How many calories do i need

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kathheen
kathheen Posts: 108 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! Well i have been on and off this site a few times now but determination is now in my mind....I just need a little help

I have no idea what calories i should be eating...I trained for a half marathon this year and completed it, my 2nd and last one :) and quite honestly i lost no weight throughout the training, granted i lost some inches but the scales didnt move - i was doing kettlebells for 40mins 2 x week, runing between 10-15 miles a week and eating 1200 calories a day. Since i stopped i running i actually lost some weight - doesnt make sense!

Anyway so here i am newly engaged and determined not to be a fat bride! I weigh 160lbs, im 5ft 2 and i do the tough mudder training 3 times a week (have been doing this for 4 weeks) i am also going to take up running again and work myself up to around 10 miles a week. I love love love sweets and chocolate i know thats my downfall - but should i be sticking to the 1200 calories a day and does it matter if some of those calories are from chocolate or fruit gums (my fav). If it does then i will put a limit to eating them.

I just want to see some rewards from all the exercise! I would appreciate anyones help - thanks!

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    It actually does make since why you lost weight when you stopped exercising. Your body stores water/glycogen to repair muscles when you exercise. Also, you didn't lose weigtht as you didn't feed your body to do so. Based on your stats and exercise routine, you should be around 1800 calories. I also usually suggest 35% carbs, 40% protien and 25% fats.


    Where you can see your biggest improvement is if you start doing some weight training. That will help maintain your muscle (which is critical as we get older) and it will increase fat loss.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    Are you not intending to use MFP how the creators intended? You can just fill in your details, and it gives you a calorie goal for non-exercise activity. You then log any exercise activities that you do and it estimates the extra calories you've burned.

    There are other methods available that can be use on the site.
  • kateowp
    kateowp Posts: 103 Member
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    This helped me a lot when I was trying to figure out how many calories to eat
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    you trained for a half marathon eating 1200 calories a day!? why would you do that?!
  • kathheen
    kathheen Posts: 108 Member
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    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...

    Right, but what have you set the goal to lose per week as?
    Plus you've not logged your exercise calories either, so there will be more added after you log your exercise into your food diary each day.

    For a moderately active person, with your stats and wanting to lose 1lb per week, your daily calories actually consumed (goal plus exercise calories) I would expect to be near 1900kcal a day.

    Now, sometimes whether you lose or not, comes down to how well you stick to the diet, and how accurate calories burned and calories consumed are logged. There are constant mistakes in the food database because it's all user created. So I'm afraid you're still going to have to learn a bit about food and labels.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...

    make sure you NET 1200 calories every day - ie eat the exercise calories! that is how MFP is set up.

    alternatively, figure out your TDEE with exercise included, and dont eat back exercise cals.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...

    Every active women I have set up a calorie plan for (well over 200 at this point) is eating 1700+. YOu think it's a lot because you are training your brain to do so. Also, at this point, I would like to point out that 1200 calories hasn't worked for you, so why not try something different. As I say, if you want to look like an athlete, you have to train and eat like one. Why don't you try eating 1800 calories for two months and see how it goes. You will gain a few pounds at first as your body needs to adapt to a good amount of calories, but then it will start dropping weight quickly.

    Also, eat smarter, not more. Eat nuts, avocado, cook foods in EVOO, or even eat peanut butter out of the jar. Another option, buy a high calorie protein shake (such as muscle milk). After some time, it will become easy. But you have also trained your body to eat very little.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    Options
    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...

    make sure you NET 1200 calories every day - ie eat the exercise calories! that is how MFP is set up.

    alternatively, figure out your TDEE with exercise included, and dont eat back exercise cals.
    I did the later part for her. Her TDEE is around 2200 calories.. so a 20% reduction would put her around 1800 calories.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...

    make sure you NET 1200 calories every day - ie eat the exercise calories! that is how MFP is set up.

    alternatively, figure out your TDEE with exercise included, and dont eat back exercise cals.
    I did the later part for her. Her TDEE is around 2200 calories.. so a 20% reduction would put her around 1800 calories.

    i wasnt disagreeing with you!
  • kathheen
    kathheen Posts: 108 Member
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    Thankyou so so much i am going to try it with the 1800 calories i am just freaking out since turning 40 i seem to have the inability to lose weight - mindset could be to blame for this too though :ohwell: BUT i will try 1800 and i am going to check the roadmap post and get myself started.
    I havent been logging for a couple of months but will start on Sunday....good luck to you all and thanks again!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    Options
    1800 calories wow im not sure i can eat that much....
    I have filled in my details and its come back with 1200 but as i hadnt lost weight i wondered if i should be eating less - plus im not sure if i should eat more on the days i exercise or just still to the 1200 - i know i sound like i dont know much but i get too confused by all the calorie counting. I did lose 2 stone a few years ago on weight watchers and never ate more when i exercised.

    I just really want to make this happen...

    make sure you NET 1200 calories every day - ie eat the exercise calories! that is how MFP is set up.

    alternatively, figure out your TDEE with exercise included, and dont eat back exercise cals.
    I did the later part for her. Her TDEE is around 2200 calories.. so a 20% reduction would put her around 1800 calories.

    i wasnt disagreeing with you!

    Sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude. I was agreeing with you, lol

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