Just want some opinions please

unicornlady77

I was a newbie a year ago and like a lot of newbies I started eating 1200-1300 calories,I lost about 30 lbs last year. Last month I read In Place of a Road Map and upped my calories to 1800 and eat my exersize calories.. My BMR is 1852,my TDEE is 2553 at lightly active,I try to exercise 3 times a week (with MS and a 2 yr old its difficult) so the other days of the week I am not completely sedentary(2 yr old to look after). I am 35,weigh 248 and am 5'4".
So I have been at 1800 Cal's for a month now and gained 5 lbs,should I wait longer before changing my calories again? change them up or down?
When I exercise I do at least 30-60 min,walking,biking,or exersize bike.

I would just like some opinions. thank u

nczuczu

I like to use a Calorie Deficit Calculator (http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/caloriedeficitcalculator.php). I took the information you provided and came up with this information (unlike the "in place of a roadmap", this does not take into account your body mass)

Total Daily Calorie Needs - 2183/sedentary or 2502/lightly active
Calorie Deficit of 15% - 1856/sedentary or 2127/lightly active
Calorie Deficit of 20% - 1747/sedentary or 2001/lightly active
Calorie Deficit of 25% - 1635/sedentary or 1876/lightly active
Calorie Deficit of 30% - 1528/sedentary or 1751/lightly active

I would try to stick within these parameters. I used this tool and went from 1260 (MFP recommended) to 1560 cal/day and have not regreted it. I am still consistently losing weight and am not hungry.

psuLemon

Going from 1200 to 1800 is a considerable jump. Considering you eat 1200 calories for a year, it's quite possible your resting metabolic rate adapted to become more efficient. Generally, you want to slow increase your calories. Another issue you could face is medicines messing with your metabolic rate. I don't know enough about MS to comment on that. I would consider setting your calories to 1500 for a few months to monitor progress. After 2 months, I would then try to add another 100-200 calories per month. It isn't uncommon that this process will take a few months.

Also, when you say 1800 are we talking total or net? Because you did mention eating back exercise calories. With Dan's method, it should be total calories, not net like MFP is set up.

Mokey41

Just be aware that calculators are based on "normal" people. When your weight gets outside the normal parameters either way you get skewed numbers. Your BMR and TDEE may not be as high as you think because you don't really need to feed all that fat. I'd set yourself to sedentary at best and log exercise separately. You can decide if you want to eat some or all of that back.

1ConcreteGirl

If your TDEE is 2500, you should be eating at a 20 percent cut of that, which would be 2000.

If you just kicked your calories up 600 or so to get to 1800, do not be surprised that you gained. Your body is adjusting. The preferred method is to kick the calories up by 100 or so per week so that you adjust slowly.

This week, try adding 100 more calories. Next week, get yourself to 2000 calories.

Sit at 2000 calories for a month, and I am sure by the end of next month you will be losing again.

unicornlady77

I guess I also would like to know since my exersize isn't always consistant ie. one week I'm able to walk or ride 3-5 days and the next week only 1-2 days and some weeks not at all,would my TDEE be lightly active or sedentary? I have it at sedentary which is 2228 and eat my exersize. I really wish I could afford a fitbit or something similar,that would make it easier,lol.
This is all confusing.

1ConcreteGirl

I guess I also would like to know since my exersize isn't always consistant ie. one week I'm able to walk or ride 3-5 days and the next week only 1-2 days and some weeks not at all,would my TDEE be lightly active or sedentary? I have it at sedentary which is 2228 and eat my exersize. I really wish I could afford a fitbit or something similar,that would make it easier,lol.
This is all confusing.

If you have inconsistent exercise, the best way to calculate your TDEE is to set your activity level at sedentary-20%, and then eat back your exercise calories. So yes, you are doing it exacly right. :flowerforyou:

unicornlady77

I know now I shouldve upped it slowly from 1200 to 1800 but a month ago I didn't think of that and just did it,lol:laugh: oops

unicornlady77

thanks guys,I guess I need to give it longer then? I need more patience,lol

bizco

I guess I also would like to know since my exersize isn't always consistant ie. one week I'm able to walk or ride 3-5 days and the next week only 1-2 days and some weeks not at all,would my TDEE be lightly active or sedentary? I have it at sedentary which is 2228 and eat my exersize. I really wish I could afford a fitbit or something similar,that would make it easier,lol.
This is all confusing.

If you're using the TDEE method, don't eat back your exercise calories. TDEE includes exercise. Try using lightly active and follow this for one month before making further adjustments. If you're not seeing results, change it to sedentary.

