So confused with my calorie crap

cedarghost

Have you tried consistently eating at 1700 a day to see what would happen over a sustained amount of time? Say a month?
When I upped my calories, to what I should be eating, I gained the first few weeks. Then I started losing.

Ill guess I can slowly up my calorie intake and see what happens.

Don't guess girl! Own it!!! I promise you, once you find your TDEE you will feel completely different about this thing. Don't be afraid. This is a lifestyle change a month or two or three means nothing.
Also, check out that link I posted for the 7 minute workout or google 15 minute workouts. I know you have to be tired after working that much, but if you can push yourself to do these workouts just a few days a week, it will make a big difference.

krickeyuu

laaaazzzzzyyyy... actually more like not really working out, to busy working my desk job with 12hr days.

I work a desk job and when I started this process I would get up every hour on the hour and walk in place, at my desk, for 5 minutes. That equaled 35 minutes of "exercise." Then I increased it to 10 minutes wihich equaled 70 minutes. I also brought in 3 lb weights that I kept in my desk drawer and when I had a chance, I would do biceps curls, triceps kcik-backs, upright rows, overhead presses and reverse flys--sitting in my chair talking on my speakerphone. I also did squats and lunges. You can work out even if you have a desk job.

cedarghost

Have you tried consistently eating at 1700 a day to see what would happen over a sustained amount of time? Say a month?
When I upped my calories, to what I should be eating, I gained the first few weeks. Then I started losing.
Think about it. If you increase from 1300 to 1700 that increase is only 400 per day, or 2800 per week or 12000 per month. 12000/3500= 3.42 pounds in a month IF 1700 is a surplus for you (which I doubt it is).
While the calculators aren't accurate for absolutely everyone. I believe they are pretty close for most people. I just had my RMR tested at my doctor's office, and it was within 100 calories of almost every calculator.
Most people naturally doubt the number of calories a calculator tells them they can eat so they eat less, however you should never eat below your RMR.
If I were you, I would eat around 1800 for a month and see what happens. That puts you safely between your TDEE and your RMR.
Ultimately, for this thing to work you HAVE to find your true TDEE and the only way to do that is to eat a specific number for at least a month and see what happens, then adjust up or down until you find the point where you start to maintain. Once you have that magic number, adjust your calorie intake based on that.
I would also start exercising. "I don't have time" is not a valid excuse.....here is a link to a workout that only requires 7 minutes a day and you can do it at home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ErRoLfWKTU
If you can spare 15 minutes, you can do some workouts that will give you the same benefits of 45 minutes normal time spent in the gym (if you do them right).
With your TDEE and RMR being so close to each other, you will either have to eat below RMR (not recommended) or exercise to create a greater deficit, unless you are ok with less than a pound a week loss (which is perfectly fine and what I am doing).

I'm also having trouble, and think I may be eating at too big a deficit. I have a lot of confusion. Are you saying here that I should eat my RMR number as NET calories or TOTAL calories?

Right now, Total calories, I get like 1500, net of exercise is more like 1100 or 1000.

Per calculator: BMR 2,041 RMR 1,899 (at lightly active, I work out 3-4 times a week circuit training) Sedentary RMR 1,657

should I have 1899 a day net? 1657 a day net? or 1899 or 1657 TOTAL?

Math says eat less + exercise more= lose weight. My body says eat less + exercise = stable weight.

Like I said, I think I'm undereating, been stalled for a few weeks even on a new exercise program. Would love to get straightened out for me the difference between eating net and eating total calories and which will produce weight loss at the numbers I've put up

or am I totally off base?

