Thought I had this right but now think I didn't factor right

rachmass1

Hi all, maybe someone can help me figure out whether I am eating too much, too little or just about right. I am at close to a two-month standstill and it may be completely normal or I may have miscalculated.

SW 180
CW 156
GW 130

Height 62 inches
Age 51
Sex F
BF %39.6

BMR per scooby 1374
BMR per F2F 1293

So for lightly active, which is my assumption, F2F says 1749 as TDEE while scooby says 1606 at 15% cut

I have a desk job but typically walk 5-7 miles per day at my desk (treadmill desk) and lift 4-5 times a week somewhat heavy but not for long periods, and do other light exercise a few times a week. I have been eating between 1400-1900 calories a day, averaging under 1700 and although I have lost weight it has stopped. Am I simply eating too much (constantly hungry still after 7-months of lifestyle change) or am I wrong about activity level? I can't step up what I am doing more than a little bit (have recently re-started a martial art) but could cut back a bit more on food and just suck up the growly tummy.

Too much food or under-estimating TDEE based on above? It is one or the other, or else just a normal stall mid-way through the loss.

Yanicka1

If you eat 1700 on average and your TDEE is 1700, you will maintain. (It is a bit low for a TDEE but your body fat is very high so I would guess you do not have alot of lean mass)........Do you measure faithfully everything you eat or do you eyeball it? If you eyeball it I would start measuring and weighting everything you eat for 3 weeks. If it still do not move, I would lower to 1500 calories and see what it does.

Now regarding lifting heavy, what do you mean buy that?

2hobbit1

Custom BMR Calculation
Thanks for checking your BMR here on Fat 2 Fit Radio. If you're not already subscribed to Fat 2 Fit Radio, consider doing so today. Please visit the Subscribe page to get the podcast delivered automatically to your iTunes, Juice, e-mail inbox or the podcatcher of your choice for FREE.

Entered information: 51 year old female, 62 inches tall, weighing 156 pounds.

From the information that you entered, you'd like to weigh 156 lbs.

Harris-Benedict Formula
There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1385 calories.

Katch-McArdle Forumla
The numbers above are fairly accurate, however they don't take into account your lean body mass. A more accurate formula that does take your lean body mass into account is the Katch-McArdle formula. Since many of us have scales that will tell us our current body fat, this formula may yield more accurate results. Based on the information you provided, body fat percentage of 39.6%, you have a lean body mass of 94 lbs., and your BMR is 1293 calories.

How Many Calories Should I Eat?
Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point.

Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1662
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1904
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2147
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2389
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2632


Katch-McArdle Forumla
lean body mass of 94 lbs., and your BMR is 1293 calories.

Your activity level based on what you've reported would be moderate
So TDEE 2147
20% cut = 1717
15% cut = 1824

I would try upping your calories to average around 1750 and see if that helps - also are you getting rest days? Over training can cause/prolong a stall.

rachmass1

Thanks!!!!

One thing I forgot is that I use a Fitbit which tells me I use between 1700-2200 calories a day. That noted the Fitbit is measuring a lot of walking, but my speed is slow because of the treadmill desk (can't walk fast and type).

By lifting heavy I mean that I can't do more than 5-8 reps before it becomes too hard to continue. I have a Precor functional training gym, not free weights.

rachmass1

Oops, yes, I get 1-3 rest days depending on my schedule that week. If I was walking at 3-mPH I would think that the mileage would equate to active, but since it is usually @ 1.7 MPH I call it lightly active

rachmass1

Custom BMR Calculation
Thanks for checking your BMR here on Fat 2 Fit Radio. If you're not already subscribed to Fat 2 Fit Radio, consider doing so today. Please visit the Subscribe page to get the podcast delivered automatically to your iTunes, Juice, e-mail inbox or the podcatcher of your choice for FREE.

Entered information: 51 year old female, 62 inches tall, weighing 156 pounds.

From the information that you entered, you'd like to weigh 156 lbs.

