Here are my numbers...now go! :) Help!

TdaniT

I am 34 years old and as of Sunday (4/14) I am 172.8lbs. I am 5'3" tall. My main exercise is the couch25K program 3x a week for 30-35 mins per day. On the other 4 days I get in a minimum of 30 mins walking on the treadmill. Every now and again I will get on the Wii for strength training. I have a desk job where I can get up and move but not enough.

I just let MFP recalculate my calories (no exercise) because it prompted me to with my latest weight loss. I am now allotted 1320 calories (no exercise) a day. When I exercise I add it in and eat them back or try to.

When I do the couch25K program, the treadmill gives me a calorie burn over 300. I go on calorie calculators and they give me around the same amount. I average it and put 300 hoping I am not overestimating my burn.

Using http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html my numbers are (I am not sure which calculation I should use):
Moderate Exercise (ex. exercising 3-5 days/week) TDEE = 2383 20% to lose = 1906.4
Light Exercise (ex. exercising 1-3 days/week) TDEE = 2114 20% to lose = 1691.2
Little or no exercise (ex. desk job) TDEE = 1845 20% to lose = 1476

Using http://scoobyworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ my numbers are (I am not sure if I am doing light or moderate):
1-3 hrs/wk of light exercise TDEE = 2113 20% to lose = 1690
3-5 hrs/wk of moderate exercise TDEE = 2382 20% to lose = 1905

I am losing using MFP but I wonder if I would do better eating a set amount each day and not worrying about eating back my calories? Sometimes I don't exercise until the evening and then have to try and eat back those calories before bed.

And these numbers are kind of all over the place. I could really use some suggestions. I don't know if the exercise I am doing is light or moderate....so I don't know what TDEE/20% to go by if I use that.

Help!

TdaniT

Anyone?

TdaniT

bump

clambert1273

from my research and I could be TOTALLY wrong... even if you eat after a workout your body is using it more as fuel so it shouldn't be worried about too much.

I work out at 8:30PM and will eat back if I have to. The last time I did this in 2009 I lost 25lbs (then we moved!) I am determined to do it again on a larger scale lol

LJSmith1989

It can be really confusing can't it.

I don't have any answers for you but good luck!

jzammetti

I would go with TDEE at the lightly active modifier (20% cut for another 10 pounds or so, then drop to 15% cut) - the important thing about providing your body enough food is the weight loss is more sustainable, you are likely to lose less lean body mass and more fat, you are fueling your activity.

The bad thing is it takes longer. I believe the benefits outweigh the longer time it takes to reach your goal. Plus, the longer it takes you to get to your goal weight, the more time your skin has to adjust to being smaller (less sag!).

In my experience, MFP tends to underestimate calories needed for proper, healthy, and sustainable weight loss.

EDT: Also, do not eat back exercise calories under this method and maybe begin a heavy lifting program to reshape yoru body while you lose the weight (when i started lifting I had to up my modifier to moderately active).

TdaniT

Don't I know it! I am trying not to drive myself crazy with it.

jess6741

I would record it as light exercise but that's just me.

Calliope610

Just bump your calories up by 100-150cals to start. Give yourself a week or 2 and see how that goes. If there is no progress, up up again by 100-150 cals. You should find a place where you are losing about 1 - 1.5 lbs/week. If you are at 1350 now, and can go to 1900, you have over 550 calories to work with. Find the place that works for you. But make sure you give your body a week or two to adjust to the increased calories before getting frustrated.

ETA: And don't eat back your exercise calories.

CMorning99

1) I would invest in a HRM that does calories (ensure it is a semi-good one that takes in height/weight/gender)...those are a lot more accurate than your treadmill. I called the company for my treadmill and asked about the calorie computation...turns out it was based on a 180lb male...I am a 135lb female...big difference.

2) Your TDEE: I honestly (and what I do) is put mine at sedentary. I also have a desk job and get up once in awhile for bathroom/water/chat breaks...I bought a BodyMedia and over the course of several months it averaged that on a non-exercise day, I was only burning 1700 calories a day! This was barely 150 cals over my BMR and barely over the sedentary mark. So I set mine to sedentary and just be sure to eat back my calories. I also do this b/c my exercise varies so much week to week...some weeks I am more active than others. But I do have BodyMedia that syncs up with MFP so it is easier for me to see when I am falling behind on calories.

3) When to exercise...this is a very personal question. If you aren't a morning person and if you make yourself get up and work out at half energy ...why? Or exercise at another point in the day and work out just as long or longer with more enthusiasm? But I guess the bottom line is what can you make into a lifestyle. I workout in the afternoon somtimes too...on days I know I am , I intentionally go over my calories a bit at lunch so I am "in the hole" by the end of the day...but exercise earns me the calories back for dinner. There have been some nights when I don't exercise (shear laziness) and well, a protein shake for 200 it is!

lewcompton

You are a unique individual and experimentation with your weight loss plan is a requirement to 1. Keep things fresh. 2. Find what really works for you. 3. Keep adapting to succeed. If you want to try something new, then go for it for a few weeks and see what happens.