Totally Confused on the "Right" Amount of Calories

JBG1987

I am a 24 year old female. I am 5'5" tall and I currently weigh about 239lbs. My recommened NET calorie intake by MFP is 1290 a day. I played with my numbers a little bit and changed my macros to 40/30/30 and found that I could up my calories to 1315 and still have a projected weightloss of 2lbs a week.

I have been using MFP daily for about 2 months now and following the recommened calorie intake pretty religiously, with the exception of a few days when we were on vacation or traveling and decided to enjoy local flavors.

I have been consistently losing around 2lbs a week (down 17lbs total in about 2 months), which is what MFP says can be expected given my daily calorie intake.

I have been doing C25K and started Week 5 this week, making awesome progress and completing each exercise on time. Recently, we started hiking and swimming with the warmer weather and working another 2-3 workouts a week into our schedule.

I purchased a Polar FT4 HRM and use that on just about every workout and record my calories burned AND I eat them back (within 50 calories of my goal).

My clothes feel a little looser, but not anything significant. I was fitted for a bridesmaid's dress in January and had a waist measurement of 38 inches. I've lost 17lbs and my waist measurement is now 43 inches. So, the scale is moving, but putting 5 inches on my waist during this time? Really?

So, I have been doing a lot of research regarding "starvation mode", cardio making your mid-section fat due to Cortisol release after exercise and your body burning muscle instead of fat, BMR, BMI, TDEE and many other irritating abbreviated calculations.

I have also been reading more about "eat more weigh less" and after putting all of my measurements, age, height etc. into DOZENS of "Calorie Calcuator" sites...I should be eating anywhere between 1400-2200 calories a day to expect a 2lb weightloss per week.

Awesome. So an 800 calorie a day difference between various sites...and MFP was the only one that has me below 1300.

If this is working for me, if I feel comfortable with the amount I eat, the amount I exercise and life is good...should I mess with my formula simply because it contradicts some other theories about the "healthy" ways to lose weight?

The point of using this program is to be healthier, part of becoming healthier, is weighing less. I just don't understand how I can lose 17lbs and gain 5 inches on my waist if I'm not doing something wrong.

JBG1987

Bump?

ElizabethRoad

Most sites take your exercise into account. MFP adds those calories after you do the exercise. It works out roughly the same.

Dhemeyer

Hhhmmm... this is curious, but not terribly uncommon. I can imagine this is terribly frustrating, but hang in there! I will get easier
Here are just a few thoughts!
First of all, i wonder if perhaps the January measurment was taken in a bit of differnt spot than your recent waist mesurement. How often do you take your mesurements? Perhaps you have some water retention. If you're not already, drink at least 80oz a day of water.
Something else to consider is that with the cardio you might be losing muscle (which would tone, tighten, and pull all those places like your waiste in) rather than shedding fat. I personally wouldn't be too focused on your macro nutrients or the cals if you've found a cal range that currently allows you to lose weight. Instead, I would begin to add a bit of resistance or weight training to see if you can begin to tone up About a year ago I was running like crazy and while I would lose weight I always looked soft in the middle. I then started Turbo Fire (primarily cardio with some resistance training), followed by P90X (weight training with some cardio) and have found the although my weight has changed much between the two programs the inches contiue to decrease. I really believe the weight training have made the largest difference in how I look and how my clothes fit.
Please feel free to post or message me with more questions.
I hope this was helpful and best wishes!

JBG1987

Water could be the issue. I was very diligently drinking 64oz for the first month and that has kind of tapered because water makes me sick. Too much water makes me so nauseous I have to eat something to prevent myself from throwing up...thus, less water to avoid eating extra calories to combat the nausea=very little water.

I have been making Kool-Aid lately with a little bit of Splenda to just get the fluids in me, but not anywhere near the 8 cups I should be. Maybe I'll try some Mio or something.

Dhemeyer

If just drinking water makes you feel ill, try adding some hydrating foods to your diet:
Some of my favorite hydrating foods to quench your thirst and replace electrolytes include:

Celery: 96 percent water and provides sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc
Watermelon: 95 percent water and rich in vitamin C
Bell Peppers: 92 percent water and rich in vitamin C
Cucumbers: 95 percent water and provides calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium
Strawberries: 92 percent water and rich in potassium
Cantaloupe: 90 percent water and rich in potassium

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/6-Best-Hydrating-Foods-for-Athletes.htm

sorrelduncan

I've kind of noticed my tummy looking less flat since increasing my workout schedule. I assume it's just my body getting used to the new plan, and maybe muscle toning under the fat. I intend to keep on my current path, expecting the fat to decrease and the muscle to show through at some point.

Also, taking measurements can be tricky. If you took the first measurement, and a seamstress took the second, its very possible they were not taken in exactly the same spot. I finally looked up how to take measurements and I had to reset all mine here in MFP because I wasn't taking them correctly.

If you have made good changes and are seeing results, just keep at it. I think it's so common for us to give up because we're not seeing results fast enough, when all we need to do is keep at it and the hard work will eventually pay off.

Good luck to you!

mcarter99

Do what has worked for you so far. Perfectly safe. And good job so far!

Jbarbo01

5 inches on your waist doesnt seem right, id be surprised if you didnt measure in the wrong place than you did when you got fitted. However, your body can move fat around when trying to lose. Its a weird thing, but ive definitely noticed the fat gets almost reorganized. I think 40/30/30 is the right way to go and to eat anywhere between 1600-1800 calories a day depending on activity. If youre frustrated with your inches lost, make sure youre lifting as much or more than youre doing cardio. The Eat Clean diet is the best way to eat if you dont already eat that way also.