Harris-Benedict Formula
There are a few different methods to calculating yourbasal metabolic rate (BMR). One of the most popular, developed in the early 1900's is called the Harris-Benedict formula. Based on this formula, your current BMR is 1385 calories.

Katch-McArdle Forumla
The numbers above are fairly accurate, however they don't take into account your lean body mass. A more accurate formula that does take your lean body mass into account is the Katch-McArdle formula. Since many of us have scales that will tell us our current body fat, this formula may yield more accurate results. Based on the information you provided, body fat percentage of 39.6%, you have a lean body mass of 94 lbs., and your BMR is 1293 calories.

How Many Calories Should I Eat?
Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point.

Activity Level Daily Calories
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1662
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1904
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2147
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2389
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2632


Katch-McArdle Forumla
lean body mass of 94 lbs., and your BMR is 1293 calories.

Your activity level based on what you've reported would be moderate
So TDEE 2147
20% cut = 1717
15% cut = 1824

I would try upping your calories to average around 1750 and see if that helps - also are you getting rest days? Over training can cause/prolong a stall.

Just noticed you said I would like to weigh 156. Actually my goal is 130 (might re-think once there) and 156 is my current weight. That changes the calculations so I might be over-eating in spite of what the Fitbit indicates and maybe the Fitbit is just wrong....

2hobbit1

Yes that was on purpose - your TDEE is based on what you are doing now! The cut is taken from you current TDEE not on the TDEE you would have it your were at your goal weight. As you loose you recalculate. Check out Helloitsdan's post for a full explaination.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

F2Fradio uses the model of eating like you are already at your goal weight so there is already a cut built in - if you use their number with your goal weight included then you do not take an additional 15-20% cut from their numbers

2hobbit1

I would believe the Fitbit - I have one and it is working for me. Just keep you stats up to date as you loose.

Helloitsdan

Hi all, maybe someone can help me figure out whether I am eating too much, too little or just about right. I am at close to a two-month standstill and it may be completely normal or I may have miscalculated.

SW 180
CW 156
GW 130

Height 62 inches
Age 51
Sex F
BF %39.6

BMR per scooby 1374
BMR per F2F 1293

So for lightly active, which is my assumption, F2F says 1749 as TDEE while scooby says 1606 at 15% cut

I have a desk job but typically walk 5-7 miles per day at my desk (treadmill desk) and lift 4-5 times a week somewhat heavy but not for long periods, and do other light exercise a few times a week. I have been eating between 1400-1900 calories a day, averaging under 1700 and although I have lost weight it has stopped. Am I simply eating too much (constantly hungry still after 7-months of lifestyle change) or am I wrong about activity level? I can't step up what I am doing more than a little bit (have recently re-started a martial art) but could cut back a bit more on food and just suck up the growly tummy.

Too much food or under-estimating TDEE based on above? It is one or the other, or else just a normal stall mid-way through the loss.

Use a moderate activity modifier.
Not light.

rachmass1

Thank you guys

Dan, that is 1972as TDEE and at 20% cut would be 1578 as goal, so eating too much then?
2hobibit1 that would be pretty similar to what HelloitsDan noted too, but I was going 200-300 under the Fitbit most days.

Am I right here then that essentially I need to cut about 100 calories off what I have been eating?

Edit; that is at goal weight, which is why 2hobbit1 was using current!

2hobbit1

Using Dans method - your TDEE with moderate activity is 2147 so your cut is from there. You need to add calories not to decrease them.

kacarter1017

Another thought other than calories in, is increasing your cardio exercise. Get you heart rate up, which probably isn't happening at 1.7 mph. Don't get me wrong, I'm jealous of your treadmill desk. I would LOVE one! But I would still do my running, Zumba, etc. Certainly make sure your calories are correct, but look at changing up your exercise a bit.
Good luck!

