EM2WL is a "weigh" of life, thanks!
KWNurse
Posts: 45 Member
Last month I joined the group Eat More to Weigh Less (EM2WL). I was constantly going over my 1200 calorie net that MFP suggested for me to lose 2lbs per week. I was always hungry and still tired a lot. I was becoming obsessed with exercise just so I could eat more. The bottom line, is I didn't want to keep going this way, knowing that eventually I would workout less and eat over 1200 cal per day and probably gain the weight I have worked so hard to lose.
I was reading the community board one day and found the group EM2WL. I read and read and read all the threads to learn as much as I can. It all made sense and of course I loved the idea of increasing my calories. You see, it all comes down to the numbers and I am a numbers girl.
3500 cal is a lb. the bottom line is you have to take in 3500 cal less per week to lose 1lb. So the question was, how many calories to I actually burn per week with exercise and normal daily activity. I learned that my BMR is approx 1350-1450 cal per day. I burn that many calories just staying alive, so why would I ever eat less than that. I immediately changed my settings in MFP to never net less than 1450. After a lot of research and help from others I calculated my TDEE to be approx 2200 cal per day if I exercise 5 days a week for 1hr/day.
So I did the math...if my body burns approx 2200 cal per day, that is 15400 cal a week. If I eat 1800 total cal every day that is 12600 cal consumed. 12600-15400=-2800. That is a loss of approx 0.8 lbs per week.
Now the truth of Sept....
I only record my exercise cal from my HRM, and try to be as accurate as possible with my calories consumed. Some days I was spot on for 1800 total calories eaten, others I was way over (like 3000) but it all seemed to average out. In the month of Sept I began lifting weight heavier than before and continued to run 3x per week for 30 min and at least get 20 min of cardio on the other days. My weight training sessions were always after cardio so my heart rate was still in the fat burning zone and lasted 25-35 min on average. Here are the numbers...
Calories consumed 58,957 (approx 1965/day)
Calories burned with exercise 11,870 (approx 395/day)
Based on calories alone my TDEE for the month is approx 66,000 - 58,957 = 7043 which is approx a loss of 2lbs.
I actually lost 3lbs, 1.75% body fat, and 5.5 inches overall. I went down one size in my old navy jeans, too.
Bottom line, it is working! This I can live with for the rest of my life.
Thank you everyone for all your posts, I have learned so much!
I was reading the community board one day and found the group EM2WL. I read and read and read all the threads to learn as much as I can. It all made sense and of course I loved the idea of increasing my calories. You see, it all comes down to the numbers and I am a numbers girl.
3500 cal is a lb. the bottom line is you have to take in 3500 cal less per week to lose 1lb. So the question was, how many calories to I actually burn per week with exercise and normal daily activity. I learned that my BMR is approx 1350-1450 cal per day. I burn that many calories just staying alive, so why would I ever eat less than that. I immediately changed my settings in MFP to never net less than 1450. After a lot of research and help from others I calculated my TDEE to be approx 2200 cal per day if I exercise 5 days a week for 1hr/day.
So I did the math...if my body burns approx 2200 cal per day, that is 15400 cal a week. If I eat 1800 total cal every day that is 12600 cal consumed. 12600-15400=-2800. That is a loss of approx 0.8 lbs per week.
Now the truth of Sept....
I only record my exercise cal from my HRM, and try to be as accurate as possible with my calories consumed. Some days I was spot on for 1800 total calories eaten, others I was way over (like 3000) but it all seemed to average out. In the month of Sept I began lifting weight heavier than before and continued to run 3x per week for 30 min and at least get 20 min of cardio on the other days. My weight training sessions were always after cardio so my heart rate was still in the fat burning zone and lasted 25-35 min on average. Here are the numbers...
Calories consumed 58,957 (approx 1965/day)
Calories burned with exercise 11,870 (approx 395/day)
Based on calories alone my TDEE for the month is approx 66,000 - 58,957 = 7043 which is approx a loss of 2lbs.
I actually lost 3lbs, 1.75% body fat, and 5.5 inches overall. I went down one size in my old navy jeans, too.