I try not to worry until I approach at least 6 weeks with no change as too many times I have seen the weight stay the same for that long then drop all at once or in a couple of days. As for your calorie amount, you never want to eat below your RMR. Now I know some people can get away with it if they have more to lose, but it's better to start building the foundations of a sustainable lifestyle from the start. Yeah, it's going to take longer to lose, but it's going to be more consistent and sustainable than if you starve yourself.
Personally, I eat about 300 calories above my RMR every day. I lift 3 days a week. I don't worry about exercise calories as I am enough above my RMR that I won't go below.
If I were you, I would calculate my TDEE and eat a couple hundred below that for at least a month and see what happens. You can expect an initial gain that may not drop right at the end of that month, and that's ok! It will come off eventually. If, at the end of the month, you are losing weight, add some more calories and do it for another month until you find the point to were you neither gain nor lose. This may take 8 to 12 weeks or more. But once you find it........You have this beat!
At that point you can eat 10 to 20% less than that magic number depending on how much you have to lose.
At some point your RMR and TDEE may get so close to each other that you cannot sustain a 20% deficit without going below your RMR. When that happens, just don't go below your RMR.

mgobluetx12

I agree with the person who said to not live and die by your BMR and TDEE. Just figure out what works for you. If you're not losing and don't want to work out, eat less. My BMR is 1960 and my doctor told me to eat 1400. To people on here, that is enough to make them all mad, but 1400 works for me and I'm losing close to 2lbs per week.(I have over 45 to go) I thought my doctor was wrong and started eating more in September and only lost 2lbs that month. Trial and error, my friend.

myofibril

So my question, how the heck do I fix this? Can I teach my body to NOT gain at 1700 cals? Like manipulate my metabolism? I'm not really discouraged, just having a heard time figuring this all out.

Eat more and do more exercise.

The problem with calorie calculators is they provide a snap shot in time for an individual but cannot account for the fact that calorie needs are individual but also highly variable over time, sometimes even weeks at a time.

Let's say that you use a calorie calculator. It gives you a TDEE of 2,000. To lose a 1lb a week you have to knock off 500 calories so that leaves you with 1,500 to lose weight.

However that assumes that all the variables which go to make up that initial calculation of 2000 will not change except for the amount you eat.

However, there's a thorny problem with dieting and specifically trying to have a sharp calorie deficit unless you are obese. It messes with those initial variables. This means that whilst your TDEE was previously 2000 and that's what you are working off it has become artificially lowered due to the set up of your diet. Therefore what was a suitable deficit previously actually becomes more like maintenance level calories.

I won't bore you with the technical details of why that metabolic downshift occurs but rest assured it does happen and it royally messes with people's heads.

So what to do? Realise that efficient dieting is not about slashing calories as much as you can mentally stand (unless you are obese.) It is about finding a calorie sweet spot which is a calorie level which is low enough to prompt weight loss but high enough to minimise that metabolic downturn.

The best way in my opinion to achieve this (unless you are obese - I know I've said it before but it bears repeating) is to eat a fairly high level of calories but to also do a high level of activity or at least as much as you can reasonably fit into your lifestyle. It's not one or the other but both.

The leaner you get the more important physical activity becomes as well as sufficient calorie intake.

heybales

So here's the dealio, I've done the math...

Using the Harris Benedict Formula:

BMR is 1797.48
TDEE is 2156.976

Stats:
H- 5' 3.5"
W-217.8
GW- 160ish
laaaazzzzzyyyy... actually more like not really working out, to busy working my desk job with 12hr days.
Female/22

I'm eating ROUGHLY 1000-1400 calories... my goal is about 1320. When I don't make goal it's usually because i'm just not hungry and don't like to eat at 8pm (when I get home).

my issue I'm having is if I eat like I have been I'm losing weight (even if slowly). BUT if I go ANYWHERE NEAR 1700 cals I gain. and I do not mean just water weight. I haven't seen 217.8 on the scale since Sunday November 18th. I've been up a few pounds all the way up to 223. I thought it was my sodium intake causing me to store water, but its not I'm UP UP.

So my question, how the heck do I fix this? Can I teach my body to NOT gain at 1700 cals? Like manipulate my metabolism? I'm not really discouraged, just having a heard time figuring this all out.

I don't mind upping my cals, I just am going to have a hard time reaching them.

Realize the math too.

If you think you gained fat, a lb in like a week, that means you would have had to eat daily your goal, your deficit, and another 500 calories each and every day to gain a lb of fat.

Now, while true you could have lowered your metabolism and made your deficit much smaller, that still would be an accomplishment.

You gained water weight, believe the math.