If you're using MFP, choose sedentary, log your exercise, eat back your extra calories. However, MFP is a "dumb" tool in that it sets your calorie limit based on your inputs even if that limit is below your BMR. NEVER eat below your BMR. The "roadmap" link will show you how to manually adjust your calorie limit so it's above your BMR.

1ConcreteGirl

I guess I also would like to know since my exersize isn't always consistant ie. one week I'm able to walk or ride 3-5 days and the next week only 1-2 days and some weeks not at all,would my TDEE be lightly active or sedentary? I have it at sedentary which is 2228 and eat my exersize. I really wish I could afford a fitbit or something similar,that would make it easier,lol.
This is all confusing.

If you're using the TDEE method, don't eat back your exercise calories. TDEE includes exercise. Try using lightly active and follow this for one month before making further adjustments. If you're not seeing results, change it to sedentary.

If you're using MFP, choose sedentary, log your exercise, eat back your extra calories. However, MFP is a "dumb" tool in that it sets your calorie limit based on your inputs even if that limit is below your BMR. NEVER eat below your BMR. The "roadmap" link will show you how to manually adjust your calorie limit so it's above your BMR.

The OP explained that her exercise is inconsistent, which is why it is easier for her to eat back her exercise calories with TDEE set at sedentary.

OP, give it a month once you're at your 2000 cals. Good luck!

unicornlady77

Going from 1200 to 1800 is a considerable jump. Considering you eat 1200 calories for a year, it's quite possible your resting metabolic rate adapted to become more efficient. Generally, you want to slow increase your calories. Another issue you could face is medicines messing with your metabolic rate. I don't know enough about MS to comment on that. I would consider setting your calories to 1500 for a few months to monitor progress. After 2 months, I would then try to add another 100-200 calories per month. It isn't uncommon that this process will take a few months.

Also, when you say 1800 are we talking total or net? Because you did mention eating back exercise calories. With Dan's method, it should be total calories, not net like MFP is set up.

1800net

1ConcreteGirl

Going from 1200 to 1800 is a considerable jump. Considering you eat 1200 calories for a year, it's quite possible your resting metabolic rate adapted to become more efficient. Generally, you want to slow increase your calories. Another issue you could face is medicines messing with your metabolic rate. I don't know enough about MS to comment on that. I would consider setting your calories to 1500 for a few months to monitor progress. After 2 months, I would then try to add another 100-200 calories per month. It isn't uncommon that this process will take a few months.

Also, when you say 1800 are we talking total or net? Because you did mention eating back exercise calories. With Dan's method, it should be total calories, not net like MFP is set up.

1800net

People keep saying that using the TDEE method you should not include exercise. This is a matter of personal opinion. If you set it at sedentary and eat back your exercise calories, you will be netting the same as you should be netting if you set your activity level at whatever is correct for you and did not eat back exercise calories.

Personally, I choose the first method because I like seeing how many calories I burned. Some people choose the first method because their exercise is inconsistent. Either way, it doesn't matter.

You are eating the same number of calories.

MariaChele85

Just be a little bit more patience. I upped my calories and in 4 weeks i gained 10lbs. After about the 4th or 5th week, my body slowly started adjusting to the extra calories and I started to lose again. I was/ am convinced that I am now losing fat, not weight. Major difference.

toaster6

Even if you did up your intake from 1200 to 1800 suddenly, it still seems weird that you would be gaining as that would still presumably be a deficit for you. You should simply be losing at a slower rate. I suggest seeing a nutritionist to get a better idea of where you should be to get the best results. Some people need more calories, some need less. I have an aunt with a thyroid issue and 1800 calories a day causes her to gain because that is not a deficit for her particular body. As other posters have said, calculators work of the assumption that you are normal and don't take any other issues into consideration.

3foldchord

I would take the increase more slowly.
And I do to eat back exercise calories. From all I have read, when using the MFP goals you do eat back calories ( or TDEE set at sedentary) but when using the TDEE minus the percentage you don't bother with exercise calories ( with a set activity level)

So I set mine to lightly, "gets exercise 3 times a week", and only record/eat back any exercise above 3 times a week.

And your body will have to take some time to adjust to the change.

ntdrive

Excellent explanation 1concretegirl!

unicornlady77

ok so its now May 21st,almost a month from when I posted this..so now its been about two months not losing.or more...
so I went up to 1900 cals and just gained.then had a Fitbit Flex for a while and discovered I burn about 2200 on a lazy day and 2400-2500 0n a lightly active day. returned the flex because it doesn't count steps when pushing a stroller and got a Fitbit Zip. So I put my daily goal at 1700 because that's what I can eat on a lazy day and on lightly active days I try to eat 1900,sometimes I go over a little but then I go for a walk.I have been gaining and losing the same 2 lbs for the last month at least!