Whats the best way to calculate your calorie intake?

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Replies

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    My doctor told me to cut out the sugar, even in fruit. Sugar in all forms raises insulin that stores it as fat. My advice would be more protein, less sugar and carbs. Good luck!
    Is your doctor a nutritionist? I know there's some controversy on this, but fruit is natural and good for you, I see no reason to limit it. Not all doctors really know what they're talking about when it comes to nutrition and diet.

    ^agree
    When i go over on sugar and i know its because of fruit i dont mind it at all.. natural sugars are good for us... But when the sugar is coming from cake, cookies or soda... That is sugar that turns into fat...

    ^ agree.....

    When carbs/sugars/grains are consumed, the body creates insulin, which is a fat storing hormone. Consuming proteins/fats/non-starchy vegetables and low GI fruits the body creates no or very little insulin, which means the fat burning mode continues. Even one small cheat - ie ONE cookie - your body will go from a fat burning mode to a fat storing mode. It's all chemistry and hormones and if one wants to lose weight, food choices must come into play. Weight loss is nearly impossible on a diet filled with sugar and grains (ie, bread).

    This is not what happens. If it was, I would be fat.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    You are eating too much as you are overestimating your calorie burn.

    I would eat to a static number of 2,000 (no eating of exercise calories back). Log all you food accurately - weigh and measure everything. After 4 week, see what your weight has done and then teak up or down according to your results.
  • CharRicho
    CharRicho Posts: 389 Member

    about the 600kcals walking in an hour- using my pedometer i walk 10,000 + steps a day, usually burning 500+ calories. thats including my 60 mins of walkign during the week day ( 20mins to work, 20 mins back, 20 walking the dogs)

    however as my exercise can vary quite a bit day to day, i put it down as sedentary then just add my exercise onto that, - so im not sure if i should add all the calories i burn from walking using my pedometer throughout the day, or just the 60 mins of walking?

    You should ONLY be adding the calories burned from your 60 minutes of walking per day, not what you burn throughout the whole day. That is already accounted for in your daily calorie allowance, based on your everyday activities.

    So only add exercise that is specifically exercise. (Going for a walk, or run or to the gym). Don't add what you burn just regularly walking around throughout the day.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member

    about the 600kcals walking in an hour- using my pedometer i walk 10,000 + steps a day, usually burning 500+ calories. thats including my 60 mins of walkign during the week day ( 20mins to work, 20 mins back, 20 walking the dogs)

    however as my exercise can vary quite a bit day to day, i put it down as sedentary then just add my exercise onto that, - so im not sure if i should add all the calories i burn from walking using my pedometer throughout the day, or just the 60 mins of walking?

    You should ONLY be adding the calories burned from your 60 minutes of walking per day, not what you burn throughout the whole day. That is already accounted for in your daily calorie allowance, based on your everyday activities.

    So only add exercise that is specifically exercise. (Going for a walk, or run or to the gym). Don't add what you burn just regularly walking around throughout the day.

    ^^yep.

    If you want to go the 'eat your calories back' route. Set yourself at active to account for your normal day to day activity, and then only count 'extra' formal exercise in the amount you log to eat back. Also, to be conservative, only eat back about 75% of those.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    My doctor told me to cut out the sugar, even in fruit. Sugar in all forms raises insulin that stores it as fat. My advice would be more protein, less sugar and carbs. Good luck!
    Is your doctor a nutritionist? I know there's some controversy on this, but fruit is natural and good for you, I see no reason to limit it. Not all doctors really know what they're talking about when it comes to nutrition and diet.

    ^agree
    When i go over on sugar and i know its because of fruit i dont mind it at all.. natural sugars are good for us... But when the sugar is coming from cake, cookies or soda... That is sugar that turns into fat...

    ^ agree.....

    When carbs/sugars/grains are consumed, the body creates insulin, which is a fat storing hormone. Consuming proteins/fats/non-starchy vegetables and low GI fruits the body creates no or very little insulin, which means the fat burning mode continues. Even one small cheat - ie ONE cookie - your body will go from a fat burning mode to a fat storing mode. It's all chemistry and hormones and if one wants to lose weight, food choices must come into play. Weight loss is nearly impossible on a diet filled with sugar and grains (ie, bread).

    This is not what happens. If it was, I would be fat.

    ^Agree with Sara. Protein also spikes insulin and raised insulin does not make you store fat. Eating excess calories makes you store fat and gain weight.
  • ThatDamnRobyn
    ThatDamnRobyn Posts: 47 Member
    My suggestions:
    - Be careful with calories burned from exercise. If it seems too high then don't eat all the calories back. (I have a HRM but still use various websites when the number doesn't seem right.)
    - Measure food whenever possible, either with measuring cups/spoons or food scaled. You might be underestimating.
    - Drink water and get sleep... simple stuff but it matters.


