Help! Am I doing this right???

PiecesOfTheHeart
PiecesOfTheHeart Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all. I am a newbie here. Been logging for a week now I think? I have been reading all these posts on calculating calories exercise and what not and I am concerned. My concern is if I am doing this right. I put in my weight, height and that I am mostly sitting even though I am lightly active at work on a daily basis. I also work out almost everyday and I inputted no workouts. So I am goaled at 1500 calories a day. I am 5'4" and 205 lbs right now. :cry: :blushing: Am I doing this right? Also when I input my exercise and it says I have earned calories to eat should I eat them? I am pretty hungry lately even with lots of veggies and lean protein and I have always been a HUGE water drinker. Any comments or suggestions?

Replies

  • TheSterlingRose
    TheSterlingRose Posts: 2 Member
    It sounds like you're doing it right. I think as you go along you'll get to know your body and what caloric intake is right for you to lose weight. For example, I am 5'6 and 185 lbs. I used to weigh 242 lbs six years ago, then lost some weight and stayed around 200 for a few years. Now I'm ready to lose the rest and get to my goal weight. The perfect goal for me is to set it at a 1 1/2 lbs weight-loss per week. That is where I lose the most weight. I need to eat between 1300-1400 calories a day to lose weight. Any less or any more and I either plateau or start gaining. For a few days I had been eating about 1200 calories a day and my weight started creeping up. It was too little for me and it kicked my body into starvation mode. If I go over 1400 I plateau, and over 1600 I start gaining weight. I don't eat the extra calories alloted because of the exercise unless I'm really starving that day. You should feel a little hunger but you should never feel like you're starving. Get to know your body, track your weight even when you plateau or gain, and see what works best for you. Keep up the water intake like you're doing, and keep up the good work!
  • Broejen
    Broejen Posts: 414 Member
    Figure out your BMR and TDEE to see what you should be netting each day. Don't net below your BMR. I highly doubt you'll gain weight (meaning actual fat) eating 1600 a day. I'm 5'2" and my TDEE is 1900 when I do nothing all day. I'd have to eat above that to gain.
  • desertcrafty
    desertcrafty Posts: 50 Member
    Hello all. I am a newbie here. Been logging for a week now I think? I have been reading all these posts on calculating calories exercise and what not and I am concerned. My concern is if I am doing this right. I put in my weight, height and that I am mostly sitting even though I am lightly active at work on a daily basis. I also work out almost everyday and I inputted no workouts. So I am goaled at 1500 calories a day. I am 5'4" and 205 lbs right now. :cry: :blushing: Am I doing this right? Also when I input my exercise and it says I have earned calories to eat should I eat them? I am pretty hungry lately even with lots of veggies and lean protein and I have always been a HUGE water drinker. Any comments or suggestions?

    Much of what I have read on this site is that you should eat your exercise calories. If you are hungry then I would use these calories!
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    1500 sounds about right. You could probably go a little higher if you want to. At 1500 I would recommend eating the calories that you earn from exercise or at least a portion of them. When you get more comfortable with your program you can learn about TDEE and all the other cool stuff to tweak your program. Congratulations on getting started! :flowerforyou:
  • DeeC01
    DeeC01 Posts: 70 Member
    This will give you all you need to know - its brilliant. I hope Pu_239 is ok with me sharing!!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/943139-weight-loss-cheat-sheet-ipoarm

    Good luck with your journey :)
  • sunshine421969
    sunshine421969 Posts: 273 Member
    Sounds like you are doing it right. Some days I eat my calories burned and somedays I don't, depends on if I am hungry.I haven't been eating enough lately and my weight has been at a little stand still.So I as of today I am trying harder to work on that and see how it goes from here.As some has stated you will learn alot on here and also learn more about your body,,you will succeedand we are here to help you...I know what you mean buy, starting and stopping on diets..I was the same way.But when I started back with MFP in December of last year..I am going to reach my goal no matter how long it takes me.This site has helped me in so many ways.So hang in there and stay with this group and you will see great results ..Its a life change not a diet to me anymore..I wish you the best..:smile:

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