Im So confused! Help!

jacobjacksmom
jacobjacksmom Posts: 23
in Introduce Yourself
1.) Ok, I'm so confused on how many calories I should be eating! MFP says 1200 which I notice is very popular number! But My TDEE is 2350 so I took 20% percent off for 1880! Which one is the right one to follow? 1200 is too low but 1880 is too high. I'm not hungry enough to eat 1880 especially after exercise! I would not be able to "eat back" the cals.

2.) Also I have learned that I should start strength traning. i do have weights but access to a gym with other equipment is next to impossible. I have NO IDEA where to start? I've read some on it but I have no idea what most means. Never thought about lifting before. Just always thought cardio was enough to lose weight?

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    MFP numbers are before exercise and you have to eat back your calories. 1200 is popular because it is the lowest number MFP will allow and everyone wants to lose weight as fast as they can.

    TDEE includes your exercise, you don't eat the calories back.

    Many of us have found that the numbers come out very close. For example, if you are doing one hour of intense cardio, you may well burn the 600 difference. Thus, the difference is that with TDEE you eat those calories whether you get the workout or not, whereas MFP encourages you to "earn" your calories. Both methods have their pros and cons, based largely on individual personalities.
  • CortneyHicks20
    CortneyHicks20 Posts: 27
    If you are active at all 1200 calories will be hard to do. You need cal just for energy. The most important thing is to make sure your caloric intake is made up of "good" calories, no junk and little sugar. I stay around 1800-2000 but I try to monitor calories in vs. calories out. If you cant get to a gym you may try a P90X workout or something similar. Hope this has helped.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    MFP numbers are before exercise and you have to eat back your calories. 1200 is popular because it is the lowest number MFP will allow and everyone wants to lose weight as fast as they can.

    TDEE includes your exercise, you don't eat the calories back.

    Many of us have found that the numbers come out very close. For example, if you are doing one hour of intense cardio, you may well burn the 600 difference. Thus, the difference is that with TDEE you eat those calories whether you get the workout or not, whereas MFP encourages you to "earn" your calories. Both methods have their pros and cons, based largely on individual personalities.

    This answers your 1st question perfectly! Nicely done...

    As to your 2nd question - technically, eating right is enough to lose weight, you don't HAVE to exercise at all. While it sure can help with the calorie deficit, exercise is more for fitness and body composition, especially if you're talking about strength training. Doing strength training will help build more lean body mass which can help increase your metabolism and will improve your physique.

    There's not really any need to join a gym either. Start out with body weight exericses like planks, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, leg lifts, tricep dips, etc (google for more ideas). Since you have weights, you can add these for more resistance like holding them while you do your lunges and squats, doing bicep curls, etc. And/or you can mix it up by doing some plyometric moves like squat jumps, travelling lunges, etc. Once you advance enough so that these are no longer a challenge, buy heavier weights. Or, as someone else suggested, invest in workout programs like P90X and Insanity for guidance.
  • krislyn84
    krislyn84 Posts: 337 Member
    Try a workout video. My personal fave is Chalean Extreme by Beachbody (same guys that created P90X and Insanity). You can also find tons of great vidoes for free online. Try www.bodyrock.tv. You don't have to lift heavy. I usually don't go higher than 15-20 pounds for anything. Your not going to bulk up with light strength training. In fact, it will make you leaner. The point is to strengthen and tone your muscles. Muscle burns fat. And makes you look good naked. =)
  • elothen
    elothen Posts: 155 Member
    If you are active at all 1200 calories will be hard to do. You need cal just for energy. The most important thing is to make sure your caloric intake is made up of "good" calories, no junk and little sugar. I stay around 1800-2000 but I try to monitor calories in vs. calories out. If you cant get to a gym you may try a P90X workout or something similar. Hope this has helped.