    Good luck!

    I agree. I either use my heart rate monitor data (which is lower than, say, the treadmill screen) or I use online calculators for my calorie burn and then input less than that on MFP so that if anything, I'm underestimating my calorie burn. Better that way than to overestimate and overeat.

    Also, what other people say -- measure and weigh your foods!

    Finally, check out this post at Coach Calorie: http://www.coachcalorie.com/not-eating-enough-calories-to-lose-weight/
  • GingerbreadArtist
    GingerbreadArtist Posts: 212 Member
    ^Agree with Sara. Protein also spikes insulin and raised insulin does not make you store fat. Eating excess calories makes you store fat and gain weight.

    Protein also stimulates glucagon which is an insulin countering horemone... carbs only stimulates insulin. LOSING weight will be VERY difficult if your body is constantly pumping insulin, which yes, is a fat storing hormone. When insulin is over-produced it will create a fat storage environment within your body, which will not help weight loss.
  • cassylee
    cassylee Posts: 107 Member
    Hi,
    First of all, I agree with most of what has been said.

    I also struggled and gain weight even though I was exercising regularly ( 3 to 4 gym sessions a week) and eating the correct calories. It wasn't until a month ago that I found out that I was intolerant to Dairy, wheat, gluten and soy that everything that I was eating was making me sick. Since then I have change my eating plan but still doing the same amount of exercises (3 to 4 gym sessions a week) - I have lost 5 kilos or 11 pounds in about 4 weeks. I am not suggesting that you are intolerant but it is another option to consider.

    Good luck.
  • GingerbreadArtist
    GingerbreadArtist Posts: 212 Member
    Hi,
    First of all, I agree with most of what has been said.

    I also struggled and gain weight even though I was exercising regularly ( 3 to 4 gym sessions a week) and eating the correct calories. It wasn't until a month ago that I found out that I was intolerant to Dairy, wheat, gluten and soy that everything that I was eating was making me sick. Since then I have change my eating plan but still doing the same amount of exercises (3 to 4 gym sessions a week) - I have lost 5 kilos or 11 pounds in about 4 weeks. I am not suggesting that you are intolerant but it is another option to consider.

    Good luck.

    Congratulations on making dietary changes for your health! :drinker:

    I too am dairy and wheat (gluten) intolerant and I feel a heck of a lot better when I do not eat those foods!

    I stopped wheat almost 2 years ago. There is life afterwards and a world full of healthy real foods!

    Best of luck as you continue on this new journey!
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    ^Agree with Sara. Protein also spikes insulin and raised insulin does not make you store fat. Eating excess calories makes you store fat and gain weight.

    Protein also stimulates glucagon which is an insulin countering horemone... carbs only stimulates insulin. LOSING weight will be VERY difficult if your body is constantly pumping insulin, which yes, is a fat storing hormone. When insulin is over-produced it will create a fat storage environment within your body, which will not help weight loss.

    wtf.gif
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    Uuuuuuuummm, If you walk every weekday and workout for an hour on Sat and Sun, you most certainly do not lead a "sedentary" lifestyle. Are you sure you know what sedentary means?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    ^Agree with Sara. Protein also spikes insulin and raised insulin does not make you store fat. Eating excess calories makes you store fat and gain weight.

    Protein also stimulates glucagon which is an insulin countering horemone... carbs only stimulates insulin. LOSING weight will be VERY difficult if your body is constantly pumping insulin, which yes, is a fat storing hormone. When insulin is over-produced it will create a fat storage environment within your body, which will not help weight loss.

    How can you store excess fat in a caloric deficit - you are missing what is happening with the rest of the picture.

    I suggest you read this to get a better understanding of what happens: http://www.weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319
  • GingerbreadArtist
    GingerbreadArtist Posts: 212 Member
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    How can you store excess fat in a caloric deficit - you are missing what is happening with the rest of the picture.

    I suggest you read this to get a better understanding of what happens: http://www.weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

    Sarauk2sf - thanks for posting this link. Very informative information that provides yet another viewpoint on how the human body works. There is SO much information available and everybody seems to have a viewpoint. I wish someone would finally figure out the magic potion on the best method in order to lose weight.... count calories vs. don't count calories but listen to your body; intermittent fasting vs. eating 6 small meals a day; exercise hard vs. walk slow; high protein/no carb vs high fat/low protein/low fat; Eating real food vs. nothing but juicing..... it becomes so confusing.

    But, thanks for posting the link... adds to the library of knowledge.

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