SideSteel

Rather than complicate things, I would prefer to see you reduce intake to average around ~1500 for the next 2-3 weeks and re-evaluate. Do your best to not allow estimation errors to occur for the next couple of weeks (food scale, track meticulously)..

rachmass1

My cardio does get going when doing aikido, typically puffing a fair amount for 30 minutes out of an hour practice. I am doing that about twice a week now (I have a bum hip which started a lot of my problems with working out, and the major motivation to try and lose weight). The biggest changes I have had in my life started with the treadmill desk and I have increased the speed about all I can do for the moment, with bouts of 2 MPH walks (which hurt my hip so I can only do them briefly). I wish I could go full out on the cardio but I don't want to go back to square one with an injury, so am trying more food related solutions for the moment. Maybe once the remaining weight has come off my hip will be good enough to boost cardio more. Thrilled as all get-out I am able to practice Aikido again!

Yanicka1

Rather than complicate things, I would prefer to see you reduce intake to average around ~1500 for the next 2-3 weeks and re-evaluate. Do your best to not allow estimation errors to occur for the next couple of weeks (food scale, track meticulously)..

listen to him, he never gave me an advice that was not spot on

rachmass1

Rather than complicate things, I would prefer to see you reduce intake to average around ~1500 for the next 2-3 weeks and re-evaluate. Do your best to not allow estimation errors to occur for the next couple of weeks (food scale, track meticulously)..

listen to him, he never gave me an advice that was not spot on

Thanks, now I do question this a bit solely due to it taking me below my BMR after net calories. Am I possibly wrong on that end, that my activity is really only 200 calories or so extra a day? I think this is where so much of my confusion comes from, which is trying to net above the BMR, but not really having a good gauge on what my actual TDEE is (although there was some really good advice from Dan and Hobbit above about the TDEE from F2F and Fitbit).

Don't you always want to net at least close to your BMR?

SideSteel

Rather than complicate things, I would prefer to see you reduce intake to average around ~1500 for the next 2-3 weeks and re-evaluate. Do your best to not allow estimation errors to occur for the next couple of weeks (food scale, track meticulously)..

listen to him, he never gave me an advice that was not spot on

Thanks, now I do question this a bit solely due to it taking me below my BMR after net calories. Am I possibly wrong on that end, that my activity is really only 200 calories or so extra a day? I think this is where so much of my confusion comes from, which is trying to net above the BMR, but not really having a good gauge on what my actual TDEE is (although there was some really good advice from Dan and Hobbit above about the TDEE from F2F and Fitbit).

Don't you always want to net at least close to your BMR?

You are likely either eating more than you think or your TDEE estimate could be off but it's not entirely important since the solution of slightly reducing intake will solve either of these.

rachmass1

Thanks

Looking for something to get the weight moving again, and honestly I was losing a pound a week until I got the Fitbit (3 months ago) and that may be part of my problem - maybe because the walking is so light and not increasing my heart rate, it is simply not measuring it correctly.

SpazzyMal

Perhaps you could try eating at your TDEE for a few weeks, to give your body a rest, and then dive back into it somewhere between 1700-1500 calories as your dieting intake? You can't be very far off from what you should be eating, so by all accounts you should still be losing. But you aren't... which, to me, would say you should probably take a small break and then go back into it.

We're very similar in stats. I was also 180 and am trying to get to 130, and am 62inches tall. I've had a plateau too, and lost less weight than you even though we've joined at the same time, so I might not have the very best advice for you... but a metabolism reset by eating at TDEE for a few weeks is definitely what I would recommend, since I know they've helped a lot of other people. I should probably do one too, honestly, but I'm being stubborn about it. Maybe I should learn to take my own advice, haha!

rachmass1

SpazzyMal, I knew I liked you for a reason

autumnk921

I would go with what Dan & 2Hobbit1 said - Increase calories to 1700 at least (or up to 1800 to be between 15 & 20% cut)b/c your activity level is definitely at moderate - Even if your speed of walking isn't so high, you are still doing some type of activity other than sitting (you are moving). I have known many many people up their calories when at a plateau & ended up starting to lose weight again....Also, make sure to recalculate your numbers for every 5-10lbs lost, so that your numbers will be more accurate. Best of luck!! You will start losing again soon.. :flowerforyou:

