I was lifting 25-30 minutes 3x/week. I hope that come Monday I can get back at it. Starting this weekend I'll also be adding 1 hr gentle yoga/week.
So my first question is - does that put me at moderate exercise? I feel like right now with just jogging it should be light, but come next week when I'm lifting and yoga-ing it should be moderate. Please correct me if I'm wrong!
Using the scooby calculator:
BMR 1402
TDEE light 1928, 15% cut 1639
TDEE moderate 2173, 15% cut 1847
That last number is scary large!
My understanding is that I don't eat any exercise calories back UNLESS I go under BMR, and then I have to eat back to 1402 NET, is that correct? I can't really see that happening at 1847 but I will keep it in mind. My second question at this point is - does weight lifting figure into exercise calories? I was under the impression that even if I had a HRM that number wouldn't be that reliable...true?
I think my plan might be to finish this week at 1639 and then next week go to 1847. Yikes! Does that sound like what I should be doing?
Lastly, for the occasional over-TDEE day, do you compensate with fewer calories the next day?
Thanks in advance for any answers/advice!
ETA: I promise not to completely freak out when the weight goes up at first!
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Replies
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Hi! My name is Debbie and I'm new to this group, trying to figure out where to set my calories. I posted this in intros but I think it was the wrong place. Sorry if it's repetitive. This might get long winded but I want to be thorough!
A bit of background on me - I started here at MFP in Feb this year with a goal of losing 25 lbs put on by 2 babies, a busy life, and some health issues. I set at 1 lb/week, and got put on the standard 1200 cals. After about 2 weeks of being here and reading, I realized I should at least be netting my BMR, so I bumped up to 1450 calories and have been there since March. I've lost about 12 lbs so far. I'm also hypothyroid (on meds for the last 14 years).
My stats:
Age 36
Height 5'4"
CW 143
GW 130
macros 40/30/30 c/f/p which I'm getting better at attaining every week. In reality right now I'm more like 43/33/27.
Two things prompted me to come here looking for answers. First, I've been keeping logs or calories and such, and it appears that although I'm posting a 4000ish calorie deficit each week, I'm only losing 0.5 lbs/week. I'm ok with the slow rate of loss, but it would seem that I should be able to eat more and achieve the same thing. Second, I noticed that after each weekend, despite eating within calories (and sodium in check) I gain 1-2lbs in that weekend and work all week to lose that as well as the additional 0.5 lb/week. I work a desk job all week, but on the weekends barely sit down between housework and chasing 2 small children - the weekly temporary gain points to (in my mind) not eating enough.
Workouts: I jog about 30 minutes 3x/week (plus a bit of walking), around 11-12 min/mile, and judging by my sweat and flushing, this is decently hard-working for me. I have a HRM on my mother's day list, but for now I'm using MFP estimates and burn around 280-320 calories a workout. The last 3 weeks have seen me sidelined for a non-exercise related neck injury, but prior to that I was lifting 25-30 minutes 3x/week. I hope that come Monday I can get back at it. Starting this weekend I'll also be adding 1 hr gentle yoga/week.
So my first question is - does that put me at moderate exercise? I feel like right now with just jogging it should be light, but come next week when I'm lifting and yoga-ing it should be moderate. Please correct me if I'm wrong!
Using the scooby calculator:
BMR 1402
TDEE light 1928, 15% cut 1639
TDEE moderate 2173, 15% cut 1847
That last number is scary large!
My understanding is that I don't eat any exercise calories back UNLESS I go under BMR, and then I have to eat back to 1402 NET, is that correct? I can't really see that happening at 1847 but I will keep it in mind. My second question at this point is - does weight lifting figure into exercise calories? I was under the impression that even if I had a HRM that number wouldn't be that reliable...true?
I think my plan might be to finish this week at 1639 and then next week go to 1847. Yikes! Does that sound like what I should be doing?
Lastly, for the occasional over-TDEE day, do you compensate with fewer calories the next day?
Thanks in advance for any answers/advice!
ETA: I promise not to completely freak out when the weight goes up at first!
Ok, eat your cut value every single day. Lift days the burn isn't as high usually so you should be fine. High cardio make sure to net bmr and if you have a tdee day...the next eat cut...be consistent and don't drop cals...0 -
Thanks!
So I shouldn't be doing cardio and weights on the same day? Right now I do cardio at lunch and lifting after the kids go to bed, but on the same day.
Does moderate sound right for all this, as opposed to light?0 -
Should I separate cardio and strength days?0