And if you aren't able to exercise right now, that's fine. But, don't risk losing what precious muscle you have right now by undereating too much. You actually can retain it by taking a reasonable deficit and accepting slower loss.
But slower because of eating enough, not slower because your metabolism lowered and muscle is being burned.

Use the spreadsheet linked in this post to get your numbers and be honest with expected activity. Also better to get your bodyfat% estimated in there, as the Harris is inflated when you are overweight, because that BMR is based on healthy weight study participants with avg ratio fat:LBM.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

And here's the study that you can prevent LBM loss by eating at reasonable level. Most diets go too low and cause loss of that precious metabolic weight.

http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/2/196.full

mjoslin1990

I work a desk job and when I started this process I would get up every hour on the hour and walk in place, at my desk, for 5 minutes. That equaled 35 minutes of "exercise." Then I increased it to 10 minutes wihich equaled 70 minutes. I also brought in 3 lb weights that I kept in my desk drawer and when I had a chance, I would do biceps curls, triceps kcik-backs, upright rows, overhead presses and reverse flys--sitting in my chair talking on my speakerphone. I also did squats and lunges. You can work out even if you have a desk job.

That's a great idea if you don't work for the county and don't have have emergency calls to answer. Not to mention our tours that come in to see our facilities. If I wouldn't be looked at or question by my supervisor or captain I would consider this as a great alternative. I'll just stick my limited calories until Jan and once work slows down a bit I'll go back to my 30ds.

myofibril

Realize the math too.

If you think you gained fat, a lb in like a week, that means you would have had to eat daily your goal, your deficit, and another 500 calories each and every day to gain a lb of fat.

Now, while true you could have lowered your metabolism and made your deficit much smaller, that still would be an accomplishment.

You gained water weight, believe the math.

And if you aren't able to exercise right now, that's fine. But, don't risk losing what precious muscle you have right now by undereating too much. You actually can retain it by taking a reasonable deficit and accepting slower loss.
But slower because of eating enough, not slower because your metabolism lowered and muscle is being burned.

Yep, very good point. I don't think there has been any actual fat gain.

Helloitsdan

TDEE looks low compared to BMR.
Whats your routine?
Whats your occupation?
Do you try for 10k steps a day?

routine:
5:45 wake up
6 walk out door
645-7pm work
7:45 cook, give son a bath
8:30ish put 2yr old to bed, straighten up house.
9pm pass the heck out.

I'm a 911 operator.
I have no idea where I'd get in 10k steps! would LOVE to try to though. That can be a new goal

so far the past 2 months i've had a TOTAL of about 7 days off. The other shift is short people.

So you dont work out.

At your height and weight 1600-1800 should do fine for fat loss but please take 30-60 mins every few days to do some type of body weight work.
Get those muscles stressed so your body would want to keep em!

mjoslin1990

So you dont work out.

At your height and weight 1600-1800 should do fine for fat loss but please take 30-60 mins every few days to do some type of body weight work.
Get those muscles stressed so your body would want to keep em!

noppers, not working out right now. Jan is when the OT at works stops, so that's when Ill get back to it.

nashbear

There are pedal machines that you could put under your desk to pedal while you work.

Many people use a rotating schedule for calories to kee the body guessing as to how many calories. like have 3 days at 1600 then one day at 1900. So your body does not think it is starving and go into fat retention/starvation mode. I am not sure if this is passe thinking. But it would be worth a try.

