So confused about Calorie Intake

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  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
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    get the podcast "smarter science of slim"

    it's all about the quality of calories and the quality of exercise you are getting.
  • LoveAlwaysAlisa
    LoveAlwaysAlisa Posts: 111 Member
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    Make sure you are doing Cardio AND weight training...the extra muscle will help burn extra calories to build and to maintain, therefore it really helps with weight loss....I don't think you need to reduce your calories, try being more active or switch up your workout. :smile:
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    Make sure you are doing Cardio AND weight training...the extra muscle will help burn extra calories to build and to maintain, therefore it really helps with weight loss....I don't think you need to reduce your calories, try being more active or switch up your workout. :smile:

    Yeah didn't think I would need to reduce calories but was more concerned whether I should add more.
  • hookandy
    hookandy Posts: 278 Member
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    I am not a dietician, nor a personal trainer, but I am a fat 40+ year old bloke who has lost 50+ lb this year.

    I started and I ate my exercise calories back and used the MFP figures for 2lb a week. This worked really well for my initial lose of 294lb-->238lb

    I have struggled in the last couple of months. Have toned and lost inches, but the scales have been fairly static.

    I have recently changed my approach and upped my calories. I reset my goal on MFP to 1lb a week and the allowed calories went from 1500 up to 2000. This is set to "sitting on my butt all day" I have shaken up my exercise and eat most of my calories back. So I am now eating 2000-2400 and this week the scales have moved again by the 1lb

    There are lots of posts and loads of information out there. I would suggest setting MFP auto goal to 1lb per week and while you are reading and researching just record, work out and log. Then adjust as you go.
  • lawrahmck
    lawrahmck Posts: 57
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    I would definitely read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    & give it a go. It works for me, & you have so much more energy when you actually fuel your body.

    & stop looking at your calories as a target to stay under - look at it as a target to meet. IMO :)

    Thank you Lawra - giving it a read now :)

    no worries :) following that with good, clean food has given me the most energy I've had in a long time!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I want to lose 1kg a week (2lbs) which is safe.

    "Want to" doesn't mean it's going to happen. You don't have enough excess fat for a 2 pound a week loss. Yeah, it's considered "safe," but it's really for people who have more than 75 pounds to lose.

    Aim for .5k or one pound a week. It's the ideal amount for your goals, and as you've noticed, about all your body is willing to give up per week anyway.
  • ShaeLovelyy
    ShaeLovelyy Posts: 55
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    I did insanity and for that i did the Harris Benedict equation, which i found really helpful. I just kinda make up my own numbers. They say being my height and activeness and such i should be eating around 2500 a day but i put that down to 2000. Im just maintaining right now but its working out fine..Eat enough so that your at a deficit but your NOT hungry allll the time.
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    I want to lose 1kg a week (2lbs) which is safe.

    "Want to" doesn't mean it's going to happen. You don't have enough excess fat for a 2 pound a week loss. Yeah, it's considered "safe," but it's really for people who have more than 75 pounds to lose.

    Aim for .5k or one pound a week. It's the ideal amount for your goals, and as you've noticed, about all your body is willing to give up per week anyway.

    It's frustrating though as I have about 40lbs to lose still, as well as my body is at 43.6% Body Fat. I've wasted so much time being overweight and I'd rather lose the next 18kgs in 18 weeks rather than 36 weeks ... a little over a quarter of a year vs over half a year.. I know how people say "I didn't take me a month to gain the weight so how could it take me a month to lose it" .. well actually most of my weight was put on over a 2-3 month span because I hung out with people who ate like pigs and I soon adopted their habits.. I also soon stopped but the weight didn't return to normal. So it's frustrating when you have Date goals (I started my weight loss October last year, hoping to be ready for summer (december) this year and now it's looking like I will have to wait another year before being able to wear a bikini at least ONCE in my life.. and I want to do this before I have kids, and I want kids in the next couple of years.. Too many goals.. too much stress.. not enough time.
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    I did insanity and for that i did the Harris Benedict equation, which i found really helpful. I just kinda make up my own numbers. They say being my height and activeness and such i should be eating around 2500 a day but i put that down to 2000. Im just maintaining right now but its working out fine..Eat enough so that your at a deficit but your NOT hungry allll the time.

    I'm putting mine at about 1700 ish calories a day.. I hope that's good enough. How do deficits work.. so if I should be having 2100 does that mean eating around 1700 puts me at a 400cal deficit? And is that good or bad?

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