Bottom line, it is working! This I can live with for the rest of my life.
Thank you everyone for all your posts, I have learned so much!
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Replies
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This is such a needed inspiration for me today... I'm needing a little reassurance that this is the right thing!!! I've stayed away from the scale because I'm so afraid I'll gain; even though in the 'mirror' I'm looking thinner and feeling a whole lot stronger !! What a great way to start October!!! Thanks...0
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Are you an accountant TOO?? Lol.0
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@KWNurse: that's an excellent suggestion, thanks! I just made an excel spreadsheet for October to track how I'm doing on macros and planned calories (eating at 10% cut at 2178). Looks like I need to eat more nut butters, because my fat target is 108g a day!
I think I *try* to hit close to my target, but there have been a few days where I go quite a bit over, and I don't think I have the full picture on HOW much over I go. Also, having those average targets for macros will help me plan my food a bit better. I can hit the carb targets in my sleep, but it takes some doing some days to get in 190 g of protein.
For anyone that's interested in creating their own--open a workbook. Number column A: A2 is 1, A3 is 2, and so on until you get to 31 (31 days in this month).
Column B is calorie target. Put your goal calories in B1. In cell B32, you'll put the following: =AVERAGE(B2:B31). That will give you a rolling tally of how you're averaging on your calorie target. In cell C1, you can put your protein gram target and do the same in C32 as above, just sub the letter C for B in the formula. I am personally tracking protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and sodium, but you can track as little or as much as you wish.
Hopefully that helps the excel challenged (of which I am one).0 -
Last month I joined the group Eat More to Weigh Less (EM2WL). I was constantly going over my 1200 calorie net that MFP suggested for me to lose 2lbs per week. I was always hungry and still tired a lot. I was becoming obsessed with exercise just so I could eat more. The bottom line, is I didn't want to keep going this way, knowing that eventually I would workout less and eat over 1200 cal per day and probably gain the weight I have worked so hard to lose.
I was reading the community board one day and found the group EM2WL. I read and read and read all the threads to learn as much as I can. It all made sense and of course I loved the idea of increasing my calories. You see, it all comes down to the numbers and I am a numbers girl.
3500 cal is a lb. the bottom line is you have to take in 3500 cal less per week to lose 1lb. So the question was, how many calories to I actually burn per week with exercise and normal daily activity. I learned that my BMR is approx 1350-1450 cal per day. I burn that many calories just staying alive, so why would I ever eat less than that. I immediately changed my settings in MFP to never net less than 1450. After a lot of research and help from others I calculated my TDEE to be approx 2200 cal per day if I exercise 5 days a week for 1hr/day.
So I did the math...if my body burns approx 2200 cal per day, that is 15400 cal a week. If I eat 1800 total cal every day that is 12600 cal consumed. 12600-15400=-2800. That is a loss of approx 0.8 lbs per week.
Now the truth of Sept....
I only record my exercise cal from my HRM, and try to be as accurate as possible with my calories consumed. Some days I was spot on for 1800 total calories eaten, others I was way over (like 3000) but it all seemed to average out. In the month of Sept I began lifting weight heavier than before and continued to run 3x per week for 30 min and at least get 20 min of cardio on the other days. My weight training sessions were always after cardio so my heart rate was still in the fat burning zone and lasted 25-35 min on average. Here are the numbers...
Calories consumed 58,957 (approx 1965/day)
Calories burned with exercise 11,870 (approx 395/day)
Based on calories alone my TDEE for the month is approx 66,000 - 58,957 = 7043 which is approx a loss of 2lbs.
I actually lost 3lbs, 1.75% body fat, and 5.5 inches overall. I went down one size in my old navy jeans, too.
Bottom line, it is working! This I can live with for the rest of my life.
Thank you everyone for all your posts, I have learned so much!
Question--I see you estimated your TDEE at 2200. Where did you get this figure? If you used this number as an average then what did you do with the "Calories burned with exercise 11,870 (approx 395/day)?"
I'm trying to follow your calculations but I'm lost concerning that point.0 -
That is amazing work!! Keep it up!0