    I just want to echo this. Where you calories come from is HUGE. If you start getting them from healthy sources, like lean meats and veggies, I think you'll find in short time that it actually becomes hard to get enough calories (even 1200). Just for argument's sake, if you were to get all of your daily calories from grilled chicken breast, without mayo, bread, etc. you'd have to eat 34oz. worth to get to 1200 cals. That's over 2lbs of chicken just to get to your bare minimum.

    Also you don't have to dive as fast as you can. Many of us choose to but it's certainly not a requirement and arguably easier to sustain if you don't. Just dropping 500 cal/day will get you 1-2lbs per week. Add in weight training/cardio and you could see more. It adds up quick.
  • sozisfitnow
    sozisfitnow Posts: 209 Member
    If you are active at all 1200 calories will be hard to do. You need cal just for energy. The most important thing is to make sure your caloric intake is made up of "good" calories, no junk and little sugar. I stay around 1800-2000 but I try to monitor calories in vs. calories out. If you cant get to a gym you may try a P90X workout or something similar. Hope this has helped.

    good advice!
    Also walking briskley for 30 mins plus is great exercise in itself .
  • jacobjacksmom
    jacobjacksmom Posts: 23
    I think I FINALLY understand. LOL. Thanks guys! Seems what I'm doing is right. I am only eating healthy and also already doing a beach body video daily Yoga Booty Ballet which includes weights. So I think I'm on the right track! You all were great help! Thanks again!
  • tashajo414
    tashajo414 Posts: 21 Member
    When I started I was in the same boat. How many calories do I eat and do I eat back all my work out calories?? So I did some research and answered different questions from different websites about how much I should eat. And after checking my BMR and BMI and calorie intake I was able to average it out to around 1400 cals and I will eat back some calories, but not all. It is pretty frustrating. I am also a Mom of 2, (6&3) and the sports schedule and then also a nursing student, finding gym time is impossible!!! I like the Jillian Michaels DVD's. Especially 30 day shred. 27 min video and it works and thats about all my kids can handle without my full attention :)
  • DannielleMM
    DannielleMM Posts: 20 Member
    You can alway youtube lifting exercises that you dont understand. I would start by looking up a basic at home lifting routine, and then youtube and watch videos of each move, and start there.. Or you could get an exercise DVD like Jillian Micheals, who does circut training with weights. As far as your diet goes, I know for me, 1200 is too low for calories for me and I actually lose more when I eat somewhere around 1400, and eat back exercise calories. Good luck!
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
    Ok, so someone please tell me what TDEE is?

    (and if you want to share what the heck the NSV is, too, that'd be cool...)
  • brandiepair
    brandiepair Posts: 104
    Looks like you are on the right track!! How is yoga booty ballet?? I wanna do it so badly!! It looks like a blast!!
  • jpendley1104
    jpendley1104 Posts: 2
    When I started I was in the same boat. How many calories do I eat and do I eat back all my work out calories?? So I did some research and answered different questions from different websites about how much I should eat. And after checking my BMR and BMI and calorie intake I was able to average it out to around 1400 cals and I will eat back some calories, but not all. It is pretty frustrating. I am also a Mom of 2, (6&3) and the sports schedule and then also a nursing student, finding gym time is impossible!!! I like the Jillian Michaels DVD's. Especially 30 day shred. 27 min video and it works and thats about all my kids can handle without my full attention :)
    [/quote

    I am in the same boat. I have a 5-year-old and a 4-month-old. Plus I work full time so my options are limited as far as the gym goes. I try to go to the gym during my lunch hour, but it only gives me about 20 minutes to workout between driving there and then having time to freshen up before returning to work. So I just re-started the Jillian Michael's 30-day shred today, which was awesome b/c I did it before work while my kids were still sleeping. I started on level 3 because I have done it before a couple months ago and I have been working out pretty regularly. It was still quite challenging, but quick. Best of luck!
  • jacobjacksmom
    jacobjacksmom Posts: 23
    Yoga booty ballet is great! I love it and the girls are fun and easy to follow!

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