SpazzyMal

SpazzyMal, I knew I liked you for a reason

=D I like you too! And good luck, however you go!

rachmass1

I would go with what Dan & 2Hobbit1 said - Increase calories to 1700 at least (or up to 1800 to be between 15 & 20% cut)b/c your activity level is definitely at moderate - Even if your speed of walking isn't so high, you are still doing some type of activity other than sitting (you are moving). I have known many many people up their calories when at a plateau & ended up starting to lose weight again....Also, make sure to recalculate your numbers for every 5-10lbs lost, so that your numbers will be more accurate. Best of luck!! You will start losing again soon.. :flowerforyou:

Yay! Another of my friends

Autumn, I have been eating close to 1700 most days which is why I thought I was eating too much. I basically try to eat around 300 less than Fitbit says I use.

So many conflicting views. I have been simply trying to reduce a bit but not a great amount so that I never kick into a starvation mode (have tried to follow EMWL but obviously not spot on). Hobbit had great information, as did Dan, but if the end result is to eat 1700 I am already there. If it is to eat 1900 ten I can certainly try that, but if the Fitbit is all wrong or my activity level is wrong, then it is going to hurt my limited progress. Seriously doubting the fitbitnright now.

2hobbit1

If you have your fitbit set up correctly then it should be accurate - what stride length did you use? If most of your walking is at your desk do you use a shorter stride than you do for "normal walking". If that is the case then you may need to correct your stride length in fitbit to reflect the shorter distance. May be an average between you "desk" stride and you "outside"stride. If you did not override the preset understand that fitbit uses a length that is an average for your height. If you have long legs/short torso, the average can be shorter tha you actual stride and if you are like me with short legs/long torso it was longer. Does the mileage on the Tmill match the millage on the fitbit for the same time frame. If it is then you are OK. If not then you need to adjust it.

Also have you looked at how many calories it says you are burning when you are walking at you desk vs sitting? If it is only a few cals different then I doubt if it is over calling.

Which ever way you choose to change things up, make sure you give it a few weeks - not a few days- before you decide it is not working. Also the suggestion to take a maintenance break for a few weeks to revive your metabolism is a good one especially if you have been at this for a while - the body will eventually adjust to the stress of operating at a constant deficit and slow down. A maintenance break can help reset so you can start losing again.

rachmass1

If you have your fitbit set up correctly then it should be accurate - what stride length did you use? If most of your walking is at your desk do you use a shorter stride than you do for "normal walking". If that is the case then you may need to correct your stride length in fitbit to reflect the shorter distance. May be an average between you "desk" stride and you "outside"stride. If you did not override the preset understand that fitbit uses a length that is an average for your height. If you have long legs/short torso, the average can be shorter tha you actual stride and if you are like me with short legs/long torso it was longer. Does the mileage on the Tmill match the millage on the fitbit for the same time frame. If it is then you are OK. If not then you need to adjust it.

Also have you looked at how many calories it says you are burning when you are walking at you desk vs sitting? If it is only a few cals different then I doubt if it is over calling.

Which ever way you choose to change things up, make sure you give it a few weeks - not a few days- before you decide it is not working. Also the suggestion to take a maintenance break for a few weeks to revive your metabolism is a good one especially if you have been at this for a while - the body will eventually adjust to the stress of operating at a constant deficit and slow down. A maintenance break can help reset so you can start losing again.

Thanks, good advice. I set my FB stride based on what the treadmill says is my distance and I am getting about 1500 during the day expenditure if I don't walk (just normal running around stuff) and about 1900 if I walk @ 6 miles, so that six miles equates to about 400 calories, so may actually track a bit high. The Fitbit is set to my weight and height and as sedentary and I just let it track. Maybe I should set it to lightly active instead.

I did try the maintenance thing but only for around five days; I just felt bloated doing that and may have over eaten. Will take a closer look at the FB settings since F2F calculations look lower than the FB