heygina

Have you tried consistently eating at 1700 a day to see what would happen over a sustained amount of time? Say a month?
When I upped my calories, to what I should be eating, I gained the first few weeks. Then I started losing.
Think about it. If you increase from 1300 to 1700 that increase is only 400 per day, or 2800 per week or 12000 per month. 12000/3500= 3.42 pounds in a month IF 1700 is a surplus for you (which I doubt it is).
While the calculators aren't accurate for absolutely everyone. I believe they are pretty close for most people. I just had my RMR tested at my doctor's office, and it was within 100 calories of almost every calculator.
Most people naturally doubt the number of calories a calculator tells them they can eat so they eat less, however you should never eat below your RMR.
If I were you, I would eat around 1800 for a month and see what happens. That puts you safely between your TDEE and your RMR.
Ultimately, for this thing to work you HAVE to find your true TDEE and the only way to do that is to eat a specific number for at least a month and see what happens, then adjust up or down until you find the point where you start to maintain. Once you have that magic number, adjust your calorie intake based on that.
I would also start exercising. "I don't have time" is not a valid excuse.....here is a link to a workout that only requires 7 minutes a day and you can do it at home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ErRoLfWKTU
If you can spare 15 minutes, you can do some workouts that will give you the same benefits of 45 minutes normal time spent in the gym (if you do them right).
With your TDEE and RMR being so close to each other, you will either have to eat below RMR (not recommended) or exercise to create a greater deficit, unless you are ok with less than a pound a week loss (which is perfectly fine and what I am doing).

I'm also having trouble, and think I may be eating at too big a deficit. I have a lot of confusion. Are you saying here that I should eat my RMR number as NET calories or TOTAL calories?

Right now, Total calories, I get like 1500, net of exercise is more like 1100 or 1000.

Per calculator: BMR 2,041 RMR 1,899 (at lightly active, I work out 3-4 times a week circuit training) Sedentary RMR 1,657

should I have 1899 a day net? 1657 a day net? or 1899 or 1657 TOTAL?

Math says eat less + exercise more= lose weight. My body says eat less + exercise = stable weight.

Like I said, I think I'm undereating, been stalled for a few weeks even on a new exercise program. Would love to get straightened out for me the difference between eating net and eating total calories and which will produce weight loss at the numbers I've put up

or am I totally off base?

I try not to worry until I approach at least 6 weeks with no change as too many times I have seen the weight stay the same for that long then drop all at once or in a couple of days. As for your calorie amount, you never want to eat below your RMR. Now I know some people can get away with it if they have more to lose, but it's better to start building the foundations of a sustainable lifestyle from the start. Yeah, it's going to take longer to lose, but it's going to be more consistent and sustainable than if you starve yourself.
Personally, I eat about 300 calories above my RMR every day. I lift 3 days a week. I don't worry about exercise calories as I am enough above my RMR that I won't go below.
If I were you, I would calculate my TDEE and eat a couple hundred below that for at least a month and see what happens. You can expect an initial gain that may not drop right at the end of that month, and that's ok! It will come off eventually. If, at the end of the month, you are losing weight, add some more calories and do it for another month until you find the point to were you neither gain nor lose. This may take 8 to 12 weeks or more. But once you find it........You have this beat!
At that point you can eat 10 to 20% less than that magic number depending on how much you have to lose.
At some point your RMR and TDEE may get so close to each other that you cannot sustain a 20% deficit without going below your RMR. When that happens, just don't go below your RMR.

Thanks!!

based on your suggestion, I looked up a calculator http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
to get TDEE. so TDEE is 2028. If I eat a couple hundred below that as suggested, I will be at 10% under TDEE, 1825 per day. It seems like a lot, so I did 15% which was 1724, and 20% which was 1622.

The 1622, 20% below TDEE is still above the 1540 I've set for myself, so apparently I've been eating too few calories and the proponents "of eat more, silly!!!!" are probably right.

Now I'll have to figure out how to set my mfp calories so that when I log my workouts it won't falsely inflate my calories allowed. Or just not log workouts... which should I do?

sobriquet84

watch your sodium. i'm not sure of what kind of food choices you're making, but if you're eating high sodium foods and you increase your calories by 500 calories, you could very well be adding a ton more sodium, which will reflect on the scale.

if you're sure sodium is not the problem, try upping your protein and your healthy fats while keeping your calorie goal the same.

of course i'm dispensing this advice without knowing your diet/food choices, but this is always the first two things to look at when experiencing this.

cedarghost

Now I'll have to figure out how to set my mfp calories so that when I log my workouts it won't falsely inflate my calories allowed. Or just not log workouts... which should I do?

I personally don't worry about what MFP tells me, BUT I already know my TDEE, so I just select custom and set it where I want. If you want to use it, I preferred to set it at "no exercise" then log exercise manually.